bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Add‐on therapy of pitavastatin and eicosapentaenoic acid improves outcome of peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Kohjima Motoyuki , Enjoji Munechika , Yoshimoto Tsuyoshi , Yada Ryoko , Fujino Tatsuya , Aoyagi Yoko , Fukushima Nobuyoshi , Fukuizumi Kunitaka , Harada Naohiko , Yada Masayoshi , Kato Masaki , Kotoh Kazuhiro , Nakashima Manabu , Sakamoto Naoya , Tanaka Yasuhito , Nakamuta Makoto
Published: November 2012

Despite the use of pegylated‐interferon (peg‐IFN) plus ribavirin combination therapy, many patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐1b remain HCV‐positive. To determine whether addition of pitavastatin and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is beneficial, the “add‐on” therapy option (add‐on group) was compared retrospectively with unmodified peg‐IFN/ribavirin therapy (standard group). Association of host‐ or virus‐related factors with sustained virological response was assessed. In HCV replicon cells, the effects of pitavastatin and/or EPA on HCV replication and expression of innate‐immunity‐ and lipid‐metabolism‐associated genes were investigated. In patients infected with HCV‐1b, sustained virological response rates were significantly higher in the add‐on than standard group. In both groups, sustained virological response rates were significantly higher in patients with genotype TT of IL‐28B (rs8099917) than in those with non‐TT genotype. Among the patients with non‐TT genotype, sustained virological response rates were markedly higher in the add‐on than standard group. By multivariate analysis, genome variation of IL28B but not add‐on therapy remained as a predictive factor of sustained virological response. In replicon cells, pitavastatin and EPA suppressed HCV replication. Activation of innate immunity was obvious in pitavastatin‐treated cells and EPA suppressed the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c and low‐density lipoprotein receptor. Addition of pitavastatin and EPA to peg‐IFN/ribavirin treatment improved sustained virological response in patients infected with HCV‐1b. Genotype variation of IL‐28B is a strong predictive factor in add‐on therapy. J. Med. Virol. 85:250–260, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Has the beneficial effect of fish oil on cardiovascular disease disappeared?
Authors: Stanley John
Published: November 2012

Meta‐analyses of prospective cohort studies or meta‐analyses of randomised controlled trials completed before the year 2002 suggest that the very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC n‐3 PUFA) characteristic of fish oil significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, randomised controlled trials and meta‐analyses of these trials published in the last decade suggest that VLC n‐3 PUFA have no effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease. While some of the more recently completed trials can be criticised as they were either uncontrolled or did not have sufficient statistical power a more important factor may be at work. By contrast with the earlier trials, the cardiovascular disease patients recruited for trials carried out in the last decade tend to be treated with statins. Demonstrating additional benefit of VLC n‐3 PUFA on cardiovascular disease over and above that conferred by statins is clearly proving problematic.
Glycidyl 4‐Functionalized‐1,2,3‐Triazole Polymers
Authors: Liu Dian , Zheng Yijun , Steffen Werner , Wagner Manfred , Butt Hans‐Jürgen , Ikeda Taichi
Published: November 2012

A series of novel polymers, glycidyl 4‐functionalized 1,2,3‐triazole polymers (functionalized GTP) were synthesized by click functionalization of glycidyl azide polymer (GAP). Quantitative functionalization of the glycidyl polymer side groups was achieved due to the high reactivity of the azide–alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition under mild conditions. The polymers were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, GPC, DLS, DSC, and TGA. We confirmed that the solubility, glass transition temperature, and decomposition temperature were controllable by changing the functional group attached at 4‐position of 1,2,3‐triazole group. Functionalized GTP expands not only the application field of GAP toward non‐explosive materials, but also the variety of poly(ethylene glycol) derivatives with different side groups.
In vivo measurement of transverse relaxation time in the mouse brain at 17.6 T
Authors: Kara Firat , Chen Fu , Ronen Itamar , de Groot Huub J. M. , Matysik Jörg , Alia A
Published: November 2012

Purpose: To establish regional T1 and T2 values of the healthy mouse brain at ultra‐high magnetic field strength of 17.6 T and to follow regional brain T1 and T2 changes with age.

Methods: In vivo T1 and T2 values in the C57BL/6J mouse brain were followed with age using multislice‐multiecho sequence and multiple spin echo saturation recovery with variable repetition time sequence, respectively, at 9.4 and 17.6 T. Gadolinium‐tetra‐azacyclo‐dodecane‐tetra‐acetic acid phantoms were used to validate in vivo T2 measurements. Student's t‐test was used to compare mean relaxation values.

Results: A field‐dependent decrease in T2 is shown and validated with phantom measurements. T2 values at 17.6 T typically increased with age in multiple brain regions except in the hypothalamus and the caudate‐putamen, where a slight decrease was observed. Furthermore, T1 values in various brain regions of young and old mice are presented at 17.6 T. A large gain in signal‐to‐noise ratio was observed at 17.6 T.

