bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increasing Inequality and Financial Instability
Authors: Skott Peter
Published: May 2013

Rising inequality affects the composition of asset demands as well as aggregate demand. The poor have few financial assets and their portfolios are skewed towards fixed-income assets. The rich, by contrast, hold a large proportion of their wealth in stocks. Thus, an increase in inequality tends to raise the demand for stocks. This generates capital gains, and these gains can fuel a bubble, as desired portfolios shift further towards stocks.
The effect of titanium dioxide on the tribological properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polyimide composites
Authors: Zhenhua Li
Published: May 2013

This study examined the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) dispersion on the tribological properties of carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced–polyimide (PI) matrix (CF/PI) composites. Nanocomposites were prepared through compression molding as milled CF/PI mixtures without further melt mixing. The incorporation of TiO2 leads to a significant improvement in friction and wear properties of the CF/PI composite. The scratches on the worn surface of the CF/PI composite filled with TiO2 are considerably reduced. We can see a relatively smooth, uniform, and compact worn surface, which is in good agreement with the considerably increased wear resistance of the CF/PI composite.
Material characterization of different-dimensioned wood particle-reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Akdogan Anil , Vanli Ali Serdar
Published: May 2013

Different national resources like nut shells and residual wood flours (WFs) are being used as filler materials of polymer composites. It is possible to obtain proper composites from high percentage addition of different sized wood chips to the polymer raw material. This article investigates the effects of three different-dimensioned beech flours as additives on the morphological and mechanical properties of the polymer composite materials. At lower particle sizes, loading of certain concentrations of WF results in better mechanical properties and morphological improvements in composites are experienced.
Preparation and characterization of UHMWPE/HDPE/MWCNT melt-blended nanocomposites
Authors: Khasraghi Samaneh Salkhi , Rezaei Mostafa
Published: May 2013

The nanocomposite blends of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and high-density PE (HDPE) reinforced with 1 wt% of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) were prepared by melt mixing at different compositions in an internal mixer. Two different grades of HDPE were used in this research to improve the processability of UHMWPE. Rheological, thermal, morphological, and mechanical properties were investigated for both (UHMWPE/HDPE) blends and their nanocomposites. The results confirmed the reduction in melt viscosity and improvement in the processability of UHMWPE by the addition of HDPE. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed a single melting and crystallization peak, and the broadness of these peaks in blends compared to pure components indicated that two components form separate crystals. The effect of incorporating MWCNT to the blend samples on mechanical properties was studied, and the samples prepared with HDPE 5218 exhibited slight improvement in mechanical properties. Incorporating MWCNT into the blend of UHMWPE (20 wt%) accelerated crystallization; but in higher contents of UHMWPE, crystallization of the composites was slightly delayed. Rheological data exhibited lower complex viscosity and storage modulus and therefore lower elasticity for UHMWPE/HDPE/MWCNT nanocomposites compared to their blends. Drop in viscosity and storage modulus as well as tensile strength of nanocomposites compared to their blends was attributed to adsorption of higher molar mass polyethylene chains onto MWCNT surface. The morphology of nanocomposites was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and phase separation, and probably localization of MWCNT predominantly into HDPE matrix and HDPE/UHMWPE interface was concluded. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicated that MWCNT was well distributed and dispersed in HDPE matrix.
How autism became autism
Authors: Evans Bonnie
Published: May 2013

This article argues that the meaning of the word ‘autism’ experienced a radical shift in the early 1960s in Britain which was contemporaneous with a growth in epidemiological and statistical studies in child psychiatry. The first part of the article explores how ‘autism’ was used as a category to describe hallucinations and unconscious fantasy life in infants through the work of significant child psychologists and psychoanalysts such as Jean Piaget, Lauretta Bender, Leo Kanner and Elwyn James Anthony. Theories of autism were then associated both with schizophrenia in adults and with psychoanalytic styles of reasoning. The closure of institutions for ‘mental defectives’ and the growth in speech therapy services in the 1960s and 1970s encouraged new models for understanding autism in infants and children. The second half of the article explores how researchers such as Victor Lotter and Michael Rutter used the category of autism to reconceptualize psychological development in infants and children via epidemiological studies. These historical changes have influenced the form and function of later research into autism and related conditions.
Synthesis and characterization of thermally stable poly(urethane–imide)s based on novel diols-containing imide and alkynyl groups
Authors: Tang Qiheng , Ai Qingsong , He Jiyu , Li Xiaodong , Yang Rongjie
Published: May 2013

