bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Berberine on Treating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Pang Bing , Zhao Lin-Hua , Zhou Qiang , Zhao Tian-Yu , Wang Han , Gu Cheng-Juan , Tong Xiao-Lin
Published: March 2015

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) performs a good clinical practice and is showing a bright future in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). TCM treatment has certain advantages of less toxicity and/or side effects, and herbs could provide multiple therapeutic effects. Berberine (BBR) is a classical natural medicine. In this review, we summarize the application of BBR in the treatment of DM from two aspects. First, modern pharmacological effects of BBR on glucose metabolism are summarized, such as improving insulin resistance, promoting insulin secretion, inhibiting gluconeogenesis in liver, stimulating glycolysis in peripheral tissue cells, modulating gut microbiota, reducing intestinal absorption of glucose, and regulating lipid metabolism. BBR is used to treat diabetic nephropathy (DPN), diabetic neuropathy (DN), and diabetic cardiomyopathy due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Second, the clinical application of BBR is reviewed, such as listing some clinical trials on the effectiveness and safety of BBR, explaining applicable stage and syndrome, the reasonable dose and dose formulation, and the toxicity and/or side effects. This review provides scientific evidence about BBR, as well as introducing some traditional Chinese medical theory and clinical experience, in order to guide clinician to use BBR more suitably and reasonably.
Closed-Form Solutions to Differential Equations via Differential Evolution
Authors: Mex L. , Cruz-Villar Carlos A. , Peñuñuri F.
Published: March 2015

We focus on solving ordinary differential equations using the evolutionary algorithm known as differential evolution (DE). The main purpose is to obtain a closed-form solution to differential equations. To solve the problem at hand, three steps are proposed. First, the problem is stated as an optimization problem where the independent variables areelementaryfunctions. Second, as the domain of DE is real numbers, we propose a grammar that assigns numbers to functions. Third, to avoid truncation and subtractive cancellation errors, to increase the efficiency of the calculation of derivatives, the dual numbers are used to obtain derivatives of functions. Some examples validating the effectiveness and efficiency of our method are presented.
The Benefit of Sirolimus Maintenance Immunosuppression and Rabbit Antithymocyte Globulin Induction in Liver Transplant Recipients That Develop Acute Kidney Injury in the Early Postoperative Period
Authors: Duhart Benjamin T. , Ally Winston A. , Krauss Amy G. , Hudson Joanna Q. , Eason James D. , Rao Vinaya , Vanatta Jason M.
Published: March 2015

Published data are limited describing renal outcomes in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients prescribed sirolimus (SRL) maintenance immunosuppression (MIS) and rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) induction. We investigated whether SRL MIS and rATG induction facilitated recovery of acute kidney injury in the early postoperative period. This retrospective descriptive study screened 308 consecutive OLTs performed between 2006 and 2009. All patients received rATG induction with steroid avoidance. MIS consisted of SRL or TAC with mycophenolate mofetil. A total of 197 patients were included: 168 (85%) received TAC and 29 (15%) received SRL for a median of 365 days. Demographics were similar between groups except for a higher incidence of pretransplant renal dysfunction in the SRL recipients (SRL 59% versus TAC 21%;P<0.05). The eGFR was significantly (P<0.05) higher for all time points in the TAC group with the exception of month 2. However, improvement in eGFR was significantly (P<0.05) greater in the SRL group postoperatively. Our study suggests that rATG induction and SRL maintenance immunosuppression facilitate renal recovery for liver transplant recipients that develop acute kidney injury in the early postoperative period.
The Shortcomings of Clinical Practice Guidelines
Authors: Boudoulas Konstantinos Dean , Leier Carl V. , Geleris Paraschos , Boudoulas Harisios
Published: March 2015

Accumulation of medical knowledge related to diagnosis and management over the last 5-6 decades has altered the course of diseases, improved clinical outcomes and increased survival. Thus, it has become difficult for the practicing physician to evaluate the long-term effects of a particular therapy on survival of an individual patient. Further, the approach by each physician to an individual patient with the same disease is not always uniform. In an attempt to assist physicians in applying newly acquired knowledge to patients, clinical practice guidelines were introduced by various scientific societies. Guidelines assist in facilitating the translation of new research discoveries into clinical practice; however, despite the improvements over the years, there are still several issues related to guidelines that often appear ‘lost in translation'. Guidelines are based on the results of randomized clinical trials, other nonrandomized studies, and expert opinion (i.e. the opinion of most members of the guideline committees). The merits and limitations of randomized clinical trials, guideline committees, and presentation of guidelines will be discussed. In addition, proposals to improve guidelines will be presented.
CARD8 rs2043211 Polymorphism is Associated with Gout in a Chinese Male Population
Authors: Chen Ying , Ren Xianfeng , Li Changgui , Xing Shichao , Fu Zhengju , Yuan Ying , Wang Robin , Wang Yangang , Lv Wenshan
Published: March 2015

