bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Neural Correlate of Predicted and Actual Reward-Value Information in Monkey Pedunculopontine Tegmental and Dorsal Raphe Nucleus during Saccade Tasks
Authors: Okada Ken-ichi , Nakamura Kae , Kobayashi Yasushi
Published: October 2011

Dopamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin, the main modulators of the central nervous system, have been proposed to play important roles in the execution of movement, control of several forms of attentional behavior, and reinforcement learning. While the response pattern of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and its specific role in reinforcement learning have been revealed, the role of the other neuromodulators remains rather elusive. Here, we review our recent studies using extracellular recording from neurons in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, where many cholinergic neurons exist, and the dorsal raphe nucleus, where many serotonergic neurons exist, while monkeys performed eye movement tasks to obtain different reward values. The firing patterns of these neurons are often tonic throughout the task period, while dopaminergic neurons exhibited a phasic activity pattern to the task event. The different modulation patterns, together with the activity of dopaminergic neurons, reveal dynamic information processing between these different neuromodulator systems.
Supplemental Cellular Protection by a Carotenoid Extends Lifespan via Ins/IGF-1 Signaling inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Yazaki Koumei , Yoshikoshi Chinatsu , Oshiro Satoru , Yanase Sumino
Published: October 2011

Astaxanthin (AX), which is produced by some marine animals, is a type of carotenoid that has antioxidative properties. In this study, we initially examined the effects of AX on the aging of a model organismC. elegansthat has the conserved intracellular pathways related to mammalian longevity. The continuous treatments with AX (0.1 to 1 mM) from both the prereproductive and young adult stages extended the mean lifespans by about 16–30% in the wild-type and long-lived mutantage-1ofC. elegans. In contrast, the AX-dependent lifespan extension was not observed even in adaf-16null mutant. Especially, the expression of genes encoding superoxide dismutases and catalases increased in two weeks after hatching, and the DAF-16 protein was translocated to the nucleus in the AX-exposed wild type. These results suggest that AX protects the cell organelle mitochondria and nucleus of the nematode, resulting in a lifespan extension via an Ins/IGF-1 signaling pathway during normal aging, at least in part.
Bent Intramedullary Femoral Nail: Surgical Technique of Removal and Reconstruction
Authors: Sakellariou Vasileios I. , Kyriakopoulos Stamatis , Kotoulas Helias , Sofianos Ioannis P.
Published: October 2011

A secondary high-velocity trauma to a previously stabilized femoral fracture with intramedullary nailing is rare. In this paper, we present the management of a 40-year-old man presented with a bent intramedullary nail due to secondary trauma. A lateral longitudinal femoral osteotomy was used for the resection of the distorted nail. The femur was reconstructed with a new nail, and the fixation of the osteotomy was achieved with plate and cerclage wires. Five months postrevision surgery, callus formation was evident and the patient regained a normal range of motion and gait, walking with a single cane.
The Bolzano‐Poincaré Type Theorems
Authors: Tkacz Przemysław , Turzański Marian
Published: October 2011

In 1883–1884, Henri Poincaré announced the result about the structure of the set of zeros of function f  :  In → Rn, or alternatively the existence of solutions of the equation f(x) = 0. In the case n = 1 the Poincaré Theorem is well known Bolzano Theorem. In 1940 Miranda rediscovered the Poincaré Theorem. Except for few isolated results it is essentially a non‐algorithmic theory. The aim of this article is to introduce an algorithmical proof of the Theorem “On the existence of a chain” and for n = 3 an algorithmical proof of the Bolzano‐Poincaré Theorem and to show the equivalence of Poincaré, Brouwer and “On the existence of a chain” theorems.
Stability Evaluation of Volcanic Slope Subjected to Rainfall and Freeze-Thaw Action Based on Field Monitoring
Authors: Kawamura Shima , Miura Seiichi
Published: October 2011

Rainfall-induced failures of natural and artificial slopes such as cut slopes, which are subjected to freezing and thawing, have been frequently reported in Hokkaido, Japan. In particular, many failures occur intensively from spring to summer seasons. Despite numerous field studies, explanation of their mechanical behavior based on in situ data has not yet been completely achieved due to the difficulty in grasping failure conditions. This study aims at clarifying the aspects of in-situ volcanic slopes subjected to rainfall and freeze-thaw action. The changes in soil moisture, pore pressure, deformations, and temperatures in the slope were investigated using soil moisture meters, tensiometers, thermocouple sensors, clinometers, settlement gauges, an anemovane, a snow gauge, and a rainfall gauge. The data generated from these measures indicated deformation in the slope examined mainly proceeded during the drainage process according to changes in soil moisture. Based on this data, a prediction method for failures is discussed in detail.
Wirelength Minimization in Partitioning and Floorplanning Using Evolutionary Algorithms
Authors: Shanavas I. Hameem , Gnanamurthy Ramaswamy Kannan
Published: October 2011

