bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and verification of a multi-body dynamic model for seat-occupant system of manned spacecraft
Authors: Pasha Zanoosi Ali Akbar , Mallakzadeh Mohammadreza , Kalantarinejad Reza
Published: December 2014

The main goal of this study is to develop a novel multi-body dynamic model for seat-occupant system of a manned spacecraft. The seat of a spacecraft and its components has significant effects on an astronaut’s body during flight mission, where sustained accelerations and impact loads are inevitable. Besides, conducting sustained acceleration and shock loads on the body of astronauts during flight missions is the key factor for health conservation. This study develops a new multi-body dynamic model for seat-occupant system of manned spacecraft to investigate the effects of spacecraft seat design. The astronaut is modelled as a four-jointed rigid link placed on a viscoelastic cushion. The cushion is modelled to present polyurethane foam, which is using in almost all automotive and aerospace applications. The equations of motion are derived and the effects of different parameters are investigated. To verify the developed model, a finite element model is presented to implement the same exact multi-body model. The results show that the presented analytical multi-body model is in good accordance with the finite element model. The effects of different parameters such as foam discretisation, foam thickness and geometry of seat frame on the motion of the system are illustrated. This novel model can be used in designing spacecraft seat to preserve an astronaut’s health. It also can be used in seat control applications and where computational efficiency is necessary.
Ethnography by design: On goals and mediating artefacts
Authors: Segelström Fabian , Holmlid Stefan
Published: December 2014

Design ethnography is the appropriation of ethnography for the purposes of informing design. This paper investigates the effects of these appropriations, through a comparative study of how designers and anthropologists approach the same field site and by a review of new techniques introduced by designers to do ethnography. The techniques reviewed all apply artefacts to mediate the ethnographic process. Conducting ethnography through artefacts can be done in a number of ways and three ways are discussed here, including techniques which remove the researcher from the context of study. The implications for design ethnography of the comparative study and the introductions of artefacts to facilitate ethnographic work are discussed. The implications focus on potential methodological pitfalls of the ‘designification’ of ethnography as design ethnography matures.
Behavioral Biases Never Walk Alone
Authors: Abinzano Isabel , Muga Luis , Santamaria Rafael
Published: December 2014

This article presents evidence of the impact of overconfidence bias in asset prices drawn from a study based on data from tennis betting exchanges. A series of betting strategies in tournaments with a clear-cut favorite are shown to yield significant economic returns. The impact of overconfidence bias on betting odds increases with trading volume, media coverage, and levels of disagreement between overconfident and cumulative prospect theory bettors. Just as in traditional financial markets, arbitrage limits are shown to be a necessary condition for the impact of behavioral biases on prices.
On Winning Probabilities, Weight Categories, and Home Advantage in Professional Judo
Authors: Krumer Alex
Published: December 2014

Judo is a combat sport with seven different weight categories. In this article, we examined data from 1,902 men’s and 1,400 women’s fights at the eight most prestigious judo tournaments during the period 2010-2013. Using a single fight as the unit of observation, we found that the probability for the favorite to win against the underdog in the men’s half-lightweight category is significantly lower than in most other categories. Moreover, in fights in which only European and/or Asian judokas participate, we found that the men’s half-lightweight category is significantly more balanced than all other men’s categories. For women, there is no consistent evidence that any one weight category is more balanced than any of the others. Our results indicate that in choosing the members of a national team, it is to some extent reasonable for national coaches to select a lower ranked judoka in the men’s half-lightweight category over a higher ranked judoka in several other weight categories. We also found that the home advantage increases the probability of winning a single fight for both genders. This result implies that it might be worthwhile for national judo associations to bid to host international tournaments in order to improve the world rankings of their domestic judokas.
Association Between WRN Cys1367Arg (T>C) and Cancer Risk
Authors: Wang Bo , Li Guifang , Sun Fei , Dong Nan , Sun Zhenguo , Jiang Dehua
Published: December 2014

Growing evidence suggests that aberration of the DNA repair pathway significantly contributes to tumorigenesis. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair-related genes such as WRN have been implicated in cancer risk. However, the results of published studies remain inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of all available and relevant published studies to clarify the role of this polymorphism in cancer. We performed a computerized search of PubMed for publications on WRN Cys1367Arg (T>C) polymorphism and cancer risk and analyzed the genotype data. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to assess the association. Sensitivity analysis, heterogeneity test, cumulative meta-analysis, and bias assessment were performed using STATA software 11.0. No association was found between WRN Cys1367Arg (T>C) polymorphism and cancer risk in all genetic models. When stratified by cancer type, results showed that this polymorphism increased the risk of breast cancer (2CC+CT vs 2TT+CT: perallele OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.03-1.26, Ptrend = .012; CC vs TT: OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.04-1.95, Pvalue = .026; CC+CT vs TT: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.02-1.28, Pvalue = .027). In another analysis stratified by ethnicity, WRN Cys1367Arg (T>C) polymorphism was significantly associated with cancer susceptibility in Europeans (2CC+CT vs 2TT+CT: perallele OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.00-1.19, Ptrend = .042; CT vs TT: OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.01-1.27, Pvalue = .032; and CC+CT vs TT: OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02-1.26, Pvalue = .025). Our study suggests that WRN Cys1367Arg (T>C) polymorphism is not associated with overall cancer risk, although subgroup analyses suggested an association with breast cancer and overall cancer specifically in European populations.
The Intersections of Drug Use Continuity With Nonviolent Offending and Involvement in Violence Over the Life Course
Authors: Jennings Wesley G. , Piquero Alex R. , Farrington David P. , Ttofi Maria M. , Crago Rebecca V. , Theobald Delphine
Published: December 2014

