bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Study on Listed Company’s Value of Cash Holdings: An Information Asymmetry Perspective
Authors: Huang Chuangxia , Ma Xin , Lan Qiujun
Published: May 2014

The value of a company’s cash holdings is currently a hot issue in corporate finance research. Current studies have not reached a unified conclusion. Moreover, no one has ever studied that from the perspective of information asymmetry. However, there still exist disputes about the measurement of the degree of information asymmetry. Previous studies mostly adopt single index to analysis this issue, and the economic meaning it represents only reflects some information of asymmetric information, so it was one-sided and the conclusion also differ. Drawing on the market microstructure and the index of information asymmetry of managers and investors, this paper constructs a new proxy for information asymmetry based on the principal component analysis. We find that a company’s value of cash holdings decreases increasingly with its level of information asymmetry, and the relationship between information asymmetry and the value of cash holdings is nonlinear.
A Presentation of Cerebritis Secondary to Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener)
Authors: Norman James , Pande Ira , Taylor Timothy , Gran Bruno
Published: May 2014

Neurological manifestations of GPA are common, most frequently as a peripheral neuropathy. Cerebritis as a principal presentation is extremely rare. We report a patient who presented with subacute progression of ataxia, confusion, and vacant episodes. An MRI of her brain showed bilateral signal abnormalities in the cingulate and superior sagittal gyrus while a staging CT revealed a mass in the right upper lobe of the patient’s lung with a satellite nodule. C-ANCA antibodies specific for PR3 at high titres were positive and a diagnosis of GPA was made. The patient was commenced on intravenous methylprednisolone followed by cyclophosphamide and responded well to treatment. GPA is a rare and treatable differential diagnosis for confused patients with acute or subacute neurological features and unusual MRI findings.
Skeleton of the Fossil SharkIsurus denticulatusfrom the Turonian (Late Cretaceous) of Germany—Ecological Coevolution with Prey of Mackerel Sharks
Authors: Diedrich Cajus G.
Published: May 2014

AnIsurus denticulatus(Glickman, 1957) shark skeleton from the late Turonian (Late Cretaceous) of Germany is described within a diverse upwelling influenced fish fauna of northern Germany, Europe. It was found in the turbiditic marly limestones at the submarine Northwestphalian Lippe Swell in the southern Proto-North Sea Basin. Compared to modern mackerel sharkIsurus oxyrinchusRafinesque, 1809, including cranial denticles, this allows a revision of the younger synonym “CretoxyrhinaGlickman, 1964”. Within the CretaceousIsurus, a loss of the lateral tooth cusps and nutritive clefts of the roots (considered as plesiomorphic character of the Lamnidae) took place from the Albian (Early Cretaceous) to the Campanian (Late Cretaceous). The tooth morphology changed during the Albian-Turonian from a tearing (I. denticulatus) to a cutting (I. mantelli) type (Coniacian-Campanian). The complete lateral cusplet and symphyseal teeth reduction inIsurusat the end of the Cretaceous seem to be a result of the coevolutionary changing feeding habits of a worldwide expanding shark. In a second evolutionary adaptation, parallel to the new radiation of marine mammals (Paleocene/early Eocene), fromIsurus, the white shark ancestors (Carcharodon) seem to originate. In another radiation fromIsurus, coevolving with appearance of dolphins and further marine mammal evolution within the Middle Miocene, a second timeIsurusdeveloped serrated teeth (I. escheri).
Pycnogenol Ameliorates Depression-Like Behavior in Repeated Corticosterone-Induced Depression Mice Model
Authors: Mei Lin , Mochizuki Miyako , Hasegawa Noboru
Published: May 2014

Oxidative stress is considered to be a mechanism of major depression. Pycnogenol (PYC) is a natural plant extract from the bark ofPinus pinasterAiton and has potent antioxidant activities. We studied the ameliorative effect of PYC on depression-like behavior in chronic corticosterone- (CORT-) treated mice for 20 days. After the end of the CORT treatment period, PYC (0.2 mg/mL) was orally administered in normal drinking water. Depression-like behavior was investigated by the forced swimming test. Immobility time was significantly longer by CORT exposure. When the CORT-treated mice were supplemented with PYC, immobility time was significantly shortened. Our results indicate that orally administered PYC may serve to reduce CORT-induced stress by radical scavenging activity.
Biodegradable and Elastomeric Poly(glycerol sebacate) as a Coating Material for Nitinol Bare Stent
Authors: Kim Min Ji , Hwang Moon Young , Kim JiHeung , Chung Dong June
Published: May 2014