Background &Aim: Previous studies have suggested genetic factors are involved in the development of gout. We performed a case-control study to investigate the genetic association between CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism and gout. Methods: A total of 396 male patients with gout and 403 age- and sex- matched healthy controls were included in this study. Genotyping was performed using TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays. An association analysis was carried out using the χ2 test. The genotype-phenotype analysis was also conducted. Results: The genotype distribution of CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism confirmed to HWE in the controls (P = 0.27). There was an obvious difference in the genotype distribution of CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism between cases and controls (P = 0.017). In addition, there was an obvious association between CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism and gout under the recessive comparison model (AA vs. TT/TA: OR = 0.65, 95%CI 0.47-0.88, P = 0.006). Patients carrying genotype TT of CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism had higher triglycerides levels compared to those carrying the AA genotype (2.77±2.08 mmol/L vs. 2.07±1.15 mmol/L, P = 0.01). Patients with the TT genotype also had significantly higher systolic blood pressure compared with those with the AA genotype (142.11±21.10 mmHg vs. 135.38±14.66 mmHg, P = 0.03). Patients carrying TT genotype also had an increased risk of renal calculus compared with those carrying the AA genotype. Conclusion: CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism is significantly associated with susceptibility to gout in Chinese Han males.
Potassium Abnormalities in Current Clinical Practice: Frequency, Causes, Severity and Management
Authors: Eliacik Eylem , Yildirim Tolga , Sahin Ugur , Kizilarslanoglu Cemal , Tapan Umit , Aybal-Kutlugun Aysun , Hascelik Gulsen , Arici Mustafa
Published: March 2015

Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence and etiology of potassium abnormalities (hypokalemia and hyperkalemia) and management approaches for hospitalized patients. Subjects and Methods: Over a 4-month period, all hospitalized patients at Hacettepe University Medical Faculty Hospitals who underwent at least one measurement of serum potassium during hospitalization were included. Data on serum levels of electrolytes, demographic characteristics, cause(s) of hospitalization, medications, etiology of potassium abnormality and treatment approaches were obtained from the hospital records. Results: Of the 9,045 hospitalized patients, 1,265 (14.0%) had a serum potassium abnormality; 604 (6.7%) patients had hypokalemia and 661 (7.30%) had hyperkalemia. In the hypokalemic patients, the most important reasons were gastrointestinal losses in 555 (91.8%) patients and renal losses in 252 (41.7%) patients. The most frequent treatment strategies were correcting the underlying cause and replacing the potassium deficit. Of the 604 hypokalemic patients, 319 (52.8%) were normokalemic at hospital discharge. The most common reason for hyperkalemia was treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers in 228 (34.4%) patients, followed by renal failure in 191 (28.8%). Two hundred and ninety-eight (45.0%) patients were followed without any specific treatment. Of the 661 hyperkalemic patients, 324 (49.0%) were normokalemic at hospital discharge. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of potassium imbalance among hospitalized patients. Although most of the potassium abnormalities were mild/moderate, approximately half of the patients treated for hypokalemia or hyperkalemia were discharged from the hospital with ongoing dyskalemia.
Familial Breast Cancer - Targeted Therapy in Secondary and Tertiary Prevention
Authors: Kast Karin , Rhiem Kerstin
Published: March 2015

The introduction of an increasing number of individualized molecular targeted therapies into clinical routine mirrors their importance in modern cancer prevention and treatment. Well-known examples for targeted agents are the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab and the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen. The identification of an unaltered gene in tumor tissue in colon cancer (KRAS) is a predictor for the patient's response to targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody (cetuximab). Targeted therapy for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer has become a reality with the approval of olaparib for platin-sensitive late relapsed BRCA-associated ovarian cancer in December 2014. This manuscript reviews the status quo of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) in the therapy of breast and ovarian cancer as well as the struggle for carboplatin as a potential standard of care for triple-negative and, in particular, BRCA-associated breast cancer. Details of the mechanism of action with information on tumor development are provided, and an outlook for further relevant research is given. The efficacy of agents against molecular targets together with the identification of an increasing number of cancer-associated genes will open the floodgates to a new era of treatment decision-making based on molecular tumor profiles. Current clinical trials involving patients with BRCA-associated cancer explore the efficacy of the molecular targeted therapeutics platinum and PARPi.
Proteomic Analysis of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived, Fetal, and Adult Ventricular Cardiomyocytes Reveals Pathways Crucial for Cardiac Metabolism and Maturation
Authors: Poon Ellen , Keung Wendy , Liang Yimin , Ramalingam Rajkumar , Yan Bin , Zhang Shaohong , Chopra Anant , Moore Jennifer , Herren Anthony , Lieu Deborah K. , Wong Hau San , Weng Zhihui , Wong On Tik , Lam Yun Wah , Tomaselli Gordon F. , Chen Christopher , Boheler Kenneth R. , Li Ronald A.
Published: March 2015

Background—

Differentiation of pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to the cardiac lineage represents a potentially unlimited source of ventricular cardiomyocytes (VCMs), but hESC-VCMs are developmentally immature. Previous attempts to profile hESC-VCMs primarily relied on transcriptomic approaches, but the global proteome has not been examined. Furthermore, most hESC-CM studies focus on pathways important for cardiac differentiation, rather than regulatory mechanisms for CM maturation. We hypothesized that gene products and pathways crucial for maturation can be identified by comparing the proteomes of hESCs, hESC-derived VCMs, human fetal and human adult ventricular and atrial CMs.

