bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non‐invasive diagnosis of liver steatosis using controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and transient elastography
Authors: de Lédinghen Victor , Vergniol Julien , Foucher Juliette , Merrouche Wassil , le Bail Brigitte
Published: June 2012

Introduction

Recently, a study showed that Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP), evaluated with transient elastography, could efficiently separate steatosis grades. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the performance of CAP for the diagnosis of steatosis in patients with chronic liver disease.

Patients and methods

Consecutive patients with chronic liver disease had steatosis diagnosis using CAP, blood sample and liver biopsy. Steatosis was graded as the percentage of hepatocytes with fat: S0 ≤ 10%, S1: 11 ~ 33%, S2: 34 ~ 66%, S3 ≥ 67%.

Results

Characteristics of the 112 patients included were as follows: age 54 years, BMI 26 kg m−², HCV 36%, NAFLD 25%. Steatosis repartition was: S0 52%, S1 19%, S2 14%, S3 15%. CAP was significantly correlated with SteatoTest, Fatty Liver Index (FLI), percentage of steatosis on liver biopsy, steatosis grade and slightly with liver stiffness, but not with fibrosis and activity grade on liver biopsy. Using CAP vs SteatoTest vs FLI score, Area Under the Receiver‐Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves (AUROC)s were 0.84 vs 0.72 vs 0.72 for the diagnosis of steatosis ≥ S1, 0.86 vs 0.73 vs 0.71 for the diagnosis of steatosis ≥ S2, and 0.93 vs 0.73 vs 0.75 for the diagnosis of steatosis S3 respectively. For a sensitivity ≥ 90%, cut‐offs of CAP were 215 dB m−1 for S ≥ 1, 252 dB m−1 for S ≥ 2, and 296 dB m−1 for S3.

Conclusion

CAP is very efficient to detect even low grade steatosis. CAP being implemented on FibroScan® (Echosens, Paris, France), both steatosis and fibrosis can be evaluated simultaneously, enlarging the spectrum of non‐invasive techniques for the management of chronic liver diseases.
Flii neutralizing antibodies improve wound healing in porcine preclinical studies
Authors: Jackson Jessica E. , Kopecki Zlatko , Adams Damian H. , Cowin Allison J.
Published: June 2012

Wound healing is an important area of widely unmet medical need, with millions of procedures carried out worldwide which could potentially benefit from a product to improve the wound repair process. Our studies investigating the actin‐remodeling protein Flightless I (Flii) show it to be an important regulator of wound healing. Flii‐deficient mice have enhanced wound healing in comparison to Flii overexpressing mice which have impaired wound healing. For the first time, we show that a Flightless I neutralizing monoclonal antibody (FnAb) therapy is effective in a large animal model of wound repair. Porcine 5 cm incisional and 6.25 cm2 excisional wounds were treated with FnAb at the time of wounding and for two subsequent days. The wounds were dressed in Tegaderm dressings and left to heal by secondary intention for 7 and 35 days, respectively. At the relevant end points, the wounds were excised and processed for histological analysis. Parameters of wound area, collagen deposition, and scar appearance were analyzed. The results show that treatment with FnAb accelerates reepithelialization and improves the macroscopic appearance of early scars. FnAbs have the potential to enhance wound repair and reduce scar formation.
The Impact of Introducing Insurance Guaranty Schemes on Pricing and Capital Structure
Authors: Schmeiser Hato , Wagner Joël
Published: June 2012

Abstract

The introduction of an insurance guaranty scheme can have significant influence on the pricing and capital structures in a competitive market. The aim of this article is to study this effect on competitive equity–premium combinations while considering a framework with policyholders and equity holders where guaranty fund charges are volume‐based, as levied in existing schemes. Several settings with regard to the origin of the fund contributions are assessed and the immediate effects on the incentives of the policyholders and equity holders are analyzed through a one‐period contingent claim approach. One result is that introducing a guaranty scheme in a market with competitive conditions entails a shift of equity capital towards minimum solvency requirements. Hence, adverse incentives may arise with regard to the overall security level of the industry.
Pharmacologic Preconditioning Therapy Prior to Atrial Septal Defect Closure in Patients at High Risk for Acute Pulmonary Edema
Authors: GRUNER CHRISTIANE , AKKAYA ERSAN , KRETSCHMAR OLIVER , ROFFI MARCO , CORTI ROBERTO , JENNI ROLF , EBERLI FRANZ R.
Published: June 2012

Objectives:
 The aim of this study was to assess whether transient atrial septal defect (ASD) occlusion and, if required, vasodilator therapy would improve the safety of percutaneous ASD closure in high‐risk subsets.

Background:
 While percutaneous ASD closure is generally considered a low risk intervention, hypertensive and elderly patients may develop pulmonary edema following the procedure because of underlying left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction.

Methods:
 Fifty‐two consecutive patients who underwent successful percutaneous ASD closures were enrolled into a single‐center prospective registry. Patients with arterial hypertension and/or >60 years of age (n = 15) were considered at risk for periprocedural pulmonary edema. Those patients were tested for an increase of LV filling pressures during transient ASD occlusion and, if this was the case, treated according to a prespecified algorithm. Clinical and echocardiography data were collected in‐hospital and at 6 months follow‐up.