While there is much research on the continuity of drug use over the life course, these studies tend not to consider the intersections of drug use continuity with offending in general and violence in particular. The current study uses data from 411 South London males who were participants in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development to investigate these associations from adolescence to age 50. Results suggest that the prevalence of drug use continuity (e.g., drug use in adolescence and adulthood) is rather high (45.4%) and that variability in drug use is differentially related to nonviolent offending and involvement in violence specifically. In this vein, the most pronounced relationship surrounding differential involvement in drug use is the association between drug use continuity and nonviolent offending and violence. Individual and environmental risk factors are also relevant predictors of nonviolent offending and violence. Study limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.
Transformative Learning Through Internationalization of the Curriculum in Higher Education
Authors: Clifford Valerie , Montgomery Catherine
Published: December 2014

Over the last three decades, universities have, almost universally, adopted the mantra of internationalization. However, the implications of internationalization for transformative learning through curriculum receive little consideration. This article draws on data from a fully online course entitled “Internationalizing the Curriculum for All Students” subscribed to by tertiary-level staff from around the world. The course encourages participants to explore a transformative interpretation of internationalization of the curriculum and to take action to change their own curricula. Analysis of the perceptions of course participants of internationalizing the curriculum for transformative learning and of associated changes in their perceptions of their disciplines, and of teaching in their disciplines, shows that participants see transformative learning as requiring fundamental changes in the personal and social perspectives of both students and staff and also requires participation and change at all levels of tertiary education institutions.
Increased Beta Frequency (15-30 Hz) Oscillatory Responses in Euthymic Bipolar Patients Under Lithium Monotherapy
Authors: Tan Devran , Özerdem Ayşegül , Güntekin Bahar , Atagün M. Ilhan , Tülay Elif , Karadağ Figen , Başar Erol
Published: December 2014

The effect of lithium on neurocognition is not still fully explored. Brain oscillatory activity is altered in bipolar disorder. We aimed to assess the oscillatory responses of euthymic bipolar patients and how they are affected by lithium monotherapy. Event-related oscillations in response to visual target stimulus during an oddball paradigm in 16 euthymic drug-free and 13 euthymic lithium-treated bipolar patients were compared with 16 healthy controls. The maximum peak-to-peak amplitudes were measured for each subject’s averaged beta (15-30 Hz) responses in the 0- to 300-ms time window over frontal (F3, Fz, F4), central (C3, Cz, C4), temporal (T7, T8), temporo-parietal (TP7, TP8), parietal (P3, Pz, P4), and occipital (O1, Oz, O2) areas. Patients under lithium monotherapy had significantly higher beta responses to visual target stimuli than healthy controls ( P = .017) and drug-free patients ( P = .015). The increase in beta response was observed at all electrode locations, however, the difference was statistically significant for the left (T7; P = .016) and right (T8; P = .031) temporal beta responses. Increased beta responses in drug-free patients and further significant increase in lithium-treated patients may be indicative of a core pathophysiological process of bipolar disorder and how it is affected by lithium. Whether the finding corresponds to lithium’s corrective effect on the underlying pathology or to its neurocognitive side effect remains to be further explored. In either case, the finding is a sign that the oscillatory activity may be useful in tracking medication effect in bipolar disorder.
The Role of Visual Design in Game Design
Authors: Friedman Asaf
Published: December 2014

This article examines the visual design of games. To this end, visual design is analyzed according to dynamic visual images, semiotics, and interaction using Deleuze’s concept of “movement image.” As part of the analysis, the article presents the winning games from the Independent Game Festival. The analysis of visual design provides structure aimed at showing how games attribute aesthetical value to gameplay and how elements of visual design and game design combine their inherent qualities to form a game.
The Roles of Value, Satisfaction, and Commitment in the Effect of Service Quality on Customer Loyalty in Hong Kong–Style Tea Restaurants
Authors: Lai Ivan K. W.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the roles of perceived value, customer satisfaction, and affective commitment as they mediate the effect of service quality on customer loyalty at Hong Kong–style tea restaurants, which are quick-service restaurants with a fusion menu of Western and Asian foods. Based on the analysis of data collected from 382 customers of these tea restaurants, the study found the following relationships: (1) service quality positively influences perceived value, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty; (2) perceived value is a mediator of the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction; (3) customer satisfaction positively influences affective commitment and customer loyalty; and (4) affective commitment is a mediator of the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Contrary to expectations, however, perceived value does not have a significant effect on customer loyalty for these restaurants. This study highlights the role of affective commitment in the study of service quality, and also is one of the few that addresses Asian restaurants because it demonstrates the moderating effects of culture in the relationships between Hong Kong–style tea restaurants and their customers.
The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Management of Patients With Nonlobar Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Adeli Amir , Behrouz Réza
Published: December 2014

