bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internal jugular and vertebral vein volume flow in patients with clinically isolated syndrome or mild multiple sclerosis and healthy controls: results from a prospective sonographer-blinded study
Authors: Chambers Brian , Chambers Jayne , Churilov Leonid , Cameron Heather , Macdonell Richard
Published: September 2013

Objectives & Methods:

We evaluated internal jugular vein and vertebral vein volume flow using ultrasound, in patients with clinically isolated syndrome or mild multiple sclerosis and controls, to determine whether volume flow was different between the two groups.

Results:

In patients and controls, internal jugular vein volume flow increased from superior to inferior segments, consistent with recruitment from collateral veins. Internal jugular vein and vertebral vein volume flow were greater on the right in supine and sitting positions. Internal jugular vein volume flow was higher in the supine posture. Vertebral vein volume flow was higher in the sitting posture. Regression analyses of cube root transformed volume flow data, adjusted for supine/sitting, right/left and internal jugular vein/vertebral vein, revealed no significant difference in volume flow in patients compared to controls.

Conclusions:

Our findings further refute the concept of venous obstruction as a causal factor in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Control volume flow data may provide useful normative reference values.
England’s non-metropolitan cities: The long march to unlocking economic growth
Authors: Marlow David
Published: September 2013

Changes since 2010 in England’s sub-national policy context and institutional architecture for local economic growth are unlikely to impact positively on the growth prospects of England’s non-metropolitan mid-size cities. This article provides a practice-based analysis of challenges and issues facing mid-size cities in England in general and of those with strong growth performance and potential in particular. Drawing on applied research that has been used to advise a number of rapidly growing mid-size cities in the Greater South East, the article suggests that government reforms may seriously retard growth in some of the highest potential growth cities in England. It is recommended that spending the period to the 2015 national election building strong local leadership teams and collaborating on policy and practice with ‘like-minded’ cities offers sensible steps for non-metropolitan cities to help position themselves with a future government on their ‘long march to unlocking economic growth’.
64-section multidetector CT angiography for evaluation of intracranial aneurysms: comparison with 3D rotational angiography
Authors: Li Qi , Lv Fajin , Yao Guoen , Li Yongmei , Xie Peng
Published: September 2013

Background

To assess the diagnostic performance of 64-section computed tomography angiography (CTA) for detection of cerebral aneurysms by comparison with the new gold standard three-dimensional (3D) digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

Material and Methods

A total of 128 patients who underwent both 64-section CTA and 3D DSA for suspected intracranial aneurysms were included. The location, size, and shape of the aneurysm were assessed and compared with 3D DSA results. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 64-section CTA were calculated by using 3D DSA as reference standard.

Results

According to the reference standard, a total of 145 aneurysms were detected at 3D DSA in 118 patients. Of these 145 aneurysms, 64-section CTA detected 139 aneurysms in 118 patients. The sensitivity of CTA for detection of aneurysm was 95.8% on a per-aneurysm basis. All missed aneurysms were non-causative very small aneurysms in patients harboring multiple aneurysms. On a per-patient basis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 100%.

Conclusion

Compared with the new gold standard 3D DSA, 64-section CTA offers high sensitivity and specificity for detection of intracranial aneurysms. It could be readily used as a screening imaging method for detection of intracranial aneurysms.
Comparison of USPIO-enhanced MRI and Gd-DTPA enhancement during the subacute stage of focal cerebral ischemia in rats
Authors: Yang Yan Mei , Feng XiaoYuan , Yin Le Kang , Li Chan Chan , Jia Jie , Du Zun Guo
Published: September 2013

Background

Being one class of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxides (USPIO) bear the potential to study neuroinflammation following stroke, but there is still debate over whether the iron oxides particles may enter the brain tissue passively over a damaged blood–brain barrier (BBB).

Purpose

To compare the enhancement patterns of USPIO and gadopentate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) during the subacute stage of focal cerebral ischemia, to examine the relationship between USPIO enhancement and BBB disturbance, as well as with neuroinflammatory cell response.

Material and Methods

Multiple MR sequences were obtained on days 3 and 6 after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion induced in rats with and without the application of USPIO and Gd-DTPA. The enhancement patterns of the two contrast agents were compared and correlated to histology, including IgG for BBB permeability, Prussian Blue staining for iron particle detection, and CD68 immunohistochemistry staining to identify macrophage/microglia.

Results

Gd-DTPA enhancement depicted BBB breakdown being in line with IgG leakage. The USPIO enhanced images demonstrated both diffuse and focal signal alteration in ischemic lesions. The diffuse enhanced pattern had a similar spatial and temporal profile as with Gd-DTPA enhancement. In addition, focal enhanced signal loss was visible on T1-, T2-, and T2*-weighted images, with a peak tendency of MR signal loss, macrophage/microglia concentration and iron particle accumulation at a later phase of the study.