Results:
 Shunt size was comparable in high and standard‐risk patients (Qp:Qs 2.1 ± 0.8 vs. 2.1 ± 0.7, P = 0.82). High‐risk patients had more often pulmonary hypertension (58% vs. 14%, P < 0.05) and were more frequently symptomatic. Among them, 4/15 (27%) demonstrated a significant rise of left‐sided filling pressures during transient ASD balloon occlusion and underwent pharmacologic preconditioning prior to ASD closure. None of them developed periprocedural pulmonary edema. At follow‐up, patients were less symptomatic (Pre: NYHA II n = 15, NYHA III n = 9; Post: NYHA II n = 15, NYHA III n = 0; P = 0.02) and right ventricular size decreased from 23 ± 5 cm2 to 17 ± 5 cm2, P < 0.05.

Conclusion:
 Transient ASD occlusion and, if required, pharmacologic preconditioning prior to percutaneous closure may prevent periprocedural pulmonary edema in high‐risk patients. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:505–512)
Cell Phones to Collect Pregnancy Data From Remote Areas in Liberia
Authors: Lori Jody R. , Munro Michelle L. , Boyd Carol J. , Andreatta Pamela
Published: June 2012

Purpose: To report findings on knowledge and skill acquisition following a 3‐day training session in the use of short message service (SMS) texting with non‐ and low‐literacy traditional midwives.

Design: A pre‐ and post‐test study design was used to assess knowledge and skill acquisition with 99 traditional midwives on the use of SMS texting for real‐time, remote data collection in rural Liberia, West Africa.

Methods: Paired sample t‐tests were conducted to establish if overall mean scores varied significantly from pre‐test to immediate post‐test. Analysis of variance was used to compare means across groups. The nonparametric McNemar's test was used to determine significant differences between the pre‐test and post‐test values of each individual step involved in SMS texting. Pearson's chi‐square test of independence was used to examine the association between ownership of cell phones within a family and achievement of the seven tasks.

Findings: The mean increase in cell phone knowledge scores was 3.67, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 3.39 to 3.95. Participants with a cell phone in the family did significantly better on three of the seven tasks in the pre‐test: “turns cell on without help” (χ2(1) = 9.15, p= .003); “identifies cell phone coverage” (χ2(1) = 5.37, p= .024); and “identifies cell phone is charged” (χ2(1) = 4.40, p= .042).

Conclusions: A 3‐day cell phone training session with low‐ and nonliterate traditional midwives in rural Liberia improved their ability to use mobile technology for SMS texting.

Clinical Relevance: Mobile technology can improve data collection accessibility and be used for numerous health care and public health issues. Cell phone accessibility holds great promise for collecting health data in low‐resource areas of the world.

Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2012; 00:0, 1–8.
Between the Dock and a Hard Place: Hazards and Opportunities of Legal Pluralism for Indigenous Women in Ecuador
Authors: Picq Manuela Lavinas
Published: June 2012

This article examines the challenges and opportunities of indigenous justice for women in Ecuador. The legal recognition of indigenous justice is a major component of democratization in the region. Yet it also raises the risk of institutionalizing detrimental gender biases within indigenous forms of law. Taking the Remache case as a point of departure, this article identifies some of the fault lines in legal pluralism and women's conflicted relationship with it. Rather than rejecting customary law, however, women advocate for their rights within it—lobbying for gender parity within indigenous justice in the 2008 Constitutional Assembly. As women's support for indigenous justice relocates legal authority, it also challenges conventional practices of state sovereignty. To understand the attractiveness of legal pluralism for women and its impact on the state, this study explores the confines of feminist alliances, the accessibility of indigenous justice, and its implications for state sovereignty.
Pluralism and the Churching of Latin America
Authors: Stark Rodney , Smith Buster G.
Published: June 2012

Reliable data on Protestant and Catholic membership in 18 Latin American nations show that Protestants have recruited a larger percentage of the population in many nations than previously estimated. Analysis of these data shows that, as predicted by the theory of religious economies, the Catholic Church has been invigorated by the Protestant challenge: Catholic mass attendance has risen to unprecedented levels, and is highest in nations where Protestants have made the greatest gains.
Keeping Up with the Souzas: Social Influence and Electoral Change in a Weak Party System, Brazil 2002–2006
Authors: Ames Barry , García-Sánchez Miguel , Smith Amy Erica
Published: June 2012

Despite weak partisanship and considerable political change in the wake of the 2002 election, three-quarters of Brazilian voters supported a presidential candidate in 2006 from the same party they had backed in 2002. This article assesses the factors causing both electoral stability and electoral change with a transition model, a model testing whether the effects of respondents' evaluative criteria depend on their initial vote choices. Social context—personal discussion networks, neighborhood influences, and the interactions of social networks and municipal context—is the major force promoting stability and change, while the impact of partisanship is limited to a small share of voters.
The Concertación's Defeat in Chile's 2009–2010 Presidential Elections
Authors: Quiroga Mauricio Morales
Published: June 2012