Two novel diols having both imide and aromatic groups in main chains, including N, N-(pyromellitoyl)-bis-l-phenylalanine diacid ester glycol (PBDCG) and N, N-(pyromellitoyl)-bis-l-phenylalanine diacid ester butynediol (PBDCB), were synthesized. Then, the novel thermoplastic-segmented poly(urethane–imide)s (PUIs), in which 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and the diols as the hard segments and poly(tetrahydrofuran) as the soft segments, were prepared via two-step polymerization. The prepared polymers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gel permeation chromatography, tensile tests and UL 94 vertical burn test. TGA result indicates that the novel PUIs with the rigid hard segments have slower degradation rates than the conventional polyurethanes, and PBDCB-based PUIs are more thermally stable than PBDCG-based PUIs. DSC and x-ray diffraction results confirm that they are amorphous structures. Moreover, DSC analysis indicates that the glass transition temperature of PUIs increases by increasing the contents of hard segments. The weight-average molecular weights of PUIs are in the range of 1.12–4.19 × 104. The UL 94 vertical burn test according to the ASTDM D3801 test method indicates that the PUIs are classified under vertical ranking V-2.
Nanocomposites of poly(thioureaamide) with carbon nanotube
Authors: Kausar Ayesha , Masbah-Ullah-Shah  , Hussain Syed Tajammul , Khan Muhammad Yaqoob
Published: May 2013

In the current study, poly(thioureaamide) (PTA) was prepared from isophthaloyl diisothiocyanate and p-phenylenediamine using a facile condensation technique. Fourier transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses confirmed the structure of the polymer obtained. PTA was then used as a matrix to synthesize organic hybrid materials. In this regard, the functionalized and nonfunctionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were utilized as fillers in this work to prepare the nanocomposites. In PTA and functional CNTs system, better compatibility between the organic matrix and the filler was confirmed using field effect scanning electron microscope. The micrographs revealed that the nanotubes were well dispersed in the matrix and packaging of polymer over the surface of functional CNTs. The interaction between polymer chains and functional reinforcement produced mechanical and heat-stable nanocomposites. The tensile strength of the functional CNT-based hybrids 53.21–57.11 MPa was improved as compared with the nonfunctional system (32.79 MPa). The 10% gravimetric loss (513–556°C) and the glass transition temperature of PTA/functional CNTs (184–191°C) depicted a considerable improvement over PTA/nonfunctional CNTs. The results showed the enhanced interactions between the two phases in PTA/functional CNT-based nanocomposites relative to PTA/nonfunctional CNTs.
Synthesis and optical properties of poly (aryl ether ketone)s-containing nonlinear optical chromophores
Authors: Jiang Xu , Du Yinlong , Liu Chuan , Geng Zhi , Huo Pengfei , Zhang Shuling , Wang Guibin
Published: May 2013

Novel functional poly (aryl ether ketone)s bonded nonlinear optical chromophores (meso-tetrakis (4-hydroxyphenyl) porphyrin, THPP) with different backbone structures were synthesized and characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra. Their optical properties were evaluated by nonlinear optical analyses and optical limiting (OL). The results showed that these polymers possessed good OL properties and large nonlinear optical (NLO) susceptibilities. All polymer films-containing THPP presented excellent thermal stability (>460°C). Polymers bonded with –CH3 to the backbone exhibited better performances in OL and NLO properties than those bonded with –CF3; however, the thermal stability of the former was slightly inferior. Backbone bonded with electron donating groups was conducive to the OL and NLO properties.
Dynamic properties in CO2 adsorption on amine-modified MCM-41
Authors: Gao Fei , Zhou Jianhai , Bian Zijun , Jing Changyong , Hu Jun , Liu Honglai
Published: May 2013

Adsorption is an effective method for separating CO2 from flue gases. The fixed-bed adsorption and desorption of CO2 on MCM-41 and amine-modified MCM-41 (APTS-MCM-41) were studied. The dual-site Langmuir model, which considered both chemical adsorption and physical adsorption, was used to fit the experimental data. The resulting thermodynamic parameters, such as the saturated adsorption capacity, equilibrium constant, enthalpy and entropy, suggested the feasibility of the CO2 adsorption on APTS-MCM-41, as well as the reality of the adsorption mechanism. A dynamic model based on the linear driving force approximation for the mass transfer was used to describe the adsorption kinetics of CO2. The influences of the operating conditions on the breakthrough curve were investigated using both experimental and theoretical methods. Meanwhile, the impacts of changing values of the axial dispersion coefficient and the mass transfer coefficient were investigated. It showed that the amine-modified mesoporous materials would be a promising sorbent in the future CO2 capture.
Developing a new equation of state for carbon capture and storage pipeline transport
Authors: Demetriades Thomas A , Drage Trevor C , Graham Richard S
Published: May 2013