Conclusions: This study establishes for the first time the normative T1 and T2 values at 17.6 T over different mouse brain regions with age. The estimates of in vivo T1 and T2 will be useful to optimize pulse sequences for optimal image contrast at 17.6 T and will serve as baseline values against which disease‐related relaxation changes can be assessed in mice. Magn Reson Med, 70:985–993, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Emulsifier‐free, organotellurium‐mediated living radical emulsion polymerization (emulsion TERP): Effect of monomer hydrophilicity
Authors: Kitayama Yukiya , Kishida Kazuya , Okubo Masayoshi
Published: November 2012

Emulsifier‐free, organotellurium‐mediated living radical emulsion polymerizations (emulsion TERPs) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and n‐butyl methacrylate (BMA) with dimethyl ditelluride were carried out at two different stirring rates (220 rpm and 1000 rpm). In the emulsion TERP of MMA as a hydrophilic monomer, the molecular weight distribution (MWD) controls with both stirring rates were good with high polymerization rate (100% conversion at 1.5 h). On the other hand, in the emulsion TERP of BMA as a hydrophobic monomer, at 220 rpm the polymerization rate was much slow (∼50% conversion at 22 h) and the MWD control was bad, but at 1000 rpm the polymerization was completed within 7 h and MWD control was good. These results suggest that monomer transportation from droplets to polymerizing particles via aqueous medium is important for good MWD control and steady polymerization in the emulsion TERP. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013
Microglia Response and In Vivo Therapeutic Potential of Methylprednisolone‐Loaded Dendrimer Nanoparticles in Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Cerqueira Susana R. , Oliveira Joaquim M. , Silva Nuno A. , Leite‐Almeida Hugo , Ribeiro‐Samy Silvina , Almeida Armando , Mano João F. , Sousa Nuno , Salgado António J. , Reis Rui L.
Published: November 2012

The control and manipulation of cells that trigger secondary mechanisms following spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the first opportunities to minimize its highly detrimental outcomes. Herein, the ability of surface‐engineered carboxymethylchitosan/polyamidoamine (CMCht/PAMAM) dendrimer nanoparticles to intracellularly deliver methylprednisolone (MP) to glial cells, allowing a controlled and sustained release of this corticosteroid in the injury site, is investigated. The negatively charged MP‐loaded CMCht/PAMAM dendrimer nanoparticles with sizes of 109 nm enable a MP sustained release, which is detected for a period of 14 days by HPLC. In vitro studies in glial primary cultures show that incubation with 200 μg mL−1 nanoparticles do not affect the cells' viability or proliferation, while allowing the entire population to internalize the nanoparticles. At higher concentrations, microglial cell viability is proven to be affected in response to the MP amount released. Following lateral hemisection lesions in rats, nanoparticle uptake by the spinal tissue is observed 3 h after administration. Moreover, significant differences in the locomotor output between the controls and the MP‐loaded nanoparticle‐treated animals one month after the lesion are observed. Therefore, MP‐loaded CMCht/PAMAM dendrimer nanoparticles may prove to be useful in the reduction of the secondary injury following SCI.
Modulation of Lumen Formation by Microgeometrical Bioactive Cues and Migration Mode of Actin Machinery
Authors: Lei Yifeng , Zouani Omar F. , Rami Lila , Chanseau Christel , Durrieu Marie‐Christine
Published: November 2012

How endothelial cells (ECs) express the particular filopodial or lamellipodial form of the actin machinery is critical to understanding EC functions such as angiogenesis and sprouting. It is not known how these mechanisms coordinately promote lumen formation of ECs. Here, adhesion molecules (RGD peptides) and inductor molecules (BMP‐2 mimetic peptides) are micropatterned onto polymer surfaces by a photolithographic technique to induce filopodial and lamellipodial migration modes. Firstly, the effects of peptide microgeometrical distribution on EC adhesion, orientation and morphogenesis are evaluated. Large micropatterns (100 μm) promote EC orientation without lumen formation, whereas small micropatterns (10–50 μm) elicit a collective cell organization and induce EC lumen formation, in the case of RGD peptides. Secondly, the correlation between EC actin machinery expression and EC self‐assembly into lumen formation is addressed. Only the filopodial migration mode (mimicked by RGD) but not lamellipodial migration mode (mimicked by BMP‐2) promotes EC lumen formation. This work gives a new concept for the design of biomaterials for tissue engineering and may provide new insight for angiogenesis inhibition on tumors.
Lead Selenide Nanostructured Aerogels and Xerogels
Authors: Kalebaila Kennedy K. , Brock Stephanie L.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. The synthesis of PbSe nanostructured gels via a sol‐gel nanoparticle assembly method, followed by CO2‐supercritical drying to make aerogels, is reported. Effective thiolate‐capping of PbSe nanoparticles and the eventual controlled removal of the thiolates led to formation of a gel as opposed to a colloidal precipitate. Spherical PbSe nanoparticles were prepared by a precapping method, while cube‐shaped nanoparticles were made by a post‐capping procedure. Morphologically, spherical nanoparticles assembled into a colloidal (pearl‐necklace) gel network, whereas cube‐shaped nanoparticles formed a hierarchical gel network. Band‐gap measurements show that both spherical and cube‐shaped PbSe gels are blue shifted with respect to bulk PbSe, consistent with quantum confinement. Aerogels exhibit higher surface areas than xerogels indicating the higher degree of porosity and lower density of the former, and this is reflected in a greater extent of quantum confinement in aerogels relative to xerogels.
Valgus extension femoral osteotomy to treat “hinge abduction” in Perthes’ disease
Authors: Farsetti Pasquale , Benedetti-Valentini Matteo , Potenza Vito , Ippolito Ernesto
Published: November 2012

Purpose

“Hinge abduction” is a complication of Perthes’ disease caused by impingement of the extruded superolateral portion of the femoral head against the lateral lip of the acetabulum. Catterall first described femoral valgus extension osteotomy (VGEO) to treat this condition. We report the results of this operation in 16 cases of Perthes’ disease with “hinge abduction”.