Methods and Results—

Using two-dimensional–differential-in-gel electrophoresis, 121 differentially expressed (>1.5-fold;
P
<0.05) proteins were detected. The data set implicated a role of the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α signaling in cardiac maturation. Consistently, WY-14643, a peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α agonist, increased fatty oxidative enzyme level, hyperpolarized mitochondrial membrane potential and induced a more organized morphology. Along this line, treatment with the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine increased the dynamic tension developed in engineered human ventricular cardiac microtissue by 3-fold, signifying their maturation.

Conclusions—

We conclude that the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α and thyroid hormone pathways modulate the metabolism and maturation of hESC-VCMs and their engineered tissue constructs. These results may lead to mechanism-based methods for deriving mature chamber-specific CMs.
Cardiac Structure and Function Across the Glycemic Spectrum in Elderly Men and Women Free of Prevalent Heart Disease
Authors: Skali Hicham , Shah Amil , Gupta Deepak K. , Cheng Susan , Claggett Brian , Liu Jiankang , Bello Natalie , Aguilar David , Vardeny Orly , Matsushita Kunihiro , Selvin Elizabeth , Solomon Scott
Published: March 2015

Background—

Individuals with diabetes mellitus and pre–diabetes mellitus are at particularly high risk of incident heart failure or death, even after accounting for known confounders. Nevertheless, the extent of impairments in cardiac structure and function in elderly individuals with diabetes mellitus and pre–diabetes mellitus is not well known. We aimed to assess the relationship between echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function and dysglycemia.

Methods and Results—

We assessed measures of cardiac structure and function in 4419 participants without prevalent coronary heart disease or heart failure who attended the Atherosclerosis Risk In the Community (ARIC) visit 5 examination (2011–2013) and underwent transthoracic echocardiography (age, 75±6 years; 61% women, 23% black). Subjects were grouped across the dysglycemia spectrum as normal (39%), pre–diabetes mellitus (31%), or diabetes mellitus (30%) based on medical history, antidiabetic medication use, and glycated hemoglobin levels. Glycemic status was related to measures of cardiac structure and function. Worsening dysglycemia was associated with increased left ventricular mass, worse diastolic function, and subtle reduction in left ventricular systolic function (
P
≤0.01 for all). For every 1% higher glycated hemoglobin, left ventricular mass was higher by 3.0 g (95% confidence interval, 1.5–4.6 g),
E
/
E
′ by 0.5 (95% confidence interval, 0.4–0.7), and global longitudinal strain by 0.3% (95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.4) in multivariable analyses.

Conclusions—

In a large contemporary biracial cohort of elderly subjects without prevalent cardiovascular disease or heart failure, dysglycemia was associated with subtle and subclinical alterations of cardiac structure, and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. It remains unclear whether these are sufficient to explain the heightened risk of heart failure in individuals with diabetes mellitus.
Changes in Theta and Beta Oscillations as Signatures of Novel Word Consolidation
Authors: Bakker Iske , Takashima Atsuko , van Hell Janet G. , Janzen Gabriele , McQueen James M.
Published: March 2015

The complementary learning systems account of word learning states that novel words, like other types of memories, undergo an offline consolidation process during which they are gradually integrated into the neocortical memory network. A fundamental change in the neural representation of a novel word should therefore occur in the hours after learning. The present EEG study tested this hypothesis by investigating whether novel words learned before a 24-hr consolidation period elicited more word-like oscillatory responses than novel words learned immediately before testing. In line with previous studies indicating that theta synchronization reflects lexical access, unfamiliar novel words elicited lower power in the theta band (4–8 Hz) than existing words. Recently learned words still showed a marginally lower theta increase than existing words, but theta responses to novel words that had been acquired 24 hr earlier were indistinguishable from responses to existing words. Consistent with evidence that beta desynchronization (16–21 Hz) is related to lexical-semantic processing, we found that both unfamiliar and recently learned novel words elicited less beta desynchronization than existing words. In contrast, no difference was found between novel words learned 24 hr earlier and existing words. These data therefore suggest that an offline consolidation period enables novel words to acquire lexically integrated, word-like neural representations.
The Inclusion of Functional Connectivity Information into fMRI-based Neurofeedback Improves Its Efficacy in the Reduction of Cigarette Cravings
Authors: Kim Dong-Youl , Yoo Seung-Schik , Tegethoff Marion , Meinlschmidt Gunther , Lee Jong-Hwan
Published: March 2015