As the development of more advanced capture and storage technologies continues along with gradual scale-up of demonstration projects, the imminent deployment of commercial-scale carbon capture and storage is becoming increasingly likely. The transport stage needs to undergo similar development as there is much that needs to be better understood. In particular, there is a need for an equation of state which can accurately describe the physical behaviour of mixtures of carbon dioxide with impurities during the transport stage of carbon capture and storage in a simple, effective way. Presented here is the early development of a new, analytic equation of state, specifically designed to be highly accurate within the window 0 to 30.9782 ℃ and up to 150 bar (the anticipated usual region of operation for carbon capture and storage pipelines). In this paper, the potential of the proposed equation of state is demonstrated with descriptions for the pressure (from which density can be directly calculated) and phase behaviour of pure CO2. Comparisons with the Peng–Robinson equation of state are made in order to demonstrate the potential of the model, which has both simplicity similar to that of the Peng–Robinson equation and accuracy similar to that of the Span–Wagner equation. Presently, it is found that inside this window, the maximum percentage error of the new equation in the description of pressure for the case of pure carbon dioxide is not more than approximately 2.53%, compared with 40.85% for the Peng–Robinson equation, whilst for the description of phase behaviour, it is not more than 2.41%, compared with 18.23% for the Peng–Robinson equation.
An approach to fault detection and isolation for control components in the aircraft environmental control system
Authors: Lu Chen , Cheng Yujie , Liu Hongmei , Wang Zhaobing
Published: May 2013

Control components of the aircraft environmental control system (AECS), which is fast becoming an increasingly complex system, are of significant importance from the viewpoint of safety. However, few studies have focused on fault diagnosis of the AECS. This study proposes a method based on adaptive threshold and parameter extraction (ATPE) to realize fault detection and isolation for control components in the AECS. To overcome the drawback of a fixed threshold for fault detection, a practical approach is employed by combining a radial basis function (RBF)-based observer with an RBF-based adaptive threshold producer. The RBF neural network observer is used to generate a residual error signal. By comparing the residual error signal with the adaptive threshold, fault occurrence can be detected. To improve the fault isolation accuracy, an RBF fault tracker is used; the parameters of this tracker are extracted for fault isolation along with the residual error, unlike in the case of conventional fault diagnosis methods that are based on a single residual error signal. Finally, an RBF-based fault isolator is adopted to realize fault isolation and classification. Two commonly occurring faults in the control components of the AECS are simulated to verify the performance and effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method based on ATPE is effective for fault detection and isolation for the control components in the AECS.
Men Seek Social Standing, Women Seek Companionship
Authors: Kwang Tracy , Crockett Erin E. , Sanchez Diana T. , Swann William B.
Published: May 2013

Do men base their self-worth on relationships less than do women? In an assessment of lay beliefs, men and women alike indicated that men are less reliant on relationships as a source of self-worth than are women (Study 1). Yet relationships may make a different important contribution to the self-esteem of men. Men reported basing their self-esteem on their own relationship status (whether or not they were in a relationship) more than did women, and this link was statistically mediated by the perceived importance of relationships as a source of social standing (Studies 1 and 2). Finally, when relationship status was threatened, men displayed increased social-standing concerns, whereas women displayed increased interdependence concerns (Study 3). Together, these findings demonstrate that both men and women rely on relationships for self-worth, but that they derive self-esteem from relationships in different ways.
Pro-anorexia: Extensions of ingrained concepts
Authors: Knapton Olivia
Published: May 2013

Pro-anorexia is an internet-based movement that hails eating disorders as a lifestyle choice. This article aims to reveal pro-anorexia members’ underlying conceptualisations of anorexia that contribute to the maintenance of the disorder. Cognitive linguistic analysis was undertaken on a corpus of data collected from systematically selected pro-anorexia websites. The findings show that the members structure their eating disorder experiences through two central conceptual metaphors: ANOREXIA IS A SKILL and ANOREXIA IS A RELIGION. It is argued that these structures represent an extension of, rather than a radical break from, the accepted conceptualisations of female beauty in Western society. This view challenges the legitimacy of public anger that has been directed towards the pro-anorexia movement and its members.
When is life not in our own best interests? The best interests test as an unsatisfactory exception to the right to life in the context of permanent vegetative state cases
Authors: Wicks Elizabeth
Published: May 2013

This article investigates the relationship between the application of the best interests test in respect of the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and the positive obligation under the right to life. It argues that the superficial reconciliation of the concepts of best interests and the right to life in English case law fails to adequately protect the right to life of incompetent patients, while also failing to afford sufficient protection to a patient’s personal perception of human dignity. It argues that greater recognition should be given both to the obligations placed upon the state, by domestic and international human rights law, to take reasonable steps to preserve life as well as to the need to incorporate subjective values into the statutory test of best interests.
Outcome Studies in Social Work Journals
Authors: LeCroy Craig W. , Williams Lela Rankin
Published: May 2013

Social work practice emerges from research conducted with outcome studies that attempt to capture the “change” that social work services are designed to influence. However, it is unclear the extent to which social workers are prioritizing, and thereby producing, publications that investigate this change. We find that both the number and the percentage (relative to other methods) of outcome studies published in core social work journals show a strong positive upward trend from 2000 to 2004 and then a downward trend from 2004 to 2011; both of these publication trends were lower in 2010 and 2011 than they were in 2001. Some journals publish significantly more outcome studies than other journals. The social work profession is most interested in results that can be readily used by social work practitioners; thus, the profession should focus on increasing the rate of outcome studies being published in social work journals.
Understanding the Etiology of Prescription Opioid Abuse
Authors: Rigg Khary K. , Murphy John W.
Published: May 2013