Conclusion

After focal cerebral ischemia, Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI showed a higher sensitivity in detecting BBB alterations than did USPIO enhancement. USPIO provided complementary information regarding inflammatory cell activity in neuroinflammatory to cerebral ischemia that had not been visualized using conventional Gd-DTPA. The assessment using multiple MR parameters may identify intracellular and extracellular USPIO in vivo.
Influence of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on bone healing in a rat model
Authors: Uçan MC , Koparal M , Ağaçayak S , Gunay A , Ozgoz M , Atilgan S , Yaman F
Published: September 2013

Objective

To examine the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE; a component of honey bee-hive propolis with antioxidant, anti-inﬂammatory, antiviral and anticancer properties) on bone regeneration and fibrotic healing in a rat model.

Methods

Male Sprague–Dawley rats ( n = 63; mean age 7 weeks; weight 280–490 g) were randomly divided into three groups: A, cranial defect with no bone healing treatment ( n = 21); B, cranial defect treated with CAPE ( n = 21); C, cranial defect treated with CAPE and β-tricalcium phosphate/hydroxyl apatite ( n = 21). Rats were anaesthetized with ketamine (8 mg/100 g) by intraperitoneal injection and a cranial critical size bone defect was created. Following surgery, CAPE (10 µmol/kg) was administered by daily intraperitoneal injection. Seven rats in each group were killed at days 7, 15 and 30 following surgery. Bone regeneration, fibrotic healing and osteoblast activity were evaluated by histopathology.

Results

Statistically significant differences in healing were found between all groups. There were no statistically significant within-group differences between day 7 and 15. At day 30, bone healing scores were significantly higher in groups B and C compared with group A.

Conclusion

CAPE significantly improved bone-defect healing in a rat model, suggesting that CAPE has beneficial effects on bone healing.
Prognostic significance of serum microRNA-210 levels in nonsmall-cell lung cancer
Authors: Li Zhi-Hong , Zhang Hong , Yang Zhi-Guang , Wen Guo-Qiang , Cui You-Bing , Shao Guo-Guang
Published: September 2013

Objective

To investigate the levels of microRNA-210 (miR-210) in the serum of patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to determine whether there was a correlation with the prognosis of NSCLC patients following cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Methods

Quantitative real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the serum levels of miR-210 in patients with NSCLC and healthy age-matched control subjects. Correlations between serum miR-210 levels and clinicopathological factors and prognosis were investigated.

Results

Serum miR-210 was significantly upregulated in 60 patients with NSCLC compared with 30 healthy control subjects. Higher serum miR-210 levels were significantly correlated with the clinical stage and the presence of regional lymph node metastasis in patients with NSCLC. Serum miR-210 levels in patients that achieved a partial response following cisplatin-based chemotherapy were significantly lower than in patients with stable or progressive disease, and were similar to those in healthy control subjects.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that serum miR-210 levels might be a novel diagnostic and prognostic marker of NSCLC.
Reassessing the reliability of the salivary cortisol assay for the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome
Authors: Zhang Qian , Dou Jingtao , Gu Weijun , Yang Guoqing , Lu Juming
Published: September 2013

Objective

The cortisol concentration in saliva is 10-fold lower than total serum cortisol and accurately reflects the serum concentration, both levels being lowest around midnight. The salivary cortisol assay measures free cortisol and is unaffected by confounding factors. This study analysed published data on the sensitivity and specificity of salivary cortisol levels in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.

Methods

Data from studies on the use of different salivary cortisol assay techniques in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome, published between 1998 and 2012 and retrieved using Ovid MEDLINE®, were analysed for variance and correlation.

Results

For the 11 studies analysed, mean sensitivity and specificity of the salivary cortisol assay were both >90%. Repeated measurements were easily made with this assay, enabling improved diagnostic accuracy in comparison with total serum cortisol measurements.

Conclusions

This analysis confirms the reliability of the saliva cortisol assay as pragmatic tool for the accurate diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. With many countries reporting a rising prevalence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity – in which there is often a high circulating cortisol level – salivary cortisol measurement will help distinguish these states from Cushing syndrome.
Mothers’ Employment, Education, and Parenting
Authors: Augustine Jennifer March
Published: September 2013

This study investigates whether mothers’ education moderates the link between their work and parenting quality, differentiating among aspects of work that may negatively and positively influence it. Data came from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development ( n = 1,345). The results revealed that part-time and higher status work were associated with increases in parenting quality for less educated women, but not for more educated women, thereby narrowing socioeconomic differences in the parenting behaviors linked to children’s mobility. Yet nonemployment among less educated women was associated with the lowest levels of parenting quality, pointing to a key source of inequality in the lives of children.
Data availability and the need for research to localize, quantify and recycle critical metals in information technology, telecommunication and consumer equipment
Authors: Chancerel Perrine , Rotter Vera Susanne , Ueberschaar Maximilian , Marwede Max , Nissen Nils F , Lang Klaus-Dieter
Published: September 2013