Real-time fMRI (rtfMRI) neurofeedback (NF) facilitates volitional control over brain activity and the modulation of associated mental functions. The NF signals of traditional rtfMRI-NF studies predominantly reflect neuronal activity within ROIs. In this study, we describe a novel rtfMRI-NF approach that includes a functional connectivity (FC) component in the NF signal (FC-added rtfMRI-NF). We estimated the efficacy of the FC-added rtfMRI-NF method by applying it to nicotine-dependent heavy smokers in an effort to reduce cigarette craving. ACC and medial pFC as well as the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus are associated with cigarette craving and were chosen as ROIs. Fourteen heavy smokers were randomly assigned to receive one of two types of NF: traditional activity-based rtfMRI-NF or FC-added rtfMRI-NF. Participants received rtfMRI-NF training during two separate visits after overnight smoking cessation, and cigarette craving score was assessed. The FC-added rtfMRI-NF resulted in greater neuronal activity and increased FC between the targeted ROIs than the traditional activity-based rtfMRI-NF and resulted in lower craving score. In the FC-added rtfMRI-NF condition, the average of neuronal activity and FC was tightly associated with craving score (Bonferroni-corrected p = .028). However, in the activity-based rtfMRI-NF condition, no association was detected (uncorrected p > .081). Non-rtfMRI data analysis also showed enhanced neuronal activity and FC with FC-added NF than with activity-based NF. These results demonstrate that FC-added rtfMRI-NF facilitates greater volitional control over brain activity and connectivity and greater modulation of mental function than activity-based rtfMRI-NF.
Race, Religious Involvement, and Feelings of Personal Control in Middle and Late Life
Authors: Krause Neal
Published: March 2015

Research on differences in personal control among Blacks and Whites is conflicted. The purpose of this study is to see if differences in feelings of control between Blacks and Whites can be attributed to race differences in the use of religious resources. Developing a close relationship with God serves as the focal measure of religious involvement. The data come from a nationwide survey of middle-aged and older Blacks and Whites in the United States. A second-order factor model is embedded in a larger latent variable model that assesses the relationships among race, a close relationship with God, and feelings of personal control. The findings suggest that Blacks have a stronger sense of control than Whites. Moreover, a significant portion of these race differences can be attributed to the fact that Blacks are more likely than Whites to report they have a close relationship with God.
Religiosity, Spirituality, and God Concepts
Authors: Zwingmann Christian , Gottschling Sonja
Published: March 2015

Within a German sample ( N = 478), the current cross-sectional questionnaire study conducts interreligious and interdenominational comparisons between Catholics, Protestants, free-church Protestants, Bahá’ís, Muslims, Spiritualists, i.e., religiously unaffiliated persons who label themselves as “spiritual,” and religious/spiritual “nones.” The comparisons refer to self-ratings of religiosity and spirituality, centrality of religiosity, as assessed by the Centrality of Religiosity Scale, and God concepts. The study is largely exploratory in nature, but also aims at identifying contexts of faith in which the term “spiritual” is typically used as a self-description. The results show that only Spiritualists and free-church Protestants substantially label themselves as “spiritual.” However, they differ in many respects from each other, thus representing two distinct contexts of faith. The results further reveal a medium position of Catholics and Protestants in between the other subgroups, commonalities as well as specific differences between free-church Protestants, Bahá’ís, and Muslims, and some religious/spiritual approaches even within the “nones.”
Meanings of Animal Sacrifice during Eid-ul-Adha
Authors: Khan Ziasma Haneef , Watson P.J. , Chen Zhuo
Published: March 2015

This investigation examined Pakistani Muslim understandings of the animal sacrifice that occurs during Eid-ul-Adha at the end of the Hajj. Pakistani university students ( N = 156) responded to a number of items expressing possible interpretations of this ritual. A Faithful Sacrifice factor operationalized sincere religious reasons for the sacrifice and correlated positively with an Intrinsic Religious Orientation and with Muslim Experiential Religiousness. Extrinsic and Troublesome Sacrifice factors recorded nonreligious implications of the practice and displayed direct associations with the Extrinsic Social Religious Orientation and inverse linkages with Muslim Experiential Religiousness. Extrinsic Sacrifice also correlated negatively with the Intrinsic Orientation. These results further documented the complexity of Muslim beliefs and practices and once again illustrated how a dialectic between tradition-specific and more general social scientific perspectives can promote progress in the psychology of religion.
Schizotypy and Religiosity: The Magic of Prayer
Authors: Breslin Michael J. , Lewis Christopher Alan
Published: March 2015

The term schizotypy is used to describe a diverse range of characteristics symptomatic of schizotypal personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. An emerging body of research is concerned with the relationship between schizotypy and religiosity. Mixed findings suggest a gender-specific, weak positive association between schizotypy and religiosity. The present aim was to clarify the relationship between schizotypy and religiosity by employing a multidimensional measure of prayer as a measure of religiosity. A sample of 371 Irish respondents completed the Measure of Prayer Type and the Schizotypal Personality (STA) and Borderline Personality (STB) Scales. Multiple regression showed that Magical Thinking uniquely predicted all prayer types, controlling for age and gender.
National Weather Service Forecasters Use GPS Precipitable Water Vapor for Enhanced Situational Awareness during the Southern California Summer Monsoon
Authors: Moore Angelyn W. , Small Ivory J. , Gutman Seth I. , Bock Yehuda , Dumas John L. , Fang Peng , Haase Jennifer S. , Jackson Mark E. , Laber Jayme L.
Published: March 2015