We synthesized and evaluated biodegradable and elastomeric polyesters (poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS)) using polycondensation between glycerol and sebacic acid to form a cross-linked network structure without using exogenous catalysts. Synthesized materials possess good mechanical properties, elasticity, and surface erosion biodegradation behavior. The tensile strength of the PGS was as high as 0.28 ± 0.004 MPa, and Young's modulus was 0.122 ± 0.0003 MPa. Elongation was as high as 237.8 ± 0.64%, and repeated elongation behavior was also observed to at least three times the original length without rupture. The water-in-air contact angles of the PGS surfaces were about 60°. We also analyzed the properties of an electrospray coating of biodegradable PGS on a nitinol stent for the purpose of enhancing long-term patency for the therapeutic treatment of varicose veins disease. The surface morphology and thickness of coating layer could be controlled by adjusting the electrospraying conditions and solution parameters.
Microwave Assisted Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Rhizome Extract of Alpinia galanga and Evaluation of Their Catalytic and Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Joseph Siby , Mathew Beena
Published: May 2014

Biomediated methods are considered to be a safer alternative to conventional physicochemical methods for the fabrication of nanomaterials due to their eco-friendly nature. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by microwave irradiation using aqueous rhizome extract of the medicinal plant Alpinia galanga. The nanoparticles were also synthesized under ambient condition without the assistance of microwave radiation and the former method was found to be much faster than the latter. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis., FTIR, XRD, and HR-TEM analysis. UV-vis. spectroscopic studies provided ample evidences for the formation of nanoparticles. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of plant phytochemicals as stabilizing agent around the AgNPs. XRD and HR-TEM analyses clearly proved the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles. From the TEM images, the nanoparticles were found to be roughly spherical in shape with an average diameter of 20.82 ± 1.8 nm. The nanoparticles showed outstanding catalytic activity for the reduction of methyl orange by NaBH4. The AgNPs were also evaluated for their antimicrobial activity by well diffusion method against S. aureus, B. subtilis, V. cholera, S. paratyphi, and A. niger. They were found to be highly toxic against all the tested pathogenic strains.
Solvability of an Integral Equation of Volterra-Wiener-Hopf Type
Authors: Ashirbayev Nurgali K. , Banaś Józef , Dubiel Agnieszka
Published: May 2014

The paper presents results concerning the solvability of a nonlinear integral equation of Volterra-Stieltjes type. We show that under some assumptions that equation has a continuous and bounded solution defined on the interval0,∞and having a finite limit at infinity. As a special case of the mentioned integral equation we obtain an integral equation of Volterra-Wiener-Hopf type. That fact enables us to formulate convenient and handy conditions ensuring the solvability of the equation in question in the class of functions defined and continuous on the interval0,∞and having finite limits at infinity.
VEGF Regulates Region-Specific Localization of Perivascular Bone Marrow–Derived Cells in Glioblastoma
Authors: Burrell Kelly , Singh Sanjay , Jalali Shahrzad , Hill Richard P. , Zadeh Gelareh
Published: May 2014

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by a pathogenic vasculature that drives aggressive local invasion. Recent work suggests that GBM cells recruit bone marrow–derived progenitor cells (BMDC) to facilitate recurrence after radiotherapy, but how this may be achieved is unclear. In this study, we established the spatiotemporal and regional contributions of perivascular BMDCs (pBMDC) to GBM development. We found an increased recruitment of BMDCs to GBM in response to tumor growth and following radiotherapy. However, in this study, BMDCs did not differentiate into endothelial cells directly but rather provided a perivascular support role. The pBMDCs were shown to associate with tumor vasculature in a highly region-dependent manner, with central vasculature requiring minimal pBMDC support. Region-dependent association of pBMDC was regulated by VEGF. In the absence of VEGF, following radiotherapy or antiangiogenic therapy, we documented an increase in Ang2 that regulated recruitment of pBMDCs to maintain the vulnerable central vasculature. Together, our results strongly suggested that targeting pBMDC influx along with radiation or antiangiogenic therapy would be critical to prevent vascular recurrence of GBM. Cancer Res; 74(14); 3727–39. ©2014 AACR.
VDR Status Arbitrates the Prometastatic Effects of Tumor-Associated Macrophages
Authors: Zhang Yan , Guo Quanjun , Zhang Zhujun , Bai Nan , Liu Ze , Xiong Min , Wei Yuquan , Xiang Rong , Tan Xiaoyue
Published: May 2014