The supply of critical metals like gallium, germanium, indium and rare earths elements (REE) is of technological, economic and strategic relevance in the manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Recycling is one of the key strategies to secure the long-term supply of these metals. The dissipation of the metals related to the low concentrations in the products and to the configuration of the life cycle (short use time, insufficient collection, treatment focusing on the recovery of other materials) creates challenges to achieve efficient recycling. This article assesses the available data and sets priorities for further research aimed at developing solutions to improve the recycling of seven critical metals or metal families (antimony, cobalt, gallium, germanium, indium, REE and tantalum). Twenty-six metal applications were identified for those six metals and the REE family. The criteria used for the assessment are (i) the metal criticality related to strategic and economic issues; (ii) the share of the worldwide mine or refinery production going to EEE manufacturing; (iii) rough estimates of the concentration and the content of the metals in the products; (iv) the accuracy of the data already available; and (v) the occurrence of the application in specific WEEE groups. Eight applications were classified as relevant for further research, including the use of antimony as a flame retardant, gallium and germanium in integrated circuits, rare earths in phosphors and permanent magnets, cobalt in batteries, tantalum capacitors and indium as an indium–tin-oxide transparent conductive layer in flat displays.
Creating Effective Civic Engagement Policy for Adolescents
Authors: Henderson Ailsa , Pancer S. Mark , Brown Steven D.
Published: September 2013

For high school community service programs to have a positive impact on subsequent civic engagement, students must volunteer in a sustained manner and must evaluate their volunteering experiences positively. Using a survey with 1,293 respondents and 100 semistructured interviews with past participants of the mandatory community service program implemented by the Ontario provincial government in 1999, the authors identify how and why students generate positive evaluations of community service requirements and whether the diversity of implementation or the mandatory nature might account for negative reactions to volunteering. The authors discuss the significance of these findings for academic debates about community service and for discussions about the ways in which public policy can promote the civic engagement of young people.
Prevalence of Sleep Disturbances in Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Licis Amy K. , Vallorani Alicia , Gao Feng , Chen Cynthia , Lenox Jason , Yamada Kelvin A. , Duntley Stephen P. , Gutmann David H.
Published: September 2013

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders are at increased risk for sleep issues, which affect quality of life, cognitive function, and behavior. To determine the prevalence of sleep problems in children with the common neurodevelopmental disorder neurofibromatosis type 1, a cross-sectional study was performed on 129 affected subjects and 89 unaffected siblings, age 2 to 17 years, using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children questionnaire. Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 were significantly more likely to have disturbances in initiating and maintaining sleep, arousal, sleep-wake transition, and hyperhidrosis, but not problems with abnormal sleep breathing, or excessive somnolence. Although the overall sleep scores were higher in children with neurofibromatosis type 1, this was not related to a coexisting attention deficit disorder, cognitive impairment, or stimulant medication use. Collectively, these results demonstrate that children with neurofibromatosis type 1 are more likely to have sleep disturbances, and support the use of appropriate interventions for this at-risk population.
Think About It
Authors: Bonarrigo Francesca Andrea , Russo Silvia , Vizziello Paola , Menni Francesca , Cogliati Francesca , Giorgini Valentina , Monti Federico , Milani Donatella
Published: September 2013

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is one of the most frequent causes of mental retardation, intellectual disability, and autism. Most cases are the result of an expansion of the CGG trinucleotide repeat in the 5′ untranslated region of the FMR1 gene and the subsequent functional loss of the related protein. We describe the case of a 4-year-old boy who clinically presents mild psychomotor delay without any major clinical dysmorphisms. Molecular analysis of the FMR1 gene showed mosaicism in terms of size and methylation, with one normal and 1 fully mutated allele, which is very rare in this syndrome. Physicians should therefore consider a diagnosis of FXS even if the patient’s phenotype is mild. Although rare, diagnosing this condition has important consequences for the patient’s rehabilitation and the family planning of parents and relatives.
Thermal Comfort Evaluation of Equestrian Body Protectors Using a Sweating Manikin
Authors: Dlugosch Sabine , Hu Hong , Chan Allan
Published: September 2013

Body protectors in horse-riding are characterized by a specific tight-fitting garment construction, and by sophisticated materials focused on body protection against impacts, such as falls and kicks from the horse. Both construction and materials affect the heat transfer between the human body and the environment, and add extra burden to the rider's metabolic heat production that has already been increased by the sport activity. With the above considered, this study investigated the application of warp-knitted spacer fabrics as a substitute for conventionally used foam inserts. Using the thermal manikin test method, the thermal properties of equestrian body protectors based on conventional foam, on spacer fabrics, and on combinations of both had been measured and evaluated. In addition, the Transplanar water transport tester was used to assess the liquid transport properties of the applied protective materials. The results of the study support the usability of warp-knitted spacer fabrics in impact-protective clothing.
Influence of pressure oscillation on injection molding process
Authors: Xiao-chun Yin , Wen-bin Zeng , Guang-jian He , Zhi-tao Yang , Jin-ping Qu
Published: September 2013