During the North American Monsoon, low-to-midlevel moisture is transported in surges from the Gulf of California and Eastern Pacific Ocean into Mexico and the American Southwest. As rising levels of precipitable water interact with the mountainous terrain, severe thunderstorms can develop, resulting in flash floods that threaten life and property. The rapid evolution of these storms, coupled with the relative lack of upper-air and surface weather observations in the region, make them difficult to predict and monitor, and guidance from numerical weather prediction models can vary greatly under these conditions. Precipitable water vapor (PW) estimates derived from continuously operating ground-based GPS receivers have been available for some time from NOAA’s GPS-Met program, but these observations have been of limited utility to operational forecasters in part due to poor spatial resolution. Under a NASA Advanced Information Systems Technology project, 37 real-time stations were added to NOAA’s GPS-Met analysis providing 30-min PW estimates, reducing station spacing from approximately 150 km to 30 km in Southern California. An 18–22 July 2013 North American Monsoon event provided an opportunity to evaluate the utility of the additional upper-air moisture observations to enhance National Weather Service (NWS) forecaster situational awareness during the rapidly developing event. NWS forecasters used these additional data to detect rapid moisture increases at intervals between the available 1–6-h model updates and approximately twice-daily radiosonde observations, and these contributed tangibly to the issuance of timely flood watches and warnings in advance of flash floods, debris flows, and related road closures.
Untangling Microphysical Impacts on Deep Convection Applying a Novel Modeling Methodology
Authors: Grabowski Wojciech W.
Published: March 2015

Microphysical piggybacking applied previously in shallow convection simulations is employed to highlight microphysical impacts on deep convection. The main idea is to apply two sets of thermodynamic variables, one coupled to the dynamics and driving the simulation and the second one piggybacking the simulation: that is, responding to the simulated flow but not affecting it. The two sets can be driven either by different microphysical schemes or by the same scheme with different scheme parameters. For illustration, two single-moment bulk microphysical schemes are implemented, one with a simple representation of ice processes and the second one with a more comprehensive approach. Each scheme is applied assuming contrasting cloud droplet concentrations, pristine versus polluted, with simulations mimicking dynamical effects of pollution on deep convection. The modeling setup follows the case of daytime convective development over land based on observations during the Large-Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere (LBA) experiment in Amazonia. Microphysical piggybacking with small ensembles of simulations allows for separating dynamical and microphysical impacts on deep convection with high confidence and enables extracting small differences in the surface precipitation, cloud cover, and liquid and ice water paths with unprecedented accuracy. It also shows that the cloud buoyancy above the freezing level is only weakly affected by contrasting cloud droplet concentrations. The latter casts doubt on the convective invigoration hypothesis for the case of unorganized deep convection considered in this study, at least when investigated with a single-moment microphysical scheme.
Analysis of Low-Level Atmospheric Moisture Transport Associated with the West African Monsoon
Authors: Lélé M. Issa , Leslie Lance M. , Lamb Peter J.
Published: March 2015

The major objective of this study is to re-evaluate the ocean–land transport of moisture for rainfall in West Africa using 1979–2008 NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data. The vertically integrated atmospheric water vapor flux for the surface–850 hPa is calculated to account for total low-level moisture flux contribution to rainfall over West Africa. Analysis of mean monthly total vapor fluxes shows a progressive penetration of the flux into West Africa from the south and west. During spring (April–June), the northward flux forms a “moisture river” transporting moisture current into the Gulf of Guinea coast. In the peak monsoon season (July–September), the southerly transport weakens, but westerly transport is enhanced and extends to 20°N owing to the strengthening West African jet off the west coast. Mean seasonal values of total water vapor flux components across boundaries indicate that the zonal component is the largest contributor to mean moisture transport into the Sahel, while the meridional transport contributes the most over the Guinea coast. For the wet years of the Sahel rainy season (July–September), active anomalies are displaced farther north compared to the long-term average. This includes the latitude of the intertropical front (ITF), the extent of moisture flux, and the zone of strong moisture flux convergence, with an enhanced westerly flow. For the dry Sahel years, the opposite patterns are observed. Statistically significant positive correlations between the zonal moisture fluxes and Sudan–Sahel rainfall totals are most pronounced when the zonal fluxes lead by 1–4 pentads. However, although weak, they still are statistically significant at lags 3 and 4 for meridional moisture fluxes.
Sea Ice Enhancements to Polar WRF*
Authors: Hines Keith M. , Bromwich David H. , Bai Lesheng , Bitz Cecilia M. , Powers Jordan G. , Manning Kevin W.
Published: March 2015