Minimizing the wirelength plays an important role in physical design automation of very large-scale integration (VLSI) chips. The objective of wirelength minimization can be achieved by finding an optimal solution for VLSI physical design components like partitioning and floorplanning. In VLSI circuit partitioning, the problem of obtaining a minimum delay has prime importance. In VLSI circuit floorplanning, the problem of minimizing silicon area is also a hot issue. Reducing the minimum delay in partitioning and area in floorplanning helps to minimize the wirelength. The enhancements in partitioning and floorplanning have influence on other criteria like power, cost, clock speed, and so forth. Memetic Algorithm (MA) is an Evolutionary Algorithm that includes one or more local search phases within its evolutionary cycle to obtain the minimum wirelength by reducing delay in partitioning and by reducing area in floorplanning. MA applies some sort of local search for optimization of VLSI partitioning and floorplanning. The algorithm combines a hierarchical design technique like genetic algorithm and constructive technique like Simulated Annealing for local search to solve VLSI partitioning and floorplanning problem. MA can quickly produce optimal solutions for the popular benchmark.
Reduced-Precision Redundancy on FPGAs
Authors: Pratt Brian , Fuller Megan , Wirthlin Michael
Published: October 2011

Reduced-precision redundancy (RPR) has been shown to be a viable alternative to triple modular redundancy (TMR) for digital circuits. This paper builds on previous research by offering a detailed analysis of the implementation of RPR on FPGAs to improve reliability in soft error environments. Example implementations and fault injection experiments demonstrate the cost and benefits of RPR, showing how RPR can be used to improve the failure rate by up to 200 times over an unmitigated system at costs less than half that of TMR. A novel method is also presented for improving the error-masking ability of RPR by up to 5 times at no additional hardware cost under certain conditions. This research shows RPR to be a very flexible soft error mitigation technique and offers insight into its application on FPGAs.
New Insights into the Androgen-Targeted Therapies and Epigenetic Therapies in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Godbole Abhijit M. , Njar Vincent C. O.
Published: October 2011

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in American men. The androgen receptor (AR), a receptor of nuclear family and a transcription factor, is the most important target in this disease. While most efforts in the clinic are currently directed at lowering levels of androgens that activate AR, resistance to androgen deprivation eventually develops. Most prostate cancer deaths are attributable to this castration-resistant form of prostate cancer (CRPC). Recent work has shed light on the importance of epigenetic events including facilitation of AR signaling by histone-modifying enzymes, posttranslational modifications of AR such as sumoylation. Herein, we provide an overview of the structure of human AR and its key structural domains that can be used as targets to develop novel antiandrogens. We also summarize recent findings about the antiandrogens and the epigenetic factors that modulate the action of AR.
Soil Application of Tannery Land Plaster: Effects on Nitrogen Mineralization and Soil Biochemical Properties
Authors: Giacometti Caterina , Cavani Luciano , Gioacchini Paola , Ciavatta Claudio , Marzadori Claudio
Published: October 2011

Tannery land plaster (TLP) is a byproduct of lime hydrolysis of leather shavings. Its use in agriculture (organic C ≈ 17%, N ≈ 6% dm) could represent an alternative to landfill or incineration, but the high Cr(III) content (≈5% dm) makes it necessary to evaluate the effect on soil biochemical properties. TLP was therefore added at the rates of 220 and 440 kg of N ha−1to 2 agricultural soils and incubated for 56 days under controlled conditions. Extractable NH4 +-N and NO3 −-N, CO2-C evolution, microbial biomass-N, protease activity, and extractable Cr were monitored. The organic N was readily mineralized (>50% in the first week) and a significant increase in microbial activity was measured, regardless of soil type and addition rate. Extractable Cr(III) quickly decreased during the incubation. The absence of a negative impact on soil biochemical properties seems to support the use of TLP in agriculture, although further investigations in long-term field experiments are suggested.
Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Potential Markers and Bioprocesses Altered in Bladder Cancer Progression
Authors: Putluri Nagireddy , Shojaie Ali , Vasu Vihas T. , Vareed Shaiju K. , Nalluri Srilatha , Putluri Vasanta , Thangjam Gagan Singh , Panzitt Katrin , Tallman Christopher T. , Butler Charles , Sana Theodore R. , Fischer Steven M. , Sica Gabriel , Brat Daniel J. , Shi Huidong , Palapattu Ganesh S. , Lotan Yair , Weizer Alon Z. , Terris Martha K. , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Michailidis George , Sreekumar Arun
Published: October 2011

