bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
X-Band Polarimetric and Ka-Band Doppler Spectral Radar Observations of a Graupel-Producing Arctic Mixed-Phase Cloud
Authors: Oue Mariko , Kumjian Matthew R. , Lu Yinghui , Jiang Zhiyuan , Clothiaux Eugene E. , Verlinde Johannes , Aydin Kultegin
Published: March 2015

Characteristics of graupel in an Arctic deep mixed-phase cloud on 7 December 2013 were identified with observations from an X-band scanning polarimetric radar and a Ka-band zenith-pointing radar in conjunction with scattering calculations. The cloud system produced generating cells and strongly sheared precipitation fall streaks. The X-band radar hemispheric RHI observables revealed spatial sorting of polarimetric signatures: decreasing (with increasing range) differential propagation phase shift φDP, negative specific differential phase KDP collocated with negative differential reflectivity ZDR in the upper half of the fall streak, and increasing or near-constant φDP with positive ZDR at the bottom edge of the fall streak. The negative KDP and ZDR, indicating prolate particles with vertically oriented maximum dimensions, were consistent with small, slow-falling conical graupel coexisting with low concentrations of more isometric graupel. The observed negative KDP values were best matched by scattering calculations for small, dense conical graupel with 30°–40° cone angles. The positive KDP and ZDR and the Doppler spectra indicate that large isometric graupel coexisted with a second population of slower-falling rimed platelike particles in the lower half of the fall streak. Through the core of the fall streak, φDP decreased in range while ZDR was slightly positive, indicating that the prolate conical graupel dominated φDP while the isometric larger graupel dominated reflectivity (and thus ZDR). These results demonstrate the capability of polarimetric observables and Doppler spectra to distinguish different growth stages of rimed particles, allowing for the improvement of hydrometeor classification methods.
Evaluation of CMIP5 Models in the Context of Dynamical Downscaling over Europe
Authors: Jury Martin W. , Prein Andreas F. , Truhetz Heimo , Gobiet Andreas
Published: March 2015

The quality of regional climate model (RCM) simulations is strongly dependent on the quality of data provided as lateral boundary conditions (LBCs). Frequently, the quality of near-surface variables of general circulation model (GCM) simulations like those from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) is analyzed in the region of interest. However, such analysis does not necessarily lead to the selection of high-quality LBCs, as demonstrated in this study. The study region is the European domain of the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (EURO-CORDEX), where a model performance index (MPI) is used to evaluate the skill of CMIP5 GCMs to reproduce near-surface variables within the EURO-CORDEX domain and free atmosphere variables along its lateral boundaries as a proxy for LBCs used in regional climate modeling. The results suggest that a GCM’s skill in simulating near-surface variables is correlated with 0.62 (Spearman’s r) to its skill in simulating LBCs for regional climate simulations. However, there is hardly any correlation between the performances of different variables, implying that a GCM evaluation solely based on surface parameters or a few variables is inadequate to select suitable driving data for regional climate models. The selection should include the evaluation of all variables passed to the RCM as LBCs in the lateral boundary zone (LBZ) on at least one midtropospheric level.
(Sub)national Principals, Legislative Agents
Authors: Kerevel Yann P.
Published: March 2015

To what extent do external actors control the careers of national legislators in federal systems? Although previous research has demonstrated that multiple principals shape legislative behavior in federal systems, prior studies have been much less successful at demonstrating the relative power of each of these actors over the careers of federal legislators. Using an original data set on the career paths of Mexican federal legislators, this study seeks to determine the relative importance of governors, presidents, and other party elites in shaping the future career choices of national legislators in federal systems. I find that legislators who share partisanship with the president or their governor are more likely to obtain patronage positions, while party leaders predominantly control access to the ballot. The findings also suggest that while governors and presidents can influence a subset of legislators, the large majority of legislators pursue future positions over which party leaders control access.
Clientelism as Persuasion-Buying
Authors: Schaffer Joby , Baker Andy
Published: March 2015

In distributing clientelistic payoffs to citizens, the best strategy a party machine can pursue, we argue, is to target citizens who are opinion-leading epicenters in informal conversation networks. This persuasion-buying strategy carries the highest potential yield for the party because the payoff can create a social multiplier: The effect of the clientelistic gift can be magnified via the conversion of multiple voters within a payoff recipient’s personal networks. Using cross-sectional survey data from 22 Latin American countries and a panel survey from Mexico, we confirm that individuals who engage in frequent political persuasion and who are located in large political discussion networks are the most likely recipients of clientelistic payoffs. We also show that a finding that is key to previous theories, namely, that loyal partisans are the most likely targets of clientelism, is driven by omitted-variable and endogeneity bias.
Expansion and Retrenchment of the Swedish Welfare State
Authors: Buendía Luis
Published: March 2015

In this article, we will undertake a long-term analysis of the evolution of the Swedish welfare state, seeking to explain that evolution through the use of a systemic approach. That is, our approach will consider the interrelations between economic growth (EG), the sociopolitical institutional framework (IF), and the welfare state (WS)—understood as a set of institutions embracing the labor market and its regulation, the tax system, and the so-called social wage—in order to find the main variables that elucidate its evolution. We will show that the expansive phase of the Swedish welfare state can be explained by the symbiotic relationships developed in the WS-EG-IF interaction, whereas the period of welfare state retrenchment is one result of changes operating within the sociopolitical IF and EG bases.
Social Class and Mental Health
Authors: Muntaner Carles , Ng Edwin , Prins Seth J. , Bones-Rocha Katia , Espelt Albert , Chung Haejoo
Published: March 2015

This study tests whether social class exploitation operates as a relational mechanism that generates mental health inequalities in the nursing home industry. We ask, does social class exploitation (i.e., the acquisition of economic benefits from the labor of those who are dominated) have a systematic and predictable impact on depression among nursing assistants? Using cross-sectional data from 868 nursing assistants employed in 50 nursing homes in three U.S. states, we measure social class exploitation as “ownership type” (private for-profit, private not-for-profit, and public) and “managerial domination” (labor relations violations, perceptions of labor-management conflict). Depression is assessed using the original and revised versions of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D and CESD-R). Using two-level logistic regressions, we find that private for-profit ownership and higher managerial domination are predictive of depression among nursing assistants even after adjustment for potential confounders and mediators. Our findings confirm the theoretical and empirical value of applying a social class approach to understanding how mental health inequalities are generated through exploitative mechanisms. Ownership type and managerial domination appear to affect depression through social relations that generate mental health inequalities through the process of acquiring profits, controlling production, supervising and monitoring labor, and enforcing disciplinary sanctions.
Sociopolitical Determinants of International Health Policy
Authors: De Vos Pol , Van der Stuyft Patrick
Published: March 2015

For decades, two opposing logics have dominated the health policy debate: a comprehensive health care approach, with the 1978 Alma Ata Declaration as its cornerstone, and a private competition logic, emphasizing the role of the private sector. We present this debate and its influence on international health policies in the context of changing global economic and sociopolitical power relations in the second half of the last century. The neoliberal approach is illustrated with Chile’s health sector reform in the 1980s and the Colombian reform since 1993. The comprehensive “public logic” is shown through the social insurance models in Costa Rica and in Brazil and through the national public health systems in Cuba since 1959 and in Nicaragua during the 1980s. These experiences emphasize that health care systems do not naturally gravitate toward greater fairness and efficiency, but require deliberate policy decisions.
An Empirical Evaluation of Devolving Administrative Control to Costa Rican Hospital and Clinic Directors
Authors: Lee Theodore , McKee Douglas
Published: March 2015

In the early 2000s, Costa Rica implemented comprehensive reforms of its health care system, including devolving administrative power from the central government to some providers that remain part of the national system. In this article, we evaluate how this aspect of the reform affected clinic efficiency and population health by analyzing administrative data on regional providers and mortality rates in local areas. We compare changes in outcomes across time between areas that signed performance contracts with the central government and received limited budgetary control to those that continued to be managed directly by the central government. We believe the reform created opportunities for providers to become more efficient and effective. Our results suggest that the reform significantly decreased costs without adversely affecting quality of care or population health.
Threats and Assurances in Crisis Bargaining
Authors: Kydd Andrew H. , McManus Roseanne W.
Published: March 2015

Both threats and assurances can be useful in international negotiations. Threats help convince the adversary that a state will fight if challenged, and assurances can convince the adversary that a state will not attack if not challenged. We develop a model that analyzes when threats and assurances are used. Threats are widely useful because there is typically a range of outcomes that are preferable to war for each side, and threats can secure a better deal within that range by strengthening a state’s bottom line. In contrast, assurances are only necessary when war would result without them because of insufficiently valued intermediate outcomes or shifting power. We discuss insights from the model, including the role of false assurances, in the context of both the Sudetenland crisis and Cold War Europe.
The Economic Costs of Separatist Terrorism in Turkey
Authors: Bilgel Fırat , Karahasan Burhan Can
Published: March 2015

Turkey has been suffering from separatist terrorism and the political conflict it implies since the mid-1980s, both of which are believed to have a negative impact on economic welfare. This article investigates the economic costs of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorism, particularly in the Eastern and Southeastern provinces of Turkey by invoking the synthetic control method. We create a synthetic control group that mimics the socioeconomic characteristics of the provinces exposed to terrorism before the PKK terrorism emerged in the mid-1980s. We then compare the real gross domestic product (GDP) of the synthetic provinces without terrorism to the actual provinces with terrorism for the period 1975 to 2001. Causal inference is carried out by comparing the real per capita GDP gap between the synthetic and actual provinces against the intensity of PKK terrorist activity. Extended over a period of fourteen years (1988 to 2001), we find that after the emergence of terrorism, the per capita real GDP in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia declined by about 6.6 percent relative to a comparable synthetic Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia without terrorism.
Foreign Military Interventions and Suicide Attacks
Authors: Choi Seung-Whan , Piazza James A.
Published: March 2015

This study examines the effect of foreign military interventions on the incidence of suicide attacks. It presents three theoretical explanations. Foreign military interventions may boost insurgent use of suicide attacks by (a) fomenting a nationalist backlash that sanctions the use of more extreme and unconventional tactics like suicide attacks, (b) providing more and better targets against which suicide attacks can be launched, or (c) prompting insurgents to use suicide tactics in order to overcome their power asymmetries and to confront better defended targets that are enhanced by interventions. We test these competing explanations using a battery of statistical tests on cross-national, time-series data for 138 countries during the period from 1981 to 2005. We find that only foreign interventions with specific features—pro-government interventions involving larger numbers of ground troops—boost suicide attacks in countries experiencing interventions. This finding suggests that by tipping the balance of power against insurgents and hardening targets in the context of assisting a local government, foreign military interventions are likely to increase the use of suicide attacks by regime challengers.
Institutional Determinants of Labor Market Outcomes for Community College Students in North Carolina
Authors: Kalleberg Arne L. , Dunn Michael
Published: March 2015

Objective:

The labor market success of community college students depends on both the attributes of individual students and the characteristics of the community colleges they attend. In this article, we examine the impact of community college characteristics on the earnings of first-time college students who enrolled in the North Carolina Community College System in 2002-2003.

Method:

We estimate multilevel models that incorporate variables representing institutional features of community colleges along with individual characteristics obtained from student-level administrative college transcript data, Unemployment Insurance wage data, and enrollment and graduation data from the National Student Clearinghouse across 830,000 community college students between 2001 and 2010.

Results:

We find that a number of characteristics of community colleges enhance earnings independently of the attributes of individuals. In particular, males attending community colleges in service areas with higher unemployment rates receive lower earnings, and students in colleges with larger enrollments earn more.

Contributions:

There are relatively few studies of how institutional factors affect community college effectiveness and those that do this usually concentrate on the attainment of particular awards or transfer rates to 4-year colleges. We address this gap by examining how institutional factors influence the labor market returns to community college participation. Our results underscore the importance of social contexts for explaining student achievement and success as well as highlight the need for much more research to understand differences in labor market outcomes of community college participation and the economic value of credentials and credits.
The Zebra Murders
Authors: Lamberson Christine
Published: March 2015

The Zebra Murders were a series of racially charged homicides in San Francisco during the mid-1970s. The crimes, which appeared to be random, built on existing anxiety about violent crime to create an atmosphere of fear in the city. Rumors that the crimes were racially motivated suggested a link to radical politics, only increasing public alarm. This article argues that these combined fears pushed the city to adopt a controversial, unconstitutional procedure to try and end the murders. The responses to the operation reveal that this criminal violence was exacerbating deep cleavages within the San Francisco populace, cleavages that mirrored larger national divisions. Ultimately, a debate developed over how to balance individual civil liberties and public security. The fears surrounding the Zebra murders and other events like them contributed to a growing victims’ rights movement that argued the balance should lean more firmly toward public safety.
Exposures and effects in the marine environment after the Fukushima accident
Authors: Batlle J. Vives i
Published: March 2015

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Radiation doses to marine biota near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have been estimated for the immediate aftermath and subsequent period of the accident. Dose estimations using monitoring data have been complemented by means of dynamic transfer modelling, improving on the more traditional equilibrium transfer approach. Earlier assessments using equilibrium transfer models overestimated the exposures in the immediate aftermath of the accident, whereas dynamic transfer modelling brings them more in line with the doses calculated from monitored activity concentrations in the biota. On that basis, marine biota populations in the vicinity of Fukushima do not seem to be at significant risk. The situation in the late post-accident period shows a tendency for lower exposures, but radiocaesium in sediments and biota persists to this day, with some organisms inhabiting local hotspots. Little is known about how long radionuclides will continue to remain in the local environment, or the long-term effects on populations due to limited knowledge on the effects of chronic radiation exposures to marine organisms. Therefore, the marine environment at Fukushima needs further study. The Fukushima nuclear accident remains an ongoing problem for marine radioecology, requiring constant re-evaluation of the cumulative extent of contamination and effects on the environment for years to come.
Why Map Issues? On Controversy Analysis as a Digital Method
Authors: Marres Noortje
Published: March 2015