Background and Purpose:

Despite the increased use and availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), its role in hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains uncertain. In this retrospective study, we assessed the utility of MRI in diagnosis and management of patients with hypertensive ICH.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients with ICH presenting to our hospital over an 18-month period. We included patients who presented with hypertensive ICH in typical locations and excluded lobar hemorrhages. We further isolated cases that had undergone MRI. Collected data included mean age, gender, location of hematoma, neuroradiologist’s interpretative report of the MRI, and management steps taken in response to the results of the MRI. Logistic regression was used to determine whether the overall yield of MRI in these patients was significant.

Results:

We found 222 patients with ICH in our database. Forty-eight patients met our inclusion criteria, of which 24 had brain MRI done as a part of their hospital workup. Brain MRI obtained in 2 (8%) of the 24 patients revealed abnormalities that led to a change in management. The diagnostic yield of MRI and the management decisions that followed were both insignificant.

Conclusions:

The diagnostic yield of brain MRI in patients with nonlobar hypertensive ICH is low and does not result in significant changes in management.
Paperless and Soulless
Authors: Chou Eileen Y.
Published: December 2014

E-signatures are one of the fastest growing global practices because of their convenience. Much less is known, however, about whether people perceive e-signatures to be symbolically equivalent to traditional hand signatures. Results of four studies demonstrate that although functionally the same, e-signatures evoked markedly different psychological reactions than hand signatures. Namely, e-signatures evoked a weaker sense of the signer’s presence and involvement. This weaker sense of social presence, in turn, induced negativity: People were more likely to discount the validity of an e-signed application than that of an identical application signed by hand. They also anticipated that e-signed contracts would lead to greater likelihood of contract breaches. This negativity toward e-signatures persisted across five different types of e-signatures, regardless of an individual’s level of comfort with technology. Taken together, the studies reveal deeply rooted psychological reactions to a practice that is now prevalent worldwide.
Aripiprazole versus quetiapine in treatment-resistant obsessive–compulsive disorder: a double-blind clinical trial
Authors: Shoja Shafti Saeed , Kaviani Hamid
Published: December 2014

Introduction:

Around 40–60% of the patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) remain unimproved by serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). Goal of this study was to compare the efficiency and safety of aripiprazole versus quetiapine, in patients with OCD, who did not respond effectively to fluvoxamine.

Method:

A total of 44 female inpatients with OCD, who did not respond successfully to fluvoxamine at maximum dose (300 mg/day) and duration (12 weeks), were assigned randomly, in a double-blind trial, to receive aripiprazole ( n = 22) or quetiapine ( n = 22), in addition to their SRI, for 12 weeks. Treatment response was assessed by the Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), as primary outcome measure, and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity Scale (CGI-S), as a secondary outcome measure.

Results:

A total of 27.27% of the cases in the aripiprazole group ( n = 6) and 54.54% of them in the quetiapine cluster ( n = 12) responded moderately to the aforesaid augmentation. The mean ± SD baseline YBOCS score of 33.27 ± 3.90 dropped to a mean of 30.72 ± 4.67 ( p = 0.06) in the aripiprazole group, and from 31.18 ± 4.93 to 27.97 ± 3.71 ( p = 0.01) in the quetiapine group, at the end of the evaluation. There was no significant change with respect to CGI-S in either of the aforesaid groups.

Conclusion:

This study shows that treatment-resistant OCD patients may benefit more from addition of quetiapine in comparison with aripiprazole, to their ongoing SRI therapy.
Consent information leaflets – readable or unreadable?
Authors: Graham Caroline , Reynard John M , Turney Benjamin W
Published: December 2014

Objective:

The objective of this article is to assess the readability of leaflets about urological procedures provided by the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) to evaluate their suitability for providing information.

Methods:

Information leaflets were assessed using three measures of readability: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) grade formulae. The scores were compared with national literacy statistics.

Results:

Relatively good readability was demonstrated using the Flesch Reading Ease (53.4–60.1) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (6.5–7.6) methods. However, the average SMOG index (14.0–15.0) for each category suggests that the majority of the leaflets are written above the reading level of an 18-year-old. Using national literacy statistics, at least 43% of the population will have significant difficultly understanding the majority of these leaflets.

