bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-inflicted herpetic whitlow
Authors: Arora Rachita , Chattopadhyay Sayan , Agrawal Suman , Chatterjee Souvik
Published: April 2014

A 25-year-old dental radiographer reported to the outpatient department with lesions at the lower and upper lips which had later spread to his finger. On the basis of the given history and clinical features, a diagnosis of primary herpetic infection on the mouth followed by secondary infection on the finger was made and the patient was advised systemic and topical antiviral therapy following which his lesions healed uneventfully.
Primary low-grade diffuse small lymphocytic lymphoma of the central nervous system
Authors: Aziz Mehar , Chaurasia Jai Kumar , Khan Roobina , Afroz Nishat
Published: April 2014

A 45-year-old Indian woman presented in neurosurgery outpatient with seizures, headache and vomiting for the past 1 month. MRI of the brain was suggestive of a malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumour. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations of stereotactic biopsy of the tumour were diagnostic of a low-grade diffuse small lymphocytic lymphoma of the CNS. No evidence of any occult systemic lymphoma was observed, confirming its ‘primary’ origin in the CNS. The diagnosis of a low-grade primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is difficult as clinical and neuroradiological features are wide and variable. The clinical course is more indolent than a high-grade PCNSL and thus, a less aggressive and localised targeted treatment could be sufficient rather than the high dose, neurotoxic methotrexate-based chemotherapeutic treatment, recommended for high-grade PCNSL. Histological and immunohistological confirmation is therefore mandatory for early, appropriate treatment and prognostic implications.
QT prolongation in a child with thyroid storm
Authors: Albert Benjamin B , Eckersley Luke Gerard , Skinner Jonathan Robert , Jefferies Craig
Published: April 2014

A 12-year-old girl presented with an acute confusional state and a 2-year history of weight loss, anxiety, agitation and recurrent fever. Thyroid function tests confirmed severe hyperthyroidism, and a diagnosis of thyroid storm was made (Burch and Wartofsky score=75). ECG showed a prolonged QTc interval of 506 ms. Acute treatment for thyroid storm consisted of Lugol's iodine, prednisolone, carbimazole and propranolol. She made a steady recovery and by 3 months her thyroid function had normalised; a repeat ECG showed a QTc within the normal range (430 ms). There was no relevant family history. This is a case of QTc prolongation with hyperthyroidism and normalisation with euthyroidism. It is not commonly recognised that hyperthyroidism in children may be associated with QTc prolongation. QTc measurement should be incorporated into management protocols for hyperthyroidism.
Hydatid cyst: unusual presentation as ‘breast lump’
Authors: Afroz Nishat , Chaurasia Jai Kumar , Maheshwari Veena , Singh Geetika
Published: April 2014

Hydatid cyst in the breast is rare. We report a case of hydatid cyst in the breast in a 30-year-old Indian rural woman who presented with a lump in her left breast. MRI findings showed a cystic lesion in the breast. Histopathological examination showed features consistent with hydatid cyst with surrounding adherent pericystic breast tissue showing fibrocollagenisation and inflammatory response. ELISA for echinococcal antigen was also found to be positive. This case emphasises that preoperative diagnosis of hydatid cyst in the breast is difficult and often missed as the breast is a rare site of echinococcal infection and clinical and imaging findings are wide and non-specific. Cytological diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration may not always be possible. Therefore, hydatid cyst in the breast should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of a breast lump and histopathological confirmation is necessary for early and appropriate treatment.
Measurement confounding affects the extent to which verbal IQ explains social gradients in mortality
Authors: Chapman Benjamin , Fiscella Kevin , Duberstein Paul , Kawachi Ichiro , Muennig Peter
Published: April 2014

Background

IQ is thought to explain social gradients in mortality. IQ scores are based roughly equally on Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Performance IQ tests. VIQ tests, however, are suspected to confound true verbal ability with socioeconomic status (SES), raising the possibility that associations between SES and IQ scores might be overestimated. We examined, first, whether two of the most common types of VIQ tests exhibited differential item functioning (DIF) favouring persons of higher SES and/or majority race/ethnicity. Second, we assessed what impact, if any, this had on estimates of the extent to which VIQ explains social gradients in mortality.

Methods

Data from the General Social Survey-National Death Index cohort, a US population representative dataset, was used. Item response theory models queried social-factor DIF on the Thorndike Verbal Intelligence Scale and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, Revised Similarities test. Cox models examined mortality associations among SES and VIQ scores corrected and uncorrected for DIF.

Results

When uncorrected for DIF, VIQ was correlated with income, education, occupational prestige and race, with correlation coefficients ranging between |0.12| and |0.43|. After correcting for DIF, correlations ranged from |0.06| to |0.16|. Uncorrected VIQ scores explained 11–40% of the Relative Index of Inequalities in mortality for social factors, while DIF-corrected scores explained 2–29%.