The relationship between tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during the initiation and progression of metastasis is still unclear. Here, a role for the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in metastasis was identified, as well as a role in the relationship between TAMs and EMT. First, the expression level of VDR was examined in clinical tissue from human patients with breast cancer or a mouse model of breast cancer with differential metastasis. These results revealed that VDR expression negatively correlates with metastasis in breast cancer. Second, coculture of VDR-overexpressing breast cancer cells with a macrophage cell line demonstrated that overexpression of VDR alleviated the prometastatic effect of cocultured macrophages on breast cancer cells. Furthermore, VDR overexpression abrogated the induction of EMT in breast cancer cells by cocultured macrophage cells, as measured by a loss of E-cadherin (CDH1) and induction of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). TNFα in macrophage conditioned media inhibited VDR expression, whereas downregulation of VDR further mediated the promotion of TGFβ-induced EMT by TNFα. In addition, β-catenin expression was inhibited in VDR-overexpressing breast cancer cells and tumor xenografts. Finally, administration of calcitriol [1,25-(OH)2D3], an active vitamin D metabolite, exerted similar antimetastatic effects in breast cancer cells in vitro and a mouse model of breast cancer in vivo with preservation of VDR and suppression of β-catenin.

Implications: VDR suppression by TNFα mediates the prometastatic effect of TAMs through enhancement of the β-catenin pathway. Mol Cancer Res; 12(8); 1181–91. ©2014 AACR.
Arterial Baroreflex Dysfunction Impairs Ischemia‐Induced Angiogenesis
Authors: Hao Changning , Huang Zhen‐Hao , Song Shu‐Wei , Shi Yi‐Qin , Cheng Xian Wu , Murohara Toyoaki , Lu Wei , Su Ding‐Feng , Duan Jun‐Li
Published: May 2014

Background

Endothelium‐derived acetylcholine (
eAC
h) plays an important role in the regulation of vascular actions in response to hypoxia, whereas arterial baroreflex (ABR) dysfunction impairs the
eAC
h system. We investigated the effects of ABR dysfunction on ischemia‐induced angiogenesis in animal models of hindlimb ischemia with a special focus on
eAC
h/nicotinic ACh receptor (
nAChR
) signaling activation.

Methods and Results

Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups that received (1) sham operation (control group), (2) sinoaortic denervation (SAD)‐induced ABR dysfunction (SAD group), or (3) SAD rats on diet with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor pyridostigmine (30 mg/kg per day, SAD+Pyr group). After 4 weeks of the SAD intervention, unilateral limb ischemia was surgically induced in all animals. At postoperative day 14, SAD rats exhibited impaired angiogenic action (skin temperature and capillary density) and decreased angiogenic factor expressions (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] and hypoxic inducible factor [HIF]‐1α) in ischemic muscles. These changes were restored by acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Rats with ABR dysfunction had lower
eAC
h levels than did control rats, and this effect was recovered in SAD+Pyr rats. In α7‐
nAChR
knockout mice, pyridostigmine improved ischemia‐induced angiogenic responses and increased the levels of VEGF and HIF‐1α. Moreover, nicotinic receptor blocker inhibited VEGF expression and VEGF receptor 2 phosphorylation (p‐VEGFR2) induced by ACh analog.

Conclusions

Thus, ABR dysfunction appears to impair ischemia‐induced angiogenesis through the reduction of
eAC
h/α7‐
nAChR
‐dependent and ‐independent HIF‐1α/VEGF‐VEGFR2 signaling activation.
Theatre, Masculinity, and Class in the First World War: Vivian Gilbert Performs the Last Crusade
Authors: Bar-Yosef Eitan
Published: May 2014

Having fought in Palestine in WWI, the British actor Vivian Gilbert went on to narrate his wartime experiences—first in a series of lectures, then in a best-selling book. Rooted in his thespian career, Gilbert's self-fashioning as an officer/crusader builds on an array of performances—on and off the stage—which reflect gender and class anxieties, typical of WWI British culture.
Still Thrills: The Drama of Chess
Authors: Fine Gary Alan , Young Harvey
Published: May 2014

Although chess is a game that is played, it is also an event that is performed. An analysis of the Fischer-Spassky World Championship, the match between Garry Kasparov and IBM's Deep Blue, and the European tour of the 19th-century American champion Paul Morphy reveals the qualities that make competitive chess a theatrical event that relies both on bodies and on imaginations.
Fatty Boom Boom and the Transnationality of Blackface in Die Antwoord's Racial Project
Authors: Schmidt Bryan
Published: May 2014

The South African hip hop group Die Antwoord deploys blackface performance as part of a racial project that characterizes race as contingent and mutable in contrast to its rigid apartheid articulation. Examining the flows that carry their work transnationally makes visible the ways US cultural consumption becomes entangled with processes of racialization.
The Subterranean Language of Jeanine Durning's inging and Monique Jenkinson's Instrument
Authors: Nicely Megan V.
Published: May 2014

Two recent choreographic works—Jeanine Durning's inging and Monique Jenkinson's Instrument—employ words not as content but as kinesthetic forces. In each, as audiences sit with their own embodied thoughts, words recede and silent questions arise to connect us in the space and time of performance.
U.S.-China Containment and Counter-Containment in Southeast Asia
Authors: Wong Pak Nung , Yue Wai Kay Ricky
Published: May 2014