Although studies on the initiation of substance abuse abound, the body of literature on prescription opioid abuse (POA) etiology is small. Little is known about why and how the onset of POA occurs, especially among high-risk populations. In this study we aimed to fill this important knowledge gap by exploring the POA initiation experiences of 90 prescription opioid abusers currently in treatment and their narrative accounts of the circumstances surrounding their POA onset. This research was conducted within a storyline framework, which operates on the premise that the path to drug abuse represents a biography or a process rather than a static condition. Audiotapes of in-depth interviews were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed. Analyses revealed the presence of four trajectories leading to POA. This study adds to the limited research on POA etiology by not only illuminating the psychosocial factors that contribute to POA onset, but also by situating initiation experiences within broader life processes. The study findings provide crucial insights to policymakers and interventionists in identifying who is at risk for POA, and more important, when and how to intervene most efficaciously.
Student Teaching in Music
Authors: Silveira Jason M. , Diaz Frank M.
Published: May 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine research being conducted on student teaching in four eminent music education research journals ( Journal of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education). A total of 1,103 articles were reviewed for the period between 1997 and 2011. Only 87 (8%) articles met the inclusion criteria. These included 44 articles in Journal of Music Teacher Education (29% of total), 20 articles in Journal of Research in Music Education (5% of total), 18 articles in Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education (5% of total), and 5 articles in Update (3% of total). Consistent with previous research on student teaching, a majority of the publications examined dealt with student teachers’ perceptions of their experiences (33%), and the relationship between teacher preparation programs and partner K–12 schools (26%), whereas only one publication (1%) examined the effect of student teachers on students’ learning.
Suicide Attempts and Self-Harm Behaviors in Psychiatric Sex Offenders
Authors: Stinson Jill D. , Gonsalves Valerie
Published: May 2013

Suicidality and self-harm behaviors among sex offenders remain underreported in the clinical literature and are often misunderstood in this complex population. The present study aims to identify rates of suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviors in a sample of 1,184 psychiatric inpatients, 462 of whom are sexual offenders. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in history of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors, with sexual offenders evidencing greater rates of both. Significant psychiatric correlates of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors among sex offenders varied by group and included a variety of psychiatric symptom presentations. These are compared with the general literature on suicide risk and the sex offender population. Implications for treatment of these behaviors in a sex offender population are discussed.
Surgical Considerations in the Management of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Authors: Shillingford Michael , Ceithaml Eric , Bleiweis Mark
Published: May 2013

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a congenital heart defect characterized by hypoplasia of left heart structures. Over the past 3 decades, there have been advances in techniques and management in the care of these patients. We discuss shunt selection, operative strategies, transplantation, and outline various facets of management at the University of Florida. This is a review of the literature highlighting some of the technical aspects of the preoperative, operative, and postoperative care that are important in today’s management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
South Asian Exchange Rates Regimes: Fixed, Flexible or Something In-between?
Authors: Cavoli Tony , Rajan Ramkishen S.
Published: May 2013

This article presents an analysis of the degree of de facto exchange rate flexibility in the exchange rate regimes for selected South Asian economies, viz., Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Three commonly employed measures of exchange rate classification are used: a simple exchange market pressure (EMP) measure, a GARCH specification and a regression-based model. The article finds strong evidence of limited flexibility in all the South Asian economies—particularly against the US dollar, which can suggest a heavy degree of currency management. While Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka effectively have fixed exchange rate regimes vis-à-vis the US dollar, India appears to operate somewhat more as a managed floater with a movement towards greater flexibility in recent years.
Output Relationships in South Asia: Are Bangladesh and India Different from Neighbours?
Authors: Paul Biru Paksha
Published: May 2013

The formation of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in the mid-1980s was aimed at achieving regional integration and economic growth. Hence, examining output interrelationships among South Asian economies becomes imperative, but work on this aspect has remained conspicuously absent. This study finds a long-run equilibrium relationship over the 1973–2010 period among five major South Asian nations: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh and India registered faster growth than other nations in South Asia since the liberalization in the early 1990s. Not only do these two countries appear to have achieved higher output cointegration than any of the other subgroups, but they also exert maximum influence on their neighbours. Liberalization and output cointegration along with high growth appear to be positively associated in South Asian nations. These findings have policy implications for other developing countries that aspire to grow fast, but lack adequate measures on regional integration.
Do Imports and Foreign Capital Inflows Lead Economic Growth? Cointegration and Causality Analysis in Pakistan
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Mafizur , Shahbaz Muhammad
Published: May 2013