Conclusions

Two of the common forms of VIQ tests appear confound verbal intelligence with SES. Since these tests appear in most IQ batteries, circumspection may be warranted in estimating the amount of social inequalities in mortality attributable to IQ.
An investigation of the basement complex aquifer system in Lofa county, Liberia, for the purpose of siting boreholes
Authors: Elster D. , Holman I. P. , Parker A. , Rudge L.
Published: April 2014

Liberia is recovering from a 14 year civil war and only 51% of the rural population has access to safe drinking water. Little hydrogeological knowledge survives in Liberia, increasing the difficulty in successfully siting new boreholes. An understanding of the local hydrogeological environment is therefore needed to improve borehole site selection and increase success rates. This research provides a semi-quantitative characterization of the hydrogeological environment of the basement aquifer in Lofa county, Liberia. Based on literature review and analysis of borehole logs, the study has developed a conceptual hydrogeological model for the local conditions, which is further characterized using 2D geoelectrical sections. Groundwater is predominantly obtained from the saprolite and underlying fractured bedrock, but specific capacities (median 281 l h
−1
m
−1
; 25th and 75th percentile of 179 and 490 l h
−1
m
−1
, respectively) are constrained by the limited thickness of the saturated saprolite. This study has shown that the groundwater resources in the crystalline basement in this part of Liberia conform to the general conceptual model, allowing standard techniques used elsewhere for siting and developing groundwater to be used.
Updating uniformitarianism: stratigraphy as just a set of ‘frozen accidents’
Authors: Miall Andrew D.
Published: April 2014

It has long been understood that the stratigraphic record is fragmentary. Barrell was the first to clearly understand the importance of accommodation, and the episodic way in which accommodation is created and removed by geological processes. He demonstrated that typically only a fraction of geological time is represented by accumulated sediment. This point was repeated in influential books by D. Ager. A significant feature of the sedimentary record is the correlation between the duration of a sedimentary unit and its sedimentation rate. Sedimentation rates range over more than eleven orders of magnitude.

The durations of stratigraphic gaps, the distribution of layer thicknesses, and sedimentation rates have fractal-like properties, facilitating the integration of our knowledge of the processes of accommodation generation with data on varying sedimentation rates and the scales of hiatuses and processes operating over all time scales.

This paper proposes the definition of a suite of
Sedimentation Rate Scales
to encompass the range of time scales and processes in the stratigraphic record. Assignment of stratigraphic units to the appropriate scale should help to clarify preservation mechanisms, leading to more complete quantitative understanding of the geological preservation machine, and a more grounded approach than earlier treatments of stratigraphic completeness.
Tumor Hypomethylation at 6p21.3 Associates with Longer Time to Recurrence of High-Grade Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Wang Chen , Cicek Mine S. , Charbonneau Bridget , Kalli Kimberly R. , Armasu Sebastian M. , Larson Melissa C. , Konecny Gottfried E. , Winterhoff Boris , Fan Jian-Bing , Bibikova Marina , Chien Jeremy , Shridhar Viji , Block Matthew S. , Hartmann Lynn C. , Visscher Daniel W. , Cunningham Julie M. , Knutson Keith L. , Fridley Brooke L. , Goode Ellen L.
Published: April 2014

To reveal biologic mechanisms underlying clinical outcome of high-grade serous (HGS) epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOC), we evaluated the association between tumor epigenetic changes and time to recurrence (TTR). We assessed methylation at approximately 450,000 genome-wide CpGs in tumors of 337 Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) patients. Semi-supervised clustering of discovery (n = 168) and validation (n = 169) sets was used to determine clinically relevant methylation classes. Clustering identified two methylation classes based on 60 informative CpGs, which differed in TTR in the validation set [R vs. L class, P = 2.9 × 10−3, HR = 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34–0.80]. Follow-up analyses considered genome-wide tumor mRNA expression (n = 104) and CD8 T-cell infiltration (n = 89) in patient subsets. Hypomethylation of CpGs located in 6p21.3 in the R class associated with cis upregulation of genes enriched in immune response processes (TAP1, PSMB8, PSMB9, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DQB2, HLA-DMA, and HLA-DOA), increased CD8 T-cell tumor infiltration (P = 7.6 × 10−5), and trans-regulation of genes in immune-related pathways (P = 1.6 × 10−32). This is the most comprehensive assessment of clinical outcomes with regard to epithelial ovarian carcinoma tumor methylation to date. Collectively, these results suggest that an epigenetically mediated immune response is a predictor of recurrence and, possibly, treatment response for HGS EOC. Cancer Res; 74(11); 3084–91. ©2014 AACR.
Separating Tumorigenicity from Bile Acid Regulatory Activity for Endocrine Hormone FGF19
Authors: Zhou Mei , Wang Xueyan , Phung Van , Lindhout Darrin A. , Mondal Kalyani , Hsu Jer-Yuan , Yang Hong , Humphrey Mark , Ding Xunshan , Arora Taruna , Learned R. Marc , DePaoli Alex M. , Tian Hui , Ling Lei
Published: April 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the leading causes of cancer-related death, develops from premalignant lesions in chronically damaged livers. Although it is well established that FGF19 acts through the receptor complex FGFR4-β-Klotho (KLB) to regulate bile acid metabolism, FGF19 is also implicated in the development of HCC. In humans, FGF19 is amplified in HCC and its expression is induced in the liver under cholestatic and cirrhotic conditions. In mice, ectopic overexpression of FGF19 drives HCC development in a process that requires FGFR4. In this study, we describe an engineered FGF19 (M70) that fully retains bile acid regulatory activity but does not promote HCC formation, demonstrating that regulating bile acid metabolism is distinct and separable from tumor-promoting activity. Mechanistically, we show that FGF19 stimulates tumor progression by activating the STAT3 pathway, an activity eliminated by M70. Furthermore, M70 inhibits FGF19-dependent tumor growth in a rodent model. Our results suggest that selectively targeting the FGF19–FGFR4 pathway may offer a tractable approach to improve the treatment of chronic liver disease and cancer. Cancer Res; 74(12); 3306–16. ©2014 AACR.
Pattern of CD14+ Follicular Dendritic Cells and PD1+ T Cells Independently Predicts Time to Transformation in Follicular Lymphoma
Authors: Smeltzer Jacob P. , Jones Jason M. , Ziesmer Steven C. , Grote Deanna M. , Xiu Bing , Ristow Kay M. , Yang Zhi Zhang , Nowakowski Grzegorz S. , Feldman Andrew L. , Cerhan James R. , Novak Anne J. , Ansell Stephen M.
Published: April 2014