Methods

Sixteen hips in 16 patients affected by Perthes’ disease and “hinge abduction” were operated on at a mean age of 10.1 years and followed up an average of 6.5 years later. Before surgery, the mean Iowa hip score was 44.4 points. Preoperative radiographs were taken with the affected hip in maximum adduction in order to calculate the amount of valgus correction. The osteotomy was performed between the greater and the lesser trochanter, and it was fixed with a hip plate.

Results

All the osteotomies healed uneventfully. At follow-up, no patient complained of pain and hip abduction ranged from 20° to 45°. Four out of the 16 patients had a moderate limp, and 12 had an improvement in gait pattern compared to preoperatively. At follow-up, the Iowa hip score totaled a mean of 83.6 points, with a statistically significant improvement in comparison to the preoperative evaluation. At follow-up, two hips were classified as Stulberg II–III, ten hips as Stulberg III, and four as Stulberg IV.

Conclusions

In our hands, VGEO was an effective procedure to treat “hinge abduction” in severe Perthes’ disease with satisfactory results. The main limitation of our study is its short follow-up.
Behavior, design, and modeling of structural walls and coupling beams — Lessons from recent laboratory tests and earthquakes
Authors: Wallace John W.
Published: November 2012

Observed wall damage in recent earthquakes in Chile and New Zealand, where modern building codes exist, exceeded expectations. In these earthquakes, structural wall damage included boundary crushing, reinforcement fracture, and global wall buckling. Recent laboratory tests also have demonstrated inadequate performance in some cases, indicating a need to review code provisions, identify shortcomings and make necessary revisions. Current modeling approaches used for slender structural walls adequately capture nonlinear flexural behavior; however, strength loss due to buckling of reinforcement and nonlinear and shear-flexure interaction are not adequately captured. Additional research is needed to address these issues. Recent tests of reinforced concrete coupling beams indicate that diagonally-reinforced beams detailed according to ACI 318-111 can sustain plastic rotations of about 6% prior to significant strength loss and that relatively simple modeling approaches in commercially available computer programs are capable of capturing the observed responses. Tests of conventionally-reinforced beams indicate less energy dissipation capacity and strength loss at approximately 4% rotation.
Development and applications of the intrinsic model for formwork pressure of self-consolidating concrete
Authors: Kwon Seung Hee , Kim Jae Hong , Shah Surendra P.
Published: November 2012

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is a recently developed innovative construction material. SCC fills in a formwork without any vibrating consolidation, which allows us to eventually achieve robust casting. However, high formwork lateral pressure exerted by SCC is a critical issue regarding its application as cast-in-place concrete. In order to control the risk caused by high formwork pressure, a comprehensive prediction model for the pressure was previously proposed, investigated, and validated with various SCC mixtures. The model was originally designed to simulate the intrinsic pressure response of SCC mixtures while excluding other extrinsic influencing factors such as friction and flexibility of the formwork. The model was then extended to consider extrinsic factors such as friction between SCC mixtures and formwork. In addition, other interesting topics for peak formwork pressure and mineral admixture effects were summarized in the paper.
Ethnic and racial socialization and self‐esteem of Asian adoptees: The mediating role of multiple identities
Authors: Mohanty Jayashree
Published: November 2012

Positive identity development during adolescence in general is a complex process and may pose additional challenges for adolescents adopted from a different culture. Using a web‐based survey design with a sample of 100 internationally adopted Asian adolescent and young adults, the present study examined the mediating role of multiple identities (i.e., ethnic, adoptive and interpersonal ego identities) in explaining the relationship between ethnic and racial socializations, ethnic neighborhood, and self‐esteem. The results showed that (a) adoptive identity mediated the influence of racial socialization on psychological well‐being, and (b) ethnic affirmation mediated the influence of ethnic socialization on adoptees' well‐being. This study illustrates the importance of providing supportive counseling services for adoptees who are exploring their adoptive identity.
\( L^{p} \)-maximal regularity of nonlocal parabolic equations and applications
Authors: Zhang Xicheng
Published: November 2012

By using Fourierʼs transform and Fefferman–Steinʼs theorem, we investigate the

L^{p}

-maximal regularity of nonlocal parabolic and elliptic equations with singular and non-symmetric Lévy operators, and obtain the unique strong solvability of the corresponding nonlocal parabolic and elliptic equations, where the probabilistic representation plays an important role. As a consequence, a characterization for the domain of pseudo-differential operators of Lévy type with singular kernels is given in terms of the Bessel potential spaces. As a byproduct, we also show that a large class of non-symmetric Lévy operators generates an analytic semigroup in