The Concertación lost the recent presidential elections in Chile after 20 years in office. This article proposes three explanations for this result. First, the Concertación's candidate selection process through primaries was exclusionary, without opening up participation to all potential applicants. This combined with a deep erosion of the coalition, reflected in the resignation of deputies and senators from parties that compose it. The process was accelerated with the emergence of an independent candidate, formerly from the Concertación. Second, the candidate from the right increased his vote in the poorest sectors and expanded the right's constituency to middle-class segments, traditional Concertación electoral strongholds. Third, the right achieved greater electoral consistency than the Concertación by reducing the number of voters who split their tickets. Its presidential candidate obtained almost the same percentage as its list of deputies.
Haiti's Post-Earthquake Transformation: What of Agriculture and Rural Development?
Authors: Shamsie Yasmine
Published: June 2012

This article examines post-earthquake aid to agriculture and food security in Haiti. It argues that the much-heralded increase in assistance to rural development is likely to fall short of expectations because it comes with a superficial rebranding of a not very useful approach. Macroeconomic policy content remains largely nonnegotiable, full trade liberalization is still favored, and a reliance on free market forces that tend to favor relatively well off, export-oriented farmers still lingers. Furthermore, conflicting approaches to addressing food insecurity highlight an already severe democratic deficit. It appears that the contours of agricultural and food security policy, and hence the destinies of rural Haitians, stand to be shaped from the outside yet again. While new aid resources may offer some modest relief, they hold out only limited opportunities for addressing the profound deprivations and disparities that afflict the rural hinterland.
Fabrication of Transparent Alumina by Rapid Vacuum Pressureless Sintering Technology
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Liang Sen , Zhang Pei , Zhao Ting , Bai Yu , Bao Chong‐Gao , Yang Jian‐Feng , Qiao Guan‐Jun
Published: June 2012

Transparent alumina with high transmission has been first successfully prepared by rapid vacuum pressureless sintering processing at lower sintering temperature and reduced soaking time, compared with conventional pressureless sintering. The alumina sintered at 1670°C for 5 min has a residual porosity of 0.002% and a real in‐line transmission of 64% for a wavelength of 1100 nm. We show that soaking time has an effect on the densification and transparency of alumina sintered at 1650°C. With increasing sintering temperature and soaking time, densification and grain growth occurred, and above 20 min, grain size increases slowly. The real in‐line transmission of alumina increased with the densification and decreased with pore size growth. The light transmission and absorption were greatly affected by the grain size and pore defects.
Combined Structural and Quantitative Texture Analysis of Morphotropic Phase Boundary Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Amorín Harvey , Chateigner Daniel , Holc Janez , Kosec Marija , Algueró Miguel , Ricote Jesús
Published: June 2012

The combination of the quantitative texture analysis and Rietveld methods is used to study the preferential orientation of morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 ceramics obtained by homogeneous Templated Grain Growth. Their complex structure, with the coexistence of several polymorphs, and the presence of texture that is required to take advantage of their excellent piezoelectric properties, raise serious problems for a precise characterization of these materials. Conventional methods of texture analysis, although simple, are limited, and the information obtained, if not studied with care, may be misleading. The use of linear detectors and χ‐scan are more appropriate for the study of diffraction peaks with several contributions as it is the case for MPB compositions. This work shows the simultaneous determination of structural and texture parameters through the application of the so‐called combined method, already used for the analysis of similar problems in a range of polycrystalline materials, to this specific case.
Dielectric and Relaxor Properties of Ba9MNb14O45 Ceramics
Authors: Ovchar Oleg , Durilin Dmitrii , Belous Anatolii , Jančar Boštjan , Kolodiazhnyi Taras
Published: June 2012

The ceramics with two types of nominal compositions including (6:1:4.5) Ba6M2+Nb9O29.5 and (9:1:7) Ba9M2+Nb14O45 (M = Mg, Co, Zn) have been synthesized and studied with regard to their phase composition and dielectric properties. The materials with Ba6M2+Nb9O29.5 nominal compositions corresponded to the two‐phase region containing 9:1:7 tetragonal tungsten bronze‐type (TTB) phase and the 3:1:1 perovskite Ba(M2+1/3Nb2/3)O3. In contrast, 9:1:7 TTB ceramics were near single phase. All of the studied 9:1:7 TTB phases exhibited high values of dielectric permittivity (ε = 800–1100) together with strong frequency dispersion. The observed dispersion of permittivity was accompanied by the monotonic rise of dielectric loss. The dielectric spectra of 9:1:7 TTBs demonstrated a typical relaxor behavior. At low temperatures (100–300 K), two relaxation modes have been found in the tan δ (T) dependencies, which can be associated with two different types of structural disorder in the TTB crystal lattice.
Elastic Properties of Tricalcium Aluminate from High‐Pressure Experiments and First‐Principles Calculations
Authors: Moon Juhyuk , Yoon Seyoon , Wentzcovitch Renata M. , Clark Simon M. , Monteiro Paulo J.M.
Published: June 2012