Purpose: Transformation of follicular lymphoma is a critical event associated with a poor prognosis. The role of the tumor microenvironment in previous transformation studies has yielded conflicting results.

Experimental Design: To define cell subtypes associated with transformation, we examined tissue specimens at diagnosis from patients with follicular lymphoma that later transformed and, using immunohistochemistry (IHC), stained for CD68, CD11c, CD21, CXCL13, FOXP3, PD1, and CD14. Cell content and the pattern of expression were evaluated. Those identified as significantly associated with time to transformation (TTT) and overall survival (OS) were further characterized by flow cytometry and multicolor IHC.

Results: Of note, 58 patients were analyzed with median TTT of 4.7 years. The pattern of PD1+ and CD14+ cells rather than the quantity of cells was predictive of clinical outcomes. On multivariate analysis, including the follicular lymphoma international prognostic index score, CD14+ cells localized in the follicle were associated with a shorter TTT (HR, 3.0; P = 0.004). PD1+ cells with diffuse staining were associated with a shorter TTT (HR, 1.9; P = 0.045) and inferior OS (HR, 2.5; P = 0.012). Multicolor IHC and flow cytometry identified CD14+ cells as follicular dendritic cells (FDC), whereas PD1+ cells represented two separate populations, TFH and exhausted T cells.

Conclusion: These results identify the presence of PD1+ T cells and CD14+ FDC as independent predictors of transformation in follicular lymphoma. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 2862–72. ©2014 AACR.
Small-Molecule RA-9 Inhibits Proteasome-Associated DUBs and Ovarian Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo via Exacerbating Unfolded Protein Responses
Authors: Coughlin Kathleen , Anchoori Ravi , Iizuka Yoshie , Meints Joyce , MacNeill Lauren , Vogel Rachel Isaksson , Orlowski Robert Z. , Lee Michael K. , Roden Richard B.S. , Bazzaro Martina
Published: April 2014

Purpose: Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the gynecologic malignancies. Carcinogenic progression is accompanied by upregulation of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation machinery as a mechanism to compensate with elevated endogenous proteotoxic stress. Recent studies support the notion that deubiquitinating enzymes (DUB) are essential factors in proteolytic degradation and that their aberrant activity is linked to cancer progression and chemoresistance. Thus, DUBs are an attractive therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Experimental Design: The potency and selectivity of RA-9 inhibitor for proteasome-associated DUBs was determined in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary cells. The anticancer activity of RA-9 and its mechanism of action were evaluated in multiple cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo in immunodeficient mice bearing an intraperitoneal ES-2 xenograft model of human ovarian cancer.

Results: Here, we report the characterization of RA-9 as a small-molecule inhibitor of proteasome-associated DUBs. Treatment with RA-9 selectively induces onset of apoptosis in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary cultures derived from donors. Loss of cell viability following RA-9 exposure is associated with an unfolded protein response as mechanism to compensate for unsustainable levels of proteotoxic stress. In vivo treatment with RA-9 retards tumor growth, increases overall survival, and was well tolerated by the host.

Conclusions: Our preclinical studies support further evaluation of RA-9 as an ovarian cancer therapeutic. Clin Cancer Res; 20(12); 3174–86. ©2014 AACR.
Aggressive Variants of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Beltran Himisha , Tomlins Scott , Aparicio Ana , Arora Vivek , Rickman David , Ayala Gustavo , Huang Jiaoti , True Lawrence , Gleave Martin E. , Soule Howard , Logothetis Christopher , Rubin Mark A.
Published: April 2014

A subset of patients with advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer may eventually evolve into an androgen receptor (AR)–independent phenotype, with a clinical picture associated with the development of rapidly progressive disease involving visceral sites and hormone refractoriness, often in the setting of a low or modestly rising serum prostate-specific antigen level. Biopsies performed in such patients may vary, ranging from poorly differentiated carcinomas to mixed adenocarcinoma-small cell carcinomas to pure small cell carcinomas. These aggressive tumors often demonstrate low or absent AR protein expression and, in some cases, express markers of neuroendocrine differentiation. Because tumor morphology is not always predicted by clinical behavior, the terms “anaplastic prostate cancer” or “neuroendocrine prostate cancer” have been used descriptively to describe these rapidly growing clinical features. Patients meeting clinical criteria of anaplastic prostate cancer have been shown to predict for poor prognosis, and these patients may be considered for platinum-based chemotherapy treatment regimens. Therefore, understanding variants within the spectrum of advanced prostate cancer has important diagnostic and treatment implications. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 2846–50. ©2014 AACR.
Ganitumab (AMG 479) Inhibits IGF-II–Dependent Ovarian Cancer Growth and Potentiates Platinum-Based Chemotherapy
Authors: Beltran Pedro J. , Calzone Frank J. , Mitchell Petia , Chung Young-Ah , Cajulis Elaina , Moody Gordon , Belmontes Brian , Li Chi-Ming , Vonderfecht Steven , Velculescu Victor E. , Yang Guorong , Qi Jingwei , Slamon Dennis J. , Konecny Gottfried E.
Published: April 2014

Purpose: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-IR) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. Ganitumab is an investigational, fully human monoclonal antibody against IGF-IR. Here, we explore the therapeutic potential of ganitumab for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Experimental Design: The effects of ganitumab were tested in vitro against a panel of 23 established ovarian cancer cell lines. The ability of ganitumab to inhibit IGF-I–, IGF-II–, and insulin-mediated signaling was examined in vitro and in tumor xenografts using ovarian cancer models displaying IGF-IR/PI3K/AKT pathway activation by two distinct mechanisms, PTEN loss and IGF-II overexpression. Drug interactions between ganitumab and cisplatin, carboplatin, or paclitaxel were studied in vitro and in vivo.

Results: In vitro, growth inhibition varied significantly among individual ovarian cancer cell lines. IGF-II mRNA and phospho–IGF-IR protein expression were quantitatively correlated with response to ganitumab, and PTEN mutations conferred resistance to ganitumab. Ganitumab potently inhibited baseline and IGF-I–, IGF-II–, and insulin-induced IGF-IR and IGF-IR/insulin hybrid receptor signaling in vitro and in vivo. Synergistic and additive drug interactions were seen for ganitumab and carboplatin or paclitaxel in vitro. Furthermore, ganitumab significantly increased the efficacy of cisplatin in ovarian cancer xenograft models in vivo.

Conclusions: These observations provide a biologic rationale to test ganitumab as a single agent or in combination with carboplatin/cisplatin and paclitaxel in patients with ovarian cancer. Moreover, assessment of tumor expression of IGF-II, phospho–IGF-IR, or PTEN status may help select patients with ovarian cancer who are most likely to benefit from ganitumab. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 2947–58. ©2014 AACR.
Association Study of the let-7 miRNA-Complementary Site Variant in the 3′ Untranslated Region of theKRASGene in Stage III Colon Cancer (NCCTG N0147 Clinical Trial)
Authors: Sha Dan , Lee Adam M. , Shi Qian , Alberts Steven R. , Sargent Daniel J. , Sinicrope Frank A. , Diasio Robert B.
Published: April 2014

Purpose: A let-7 microRNA-complementary site (LCS6) polymorphism in the 3′ untranslated region of the KRAS gene has been shown to disrupt let-7 binding and upregulate KRAS expression. We evaluated the LCS6 genotype and its association with KRAS mutation status, clinicopathologic features, and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with stage III colon cancer who enrolled in a phase III clinical trial (NCCTG N0147).

Experimental Design: The LCS6 genotype was assayed by real-time PCR in DNA extracted from whole blood (n = 2,834) and compared with paired tumor tissue (n = 977). χ2 and two-sample t tests were used to compare baseline factors and KRAS mutation status between patients defined by LCS6 variant status. Log-rank tests and multivariate Cox models assessed associations between LCS6 status and DFS, respectively.

Results: We identified 432 (15.2%) blood samples and 143 (14.6%) tumor samples heterozygous or homozygous for the LCS6 G-allele, and 2,402 of 2,834 (84.8%) blood samples and 834 of 977 (85.4%) tumor samples homozygous for the LCS6 T-allele. Genotype results were highly concordant (99.8%) in cases with paired blood and tumor tissue (n = 977). G-allele carriers were significantly more frequent in Caucasians versus other races (χ2 test, P < 0.0001). The LCS6 genotype was not associated with KRAS mutation status, clinicopathologic features (all P > 0.2), or DFS (log-rank P = 0.49; HR, 0.929; 95% confidence interval, 0.76–1.14), even after combining LCS6 genotype with KRAS mutation status.

Conclusions: In the largest association study investigating the LCS6 polymorphism in colon cancers, the germline LCS6 genotype was not associated with KRAS mutation status or with clinical outcome in patients with stage III tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 20(12); 3319–27. ©2014 AACR.
Explaining the “Female Victim Effect” in Capital Punishment
Authors: Richards Tara N. , Jennings Wesley G. , Smith M. Dwayne , Sellers Christine S. , Fogel Sondra J. , Bjerregaard Beth
Published: April 2014

Only a limited body of research has focused on how victim sex may affect capital sentencing decisions. Acknowledging this issue, the present study uses a large sample of capital cases from North Carolina ( n = 709) and victim sex–specific logistic regression models to examine whether different variables are important predictors of receiving the death penalty for male victim cases versus female victim cases. Results indicate that (a) sex-specific models better explain juror death penalty decision-making compared with a full model, including victims of both sexes, and (b) different extralegal and legal characteristics predict jurors’ decisions to choose the death penalty in cases with male victims versus female victims. Specifically, for male victims, older victim age, younger defendant age, urban jurisdiction, the number of victims killed, the number of aggravators, the number of mitigators, and case designation as heinous and cruel predict juror decision-making. Comparatively, for female victim cases, only the number of mitigators and case designation as heinous and cruel are significant predictors. Theoretical and legal implications as well as directions for future research are discussed.
The empirical assessment of agency accountability: a regime approach and an application to the German Bundesnetzagentur
Authors: Biela Jan , Papadopoulos Yannis
Published: April 2014

Regulation has in many cases been delegated to independent agencies, which has led to the question of how democratic accountability of these agencies is ensured. There are few empirical approaches to agency accountability. We offer such an approach, resting upon three propositions. First, we scrutinize agency accountability both de jure (accountability is ensured by formal rights of accountability ‘fora’ to receive information and impose consequences) and de facto (the capability of fora to use these rights depends on resources and decision costs that affect the credibility of their sanctioning capacity). Second, accountability must be evaluated separately at political, operational and managerial levels. And third, at each level accountability is enacted by a system of several (partially) interdependent fora, forming together an accountability regime. The proposed framework is applied to the case of the German Bundesnetzagentur's accountability regime, which shows its suitability for empirical purposes.

Points for practitioners

Regulatory agencies are often considered as independent, yet accountable. This article provides a realistic framework for the study of accountability ‘regimes’ in which they are embedded. It emphasizes the need to identify the various actors (accountability fora) to which agencies are formally accountable (parliamentary committees, auditing bodies, courts, and so on) and to consider possible relationships between them. It argues that formal accountability ‘on paper’, as defined in official documents, does not fully account for de facto accountability, which depends on the resources possessed by the fora (mainly information-processing and decision-making capacities) and the credibility of their sanctioning capacities. The article applies this framework to the German Bundesnetzagentur.
Simultaneous effect of alkali activator and water/slag cement ratios on composites properties by full replacement of Portland cement
Authors: Wafa Mahmoud A , Fukuzawa K
Published: April 2014

This paper presents the simultaneous effect of alkali activator and water/slag cement ratios on composites properties by full replacement of Portland cement at different ages under steam curing condition. Twelve mortar composites divided into four different groups were prepared using municipal slag cement and alkali activator of sodium meta-silicate by varying the ratios of alkali activator/slag cement and water/slag cement. The results revealed that the addition of municipal slag cement by full replacement of Portland cement was largely worthwhile for slag mortar composites under steam curing condition. The preparation of the mortars by taking various ratios of alkali activator/slag cement and water/slag cement contributed significantly in improving the compressive strength with an acceptable drying shrinkage to slag composites. Scanning electron microscopic technique was used to analyze the microstructure of slag composites at different ages. The ACI 209 and EC 2 design equations were used to predict the compressive strength.
Tensile behavior of aluminum/carbon fiber reinforced polymer hybrid composites at intermediate strain rates
Authors: Kim Jung Goo , Kim Hee Chul , Kwon Jun Beom , Shin Dong Kil , Lee Jung Ju , Huh Hoon
Published: April 2014

Tensile behaviors of aluminum/carbon fiber reinforced polymer hybrid composites with different carbon fiber reinforced polymer stacking sequences were measured at strain rates between 0.001/s and 100/s and properties of the hybrid composites were compared to the results of aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced polymer tested under the same conditions. In the aluminum specimen, negative strain rate sensitivity resulted in a significant decrease in the tensile strength and positive strain rate sensitivity resulted in an increase in failure strain at higher strain rates. However, in the hybrid composite specimen, both the tensile strength and the failure strain could be increased as the strain rate increased by reinforcing the aluminum with carbon fiber reinforced polymer. The differences in tensile properties and the degree of strain rate sensitivity were extensive depending on the stacking sequence of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer layer. A Weibull function with scale parameter σ0 and shape parameter β was used in order to describe the relation between stress and strain of aluminum/carbon fiber reinforced polymer hybrid composites, and the constitutive equation established by the Weibull function described the tensile behavior of the hybrid composites very well.
Delivering optimal care for inflammatory bowel disease patients in Scotland in 2014
Authors: Gaya Daniel R
Published: April 2014

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, present an ever increasing burden to the healthcare systems in the Western world. Scotland in particular has seen a significant increase in both diseases, particularly Crohn's disease. It is thus of paramount importance that secondary care services within Scotland are equipped to cope with this increased demand at a time when the treatment options are broadening, patients expectations are increasing and healthcare budgets face major restriction. This article outlines some aspects of optimal delivery of an IBD service in secondary care.
The state of nature analogy in International Relations theory
Authors: Rolf Jan Niklas
Published: April 2014

Today, the domestic analogy is a well-established and frequently used term in the discipline of International Relations (IR). What is less established is that often two different analogies are hiding behind this term – an analogy between the domestic and the international realm, on the one hand, and an analogy between a state of nature and the international realm, on the other hand. This article argues that only in the former case, we can speak of domestic analogy. In the latter case, the ‘state of nature’ is mistaken for the ‘domestic’, which, on closer inspection, are converse terms. After a critique of the way in which the domestic analogy has been used in the literature, and in the work of Chiara Bottici in particular, I develop the alternative concept of the state of nature analogy and locate it within each of Martin Wight’s three traditions of international theory. Once we have unraveled the two analogies, the advantages of using the state of nature analogy over the domestic analogy become manifest.
Tyrant or Servant? Roman Political Ideology and Mark 10.42-45
Authors: Winn Adam
Published: April 2014

Mark 10.42-45 presents a political contrast between the rulers of the Roman world and Jesus and his disciples. Through careful analysis of the strategy of recusatio as employed by Roman emperors, this article considers the expectations of the Romans regarding their rulers as well as the political ideology that birthed those expectations. The article then seeks to offer a new reading of Mk 10.42-45 in light of this Roman political ideology and to consider how this reading (a) eases perceived tension in the Gospel’s narrative and Christology, and (b) contributes to the Gospel’s subversion of Roman imperial power.
Fluctuation in Relationship Quality Over Time and Individual Well-Being
Authors: Whitton Sarah W. , Rhoades Galena K. , Whisman Mark A.
Published: April 2014

This study examined how the degree of within-person variation (or temporal fluctuation) in relationship quality over time was associated with well-being (psychological distress and life satisfaction). A national sample of 18- to 34-year-old men and women in unmarried, opposite-sex relationships completed six waves of surveys every 4 months ( N = 748). Controlling for initial levels of and linear changes in relationship quality, greater temporal fluctuation in relationship quality over time was associated with increasing psychological distress and decreasing life satisfaction over time. Decreased confidence in one’s relationship partially mediated these associations. Moderation analyses revealed that the association between fluctuations in relationship quality and change in life satisfaction was stronger for women, participants cohabiting with their partners, and those with greater anxious attachment, whereas the association between fluctuations in relationship quality and change in psychological distress was stronger for people with greater avoidant attachment.
Attitude Certainty and Conflict Style
Authors: Rios Kimberly , DeMarree Kenneth G. , Statzer Johnathan
Published: April 2014

Little research has examined the properties of people’s attitudes that predict how they will respond to conflict with others whose opinions differ. We propose that one aspect of attitude certainty—attitude correctness, or the perception that one’s attitude is the “right” attitude to have—will predict more competitive conflict styles. This hypothesis was tested across five data sets comprising four studies. In Studies 1a and 1b, perceptions of attitude correctness (but not another form of attitude certainty, attitude clarity) predicted participants’ tendencies to send competitive messages to an ostensible partner who held the opposite opinion. In Studies 2 to 4, manipulations of attitude correctness, but not attitude clarity (Study 3), also increased competitiveness in conflict, and perceived correctness mediated the effect of the correctness manipulation on conflict style (Study 4). The present research has implications for both the predictors of conflict style and the consequences of different forms of attitude certainty.
Strategies for testing statistical and practical significance in detecting DIF with logistic regression models
Authors: Fidalgo Angel M. , Alavi Seyed Mohammad , Amirian Seyed Mohammad Reza
Published: April 2014

This study examines three controversial aspects in differential item functioning (DIF) detection by logistic regression (LR) models: first, the relative effectiveness of different analytical strategies for detecting DIF; second, the suitability of the Wald statistic for determining the statistical significance of the parameters of interest; and third, the degree of equivalence between the main DIF classification systems. Different strategies to tests–LR models, and different DIF classification systems, were compared using data obtained from the University of Tehran English Proficiency Test (UTEPT). The data obtained from 400 test takers who hold a master’s degree in science and engineering or humanities were investigated for DIF. The data were also analyzed with the Mantel–Haenszel procedure in order to have an appropriate comparison for detecting uniform DIF. The article provides some guidelines for DIF detection using LR models that can be useful for practitioners in the field of language testing and assessment.
The Prevalence of Malnutrition and Fat‐Soluble Vitamin Deficiencies in Chronic Pancreatitis
Authors: Duggan Sinead N. , Smyth Niamh D. , O'Sullivan Maria , Feehan Sinead , Ridgway Paul F. , Conlon Kevin C.
Published: April 2014

Background: Patients with chronic pancreatitis are at risk of malnutrition and nutrient deficiency due to malabsorption, pain, and poor diet. We sought to examine fat‐soluble vitamin levels and malnutrition parameters in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Materials and Methods: In a prospective controlled cohort study, 128 subjects (62 chronic pancreatitis patients and 66 age‐/sex‐matched controls) were recruited. Body mass index (BMI), handgrip strength (measure of functional capacity), fat stores (triceps skin fold), muscle stores (mid‐arm muscle circumference), exocrine function, and serum levels of fat‐soluble vitamins (A, D, E) were measured. Results: Half of patients in the chronic pancreatitis group were overweight or obese, although the mean BMI was lower in patients than in controls (P = .007). Handgrip strength (P = .048), fat stores (P = .000), and muscle stores (P = .001) were lower in patients than in controls. Of the patients, 14.5% and 24.2% were deficient in vitamins A and E, respectively. Nineteen percent of patients had excess serum vitamin A levels. Conclusions: Despite the prevalence of overweight and obesity, patients had lower muscle stores, strength, and abnormal vitamin levels. Detailed nutrition assessment including anthropometry and vitamin status is warranted in chronic pancreatitis.
Using Propensity Score Matching to Estimate an “Unbiased Effect-Size” Between Women’s Employment and Partner Violence in Tanzania
Authors: Vyas Seema , Heise Lori
Published: April 2014

Estimates of the effect of employment on women’s risk of partner violence in cross-sectional studies are subject to potential “self-selection bias.” Women’s personal choice of whether to pursue employment or not may create fundamental differences between the group of women who are employed and those who are not employed that standard regression methods cannot account for even after adjusting for confounding. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the utility of propensity score matching (PSM), a technique used widely in econometrics, to address this bias in cross-sectional studies. We use PSM to estimate an unbiased effect-size of women’s employment on their risk of experiencing partner violence in urban and rural Tanzania using data from the 2010 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Three different measures of women’s employment were analyzed: whether they had engaged in any productive work outside of the home in the past year, whether they received payment in cash for this productive work, and whether their employment was stable. Women who worked outside of the home were significantly different from those who did not. In both urban and rural Tanzania, women’s risk of violence appears higher among women who worked in the past year than among those who did not, even after using PSM to account for underlying differences in these two groups of women. Being paid in cash reversed this effect in rural areas whereas stability of employment reduced this risk in urban centers. The estimated size of effect varied by type of matching estimator, but the direction of the association remained largely consistent. This study’s findings suggest substantial self-selection into employment. PSM methods, by compensating for this bias, appear to be a useful tool for estimating the relationship between women’s employment and partner violence in cross-sectional studies.
Writing the PhD Journey(s)
Authors: Stanley Phiona
Published: April 2014

Doing PhD is a “black box.” While inputs, outputs, and milestones are visible, there is a sizeable gap in our understanding of candidates’ lived experiences. This may cause some academic advisors to erroneously assume their students’ experiences are necessarily comparable to their own, and to proceed accordingly. But lived experiences vary enormously, and this autoethnographic study aims to problematize and pluralize the PhD experience by offering a look into the “black box” of one mature-age distance-education student’s lived experience in Australia. Methodologically, the paper innovates by blending reflective, autoethnographic writing with critical analysis of contemporary, self-authored travel zines (akin to low-tech blogging). This exemplifies a suggested middle way between Anderson’s evocative and analytic dichotomy in autoethnography. While the candidate’s development of criticality and confidence are evident, the zines also document confidence-crushing anxiety and burnout as underexplored embodied effects of PhD study, and intersections of candidature and embodiment are also considered.
“Little Girls Unwilling to Do What’s Best for Them”
Authors: Sumerau J. Edward , Padavic Irene , Schrock Douglas P.
Published: April 2014

This paper examines how a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Christians resurrected patriarchal patterns of gender inequality in their local church. On the basis of more than 450 hours of fieldwork, we analyze how a group of lesbian and gay members collaborated with a new pastor to transform an egalitarian, inclusive, and democratic organization into one characterized by the elevation of men and the subordination of women via restricting leadership to men, instituting a gendered division of labor, and discrediting women dissidents. In so doing, the pastor and his supporters, regardless of their intentions, collaboratively reproduced patriarchal practices that facilitated the subordination of women. We conclude by suggesting that there is not a one-to-one correspondence between gains for LGBT organizations and gains for women, and we outline implications for understanding how retrenchment from egalitarian practice can undo gender-equality gains.
Do investors avoid strong trade unions and labour regulation? Social dumping in the European automotive and chemical industries
Authors: Krzywdzinski Martin
Published: April 2014

