bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sequence of Synaptogenesis in the Fetal and Neonatal Cerebellar System - Part 1: Guillain-Mollaret Triangle (Dentato-Rubro-Olivo-Cerebellar Circuit)
Authors: Sarnat Harvey B. , Flores-Sarnat Laura , Auer Roland N.
Published: May 2013

Precise temporal and spatial sequences of synaptogenesis occur in the cerebellar system, as in other synaptic circuits of the brain. In postmortem brain sections of 172 human fetuses and neonates, synaptophysin immunoreactivity was studied in nuclei of the Guillain-Mollaret triangle: dentato-olivo-rubro-cerebellar circuit. Synaptophysin demonstrates not only progressive increase in synaptic vesicles in each structure, but also shows the development of shape from amorphous globular neuronal aggregates to undulated nuclei. Intensity of synaptophysin reactivity is strong before the mature shape of these nuclei is achieved. Accessory olivary and deep cerebellar nuclei are intensely stained earlier than the principal olivary and dentate nuclei. The dorsal blades of both form earlier than the ventral, with reactivity initially peripheral. Initiation of synaptophysin reactivity is at 13 weeks in the inferior olive (r6, r7) and at 16 weeks in the dentate (r2). Initial synaptic vesicles are noted at 13 weeks in the red nucleus (r0); synapses form initially on the small neurons at 13 weeks but thereafter simultaneously on small and large neurons. Form and reactivity follow caudorostral, dorsoventral and mediolateral gradients in the axes of the rhombencephalon. This study provides control data to serve as a basis for interpreting aberrations in synaptogenesis in malformations of the cerebellar system, genetic disorders and acquired insults to the cerebellum and brainstem during fetal life, applicable to tissue sections and complementing biochemical and molecular techniques.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Induces Aortic Intima-Media Thickening via Perivascular Adipose Tissue Inflammation
Authors: Moe Kyaw Thu , Naylynn Tin Maung , Yin Nwe Oo , Khairunnisa Katwadi , Allen John C. , Wong Meng Cheong , Chin-Dusting Jaye , Wong Philip
Published: May 2013

Background/Aims: Neointimal thickening results from inflammation in association with vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. We studied the role of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) on VSMC proliferation and intima-media thickening (IMT) in a rodent model of chronic inflammation. Methods: The abdominal aorta and surrounding PVAT of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α-injected mice were examined 28 days after administration. Plasma and PVAT cytokines were measured with Milliplex™ assays. Inflammatory cells were examined with immunofluorescence. Expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and MMP-12 was examined with immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting and zymography. IMT was determined. Cell proliferation and TGF-β1 mRNA levels were examined after treating VSMC with PVAT homogenates ± MMP-2 inhibitors (batimastat, ARP 100 or TIMP-2) and SB-431542, a selective inhibitor of the TGF-β-type 1 receptor. Results: Significant increases in CD3, CD68, neutrophils, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and MMP-2 in PVAT, and TGF-β1 and IMT of the aorta of TNF-α-injected mice were observed. PVAT of TNF-α-injected mice significantly up-regulated TGF-β1 and increased cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and was attenuated by SB-431542, batimastat, ARP 100 and TIMP-2. Conclusions: Our study shows that chronic PVAT inflammation leads to MMP-mediated increase in TGF-β1 and hence VSMC proliferation.
Associations between Pituitary Imaging Abnormalities and Clinical and Biochemical Phenotypes in Children with Congenital Growth Hormone Deficiency: Data from an International Observational Study
Authors: Deal Cheri , Hasselmann Caroline , Pfäffle Roland W. , Zimmermann Alan G. , Quigley Charmian A. , Child Christopher J. , Shavrikova Elena P. , Cutler Jr. Gordon B. , Blum Werner F.
Published: May 2013

Background/Aims: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to investigate the etiology of growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This study examined relationships between MRI findings and clinical/hormonal phenotypes in children with GHD in the observational Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study, GeNeSIS. Methods: Clinical presentation, hormonal status and first-year GH response were compared between patients with pituitary imaging abnormalities (n = 1,071), patients with mutations in genes involved in pituitary development/GH secretion (n = 120) and patients with idiopathic GHD (n = 7,039). Results: Patients with hypothalamic-pituitary abnormalities had more severe phenotypes than patients with idiopathic GHD. Additional hormonal deficiencies were found in 35% of patients with structural abnormalities (thyroid-stimulating hormone > adrenocorticotropic hormone > luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone > antidiuretic hormone), most frequently in patients with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD). Patients with the triad [ectopic posterior pituitary (EPP), pituitary aplasia/hypoplasia and stalk defects] had a more severe phenotype and better response to GH treatment than patients with isolated abnormalities. The sex ratio was approximately equal for patients with SOD, but there was a significantly higher proportion of males (approximately 70%) in the EPP, pituitary hypoplasia, stalk defects, and triad categories. Conclusion: This large, international database demonstrates the value of classification of GH-deficient patients by the presence and type of hypothalamic-pituitary imaging abnormalities. This information may assist family counseling and patient management.
DMSO-Soluble Cigarette Smoke Particles Alter the Expression of Endothelin B Receptor in Rat Coronary Artery
Authors: Huang Lin-Hong , Zhang Ping-An , He Jian-Yu , Liu Jing , Cao Yong-Xiao
Published: May 2013