L^{p}

-spaces. Moreover, as applications, we prove Krylovʼs estimate for stochastic differential equations driven by Cauchy processes (i.e. critical diffusion processes), and also obtain the global well-posedness for a class of quasi-linear first order parabolic systems with critical diffusions. In particular, critical Hamilton–Jacobi equations and multidimensional critical Burgerʼs equations are uniquely solvable and the smooth solutions are obtained.
In situ UDP‐glucose regeneration unravels diverse functions of plant secondary product glycosyltransferases
Authors: Terasaka Kazuyoshi , Mizutani Yuki , Nagatsu Akito , Mizukami Hajime
Published: November 2012

The catalytic function of plant secondary product glycosyltransferases (PSPGs) was investigated by coupling the activities of recombinant flavonoid glucosyltransferases having different regiospecificities with sucrose synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana. In the present system, UDP, a product inhibitor of PSPGs, was removed from the reaction mixture and used for regeneration of UDP‐glucose by AtSUS1. The in situ UDP‐glucose regeneration system not only enhanced the glucosylation efficiency but also unraveled the novel regioselectivity of PSPGs. The effect of the system was shown to be because of the removal of UDP from the reaction system and not because of the additional supply of UDP‐glucose.
Autistic‐like behavioral phenotypes in a mouse model with copy number variation of the CAPS2/CADPS2 gene
Authors: Sadakata Tetsushi , Shinoda Yo , Oka Megumi , Sekine Yukiko , Furuichi Teiichi
Published: November 2012

Ca2+‐dependent activator protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2 or CADPS2) facilitates secretion and trafficking of dense‐core vesicles. Recent genome‐wide association studies of autism have identified several microdeletions due to copy number variation (CNV) in one of the chromosome 7q31.32 alleles on which the locus for CAPS2 is located in autistic patients. To evaluate the biological significance of reducing CAPS2 copy number, we analyzed CAPS2 heterozygous mice. Our present findings suggest that adequate levels of CAPS2 protein are critical for normal brain development and behavior, and that allelic changes due to CNV may contribute to autistic symptoms in combination with deficits in other autism‐associated genes.
Oligomeric structure of 14‐3‐3 protein: What do we know about monomers?
Authors: Sluchanko Nikolai N. , Gusev Nikolai B.
Published: November 2012

14‐3‐3s predominantly form homo‐/heterodimers that are in equilibrium with corresponding monomers. Dimer/monomer equilibrium depends on the nature and phosphorylation of Ser58 of certain 14‐3‐3 isoforms. The structure and properties of 14‐3‐3 dimers are well characterized, whereas 14‐3‐3 monomers are less investigated. Therefore design and analysis of dimer‐incapable mutants of 14‐3‐3 are important. Truncated or heavily mutated proteins are not ideal since their structure may be distorted. Phosphomimicking mutations, such as S58(D/E), induce incomplete dimer dissociation. A recently characterized monomeric 14‐3‐3 contains few mutations and retains the original secondary structure. Monomeric 14‐3‐3 interacts with phosphorylated target proteins and has higher chaperone‐like activity than dimeric 14‐3‐3. Further investigation of the properties of monomeric 14‐3‐3 is important for understanding its yet poorly characterized role in different cellular processes.
Dietary fish oil reduces glomerular injury and elevated renal hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid levels in the JCR:LA-cprat, a model of the metabolic syndrome
Authors: Aukema Harold M. , Lu Jing , Borthwick Faye , Proctor Spencer D.
Published: November 2012

We have previously shown nutritional intervention with fish oil (n-3 PUFA) to reduce numerous complications associated with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the JCR:LA-corpulent (cp) rat. In the present study, we sought to explore the potential role of fish oil to prevent glomerulosclerosis in JCR:LA-cprats via renal eicosanoid metabolism and lipidomic analysis. Male lean and MetS JCR:LA-cprats were fed a lipid-balanced diet supplemented with fish oil (5 or 10 % of total fat). After 16 weeks of feeding, albuminuria was significantly reduced in MetS rats supplemented with 5 or 10 % fish oil ( − 53 and − 70 %, respectively, compared with the untreated MetS rats). The 5 % fish oil diet resulted in markedly lower glomerulosclerosis ( − 43 %) in MetS rats and to a lesser extent in those supplemented with 10 % fish oil. Interestingly, untreated MetS rats had higher levels of 11- and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETE)v.lean rats. Dietary fish oil reduced these levels, as well as other (5-, 9- and 15-) HETE. Whilst genotype did not alter prostanoid levels, fish oil reduced endogenous renal levels of 6-keto PGF1α(PGI2metabolite), thromboxane B2(TxB2), PGF2αand PGD2by approximately 60 % in rats fed 10 % fish oil, and TxB2( − 50 %) and PGF2α( − 41 %) in rats fed 5 % fish oil. In conclusion, dietary fish oil prevented glomerular damage in MetS rats and mitigated the elevation in renal HETE levels. These results suggest a potential role for dietary fish oil to improve dysfunctional renal eicosanoid metabolism associated with kidney damage during conditions of the MetS.
Small Worlds of Diversity: Views toward Immigration and Racial Minorities in Canadian Provinces
Authors: Bilodeau Antoine , Turgeon Luc , Karakoç Ekrem
Published: November 2012

Abstract.Canadian provinces have long been considered as “small worlds,” each with its own cultural distinctiveness and province-building dynamics. This article examines whether these same provincial specificities are observed in terms of attitudes toward immigration intakes and racial diversity. Three questions are asked. First, are there important variations in views toward immigration and racial minorities across Canadian provinces within the native-born white Canadian population? Second, have the differences and similarities changed between 1988 and 2008? And third, do specific provincial economic, demographic, and cultural realities shape provincial public opinion on these matters? The findings indicate that there are significant differences and commonalities in how all provinces react to immigration and racial diversity, that native-born white Canadians have grown increasingly accepting of immigration and racial diversity over time and that views toward immigration and racial diversity are distinct from each other and each responds to a specific set of provincial realities.