The eastern enlargement of the European Union has prompted heated debates about social dumping related to labour standards and industrial relations. Capital mobility is seen as a crucial social dumping mechanism. The article uses time-series-cross-section data for the years 1999–2008 to analyse the determinants of capital flows (FDI) to European countries. It compares German and US FDI in the automotive and chemical industry. The article shows that FDI is influenced by labour standards (in particular protection against dismissals) and industrial relations factors and can be a social dumping mechanism. There are, however, differences according to the industries and the home countries of the investors. US companies try to avoid coordinated collective bargaining, while German companies consider government intervention in collective bargaining negative. The degree of unionization shows no effect on attractiveness for FDI.
Doppler effect reduction scheme via acceleration-based Dopplerlet transform and resampling method for the wayside acoustic defective bearing detector system
Authors: Liu Fang , Shen Chanqing , He Qingbo , Zhang Ao , Kong Fanrang , Liu Yongbin
Published: April 2014

In a wayside acoustic defective bearing detector system, bearing faults are detected through the analysis of the acoustic signal generated by the bearings of a passing vehicle. As vehicles pass by with high speeds, the acoustic signal recorded by the stationary microphone is disturbed by the Doppler effect. The reduction of the frequential structure disturbance of signals facilitates the efficient diagnosis of bearing faults. This study proposes a Doppler effect reduction scheme for the removal of the frequential structure disturbances of Doppler-shifted signals in the acoustic defective bearing detector system. First, the parameters, including the initial speed and the initial acceleration of the vehicle, are estimated by the acceleration-based Dopplerlet transform via the matching pursuit algorithm. Second, the time vector for resampling is calculated according to the estimated initial speed, the initial acceleration in the first step, the sound speed, and the measured geometric parameters of the ADBD system. Finally, the distorted signal is resampled through spline interpolation. Simulation and experimental cases are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Compared with the steady-motion-based method, the proposed scheme can better capture the true time-varying nature of Doppler-shifted signals. Moreover, this scheme is also robust to noise.
Modeling for spindle thermal error in machine tools based on mechanism analysis and thermal basic characteristics tests
Authors: Xiang Sitong , Zhu Xiaolong , Yang Jianguo
Published: April 2014

This paper proposes a method to accurately predict thermal errors in spindles by applying experimental modifications to preliminary theoretical models. First, preliminary theoretical models of the temperature field and the thermal deformation are built via mechanism analysis, which is based on the size of the spindle and the parameters of the bearing. Then, thermal basic characteristics tests are conducted at two different initial temperatures. Finally, the results of the thermal basic characteristic tests are evaluated, and the preliminary theoretical model is modified to obtain the final model. A simulation of axial thermal deformation under different speeds is conducted by finite element analysis. It shows that the relationship between the axial thermal deformation and the speed is approximately linear. The model is validated via some experiments on the spindle of a numerical control lathe. The results indicate that the proposed model precisely predicts the spindle’s temperature field and multi-degree of freedom thermal errors.
Application of multi-objective optimization techniques to improve the aerodynamic performance of a tunnel ventilation jet fan
Authors: Kim Joon-Hyung , Kim Jin-Hyuk , Yoon Joon-Yong , Choi Young-Seok , Yang Sang-Ho
Published: April 2014

This paper describes the design optimization of a tunnel ventilation jet fan through multi-objective optimization techniques. Four design variables were selected for design optimization. To analyze the performance of the fan, numerical analyses were conducted, and three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with a shear stress transport turbulence model were solved. Two objective functions, the total efficiency of the forward direction and the ratio of the reverse direction outlet velocity to the forward direction outlet velocity, were employed, and multi-objective optimization was carried out to improve the aerodynamic performance. A response surface approximation surrogate model was constructed for each objective function based on numerical solutions obtained at specified design points. The non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm with a local search procedure was used for multi-objective optimization. The tradeoff between the two objectives was determined and described with respect to the Pareto-optimal solutions. Based on the analysis of the optimization results, we propose an optimization model to satisfy the objective function. Finally, to verify the performance, experiments with the base model and the optimization model were carried out.
Public library fieldwork supervisors: A survey of activities, assessment, and attitudes
Authors: Brannon Sian
Published: April 2014

Little research directly targets supervisors of fieldwork students in public libraries. This article identifies their feelings and behaviors using Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development theory as a background for design and discussion of results. Fieldwork activities, supervisor assessments, and self-perceived roles are discussed. The study began with an online survey (77 respondents solicited by email) and continued with follow-up questions (25 respondents). Results indicate fieldwork supervisors see themselves as mentors, serving as the ‘more capable peer’ according to Vygotsky, and they guide students from supervised to unsupervised work. Suggestions for further research are given.
Exploring Women’s Experiences of Health and Well-Being in Remote Northwest Queensland, Australia
Authors: Harvey Desley
Published: April 2014

Rural and remote environments are challenging places in which to achieve health and well-being. In this woman-centered, grounded theory study, I explored the meaning of health and well-being as well as how it is achieved from the perspective of women living in remote inland parts of Australia. The study was based on semistructured interviews with 23 women living in geographically remote areas. The findings are presented as a model of the capacity to flourish. Flourishing describes an optimal achievable state of well-being, delineated by four interrelated dimensions of experience: control, connecting, belonging, and identity. I identify individual, contextual, and structural factors that enable and constrain the capacity to flourish. The findings suggest that approaches to understanding and promoting women’s health in remote areas should be more holistic and contextual.