Although alterations in xenobiotic metabolism are considered causal in the development of bladder cancer, the precise mechanisms involved are poorly understood. In this study, we used high-throughput mass spectrometry to measure over 2,000 compounds in 58 clinical specimens, identifying 35 metabolites which exhibited significant changes in bladder cancer. This metabolic signature distinguished both normal and benign bladder from bladder cancer. Exploratory analyses of this metabolomic signature in urine showed promise in distinguishing bladder cancer from controls and also nonmuscle from muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Subsequent enrichment-based bioprocess mapping revealed alterations in phase I/II metabolism and suggested a possible role for DNA methylation in perturbing xenobiotic metabolism in bladder cancer. In particular, we validated tumor-associated hypermethylation in the cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) promoters of bladder cancer tissues by bisulfite sequence analysis and methylation-specific PCR and also by in vitro treatment of T-24 bladder cancer cell line with the DNA demethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine. Furthermore, we showed that expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 was reduced significantly in an independent cohort of bladder cancer specimens compared with matched benign adjacent tissues. In summary, our findings identified candidate diagnostic and prognostic markers and highlighted mechanisms associated with the silencing of xenobiotic metabolism. The metabolomic signature we describe offers potential as a urinary biomarker for early detection and staging of bladder cancer, highlighting the utility of evaluating metabolomic profiles of cancer to gain insights into bioprocesses perturbed during tumor development and progression. Cancer Res; 71(24); 7376–86. ©2011 AACR.
Frequent Alterations and Epigenetic Silencing of Differentiation Pathway Genes in Structurally Rearranged Liposarcomas
Authors: Taylor Barry S. , DeCarolis Penelope L. , Angeles Christina V. , Brenet Fabienne , Schultz Nikolaus , Antonescu Cristina R. , Scandura Joseph M. , Sander Chris , Viale Agnes J. , Socci Nicholas D. , Singer Samuel
Published: October 2011

We explored diverse alterations contributing to liposarcomagenesis by sequencing the genome, exome, transcriptome, and cytosine methylome of a primary and recurrent dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DLPS) from distinct chemotherapy/radiotherapy-naïve patients. The liposarcoma genomes had complex structural rearrangements, but in different patterns, and with varied effects on the structure and expression of affected genes. While the point mutation rate was modest, integrative analyses and additional screening identified somatic mutations in HDAC1 in 8.3% of DLPS. Liposarcoma methylomes revealed alterations in differentiation pathway genes, including CEBPA methylation in 24% of DLPS. Treatment with demethylating agents, which restored CEBPA expression in DLPS cells, was antiproliferative and proapoptotic in vitro and reduced tumor growth in vivo. Both genetic and epigenetic abnormalities established a role for small RNAs in liposarcomagenesis, typified by methylation-induced silencing of microRNA-193b in DLPS but not its well-differentiated counterpart. These findings reveal an unanticipated role for epigenetic abnormalities in DLPS tumors and suggest demethylating agents as potential therapeutics.

Significance: Multimodality sequence analysis of DLPS revealed recurrent mutations and epigenetic abnormalities critical to liposarcomagenesis and to the suppression of adipocyte differentiation. Pharmacologic inhibition of DNA methylation promoted apoptosis and differentiated DLPS cells in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo, providing a rationale for investigating methylation inhibitors in this disease. Cancer Discovery; 1(7); 587–97. ©2011 AACR.

Read the Commentary on this article by Meltzer and Helman, p. 555

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The Mechanism of Injury-Induced Intracellular Calcium Concentration Oscillations in the Endothelium of Excised Rat Aorta
Authors: Berra-Romani Roberto , Raqeeb Abdul , Torres-Jácome Julián , Guzman-Silva Alejandro , Guerra Germano , Tanzi Franco , Moccia Francesco
Published: October 2011

Endothelial injury is the primary event that leads to a variety of severe vascular disorders. Mechanical injury elicits a Ca2+ response in the endothelium of excised rat aorta, which comprises an initial Ca2+ release from inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-sensitive stores followed by a long-lasting decay phase due to Ca2+ entry through uncoupled connexons. The Ca2+ signal may also adopt an oscillatory pattern, the molecular underpinnings of which are unclear. In the light of the role played by Ca2+ spiking in tissue regeneration, this study aimed to unveil the mechanisms underlying injury-induced Ca2+ oscillations. The latter reversibly ceased upon removal of extracellular Ca2+ or addition of the gap junction blockers heptanol, 18 α,β-glycyrrhetinic acid, La3+ and Ni2+, but were insensitive to BTP-2 and SKF 96365. The spiking response was abolished by inhibiting the Ca2+ entry mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX). The InsP3-producing agonist ATP resumed Ca2+ oscillations in silent cells, while the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 suppressed them. Injury-induced Ca2+ transients were prevented by the sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) blockers thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid, while they were unaffected by suramin and genistein. These data show for the first time that the coordinated interplay between NCX-mediated Ca2+ entry and InsP3-dependent Ca2+ release contributes to injury-induced intracellular Ca2+ concentration oscillations.
AUC-RF: A New Strategy for Genomic Profiling with Random Forest
Authors: Calle M. Luz , Urrea Victor , Boulesteix Anne-Laure , Malats Nuria
Published: October 2011

Objective: Genomic profiling, the use of genetic variants at multiple loci simultaneously for the prediction of disease risk, requires the selection of a set of genetic variants that best predicts disease status. The goal of this work was to provide a new selection algorithm for genomic profiling. Methods: We propose a new algorithm for genomic profiling based on optimizing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the random forest (RF). The proposed strategy implements a backward elimination process based on the initial ranking of variables. Results and Conclusions: We demonstrate the advantage of using the AUC instead of the classification error as a measure of predictive accuracy of RF. In particular, we show that the use of the classification error is especially inappropriate when dealing with unbalanced data sets. The new procedure for variable selection and prediction, namely AUC-RF, is illustrated with data from a bladder cancer study and also with simulated data. The algorithm is publicly available as an R package, named AUCRF, at http://cran.r-project.org/.
Severe Immune Hemolytic Anemia due to Pemetrexed in a Patient with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Sun Xiaojiang , Sheng Liming , Deng Qinghua , Liu Peng , Lu Ke
Published: October 2011