Résumé.Les provinces canadiennes constituent de “petits univers,” chacune possédant sa propre culture et sa propre dynamique politique. Cet article explore si de telles spécificités provinciales peuvent être également observées en ce qui a trait aux attitudes par rapport à l'immigration et à la diversité raciale. Nous posons trois questions. Premièrement, y a-t-il des différences d'opinions quant à l'immigration et aux minorités raciales entre provinces canadiennes au sein de la population blanche née au Canada? Deuxièmement, est-ce que les similarités et les différences entre les provinces ont changé entre 1988 et 2008? Et troisièmement, est-ce que les réalités économiques, démographiques et culturelles provinciales influencent l'opinion publique provinciale sur ces questions? Les résultats de l'étude indiquent qu'il y a à la fois des similarités et des différences quant aux attitudes des différentes provinces sur l'immigration et la diversité raciale, que la population blanche née au Canada s'est montrée de plus en plus ouverte à l'immigration et à la diversité raciale au cours de la période à l'étude, et que les attitudes par rapport à l'immigration et la diversité raciale ne sont pas identiques et qu'elles répondent chacune à leur façon à un certain nombre de réalités provinciales.
Canadian Federalism and Change in Policy Attention: A Comparison with the United Kingdom
Authors: Montpetit Éric , Foucault Martial
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Federal systems empower multiple policy actors from different levels of governments. For some scholars, the disagreements arising within such a diverse group of actors create policy stalemates. Others contend instead that new ideas are more likely to arise and diffuse from such a diverse group. This article is a contribution to this scholarly debate, proposing an original contribution on policy agendas. It argues that both perspectives are useful to understanding the dynamic of policy making within federal systems. Looking at change in policy attention in Canadian and British speeches from the throne, the article argues that federalism constrains change immediately following a party turnover in government. In the following years, however, federal arrangements encourage larger changes in policy attention than arrangements where power is centralized.

Résumé. Les systèmes fédéraux rassemblent plusieurs acteurs politiques issus de différents niveaux de gouvernement. Pour certains chercheurs, l'existence de potentiels désaccords entre de tels décideurs est susceptible de créer des impasses politiques. D'autres soutiennent au contraire que les nouvelles idées sont plus susceptibles d'émerger et de se diffuser à partir d'un tel groupe diversifié. Cet article s'inscrit dans ce débat sur le fédéralisme et propose une contribution originale en termes de mise à l'agenda des politiques publiques. Il soutient que les deux perspectives sont nécessaires à la compréhension de la dynamique de l'élaboration des politiques au sein des systèmes fédéraux. En mesurant le changement de l'attention politique dans les discours du Trône canadiens et britanniques, l'article affirme que le fédéralisme freine le changement de politique immédiatement après un changement de parti au gouvernement. Au cours d'une législature, toutefois, les institutions fédérales encouragent de plus grands changements dans l'attention des politiques que dans des systèmes unitaires où le pouvoir est centralisé.
Must We All Be Paradigmatic? Social Investment Policies and Liberal Welfare States
Authors: White Linda A.
Published: November 2012

Abstract.This article examines whether current shifts in government spending on early childhood education and care (ECEC) and maternal employment-promoting policies such as maternity and parental leave reveal a paradigm shift toward a social investment strategy in liberal welfare states. It finds that while governments in liberal welfare states increasingly adhere to the rhetoric of social investment focused on lifelong learning and labour activation, their policies and programs exhibit so much variation in goals, instruments and settings related to the family, maternal employment and the child that it is difficult to claim that any new policy approach has taken hold that is indicative of a social investment “paradigm.” Instead, liberal welfare states appear to be becoming even more liberal—in terms of reliance on markets for delivery of social investment goals—at the same time as spending is increasing.

Résumé.Cet article examine si les changements actuels des dépenses de gouvernement sur la première éducation d'enfance et le soin (ECEC) et les politiques promouvant emploi maternelles comme la maternité et le congé parental révèlent un changement de paradigme vers une stratégie sociale d'investissement dans les Etats-providences libéraux. Il constate que pendant que les gouvernements dans les Etats-providences libéraux adhèrent de plus en plus à la rhétorique d'investissement social s'est concentré sur l'apprentissage de toute une vie et l'activation de la main-d'œuvre, leurs politiques et programmes exposent tant de variation dans les buts, les instruments et les cadres rattachés à la famille, l'emploi maternel et l'enfant qu'il est difficile de réclamer que n'importe quelle nouvelle approche de politique a attrapé qui est indicatif “d'un paradigme” social d'investissement. Au lieu de cela les Etats-providences libéraux ont l'air de devenir encore plus libéraux – du point de vue de la dépendance aux marchés pour la livraison de buts sociaux d'investissement – en même temps comme les dépenses augmentent.
Enquête sur le rapport des journalistes à la démocratie : le rôle de médiateur en question
Authors: Gingras Anne-Marie
Published: November 2012