The article investigates the impacts of imports and foreign capital inflows on economic growth of Pakistan over the period 1990 to 2010. We have applied the structural break autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration to examine the long-run relationship between the variables. The vector error correction model (VECM) Granger causality multivariate framework is used to investigate the causal relationship between the series. Empirical analysis in this article confirms the long-run relationship between foreign capital inflows, imports and economic growth. The results indicate that foreign capital inflows and imports have positive and significant effect on economic growth in case of Pakistan. Causality analysis reveals the bidirectional causality between the variables, but strong causal relation is running from foreign capital inflows and imports to economic growth.
Female Autonomy and Fertility in Nepal
Authors: Gudbrandsen Njård Håkon
Published: May 2013

We explore the effect of female autonomy on individual fertility in Nepal. We find that families where wives have high level of autonomy have fewer children than other families. Using gender of the first child as a natural experiment, we also find that son preferences are present in Nepal. Moreover, the results indicate that women have more influence when the first born is a boy, compared to when the first child is a girl. We discuss policy implications with respect to the problem of excess children due to son preference.
A socio-marketing analysis of the concept of cute and its consumer culture implications
Authors: Granot Elad , Alejandro Thomas Brashear , Russell La Toya M.
Published: May 2013

Cute has become the favored language of (the predominantly female) popular consumer culture. This paper examines the roots of “cute” and its evolution with reference to its relevance to marketers. We follow the cultural appropriation of Japan’s “Kawaii” by the Western “cute”, and introduce a social, marketing-oriented description and analysis of the concept. We present its socio-cultural, experiential, symbolic, and ideological relevance to consumption in general, and to consumer culture theory in particular. This examination steers clear of scientific generalizations prevalent in consumer behavior research and aims, instead, to illuminate the cultural dimensions of the consumption cycle, and allow a better understanding of what it is like to form social attachment and loyalty in the context of cute consumption and consumer culture theory. Especially interesting questions arise regarding the trans-social acculturating elements of cute, as well as the apparent mainstreaming (cultural appropriation) of the cute Asian subculture into the dominant Western consumer and material cultures.
A value perspective on relationship portfolios
Authors: Corsaro Daniela , Fiocca Renato , Henneberg Stephan C. , Tunisini Annalisa
Published: May 2013

As portfolio models have evolved in the area of business marketing scholars have turned their attention from traditional product-based and transaction-oriented portfolios to portfolios based on business relationship considerations. However, the conceptualization of relationship portfolios has remained vague, and the applications of these analyses in business practice are quite limited. In a parallel stream of studies, the Industrial Network Approach (INA) has increasingly explored the concept of relationship value and highlighted the need to take into consideration the interdependent and dynamic features of business relationships as well as the phenomenological and situational nature of value perceptions. Although judgements in terms of relationship value applied to a set of business relationships are foundations of portfolio investment decisions, the connection between the two streams of research has not yet been explored in depth. This study introduces five critical elements of relationship value stemming from INA that have important consequences for business relationship portfolio management. Developing the concept of Relationship Value Portfolio provides the foundation for a discussion about the need to integrate the two fields of research – namely, relationship value and relationship portfolios – into a more grounded conceptual framework. This framework allows for propositions to be developed, which contribute to enriching the theoretical debate on both streams while offering important implications for managerial practice.
The Wonder of Data
Authors: MacLure Maggie
Published: May 2013

The article considers the productive capacity for wonder that resides and radiates in data, or rather in the entangled relation of data-and-researcher. Wonder is not necessarily a safe, comforting, or uncomplicatedly positive affect. It shades into curiosity, horror, fascination, disgust, and monstrosity. But the price paid for the ruin caused—to epistemic certainty or the comforts of a well-wrought coding scheme—is, after Massumi (2002, p. 19), the privilege of a headache. Not the answer to a question, but the astute crafting of a problem and a challenge: what next?
Bringing the Outside In and Bringing the Inside Out—Artifacts in a University Classroom
Authors: Charman Karen
Published: May 2013

This article draws on psychoanalysis to theorize artifacts as data in a postsecondary classroom setting. Psychoanalytic theory offers nuanced frames through which to interpret this data. What psychoanalysis alerts us to are the multiple and as such irreducible meanings of experience. Importantly psychoanalysis allows reading of this data for its affective moments. What does it mean for students to bring personal artifacts into a classroom? What sorts of meanings are ascribed to artifacts? What are the layers of narratives that are revealed when students speak to memories of photographs and objects? How might artifact work permit the outside self to be present inside an educational setting and generate a sense of reciprocity?
Development and Implementation of Targeted STEM Retention Strategies at a Hispanic-Serving Institution
Authors: Carpi Anthony , Ronan Darcy M. , Falconer Heather M. , Boyd Heather H. , Lents Nathan H.
Published: May 2013