Pemetrexed-induced immune hemolytic anemia is a rare acute complication and a potentially life-threatening syndrome. Here we report a case of severe hemolytic anemia induced by pemetrexed in a 67-year-old man with lung adenocarcinoma. Hemoglobin concentration reached a nadir of 6.8 g/dl after 6 days of pemetrexed initiation. Pemetrexed was discontinued and the patient was given a transfusion of red blood cells. The direct antiglobulin test was positive (anti-IgG = 4+, anti-C3d = 2+). The patient’s plasma reacted with pemetrexed-treated red blood cells by the immune complex test.
The Involvement of the Serotonergic Transmission System in Neonatal and Adult Rat Ileum Contractility Varies with Age
Authors: Batista Lobo S. , Denyer M. , Britland S. , Javid F.A.
Published: October 2011

The relevance of age on serotonergic involvement in the control of alimentary contractility has not been pharmacologically described. Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of acetylcholine, atropine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its related drugs on intestinal segments taken from the neonatal and adult ileum. 5-HT induced concentration-dependent contractions of ileum irrespective of age; however, these contractions were diminished by pretreatment with atropine only in neonatal tissues. In tissues taken from both the neonatal and adult ileum, methysergide (5-HT1/2/5–7 receptor antagonist), ritanserin (5-HT2 receptor antagonist), and RS23597-190/SB204070 (5-HT4 receptor antagonists) all differentially reduced 5-HT-induced contractions at a concentration <100 µmol/l. At higher concentrations, the contractions were comparable to those in control tissues. Granisetron and ondansetron (5-HT3 receptor antagonists) significantly reduced contractions induced by 5-HT at concentrations >30 µmol/l in both neonatal and adult ileum. Combined treatments with ritanserin, granisetron, plus RS23597-190 reduced or abolished contraction responses induced in neonatal ileum by 5-HT. SB269970A (5-HT7 receptor antagonist) and WAY100635 (5-HT1A receptor antagonist) failed to influence contractile responses induced by 5-HT or 5-HT receptor agonists. Pretreatments with WAY100635 and SB267790A also had no influence on the contractile responses induced by 5-HT1A/7 receptor agonist, 5-CT, and 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, which itself failed to induce a measurable response. It is concluded that the 5-HT-induced contractions in segments taken from both the neonatal and adult rat ileum were mediated via 5-HT2 receptors, 5-HT3 receptors and 5-HT4 receptors. However, the effect of atropine on the neonatal rat intestine indicates that the mechanism of serotonergic involvement in ileal contractility is influenced by age.
Assessment of the Subjective Benefit of Electric Acoustic Stimulation with the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit
Authors: Gstoettner Wolfgang K. , Van de Heyning Paul , Fitzgerald O’Connor Alec , Kiefer Jan , Morera Constantino , Sainz Manuel , Vermeire Katrien , McDonald Sonelle , Cavallé Laura , García Valdecasas Juan , Adunka Oliver F. , Baumann Uwe , Kleine-Punte Andrea , Brockmeier Hanna , Anderson Ilona , Helbig Silke
Published: October 2011

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) significantly decreases the subjective impairment in speech perception. Objectives: To assess the subjective benefit of EAS over the first 12 months after EAS fitting using the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB). Method: Twenty-three EAS users, implanted with either the PULSARCI100 FLEXEAS provided with the DUET EAS processor or the COMBI40+ Medium provided with the TEMPO+ speech processor, were included. Electric stimulation was activated about 1 month postoperatively; ipsilateral acoustic stimulation was added 2 months thereafter. EAS benefit was measured preoperatively with only a hearing aid and postoperatively at EAS fitting and then 3, 6 and 12 months after EAS fitting using the APHAB. Results: Subjects reported significant improvements in the global score with a mean decrease in impairment from 74% preoperatively to 45% after 3 months of EAS use. Furthermore, clinical relevance was demonstrated in multiple subscales between preoperative and first fitting reflecting a true benefit of EAS with a probability of 95%.
Prevalence of Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease and the Role of Serum Albumin: A Cross-Sectional Study from South India
Authors: Shantha Ghanshyam Palamaner Subash , Kumar Anita Ashok , Bhise Viraj , Khanna Rohit , Sivagnanam Kamesh , Subramanian Kuyilan Karai
Published: October 2011