The structure and elasticity of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) have been experimentally and theoretically studied. From high‐pressure X‐ray diffraction experiments, the bulk modulus of 102(6) and 110(3) GPa were obtained by fitting second‐ and third‐order finite strain equation of state, respectively. First‐principles calculations with a generalized gradient approximation gave an isotropic bulk modulus of 102.1 GPa and an isothermal bulk modulus of 106.0 GPa. The static calculations using the exchange‐correlation functional show an excellent agreement with the experimental measurements. Based on the agreement, accurate elastic constants and other elastic moduli were computed. The slight difference of behavior at high pressure can be explained by the infiltration of pressure‐transmitting silicone oil into structural holes in C3A. The computed elastic and mechanical properties will be useful in understanding structural and mechanical properties of cementitious materials, particularly with the increasing interest in the advanced applications at the nanoscale.
Radiographic and clinical outcomes of implants placed in ridge preserved sites: a 12‐month post‐loading follow‐up
Authors: Patel K. , Mardas N. , Donos N.
Published: June 2012

Objective

The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the interproximal radiographic bone levels and the survival/success rate of dental implants placed in alveolar ridges previously preserved with a synthetic bone substitute or a bovine xenograft.

Material and methods

Alveolar ridge preservation was performed in 27 patients who were randomly assigned in two groups. In the test group (n = 14), the extraction socket was treated with a synthetic bone graft Straumann Bone Ceramic; SBC and a collagen barrier, whereas in the control group (n = 13) a deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) and the same collagen barrier were used. After 8 months of healing, titanium dental implants with a hydrophilic surface were placed in the preserved ridges. During surgery, 9/13 implants in the SBC group and 8/12 implants in the DBBM group presented with either dehiscence or fenestration defects and required additional bone augmentation. The implants were loaded at 4 months following placement and were followed up for 1 year post‐loading. Interproximal radiographic bone levels were evaluated in standardized periapical radiographs at loading and 1 year post‐loading. Probing pocket depth, gingival recession and bleeding upon probing were recorded at implants and neighbouring teeth. The success rate of the implants was evaluated according to criteria set by Albrektsson et al. (1986).

Results

The survival rate of the implants in both groups was 100% at 1‐year post‐loading. No statistically significant differences in any of the clinical and radiographic measurements were detected between the two groups (P < 0.05). The success rate of the implants was 84.6% (11/13) in the SBC group and 83.3% (10/12) in the DBBM group.

Conclusion

Equivalent success and survival rates (as well as similar radiographic changes) of dental implants placed in alveolar ridges previously preserved with SBC or DBBM should be anticipated.
Age‐related changes of skin blood flow during postocclusive reactive hyperemia in human
Authors: Tikhonova Irina V. , Tankanag Arina V. , Chemeris Nikolay K.
Published: June 2012

Background/Purpose

The objective was to study age‐related alterations in the time‐amplitude characteristics of the oscillatory components of peripheral blood flow in healthy humans during postocclusive reactive hyperemia.

Methods

Forearm blood skin perfusion was studied by the method of laser Doppler flowmetry in 120 healthy volunteers, who were divided into two age groups: young (19–30 years old; n = 82) and middle‐age (30–60 years old; n = 38). The forearm occlusion approach was used to reveal the reaction of the microvascular bed to transient ischemia. To estimate the age‐related changes of separate oscillatory components of LDF signals during postocclusive reactive hyperemia, we applied adaptive time‐amplitude wavelet analysis.

Results

A statistically significant increase in the skin blood perfusion after occlusion removal was revealed: 4‐fold in the 1st and 3.5‐fold in the 2nd group respectively. Both the amplitude of blood flow oscillations at rest and the postocclusive growth of the amplitude showed an age‐related decline in the frequency intervals associated with the myogenic (0.052–0.145 Hz), sympathetic (0.021–0.052 Hz) and endothelial (0.0095–0.021 Hz) activity.

Conclusion

The time‐amplitude characteristics of the oscillatory components of peripheral blood flow depend on age, with the dependence becoming more evident after a transient ischemia.
Lesion classification using 3D skin surface tilt orientation
Authors: She Zhishun , Excell P. S.
Published: June 2012

Background/purpose

Current non‐invasive diagnostic procedures to detect skin cancer rely on two‐dimensional (2D) views of the skin surface. For example, the most commonly‐used ABCD features are extracted from the 2D images of skin lesion. However, because the skin surface is an object in three‐dimensional (3D) space, valuable additional information can be obtained from a perspective of 3D skin objects. The aim of this work is to discover the new diagnostic features by considering 3D views of skin artefacts.

Methods

A surface tilt orientation parameter was proposed to quantify the skin and the lesion in 3D space. The skin pattern was first extracted from simply captured white light optical clinical (WLC) skin images by high‐pass filtering. Then the directions of the projected skin lines were determined by skin pattern analysis. Next the surface tilt orientations of skin and lesion were estimated using the shape from texture technique. Finally the difference of tilt orientation in the lesion and normal skin areas, combined with the ABCD features, was used as a lesion classifier.

Results

The proposed method was validated by processing a set of images of malignant melanoma and benign naevi. The scatter plot of classification using the feature of surface tilt orientation alone showed the potential of the new 3D feature, enclosing an area of 0.78 under the ROC curve. The scatter plot of classification, combining the new feature with the ABCD features by use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), demonstrated an excellent separation of benign and malignant lesions. An ROC plot for this case enclosed an area of 0.85. Compared with the ABCD analysis where the area under the ROC curve was 0.65, it indicated that the surface tilt orientation (3D information) was able to enhance the classification results significantly.

Conclusions

The initial classification results show that the surface tilt orientation has a potential to increase lesion classifier accuracy. Combined with the ABCD features, it is very promising to distinguish malignant melanoma from benign lesions.
Emergency presentation of emboli to multiple sites from an atrial myxoma
Authors: Nicholls Gordon Michael , Clearwater Garry
Published: June 2012

A middle aged man presented to our ED with back pain and confusion, had evidence of acute arterial insufficiency to his lower limbs and myocardial infarction on initial ECG. His workup included an urgent CT, which revealed a filling defect in his dilated left atrium, renal and splenic infarcts, and an embolism in his left internal iliac artery. Urgent embolectomy and fasciotomy could not save his left lower limb, and emergency cardiac surgery was required to excise an atrial myxoma. A brief narrative review of the literature is also presented, with this case being unusual in causing such widespread concurrent multiple organ damage, including stroke and myocardial infarct.
Traumatic appendicitis in minor blunt abdominal injury
Authors: Paschos Konstantinos A , Boulas Konstantinos , Liapis Apostolos , Georgiou Eleftheria , Vrakas Xenos
Published: June 2012

Trauma has been reported as a cause of appendicitis on several cases in the literature. The present study reports the relationship between blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) of injury severity score less than 4 and appendicitis. A 17‐year‐old girl developed appendicitis after a minor BAT. An ecchymosis at the right lower quadrant misled the diagnosis, which was made 1 day later. Laparotomy revealed an inflamed appendix, a few enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, contusion, as well as punctuated bleeding sites of the caecum. Moreover, based on a brief literature review, the different pathophysiological mechanisms and the difficulties of diagnosis of this entity are discussed. It is suggested that appendicitis should be considered as a possibility in the setting of right lower quadrant pain following minor BAT, when there is clinical suspicion of an inflammatory process within the right iliac fossa.
Empirical analysis of content of support in regional intractable disease consultation
Authors: YAJIMA Masae , KANDA Kiyoko
Published: June 2012

Aim:  The purpose of this research is to study the content of support provided by nurses who were employed in a regional intractable disease consultation project.

Methods:  The content of support was classified using records of 943 consultations with intractable disease patients and their families conducted over a 5 year period in a regional intractable disease consultation project in one prefecture of Japan as the subject of analysis. The number of recording units in respective categories was compared.

Results:  A total of 1276 recording units were extracted from the data and organized into two major categories, eight minor categories, and 24 subcategories. The major category [Support for problem solving by patients' and their families' own efforts] comprised four minor categories, which have the aims of respect of the independence of the patient and patient's family and support for the solution of problems. The major category [Coordination with support division] comprised four minor categories, as support for problems which are difficult for the patient and their family to solve.

Conclusion:  The distinctive features of regional intractable disease consultations conducted by nurses are support from the combined viewpoints of medical care and everyday life, specialized support based on the features of the patient's disease, and coordination with close support persons. In education for nurses who are to be employed in this field, it is necessary to develop competence in responding to the specialized support needs of intractable diseases and coordination of support persons.
Nursing children after a disaster: A qualitative study of nurse volunteers and children after the Haiti earthquake
Authors: Sloand Elizabeth , Ho Grace , Klimmek Rachel , Pho Anthony , Kub Joan
Published: June 2012

Purpose.  The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of nurse volunteers caring for children after the Haiti earthquake in January 2010.

Design and Methods.  This descriptive qualitative study using in‐depth interviews focuses on the experiences of 10 nurse volunteers.

Results.  Four themes emerged: hope amid devastation, professional compromises, universality of children, and emotional impact on nurses.

Practice Implications.  Nurses who volunteer after natural disasters have rich personal and professional experiences, including extremes of sadness and joy. Nurse volunteers will likely need to care for children. Nurses and humanitarian agencies should prepare for the unique challenges of pediatric care.
Contrasting Demographic Structure of Short‐ and Long‐lived Pioneer Tree Species on Amazonian Forest Edges
Authors: Santos Graciliano G. A. , Santos Bráulio A. , Nascimento Henrique E. M. , Tabarelli Marcelo
Published: June 2012

Although tropical forests have been rapidly converted into human‐modified landscapes, tree species response to forest edges remains poorly examined. In this study, we addressed four pioneer tree species to document demographic shifts experienced by this key ecological group and make inferences about pioneer response to forest edges. All individuals with dbh ≥ 1 cm of two short‐lived (Bellucia grossularioides and Cecropia sciadophylla) and two long‐lived species (Goupia glabra and Laetia procera) were sampled in 20 1‐ha forest edge plots and 20 1‐ha forest interior plots in Oiapoque and Manaus, Northeast and Central Amazon, respectively. As expected, pioneer stem density with dbh ≥ 1 cm increased by around 10–17‐fold along forest edges regardless of species, lifespan, and study site. Edge populations of long‐lived pioneers presented 84–94 percent of their individuals in sapling/subadult size classes, whereas edge populations of short‐lived pioneers showed 56–97 percent of their individuals in adult size classes. These demographic biases were associated with negative and positive net adult recruitment of long‐ and short‐lived pioneers, respectively. Our population‐level analyses support three general statements: (1) native pioneer tree species proliferate along forest edges (i.e., increased density), at least in terms of non‐reproductive individuals; (2) pioneer response to edge establishment is not homogeneous as species differ in terms of demographic structure and net adult recruitment; and (3) some pioneer species, particularly long‐lived ones, may experience population decline due to adult sensitivity to edge‐affected habitats.
A STABLE ARTIFICIAL TEST FOOD SUITABLE FOR LABELING TO QUANTIFY SELECTION AND BREAKAGE IN SUBJECTS WITH IMPAIRED CHEWING ABILITY
Authors: VAN DER GLAS HILBERT W. , AL‐IBRAHIM ANAS , LYONS MERVYN F.
Published: June 2012

Color‐ and form‐labeled particles of Optosil (version 1980, a silicone rubber, Bayer, Leverkusen, Germany) have been used previously to quantify the underlying processes of food comminution, i.e., selection and breakage, in subjects with normal dentitions. The aim of this present study was to develop a weakened Optosil that is suitable for the study of selection and breakage in subjects with impaired chewing ability. Half cubes (4.8 × 9.6 × 9.6 mm) were subjected to load tests to determine the force, deformation and work at particle fracture for periods of up to 6 months. Methods of modifying Optosil were (1) heat‐treating the base material to produce “Optosoft”; (2) mixing the base of Optosil or Optosoft with a nonprescribed catalyst (Verone, Davis Schott Lander & Davis Ltd, Herts, England) to produce “Optoweak” or “Optosoft‐weak” and (3) heating half cubes that were preweakened. A weakened and stable test food that is suitable for labeling and reuse has been obtained by color‐dyeing the Optosoft base and using Verone (“dyed‐Optosoft‐weak”).

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Every chewing cycle begins with selection, in which food particles have a chance to be placed between the teeth in such a way that they are at least damaged, if not broken, by the subsequent breakage process. Bite force is reduced in certain patients, e.g., patients with neuromuscular diseases, following orthognathic surgery and in full denture wearers, and the action of the tongue and cheeks differs when compared with healthy individuals. Both factors are important in selection and breakage. The artificial test food Optosil has a large fracture force so that it is difficult to chew for subjects with an impaired chewing ability. This problem has been solved by developing a weaker test food, i.e., “dyed‐Optosoft‐weak.” This test food allows the study of selection and breakage in general with color‐ and form‐labeled particles and to determine the effect of medication, orthognathic surgery or oral implants on these processes.
Women’s Status in the Context of International Migration
Authors: Gu Chien‐Juh
Published: June 2012

International migration creates unique gendered work‐family contexts that profoundly affect individual lives in various ways. This paper examines how immigration impacts women’s status in the labor force and in the family. Immigrant women who are laborers, self‐employed entrepreneurs, and professionals experience very different changes in gender relations and work status resulting from immigration. While some become more egalitarian, others remain patriarchal; some enter the paid labor force for the first time, whereas others retreat from prominent careers to become homemakers; some are powerful in certain areas but vulnerable in others. Immigrant women’s gains and losses in their work and family domains are full of variations, contradictions, and constraints. In addition to reviewing the current state of knowledge in this area of study, this paper discusses parallels across scholarly work, inadequacies in the literature, and directions for future research.
Inequalities in the (De‐)Commodification of Labour: Immigration, the Nation State, and Labour Market Stratification
Authors: McGovern Patrick
Published: June 2012

In an era when globalization has supposedly challenged the ability of the nation state to manage economic affairs, I shall argue that the state not only still matters but that it also plays a major role in processes of labour market stratification for migrant workers. Using the organizing concepts of commodification and de‐commodification I review the growing comparative literature on government policies for economic migration to show how skill‐based admissions policies, restrictions on freedom of employment, as well as differential access to social rights and citizenship generate durable forms of categorical inequality. What is perhaps unique about economic immigration is that these inequalities are underpinned by legislation and, in the case of the highly skilled, requirements for formal certification. The paper concludes by calling for further research within this rapidly growing field to explain how these complex patterns of inequality have emerged and whether they extend beyond the small number of cases that have been examined repeatedly in the existing literature.
Delinquency Interrupted: Research into and Inside of Juvenile Correctional Facilities
Authors: Inderbitzin Michelle
Published: June 2012

Incarcerated juveniles are a largely invisible population in the United States. Research into training schools and other juvenile correctional facilities has uncovered a sordid history of good intentions and bad practices. Juvenile correctional facilities are generally considered a less harmful environment for serious delinquents than adult prisons but a much more severe sanction than alternative community programs or treatment would be. Studies have shown that juveniles in confinement face similar deprivation and many of the same pains of imprisonment (Sykes 1958) as adult prisoners, but the more pressing threat to adolescent inmates may be to their psychological selves rather than their physical being. New research on adolescent brain development is garnering attention and sparking questions about the culpability and punishment of juvenile offenders, even as public opinion research suggests that there is fairly widespread support for rehabilitation and a social‐welfare oriented juvenile justice system. By listening and giving voice to incarcerated youth and their “keepers,” investigating the conditions of confinement, and continuing to evaluate programs and outcomes, researchers are positioned to play a key role in the future of juvenile justice and juvenile correctional facilities.
Informer les cotisants des régimes de pension: recommandations pour l'Espagne à la lumière de l'expérience internationale
Authors: Regúlez‐Castillo Marta , Vidal‐Meliá Carlos
Published: June 2012

Le présent article vise à définir quelques grands principes qui pourraient servir de base à la mise au point d'une lettre d'information à destination des cotisants du régime de pension espagnol s'il était décidé de recourir à ce type d'instrument. Nous analysons, en nous appuyant sur l'expérience internationale et sur les études publiées dans ce domaine, le concept «d'informations individuelles sur les pensions» et en présentons les principales caractéristiques. Nous décrivons ensuite de façon détaillée deux des modèles adoptés pour diffuser des informations individuelles sur les pensions (celui des Etats‐Unis et celui de la Suède), en nous attachant plus particulièrement à la structure de ces deux modèles, à la manière dont ils pourraient être améliorés et à leurs limites. Enfin, nous émettons des recommandations pour la mise au point d'un tel système d'information en Espagne.
Une idée d'une étonnante simplicité? Les freins à la mise en œuvre d'une allocation universelle
Authors: De Wispelaere Jurgen , Stirton Lindsay
Published: June 2012

Cet article envisage la mise en œuvre d'une allocation universelle, un sujet peu traité dans les travaux de recherches menés sur le revenu minimum. Nous relevons et étudions trois freins majeurs susceptibles d'empêcher un régime d'allocation universelle d'atteindre la portée universelle souhaitée et prônée par ses partisans: a) gérer le registre de tous les bénéficiaires potentiels au sein de la population afin de toucher un nombre maximal de personnes, b) définir des modalités de paiement rigoureuses qui puissent s'appliquer à tous les bénéficiaires, et c) prévoir un dispositif de supervision dans un contexte politique qui s'oppose au contrôle des assurés. Nous estimons que la mise en œuvre d'une allocation universelle soulève des questions particulières que les défenseurs de ce système doivent étudier de manière approfondie.
Evolution and the microbial control of insects
Authors: Cory Jenny S. , Franklin Michelle T.
Published: June 2012

Insect pathogens can be utilized in a variety of pest management approaches, from inundative release to augmentation and classical biological control, and microevolution and the consideration of evolutionary principles can potentially influence the success of all these strategies. Considerable diversity exists in natural entomopathogen populations and this diversity can be either beneficial or detrimental for pest suppression, depending on the pathogen and its mode of competition, and this should be considered in the selection of isolates for biological control. Target hosts can exhibit considerable variation in their susceptibility to entomopathogens, and cases of field‐evolved resistance have been documented for Bacillus thuringiensis and baculoviruses. Strong selection, limited pathogen diversity, reduced gene flow, and host plant chemistry are linked to cases of resistance and should be considered when developing resistance management strategies. Pre‐ and post‐release monitoring of microbial control programs have received little attention; however, to date there have been no reports of host‐range evolution or long‐term negative effects on nontarget hosts. Comparative analyses of pathogen population structure, virulence, and host resistance over time are required to elucidate the evolutionary dynamics of microbial control systems.
Crude oil revenue and economic development in Nigeria (1974–2008)
Authors: Asekunowo Victor O. , Olaiya Sam A.
Published: June 2012

Nigeria, similar to many resource‐abundant nations around the world, seems to develop economically at a slow pace. This phenomenon has come to be known as the resource curse. This study surveyed existing literature on Nigeria (a resource‐rich country but with no development) and Botswana, Chile and Norway (resource‐rich countries but with development). Comparatively, the study attempted to unravel why these three countries have managed to record some measures of economic development while Nigeria seems unable to do so. The survey carried out showed that Nigeria may be lagging behind these countries developmentally because it may be suffering from institutional difficulties, voracity effect, excessive spending, excessive borrowing and fractionalisation causes of resource curse. In an attempt to know whether Nigeria suffered from the Dutch disease, relevant secondary data on the country were collected. The data were inferentially and descriptively analysed. From the analyses performed, it seemed unclear whether Nigeria suffered from the Dutch disease variant of the resource curse.The study concludes by making recommendations as to how the country could be cured from the other variants of the resource curse so that it can start achieving some measures of sorely needed economic development.
Asymmetric adjustment of diesel or petrol retail prices to crude oil price movements: New Zealand evidence
Authors: Alom Fardous , Ritson Neil
Published: June 2012