Résumé.Dans ce texte, nous tentons d'évaluer le rôle sociopolitique des journalistes en posant les éléments fondamentaux d'une conceptualisation du rôle des médias en démocratie et en analysant les résultats d'une recherche empirique sur l'engagement des journalistes envers la démocratie menée de l'été 2008 au printemps 2010. Notre étude prend appui sur la dichotomie entre un rôle actif des médias et un rôle instrumental face au système politique, dichotomie que nous faisons porter sur les journalistes. Nous prétendons que les médias et les journalistes jouent le rôle de « médiateurs » dans les sociétés libérales, c'est-à-dire d'agents individuels ou collectifs par qui transitent des messages explicites ou implicites; ces agents ajoutent une couche de sens par diverses méthodes dont la sélection des nouvelles, la hiérarchisation des sujets ou le cadrage de personnes ou d'événements.

Abstract.This paper aims to assess the sociopolitical role of journalists through a conceptual approach linking media and democracy and through an analysis of the data resulting from an investigation of journalists' commitment to democracy that was conducted from the summer of 2008 to the spring of 2010. Our study is founded on the dichotomy between an active role for the media and an instrumental one in the face of the political system, and this dichotomy is applied to journalists. We believe that the media and journalists function as “mediators” in liberal societies, that is, as individual or collective agents through whom explicit or implicit messages pass; these agents add a layer of signification by diverse methods, among which are the selection of news, the categorization of issues or the framing of individuals or events.
SUEZ AND BRITAIN'S DECLINE AS A WORLD POWER
Authors: PEDEN G. C.
Published: November 2012

The Suez crisis is widely believed to have contributed significantly to Britain's decline as a world power. Eden's miscalculation of American reaction to the attack on Egypt was damaging to Britain's reputation and fatal to his career. However, his actions were contrary to received wisdom in Whitehall. The crisis merely confirmed Britain's dependence on the United States and had no lasting impact on Anglo-American relations. Britain's relationship with its informal and formal empire was already changing before 1956, and the turn from the commonwealth to Europe owed little to Suez. Examination of policy reviews in Whitehall before and after the Suez crisis shows that the Foreign Office, Commonwealth Relations Office, and Colonial Office were slow to accept the need for change in Britain's world role. Insofar as they did from 1959 it was because of Treasury arguments about the effect of high defence expenditure on the economy, and slow growth of the United Kingdom's population compared with the United States, the European Economic Community, and the Soviet Union.
UNDERWRITING BRITISH TRADE TO INDIA AND CHINA, 1780–1835
Authors: LEONARD A. B.
Published: November 2012

In the late eighteenth century, European merchants launched corporate insurance bodies in India and China. These new joint-stock companies followed London's mature and efficient institutional systems for marine insurance, and adopted their basis in the European law merchant. They operated alongside local risk transfer facilities, but in both countries were quickly embraced by native merchants, who participated both as customers and shareholders. The rapid development of a corporate insurance sector in India and China, fuelled by the capital of local merchants and members of the European colonial elite, underlines the effectiveness of premium-based marine insurance, while its swift adoption by both local and international merchants shows its importance to the development of trade and empire.
The prediction of live weight from body measurements on female Holstein calves by digital image analysis
Authors: OZKAYA S.
Published: November 2012

The objective of the current study was to determine the accuracy of the prediction of live weight (LW) from body measurements (BMs) by using digital image analysis on female Holstein calves. The calves were measured with a measurement stick and digital image analysis. The following linear parameters were taken: body length (BL), wither height (WH), chest depth (CD), hip height (HH) and hip width (HW). LW and BMs were recorded at birth, at weaning and at 24 weeks of age. Regression coefficients, which included all BMs at birth, gave a low R2 value (66·7%), but the R2 value was found to be 87·6 and 86·0% at weaning and 24 weeks of age, respectively. A high correlation coefficient was found among LW and CD, HH and HW at weaning (0·90, 0·91 and 090, respectively) and at 24 weeks of age (0·89, 0·90 and 0·91, respectively). The results confirm that for female Holstein calves, digital image analysis is an effective measuring system for the prediction of LW from BMs.
TESTING EVOLUTIONARY THEORIES OF DISCRIMINATIVE GRANDPARENTAL INVESTMENT
Authors: KAPTIJN RALF , THOMESE FLEUR , LIEFBROER AART C. , SILVERSTEIN MERRIL
Published: November 2012