Conclusions:

The results suggest that comprehension of the leaflets provided by the BAUS is likely to be poor. These leaflets may be used as an adjunct to discussion but it is essential to ensure that all the information necessary to make an informed decision has been conveyed in a way that can be understood by the patient.
Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards menopause among highly educated Asian women in their midlife
Authors: Memon Fouzia R , Jonker Leon , Qazi Roshan A
Published: December 2014

Objective

To determine knowledge levels, and attitudes and perceptions towards, menopause among highly educated Asian women in their midlife.

Study design

A cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Five teaching institutions in Hyderabad, Pakistan.

Population

In total, 200 out of 225 (89% response rate) teachers, lecturers and professors, aged 40–59 years, were surveyed in 2013 using a self-administered questionnaire.

Results

The mean age of responders was 48 years. Premenopausal and perimenopausal women attributed for 58%, whereas 42% were postmenopausal. All women had a masters degree; 15% had a PhD degree. Forty-six percent of responders thought they had sufficient knowledge about the menopause and 87% had positive perceptions about it, with 76% feeling life was easier and calmer as a result of it. Reported negative perceptions included 30% of women experiencing feelings of grumpiness, irritability, altered work capability and loss of femininity. Health professionals were an information resource. of 60% of cases, only 5% of participants knew about hormone replacement therapy and none knew about available alternative therapies.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the majority of women felt well informed and exhibited a positive attitude towards menopause, a strong urge for more knowledge was expressed. Public health care systems should mobilize resources and take measures to improve women’s awareness and knowledge about menopause-related changes through a variety of educational tools and media, including the Internet. A recommendation would be for physicians to provide more information about menopausal symptoms and also therapies to alleviate these symptoms, regardless of the patient’s socioeconomic background.
Content Analysis as a Method to Assess Online Discussions for Learning
Authors: Rodriguez Mark A.
Published: December 2014

One of the challenges for instructors in online education is to create learning opportunities through online text-based discourse. The goal of this study was to examine the use of content analysis to better understand graduate students’ learning in online discussions. The discussion transcripts of a hybrid graduate course were analyzed to determine levels and frequencies of learning or cognitive presence. The analysis of the online discussions was guided by social constructivist rationale, and includes descriptive statistics and inter-rater reliability measurements. Findings show that cognitive presence levels were concentrated in categories marked for exploration and integration. Non-cognitive messages resulted in the highest frequencies of discussion messages, demonstrating indications of social presence and teaching presence. Training was found to be a key factor in resolving coding inconsistencies to improve the reliability of the content analysis. The processes of content analysis applied in this study to evaluate learning in online discussions provided useful information for the development and study of online discussions for learning.
Nursing Professional Organizations
Authors: Catallo Cristina , Spalding Karen , Haghiri-Vijeh Roya
Published: December 2014

Nurses have great potential to contribute to the development of health policy through political action. We undertook a systematic website review of international- and national-level professional nursing organizations to determine how they engaged registered nurses in health policy activities, including policy priority setting, policy goals and objectives, policy products, and mechanisms for engaging nurses in policy issues. We reviewed 38 organizations for eligibility and 15 organization websites met our inclusion criteria. Six professional nursing organizations had comprehensive websites with a discussion of specific policy goals and objectives, policy-related products and mechanisms for nurses to become engaged. Future research is needed to evaluate how nursing professional organizations establish policy priorities and to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies used to politically engage nurses.
Reconstructing Kushan chronology
Authors: Habib Irfan
Published: December 2014

Taking stock of the epigraphic and other evidence as it now stands, this article argues that Kaµishka’s accession is best placed within the period AD 154–170, with two further precise dates being possible, AD 160 or 170.
A lost city of Delhi through Persian histories
Authors: Haider Najaf
Published: December 2014

In descripitons of Delhi, one of its locations, Kilokhri, that formed a separate ‘city’ in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, tends to be overlooked. This article seeks to rescue it from relative oblivion by exploring the literary sources of the time.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s finest hour? The struggle for a secular India
Authors: Mukherjee Mridula
Published: December 2014

The communal violence in days leading to and after the Partition raised a question as to what kind of state India would be after Independence. The article examines Jawaharlal Nehru’s attitude towards the rising tide of communalism and his firm espousal of secularism in the critical years 1946–52.
A past ‘age of reason’: The early Buddhist and Jaina systems
Authors: Shrimali K.M.
Published: December 2014

Reason, despite its many definitions, has a realm that conflicts with religion or any system of thought based ultimately on faith. Early Buddhist and Jaina thoughts are significant in their rejection of faith-sanctioned belief and assertion of the possibility of multiplicity of truths in an ever-changing universe.
Mughal administration in rural localities
Authors: Moosvi Shireen
Published: December 2014