Retention rates of undergraduates at large urban universities serving minority populations have been problematic, especially among students in science and technology fields. John Jay College of Criminal Justice has designed a cohesive collegiate retention program according to the Tinto model of retention. This article details the strategies utilized as they relate to known factors affecting college persistence. Preliminary outcomes of this work are also explored in terms of student involvement and institutional support.
Coronary Stent Embolization of Peroneal Artery
Authors: Marjot Thomas , Lim Chung S. , Spannagl Erwin , Hussain Tahir
Published: May 2013

Embolization of coronary artery stents is a rare but well-recognized complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. Although intracardiac stent migration carries a significant risk to the patient, peripheral embolization is largely benign despite carrying a theoretical risk of distal ischemia. Furthermore, stents lost to the periphery are often never found. Here, we describe a case of an embolized stent to the peroneal artery which was accurately located using on-table fluoroscopy and ultrasound duplex.
Democracy lessons in market-oriented schools: The case of Swedish upper secondary education
Authors: Lundahl Lisbeth , Olson Maria
Published: May 2013

Based on recent ethnographic research, this article explores young people’s opportunities of formal and informal democracy learning and expressions of such learning in the highly market-influenced Swedish upper secondary education. With its ambitious democracy-fostering goals and far-reaching marketisation, Swedish education constitutes an interesting case in this respect. The analysis indicates that ‘voting with the feet’ emerges as an important way of exerting student influence. At the same time, young people’s voice is surprisingly neglected in classroom practice. Increased focus on performance and goal attainment tends to overshadow less ‘rewarding’ aspects of the curriculum, such as democracy teaching and learning, both from the side of teachers and students. Students are also increasingly expected to act as school representatives and to avoid giving negative impressions of their school.
One-year cardiovascular risk and quality of life changes in participants of a health trainer service
Authors: Gidlow Christopher J , Cochrane Thomas , Davey Rachel , Beloe Marion , Chambers Ruth , Kumar Jagdish , Mawby Yvonne , Iqbal Zafar
Published: May 2013

Aims:

To explore 12-month changes in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in participants of a health trainer (HT) programme.

Methods:

Participants were 994 adults with at least one established CVD risk factor who were referred to a HT programme. The primary outcome was 12-month change in Framingham 10 year CVD risk score. Secondary outcomes included change in individual risk factors and HRQoL. Intention to treat analysis was used to explore 12-month changes for the overall population and those classified ‘high risk’ (≥20% CVD risk) at baseline.

Results:

At baseline, 33.6% of participants were classified as ‘high CVD risk’ and 95.7% were overweight or obese. There were modest 12-month improvements in most modifiable CVD risk factors, but not overall CVD risk (-0.25±6.50%). In ‘high-risk’ participants significant reductions were evident for overall CVD risk (-2.34±8.13%) and individual risk factors. Small, significant 12-month HRQoL improvements were observed, but these were not associated with CVD risk change.

Conclusions:

Significant CVD risk reductions in participants in this HT programme with high baseline CVD risk (.20%) in HRQoL in the population as a whole indicated that the programme in its current form should target high-risk patients.
Key Pathways to Prevent Posttraumatic Arthritis for Future Molecule-Based Therapy
Authors: Chubinskaya Susan , Wimmer Markus A.
Published: May 2013

Joint injuries are common, especially among young adults aged 18 to 44 years. They are accompanied by a cascade of events that increase the risk of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Therefore, understanding of biological responses that predispose to PTOA should help in determining treatment modalities to delay and/or prevent the onset and progression of the disease. The vast majority of the literature pointed to chondrocyte death and apoptosis, inflammation and matrix damage/fragmentation being the earliest events that follow joint trauma. Together these events lead to the development of osteoarthritis-like focal cartilage lesions that if untreated have a tendency to expand and progress to fully developed disease. Currently, the only treatments available for joint trauma are surgical interventions. Experimental biologic approaches involve engineering of cartilage with the use of cells (stem cells or chondrocytes), juvenile or adult cartilage pieces, scaffolds, and various polymeric matrices. The major challenge for all of them is regeneration of normal functional mature hyaline cartilage that can sustain the load, resist compression, and most important, integrate with the host tissue. If the tissue is spontaneously repaired it fails to reproduce original structure and function and thus, may be more susceptible to re-injury. Thus, there is a critical need to develop novel molecular mechanism-based therapeutic approaches to biologic chondral and/or osteochondral repair. The focus of this review is on the earliest molecular and cellular manifestations of injury that can be grouped based on the following therapeutic options for PTOA: chondroprotection, anti-inflammatory, matrix protection, and matrix remodeling/matrix synthesis.
High-throughput sequencing of B- and T-lymphocyte antigen receptors in hematology
Authors: Warren Edus H. , Matsen Frederick A. , Chou Jeffrey
Published: May 2013

Application of high-throughput DNA sequencing to the analysis of B- and T-lymphocyte antigen receptors has great potential for improving the monitoring of lymphoid malignancies, assessing immune reconstitution after hematopoietic cell transplantation, and characterizing the composition of lymphocyte repertoires. Current technology can define the number and frequency of immunoglobulin heavy, T-cell receptor (TCR)α, TCRβ, or TCRγ chains expressed in a population of lymphocytes; techniques for determining the number of antigen receptor heterodimers, such as TCRαβ pairs, expressed in the population are under development.
β2-integrin activity: the role of thiols
Authors: Zarbock Alexander
Published: May 2013