In coronary artery diseases, cigarette smoking is a risk factor and the endothelin system plays a key role in the pathogenesis. This study was to examine if dimethylsulfoxide-soluble smoke particles (DSP) upregulate endothelin type-B (ETB) receptors in the coronary artery and investigate the mechanism. The isolated rat coronary arteries were organ-cultured for 24 h. The contractile response of the coronary artery was recorded by myograph. The mRNA and protein expression of the ETB receptors was studied using quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results showed that the ETB receptor agonist, sarafotoxin 6c, induced a weak contraction in the fresh coronary artery. After culture, the contraction curve mediated by ETB receptor was shifted towards the left with an increased Emax of 152 ± 12%. DSP of 0.2 and 0.4 µl/ml shifted the concentration-contractile curves towards the left with further increased Emax of 270 ± 26 and 280 ± 29%, respectively. The culture increased ETB receptor mRNA and protein levels from fresh arteries, which was further enhanced by DSP. PD98059 (ERK1/2 inhibitor), wedelolactone (NF-κB inhibitor), actinomycin D or cycloheximide significantly inhibited the DSP-enhanced contraction and expression of mRNA and protein of the ETB receptor. However, SB203580 (p38 inhibitor) further increased DSP-enhanced contraction and protein expression of the ETB receptor. The results indicate that DSP upregulates ETB receptors in rat coronary artery via ERK1/2 and the NF-κB pathway.
Successful Use of Sorafenib after Bortezomib Failure in Metastatic Follicular Thyroid Cancer - a Case Report
Authors: Eisner Florian , Schaberl-Moser Renate , Gerger Armin , Samonigg Hellmut , Pichler Martin
Published: May 2013

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most commonly diagnosed endocrine malignancy in developed countries. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), which includes papillary thyroid carcinoma and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), composes more than 90% of all TC cases. When DTC recurs or metastasizes to distant sites despite the use of local and radiotherapeutic treatment modalities, the currently effective treatment options are limited. Case Report: A then 40-year-old female Caucasian patient was diagnosed with FTC and underwent surgery and postoperative radioactive iodine therapy. The patient developed metastatic disease, and palliative first-line treatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib was initiated. After 3 months, the patient suffered progressive pulmonary metastatic disease. Treatment with the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib was started, and after 3 months of therapy, tumor restaging demonstrated partial remission. The treatment is ongoing, and the current progression-free survival is 16 months. With the exception of mild diarrhea and hand-foot syndrome, the therapy was well tolerated, and no grade 3/4 adverse toxicities occurred. Conclusion: In our single case of metastatic FTC, sorafenib showed clinically meaningful antitumor activity accompanied by good tolerability. This case report supports the use of this drug as a potential treatment option for advanced/metastatic FTC.
Role of Next-Generation Sequencing in Understanding the Interactions between Human Papillomavirus and the Cervicovaginal Microbiome
Authors: Cervantes Jorge L. , Hong Bo-Young
Published: May 2013

The applications of next-generation sequencing in the field of human papillomavirus and associated neoplasias have extended beyond the accurate genotyping of human papillomavirus types. Next-generation sequencing is able to provide important information on the interactions of the cervicovaginal microbiome and environment with the virus, and the role that these factors play on its transmission and persistence. The advances in sequencing technologies have greatly contributed to the current knowledge of human cervicovaginal microbiome in recent years, allowing the assessment of microbiome variability between species, individuals and populations.
Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Improves Outcome at 6 Years After Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Davies William R. , Brown Adam J. , Watson William , McCormick Liam M. , West Nick E.J. , Dutka David P. , Hoole Stephen P.
Published: May 2013

Background—

Postprocedural myocardial infarction (type 4a) has been shown to be an adverse prognostic indicator after elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The Cardiac Remote Ischemic Preconditioning in Coronary Stenting (CRISP Stent) study demonstrated that remote ischemic preconditioning reduced procedural symptoms, ECG ST-segment deviation, and cardiac troponin I release after elective PCI and reduced the major adverse cardiac and cerebral event (MACCE) rate at 6 months. We were interested to confirm if this early benefit in MACCE rate in the remote ischemic preconditioning group was sustained long-term.

Methods and Results—

Patients were telephoned by researchers blinded to the randomization details. MACCE, defined as all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack or stroke, and heart failure requiring hospital admission, were adjudicated by case note and national database review. One hundred ninety-two (89.3%) of the 225 patients with elective PCI randomized in the original study were available for long-term follow-up (mean time to event or last follow-up: 1579.7±603.6 days). There were a total of 59 (30.7%) MACCEs. Patients with an MACCE had a higher mean cardiac troponin I after PCI (±SD): 2.07±6.99 versus 0.91±2.07 ng/mL (
P
=0.05). The MACCE rate at 6 years remained lower in the remote ischemic preconditioning group (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.35–0.97;
P
=0.039; absolute risk reduction=0.13 and number needed to treat=8 to prevent the MACCE at 6 years).

Conclusions—

Remote ischemic preconditioning reduces the incidence of postprocedural cardiac troponin I after elective PCI and confers an MACCE-free survival benefit at both short- and long-term follow-up.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.ukcrn.org.uk
. Unique identifier: UKCRN 4074
Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain Protein 2 Silencing Enhances the Survival and Paracrine Function of Transplanted Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Infarcted Myocardium
Authors: Wang Wei Eric , Yang Dezhong , Li Liangpeng , Wang Wei , Peng Yulan , Chen Caiyu , Chen Peng , Xia Xuewei , Wang Hongyong , Jiang Jiahui , Liao Qiao , Li Yuan , Xie Ganfeng , Huang Haiyun , Guo Yanli , Ye Linda , Duan Dayue Darrel , Chen Xiongwen , Houser Steven R. , Zeng Chunyu
Published: May 2013

Rationale:

Transplantation of stem cells into damaged hearts has had modest success as a treatment for ischemic heart disease. One of the limitations is the poor stem cell survival in the diseased microenvironment. Prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) is a cellular oxygen sensor that regulates 2 key transcription factors involved in cell survival and inflammation: hypoxia-inducible factor and nuclear factor-κB.

Objective:

We studied whether and how PHD2 silencing in human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) enhances their cardioprotective effects after transplantation into infarcted hearts.

Methods and Results:

ADSCs were transduced with lentiviral short hairpin RNA against prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (shPHD2) to silence PHD2. ADSCs, with or without shPHD2, were transplanted after myocardial infarction in mice. ADSCs reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, fibrosis, and infarct size and improved cardiac function. shPHD2-ADSCs exerted significantly more protection. PHD2 silencing induced greater ADSC survival, which was abolished by short hairpin RNA against hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. Conditioned medium from shPHD2-ADSCs decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels were significantly higher in the conditioned medium of shPHD2-ADSCs versus ADSCs, and depletion of IGF-1 attenuated the cardioprotective effects of shPHD2-ADSC–conditioned medium. Nuclear factor-κB activation was induced by shPHD2 to induce IGF-1 secretion via binding to IGF-1 gene promoter.

Conclusions:

PHD2 silencing promotes ADSCs survival in infarcted hearts and enhances their paracrine function to protect cardiomyocytes. The prosurvival effect of shPHD2 on ADSCs is hypoxia-inducible factor-1α dependent, and the enhanced paracrine function of shPHD2-ADSCs is associated with nuclear factor-κB–mediated IGF-1 upregulation. PHD2 silencing in stem cells may be a novel strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of stem cell therapy after myocardial infarction.
Axonal Remodeling of the Corticospinal Tract in the Spinal Cord Contributes to Voluntary Motor Recovery After Stroke in Adult Mice
Authors: Liu Zhongwu , Chopp Michael , Ding Xiaoshuang , Cui Yisheng , Li Yi
Published: May 2013

Background and Purpose—

We sought to demonstrate the contribution of axonal remodeling of the corticospinal tract (CST) in the spinal cord to functional outcome after stroke.

Methods—

Bilateral pyramidotomy (BPT) or sham-BPT was performed in mice with transgenic yellow fluorescent protein labeling in the CST subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Foot-fault and single pellet reaching tests were performed 3 days after MCAo and weekly thereafter. Mice were euthanized at day 14 or 28 after stroke. Immunofluorescent staining for growth-associated protein-43 and Synaptophysin was performed on cervical sections.

Results—

Functional improvements were evident during the initial 14 days in both MCAo-sham-BPT and MCAo-BPT mice (
P
<0.01, versus day 3). Progressive recovery was present during the subsequent 14 days in MCAo-sham-BPT mice (
P
<0.001, versus day 14) but not in MCAo-BPT mice. In the stroke-affected cervical gray matter of MCAo-sham-BPT mice, growth-associated protein-43-Cy3 staining on CST axons were significantly increased at day 14 after stroke compared with normal mice (
P
<0.001), and CST axonal density and Synaptophysin-Cy3 staining of CST-yellow fluorescent protein axonal terminals were significantly increased at day 28 compared with day 14 after MCAo (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Our data demonstrate that voluntary motor recovery is associated with CST axonal outgrowth and synaptic formation in the denervated side of the spinal gray matter during the later phase after stroke, suggesting that the CST axonal plasticity in the spinal cord contributes to neurological recovery.
Does Perceptual Learning Require Consciousness or Attention?
Authors: Meuwese Julia D. I. , Post Ruben A. G. , Scholte H. Steven , Lamme Victor A. F.
Published: May 2013

It has been proposed that visual attention and consciousness are separate [Koch, C., & Tsuchiya, N. Attention and consciousness: Two distinct brain processes. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 11, 16–22, 2007] and possibly even orthogonal processes [Lamme, V. A. F. Why visual attention and awareness are different. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7, 12–18, 2003]. Attention and consciousness converge when conscious visual percepts are attended and hence become available for conscious report. In such a view, a lack of reportability can have two causes: the absence of attention or the absence of a conscious percept. This raises an important question in the field of perceptual learning. It is known that learning can occur in the absence of reportability [Gutnisky, D. A., Hansen, B. J., Iliescu, B. F., & Dragoi, V. Attention alters visual plasticity during exposure-based learning. Current Biology, 19, 555–560, 2009; Seitz, A. R., Kim, D., & Watanabe, T. Rewards evoke learning of unconsciously processed visual stimuli in adult humans. Neuron, 61, 700–707, 2009; Seitz, A. R., & Watanabe, T. Is subliminal learning really passive? Nature, 422, 36, 2003; Watanabe, T., Náñez, J. E., & Sasaki, Y. Perceptual learning without perception. Nature, 413, 844–848, 2001], but it is unclear which of the two ingredients—consciousness or attention—is not necessary for learning. We presented textured figure-ground stimuli and manipulated reportability either by masking (which only interferes with consciousness) or with an inattention paradigm (which only interferes with attention). During the second session (24 hr later), learning was assessed neurally and behaviorally, via differences in figure-ground ERPs and via a detection task. Behavioral and neural learning effects were found for stimuli presented in the inattention paradigm and not for masked stimuli. Interestingly, the behavioral learning effect only became apparent when performance feedback was given on the task to measure learning, suggesting that the memory trace that is formed during inattention is latent until accessed. The results suggest that learning requires consciousness, and not attention, and further strengthen the idea that consciousness is separate from attention.
The Banished God: Concerning Faith and Doubt in Lohengrin
Authors: Kienzle Ulrike , Gawlick Ralf Yusuf
Published: May 2013

Abstract

In his Lohengrin, Wagner contrasts the medieval piety of Wolfram’s Parzival with the tragedy of doubt, which ends without reconciliation. The conflict between faith and doubt essentially forms the spiritual substance of Wagner’s Lohengrin, from the first conception to the completed score, although in the earliest prose draft—the Prosaentwurf (Prose-sketch) of 1845—a variety of political and historical motives unfold around the main idea. These, however, become increasingly relegated to the background in successive compositional stages of the work. The final score, completed in 1847, accentuates the psychological aspect of the drama through the expressive power of the music.
Significations of Religious Desire in Louise Talma’s The Alcestiad
Authors: Leonard Kendra Preston
Published: May 2013

Abstract

American composer Louise Talma’s opera The Alcestiad can be read as a highly autobiographical work; its themes can be understood as crucial elements of Talma’s own life. These correlations include: the demands and restrictions of society upon women’s behavior and desires, particularly its emphasis upon conforming to heteronormative performance, represented by Alcestis’s hesitant acceptance of marriage and motherhood, and Talma’s reluctant career as a pedagogue and internal conflict over her relationship with Nadia Boulanger; and the yearning for a life of devotion to a religion and a single art, in which Alcestis’s desire to serve as an oracular priestess of Apollo and Talma’s desire to dedicate herself to her work as a Catholic and as a composer are parallel tropes. This essay explores these parallels and demonstrates the ways in which the close relationships between The Alcestiad and Talma’s life are manifested in Talma’s use of rhythm in text-setting within the work.
Anti-aging Effects of Co-enzyme Q10 on Periodontal Tissues
Authors: Yoneda T. , Tomofuji T. , Ekuni D. , Azuma T. , Endo Y. , Kasuyama K. , Machida T. , Morita M.
Published: May 2013

Oxidative stress is associated with age-related reactions. The anti-oxidative effects of a reduced form of co-enzyme Q10 (rCoQ10) suppress oxidative stress, which may contribute to the prevention of age-related inflammatory reactions. We examined the effects of topically applied rCoQ10 on periodontal inflammatory reactions in a rat aging model. Male Fischer 344 rats, 2 (n = 6) and 4 mos (n = 18) of age, were used. All of the two-month-old rats and 6 of the four-month-old rats were sacrificed and 12 remaining four-month-old rats received topically applied ointment with or without 1% rCoQ10 on the gingival surface until they reached 6 mos of age. The rats showed an age-dependent increase in circulating oxidative stress. RCoQ10 decreased oxidative DNA damage and tartrate-resistant acid-phosphatase-positive osteoclasts in the periodontal tissue at 6 mos of age as compared with the control. The same conditions lowered gene expression of caspase-1 and interleukin-1β in the periodontal tissue. Furthermore, Nod-like receptor protein 3 inflammasomes were less activated in periodontal tissues from rCoQ10-treated rats as compared with the control rats. Our results suggest that rCoQ10 suppresses age-related inflammatory reactions and osteoclast differentiation by inhibiting oxidative stress.
Down-regulation of Smad3 Accelerates Palatal Wound Repair
Authors: Yoneda N. , Yasue A. , Watanabe T. , Tanaka E.
Published: May 2013

Smad3-deficient mice exhibit accelerated re-epithelialization and tissue remodeling during palatal wound repair. In addition, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and other inflammatory factors are down-regulated compared with those in wild-type mice. The aim of this study was to examine whether targeting of Smad3 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) accelerates wound-healing and inhibits wound contraction in palatal mucoperiosteal wounds. An initial histological examination of wound closure in mouse palates treated with Smad3-targeted siRNA vs. a scrambled siRNA found that wound-healing was accelerated when levels of Smad3 were decreased. Furthermore, with real-time PCR, mRNA levels of Smad3, TGF-β1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 ( MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α ( MIP-1α) were found to be significantly down-regulated in palatal tissue treated with Smad3–targeted siRNA vs. a control siRNA. Protein and mRNA levels of α-smooth-muscle actin (α-SMA), type I collagen, and fibronectin were also lower in palates treated with Smad3-targeted siRNA vs. control siRNA. Taken together, these results indicate that down-regulation of Smad3 expression by siRNA can accelerate wound-healing and may inhibit wound contraction. Therefore, siRNA-targeted inhibition of Smad3 may represent a valuable therapeutic tool for palatal mucoperiosteal wound-healing.
Conditions That Facilitate Music Learning Among Students With Special Needs
Authors: Gerrity Kevin W. , Hourigan Ryan M. , Horton Patrick W.
Published: May 2013

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify and define the conditions that facilitate learning in music among students with special needs. Children with special needs met once a week for 10 consecutive weeks and received instruction in primarily music as well as the other arts. The children completed pre- and posttest evaluations that served as measurements of musical ability and growth. A paired-samples t test revealed a significant difference between pre- and posttest scores. Additionally, all of the study participants (the children, each child’s parent and/or guardian, university students serving as mentors, and professionals who supervised the program) completed semistructured interviews in order to determine the conditions that may have led to the children’s musical growth. Qualitative results corroborated the quantitative results and indicated that repetition, student choice, and increased response time were considered important teaching strategies that led to student growth and learning. Likewise, having in place clear directions and expectations, a behavior plan, and fostering a positive atmosphere that was free of distractions were identified by the participants as important conditions that must be met for learning to take place. A model for including children with special needs in public school music programs is discussed.
Intelligent segmentation of jacquard warp-knitted fabric using a multiresolution Markov random field with adaptive weighting in the wavelet domain
Authors: Zhang Yang , Jiang Gaoming , Yao Junzhou , Tong Youcheng
Published: May 2013

In this paper, we propose a new approach to intelligently segment jacquard warp-knitted fabric images by combining wavelet texture decomposition, multiresolution Markov random field (MRF) modeling and Bayesian parameter estimation. Firstly, we use a flat scanner to capture eight-bit grayscale images of jacquard fabrics and adopt the Gaussian low-pass filter to decrease pixel variation due to discordant light reflection arising from uneven jacquard fabric surface. To overcome the incapacity of single resolution, multiresolution wavelet texture decomposition is employed, inspired by human visual sense procedure. Next, both intra-scale and inter-scale information are taken into account by the MRF model, in which a modified feature field model of the MRF, containing spatial noise with zero-mean Gaussian distribution, is presented in light of the inherent characteristics of jacquard warp-knitted fabric image. Afterward, an adaptive weighting function is used to weaken the defect of the potential parameter set empirically during the process of parameter estimation and image segmentation. Experimental results, used to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm especially the main novelties, prove that the approach is feasible and applicable.
Broadcasting, space, and sovereignty in India
Authors: Asthana Sanjay
Published: May 2013

This article posits that a spatial discourse can be discerned in broadcasting and media policies in India that has framed nationalism, globalization, sovereignty, and citizenship. Through a range of spatial practices, India’s nation-state has historically elaborated two overlapping modalities of power: national sovereignty from 1947 to 1990, and governmentality since 1991. To understand the spatial discourses and the modalities of power we need to move beyond methodological nationalism: that is, explanations that treat state as a container and a fixed entity, where social relations are organized within territorially bounded national spaces. The article demonstrates that the spatial discourse of the state can be grasped through a transnational framework that considers national and international as part of the wider global field of relations.
Predictors of Recurrence and Survival for Head and Neck Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma
Authors: Byrd Serena A. , Spector Matthew E. , Carey Thomas E. , Bradford Carol R. , McHugh Jonathan B.
Published: May 2013

Objective

To describe the epidemiology and determine the clinicopathologic predictors of recurrence and survival in patients with head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC).

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care hospital.

Subjects and Methods

The medical records of 101 patients who underwent surgical treatment at the University of Michigan for head and neck MEC between 1985 and 2010 were reviewed. Main outcome measures were disease‐free survival (DFS), disease‐specific survival (DSS), and overall survival. Clinicopathologic parameters evaluated were age, sex, subsite, histological grade, adjuvant therapy, T stage, nodal status with/without extracapsular spread, and margin status.

Results

Of the 101 patients, 38 parotid, 33 palate, 17 oral, 8 submandibular/sublingual, 4 orbital, and 1 parapharyngeal carcinomas were identified. All patients underwent surgical resection, 23 had postoperative radiation, and 2 had postoperative chemoradiation. The 5‐year OS and DSS was 79% and 95% with a median follow‐up of 72 and 45 months, respectively. Five‐year DFS was 76%. On univariate analysis, histological grade was a statistically significant predictor of disease‐free survival (P =. 001) and overall survival (P =. 04). Positive nodal status was a significant predictor of DSS (P =. 004). There was no statistically significant difference in DFS, DSS, or OS based on sex, age, anatomic subsite, T stage, adjuvant therapy, and margin status.

Conclusion

Advanced histological grade and positive nodal status are the strongest independent predictors of prognosis in head and neck MEC patients. Further studies into the molecular biology of MEC that may account for such clinicopathological features are currently underway.
Economic Relations with Bangladesh: China’s Ascent and India’s Decline
Authors: Sahoo Pravakar
Published: May 2013

Since 1971, India was the major trading partner of Bangladesh. However, China’s trade with Bangladesh has increased manifold in recent years to surpass India from 2004 onwards. This slowing down and change of economic relations between India and Bangladesh, coupled with strained and uncertain political relations, raise multiple concerns. This article examines the various factors that have contributed to China’s growing presence in Bangladesh as compared to India’s decline with respect to trade and investment. India has clearly lost out to China in many important industries. While reviewing and assessing recent developments, the study also presents a strategy to counter India’s declining economic influence in Bangladesh.
MORECare research methods guidance development: Recommendations for ethical issues in palliative and end-of-life care research
Authors: Gysels Marjolein , Evans Catherine J , Lewis Penney , Speck Peter , Benalia Hamid , Preston Nancy J , Grande Gunn E , Short Vicky , Owen-Jones Eleanor , Todd Chris J , Higginson Irene J
Published: May 2013

Background:

There is little guidance on the particular ethical concerns that research raises with a palliative care population.

Aim:

To present the process and outcomes of a workshop and consensus exercise on agreed best practice to accommodate ethical issues in research on palliative care.

Design:

Consultation workshop using the MORECare Transparent Expert Consultation approach. Prior to workshops, participants were sent overviews of ethical issues in palliative care. Following the workshop, nominal group techniques were used to produce candidate recommendations. These were rated online by participating experts. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse agreement and consensus. Narrative comments were collated.

Setting/participants:

Experts in ethical issues and palliative care research were invited to the Cicely Saunders Institute in London. They included senior researchers, service providers, commissioners, researchers, members of ethics committees and policy makers.

Results:

The workshop comprised 28 participants. A total of 16 recommendations were developed. There was high agreement on the issue of research participation and high to moderate agreement on applications to research ethics committees. The recommendations on obtaining and maintaining consent from patients and families were the most contentious. Nine recommendations were refined on the basis of the comments from the online consultation.

Conclusions:

The culture surrounding palliative care research needs to change by fostering collaborative approaches between all those involved in the research process. Changes to the legal framework governing the research process are required to enhance the ethical conduct of research in palliative care. The recommendations are relevant to all areas of research involving vulnerable adults.
Biomechanical Comparison of Anatomic Single- and Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions
Authors: Goldsmith Mary T. , Jansson Kyle S. , Smith Sean D. , Engebretsen Lars , LaPrade Robert F. , Wijdicks Coen A.
Published: May 2013

Background:

Arthroscopic identification of the anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) bundle locations of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has facilitated an improved quantitative description of ACL anatomy. Few studies have directly compared the biomechanical laxity of anatomic single-bundle (SB) versus anatomic double-bundle (DB) ACL reconstruction techniques based on precise anatomic descriptions.

Hypothesis:

Anatomic tunnel positioning for SB and DB reconstructions would produce comparable anterior-posterior and rotatory knee laxity.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Nine matched pairs of cadaveric knees were evaluated for the kinematics of intact, ACL-deficient, and either anatomic SB or anatomic DB ACL-reconstructed knees. Reconstruction tunnels were placed either centrally in the ACL footprint or within the AM and PL footprints. A 6 degrees of freedom robotic system was used to assess knee laxity with an 88-N anterior tibial load and a simulated pivot-shift test of combined 10-N·m valgus and 5-N·m internal tibial torques. Rotational motion was measured with internal and external torques of 5 N·m along with varus and valgus torques of 10 N·m. One-sample and 2-sample independent t tests were used to compare between groups ( P < .05).

Results:

No significant differences were found between anatomic SB and DB reconstruction groups during anterior tibial loading. Anterior tibial translations during simulated pivot shift had no significant differences between anatomic reconstruction groups. Tibial rotation for internal/external and varus/valgus torques showed no significant differences between anatomic reconstructions, with the exception of small (<3°) but statistically significant differences in internal rotation at 20° and 30° of flexion. Despite the similar behavior between the 2 anatomic reconstruction groups, neither technique was able to reproduce the intact state during an anterior tibial load.

Conclusion:

No significant differences in anterior translation were found between the anatomic SB and anatomic DB ACL reconstructions for simulated pivot shift or anterior tibial loading.

Clinical Relevance:

Although significant differences between reconstructions were observed for internal rotation, the small magnitude of these differences (<3°) may not have clinical significance.
Plastic limit speed of FGM disc due to the variation of temperature and material composition
Authors: Farimani Mahdi Rezaei , Toussi Hamid Ekhteraei
Published: May 2013

The knowledge of manufacture and analysis of functionally graded materials provides the production of rotating discs with more optimized characteristics. These characteristics may include less weight and more stiffness that consequently get more speed in rotating discs. Thermal stresses can be destructive even in uniform and steady temperature in structures made of functionally graded material due to the changes in material properties. This research studies the thermo-mechanical aspects of plastic limit speed in functionally graded material discs. A functionally graded material disc consisting of an elastic ceramic as reinforcement material and a bilinear elastic–plastic metal as matrix is modeled and studied. It is assumed that a power law function controls the volume fraction distribution of ceramic as well as the variations of the thickness. The techniques of solution consisted of variable material property and Runge-Kutta methods. To validate the solutions, the results of the two methods are compared with the FEM solution of ANSYS software. Using different techniques, the effects of temperature and material distribution on the plastic limit speed of functionally graded material discs are investigated. The study shows the consequences of the presence and amount of ceramic in the failure of functionally graded material discs.
Fabrication and electrical discharge machining of metal–matrix composites: A review
Authors: Sidhu Sarabjeet Singh , Batish Ajay , Kumar Sanjeev
Published: May 2013

Processability of metal matrix composite depends upon the appropriately chosen elements, their properties, distributions and interface between them. The ductile property of matrix embedded with ceramics reinforced particles serves to reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion and increase strength and modulus. High tool cost in traditional machining process results in limiting the application of these materials in advance technologies; hence, electric discharge machining process is a widely accepted machining option for geometrically complex-shaped components. This article presents the basic selection of elements and fabrication methods of metal matrix composites and further reviews the research work carried in the field of electric discharge machining to explore ways to improve the efficiency of the machining process. Finally, the research works carried out to measure the residual stress are also addressed, followed by concluding remarks and future scopes.
Impact of Government Funding on Donations to Arts Organizations
Authors: Kim Mirae , Van Ryzin Gregg G.
Published: May 2013

Many nonprofits rely on private donations and government grants, but it is still unclear how these sources of funding may interact or even influence each other. To examine the behavioral aspect of the crowding-out hypothesis, we conducted an online survey experiment ( n = 562) to test if government funding of a hypothetical nonprofit would influence donations. Our results show that a nonprofit with government funding, compared to an identical hypothetical organization without government funding, received 25% less in average donations (US$35 vs. US$47) and was about half as likely (21% vs. 38%) to receive all the money in a forced-choice scenario. However, the crowding-out effect of government funding appears much weaker for those who are arts patrons or who have previously contributed to the arts. Interestingly, this crowding-out effect seems insensitive to the amount of government funding and to labeling the government funding as coming from a prestigious source (e.g., National Endowment for the Arts [NEA]).
‘No somos los pobrecitos’: Negotiating stigma, identity, and need in constructions of childhood poverty in Cusco, Peru
Authors: Sinervo Aviva
Published: May 2013

In Cusco, Peru, children participating as informal vendors in the tourism industry are often stigmatized as pobrecitos – poor children who are in positions of economic and psychological vulnerability. Stereotypes about childhood poverty inform how these children can access aid or be successful vendors. Yet children also respond to such perceptions by strategically rejecting and reworking circulating ideas about their poverty. Demonstrating that there are tensions between how children are expected to display poverty to obtain resources – both revenue through the sale of souvenirs and social assistance through volunteer tourism – and how they are criticized for capitalizing on such positionality, this article argues that children creatively negotiate the meanings attached to performances and experiences of poverty. Children participate in the work of categorization, even as they must take into account the powerful emotional currency of conceptions of poverty and childhood, and the ways in which such ideas travel.
‘A daddy is the same as a mummy’: Swedish children in lesbian households talk about fathers and donors
Authors: Malmquist Anna , Möllerstrand Anna , Wikström Maria , Zetterqvist Nelson Karin
Published: May 2013

The present article discusses how 12 children (five to eight years) in planned lesbian families talk about families, parents and specifically ‘daddies’ as such and not having a father themselves. Findings from child interviews demonstrate that the children described daddies as ‘the same’ as mummies, i.e. as having the same functions. This contrasts with previous research showing how children of heterosexuals often describe mothers and fathers as different. The children varied in terms of how they labelled donors. Some children adopted the denomination ‘daddy’, drawing on a paternity discourse, while others simply referred to him as ‘a man’.
Transfer matrix measurements for studying intake wave dynamics applied to charge air coolers with experimental engine validation in the frequency domain and the time domain
Authors: Mezher Haitham , Chalet David , Migaud Jérôme , Raimbault Vincent , Chesse Pascal
Published: May 2013

The flows at the intake and the exhaust of an internal-combustion engine are most of the time simplified to a single space dimension, and the hyperbolic partial differential equations that govern the compressible and unsteady air flow are discretized and solved numerically. This method is the basis of today’s engine simulation codes. Models for complex parts such as the charge air coolers often need calibration with experimental engine data essentially for the pressure drop coefficients and the corrected lengths. Another technique for understanding wave action inside the pipes of an internal-combustion engine is to use the reciprocating nature of the engine itself and to gain access to the frequency spectrum of the pressure and the mass flow signals. This was achieved in this paper using a dedicated dynamic bench that identifies a transfer matrix which is defined in terms of the pressure and the mass flow rate. This new transfer matrix technique permits the dynamic pressure and the mass flow to be identified under similar conditions to those encountered in an engine. The transfer matrix is measured for two charge air cooler geometries and validated using experimental engine measurements. The results and methodology are explained in the frequency domain and the time domain, and the future objectives and perspectives discussed.
Review of experimental investigations into the design, performance and optimization of the Savonius rotor
Authors: Roy Sukanta , Saha Ujjwal K
Published: May 2013

The Savonius rotor is a drag-based vertical axis wind turbine and is used as an alternative source in small-scale energy generation. Design simplicity, low-cost, easy installation, good starting ability, relatively low operating speed and independent to wind directions are the main advantages of this rotor. However, because of its low efficiency and high negative torque produced by the returning blade, this rotor concept rarely gained popularity. Over the last few decades, although a number of investigations around the world have reported performance gains of the Savonius rotor, the available technical design is still not able to fulfill the demand of efficient small-scale wind energy converter at low wind speeds. Until now, various design changes have been proposed to meet a growth in power output through optimization of influencing variables like aspect ratio, overlap ratio, blade material, and so forth. Investigations have also been carried out by installing additional devices like curtain design, deflector plate, nozzle and ducts, multi-staging, guide-box tunnel and windshields. Installation of these devices considerably reduced the negative torque as well as improved the starting performance of the rotor. As a result, the power output of the rotor is also improved. Several researchers have reported increased power coefficients for various rotor designs based on their different testing parameters. Power coefficients for the conventional Savonius rotors have been mostly reported in the range of 0.12–0.18 and by optimizing its design, it can reach as high as 0.38. This article attempts to discuss the various influencing parameters as well as the augmentation techniques. This would offer an overall idea on the progress that has taken place to improve the design and performance of the Savonius rotor.
The impact of reading for pleasure on blind and partially sighted adults and its implications for materials provision
Authors: Spacey Rachel , Creaser Claire , Hicks Debbie
Published: May 2013

This article reports the findings of research commissioned by the Royal National Institute of Blind People to explore the impacts of reading for pleasure on blind and partially sighted adults. Data were collected via interviews, an online survey and six case studies. The results reveal that for 82% of participants reading for pleasure was ‘very important’ especially to relax and 59% of participants read for more than 10 hours a week. Multiple reading formats including traditional hard copy and digital formats were used by 85% of participants. The implications for materials provision and presentation for libraries and charitable organisations are considered in light of the findings.
Validity and Reliability of Survey Items and Pictograms for Use in a National Household Survey of Tobacco Use in Cambodia
Authors: Singh Pramil N. , Khieng Sothy , Yel Daravuth , Nguyen Duc , Job Jayakaran S.
Published: May 2013

The validity of survey measures of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in the Western Pacific Region is often unknown. We conducted a validation study (n = 201) in a random sample of rural adults in Cambodia. A comparison with salivary cotinine indicated (1) that survey items and pictograms of current tobacco use had an 87% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 78%-93%) sensitivity, 94% specificity (95% CI = 87%-98%), and 93% (95% CI = 85%-97%) positive predictive value in detecting cotinine levels >10 ng/mL; (2) a positive correlation with number of cigarettes smoked ( R = 0.34; P = .01); and (3) a positive correlation with the amount of tobacco chewed ( R = 0.44; P = .02). The validity of the index for the amount of smokeless tobacco used was enhanced by adding to the index the data from pictograms that were utilized to help participants estimate the amount of loose tobacco used per session. These tobacco items and pictograms were found to have excellent reliability (κ = 0.80-1) over 2 to 3 weeks. Interviewer-administered survey items and pictograms can provide an accurate, quantitative measure of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in rural Cambodia.
A Field of Expertise, the Organization, or Science Itself? Scientists’ Perception of Representing Research in Public Communication
Authors: Horst Maja
Published: May 2013

Social and political interest in science regularly prompts scientists to assume the role of public spokesperson. The article investigates this role of representing science as both “speaking on behalf of” science and symbolically “standing for” science and its organizations. With inspiration from the field of organizational communication, it is argued that science communication should be considered as an activity intimately linked with perceptions of identity and organizational culture. When scientists communicate publicly, they do not just disseminate knowledge, they also represent a particular sense making about what science, scientists, and scientific organizations are. Based on a qualitative analysis of 20 leading Danish scientists’ views on their own role in public communication, three different modes of representation are identified: Expert, Research Manager, and Guardian of Science. Each of these modes of representation implies particular notions of quality, audience, motivation, and learning in science communication.