The controversy about the limited or ‘segmented’ sovereignty in relation to the Mughal Empire seems to have been conducted without any scrutiny of primary documents. The article argues that private documents of the Mathura region show a far greater reach of the Mughal administration in the villages than one would have otherwise supposed.
Book Review: Ancient India: Bulletin of the Archaeological Survey of India
Authors: Jha D.N.
Published: December 2014

Ancient India: Bulletin of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Series, No. 1 (New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India), 2011, pp. 420, Price ₹ 1,000.
Book Review: D.N. JHA (ed.), Contesting Symbols and Stereotypes: Essays on Indian History and Culture
Authors: Mahalakshmi R.
Published: December 2014

D.N. JHA (ed.), Contesting Symbols and Stereotypes: Essays on Indian History and Culture (Delhi: Aakar Books), 2013, pp. viii + 247, ₹ 550.
Book Review: Irfan Habib, Indian Economy under British Rule, 1757–1857, A People’s History of India, Vol. 25
Authors: Mukherjee Aditya
Published: December 2014

A People’s History of India, Vol. 25: Irfan Habib, Indian Economy under British Rule, 1757–1857 (New Delhi: Tulika), 2013, pp. 128, Hardback, ₹ 280.
Book Review: T[HAKKURA PHERØ, Gaµitasårakaumudð: The Moonlight of the Essence of Mathematics
Authors: Habib Irfan
Published: December 2014

T[HAKKURA PHERØ, Gaµitasårakaumudð: The Moonlight of the Essence of Mathematics, ed. with introduction, translation and mathematical commentary, by ‘SaKHYa’ (New Delhi: Manohar), 2009, large size, pp. 278, Price, ₹ 995.
Effects of solution and solid forms of 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate on antibacterial, physical and mechanical properties of polypropylene sheeting
Authors: Sributr Ariya , Yamsaengsung Weawboon , Wimolmala Ekachai , Kositchaiyong Apisit , Isarangkura Khokhwan , Sombatsompop Narongrit
Published: December 2014

Two forms of an inorganic antibacterial agent, 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate (HPQM), were added into polypropylene sheet. The polypropylene sheet antibacterial, physical, and mechanical performance was assessed before and after exposure to ultraviolet light at different ultraviolet aging times. Water-based HPQM (HPQM-solution) and HPQM in magnesium aluminometasilicate or Neusilin (HPQM-Neusilin) were supplied in liquid and solid powder forms, respectively. Halo test and dynamic shake flask method, together with plate count agar technique, were used for quantitative antibacterial performance analysis; the results were reported as radius of inhibition zone and bacterial reduction. The results suggested that the HPQM-Neusilin samples exhibited more effective antibacterial performance than the HPQM-Solution samples. Adding HPQM-Neusilin considerably changed the polypropylene sheet lightness ( L*). Introducing HPQM-solution into polypropylene did not change the polypropylene sheet physical and mechanical properties. Both HPQM forms showed very effective antibacterial performance against E. coli, but not against B. cereus. The minimum HPQM concentration to achieve 99.9% bacterial reduction for HPQM-solution and HPQM-Neusilin samples were 750 and 500 ppm, respectively. The antibacterial efficacies of polypropylene supplemented with HPQM disappeared after 24-h ultraviolet aging.
Reproductive issues in sickle cell disease
Authors: Smith-Whitley Kim
Published: December 2014

As medical advances improve survival, reduce disease-related morbidity, and improve quality of life, reproductive issues will take higher priority in the sickle cell disease (SCD) community. A wide variety of topics are addressed in this chapter, including fertility, gonadal failure, erectile dysfunction, and menstrual issues in SCD. Etiologies of impaired male fertility are multifactorial and include hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, sperm abnormalities, and complications of medical therapies. Much less is known about the prevalence and etiology of infertility in women with SCD. Other reproductive issues in women included in this review are pain and the menstrual cycle, contraception, and preconception counseling. Finally, long-term therapies for SCD and their impact on fertility are presented. Transfusional iron overload and gonadal failure are addressed, followed by options for fertility preservation after stem cell transplantation. Focus is placed on hydroxyurea therapy given its benefits and increasing use in SCD. The impact of this agent on spermatogenesis, azoospermia, and the developing fetus is discussed.
A genome-wide association study of susceptibility to acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adolescents and young adults
Authors: Perez-Andreu Virginia , Roberts Kathryn G. , Xu Heng , Smith Colton , Zhang Hui , Yang Wenjian , Harvey Richard C. , Payne-Turner Debbie , Devidas Meenakshi , Cheng I-Ming , Carroll William L. , Heerema Nyla A. , Carroll Andrew J. , Raetz Elizabeth A. , Gastier-Foster Julie M. , Marcucci Guido , Bloomfield Clara D. , Mrózek Krzysztof , Kohlschmidt Jessica , Stock Wendy , Kornblau Steven M. , Konopleva Marina , Paietta Elisabeth , Rowe Jacob M. , Luger Selina M. , Tallman Martin S. , Dean Michael , Burchard Esteban G. , Torgerson Dara G. , Yue Feng , Wang Yanli , Pui Ching-Hon , Jeha Sima , Relling Mary V. , Evans William E. , Gerhard Daniela S. , Loh Mignon L. , Willman Cheryl L. , Hunger Stephen P. , Mullighan Charles G. , Yang Jun J.
Published: December 2014