The Polar Weather Research and Forecasting Model (Polar WRF), a polar-optimized version of the WRF Model, is developed and made available to the community by Ohio State University’s Polar Meteorology Group (PMG) as a code supplement to the WRF release from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). While annual NCAR official releases contain polar modifications, the PMG provides very recent updates to users. PMG supplement versions up to WRF version 3.4 include modified Noah land surface model sea ice representation, allowing the specification of variable sea ice thickness and snow depth over sea ice rather than the default 3-m thickness and 0.05-m snow depth. Starting with WRF V3.5, these options are implemented by NCAR into the standard WRF release. Gridded distributions of Arctic ice thickness and snow depth over sea ice have recently become available. Their impacts are tested with PMG’s WRF V3.5-based Polar WRF in two case studies. First, 20-km-resolution model results for January 1998 are compared with observations during the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean project. Polar WRF using analyzed thickness and snow depth fields appears to simulate January 1998 slightly better than WRF without polar settings selected. Sensitivity tests show that the simulated impacts of realistic variability in sea ice thickness and snow depth on near-surface temperature is several degrees. The 40-km resolution simulations of a second case study covering Europe and the Arctic Ocean demonstrate remote impacts of Arctic sea ice thickness on midlatitude synoptic meteorology that develop within 2 weeks during a winter 2012 blocking event.
A Source of AGCM Bias in Simulating the Western Pacific Subtropical High: Different Sensitivities to the Two Types of ENSO
Authors: Paek Houk , Yu Jin-Yi , Hwu Jyh-Wen , Lu Mong-Ming , Gao Tao
Published: March 2015

This study reveals a possible cause of model bias in simulating the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) variability via an examination of an Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) simulation produced by the atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) developed at Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau (CWB). During boreal summer, the model overestimates the quasi-biennial (2–3 yr) band of WPSH variability but underestimates the low-frequency (3–5 yr) band of variability. The overestimation of the quasi-biennial WPSH sensitivity is found to be due to the model’s stronger sensitivity to the central Pacific El Niño–Southern Oscillation (CP ENSO) that has a leading periodicity in the quasi-biennial band. The model underestimates the low-frequency WPSH variability because of its weaker sensitivity to the eastern Pacific (EP) ENSO that has a leading periodicity in the 3–5-yr band. These different model sensitivities are shown to be related to the relative strengths of the mean Hadley and Walker circulations simulated in the model. An overly strong Hadley circulation causes the CWB AGCM to be overly sensitive to the CP ENSO, while an overly weak Walker circulation results in a weak sensitivity to the EP ENSO. The relative strengths of the simulated mean Hadley and Walker circulations are critical to a realistic simulation of the summer WPSH variability in AGCMs. This conclusion is further supported using AMIP simulations produced by three other AGCMs, including the CanAM4, GISS-E2-R, and IPSL-CM5A-MR models.
Validation of a Parent Report Questionnaire
Authors: Riley Anne W. , Trabulsi Jillian , Yao Manjiang , Bevans Katherine B. , DeRusso Patricia A.
Published: March 2015

Objective. To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Infant Gastrointestinal Symptom Questionnaire (IGSQ), a tool to assess feeding tolerance in infants. Methods. Qualitative methods were used to develop IGSQ content across 5 symptom clusters, yielding a 13-item index of parent-reported infant digestion and elimination behaviors over the prior 7 days. Classical psychometric methods evaluated factor structure, interrater and retest reliability, and validity in 4 prospective studies of 836 infants. Results. Interrater and retest reliability were acceptable to good. IGSQ Index score was highly correlated ( r = 0.89) with daily parent reports. IGSQ scores were significantly different between infants whose parents planned to switch formulas because of perceived feeding problems and those without parental concerns. Conclusions. The IGSQ is a practical, reliable, and valid method for assessment of infant gastrointestinal-related behaviors. Its use in clinical studies can provide empirical evidence to advance parent education regarding both normal and clinically meaningful feeding-related behaviors.
An Investigation of Teachers’ Collaborative Learning in a Continuous Professional Development Programme in South African Special Schools
Authors: Kempen Maria Elizabeth , Steyn Gertruida Maria
Published: March 2015

Professional development of teachers has been found to be a key initiative in raising standards in South African schools. The aim of this study was to establish the value of the continuous professional development programme on teachers’ learning, learners’ outcomes and whole school change in six special schools in South Africa. The focus was on the adaptation of ‘Learn Not to Burn’, a fire safety programme, and teacher and learner support materials for an inclusive classroom. The study proved that a staff development model based on collaborative networking in the specific context of special education can bring about significant social capital with gain particularly in teachers’ professional capacity, learner outcomes and whole school improvement.
Disquiet Voices Foretelling Hope: Rural Teachers’ Resilience Experiences of Past and Present Chronic Adversity
Authors: Coetzee Sonja , Ebersöhn Liesel , Ferreira Ronel , Moen Melanie
Published: March 2015