This study tests two evolutionary hypotheses on grandparental investments differentiated by the child's sex: the paternity uncertainty hypothesis and the Trivers–Willard hypothesis. Data are from two culturally different countries: the Dutch Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (n=2375) and the Chinese Anhui Survey (n=4026). In the Netherlands, grandparental investments are biased towards daughters' children, which is in accordance with the paternity uncertainty hypothesis. But in China, grandparental investments are biased towards sons' children, which is in conflict with the paternity uncertainty hypothesis. This study found no support for the Trivers–Willard hypothesis. These results raise doubts over the relevance of paternity uncertainty as an explanation of a grandparental investment bias towards daughters' children that is often found in Western populations. The results suggest that discriminative grandparental investments are better understood as the outcome of cultural prescriptions and economic motives.
PREVALENCE OF CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES IN WEST AND SOUTH OF AFGHANISTAN
Authors: SAADAT MOSTAFA , TAJBAKHSH KHADIJEH
Published: November 2012

The prevalence of consanguinity in eight provinces of Afghanistan has recently been reported by Saify & Saadat (2012). The present cross-sectional study was done in order to illustrate the prevalence and types of consanguineous marriages among other populations of Afghanistan. Data on types of marriages were collected using a simple questionnaire. The total number of couples in this study was 5200 from the following provinces: Farah, Ghazni, Herat, Hilmand, Kabul, Kandahar, Logar, Parwan and Wardak. Consanguineous marriages were classified by the degree of relationship between couples: double first cousins, first cousins, first cousins once removed, second cousins and beyond second cousins. The coefficient of inbreeding (F) was calculated for each couple and the mean coefficient of inbreeding (α) estimated for each population. The α in the country was 0.0226, ranging from 0.0203 in Farah province to 0.0246 in Herat province. There were significant differences between provinces for frequencies of different types of marriages (p<0.001). First cousin marriages (21.7%) were the most common type of consanguineous marriages, followed by second cousins (16.0%), first cousins once removed (14.0%), beyond second cousins (6.9%) and double first cousins (1.6%). There was significant difference between ethnic groups for the types of marriages (p<0.001). Tajiks (Soni) and Sadats showed the lowest (α=0.0215) and highest (α=0.0242) levels of consanguinity among ethnic groups in Afghanistan, respectively. The present study shows that the Afghani populations, the same as other Islamic populations, have high levels of consanguinity.
Affective Decision-Making on the Iowa Gambling Task in Children and Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Kully-Martens Katrina , Treit Sarah , Pei Jacqueline , Rasmussen Carmen
Published: November 2012

Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have difficulties with cognitive-based executive function (EF) tasks. The goal of the present study was to determine if children with FASD have impairments on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which measures affective EF (i.e., decision-making and risk-taking). Individuals with FASD (n = 31) and healthy controls (n = 31), aged 8–17 completed the IGT. Children with FASD were significantly impaired on the IGT compared to controls. Over the course of the task, control scores improved, whereas children with FASD exhibited an overall decrease in scores. Scores increased significantly with age in the control group but did not differ significantly with age for FASD participants. Children with FASD exhibited decision-making and risk-taking impairments on a hot EF task. Children with FASD did not appear to learn from negative experiences and shift to making more positive decisions over time and their performance did not improve with age. The implications of poor task performance and a lack of age-related findings in children with FASD are discussed. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–8)
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE GROWTH USING TWO-WAY FLUID–STRUCTURAL INTERACTION
Authors: CHEN C. X. , DING Y. , GEAR J. A.
Published: November 2012

This paper presents a numerical investigation of plaque growth in a diseased artery using the two-way fluid–structural interaction (FSI) technique. An axis-asymmetric 45% stenosis model is used as the base model to start the plaque growth approximation. The blood is modelled as a non-Newtonian fluid described by the Casson model. The artery tissue is assumed to be a nonlinear material. The two-way FSI simulation is carried out in a way that mimics the unsteady blood flow through a diseased artery by using a pulsatile flow condition. After each flow velocity cycle, the numerical results are extracted and used to modify the stenosis geometry based upon critical wall shear stress (WSS) values and an accepted relationship between the concentration of low density lipoprotein and WSS. The simulation procedure is repeated until the growth-updated stenosis morphology reaches 79% severity. The behaviour of the flow velocity is analysed at each growth stage, together with the WSS, to determine the change of plaque morphology due to growth. The effects of WSS and pressure on the artery wall at the final stage (79% severity) of the plaque growth model are also compared with results from the authors’ previous work, to demonstrate the importance of the morphology change in plaque growth modelling.
“Whitening” and the Changing American Racial Hierarchy
Authors: Gans Herbert J.
Published: November 2012

As a result of the increasing number of biracials and multiracials, and White reconstructions of previously non-White skin colors, the Whitening of selected immigrants and especially their children appears to be proceeding. Although there are many studies on the racial identity of biracials, too little research exists on how Whites identify them and light-skinned monoracials, which of these they Whiten, how, and why. Enough is known to suggest that if current trends continue, our picture of the country's racial hierarchy has to be revised. While Whites will likely remain on top and poor African Americans and other Blacks at the bottom, what happens in the middle cannot now even be guessed at with any hope of accuracy. For that reason alone, empirical and policy-oriented research on White identification patterns is badly needed.
Entropy‐based method for extreme rainfall analysis in Texas
Authors: Hao Z. , Singh V. P.
Published: November 2012