A self-made vibration-assisted injection molding machine (VAIM) was developed to generate oscillation injection pressure during filling and packing The cavity pressure changes sinusoidal with time during filling and packing in VAIM. The filling time can be shortened with the introduction of oscillation injection pressure. The melt peak of the parts become wider and the melt point move to high temperature with the increase in piston rod vibration amplitude/frequency.
Field Lessons From the Delivery of Questionnaires to Young Adults Using Mobile Phones
Authors: van Heerden A. C. , Norris S. A. , Tollman S. M. , Stein A. D. , Richter L. M.
Published: September 2013

To examine the feasibility of providing young adults with mobile phones for the purpose of mobile phone–assisted self-interviewing to improve retention in a long-term birth cohort study, mobile phones with survey software were distributed to 1,000 twenty-year-olds in the Birth to Twenty birth cohort study. Eleven months later, a targeted sampling frame was used to randomly select 435 participants from the subset of 734 phones that were still functional as survey tools. Text message notifications were dispatched at two time points, 2 weeks apart, requesting the completion of a 60-item survey. From the 435 young adults invited to participate in the survey, 105 (36.5%) submitted data in response to the first request and 84 (30.9%) submitted data in response to the second. The overall survey response rate was 33.7%, and item response rate varied from 88.5% to 100%. Contributing to the low response rate were challenges faced by both participant, including device loss and overly complicated survey procedures, and research team such as the deletion of the survey app by participants and the swapping out of study phone subscriber identity module cards making device management difficult. Reducing the effort required by participants to complete a survey, improving participant engagement in the data collection process, and using participants own handset are all suggestions for improving mobile survey data quality and responses rates.
Geometrical degradation of railway turnouts: A case study from a Swedish heavy haul railroad
Authors: khouy Iman Arasteh , Larsson-Kråik Per-Olof , Nissen Arne , Lundberg Jan , Kumar Uday
Published: September 2013

Turnouts are critical components of track systems in terms of safety, operation and maintenance. Each year, a considerable part of the maintenance budget is spent on their inspection, maintenance and renewal. Applying a cost-effective maintenance strategy helps to achieve the best performance at the lowest possible cost. In Sweden, the geometry of turnouts is inspected at predefined time intervals using the STRIX / IMV 100 track measurement car. This study uses time series for the measured longitudinal level of turnouts on the Iron Ore Line (Malmbanan) in northern Sweden. Two different approaches are applied to analyse the geometrical degradation of turnouts due to dynamic forces generated by train traffic. In the first approach, the recorded measurements are adjusted at the crossing point and then the relative geometrical degradation of turnouts is evaluated by using two defined parameters, the absolute residual area and the maximum settlement, In the second approach, various geometry parameters are defined to estimate the degradation in each measurement separately. The growth rate of the longitudinal level degradation as a function of million gross tonnes / time is evaluated. The proposed methods are based on characterisation of the individual track measurements. The results facilitate correct decision-making in the maintenance process through understanding the degradation rate and defining the optimal maintenance thresholds for the planning process. In the long run, this can lead to a cost-effective maintenance strategy with optimised inspection and maintenance intervals.
Rail vehicle impact analysis: A critique of the suitability of the rigid wall model and the assumption of symmetrical behaviour
Authors: Xue Xiangdong , Robinson Mark , Schmid Felix , Smith Roderick
Published: September 2013

This paper studies the accuracy of rigid-wall (stonewall) and symmetric models in rail vehicle impact stability. The investigation is based on modelling results and theoretical analysis. The theoretical investigation consists of a mechanical description of the conservation of energy transformation and instability of train impact due to irregular structural collapse and loose coupling patterns. It is shown that an unstable response is a common consequence in vehicle impacts and the corresponding stiffness amongst cross-sections has a strong effect on collapse stability. The modelling investigation summarises impact simulations of a cab vehicle. This illustrates the pitfalls of the rigid-wall and symmetric models as follows: firstly, using a rigid wall in modelling could mask irregular deformations and lead to overestimated crashworthy performance behaviours; and secondly, symmetric impacts could lead to asymmetric deformations resulting in crucial irregular responses of rail vehicles being missed. This paper explores the irregular responses of rail vehicles in train collisions and highlights the relevant issues which might be overlooked when conventional static approaches are used in dynamic scenarios. It is anticipated that the paper will provide increased insight into impact mechanics of rail vehicles and promote a rethink about the influence of characteristic behaviours in dynamic responses resulting in a more accurate representation.
Object Shape and Orientation Do Not Routinely Influence Performance During Language Processing
Authors: Rommers Joost , Meyer Antje S. , Huettig Falk
Published: September 2013