South African teachers leave teaching due to factors such as lack of support and adverse working conditions. This study investigated rural teachers’ resilience experiences of teaching in a resource-constrained school. A life history design was used to generate data. The research site was visited six times over 20 months. Fifteen interview–conversations were collected and transcribed. The results indicate that the teachers faced chronic poverty as life-span risks. The teachers listed the unstable education system, resource-constrained teaching environment and chronic adversity as risk factors in their environment. They were also concerned with the illiteracy of parents and demotivated students. Significantly, this study shows how rural teachers fostered hope despite chronic adversity in order to be resilient in their chosen profession.
‘Cuban Europe’? Greek and Iberian tiersmondisme in the ‘Long 1960s’
Authors: Kornetis Kostis
Published: March 2015

This article addresses the ways in which the Third World emerged as a new referent in Greece and Spain in the ‘long 1960s'. It shows how ‘Thirdworldism’ emerged out of growing dissatisfaction with the Old Left’s defeatism and the ways in which, by way of the Cuban and Vietnamese example, radicals started to conceive their countries as US colonies. It also compares the ways in which Greek and Iberian Jacobins – some of whom came together in Paris after May ‘68 – formed a radical student diaspora. Examining the impact of extra-European anti-imperialist violence on the discourse and action of the most radical organizations that espoused the ‘armed struggle’ in both countries, the article shows that whereas Greek militants used violence only symbolically, their counterparts in Spain went all the way. The article finishes with the espousal of thirdworldist rhetoric by a new student generation in Greece leading to the mass uprising of November 1973, and a brief look at the afterlives of ETA and PAK, two of the most vocal exponents of this tendency, after the demise of the respective authoritarian regimes.
Accounting for Differences in Depression Stigma Between Canadian Asians and Europeans
Authors: Shamblaw Amanda L. , Botha Francois B. , Dozois David J. A.
Published: March 2015

Stigma is an important barrier to recovery from depression. Individuals of Asian origin show greater levels of depression stigma compared with individuals of European origin. This study examined the mediators of the relationship between ethnicity and depression stigma in a North American context. A sample of university students, including 199 Canadian Europeans and 249 Canadian Asians, completed a variety of measures through an online study. Stigma toward an individual with depression was measured using both the Depression Attribution Questionnaire-27 and a Social Distance Scale. The perception of social norms, the belief that depression brings shame to one’s family, a social dominance orientation, and conservative values mediated the relationship between ethnicity and depression stigma with perceived norms and familial shame having the largest indirect effects. These findings are consistent with social identity theory and suggest avenues for anti-stigma interventions.
Paths to Depression Among Two Different Cultural Contexts
Authors: Abu-Kaf Sarah , Braun-Lewensohn Orna
Published: March 2015

Over the past two decades, there has been an increase in the number of Bedouin Arab students studying at institutions of higher education in Southern Israel. To date, research on Bedouin students is limited, particularly with regard to their coping and adjustment. The main aim of the current study is to shed more light on potential pathways between vulnerability factors and depression among Bedouin Arab and Jewish students. This study was designed to explore cultural differences in the levels of self-criticism, depression, coping, and social support among Bedouin Arab college/university students and their Jewish peers, and to examine the effects of self-criticism on depression in the two cultural contexts. To that end, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 108 Bedouin students and 109 Jewish students. The participants completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire, Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey, Orientations to Problems Experienced Inventory, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and demographic questionnaire. In this work, we observed differences in the levels of self-criticism, depression, avoidant coping, and social support in the different groups. Moreover, among the Jewish participants, self-criticism affected depression directly. However, among the Bedouin Arabs, self-criticism affected depression only indirectly, through avoidant coping. The present study highlights the possibility that specific cultural contexts underscore the role of avoidant coping in the pathways between self-criticism and depression, whereas other cultural contexts underscore the direct effect of self-criticism on depression levels. Furthermore, the current research underscores the importance of cross-cultural perspectives in studies of vulnerability factors and depression.
Independent Commissions as Settings for Civil–Military Deliberation
Authors: Tama Jordan
Published: March 2015

US combat operations involving women and revelations of sexual abuse in the US military have periodically sparked intense political debates about women’s military roles. In the midst of these debates, US policy makers have repeatedly created independent advisory commissions on issues concerning women in the military. This article uses qualitative case studies of three such commissions to evaluate whether commissions can foster meaningful civil–military dialogue on contentious matters involving the military and society. This article finds that commission deliberations have sometimes led military professionals to change their views of sensitive issues, but that commissioners have been less open to deliberation if they have been affiliated with an organization possessing a distinct political agenda on women in the military. More broadly, the findings suggest that independent advisory bodies can provide valuable mechanisms for civil–military dialogue, so long as policy makers appoint to them individuals who are relatively open minded and unconstrained by political commitments.
Cadet and Civilian Undergraduate Attitudes toward Transgender People
Authors: Ender Morten G. , Rohall David E. , Matthews Michael D.
Published: March 2015