Background/Aim: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are independent risk factors for cardiovascular mortality. We aimed to study the prevalence of SCH in ESRD patients and assessed its associated risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at 2 tertiary-care centers in Chennai, India, over a 3-year period. The study group comprised 137 patients with ESRD on thrice weekly regular maintenance hemodialysis. Free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. SCH was defined as TSH ranging between 4.5 and 10 mIU/l with normal FT4 (0.93–1.7 ng/dl). Patients with overt hypothyroidism, SCH and overt hyperthyroidism, those on medications affecting thyroid function and pregnant women were excluded from the study. Results: Of 137 ESRD patients (mean age: 43 ± 13.38 years), 107 were males (78.1%), 45 diabetics (32.8%), 127 hypertensives (92.7%), and 38 smokers (27.7%). Prevalence of SCH was 24.8%. In unadjusted (OR: 3.37, 95% CI: 1.91–5.21) and adjusted (for age, gender, HbA1C, and albumin/creatinine ratio; OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 2.15–4.98) logistic regression analysis, serum albumin was significantly associated with SCH. Further, multiple linear regression identified that for every 1 g/dl drop in serum albumin TSH increased by 4.61 mIU/l (95% CI: 2.75–5.92). Conclusion: We observed a high prevalence of SCH in our ESRD patients. Also, serum albumin was significantly associated with SCH in our study.
Using IRT Trait Estimates Versus Summated Scores in Predicting Outcomes
Authors: Xu Ting , Stone Clement A.
Published: October 2011

It has been argued that item response theory trait estimates should be used in analyses rather than number right (NR) or summated scale (SS) scores. Thissen and Orlando postulated that IRT scaling tends to produce trait estimates that are linearly related to the underlying trait being measured. Therefore, IRT trait estimates can be more useful than summated scores when examining relationships between test scores and external variables. Also, when the model holds, IRT trait estimates possess an interval scale that is a property assumed for dependent variables by most statistical procedures used in educational research. The objective of this study was to use Monte Carlo methods to compare the performance of IRT trait estimates and SS scores in predicting outcome variables in the context of health and behavioral assessment. The use of scores based on the graded-response model versus summated scores was compared. Results indicated that IRT-based scores and summated scores are comparable when evaluating the relationships between test scores and outcome measures. Thus, applied researchers could use summated scores in predictive studies and circumvent evaluating the assumptions underlying use of IRT-based scores.
A Proposed Solution to the Problem With Using Completely Random Data to Assess the Number of Factors With Parallel Analysis
Authors: Green Samuel B. , Levy Roy , Thompson Marilyn S. , Lu Min , Lo Wen-Juo
Published: October 2011

A number of psychometricians have argued for the use of parallel analysis to determine the number of factors. However, parallel analysis must be viewed at best as a heuristic approach rather than a mathematically rigorous one. The authors suggest a revision to parallel analysis that could improve its accuracy. A Monte Carlo study is conducted to compare revised and traditional parallel analysis approaches. Five dimensions are manipulated in the study: number of observations, number of factors, number of measured variables, size of the factor loadings, and degree of correlation between factors. Based on the results, the revised parallel analysis method, using principal axis factoring and the 95th percentile eigenvalue rule, offers promise.
Understanding the Effect of Workload on Automation Use for Younger and Older Adults
Authors: McBride Sara E. , Rogers Wendy A. , Fisk Arthur D.
Published: October 2011

Objective: This study examined how individuals, younger and older, interacted with an imperfect automated system. The impact of workload on performance and automation use was also investigated.

Background: Automation is used in situations characterized by varying levels of workload. As automated systems spread to domains such as transportation and the home, a diverse population of users will interact with automation. Research is needed to understand how different segments of the population use automation.

Method: Workload was systematically manipulated to create three levels (low, moderate, high) in a dual-task scenario in which participants interacted with a 70% reliable automated aid. Two experiments were conducted to assess automation use for younger and older adults.

Results: Both younger and older adults relied on the automation more than they complied with it. Among younger adults, high workload led to poorer performance and higher compliance, even when that compliance was detrimental. Older adults’ performance was negatively affected by workload, but their compliance and reliance were unaffected.

Conclusion: Younger and older adults were both able to use and double-check an imperfect automated system. Workload affected how younger adults complied with automation, particularly with regard to detecting automation false alarms. Older adults tended to comply and rely at fairly high rates overall, and this did not change with increased workload.

Application: Training programs for imperfect automated systems should vary workload and provide feedback about error types, and strategies for identifying errors. The ability to identify automation errors varies across individuals, thereby necessitating training.
An iterative numerical scheme for the calculation of the effective moduli of heterogeneous materials with finite element method
Authors: Bao JQ , Yang Q , Yuan WF
Published: October 2011

An iterative numerical scheme to calculate the effective moduli of a heterogeneous material is presented based on the finite element method. The effect of the inclusions on the effective moduli of the heterogeneous material is embodied in a virtual local body force caused by eigenstrain within the equivalent homogeneous material in the scheme. The effective moduli of the original material are achieved by iteratively calculating the virtual local body force with the adoption of two systems of mesh in the scheme. The meshes in the first system discretize the whole domain and serve as the finite element meshes to obtain the solution, and the meshes in the second system discretize the inclusions. The difficulty of mesh generation due to inclusions is overcome by the complete independence between the two systems of mesh. Examples are presented to verify the validity of the scheme, and its convergence rate is also discussed. Application of the scheme is conducted to study the effect of inclusion shapes on the anisotropy of composite.
The Demand for Reparations
Authors: Adhikari Prakash , Hansen Wendy L. , Powers Kathy L.
Published: October 2011