This study has twofold objectives. Firstly, to examine the short‐ and long‐run relationships between diesel or petrol retail prices in New Zealand and crude oil prices and, secondly, to assess the response of retail sector price movements to changes in crude oil prices. The study uses both standard and hidden asymmetric cointegration methods. The major findings are as follows: the prices of diesel and petrol maintain both short‐ and long‐run relationships with crude oil prices although the pass‐through rates differ. Diesel prices are found to be symmetric in response to the changes in crude oil prices, while petrol prices respond asymmetrically to changes in crude oil prices. When crude oil prices increase, petrol prices in New Zealand increase immediately and not vice versa. The reasons for the asymmetric pricing behaviour might include higher demand for petrol than diesel, individual and tourist‐type customers rather than commercial and industrial customers, search costs, revenue‐maximising behaviour of retailers based on high demand, and government taxes and levies.
Explaining Korean Welfare State Development with New Empirical Data and Methods
Authors: Ahn Sang‐Hoon , Lee Sophia Seung‐yoon
Published: June 2012

Selecting Korea as one of the conceptually classified East Asian welfare states, this paper aims to empirically investigate the determinants of Korean welfare state development. Linking the research question with the lively discussion on welfare state in Korea that is taking place domestically, this paper also aims to examine whether the development of the Korean welfare state has been influenced by politics of the left or by industrialization with functionalistic perspectives. We conduct an analysis first by regression analysis and then fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to examine the conditions of such development. A Korean Welfare State Dataset (KWSD) has been newly included in the Comparative Welfare State Dataset (CWSD) and we used this new dataset for our empirical analysis. Our empirical findings suggest that, at least up to the current point, factors other than economic development or industrialization are not robust enough to make a claim of a take‐off of the Korean welfare state from its developmental stage. However, we also notice the influence of the left government and suggest that it is legitimate to expect an innovative change in the path of the Korean welfare state once the power resource theory is applicable.
Preparing Social Work Students for Working with Disaster Survivors
Authors: Fahrudin Adi
Published: June 2012

This paper is an overview of disaster social work and preparing social work students for working with disaster survivors. Disaster has common immediate, and medium‐ and long‐term problems and needs. Experiences from various countries throughout the world suggest a range of helping roles and tasks that social work is suited for. A social work professional has particular expertise in understanding and addressing the immediate, and medium‐ and longer term effects of loss on individuals, families, and communities affected by a disaster. In preparing social work students for working with disaster survivors, social work programs do not introduce enough subject matter or course work about disasters. Practice training, field work, collaboration work, and community service in disaster relief are important academic environments for social work students when learning and practising in disaster settings.
Adoptive Parents’ Attitudes toward Adoption and Domestic Adoption Development in Korea: Adoptees’ Specific Needs for Origin
Authors: Bai Tai‐Soon
Published: June 2012

This study aimed to find out how Korean adoptive parents were carrying out their adoptions in Korea and to see if adoptive families truly understood the meaning of adoption and their adopted child's specific needs to know about his genetic roots. This understanding on the adoptive parents’ part is needed to help the child to form a self‐identity for his well‐being. The study sample of 352 adoptive parents may be the largest study ever done involving families currently raising their adopted children in Korea. Results showed that families did not seem to understand adoption with its characteristics well. Though families’ satisfaction with the adoption was very high, it appeared that their satisfaction was limited to when their adoptees were young, not being extended to when children became old enough to know of their adoption. For adoption development in Korea, however, it was encouraging that parents’ participation in local (regional) meetings with other fellow adopters from self‐support groups appeared to be the most significant consistent factor in contributing to the families’ understanding of adoption and their positive attitudes for the adoptees’ well‐being and to their satisfaction with the adoption.
A New Simple Model for Prediction of Hospital Mortality in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Li Ya‐Feng , Luo Jing , Li Qian , Jing Yue‐Juan , Wang Rui‐Ying , Li Rong‐Shan
Published: June 2012

Background: The current prognostic models for mortality and functional outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are not simple enough. To predict the outcome of ICH, a new simple model, ICH index (ICHI), was established and evaluated in this study. Methods: Medical records of all cases with ICH in our hospital from January 2008 to August 2009 were reviewed. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the contributions of independent variables to hospital mortality after ICH. Results: Age, serum glucose, white blood cell counts (WBC), and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score were found to be greatly associated with mortality. A formula of ICH index [ICHI = age (years)/10 + glucose (mmol/L) + WBC (109/L) – GCS score] was established. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to estimate the predictive value of the ICHI. The model showed an area under the ROC curve (AURC) of 0.923 (95% CI: 0.883–0.963, P < 0.001). The best cut‐off value of ICHI for mortality was 18, which gave sensitivity, specificity, and Youden's index of 0.65, 0.95, and 0.60, respectively. The hospital mortality was extremely increased when 18 < ICHI < 28 (mortality 72.0%) and when ICHI ≥28 (mortality 100%), in contrast with overall mortality (21.6%). Conclusion: The ICHI can be a simple predictive model and complementary to other prognostic models.