In this issue of Blood, Hahm and colleagues identify the extracellular protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) as an essential regulator of the adhesiveness of the β2-integrin macrophage-1 antigen (Mac-1) on neutrophils.1 In the absence of PDI, Mac-1–dependent neutrophil adhesion and crawling is reduced in vivo. Rescue experiments with exogenous PDI showed that the isomerase activity of extracellular PDI is critical for its regulatory effect on neutrophil recruitment. This intriguing finding suggests that disulfide bonds in Mac-1 regulate integrin activity and neutrophil recruitment.
To shrink or not to shrink
Authors: Mohandas Narla
Published: May 2013

In this issue of Blood, Andolfo and colleagues show that dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (DHSt), an inherited red cell disorder, is associated with a number of distinct germline mutations in PIEZO1, a stretch activated cation channel, in 26 affected individuals from 7 families.1
Locating tandem repeats in weighted sequences in proteins
Authors: Zhang Hui , Guo Qing , Iliopoulos Costas S
Published: May 2013

A weighted biological sequence is a string in which a set of characters may appear at each position with respective probabilities of occurrence. We attempt to locate all the tandem repeats in a weighted sequence. A repeated substring is called a tandem repeat if each occurrence of the substring is directly adjacent to each other. By introducing the idea of equivalence classes in weighted sequences, we identify the tandem repeats of every possible length using an iterative partitioning technique. We also present the algorithm for recording the tandem repeats, and prove that the problem can be solved in O(n
2) time.
Effect of avian influenza A H5N1 infection on the expression of microRNA-141 in human respiratory epithelial cells
Authors: Lam Wai-Yip , Yeung Apple Chung-Man , Ngai Karry Lei-Ka , Li Man-Shan , To Ka-Fai , Tsui Stephen Kwok-Wing , Chan Paul Kay-Sheung
Published: May 2013

Background

Avian influenza remains a serious threat to human health. The consequence of human infection varies markedly among different subtypes of avian influenza viruses. In addition to viral factors, the difference in host cellular response is likely to play a critical role. This study aims at elucidating how avian influenza infection perturbs the host’s miRNA regulatory pathways that may lead to adverse pathological events, such as cytokine storm, using the miRNA microarray approach.

Results

The results showed that dysregulation of miRNA expression was mainly observed in highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 infection. We found that miR-21*, miR-100*, miR-141, miR-574-3p, miR-1274a and miR1274b were differentially expressed in response to influenza A virus infection. Interestingly, we demonstrated that miR-141, which was more highly induced by H5N1 than by H1N1 (p< 0.05), had an ability to suppress the expression of a cytokine - transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2. This was supported by the observation that the inhibitory effect could be reversed by antagomiR-141.

Conclusions

Since TGF-β2 is an important cytokine that can act as both an immunosuppressive agent and a potent proinflammatory molecule through its ability to attract and regulate inflammatory molecules, and previous report showed that only seasonal influenza H1N1 (but not the other avian influenza subtypes) could induce a persistent expression of TGF-β2, we speculate that the modulation of TGF-β2 expression by different influenza subtypes via miR-141 might be a critical step for determining the outcome of either normal or excessive inflammation progression.
Lipidomic analysis of brain tissues and plasma in a mouse model expressing mutated human amyloid precursor protein/tau for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Tajima Yoko , Ishikawa Masaki , Maekawa Keiko , Murayama Mayumi , Senoo Yuya , Nishimaki-Mogami Tomoko , Nakanishi Hiroki , Ikeda Kazutaka , Arita Makoto , Taguchi Ryo , Okuno Alato , Mikawa Ryuta , Niida Shumpei , Takikawa Osamu , Saito Yoshiro
Published: May 2013

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia among neurodegenerative diseases, afflicts millions of elderly people worldwide. In addition to amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and phosphorylated tau, lipid dysregulation is suggested to participate in AD pathogenesis. However, alterations in individual lipid species and their role in AD disease progression remain unclear.

Methods

We performed a lipidomic analysis using brain tissues and plasma obtained from mice expressing mutated human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tau protein (Tg2576×JNPL3) (APP/tau mice) at 4 (pre-symptomatic phase), 10 (early symptomatic) and 15 months (late symptomatic).