In analyzing peace processes in postconflict societies, scholars have primarily focused on the impact of prosecutions, truth-telling efforts, and reconciliation strategies, while overlooking the importance of individual demands for reparations. The authors argue that normative explanations of why reparations are granted in the aftermath of regime change are useful in understanding a need for reconciliation, but inadequate for explaining victim demands for compensation. The authors extend this research to study civil war settlement. In the aftermath of civil war, when some form of reparation is offered giving individuals the opportunity to seek redress of grievances, what types of loss and political and socioeconomic characteristics are likely to lead some individuals to apply for reparations but not others? Using primary data, collected through a public opinion survey in Nepal, the authors investigate individual-level demand for reparations. The findings suggest that understanding loss and risk factors may be important to civil war settlement and reconciliation.
Social Inclusion through Volunteering: The Legacy Potential of the 2012 Olympic Games
Authors: Nichols Geoff , Ralston Rita
Published: October 2011

Considerations of Olympic Games’ legacies have focused on economic benefits, with little consideration given to the potential legacy from the substantial number of volunteers involved. This article examines the experiences of volunteers in a programme established as a legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Its results challenge the dominant social inclusion discourse in showing that volunteering provides social inclusion benefits beyond employability by enriching volunteers’ lives and empowering them to make new choices. Recognizing and valuing this would enable ‘social inclusion’ programmes promoting volunteering at major events, such as the 2012 Olympics, to broaden their objectives.
Public Opinion in Host Olympic Cities: The Case of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games
Authors: Hiller Harry H. , Wanner Richard A.
Published: October 2011

Olympic analyses typically depend heavily on perspectives built from macro processes characteristically rooted in political economy. Using survey data of city residents gathered at six different points in time during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, this article proposes a focus on what happens within the host city during the Games. While the Olympics were the centre of much debate and controversy before the Games, the data show that attitudes towards the Games became much more favorable thereby providing hard evidence that the Olympics had an experiential urban impact. Regression models revealed that attending free unticketed events and supporting the Liberal party in the last provincial election were the best predictors of positive attitudes towards the Games. It is concluded that the Olympics represent a form of public policy which generates responses related to socio-political factors while also being an interactional event transforming local attitudes towards the Games.
Cyborg and Supercrip: The Paralympics Technology and the (Dis)empowerment of Disabled Athletes
Authors: Howe P. David
Published: October 2011

Over the last two decades the Paralympic Games have gained a high public profile. As a result there has been an ever increasing commercial marketplace for aerodynamic and feather light racing (wheel)chairs as well as biomechanically and ergonomically responsive prostheses that have helped create a legion of cyborg bodies that is manifest in the image of the sporting supercrip. Mobility devices that enhance performance have also created a divide between different impairment groups and also amongst ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ nations. This article highlights the development of a technocentric ideology within the Paralympic Movement that has led to the cyborgification of some Paralympic bodies. It questions whether the advances in technology are actually empowering disabled athletes.
Towards a Sociological Analysis of London 2012
Authors: Silk Michael
Published: October 2011

Within this article, I focus on a number of productive scholarly avenues to which sociological analysis of London 2012 might want to attend. Understanding major sporting events – and thus the Olympic Games – as inextricably entangled with the media-industrial complex, I suggest London 2012 as a commodity spectacle that will emphasize gleaming aesthetics, a (sporting) city and nation collapsed into (simple) tourist images, and the presentation of a particular expression of self within the logics of the global market. In so doing, and by peeking behind the seductive, corporate-inspired veil of material and symbolic regeneration, image, strategy and legacy, we, as a field, can ask crucial questions about whose histories, whose representations and which peoples matter to, and for, the sporting spectacle.
Sustainable Development, Shock and Awe? London 2012 and Civil Society
Authors: Hayes Graeme , Horne John
Published: October 2011

There is a disconnection between the top-down, elite, nature of sports mega-events and the ostensible redistributive and participatory sustainable development agendas staked out by BINGOs (Business-based International Non-Governmental Organizations) such as the contemporary International Olympic Committee (IOC). Focusing specifically on the London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, we argue that, for all the environmental technology advances offered by sports mega-events, their dominant model remains one of a hollowed-out form of sustainable development. Despite significant technical and methodological innovations in environmental stewardship, the development model of the London Olympics remains predicated on the satisfaction of transnational investment flows. We discuss what this means for claims about the staging of a ‘green’ Olympic Games.
Sanitizing Public Space in Olympic Host Cities: The Spatial Experiences of Marginalized Youth in 2010 Vancouver and 2012 London
Authors: Kennelly Jacqueline , Watt Paul
Published: October 2011

This article is based on a cross-national qualitative study of homeless and street-involved youth living within Olympic host cities. Synthesizing a Lefebvrian spatial analysis with Debord’s concept of ‘the spectacle’, the article analyses the spatial experiences of homeless young people in Vancouver (host to the 2010 Winter Olympics) and draws some comparisons to London (host to the 2012 Summer Olympics). Tracing encounters with police, gentrification and Olympic infrastructure, the article assesses the experiences of homeless youth in light of claims made by Olympic proponents that the Games will ‘benefit the young’. By contrast, the authors argue that positive Olympic legacies for homeless and street-involved young people living within host cities are questionable.
How to ‘Use Your Olympian’: The Paradox of Athletic Authenticity and Commercialization in the Contemporary Olympic Games
Authors: Rahman Momin , Lockwood Sean
Published: October 2011