The role of visual representations during language processing remains unclear: They could be activated as a necessary part of the comprehension process, or they could be less crucial and influence performance in a task-dependent manner. In the present experiments, participants read sentences about an object. The sentences implied that the object had a specific shape or orientation. They then either named a picture of that object (Experiments 1 and 3) or decided whether the object had been mentioned in the sentence (Experiment 2). Orientation information did not reliably influence performance in any of the experiments. Shape representations influenced performance most strongly when participants were asked to compare a sentence with a picture or when they were explicitly asked to use mental imagery while reading the sentences. Thus, in contrast to previous claims, implied visual information often does not contribute substantially to the comprehension process during normal reading.
Analysis and optimization of integrated gas turbine, heat recovery steam generator and multi-effect thermal vapour compression desalination plant
Authors: Sanaye Sepehr , Asgari Saeid
Published: September 2013

The method and results of 4E (energy, exergy, economic and environmental) analysis and multi-objective optimization for a gas turbine, heat recovery steam generator and multi-effect thermal vapour compression desalination unit are investigated in this article. To optimize the system and to determine the optimal values of design parameters, the genetic algorithm was used. The first objective function was considered as the sum of investment and operational costs as well as penalty for producing [Formula: see text] emissions. The second objective function was the cycle total amount of exergy destruction. The optimal values of design parameters such as drum pressure of heat recovery steam generator, pinch point temperature in heat recovery steam generator, top brine temperature, last stage temperature, minimum temperature difference of condenser and number of effects were then estimated. Also, the effects of gas turbine part load as well as ambient temperature and fuel cost changes on the optimal values of design parameters were analysed.
Molecular characterization of photosensitizer-mediated photodynamic therapy by gene expression profiling
Authors: Liu K-H , Wang C-P , Chang M-F , Chung Y-W , Lou P-J , Lin J-H
Published: September 2013

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel cancer treatment based on the tumor-specific accumulation of a photosensitizer followed by irradiation with visible light, which induces selective tumor cell death via production of reactive oxygen species. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, microarray analysis was used to analyze the changes in gene expression patterns during PDT induced by various photosensitizers. Cancer cells were subjected to four different photosensitizer-mediated PDT and the resulting gene expression profiles were compared. We identified many differentially expressed genes reported previously as well as new genes for which the functionfunctions in PDT are still unclear. Our current results not only advance the general understanding of PDT but also suggest that distinct molecular mechanisms are involved in different photosensitizer-mediated PDT. Elucidating the signaling mechanisms in PDT will provide information to modulate the antitumor effectiveness of PDT using various photosensitizers.
Rutin and quercetin show greater efficacy than nifedipin in ameliorating hemodynamic, redox, and metabolite imbalances in sodium chloride-induced hypertensive rats
Authors: Olaleye MT , Crown OO , Akinmoladun AC , Akindahunsi AA
Published: September 2013

Rutin and quercetin were investigated for their effects on blood pressure and antioxidant defense system of rats fed with 8% sodium chloride-supplemented diet (high salt diet) for 6 weeks. Animals fed with high salt diet demonstrated an increase in systolic, diastolic, pulse, and mean arterial blood pressures ( p < 0.05) as well as lipid peroxidation but decreases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes compared with control group. Groups post-treated with rutin and quercetin for 2 weeks showed significant reversals in the values of these indices compared with the group fed with only the high salt diet but not post-treated. The high salt diet also led to significant increase in serum glucose, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, low-density-lipoprotein, and total cholesterol concentrations. Treatment with rutin and quercetin ameliorated the effects of high salt diet on these biochemical indices. The reference standard, nifedipin was less effective than rutin and quercetin. The results of this study highlight the risk of high salt consumption on cardiovascular health and the potent antioxidant and antihypertensive property of rutin and quercetin.
Protective effect of gallic acid on alloxan-induced oxidative stress and osmotic fragility in rats
Authors: Ramkumar KM , Vijayakumar RS , Vanitha P , Suganya N , Manjula C , Rajaguru P , Sivasubramanian S , Gunasekaran P
Published: September 2013

In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant effect of gallic acid (GA) on membrane lipid peroxidation and osmotic fragility in alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. GA was administered orally at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight for 45 days, after which liver and kidney tissues were analyzed for the degree of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, and the activities of antioxidants such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. Administration of GA to alloxan-induced diabetic rats reduced the blood glucose level with an increase in the level of insulin. Liver and kidney tissues from diabetic animals exhibited disturbances in antioxidant defense compared with normal rats. GA at a dose of 20 mg/kg b.w. showed a significant effect than that of the other doses. In addition, the results revealed that GA protected the integrity of erythrocyte membrane in diabetic rats as demonstrated by lower percentage of hemolysis and resistance to hydrogen peroxide-induced peroxidation. The anti-hyperglycemic activity of GA in alloxan-induced diabetic rats was also comparable with glibenclamide, a reference drug. These results suggest that GA could provide a beneficial effect on diabetes by decreasing oxidative stress-related diabetic complications.
Criminal Justice and Cape Law’s Persons
Authors: Pavlich George
Published: September 2013

Expansive criminal justice arenas have for centuries been marked by tenaciously unequal representations of the race, class, ethnicity and gender of the subjects they capture and punish. Although the phenomenon has been analysed in several ways, this article focuses on the influence of criminal justice in an eclipsed dimension of colonial settings, namely, the political logic deployed to enunciate legal persons that simultaneously defined criminal law’s jurisdiction and objects of regulation. This politics is nicely illustrated by law directed at crimes at the Cape of Good Hope during extraordinarily unsettled times circa 1795, where unequal categories of legal personhood were assigned to those involved with crime. These categories were subsequently targeted for different intensities of legal force. Versions of this basic logic have resounded over the centuries; using the Cape’s rich archive as an illustrative example, one glimpses how differentiated conceptions of the legal person help to sustain inequalities that fuel the disproportions of many criminal justice institutions nowadays.
Updating Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Lists using Automatic Extraction from GP Patient Records
Authors: Scanlon PH , Provins EK , Craske S , Chave SJ , Aldington SJ , Martin CN , Stratton IM
Published: September 2013

Objectives

Diabetic Retinopathy screening services aim to reduce the risk of sight loss amongst patients with diabetes. The rising incidence of diabetes in England and the operational need to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of screening lists led to a pilot study of electronic extraction of data from primary care. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of updating the single collated list of patients eligible for diabetic eye screening using extracts from electronic patient records in primary care.

Setting and Methods

The Gloucestershire Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (GDESP) provides screening for 85 General Practices in the county. Of these, 54 using Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS) practice management system software agreed to participate in this study. The screening list held in 2009 by the Gloucestershire DESP of 14,209 patients known to have diabetes was audited against a list created with automatic extraction from General Practice records of patients marked with the diabetes Read Code C10. Those subsequently screened and referred to the Hospital Eye service were followed up.

Results

The Gloucestershire DESP manual list covering the 54 EMIS practices comprised 14,771 people with diabetes. The audit process identified an additional 709 (4.8%) patients coded C10, including 23 diagnosed more than 5 years ago, and 20 patients under the age of 20 who were diagnosed more than a year ago.

Conclusion

Automatic extraction of data from General Practice identified 709 patients coded as having diabetes not previously known to the Gloucestershire DESP.
Reliability and Validity of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5)
Authors: Fossati Andrea , Krueger Robert F. , Markon Kristian E. , Borroni Serena , Maffei Cesare
Published: September 2013

In order to assess the internal consistency, factor structure, and ability to recover DSM-IV personality disorders (PDs) of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) scales, 710 Italian adult community dwelling volunteers were administered the Italian translation of the PID-5, as well as the Italian translation of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire–4+ (PDQ-4+). Cronbach’s alpha values were >.70 for all PID-5 facet scales and greater than .90 for all PID-5 domain scales. Parallel analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical five-factor model of the PID-5 trait scales. Regression analyses showed that both PID-5 trait and domain scales explained a substantial amount of variance in the PDQ-4+ PD scales, with the exception of the Passive-Aggressive PD scale. When the PID-5 was administered to a second independent sample of 389 Italian adult community dwelling volunteers, the basic psychometric properties of the scale were replicated. In this second sample, the PID-5 trait and domain scales proved to be significant predictors of psychopathy measures. As a whole, the results of the present study support the hypothesis that the PID-5 is a reliable instrument which is able to recover DSM-IV PDs, as well as to capture personality pathology that is not included in the DSM-IV (namely, psychopathy).
Theoretical and experimental vibration analyses of trapezoidal and sinusoidal corrugated plates
Authors: Yucel Adil , Arpaci Alaeddin
Published: September 2013

In this study, the dynamic behavior of trapezoidal and sinusoidal corrugated plates, which are widely used in the fields of space, aviation, automotive design, construction, and shipbuilding, was analyzed. A total of 330 different surface models of corrugated plates with varying corrugation heights, widths and numbers of corrugations were created, which have various manufacturing parameters. At this stage, the total number of natural frequency and mode shape analyses conducted for different boundary conditions is 660, where 330 are for four sides free and 330 are for four sides encastre. Mode shapes were also obtained using the finite element method. In addition, changes in the trapezoidal cross-sectional profile were investigated by analyzing 38 different plates with varying cross-sectional profiles. Examining these results, the effects of corrugation height and number on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the plate were determined. As a result of the study, a total of 368 plate drawings were prepared, and 736 analyses for two types of boundary conditions were performed. Moreover, the theoretical results were verified using the experimental modal analysis technique for some selected models that are being manufactured in the market.
Social Value Orientation
Authors: Murphy Ryan O. , Ackermann Kurt A.
Published: September 2013

What motivates people when they make decisions and how those motivations are potentially entangled with concerns for others are central topics for the social, cognitive, and behavioral sciences. According to the postulate of narrow self-interest, decision makers have the goal of maximizing personal payoffs and are wholly indifferent to the consequences for others. The postulate of narrow self-interest—which has been influential in economics, psychology, and sociology—is precise and powerful but is often simply wrong. Its inadequacy is well known and efforts have been made to develop reliable and valid measurement methods to quantify the more nuanced social preferences that people really have. In this paper, we report on the emergence and development of the predominant conceptualization of social preferences in psychology: social value orientation (SVO). Second, we discuss the relationship between measurement and theory development of the SVO construct. We then provide an overview of the literature regarding measurement methods that have been used to assess individual variations in social preferences. We conclude with a comparative evaluation of the various measures and provide suggestions regarding the measures’ constructive use in building psychologically realistic theories of people’s social preferences.
Helping Employees Deal With Dysfunctional Customers
Authors: Gong Taeshik , Yi Youjae , Choi Jin Nam
Published: September 2013

While considerable research explores job stress interventions for employees dealing with legitimate customer complaint behavior, managerial interventions relating to illegitimate, unreasonably dysfunctional customer behavior have been largely overlooked. Drawing on justice theory and using survey and experimental data, this study investigates perceived justice as the underlying mechanism through which managerial interventions affect satisfaction and loyalty among employees exposed to dysfunctional customer behavior. In addition, this study explores the contingency factors that affect this relationship. The findings offer managerial insights into how to protect employees from detrimental consequences of highly negative interactions with dysfunctional customers. This research suggests that managers should continually reinforce employees’ perceptions of fairness through interventions such as social support, participation, empowerment, and reward. Results also indicate that managers particularly need to direct intervention efforts to employees who are exposed to frequent and seriously negative interactions with dysfunctional customers.
Manual ventilation therapy and aggressive potassium supplementation in the management of respiratory failure secondary to severe hypokalaemia in a cat with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
Authors: Daste Thomas , Dossin Olivier , Reynolds Brice S , Aumann Marcel
Published: September 2013

A domestic shorthair cat was referred for progressive muscle weakness and dyspnoea. The cat had a 2-month history of severe weight loss, small intestinal diarrhoea, polyphagia and polyuria/polydipsia. Biochemical analysis and venous blood gas evaluation revealed severe hypokalaemia [1.7 mmol/l; reference interval (RI): 3.5–5.1 mmol/l] and hypoventilation (partial pressure of carbon dioxide = 68 mmHg; RI: 34–38 mmHg). Aggressive potassium supplementation was initiated. The cat was manually ventilated until serum potassium increased to 3 mmol/l. A diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) was made based on clinical signs and serum feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (0.1 μg/l; RI: 12–82 μg/l). Medical management of the EPI resulted in clinical recovery.
Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of feline bone marrow cells and haematopoietic progenitor cells using anti-human antibodies
Authors: Araghi Atefeh , Nassiri Seyed Mahdi , Atyabi Nahid , Rahbarghazi Reza , Mohammadi Elham
Published: September 2013

There is a paucity of species-specific antibodies available for feline haematopoietic conditions. The purpose of this study was to broaden the panel of antibodies available for use in the immunophenotypic characterisation of feline haematopoietic cells by testing clones of anti-human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on normal, neoplastic and cultured feline haematopoietic progenitors to determine cross-reactivity to feline counterparts. In this study, 24 clones of anti-human mAbs were tested on normal or neoplastic feline bone marrow and peripheral blood cells. Six of these mAbs, including anti-cluster of differentiation (CD)61, anti-CD18, anti-CD14, anti-CD235a, anti-CD41 and anti-CD29, cross-reacted with normal feline bone marrow cells, whereas anti-CD33 and anti-CD117 cross-reacted with the blast cells in the bone marrow of two cats with myelodysplastic syndrome, and anti-CD71, anti-235a, anti-41 and anti-42 cross-reacted with immature erythroid cells in a cat with erythroleukaemia. In a feline immunodeficiency virus-positive cat, bone marrow cells were labelled with anti-CD33, anti-14 and anti-45. Anti-CD18, anti-CD14, anti-CD41 and anti-CD61 also reacted with the peripheral blood cells of the healthy cats. The feline haematopoietic progenitors formed colonies in the methylcellulose-based semisolid medium with significant enrichment of colony-forming unit-granulocyte, monocyte and burst-forming unit-erythroid. A panel of six anti-feline mAbs (anti-CD21-like, anti-T lymphocytes, anti-CD172a, anti-granulocyte, anti-CD45-like and anti-CD18) and eight anti-human antibodies (anti-CD71, anti-CD33, anti-CD235a, anti-CD41, anti-CD61, anti-CD117, anti-CD38 and anti-CD34) were used for the immunophenotypic characterisation of the feline bone marrow progenitors. CD45, CD33, CD235a and CD18 were expressed by the feline haematopoietic progenitor cells, with the highest expression level for CD45.
New media and the war in Afghanistan: The significance of blogging for the Swedish strategic narrative
Authors: Hellman Maria , Wagnsson Charlotte
Published: September 2013

The new media situation gives fuel to increased competition between narratives. In the sphere of security this poses challenges to government strategic narratives. Scholars, drawing on findings from the Anglo-Saxon sphere, suggest that the new media activism gives rise to counter-hegemonic narratives that thrive on and through social media sites. We argue that the emergence of counter-narratives in the sphere of security depends upon a few key dynamics that might vary with political context such as political culture, the size of the blogosphere, the debate in mainstream media and socialization processes within the military organization. Our case study of Swedish blogging about Sweden’s military contribution to the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan suggests that blogs are mainly used to sustain – and not to challenge – the governmental narrative. This invites us to question the significance of new media platforms as counter-hegemonic forces in communities beyond the Anglo-Saxon sphere.
Celebrity gossip blogs and the interactive construction of addiction
Authors: Tiger Rebecca
Published: September 2013

Celebrity gossip blogs, some with millions of readers, are important sites for the interactive construction of addiction. The highly editorial nature of these blogs combined with their low bar to participation make them ideal sites to study how bloggers and readers interpret celebrity drug use. Through a case study of the widely known gossip blogger Perez Hilton’s coverage of actress Lindsay Lohan’s legal troubles, and reader responses to these stories, I show how interactive discussion of celebrity reinforces dominant constructions of habitual drug use as a form of badness and sickness best treated with jail and coerced treatment. Overall, I argue that new media forms such as celebrity gossip blogs are unlikely but important sites of social problem construction, maintenance and reinvigoration.
“In the Mood to Game”: Selective exposure and mood management processes in computer game play
Authors: Bowman Nicholas D , Tamborini Ron
Published: September 2013

Previous research shows that the influence of a computer game’s task demand on the mood-repair capacity of game play follows a quadratic trend: mood repair increases as task demand goes from low to moderate levels, after which further increases in demand reduce repair. Applying selective exposure logic to this finding, we reasoned that familiarity with games known to vary in task demand should influence game choice among users experiencing negative moods. To test this, a 2 × 3 experiment was conducted, varying induced participant mood (boredom, stress) and computer game task demand (low, moderate, or high). Findings revealed a curvilinear association between task demand and game choice replicating the association between task demand and mood repair in previous research. Participants preferred moderate task demand over high and low task demand, and this preference was stronger for stressed participants. In addition and in line with mood management theory, resultant mood repair was greatest for stressed individuals choosing moderate demand, and bored individuals choosing high demand.
Networks, disrupted: Media use as an organizing mechanism for rebuilding
Authors: Doerfel Marya L , Haseki Müge
Published: September 2013

Longitudinal interorganizational relationships in New Orleans are used to assess the ways in which organizations employed information and communication technologies to (re)connect to their social networks and with what impact regarding post-disruption capacity building. Findings reveal tensions in old and new media use and that using multiple media is an organizing mechanism that improves rebuilding efficiency and effectiveness. Specifically, using mixed media, more so than any one old or new media, facilitated bridging and bonding social capital to expand network capacity. An Organizational Media Spectrum model integrates media intimacy, familiarity, and network capacity to illustrate the relationship between media strategies and organizing processes for building capacity in social networks.
Teamwork satisfaction: Exploring the multilevel interaction of teamwork interest and group extraversion
Authors: French Kimberly A , Kottke Janet L
Published: September 2013

Multilevel modeling is used to examine the impact of teamwork interest and group extraversion on group satisfaction. Participants included 206 undergraduates in 65 groups who were surveyed at the beginning and end of a requisite term-length group project for an upper-division university course. We hypothesized that teamwork interest and both extraversion dispersion and higher mean extraversion would predict satisfaction with the group. Results indicated both teamwork interest and mean extraversion were not a predictor of satisfaction. Contrary to the hypothesis, greater extraversion dispersion and the interaction between teamwork interest and extraversion dispersion predicted less satisfaction. Extraversion dispersion was a better predictor of student satisfaction when individuals were more interested in teamwork. Additionally, extraversion dispersion may be a suppressor variable for teamwork interest. These results have implications for instructors facilitating group work and ensuring students have a positive group work experience.