Annual rainfall maxima are commonly used for rainfall analysis, which entails the use of a distribution for modeling extreme values. Analysis of rainfall data from different regions of Texas, USA, shows that the form of the frequency distribution of annual rainfall maxima changes with different time durations, climate zones, and distances from the Gulf of Mexico. Employing the entropy theory, an entropy‐based distribution for modeling annual rainfall maxima is derived, which is expected to apply across different time durations, climate zones, and distances from the Gulf. The performance of the proposed distribution is assessed with synthetic data from known distributions, and results show that the performance of the proposed entropy‐based distribution is generally comparable with the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution and is preferable for highly skewed data. Comparison based on observed rainfall data also shows this attractive property of the proposed distribution. Thus, the entropy‐based distribution provides a promising alternative for frequency analysis of extreme rainfall values. The proposed distribution is then applied to the annual rainfall maxima, and results show that the entropy‐based distribution fits the empirical probability distribution well and also performs well in modeling extreme rainfall values for different time durations, climate zones, and distances from the Gulf.
Ground‐based GPS observation of SED‐associated irregularities over CONUS
Authors: Sun Yang‐Yi , Matsuo Tomoko , Araujo‐Pradere Eduardo A. , Liu Jann‐Yenq
Published: November 2012

It has been known that steep total electron content (TEC) gradients observed at the boundary between the storm‐enhanced plasma density (SED) and the low TEC region at subauroral and midlatitude regions are associated with ionospheric irregularities that impact communication and navigation systems. However, the relationship between the SED‐associated irregularities and TEC gradients is still not well understood, partly because of the difficulties of resolving small‐scale TEC gradients from sparsely distributed TEC observations. In this study, we examine the relationship between the SED‐associated irregularities and TEC gradients during the intense geomagnetic storms of 31 March 2001 and 30 October 2003. To explore this relationship, TEC maps over the continental United States (CONUS) were constructed from ground‐based GPS TEC observations, using Kalman filter update formulae with a recently developed nonstationary wavelet‐based covariance model that enables resolution of TEC structures on both large and finer scales. Our results show that intense TEC gradients and ion drifts are thought to be required conditions for the formation of irregularities on the northeast side of the SED. Additionally, our methodology identified the narrow east‐west stretch of TEC enhancement within the midlatitude low TEC region on 30 October 2003, and this TEC enhancement is most likely to be caused by auroral precipitation.
A novel technique for rapid L* calculation using UBK coordinates
Authors: Min Kyungguk , Bortnik Jacob , Lee Jeongwoo
Published: November 2012

The magnetic drift invariant (L*) is an important quantity used for tracking and organizing particle dynamics in the radiation belts, but its accurate calculation has been computationally expensive in the past, thus making it difficult to employ this quantity in real‐time space weather applications. In this paper, we propose a new, efficient method to calculate L* using the principle of energy conservation. This method uses Whipple's (U, B, K) coordinates to quickly and accurately determine trajectories of particles at the magnetic mirror point from two‐dimensional isoenergy contours. The method works for any magnetic field configuration and is able to accommodate constant electric potential along field lines. We compare the result of this method with those of International Radiation Belt Environment Modeling library (IRBEM‐LIB) to demonstrate the performance of this new method. The method requires a preparation step, and thus may not be the optimal method for a single trajectory calculation; however, it presents a huge performance gain when adiabatically propagating a large population of particles in a given magnetic field configuration.
Shocklets, SLAMS, and field‐aligned ion beams in the terrestrial foreshock
Authors: Wilson L. B. , Koval A. , Sibeck D. G. , Szabo A. , Cattell C. A. , Kasper J. C. , Maruca B. A. , Pulupa M. , Salem C. S. , Wilber M.
Published: November 2012

We present Wind spacecraft observations of ion distributions showing field‐aligned beams (FABs) and large‐amplitude magnetic fluctuations composed of a series of shocklets and short large‐amplitude magnetic structures (SLAMS). The FABs are found to have Tb ~ 80 − 850  eV, Vb/Vsw ~ 1. 3 − 2. 4, T⊥,b/T∥,b ~ 1–8, and nb/no ~ 0.2–11%. Saturation amplitudes for ion/ion resonant and non‐resonant instabilities are too small to explain the observed SLAMS amplitudes. We show two examples where groups of SLAMS can act like a local quasi‐perpendicular shock reflecting ions to produce the FABs, a scenario distinct from the more common production at the quasi‐perpendicular bow shock. The SLAMS exhibit a foot‐like magnetic enhancement with a leading magnetosonic whistler train, consistent with previous observations. Strong ion and electron heating are observed within the series of shocklets and SLAMS with temperatures increasing by factors ≳ 5 and ≳ 3, respectively. Both the core and halo electron components show strong perpendicular heating inside the feature.
Whistler interactions with density gradients in the magnetosphere
Authors: Woodroffe J. R. , Streltsov A. V.
Published: November 2012

Very‐low frequency whistler‐mode waves are frequently observed in the equatorial magnetosphere. Large amplitude whistlers, capable of rapidly accelerating electrons to large energies, are typically observed to propagate at highly oblique angles relative to the background magnetic field. In this paper, we discuss a potential mechanism for the conversion of moderately oblique whistlers to highly oblique whistlers on a transverse gradient of the background plasma. We offer a theoretical explanation for this process and illustrate its operation using numerical simulations. This effect has been previously observed in laboratory experiments and it also provides a straightforward explanation for observations of highly oblique whistlers in magnetospheric plasmas.