A paradox between commercialization and the authenticity of the Olympic Games has been identified in the established literature. We add to this discussion but with a specific emphasis on how this paradox is embodied by the athletes involved. We argue that the commercialization of the Games is inevitable in the contemporary media and corporate contexts, whereby the finances available from both are necessary to stage and promote the event. Within these contexts, we suggest it is also inevitable that Olympians become commodities that promote the brand of the Olympics. Representations of their heroism and their modelling of achievement culture provide an authentic credibility for the Games. Moreover, the Olympics add a distinctive dimension to this contemporary authenticity in their appeal to an ancient amateur heritage. We demonstrate, however, that amateurism is a creation of the modern Olympic Movement and is deployed to add another dimension to the general sporting authenticity that is currently invoked to manage the paradox of commercialization.
‘Generation X Games’, Action Sports and the Olympic Movement: Understanding the Cultural Politics of Incorporation
Authors: Thorpe Holly , Wheaton Belinda
Published: October 2011

An important and mounting issue for the contemporary Olympic Movement is how to remain relevant to younger generations. Cognizant of the diminishing numbers of youth viewers, and the growing success of the X Games – the ‘Olympics’ of action sport – the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set about adding a selection of youth-oriented action sports into the Olympic programme. In this article we offer the first in-depth discussion of the cultural politics of action sports Olympic incorporation via case studies of windsurfing, snowboarding, and bicycle motocross (BMX). Adopting a post-subcultural theoretical approach, our analysis reveals that the incorporation process, and forms of (sub)cultural contestation, is in each case unique, based on a complex and shifting set of intra- and inter-politics between key agents, namely the IOC and associated sporting bodies, media conglomerates, and the action sport cultures and industries. In so doing, our article illustrates some of the complex power struggles involved in modernizing the Olympic Games in the 21st century.
Road to Reunification? Unitary Korean Nationalism in South Korean Media Coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games
Authors: Lee Jung Woo , Maguire Joseph
Published: October 2011

This article examines South Korean media coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and concerns the discourse around the unification of North and South Korea, with the emergence of a unitary nationalism as the main theme during this period. Unitary Korean nationalism was becoming a dominant form of discourse on inter-Korean relations and was evident in the South Korean media coverage of the Olympics. Despite this, there exists a gap between sporting nationalism and political nationalism. The mood of reconciliation between the two Koreas is less evident in politics than in sport due to the ongoing political tensions and conflicts in the Korean peninsula. Wider tensions evident in the period leading up to the London 2012 Olympic Games reinforce this conclusion.
Olympic Villages and Large-scale Urban Development: Crises of Capitalism, Deficits of Democracy?
Authors: Scherer Jay
Published: October 2011

Mega-events like the Olympic Games are widely regarded as key opportunities for cities to accelerate large-scale urban development projects through the construction of Olympic Villages. However, in the current global financial climate, these debt-financed urban renewal strategies are not without significant risk for both public and private partners. This article examines how, as a result of the 2008 economic crisis and a number of undisclosed local political commitments, Vancouver inherited the entire responsibility for the construction of the 2010 Winter Olympic Village. In turn, I raise some political questions about the democratic limitations of the entrepreneurial urban policy-making context and the disproportionate transfer of financial risk associated with these developments to the public sector. Finally, I draw parallels between the experiences of Vancouver and the relatively successful public-private partnership for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and the recent government bailout of the Olympic Village development in London.
Benchmarking Equity in Transfer Policies for Career and Technical Associate’s Degrees
Authors: Chase Megan M.
Published: October 2011

Using critical policy analysis, this study considers state policies that impede technical credit transfer from public 2-year colleges to 4-year institutions of higher education. The states of Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin are considered, and seven policy benchmarks for facilitating the transfer of technical credits are proposed.
Role of the Sphenoidal Process of the Septal Cartilage in the Development of Septal Deviation
Authors: Kim Joohwan , Kim Sung Won , Kim Soo Whan , Cho Jin Hee , Park Yong Jin
Published: October 2011

Objective

The sphenoidal process of the septal cartilage (SP) is a small strip of cartilage between the perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone and vomer. The present study was performed to evaluate the clinical significance of the SP in the development of nasal septal deviation.

Study Design

Prospective, controlled.

Setting

Academic rhinologic practice.

Subjects and Methods

The authors examined 136 patients with nasal septal deviation. The length of SP was measured during septal surgery, and values were compared with the deviation angle. The distance between the anterior nasal spine (ANS) and the breakpoint of the suture line between the septal cartilage and the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone (ANS‐PPE) and that from the ANS to the point where the choana meets the sphenoid sinus (ANS‐CS) were determined and compared according to the age.

Results

The mean length of SP in patients with a deviated nasal septum was 25.90 ± 7.82 mm and decreased with age. The average deviation angles at the level of the ostiomeatal unit and nasal valve area were 8.28° ± 3.50° and 10.37° ± 4.38°, respectively. These angles increased with the length of SP (P <. 01). The mean length of ANS‐PPE showed a significant negative correlation with age. The mean length of ANS‐CS had no correlation with age.