Key Points

In this first ALL GWAS in AYAs, we determined that inherited GATA3 variants strongly influence ALL susceptibility in this age group. These findings revealed similarities and differences in the genetic basis of ALL susceptibility between young children and AYAs.
Temperature-induced reversible self-assembly of diphenylalanine peptide and the structural transition from organogel to crystalline nanowires
Authors: Huang Renliang , Wang Yuefei , Qi Wei , Su Rongxin , He Zhimin
Published: December 2014

Controlling the self-assembly of diphenylalanine peptide (FF) into various nanoarchitectures has received great amounts of attention in recent years. Here, we report the temperature-induced reversible self-assembly of diphenylalanine peptide to microtubes, nanowires, or organogel in different solvents. We also find that the organogel in isopropanol transforms into crystalline flakes or nanowires when the temperature increases. The reversible self-assembly in polar solvents may be mainly controlled by electronic and aromatic interactions between the FF molecules themselves, which is associated with the dissociation equilibrium and significantly influenced by temperature. We found that the organogel in the isopropanol solvent made a unique transition to crystalline structures, a process that is driven by temperature and may be kinetically controlled. During the heating-cooling process, FF preferentially self-assembles to metastable nanofibers and organogel. They further transform to thermodynamically stable crystal structures via molecular rearrangement after introducing an external energy, such as the increasing temperature used in this study. The strategy demonstrated in this study provides an efficient way to controllably fabricate smart, temperature-responsive peptide nanomaterials and enriches the understanding of the growth mechanism of diphenylalanine peptide nanostructures.
Haplotypes of P2RX7 Gene Polymorphisms are Associated with both Cold Pain Sensitivity and Analgesic Effect of Fentanyl
Authors: Ide Soichiro , Nishizawa Daisuke , Fukuda Ken-Ichi , Kasai Shinya , Hasegawa Junko , Hayashida Masakazu , Minami Masabumi , Ikeda Kazutaka
Published: December 2014

Background:

The P2X7 receptor is a member of the P2X**** family of adenosine 5′-triphosphate-gated cation channels. Several recent studies have demonstrated that this receptor is involved in mechanisms related to pain and inflammation. However, unknown is whether polymorphisms of the P2RX7 gene that encodes the human P2X7 receptor influence pain sensitivity and analgesic effects of opioids. The P2RX7 gene is known to be highly polymorphic. Thus, the present study examined associations between fentanyl sensitivity and polymorphisms in the P2RX7 gene in 355 Japanese patients who underwent painful orofacial cosmetic surgery.

Results:

We first conducted linkage disequilibrium (LD) analyses for 55 reported single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the region within and around the P2RX7 gene using genomic samples from 100 patients. In our samples, 42 SNPs were polymorphic, and a total of five LD blocks with six Tag SNPs (rs2708092, rs1180012, rs1718125, rs208293, rs1718136, and rs7132846) were observed. Thus, we further analyzed associations between genotypes/haplotypes of these Tag SNPs and clinical data using a total of 355 samples. In the genotype-based association study, only the rs1718125 G > A SNP tended to be associated with higher pain scores on a visual analog scale 24 h after surgery (VAS24). The haplotype-based association study showed that subjects with homozygous haplotype No.3 (GTAAAC; estimated frequency: 15.0%) exhibited significantly higher cold pain sensitivity and lower analgesic effects of fentanyl for acute cold pain in the cold pressor test. Conversely, subjects who carried haplotype No.1 (ACGGAC; estimated frequency: 24.5%) tended to exhibit lower cold pain sensitivity and higher analgesic effects of fentanyl. Furthermore, subjects with homozygous haplotype No.2 (GCGGAC; estimated frequency: 22.9%) exhibited significantly lower VAS24 scores.

Conclusions:

Cold pain sensitivity and analgesic effects of fentanyl were related to the SNP and haplotypes of the P2RX7 gene. The patients with the rs1718125 G>A SNP tended to show higher VAS24 scores. Moreover, the combination of polymorphisms from the 5′-flanking region to exon 5 recessively affected cold pain sensitivity and analgesic effects of opioids for acute cold pain. The present findings shed light on the involvement of P2RX7 gene polymorphisms in naive cold pain sensitivity and analgesic effects of fentanyl.
Aspect angle sensitivity of pump-induced optical emissions at EISCAT
Authors: Kosch Michael J , Bryers Carl , Rietveld Michael T , Yeoman Timothy K , Ogawa Yasunobu
Published: December 2014

We investigate the aspect angle sensitivity of the pump-induced artificial optical emissions in the ionosphere over the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT) high-frequency transmitter facility at Ramfjord, Norway, as a function of the pump beam launch angle relative to the magnetic field line direction. The highest intensity optical emissions occur when the pump beam pointing direction is in the magnetic zenith (approximately 12° S of local zenith). For pump beam directions further north from field aligned, the optical emission intensity decreases for the same pump power. In addition, the primary photon-emitting region becomes displaced towards the magnetic zenith relative to the pump beam and for larger aspect angles, the brightest emissions were found to be outside the −3-dB pump beam width. The Cooperative UK Twin-Located Auroral Sounding System (CUTLASS) coherent scatter high-frequency (HF) radar detected a quasi-constant level of backscatter power from the pumped ionosphere, indicating that saturated striations were formed for all pump beam directions. This indicates that the presence of upper-hybrid resonance is not sufficient to explain the angular sensitivity of the optical emissions.
Ground Motion Selection for Seismic Slope Displacement Evaluation Analysis of Earthen Levees
Authors: Athanasopoulos-Zekkos Adda , Pence Heidi , Lobbestael Adam
Published: December 2014

Guidelines for selecting ground motions for evaluation of seismic slope displacements for earthen levees are proposed. These guidelines were developed based on results from two-dimensional equivalent-linear dynamic analyses of characteristic earthen levee cross sections using a wide range of ground motions (∼1 ;500). The effect of a number of ground motion parameters on the dynamic response of the levees in terms of seismic slope stability was studied, and the parameters that correlated best to the response were identified. For the seismic slope stability evaluation, the peak ground velocity ( PGV) best correlates to the seismic slope displacements ( u). Regression relationships between u and PGV are proposed for a series of levee types and shaking intensity levels, which are used in the proposed methodology for selecting ground motions for site specific analysis of levees.
Magnetoreception in birds: I. Immunohistochemical studies concerning the cryptochrome cycle
Authors: Nießner Christine , Denzau Susanne , Peichl Leo , Wiltschko Wolfgang , Wiltschko Roswitha
Published: December 2014

Cryptochrome 1a, located in the UV/violet-sensitive cones in the avian retina, is discussed as receptor molecule for the magnetic compass of birds. Our previous immunohistochemical studies of chicken retinae with an antiserum that labelled only activated cryptochrome 1a had shown activation of cryptochrome 1a under 373 nm UV, 424 nm blue, 502 nm turquoise and 565 nm green light. Green light, however, does not allow the first step of photoreduction of oxidized cryptochromes to the semiquinone. As the chickens had been kept under ‘white’ light before, we suggested that there was a supply of the semiquinone present at the beginning of the exposure to green light, which could be further reduced and then re-oxidized. To test this hypothesis, we exposed chickens to various wavelengths (1) for 30 min after being kept in daylight, (2) for 30 min after a 30 min pre-exposure to total darkness, and (3) for 1 h after being kept in daylight. In the first case, we found activated cryptochrome 1a under UV, blue, turquoise and green light; in the second two cases we found activated cryptochrome 1a only under UV to turquoise light, where the complete redox cycle of cryptochrome can run, but not under green light. This observation is in agreement with the hypothesis that activated cryptochrome 1a is found as long as there is some of the semiquinone left, but not when the supply is depleted. It supports the idea that the crucial radical pair for magnetoreception is generated during re-oxidation.
Ambiguity Aversion with Three or More Outcomes
Authors: Machina Mark J.
Published: December 2014

Ambiguous choice problems which involve three or more outcome values can reveal aspects of ambiguity and ambiguity aversion which cannot be displayed in the classic two-outcome Ellsberg urn problems, and hence are not always captured by models designed to accommodate them. These aspects include Allais-type preferences over purely subjective acts, attitudes toward different sources involving different amounts of ambiguity, and attitudes toward ambiguity at different outcome levels. This paper presents a few such examples, and examines the standard models' predictions and performance in such cases. (JEL D81)
Private Equity, Jobs, and Productivity
Authors: Davis Steven J. , Haltiwanger John , Handley Kyle , Jarmin Ron , Lerner Josh , Miranda Javier
Published: December 2014

Private equity critics claim that leveraged buyouts bring huge job losses and few gains in operating performance. To evaluate these claims, we construct and analyze a new dataset that covers US buyouts from 1980 to 2005. We track 3,200 target firms and their 150,000 establishments before and after acquisition, comparing to controls defined by industry, size, age, and prior growth. Buyouts lead to modest net job losses but large increases in gross job creation and destruction. Buyouts also bring TFP gains at target firms, mainly through accelerated exit of less productive establishments and greater entry of highly productive ones. (JEL D24, G24, G32, G34, J23, J63, L25)
Present Bias and Collective Dynamic Choice in the Lab
Authors: Jackson Matthew O. , Yariv Leeat
Published: December 2014

We study collective decisions by time-discounting individuals choosing a common consumption stream. We show that with any heterogeneity in time preferences, utilitarian aggregation necessitates a present bias. In lab experiments three quarters of “social planners” exhibited present biases, and less than two percent were time consistent. Roughly a third of subjects acted as if they were pure utilitarians, and the rest chose as if they also had varying degrees of distributional concerns. (JEL C91, D12, D71, D72)
The development of the education system in the Republic of Turkmenistan
Authors: Литвинова Елена , Litvinova Elena
Published: December 2014

The article describes the system of education in the republic of Turkmenistan, the stages of its reform undertaken in the past decade and problems arising from the changes in the first years of the country´s independence. Particular attention is paid to such issues as decreased time of training, unsatisfactory volumes of subjects, teachers dismissal as a consequence, the transition from five to two-year training in higher education institutions, bringing students to harvest cotton during the school year, weak material and technical base of educational institutions, lack of equipment, lack of complete sets of textbooks, etc. The article presents the main indicators of the state and development of the education system at the moment. Considered in detail are the system of primary, secondary and higher education, their specific features. Particular attention is paid to the importance of establishing private universities in the country as a necessary element of competition in the education market and to attract highly qualified teachers from Turkmenistan and from abroad. The author identifies the need to analyze the structure of demand for labor, in order to plan the number of graduates of vocational education institutions in accordance with the needs of the labor market. The author highlights the essence of the reforms in education in the country at the present stage. The article stresses the need for further modernization of the contemporary system of education in Turkmenistan to ensure all segments of the economy are supplied with highly qualified specialists and, as a result, successful integration into the system of international economic relations is taking place.
A spurious confusion in temporal logic
Authors: Tkaczyk Marcin
Published: December 2014

R.L. Epstein and E. Buitrago-Díaz aspire to present a vitally new approach to temporal logic, an approach based on the idea of absolute truth-values. They claim the existing approaches are confused and incoherent, and contain a significant number of nonsenses. The alleged problems are generated by truth-values being relativized to positions in time. The fundamental incoherence consists in some confusion between propositions and their schemata. Epstein and Buitrago-Díaz have formulas be simply true or false and describe fixed areas of time. I endeavour to show that all objections Epstein and Buitrago-Díaz raise to existing temporal logic are misunderstandings. The calculus they present is easily reconstructable in existing calculi, so there is no new approach here. However, the calculus is correct and may be of some interest in logic.
Bang for the Buck: Gain-Loss Ratio as a Driver of Judgment and Choice
Authors: de Langhe Bart , Puntoni Stefano
Published: December 2014

Prominent decision-making theories propose that individuals (should) evaluate alternatives by combining gains and losses in an additive way. Instead, we suggest that individuals seek to maximize the rate of exchange between positive and negative outcomes and thus combine gains and losses in a multiplicative way. Sensitivity to gain-loss ratio provides an alternative account for several existing findings and implies a number of novel predictions. It implies greater sensitivity to losses and risk aversion when expected value is positive, but greater sensitivity to gains and risk seeking when expected value is negative. It also implies more extreme preferences when expected value is positive than when expected value is negative. These predictions are independent of decreasing marginal sensitivity, loss aversion, and probability weighting—three key properties of prospect theory. Five new experiments and reanalyses of two recently published studies support these predictions.

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
Does every heart matter? Developing a CVD service at a high-security prison
Authors: Bennett Michelle
Published: December 2014

Working as a nurse in a high-security prison for men is challenging. It requires the health practitioner to think ‘outside the box’ on how to deliver models of care, within the constraints of a secure environment. Such a challenge presented itself when providing cardiovascular disease (CVD) services at a prison. The use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (to help identify and monitor patients with newly diagnosed hypertension) was not approved by the prison, because of security considerations. Therefore, a new way of working was needed to deliver the service, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations. This article discusses three areas of service development that were implemented within a high security prison; these are hypertension management, cardiac rehabilitation and implementation of NHS Health Checks. Because of the challenging and restrictive environment, the development of these services has been recognised both locally and nationally, obtaining awards and being presented at conferences.
Reflexivity in research: Promoting rigour, reliability and validity in qualitative research
Authors: Darawsheh Wesam
Published: December 2014

Background

The value of qualitative research is increasingly acknowledged in health studies, as well as the demand for employing rigorous strategies. Although the literature recognises that reflexivity is a valuable and rigorous strategy, few studies unravel the practical employment of reflexivity as a strategy for ensuring rigour and quality in qualitative research.

Aim

To present a practical example of how reflexivity can be employed as a strategy for ensuring rigour by reviewing 13 narratives from the author's reflexive diary on qualitative research.

Methods

Content analysis and narrative analysis were used to approach and analyse data.

Findings

Analysis of the posited qualitative research study found five main outcomes of the influence of reflexivity as a strategy to establish criteria of rigour.

Conclusions

Further research is needed to show how reflexivity can be employed as a strategy in qualitative research to: i) establish criteria of rigour; ii) monitor the researcher's subjectivity in generating credible findings.