Results

Levels of docosahexaenoyl (22:6) cholesterol ester (ChE) were markedly increased in APP/tau mice compared to controls at all stages examined. Several species of ethanolamine plasmalogens (pPEs) and sphingomyelins (SMs) showed different levels between brains from APP/tau and control mice at various stages of AD. Increased levels of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) during the early symptomatic phase were consistent with previous reports using human AD brain tissue. In addition, 19,20-dihydroxy-docosapentaenoic acid (19,20-diHDoPE) and 17,18-dihydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (17,18-diHETE), which are produced from docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid via 19,20-epoxy-docosapentaenoic acid (19,20-EpDPE) and 17,18-epoxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (17,18-EpETE), respectively, were significantly increased in APP/tau brains during the pre-symptomatic phase, and concomitant increases occurred in plasma. Several arachidonic acid metabolites such as prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE), which have potential deteriorating and protective actions, respectively, were decreased in the early symptomatic phase of APP/tau mice. Significant decreases in phosphatidylcholines and PEs with polyunsaturated fatty acids were also detected in the late symptomatic phase, indicating a perturbation of membrane properties.

Conclusion

Our results provide fundamental information on lipid dysregulation during various stages of human AD.
New extensions concerned with results by Ponnusamy and Karunakaran
Authors: Nunokawa Mamoru , Kuroki Kazuo , Sokół Janusz , Owa Shigeyoshi
Published: May 2013

A subclass

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of analytic functions

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in the open unit disk

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is introduced. By means of the result due to Fukui and Sakaguchi (Bull. Fac. Edu. Wakayama Univ. Natur. Sci. 30:1-3, 1980), some interesting properties of

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in

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concerned with Ponnusamy and Karunakaran (Complex Var. Theory Appl. 11:79-86, 1989) are discussed.

MSC:30C45.
Effects of low-volume walking programme and vitamin E supplementation on oxidative damage and health-related variables in healthy older adults
Authors: Park Jong-Hwan , Miyashita Masashi , Takahashi Masaki , Kawanishi Noriaki , Bae Seong-Ryu , Kim Hyun-Shik , Suzuki Katsuhiko , Nakamura Yoshio
Published: May 2013

Background

Both exercise and vitamin E supplementation have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease risk in older adults, and when combined there is evidence suggesting that they act synergistically. The currently recommended amount of exercise for older adults is 150 min/week of moderate-intensity exercise; however, the minimum amount of exercise necessary to achieve health benefits is not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of participation in a low-volume walking exercise programme (i.e. 90 min/week) combined with daily vitamin E supplementation on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations in older adults.

Methods

The participants were recruited from the following four groups separately: 1) control (CG, n = 14), 2) vitamin E supplementation (SG, n = 10), 3) walking (WG, n = 7), or 4) walking + supplementation (WSG, n = 7). In the CG, participants were advised to maintain their normal lifestyle during the study. Participants in both the SG and WSG received 450 IU (300 mg) /day of α-tocopherol for 12 weeks. The exercise programme for the WG and WSG consisted of two 30–60 minute sessions weekly for 12 weeks (average walking time was 44.5 ± 1.6 min/session). Blood samples were collected at baseline and at 12 weeks.

Results

Delta plasma oxidised LDL concentrations did not differ among four groups (One-factor ANOVA, P = 0.116). However, negative delta plasma TBARS, a marker of oxidative damage, concentrations were observed in the WG, WSG and SG relative to the CG at the end of the study period (One-factor ANOVA, P = 0.001; post hoc tests; CG compared with WG, WSG and SG, P = 0.005; P = 0.021; P = 0.024, respectively).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that a low-volume of physical activity and/or vitamin E supplementation may be an effective intervention strategy for reducing TBARS concentrations of older adults.

Trial registration

UMIN000008304
Deletion mutation in BSCL2 gene underlies congenital generalized lipodystrophy in a Pakistani family
Authors: Rahman Obaid Ur , Khawar Nadeem , Khan Muhammad Aman , Ahmed Jawad , Khattak Kamran , Al-Aama Jumana Yousuf , Naeem Muhammad , Jelani Musharraf
Published: May 2013

Background

Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) also known as Berardinelli-Seip Congenital Lipodystrophy (BSCL) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by loss of adipose tissues, Acanthosis nigricans, diabetes mellitus, muscular hypertrophy, hepatomegaly and hypertriglyceridemia. There are four subclinical phenotypes of CGL (CGL1-4) and mutations in four genes AGPAT2, BSCL2, CAV1 and PTRF have been assigned to each type.

Methods

The study included clinical and molecular investigations of CGL disease in a consanguineous Pakistani family. For mutation screening all the coding exons including splice junctions of AGPAT2, BSCL2, CAV1 and PTRF genes were PCR amplified and sequenced directly using an automated DNA sequencer ABI3730.

Results

Sequence analysis revealed a single base pair deletion mutation (c.636delC; p.Tyr213ThrfsX20) in exon 5 of BSCL2 gene causing a frame shift and premature termination codon.

Conclusion

Mutation identified here in BSCL2 gene causing congenital generalized lipodystrophy is the first report in Pakistani population. The patients exhibited characteristic features of generalized lipodystrophy, Acanthosis nigricans, diabetes mellitus and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Virtual Slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1913913076864247.