Conclusion

SP was longer with increasing deviation angle in patients with nasal septal deviation. A long SP, a remnant cartilaginous tail of the nasal septum resulting from delayed ossification of the nasal septum, contributes to the exacerbation of septal deviation.
Acute Mediastinitis Associated with Foreign Body Erosion from the Hypopharynx and Esophagus
Authors: Liu Jiajia , Zhang Xiaoli , Xie Dinghua , Peng Anquan , Yang Xinming , Yu Fenglei , Liu Deliang
Published: October 2011

Objective

Mediastinitis secondary to hypopharyngeal and esophageal foreign bodies is a rare but lethal complication. So far, no literature on a large scale has been reported. This investigation reviewed cases of mediastinitis associated with foreign body ingestion during the past 40 years.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University.

Subjects and Methods

Of 2981 patients with hypopharyngeal and esophageal foreign body impaction included between 1969 and 2010, 93 had complications of acute mediastinitis. Four patients were dead within 4 hours after admission. The rest of the 89 patients underwent surgical drainage. Thirteen underwent primary repair (7 cases with suture, 6 cases with omentum onlay graft), and 9 patients underwent endoscopic stent placement at the same time.

Results

The mean (SD) time between ingestion and initial treatment of patients who developed mediastinitis was 7.72 (1.93) days, compared with 1.92 (1.41) days for those who did not (P <. 05). Morbidity was 3.1% and mortality was 30.1% (28/93), but the mortality of every decade has decreased from 38.7% in the 1970s to 8.3% today. Nine cases with local stent were all recovered.

Conclusions

Delay in initiating treatment and intrathoracic esophageal foreign bodies are the main risk factors of mediastinitis secondary to foreign body ingestion. Computed tomography plays an important role in diagnosis and guiding treatments. In conjunction with aggressive surgical debridement and drainage, endoscopic stent placement could be the optimal management for most patients.
Assessing Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms with the Reflux Symptom Index
Authors: Printza Athanasia , Kyrgidis Athanassios , Oikonomidou Eirini , Triaridis Stefanos
Published: October 2011

Objective

To validate the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) in Greek patients and estimate the prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms in the Greek population.

Study Design

Prospective, controlled validation study.

Setting

Tertiary referral hospital and primary care.

Subjects and Methods

For validation purposes, the instrument was administered to 53 patients with confirmed LPR. Sex‐ and age‐matched controls with no LPR or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms presenting in a primary care setting composed the control group. Reliability and construct validity were statistically appraised. Using the RSI, the authors estimated the prevalence of LPR in a randomly selected sample of the Greek adult population.

Results

The mean (SD) RSI score of the 172 sex‐ and age‐matched controls was 3.2 (3.5). The mean (SD) RSI score of the 53 confirmed LPR patients was 19.9 (6.8). Cronbach α was 0.865. Factor analysis verified that the RSI instrument consists of 2 principal factors. To estimate the prevalence of LPR, a representative sample of the Greek adult population (188 subjects) completed the RSI questionnaire: 36.3% were male, and 29.6% were smokers. Mean (SD) age was 53.4 (17.7) years. The instrument was able to discriminate 16 patients with LPR symptoms with a mean (SD) score of 18.91 (6.39).

Conclusion

The authors evaluated the internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity of the RSI for the Greek population. Factor analysis of the Greek translation of the RSI demonstrated that it can be a reliable tool in the diagnostic approach of LPR patients. Using the RSI, the authors recorded that the prevalence of LPR in a representative sample of the Greek population is 8.5%.
Identification of Hearing Loss in Pediatric Patients with Down Syndrome
Authors: Park Albert H. , Wilson Matt A. , Stevens Paul T. , Harward Richard , Hohler Nancy
Published: October 2011

Objective

To determine the type of hearing loss, incidence of the lost to follow‐up rate, and the time to diagnose sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children with Down syndrome (DS) identified from a statewide database.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Pediatric referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Three hundred forty‐four patients with DS born in Utah between January 2002 and December 2006 were identified using the Utah Department of Health’s Newborn Hearing Screening database and birth defects registry.

Results

Three hundred thirty‐two patients were included in the study. Eighty‐seven infants (26.2%) did not pass their newborn hearing screening (NBS). Thirty‐three of these children (37.9%) had a conductive hearing loss attributed to serous otitis media. Five infants had SNHL; 3 children were diagnosed with a mixed hearing loss (MHL). The average time to diagnose a sensorineural hearing loss was 485 ± 601 days. One child who passed his NBS was subsequently found to have an SNHL. More than 43% of the newborns with DS who passed their NBS developed a conductive hearing loss requiring insertion of ventilation tubes. Eighty‐four percent of newborns with DS who did not undergo NBS did not have any apparent subsequent audiologic testing.

Conclusion

Patients with DS present with a relatively high incidence of conductive hearing loss, MHL, and SNHL and a higher lost to follow‐up rate compared to patients without DS. The authors were not able to diagnose SNHL within the 90‐day period recommended by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing.