bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prostaglandin E
2
Mediates Connecting Tubule Glomerular Feedback
Authors: Ren YiLin , D’Ambrosio Martin A. , Garvin Jeffrey L. , Wang Hong , Carretero Oscar A.
Published: September 2013

Connecting tubule glomerular feedback (CTGF) is a mechanism in which Na reabsorption in the connecting tubule (CNT) causes afferent arteriole (Af-Art) dilation. CTGF is mediated by eicosanoids, including prostaglandins and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids; however, their exact nature and source remain unknown. We hypothesized that during CTGF, the CNT releases prostaglandin E
2
, which binds its type 4 receptor (EP4) and dilates the Af-Art. Rabbit Af-Arts with the adherent CNT intact were microdissected, perfused, and preconstricted with norepinephrine. CTGF was elicited by increasing luminal NaCl in the CNT from 10 to 80 mmol/L. We induced CTGF with or without the EP4 receptor blocker ONO-AE3-208 added to the bath in the presence of the epoxyeicosatrienoic acid synthesis inhibitor MS-PPOH. ONO-AE3-208 abolished CTGF (control, 9.4±0.5; MS-PPOH+ONO-AE3-208, −0.6±0.2 μm;
P
<0.001; n=6). To confirm these results, we used a different, specific EP4 blocker, L161982 (10
–5
mol/L), that also abolished CTGF (control, 8.5±0.9; MS-PPOH+L161982, 0.8±0.4 μm;
P
<0.001; n=6). To confirm that the eicosanoids that mediate CTGF are released from the CNT rather than the Af-Art, we first disrupted the Af-Art endothelium with an antibody and complement. Endothelial disruption did not affect CTGF (7.9±0.9 versus 8.6±0.6 μm;
P
=NS; n=7). We then added arachidonic acid to the lumen of the CNT while maintaining zero NaCl in the perfusate. Arachidonic acid caused dose-dependent dilation of the attached Af-Art (from 8.6±1.2 to 15.3±0.7 μm;
P
<0.001; n=6), and this effect was blocked by ONO-AE3-208 (10
–7
mol/L). We conclude that during CTGF, the CNT releases prostaglandin E
2
, which acts on EP4 on the Af-Art inducing endothelium-independent dilation.
Stroke Unit Care Benefits Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Langhorne Peter , Fearon Patricia , Ronning Ole M. , Kaste Markku , Palomaki Heikki , Vemmos Kostos , Kalra Lalit , Indredavik Bent , Blomstrand Christian , Rodgers Helen , Dennis Martin S. , Salman Rustam Al-Shahi ,   The following collaborators provided new data, advice and comment, and assisted with the redrafting of the report:, Blomstrand C. , Indredavik B. , Kalra L. , Kaste M. , Palomaki H. , Rodgers H. , Ronning M.O. , Vemmos K. ,   The Stroke Unit Trialists’ Collaboration supported and provided for the main stroke unit review:, Asplund K. , Berman P. , Blomstrand C. , Britton M. , Cabral N.L. , Cavallini A. , Dey P. , Hamrin E. , Hankey G. , Indredavik B. , Kalra L. , Kaste M. , Laursen S.O. , Ma R.H. , Patel N. , Rodgers H. , Ronning M.O. , Sivenius J. , Stevens R. , Sulter G. , Svensson A. , Vemmos K. , Wood-Dauphinee S. , Yagura H.
Published: September 2013

Background and Purpose—

Patients with any type of stroke managed in organized inpatient (stroke unit) care are more likely to survive, return home, and regain independence. However, it is uncertain whether these benefits apply equally to patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke.

Methods—

We conducted a secondary analysis of a systematic review of controlled clinical trials comparing stroke unit care with general ward care, including only trials published after 1990 that could separately report outcomes for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and tested for subgroup interactions by stroke type.

Results—

We identified 13 trials (3570 patients) of modern stroke unit care that recruited patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke, of which 8 trials provided data on 2657 patients. Stroke unit care reduced death or dependency (risk ratio [RR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.471–0.92;
P
=0.0009;
I
2
=60%) with no difference in benefits for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.61–1.00) than patients with ischemic stroke (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70–0.97;
P
interaction
=0.77). Stroke unit care reduced death (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.97;
P
=0.02;
I
2
=49%) to a greater extent for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54–0.97) than patients with ischemic stroke (RR, 0.82; 95%, CI 0.61–1.09), but this difference was not statistically significant (
P
interaction
=0.58).

Conclusions—

Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage seem to benefit at least as much as patients with ischemic stroke from organized inpatient (stroke unit) care.
Mitochondrial DNA reveals high genetic divergence between populations of Chalcides mertensi Klausewitz, 1954 (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Tunisia
Authors: Giovannotti Massimo , Nisi Cerioni Paola , Splendiani Andrea , Kalboussi Mohsen , Ruggeri Paolo , Caputo Barucchi Vincenzo
Published: September 2013

Genetic diversity of four populations of Chalcides mertensi (Klausewitz, 1954) from Tunisia was analyzed by means of the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of two fragments of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encompassing NADH dehydrogenase subunits 1 and 2 (ND-1/2) and NADH dehydrogenase subunits 3, 4 and 4L (ND-3/4). Phylogenetic relationships between haplotypes were inferred by analysing the sequence of 396 base pairs at the 5′ end of the mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome b and a segment of 12S rRNA gene (386 bp). The results of this study highlighted a pronounced genetic divergence between the populations from northern (Ain Soltane and Tabarka) and southern (Kasserine and Sidi Bouzid) Tunisia, that the phylogenetic analysis recovered as two distinct taxonomic entities. These two groups of populations can therefore be ascribed to two distinct taxa, with southern populations probably representing the typical C. mertensi, whereas northern individuals are likely to represent a new species of grass swimming Chalcides. The divergence between these two taxonomic entities can be referred to palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic events that have affected northwestern Africa during the last 10 Million years. The analysed populations show a low genetic variability that can be related to the past climatic and geologic events and the colonization processes that took place with environmental amelioration, and to the peripheral position of these populations in the distributional range of the species. However, a more exhaustive study, including Algerian and Moroccan skink populations will be necessary in order to clarify these issues.
The nomenclatural status of the two “spiny-wristed” fiddler crabs: Uca spinicarpa Rathbun, 1900, and U. hesperiae Crane, 1975 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Ocypodidae)
Authors: ROSENBERG MICHAEL S.
Published: September 2013

A secondary homonymy is documented for Gelasimus [= Uca] tetragonon var. spinicarpa Kossmann, 1877 (a species from the Red Sea), and Uca spinicarpa Rathbun, 1900 (a species from the Gulf of Mexico). Although Kossmann’s usage of the nomen spinicarpa has chronological priority, a reversal of precedence is required by Article 23.9 of the Code since Kossmann’s use has not been applied as a valid name since the original publication in 1877, while Rathbun’s use of the name has been applied over 50 times in the last half century. The species Kossmann was most likely referring to is today known as Uca hesperiae Crane, 1975, a name which may be retained in light of the reversal of precedence.
A new, riparian, species of Allobates Zimmermann and Zimmermann, 1988 (Anura: Aromobatidae) from southwestern Amazonia
Authors: MELO-SAMPAIO PAULO ROBERTO , DE SOUZA MOISÉS BARBOSA , PELOSO PEDRO LUIZ VIEIRA
Published: September 2013

We describe Allobates flaviventris sp. nov., a medium-sized (SVL 16.7–19.7 mm in males; 19.3–21.1 mm in females) aromobatid frog with Finger III not swollen in adult males from eastern state of Acre, Brazil. It inhabits open forests with bamboo, usually along small streams and rivers. it has golden-yellow belly and a unique advertisement call as a distinctive character. Notes on natural history are also provided.
Taxonomic revision of Drymoluber Amaral, 1930 (Serpentes: Colubridae)
Authors: COSTA HENRIQUE CALDEIRA , MOURA MÁRIO RIBEIRO , FEIO RENATO NEVES
Published: September 2013

The present study is a taxonomic revision of the genus Drymoluber Amaral, 1930, using meristic and morphometric characters, aspects of external hemipenial morphology and body coloration. Sexual dimorphism occurs in D. dichrous and D. brazili but was not detected in D. apurimacensis. Morphological variation within D. dichrous is related to geographic distance between populations. Furthermore, variation in the number of ventrals and subcaudals in D. dichrous and D. brazili follows latitudinal and longitudinal clinal patterns. Drymoluber dichrous is diagnosed by the presence of 15-15-15 smooth dorsal scale rows with two apical pits, and 157–180 ventrals and 86–110 subcaudals; it occurs along the eastern versant of the Andes, in the Amazon forest, on the Guiana Shield, in the Atlantic forest, and its transitional areas with the Caatinga and Cerrado. Drymoluber brazili has 17-17-15 smooth dorsal scale rows with two apical pits, 182–202 ventrals and 109–127 subcaudals, and ranges throughout the Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic forest and transitional areas between these last two domains. Drymoluber apurimacensis has 13-13-13 smooth dorsal scale rows without  apical pits, 158–182 ventrals and 84–93 subcaudals, and occurs in the Apurímac Valley, south of the Apurímac and Pampas rivers in Peru.
Species status of Bombus monticola Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) supported by DNA barcoding
Authors: GJERSHAUG JAN OVE , STAVERLØKK ARNSTEIN , KLEVEN ODDMUND , ØDEGAARD FRODE
Published: September 2013

Certain species of bumblebees are difficult to distinguish based on morphology alone due to a lack of diagnostic characters and extensive intraspecific variation in colour patterns. The discussion concerning whether Bombus lapponicus and Bombus monticola are the same species or not, seems to be ongoing. We present a study of 16 speciemens of B. monticola/B. lapponicus from Norway, identified with previously published morphological characters and with DNA barcoding. The results showed a match with the examination of the morphological characters and the DNA sequence data. These results confirm that B. lapponicus and B. monticola appear as separate species in Norway, which supports earlier conclusions based on both morphological differences and differences in cephalic marking pheromones in males. The wide sympatric range of the two taxa in Scandinavia also strongly support their species status.
Taxonomic revision of the African genus Trechosiella Jeannel (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae)
Authors: GEGINAT GERNOT
Published: September 2013

The genus Trechosiella Jeannel, 1960 (Carabidae: Trechinae) is revised. In addition to the known species T. laetula (Péringuey, 1898), T. scotti (Jeannel, 1937), T. basilewskyi Jeannel, 1960 and T. katicola Jeannel, 1964, T. endroedyyoungai spec. nov., T. oligophthalma spec. nov. and T. scotti swartbergensis subspec. nov. are newly described. Trechosiella laetula peringueyi (Jeannel, 1926) is recognized as a new synonym of T. laetula sensu stricto. Trechosiella macroptera Casale, 1986 is demoted to become a subspecies of T. scotti, as T. scotti macroptera status demotus. An identification key to the known species and subspecies of Trechosiella and a distribution map of the southern African taxa are provided.
New unidentate jumping spider genera (Araneae: Salticidae) from Australia
Authors: RICHARDSON BARRY J.
Published: September 2013

The Australian fauna includes large numbers of undescribed, tiny, litter-living, jumping spiders. In this paper four monotypic new genera (Ananeon howardensis n. g. n. sp., Barraina anfracta n. g. n.sp., Frewena maculata n.g. n.s., and Pungalina weiri n.g, n.sp.) are described. Two species (Neon taylori n.sp. and Neon australis n. sp.) representing the two distinctive morphological patterns found in Australian species of this genus are also described. The former, similar in the morphology of the palp and genitalia to that found in many species from eastern Australia, is most similar in morphology to N. sumatranus Logunov 1998 from Indonesia and N. kovblyuki Logunov 2004 from the Crimea. The latter, and other similar species from South Australia and Western Australia, has palp morphology and fringing on L1 very similar to that seen in N. nojimai Ikeda 1995 from Japan.
Exploring the Mechanisms of Ice Nucleation on Kaolinite: From Deposition Nucleation to Condensation Freezing
Authors: Welti André , Kanji Zamin A. , Lüönd F. , Stetzer Olaf , Lohmann Ulrike
Published: September 2013

To identify the temperature and humidity conditions at which different ice nucleation mechanisms are active, the authors conducted experiments on 200-, 400-, and 800-nm size-selected kaolinite particles, exposing them to temperatures between 218 and 258 K and relative humidities with respect to ice (RHi) between 100% and 180%, including the typical conditions for cirrus and mixed-phase-cloud formation. Measurements of the ice active particle fraction as a function of temperature and relative humidity with respect to ice are reported. The authors find enhanced activated fractions when water saturation is reached at mixed-phase-cloud temperatures between 235 and 241 K and a distinct increase in the activated fraction below 235 K at conditions below water saturation. To provide a functional description of the observed ice nucleation mechanisms, the experimental results are analyzed by two different particle-surface models within the framework of classical nucleation theory. Describing the ice nucleation activity of kaolinite particles by assuming deposition nucleation to be the governing mechanism below water saturation was found to be inadequate to represent the experimental data in the whole temperature range investigated. The observed increase in the activated fraction below water saturation and temperatures below 235 K corroborate the assumption that an appreciable amount of adsorbed or capillary condensed water is present on kaolinite particles, which favors ice nucleation.
Interpolation of Missing Temperature Data at Meteorological Stations Using P-BSHADE*
Authors: Xu Cheng-Dong , Wang Jin-Feng , Hu Mao-Gui , Li Qing-Xiang
Published: September 2013

Some climate datasets are incomplete at certain places and times. A novel technique called the point estimation model of Biased Sentinel Hospitals-based Area Disease Estimation (P-BSHADE) is introduced to interpolate missing data in temperature datasets. Effectiveness of the technique was empirically evaluated in terms of an annual temperature dataset from 1950 to 2000 in China. The P-BSHADE technique uses a weighted summation of observed stations to derive unbiased and minimum error variance estimates of missing data. Both the ratio and covariance between stations were used in calculation of these weights. In this way, interpolation of missing data in the temperature dataset was improved, and best linear unbiased estimates (BLUE) were obtained. Using the same dataset, performance of P-BSHADE was compared against three estimators: kriging, inverse distance weighting (IDW), and spatial regression test (SRT). Kriging and IDW assume a homogeneous stochastic field, which may not be the case. SRT employs spatiotemporal data and has the potential to consider temperature nonhomogeneity caused by topographic differences, but has no objective function for the BLUE. Instead, P-BSHADE takes into account geographic spatial autocorrelation and nonhomogeneity, and maximizes an objective function for the BLUE of the target station. In addition to the theoretical advantages of P-BSHADE over the three other methods, case studies for an annual Chinese temperature dataset demonstrate its empirical superiority, except for the SRT from 1950 to 1970.
Culture Change and Shit Work
Authors: Lopez Steven H.
Published: September 2013

Drawing on a year of fieldwork in Heartland Community, a “culture-change” nonprofit nursing home, this article investigates dynamics of worker-client power relationships across departments. The analysis raises questions about power and inequality that invert the usual way of thinking about it: Rather than trying to explain why some workers or customers are treated better or worse than others, this article explores why the same people were treated very differently at different times of the day by staff in different departments of the same organization. The divergence in power relations across departments, I contend, flowed from the nursing home’s attempts to manage cross-cutting pressures to humanize care relationships without increasing costs. I suggest that that Heartland’s “solution” to these tensions preserves the routinely inhumane treatment of nursing home residents in the day-to-day activities of the nursing department while presenting a much different face to visitors, family members, policy makers, and the public. The article concludes by suggesting that these ethnographic findings may point not only to a widespread strategy in the nursing home industry but also more generally to the organizational impression management functions served by efforts to “humanize” worker-client relationships.
A Spline Regression Model for Latent Variables
Authors: Harring Jeffrey R.
Published: September 2013

Spline (or piecewise) regression models have been used in the past to account for patterns in observed data that exhibit distinct phases. The changepoint or knot marking the shift from one phase to the other, in many applications, is an unknown parameter to be estimated. As an extension of this framework, this research considers modeling the relation between endogenous and exogenous latent variables with a spline regression model, where each latent variable is measured by multiple observed indicators. Consequently, the spline regression model is modified to include a measurement model that explicitly expresses the relation of the observed variables to the latent constructs. Maximum likelihood estimation of the model is developed and executed on educational data to illustrate the utility of the model.
Mental health consumer and caregiver perceptions of stigma in Australian community pharmacies
Authors: Knox Kathy , Fejzic Jasmina , Mey Amary , Fowler Jane L , Kelly Fiona , McConnell Denise , Hattingh Laetitia , Wheeler Amanda J
Published: September 2013

Background:

The stigma of mental illness can be a barrier to effective medication management in the community pharmacy setting. This article explored mental health consumers’ or caregivers’ experiences of stigma in Australian community pharmacies.

Materials:

Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with a purposive sample of consumers or caregivers ( n = 74). Interview transcripts were analysed using a general inductive approach.

Discussion:

Stigma presented a barrier to effective mental health management. Self-stigma impeded consumers’ community pharmacy engagement. Positive relationships with knowledgeable staff are fundamental to reducing stigma.

Conclusions:

Findings provide insight into the stigma of mental illness in community pharmacies.
Searching for ontological security: Changing meanings of home amongst a Punjabi diaspora
Authors: Taylor Steve
Published: September 2013

Drawing upon a decade of empirical research, this article examines changing meanings of ‘home’ and ontological security amongst a diasporic British Indian Punjabi community. It is argued that home is pursued, transnationally, by British South Asians and that this is significantly shaped by the dynamic social context of South Asia as well as social processes within Britain and across the South Asian diaspora. Previous studies of Punjabi and South Asian diasporic meanings of home and diasporic identities have focused primarily upon Western and intra-diasporic processes in the (re)production of meanings of home, to the relative neglect of dynamic processes in South Asia. Where the South Asian context has been considered significant, it has been represented as static and unchanging. My investigation of dynamic, contemporary social and cultural processes within Punjab reveals that consumer display is replacing the ownership and control of agricultural land and produce as the primary means through which home and ontological security is pursued by the Punjabi diaspora within India. However, this is, in turn, leading to increasing resentment and conflict between the diaspora and the permanent residents of Punjab—part of wider processes of social inclusion and exclusion which also impact upon the diasporic pursuit of home and ontological security.
The use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in blunt abdominal trauma: advantages and limitations
Authors: Pinto Fabio , Miele Vittorio , Scaglione Mariano , Pinto Antonio
Published: September 2013

Computed tomography (CT) is the imaging method of choice in the assessment of multiple trauma patients. However, in patients who suffered from low-energy abdominal trauma, the use of CT is controversial, since the probability of injury is low and therefore most of the studies are normal. Thus, conventional US imaging has increasingly been employed as the initial imaging modality in the work-up of minor traumatic emergency condition. More recently, the introduction of a new contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) technique, using second-generation ultrasound contrast agents, has led to a notable increase in the diagnostic accuracy of US in many organs. Therefore, in trauma patients, following assessment with conventional US imaging, a CEUS exam can be performed, to provide a more reliable assessment of solid organ injuries. CEUS has the potential to detect active bleeding from a variety of traumatic origins. Similar to CT, active extravasation is considered when there is evidence of contrast agent collection with echogenicity similar to that of an adjacent vessel. On the other hand, at least some drawbacks have to be addressed, including operator competence and reduced panoramic view. Moreover, CEUS, like conventional US imaging, cannot depict some lesions, such as diaphragmatic ruptures, bowel, and mesenteric traumatic injuries. This technique represents a non-invasive and repeatable method that can be performed at patient’s bedside and is therefore extremely helpful for the follow-up of solid organs traumas managed conservatively, especially in pediatric patients and women of fertile age. Moreover, it may reduce the number of CT scans and expedite patient discharge.
Emergency room decision-making for urgent cranial computed tomography: selection criteria for subsets of non-trauma patients
Authors: Tung Christer , Lindgren Arne , Siemund Roger , van Westen Danielle
Published: September 2013

Background

Computed tomography (CT) of the brain is used extensively in the urgent work-up of patients with a suspicion of intracranial pathology, but is often normal. Previously proposed selection criteria aim at limiting the ordering of urgent cranial CT in the non-trauma population, while maintaining high sensitivity for diagnoses demanding immediate attention.

Purpose

To retrospectively evaluate these selection criteria in a general non-trauma population from a Swedish tertiary hospital, as well as in a nested subgroup that lacks guidelines at present, namely where the chief complaint was not headache, symptoms clearly indicating stroke, seizures, or vertigo.

Material and Methods

Medical records of 346 patients (114 in the nested group) who had undergone urgent cranial CT were reviewed. Selection criteria as proposed by Rothrock (patient age ≥60 years, presence of new onset focal neurologic deficit, headache with vomiting, or altered mental status) were used. Acute cerebral infarction, intracranial hemorrhage, malignancy, infection, cerebral edema, or hydrocephalus were considered significant findings.

Results

The prevalence of significant findings was 10.1%. The Rothrock criteria had a sensitivity of 97.1% (identifying 34 of 35 significant findings) among all 346 patients and 100% (10/10) among the 114 patients in the subgroup and resulted in a potential scan reduction rate of 22.8% and 11.4%, respectively. In the patient with significant pathology, that was not selected for CT, focal neurological symptoms were not described as newly onset.

Conclusion

Although 100% sensitivity was not achieved, our results may contribute to the evidence that in the absence of focal neurologic deficit, headache with vomiting or altered mental status in patients aged <60 years cranial tomography can be refrained from, in the general population as well as in the subgroup defined above. Further research might validate patient history as a parameter.
Liberalism, Political Theology and Suicide Bombing
Authors: Michelsen Nicholas
Published: September 2013

This article sets out to interrogate the relationship between Liberalism and suicide bombing. It maps and critically examines accounts of suicide bombing as a practice diametrically opposed to the secular logics of liberal governance, or as the direct expression of the traces of sovereign exceptionalism that haunt the global operation of Liberal biopower. I argue that a uniquely liberal analytic of human finitude establishes conditions of political intelligibility for suicide bombings today. As such, the contemporary politics of suicide may be understood as in critical communication with liberal political theologies of immanent governance over the human qua mortal, rather than as structurally deriving from political theologies of sovereign power.
What’s at Stake in the Transition Debate? Rethinking the Origins of Capitalism and the ‘Rise of the West’
Authors: Anievas Alexander , Nisancioglu Kerem
Published: September 2013

This article draws on the theory of uneven and combined development (U&CD) to construct a non-Eurocentric and ‘internationalist’ analysis of the transition to capitalism. In doing so, we seek to respond to and rethink two challenges: exposures of Eurocentric notions of the ‘Rise of the West’ on the one hand; and recent critiques of Eurocentric assumptions in the theory of U&CD on the other. Beginning with an assessment of Robert Brenner’s Anglo-centric theorisation of capitalism’s origins, we argue Brenner’s efforts are hamstrung by an omission of international determinations and conditions. In turn, we retrace these missing international factors through an analysis of the Mongol invasions of the 13th/14th centuries, Ottoman imperial expansion in the 15th/16th centuries and the contemporaneous discovery and colonisation of the New World. We argue that each case demonstrates the historically specific forms of U&CD that fed into – and ultimately determined – the developmental trajectory of capitalism in north-western Europe.
The Politics of Scientific Representation in International Relations
Authors: van der Ree Gerard
Published: September 2013

In IR, representation of knowledge is not neutral, but follows tacit conventions that have become naturalised in the field. In many ways, these conventions are shaped by the so-called ‘science question’, which has shaped the field since the first debate. This article explores three ways in which knowledge is represented in the discipline: numbers, graphical models, and metaphors. Numbers and formal models reinforce the ‘science question’ by the ways in which they exclude audiences, objectify representation and desocialise knowledge. Metaphors also fulfil objectifying functions, particularly through the ways that they link in with ‘commonsense’ knowledge and academic jargon. As will be argued in the concluding section of this article, attempts to escape these logics through the linguistic turn have not been successful at overcoming the politics of scientific representation in the field, and in some ways have even sustained them.
Thinking Outside International Society: A Discussion of the Possibilities for English School Conceptions of World Society
Authors: Pella John Anthony
Published: September 2013

English School theory presently features two distinct conceptions of world society, both of which are concerned with how to best conceptualise the role of non-state actors in international politics. While a classical interpretation advocates attaching world society to non-state cosmopolitan influence, a Buzanian interpretation prefers to analyze distinct interacting non-state units. What is unfortunate is that the comparative merits of these two interpretations remain largely in question, as there has been little attempt to contrast them either conceptually or in terms of potential empirical utility. The purpose of this article is to provide just such comparisons, so as to determine the possibilities for English School theorists seeking to think outside international society. To do this the theoretical underpinnings of the two concepts are analyzed initially, after which the explanatory power of each is tested in an empirical study of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its abolition. In light of shortcomings found with the two concepts, an alternative suggestion is then offered. The suggestion is that world society be conceptualised in accordance with the ongoing contestations between different ideologies in the non-state world, on the basis of which individuals form different types of social relationships to influence the international society of states.
Effect of copper tube casing on strain distribution and mechanical properties of Al-7075 alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing
Authors: Shaeri MH , Djavanroodi F , Sedighi M , Ahmadi S , Salehi MT , Seyyedein SH
Published: September 2013

Equal channel angular pressing is an effective fabrication process for obtaining ultrafine-grained materials. In the current research, the effect of copper tube casing on the effective strain and microhardness distribution of equal channel angular pressing processed Al-7075 alloy was investigated. The material was pressed up to four passes by routes A and BC. To expose the effect of copper tube casing on homogeneity of equal channel angular pressed specimens, the finite element analysis and Vickers microhardness test were performed on the cross section of the specimens. The finite element and experimental results revealed a significant improvement in homogeneity of the specimens covered with copper tube casing as compared with specimens without cover tube. Increasing the copper tube thickness leads to further improvement in homogeneity of the equal channel angular pressed specimens. Furthermore, by covering the specimens with copper tube casing, the microhardness and strength of the equal channel angular pressed specimens increase slightly.
Life cycle assessment of sewage sludge management: A review
Authors: Yoshida Hiroko , Christensen Thomas H , Scheutz Charlotte
Published: September 2013

In this article, 35 published studies on life cycle assessment (LCA) of sewage sludge were reviewed for their methodological and technological assumptions. Overall, LCA has been providing a flexible framework to quantify environmental impacts of wastewater and sewage sludge treatment and disposal processes for multiple scales, ranging from process selection to policy evaluation. The results of LCA are, in principle, unique to the goal and scope of each study, reflecting its local conditions and comparison between different LCAs is not intended. Furthermore, the assessments are limited by the methodological development of the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) and the advancement of research in quantifying environmental emissions associated with wastewater and sewage sludge treatment processes. Thus, large discrepancies were found in the selection of the environmental emissions to be included and how they were estimated in the analysis. In order to reduce these choice uncertainties, consolidation of the modelling approach in the following area are recommended: quantification of fugitive gas emissions and modelling of disposal practices. Besides harmonization of the key technical assumptions, clear documentation of the modelling approach and the uncertainties associating with each assumption is encouraged so as to improve the integrity and robustness of assessment.
“It’s those Pills that are Ruining Me”
Authors: Littlejohn Krystale E.
Published: September 2013

Almost half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, despite the availability of highly effective forms of birth control. Women often cite side effects as a reason for stopping hormonal birth control, and most research on the topic comes from a medical perspective. In this study, I analyze hormonal contraceptive side effects from a social perspective that highlights the link between cultural messages about gender and women’s contraceptive behavior. Drawing on data from interviews with 88 women, I argue that the gendered emphasis on women’s appearance and emotionality shapes women’s perceptions about the seriousness of hormonal contraceptive side effects, like weight gain and emotional volatility, and their propensity to stop use as a result. Contrary to understandings of side effects as a purely medical aspect of use, the gender analysis elucidates the ways that particular side effects are imbued with social meaning that can undermine women’s goals to prevent pregnancy.
Epidemiology of Clostridium difficile Infection
Authors: DePestel Daryl D. , Aronoff David M.
Published: September 2013

There has been dramatic change in the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) since the turn of the 21st century noted by a marked increase in incidence and severity, occurring at a disproportionately higher frequency in older patients. Historically considered a nosocomial infection associated with antibiotic exposure, CDI has now also emerged in the community in populations previously considered low risk. Emerging risk factors and disease recurrence represent continued challenges in the management of CDI. The increased incidence and severity associated with CDI has coincided with the emergence and rapid spread of a previously rare strain, ribotype 027. Recent data from the United States and Europe suggest that the incidence of CDI may have reached a crescendo in the recent years and is perhaps beginning to plateau. The acute care direct costs of CDI were estimated to be US$4.8 billion in 2008. However, nearly all the published studies have focused on CDI diagnosed and treated in the acute care hospital setting and fail to measure the burden outside the hospital, including recently discharged patients, outpatients, and those in long-term care facilities. Enhanced surveillance methods are needed to monitor the incidence, to identify populations at risk, and to characterize the molecular epidemiology of strains causing CDI.
A controller–observer scheme for nonlinear bilateral teleoperation systems
Authors: Baghestan Keivan , Rezaei Seyed Mehdi , Talebi Heidar Ali , Zareinejad Mohammad
Published: September 2013

This article presents an observer-based control scheme for nonlinear bilateral teleoperation systems under variable asymmetric time delays. Estimated velocities are used in control laws, which may make the system unstable. A novel stability analysis is addressed to guarantee the performance of the controller–observer scheme. The proposed scheme is composed of feedback controllers, consisting of two proportional–derivative plus damping controllers in which d-terms are used to passify the delayed proportional and derivative control actions. Two nonlinear high-gain observers are designed in order to estimate the velocity signals of the master and the slave. The stability of the overall closed-loop system is proved under the assumption of passivity of the terminal operator and environment. The performance of the proposed approach is verified using experiments performed on a 2-degree-of-freedom teleoperation system. Experimental results verify that both controller and observer design objectives are satisfied.
Acceptability of the Fetzer/NIA Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in a Sample of Community-Dwelling Black Adults
Authors: Mokel Melissa J. , Shellman Juliette M.
Published: September 2013

Purpose: To examine the acceptability of the National Institute on Aging/Fetzer Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in a sample of Black, community-dwelling, older adults using focus group inquiry ( N =15). Design and Method: Focus group methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Three focus groups ( N = 15) were conducted in two different urban settings in the northeastern part of the United States. Findings: Key findings were that (a) self-rating on religiousness was uncomfortable for many participants, (b) selfless was a word many participants confused with selfish, and (c) spirituality was an important concept. Conclusion: Overall, the Measure was found to be culturally acceptable and required little modification. Implications for Practice: Religious health beliefs such as “rebuking” or “not claiming” medical diagnoses are important considerations to bear in mind in seeking to understand the impact of religiousness on health in this population.
Processes of Change in an Asthma Self-Care Intervention
Authors: Denford Sarah , Campbell John L. , Frost Julia , Greaves Colin J.
Published: September 2013

In this article, we present a qualitative exploration of the psychological and communication processes that occur within an intervention to improve self-care for people with asthma. In the context of a primary-care-based trial of the intervention, we collected data at three time points for 21 patients, comprising 2 audiotaped consultations (nurse and patient together) and individual semistructured interviews 3 months after the second consultation. Using framework analysis, we identified both psychological processes (illness understanding, affective response to asthma, and reasoned motivation) and patient–provider interactions (active patient involvement and individual tailoring). We use these findings to extend and refine the pre-existing theoretical model of behavior change underpinning the intervention, in particular with relation to patient–provider interaction processes. We conclude that it is important for developers and providers of asthma self-care interventions to attend to the style of delivery as well as the behavior change techniques involved.
Daily Symptom Profiles of Children With ADHD Treated With Modified-Release Methylphenidate
Authors: Hautmann Christopher , Rothenberger Aribert , Döpfner Manfred
Published: September 2013

Objective: The aim was to identify subgroups of patients with ADHD with different daily symptom profiles and to characterize their response to modified-release methylphenidate (MR MPH) treatment, using data from the observational trial OBSEER. Method: OBSEER included patients aged 6 to 17 years receiving MR MPH under routine care. To detect subgroups, a latent class cluster analysis was applied. Sex, age, MR MPH dose, and emotional symptoms were considered predictors of response. Results: The analysis included 637 patients (81.3% male), with a mean age (standard deviation) of 10.1 (2.5) years. A two-class solution best fit the data, identifying a high-severity group (49.8%) with pronounced symptom reduction, and a low-severity group (50.2%) with minor changes throughout the day. Younger age, male sex, and higher MPH doses were predictive of the high-severity class. Conclusion: Children with ADHD treated with MR MPH are heterogeneous, and subgroups with differential treatment response can be identified.
The clitoris diaries: La donna clitoridea, feminine authenticity, and the phallic allegory of Carla Lonzi’s radical feminism
Authors: Dalla Torre Elena
Published: September 2013

Radical feminist Carla Lonzi is regarded as a founding mother of Italian feminism in the early 1970s. Italian feminists look at her diaries and pamphlets as historical testimony, or as tools of self-identification. Very little work engages Lonzi’s feminist thought in its critique of psychoanalytic constructs of female sexuality, such as the forced sexual coincidence between vaginal sexuality and masculine pleasure. While reappropriating the clitoris as the site of female autonomy, Lonzi invents the ‘donna clitoridea,’ whose authenticity opposes heteronormativity. This article examines Lonzi’s theory of the clitoris and the donna clitoridea, arguing that Lonzi’s clitoris is not so much a site of pleasurable authenticity, but a phallic instrument of domination among women.
Personal openness toward interfaith dating and marriage among Muslim young adults: The role of religiosity, cultural identity, and family connectedness
Authors: Cila Jorida , Lalonde Richard N.
Published: September 2013

This study ( N = 234) examined Muslim Canadian young adults’ openness to interfaith dating and marriage. We extended previous research on interfaith dating by examining the role of mainstream cultural identification and family connectedness, in addition to religiosity and gender. Participants reported more openness to dating than marrying a non-Muslim, although the pattern of results was similar for both. As expected, stronger religious fundamentalism and stronger religious identification were predictive of less openness toward interfaith dating and marriage. Conversely, stronger identification with mainstream Canadian culture significantly predicted more personal openness toward intimate interfaith relationships with a non-Muslim. The role of family connectedness was indirectly transmitted through religious identification. Finally, being a man was predictive of more personal openness toward both dating and marrying a non-Muslim. Findings suggest that openness to interfaith romantic relationships among young Muslim Canadians is affected by multiple factors, including, but not limited to religious ones.
The relationship between insulin sensitivity and maximal oxygen uptake is confounded by method of adjustment for body composition
Authors: Grice Brian A , Mason Clinton C , Weil E Jennifer , Knowler William C , Pomeroy Jeremy
Published: September 2013

Background:

The use of ratios for analyzing physiologic variables often creates spurious associations.

Methods:

Results of a euglycaemic clamp, a graded exercise test to measure maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and underwater weighing in 358 nondiabetic adults (166 women and 192 men) were used to compare the effects of weight standardization by division or by partial Spearman correlations on the association between VO2max and insulin sensitivity.

Results:

VO2max and insulin sensitivity were negatively correlated when VO2max was divided by weight. When partial Spearman correlations were used to adjust VO2max for body composition, the correlation between VO2max and insulin sensitivity was greatly diminished.

Conclusions:

Division of VO2max by weight does not adjust for weight, but it creates spurious associations between VO2max and insulin sensitivity.
Pre-transplant signal induction for vascularisation in human islets
Authors: Paget Michelle B , Murray Hilary E , Bailey Clifford J , Downing Richard
Published: September 2013

Human islet transplant success is partially impaired by slow revascularisation. Our study investigated the potential for rotational cell culture (RC) of human islets combined with thiazolidinedione (TZD) stimulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) to upregulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the islets. Four groups of human islets were studied: static culture (SC) with and without 25 mmol/L TZD and RC with and without 25 mmol/L TZD. These were assessed for insulin secretion and soluble VEGF-A release. Both proteins were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), supported with qualitative immunofluorescence staining. RC + TZD increased insulin secretion by >20% ( p < 0.05–0.001) in response to 16.7 mmol/L glucose and 16.7 mmol/L glucose + 10 mmol/L theophylline (G + T). This effect was seen at all time intervals compared with SC and without addition of TZD. Soluble VEGF-A release was significantly augmented by RC and TZD exposure with an increased effect of >30% ( p < 0.001) at 72 h under both SC and RC conditions. RC supplemented with a TZD enhances and prolongs the release of insulin and soluble VEGF-A by isolated human islets.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an Arab College Student With Social Phobia and Depression
Authors: McIndoo Crystal C. , Hopko Derek R.
Published: September 2013

Coexistent social anxiety disorder (SAD) and major depression can be highly debilitating and cause significant interference with social, occupational, and educational functioning. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for SAD and allows for flexibility in treating individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds. At present, treatment outcome research on the efficacy of CBT among Arab individuals with anxiety and mood disorders is highly limited. The current case study presents the implementation of a manualized CBT protocol for an Arab male with SAD and a secondary diagnosis of major depression. With attention to unique cultural influences on the development and maintenance of his symptom presentation, treatment consisted of 14 individual sessions, with outcome data yielding significant reductions in social anxiety, somatic anxiety, and depression at the posttreatment assessment. This case study demonstrates the potential efficacy of manualized CBT for SAD among Arab individuals and highlights the need for further systematic investigation using randomized controlled trials.
Gender Diversity, Business-Unit Engagement, and Performance
Authors: Badal Sangeeta , Harter James K.
Published: September 2013

This study investigates the relationship between gender diversity and financial performance at the business-unit level and whether employee engagement moderates this relationship. Using more than 800 business units from two companies belonging to two different industries, we found that employee engagement and gender diversity independently predict financial performance at the business-unit level. One implication is that making diversity an organizational priority and creating an engaged culture for the workforce may result in cumulative financial benefits.
Integrated thermopile vacuum gauge with an XeF2 dry-etching process
Authors: Sun Xiao , Xu Dehui , Xiong Bin , Wang Yuelin
Published: September 2013

In this article, an integrated thermopile vacuum gauge with an XeF2 dry-etching process is presented. The integrated thermopile vacuum gauge consists of an N-polysilicon heater and 38 N-polysilicon/Al thermocouples. By using XeF2 front-side isotropic post-etching technique, the integrated vacuum gauge structure was released, and a small size of the integrated thermopile vacuum gauge structure about 0.4 × 1.5 mm2 has been achieved. Compared with applying a constant voltage to the integrated thermopile vacuum gauge, applying a constant power to the gauge is more sensitive. The experimental results show that the dynamic pressure range of the integrated thermopile vacuum sensor is 10−2–105 Pa.
A micro-tensile testing chip–integrated piezoresistive cells for tension measurement and axial alignment
Authors: Zhang Duanqin , Yang Faliang , Chu Jinkui
Published: September 2013

Mechanical testing of micro/nano-materials is very important for design, performance realization, and reliability analysis of micro/nano-electromechanical systems. Mechanical characterization of micro/nano-materials is rather difficult in the handling and alignment of the specimens, measurement of the displacement, and the load for both the off-chip testing method and the integrated on-chip testing method. In this article, a micro-tensile testing chip–integrated piezoresistive cells and a specimen are developed to solve the problems of tension measurement and axial alignment. Based on the piezoresistive effect, the configuration of the chip, especially the parts of the cantilevers, which carry the piezoresistive cells and the cells, is designed, and the tensile force and non-axis alignment error can be measured simultaneously. The chip is prepared with bulk micromachining of silicon. The performance of the chip is calibrated using an off-chip actuated micro-tensile tester, and the sensitivity coefficient of the piezoresistive cells is equal to 0.017 mV/mN.