We explore American military academy, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and civilian undergraduate attitudes toward transgender people in general, in the workplace, and in the military. Earlier this decade, the US military experienced both the repeals of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and the exclusion of women from combat, yet transgender people are prohibited from serving openly in the military. This study explores tolerance toward perceived gender nonconformity by military affiliation, race/ethnicity, sex, religious affiliation, and political leaning. Most members of our sample, regardless of military affiliation, do not report that having a transgender person in the workplace would impact their job. At first glance, military academy and ROTC cadets are least tolerant of transgender people in the military and in society more generally. Further analyses shows that the impact of military affiliation is reduced substantially by controlling for background characteristics, especially political ideology and religious affiliation.
Construction of a naturally occurring radioactive material project in the BeAAT hazardous waste facilities
Authors: Abuahmad H.
Published: March 2015

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is produced during exploration and production operations of subsidiaries of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the United Arab Emirates, and accumulates in drilling tubulars, plant equipment, and components. These NORM hazardous wastes need to be managed in such a way that they do not damage human health and the environment. The primary radionuclides of concern in the oil and gas industries are radium-226 and radium-228. These radioisotopes are the decay products of uranium and thorium isotopes that are present in subsurface formations from which hydrocarbons are produced. While uranium and thorium are largely immobile, radium is slightly more soluble and may become mobilised in the fluid phases of the formation ( International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, 2008 ). In order to treat and dispose of NORM waste products safely, ADNOC’s subsidiary ‘TAKREER’ is developing a new facility, on behalf of all ADNOC subsidiaries, within the existing Central Environmental Protection Facilities (BeAAT) in Ruwais city. The NORM plant is envisaged to treat, handle, and dispose of NORM waste in the forms of scale, sludge, and contaminated equipment. The NORM treatment facility will cover activities such as decontamination, volume reduction, NORM handling, and concrete immobilisation of NORM waste into packages for designated landfilling.
Lexicon-based context-sensitive reference comments crawler
Authors: Jeon Hocheol
Published: March 2015

This paper proposes a novel system that aids in the writing of research papers by gathering and analysing other researchers’ comments for a given reference paper to provide some features, advantages or disadvantages of the referenced research. A lexicon-based reference comments crawler (LRCC) classifies the comments about a reference paper and the surrounding sentences using part-of-speech lexicons and a dynamic text window into four categories (normal, advantage, disadvantage and complex). The extraction of comments and surrounding sentences from research papers is effectively and efficiently carried out using the reference identifier and some simple extraction rules. In this paper, we considered the various types of reference identifiers, because a reference identifier is a key solution for the sentence extraction in the LRCC system. Several experiments were performed using published research papers to evaluate the LRCC’s precision and recall. The results showed that the LRCC can extract and classify comments with a high degree of precision and recall, as well as present them to the user in an effective and efficient manner.
Tackling Grand Challenges Pragmatically: Robust Action Revisited
Authors: Ferraro Fabrizio , Etzion Dror , Gehman Joel
Published: March 2015

In this article, we theorize a novel approach to addressing the world’s grand challenges based on the philosophical tradition of American pragmatism and the sociological concept of robust action. Grounded in prior empirical organizational research, we identify three robust strategies that organizations can employ in tackling issues such as climate change and poverty alleviation: participatory architecture, multivocal inscriptions and distributed experimentation. We demonstrate how these strategies operate, the manner in which they are linked, the outcomes they generate, and why they are applicable for resolving grand challenges. We conclude by discussing our contributions to research on robust action and grand challenges, as well as some implications for research on stakeholder theory, institutional theory and theories of valuation.
“We Are in the Room to Serve Our Clients”
Authors: Gordon Cynthia , Luke Melissa
Published: March 2015

This study uses computer-mediated discourse analysis to investigate use of the first-person plural pronoun “we” in e-mail supervision of 23 graduate-level counselors-in-training who are completing internships. Extending prior research on pronouns and relationship and identity construction, expert–novice discourse, professional identity socialization, and cybersupervision, our analysis highlights two prominent uses of “we” that differ by professional role: Interns primarily use exclusive we to refer to themselves and others (exclusive of e-mail supervisors) as they depict themselves interacting with others at their internship sites; supervisors overwhelmingly use professional we, meaning “ you (the intern) and I, as part of the counseling profession” and thereby “invite” interns into the professional community of practice. These different uses reflect, reinforce, and bridge the gap in knowledge, experience, and professional identity between interns and supervisors. Findings contribute to understanding how professional identities and relationships are linguistically cultivated online. They also have potential practice implications for supervisors.
What You Do and How You Speak Matter
Authors: Yilmaz Gamze
Published: March 2015

The primary goal of the present study is to investigate complex relationships among interpersonal behaviors, language use, and group performance in short-term virtual teams. Thirty-four, four-person groups completed a decision-making task in real time using an online chat program. The findings suggest that having a negatively communicating collaborator in the group is associated with higher group performance compared with having a positively communicating collaborator. Also, linguistic style matching is a stronger predictor of group performance for groups with a positively communicating confederate compared with groups with a negatively communicating confederate. The findings are discussed within the theoretical framework of shared mental models, minority influence, and communication accommodation theory.