This article takes stock of recent efforts to implement controversy analysis as a digital method in the study of science, technology, and society (STS) and beyond and outlines a distinctive approach to address the problem of digital bias. Digital media technologies exert significant influence on the enactment of controversy in online settings, and this risks undermining the substantive focus of controversy analysis conducted by digital means. To address this problem, I propose a shift in thematic focus from controversy analysis to issue mapping. The article begins by distinguishing between three broad frameworks that currently guide the development of controversy analysis as a digital method, namely, demarcationist, discursive, and empiricist. Each has been adopted in STS, but only the last one offers a digital “move beyond impartiality.” I demonstrate this approach by analyzing issues of Internet governance with the aid of the social media platform Twitter.
An Exploratory Study of Organizational Governance in Publicly-Quoted Professional Service Firms
Authors: Pickering Mark E.
Published: March 2015

There has been a trend of large professional service firms (PSFs) to move from the partnership form of ownership to alternative ownership forms. As part of this trend large, publicly-quoted accounting companies have emerged in Australia, the US and the UK. Research on how publicly-owned PSFs, including accounting companies, are governed, whether aspects of the governance of partnership persist, why particular governance interpretive schemes and associated structures and systems are implemented and implications for performance is sparse. This study explores the interpretive scheme of governance in two Australian publicly-quoted accounting companies and finds one of the companies to have mimicked the major attributes of the partnership interpretive scheme while the other company moved to a corporate form of governance eliminating all vestiges of the partnership interpretive scheme. Governance was found to have significant implications for the performance of the companies with moving from a partnership interpretive scheme contributing to the ultimate failure of one of the companies. The cases suggest that failed experiments in the governance of publicly-owned PSFs, a relatively recently emerged ownership form in some professions, may contribute to conflicting prior findings on the implications of ownership form for the performance of PSFs. Two alternative approaches to the introduction of corporate style governance structures and systems were identified with the findings suggesting potential benefits of evolution rather than revolution. Based on the findings, a theoretical model of the interpretive scheme of governance of publicly-traded PSFs is developed including factors affecting the interpretive scheme implemented and the introduction of more corporate-like governance structures and systems, potential performance implications of PSFs moving away from a partnership interpretive scheme and the conditions and contingencies under which the relationship may hold. The paper also extends the application of agency theory to publicly-owned PSFs.
Creating spaces for interdisciplinary exchange in higher education: A case study
Authors: Consorte-McCrea Adriana , Newing Helen
Published: March 2015

The conference ‘Wildlife and Society: Challenges for a Shared Future’, held in March 2013 at Canterbury Christ Church University, aimed to allow staff and students from a range of disciplines, together with practitioners, to meet and engage in discussion of wildlife and society interactions as a lens for a deep approach to teaching sustainability. The conference brought together experiences in formal and informal curriculum development and the use of diverse pedagogies to explore biodiversity issues. Presentations by speakers from the arts and media, literature and film, ecology and wildlife conservation, environmental education, primary education, anthropology, geography and religious studies were followed by an extended plenary discussion on embedding biodiversity values into teaching practice. Although interdisciplinary cooperation may be notoriously challenging, due to different disciplinary approaches and paradigms, it is essential in addressing real-world problems that do not fit comfortably within the confines of any single discipline. In this paper, we will present qualitative data from discussions at the conference itself and also data from a subsequent survey of participants in order to explore (i) experiences and perspectives on interdisciplinarity in teaching sustainability through biodiversity conservation issues and (ii) the potential impact of the conference itself on teaching practice.
Associations Between Body Weight and Bullying Among South Korean Adolescents
Authors: Kim Seung-Gon , Yun Ilhong , Kim Jae-Hong
Published: March 2015

Most previous studies on the association between bullying and body weight were performed using North American or White samples from Western countries. The present study is the first empirical endeavor to examine whether such an association exists in a sample of adolescents from East Asia. Specifically, the authors examined the associations between body weight and bully/victim experiences among a sample of 805 male and 835 female middle school students in South Korea using a questionnaire survey. Results showed that overweight male students were more likely to both physically bully others and be physically victimized by peers in comparison with normal weight boys. However, no association was observed with regard to verbal or relational bully/victim experiences. For female students, body weight was not associated with any types of bully/victim experiences. These findings disparate from prior Western studies highlight the importance of considering cultural and historical contextual factors when attempting to understand the linkage between bullying and body weight among adolescents.
Subjective Invulnerability and Perceptions of Tobacco-Related Benefits Predict Adolescent Smoking Behavior
Authors: Morrell Holly E. R. , Lapsley Daniel K. , Halpern-Felsher Bonnie L.
Published: March 2015

Identifying factors that influence adolescents’ decisions to start smoking is necessary to improve interventions for reducing tobacco use. The current longitudinal study was designed to determine the direction of influence between feelings of invulnerability to harm and cigarette smoking, and to test whether the perceived risks and benefits of smoking mediate the relationship between invulnerability and smoking. Participants were 228 adolescents (57% female; [Formula: see text] = 14 years) recruited from 9th grade classrooms, who completed questionnaires during class every 6 months through the end of 10th grade. Invulnerability predicted smoking behavior, but not vice versa. These effects became non-significant after controlling for friends’ smoking behavior. Perceived benefits of smoking, but not perceived risks, mediated the relationship between invulnerability and smoking behavior ( ab = .03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [.004, .078]). Adolescents who feel invulnerable to physical danger may be more likely to smoke in part because they perceive more benefits associated with smoking.
Professional Networks and Street-Level Performance
Authors: Siciliano Michael D.
Published: March 2015

Given the complexity of their work, street-level bureaucrats rely on their professional networks to access implementation resources and information. Despite the acknowledged importance of these networks, little research exists on how network structure and composition influence frontline performance. This study analyzes a unique data set that includes the professional networks of more than 420 teachers in 21 public schools along with 3 years of administrative data on student test scores and student demographics. Using value-added models derived from the student test data, objective measures of teacher performance were calculated. The results suggest that street-level performance is influenced by both network structure and composition. Thus, the actions of street-level workers are not independent responses to individual dilemmas, but rather are developed and shaped by specific features of the social structure in which the individual bureaucrat is embedded.
Attentional Bias in Psychopathy
Authors: Edalati Hanie , Walsh Zach , Kosson David S.
Published: March 2015

Numerous studies have identified differences in the identification of emotional displays between psychopaths and non-psychopaths; however, results have been equivocal regarding the nature of these differences. The present study investigated an alternative approach to examining the association between psychopathy and emotion processing by examining attentional bias to emotional faces; we used a modified dot-probe task to measure attentional bias toward emotional faces in comparison with neutral faces, among a sample of male jail inmates assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R). Results indicated a positive association between psychopathy and attention toward happy versus neutral faces, and that this association was attributable to Factor 1 of the psychopathy construct.
In their own words: abused children's perceptions of care provided by their birth parents and foster carers
Authors: Ahmed Kamran , Windsor Laurie , Scott Stephen
Published: March 2015

There are many theories as to what form good-quality parenting should take. Attachment theory emphasises providing a secure base through sensitive responding at times of emotional need. Social learning theory outlines the need for firm limits in addition to the promotion of positive interchanges. These theories are supported by numerous quantitative research studies investigating which parenting styles are associated with better outcomes for children in general and for those with additional needs due to prior abuse or emotional and behavioural difficulties. However, there have been few systematic qualitative studies asking children themselves about their care experiences, particularly with abused or neglected children who are now safe in foster care. Using an adapted version of the Child Attachment Interview, we interviewed 12 children aged 13 to 15 years, who had been taken into care due to abuse and fostered for at least six months, with the aim of exploring their attachment to their birth parents, foster carers and attitudes to different parenting styles in general. Transcripts were analysed using the qualitative technique of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Overall, the abused children spoke more positively of foster care than the care provided by their birth parents. Parenting techniques mentioned in positive terms were a clear disciplinary style, setting firm boundaries, nurturing care, enjoyable time together and mentoring further development. Negative themes included angry or inconsistent disciplinary styles, failure to set appropriate boundaries, rejecting and neglectful behaviour, a lack of joint activities, a chaotic lifestyle and parental illness.

This study provides a unique perspective on parenting, as the children studied have experienced both poor parenting and reasonably normal care. The findings are applicable to care provided for fostered children and could be relevant to the upbringing of children in general.
‘Walking between worlds’: the experiences of New Zealand Māori cross-cultural adoptees
Authors: Haenga-Collins Maria , Gibbs Anita
Published: March 2015

In New Zealand between 1955 and 1985 over 45,000 closed stranger adoptions took place. The Adoption Act 1955 promoted the closed adoption of many Indigenous Māori children into Pākehā (white European) families. Such adoptions severed the ancestral, familial and cultural connections for thousands of Māori children. Although the Adoption Act 1955 is still the current legislation in place in New Zealand, the late 1970s saw open adoption become accepted best practice. Yet it was not until 1985, with the passing of the Adult Adoption Information Act, that adult adoptees gained access to their original birth certificate that provided their birth name and the name of their birth mother. For Māori adoptees this offered a chance to search for their birth parents. It also offered the possibility to trace the previously unknown knowledge of their tribal affiliations and Māori cultural heritage. This article explores the narratives of six Māori adults who were adopted into white families. Using a Māori-centred research approach, it found that Māori adoptees often struggled with their dual identities, feeling they were always ‘walking between worlds’, never fully belonging in either their birth or adoptive families, or fitting comfortably with either a Māori or Pākehā cultural identity.
The use of biographical narratives to explain favourable and unfavourable outcomes for children in foster care
Authors: Reimer Daniela , Schäfer Dirk
Published: March 2015

In many European countries, the number of children living in foster families temporarily or for longer periods is rising, but little is known about the experiences and feelings of children growing up in these settings and whether or how these are related to outcomes. This article seeks to fill this gap by discussing the views of former foster children as reported in autobiographical interviews. It expands research on biographical narratives and life courses, as well as theories of social pedagogy concerned with risk and protective factors, by exploring young people’s perceptions, interpretations and coping strategies alongside critical events and turning points in their lives. A distinctive feature of the approach is the inclusion of objective and subjective dimensions of favourable or unfavourable life courses. Four biographies are summarised to represent these. The article closes with a discussion of the significance for foster care of five issues identified in the analysis: precarious biographical episodes, socialisation, continuity, participation and coping strategies.
Mortality in Female and Male French Olympians
Authors: Antero-Jacquemin Juliana , Rey Grégoire , Marc Andy , Dor Frédéric , Haïda Amal , Marck Adrien , Berthelot Geoffroy , Calmat Alain , Latouche Aurélien , Toussaint Jean-François
Published: March 2015

Background:

Whereas intense physical activity has been associated with deleterious effects on elite athletes’ health, in particular due to cardiovascular anomalies, long-term follow-ups have suggested lower mortality rates among elite athletes. Causes of death for French Olympic athletes and female elite athletes have not been studied.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

We aimed to measure overall and disease-specific mortality of French female and male Olympians compared with the French general population. We hypothesize that Olympians, both women and men, have lower mortality rates.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

French elite athletes (601 women and 1802 men) participating in summer or winter Olympic Games from 1948 to 2010 had their vital status verified by national sources and were followed until 2013. Causes of death were obtained via the National Death registry from 1968 to 2012. Overall and disease-specific mortalities of Olympians were compared with those of the French general population through standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% CIs. Olympians’ observed and expected survivals were illustrated by Kaplan-Meier curves.

Results:

At the endpoint of the study, 13 women and 222 men had died. Overall mortality in Olympians compared with that of their compatriots was 51% lower (SMR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.26-0.85) among women and 49% lower (SMR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.45-0.59) among men. Olympic athletes’ survival is significantly superior to that of the French general population (women, P = .03; men, P < .001). According to the total deaths occurring from 1968 to 2012 (12 among women, 202 among men), female Olympians died from neoplasm (50.0%), external causes (33.3%), and cardiovascular diseases (16.6%). The main causes of death among men were related to neoplasms (36.1%), cardiovascular diseases (24.3%), and external causes (14.4%). Regarding the main causes of mortality among male Olympic athletes, the SMRs were as follows: 0.55 for neoplasms (95% CI, 0.43-0.69), 0.55 for cardiovascular diseases (95% CI, 0.41-0.73), and 0.66 for external causes (95% CI, 0.44-0.94).

Conclusion:

French Olympians live longer than their compatriots: A lower overall mortality of similar magnitude is observed among male and female athletes compared with the general population. The main causes of death in French Olympians are neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, and external causes.
Stimulation of the Superficial Zone Protein and Lubrication in the Articular Cartilage by Human Platelet-Rich Plasma
Authors: Sakata Ryosuke , McNary Sean M. , Miyatake Kazumasa , Lee Cassandra A. , Van den Bogaerde James M. , Marder Richard A. , Reddi A. Hari
Published: March 2015

Background:

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains high concentrations of autologous growth factors that originate from platelets. Intra-articular injections of PRP have the potential to ameliorate the symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee. Superficial zone protein (SZP) is a boundary lubricant in articular cartilage and plays an important role in reducing friction and wear and therefore is critical in cartilage homeostasis.

Purpose:

To determine if PRP influences the production of SZP from human joint-derived cells and to evaluate the lubricating properties of PRP on normal bovine articular cartilage.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Cells were isolated from articular cartilage, synovium, and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) from 12 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. The concentrations of SZP in PRP and culture media were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cellular proliferation was quantified by determination of cell numbers. The lubrication properties of PRP from healthy volunteers on bovine articular cartilage were investigated using a pin-on-disk tribometer.

Results:

In general, PRP stimulated proliferation in cells derived from articular cartilage, synovium, and ACL. It also significantly enhanced SZP secretion from synovium- and cartilage-derived cells. An unexpected finding was the presence of SZP in PRP (2.89 ± 1.23 μg/mL before activation and 3.02 ± 1.32 μg/mL after activation). In addition, under boundary mode conditions consisting of high loads and low sliding speeds, nonactivated and thrombin-activated PRP decreased the friction coefficient (μ = 0.012 and μ = 0.015, respectively) compared with saline (μ = 0.047, P < .004) and high molecular weight hyaluronan (μ = 0.080, P < .006). The friction coefficient of the cartilage with PRP was on par with that of synovial fluid.

Conclusion:

PRP significantly stimulates cell proliferation and SZP secretion by articular cartilage and synovium of the human knee joint. Furthermore, PRP contains endogenous SZP and, in a functional bioassay, lubricates bovine articular cartilage explants.

Clinical Relevance:

These findings provide evidence to explain the biochemical and biomechanical mechanisms underlying the efficacy of PRP treatment for osteoarthritis or damage in the knee joint.
Defining the Role of the Tibial Tubercle–Trochlear Groove and Tibial Tubercle–Posterior Cruciate Ligament Distances in the Work-up of Patients With Patellofemoral Disorders
Authors: Anley Cameron Michael , Morris Guy Vernon , Saithna Adnan , James Steven Laurence , Snow Martyn
Published: March 2015

Background:

The radiological work-up of patients with patellofemoral disorders continues to be debated. The interchangeability of the tibial tubercle–trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance between computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has recently been questioned. In addition, a new measurement—the tibial tubercle–posterior cruciate ligament (TT-PCL) distance—has shown that not all patients with a pathological TT-TG distance (>20 mm) have lateralization of the tibial tubercle. Another factor to consider when looking at the position of the tibial tubercle is the knee joint rotation, defined as the angle between the femoral dorsal condylar line and the tibial dorsal condylar line.

Purpose:

To determine, with a larger population, if the TT-TG measurements can be used interchangeably between CT and MRI and to confirm the correlation between the TT-PCL and TT-TG distances in determining tibial tubercle lateralization.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Patients with patellofemoral disorders and MRI and CT scans of the same knee (n = 141) were identified. The TT-PCL, the knee joint rotation, and TT-TG were measured independently by 2 fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons. Thirty measurements were repeated on a separate occasion to allow for an assessment of the intrarater reliability. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess reliability of the measurements.

Results:

The mean TT-TG was 4.16 mm less on MRI ( P < .05), with the mean TT-TG ± SD being 17.72 ± 5.15 mm on CT (range, 6.97-31.33 mm) and 13.56 ± 6.07 mm on MRI (range, 2-30.04 mm). The ICC for each rater comparing the 2 imaging modalities was only fair (0.54 and 0.48). The mean TT-PCL measurement was 20.32 ± 3.45 mm (range, 10.11-32.01 mm) with excellent interobserver and intraobserver reliability (>0.75). Based on the TT-TG and TT-PCL measurements, 4 groups of patients can be established. When knee joint rotation is compared among groups, an increased TT-TG may result from true lateralization of the tibial tubercle, an increased knee joint rotation, or both.

Conclusion:

Based on a statistically significant mean difference (4.11 mm) and only a fair ICC (0.54 and 0.48) for raters comparing the 2 modalities, the measurements for the TT-TG cannot be used interchangeably between CT and MRI. Therefore, currently accepted values for TT-TG based on CT scans should not be applied to an MRI scan. The TT-PCL measurement is a measure of true lateralization of the tibial tubercle, while the TT-TG is an amalgamated measure of true lateralization and knee joint rotation.
Genetic and histopathological alterations induced by cypermethrin in rat kidney and liver: Protection by sesame oil
Authors: Soliman Mohamed Mohamed , Attia Hossam F , El-Ella Ghada A Abou
Published: March 2015

Pesticides are widespread synthesized substances used for public health protection and agricultural programs. However, they cause environmental pollution and health hazards. This study aimed to examine the protective effects of sesame oil (SO) on the genetic alterations induced by cypermethrin (CYP) in the liver and kidney of Wistar rats. Male rats were divided into four groups, each containing 10 rats: the control group received vehicle, SO group (5 mL/kg b.w), CYP group (12 mg/kg b.w), and protective group received SO (5 mL/kg b.w) plus CYP (12 mg/kg b.w). Biochemical analysis showed an increase in albumin, urea, creatinine, GPT, GOT, and lipid profiles in the CYP group. Co-administration of SO with CYP normalized such biochemical changes. CYP administration decreased both the activity and mRNA expression of the examined antioxidants. SO co-administration recovered CYP, downregulating the expression of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Additionally, SO co-administration with CYP counteracted the CYP- altering the expression of renal interleukins (IL-1 and IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), anigotensinogen (AGT), AGT receptors (AT1), and genes of hepatic glucose and fatty acids metabolism. CYP induced degenerative changes in the kidney and liver histology which are ameliorated by SO. In conclusion, SO has a protective effect against alterations and pathological changes induced by CYP in the liver and kidney at genetic and histological levels.
Vulvar sarcomas: Short guideline for histopathological recognition and clinical management. Part 2
Authors: Chokoeva AA , Tchernev G , Cardoso JC , Patterson JW , Dechev I , Valkanov S , Zanardelli M , Lotti T , Wollina U
Published: March 2015

Malignant tumors of the female reproductive system are a serious health and social problem, as they are the second most common cause of death among women, after breast cancer. Vulvar tumors represent only 4% of all gynecological neoplasms, and they are fourth in frequency after tumors of the cervix, uterus, and ovary. Ninety-eight percent of all vulvar tumors are benign and only 2% are malignant. Sarcomas of the vulva comprise approximately 1–3% of all vulvar cancers. They are characterized by rapid growth, high metastatic potential, frequent recurrences, aggressive behavior, and high mortality rate. In Part 1 of this paper, we presented the most common forms of sarcoma of the vulva: leiomyosarcoma, epithelioid sarcoma, malignant rhabdoid tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma. The second part of this review will focus mainly on the rarest variants of vulvar sarcoma: low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, synovial sarcoma, monophasic synovial sarcoma, carcinosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, myeloid sarcoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, liposarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, and malignant mesothelioma.
Synthesis, characterization, and efficacy evaluation of a new anti-diabetic vanadyl(II) thiamine hydrochloride complex in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Ahmed El-Shazly Samir , Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed , Ibrahim Zein Shaban , Refat Moamen S
Published: March 2015

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to abnormalities in either insulin secretion or action. A range of vanadium complexes have been synthesized and demonstrated to be effective in lowering hyperglycemia. Thiamine administration was also reported to prevent deterioration in fasting glucose and insulin levels, and to improve glucose tolerance in hyperglycemic patients. This study has been conducted to evaluate the ionic vanadyl(II) thiamine hydrochloride complex (VC) as a new anti-diabetic candidate. The new complex was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electronic spectra, magnetic susceptibility, electron spin resonance (ESR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The anti-diabetic effect of VC was investigated in comparison to vanadium sulfate in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Treatment of diabetic rats with VC versus vanadyl sulfate showed a more potent effect on reducing serum glucose and cholesterol close to normal levels. VC suppressed the diabetes-induced upregulation of hepatic glucose transporter (GLUT)-2, Phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) more significantly than vanadyl sulfate. Either vanadyl sulfate or VC restored hepatic sterol regulatory element-binding protein transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c) and muscle hexokinase (HK) mRNA expression that was downregulated in diabetic group. Pyruvate kinase (PK) mRNA expression was restored more significantly in VC-treated than vanadyl sulfate-treated diabetic rats. These results indicate that the newly synthesized VC could be an effective anti-diabetic candidate as the anti-diabetic activity of the ionic vanadium was enhanced after being modified with the organic ligand, thiamin. The results also suggest that VC achieves its effect most likely through modulating the transcription of energy metabolizing enzymes.
Low prevalence of metallo-beta-lactamase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from a tertiary burn care center in Tehran
Authors: Lari Abdolaziz Rastegar , Azimi Leila , Soroush Setareh , Taherikalani Morovat
Published: March 2015

Production of metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) is one of the main mechanisms for resistance in carbapenem antibiotics. Detection of MBL-producer Pseudomonas aeruginosa is crucial in preventing its spread to other gram-negative bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate combination disc (CD) for identification of MBL-producer P. aeruginosa by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 255 imipenem resistant P. aeruginosa were collected from burn patients. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted after purification and identification. Double-disc synergy test (DDST) with EDTA and combination disc test (CDT) with dipicolinic acid were performed for phenotypic detection of MBL and the PCR was carried out for blaVIM, blaIMP, blaNDM-1, blaSPM-1 genes. DDST with EDTA was negative in all cases, but 161 isolates were positive in CDT with dipicolinic acid. Further, blaVIM and blaIMP were detected in five and four strains, respectively. None of the isolates were positive for BlaNDM-1 and blaSPM-1. The results of this study showed that the prevalence of MBL is low in imipenem resistance P. aeruginosa and that other mechanisms could be involved in resistance to imipenem in this bacterium.