Abstract

In 2011, the United States of America (u.s.) adopted the “pivot to Asia” (also known as “return to Asia”) foreign policy. In order to provide a critique of this apparent policy change, this paper has two aims. First, we will contextualize such policy agenda against the Anglo-American strategic culture of “containment” as a strand of geopolitical realism and a foreign policy practice against communism. Second, by providing a case study on the changing relations between the Union of Myanmar (Burma), the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America, we will characterize u.s. containment and China’s counter-containment strategies through the lens of Suntzu’s Art of War.
Multilateralism and Dependency Theory
Authors: Lim Tai Wei
Published: May 2014

Abstract

This paper situates center-periphery issues at two levels. At the broadest level (world system), it looks at the spectrum of selected dependency theories and the position of George Klay Kieh Jr’s ideas in this spectrum. In this discussion, I will pay especial attention to small states, powers and economies and explain the justifications in the section below. At the intermediate level (compradorial category) of the world system, I examined some area-specific writings on this subject, in particular those related to Asia and Africa but also classical studies of compradorial economies in South America. In reviewing these theories, I identified three major issues for study. First, are dependency theories and the idea of an intermediate compradorial economy in the world system still relevant or important to the study of developing economies? Second, are regional economic bodies in the intermediate space of the world system challenging the dichotomous binary of only center and periphery? Third, if resource supply and primary processing are the comparative advantages of smaller or peripheral states, can regional cooperation help to upgrade the value-added-ness of their economic activities?
The U.S. Aid and Taiwan’s Post-War Economic Development, 1951-1965
Authors: Chiang Min-Hua
Published: May 2014

Abstract

The aim of this article is to showcase how Taiwan entered into the us-led capitalist system via the aid (1951-1965) as an intermediate and how was the aid related to Taiwan’s post-war economic development. There are three points made in this article. First, the main purpose of the us aid was to reinforce Taiwan’s military capabilities against the Communist China’s invasion. Second, although the us aid was not for Taiwan’s economic development, it was by means of the us aid that the small island could afford the large military establishment without damaging its domestic economy. Third, with the us assistance, the kmt had its bureaucratic agencies to guide all aspects of the island’s economy. In consideration of large military expenditure and the economic chaos at that time, there would be no so-called “state-led development” in Taiwan without initial financial injection from the us.
The Language of Security in Philippine-us Relations
Authors: Misalucha Charmaine G.
Published: May 2014

Abstract

There is a need to reformulate the way in which we view international relations. Rather than simply a play at an obscure theater with the same characters reprising their respective roles based on an old script, international relations need to be seen as a play at the world stage whose script is always being reviewed, revised, rewritten, and renegotiated by characters who are actively searching for ways to be accommodated. In this way, the characters and the roles they play are provisional: they become who or what they are because of actions they take, and not necessarily because they are fated to be revered or condemned. To achieve the fluid nature of this script, one must pay attention to language games. These games allow for the participation of both sides of the equation – the Philippines and the United States – in the creation of the structure and direction of their relationship.
Perceived Threats and Governing Capacity
Authors: Chou Bill
Published: May 2014

Abstract

Many of the past literature on small states focus on the foreign policies and political economies of liberal democracies. This paper examines the non-liberal democracies of Singapore and Macao in their construction of national identities. Non-liberal democracies are different from their democratic counterparts in their reactions to perceived threats. Instead of forming a corporatist system to make important decisions by consensus, both Singapore and Macao leadership exclude the participation of civil society in defining their national identities. Faced with high perceived threats and armed with strong governing capacity, Singapore succeeds in building a national identity overarching the cultural identities of major ethnic groups. In view of electoral setbacks, Singapore leaders have to include more public inputs into its policy making process, including the definition of national identity. On the contrary, the perceived threats of Macao are not pressing. The cultural and political affinity enables the post-colonial Macao to integrate smoothly with China’s national identities defined by the Communist leadership. The relative weak capacity of the city government makes the building of national identities gradual. Its high degree of ethnic homogeneity has contributed to a process of nation building relatively free of disputes.
Identity of Baker’s species described in the Oriental leafhopper genus Pythamus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with description of a new genus
Authors: WEI CONG , WEBB MICHAEL D. , ZHANG YALIN
Published: May 2014

Baker’s (1915) species described in the Oriental leafhopper genus Pythamus Melichar are revised. One species, Pythamus melichari Baker 1915, is placed in a new genus, Pythochandra Wei & Webb, gen. n.. The four varieties of P. melichari described by Baker (1915, 1923) (borneensis, bilobatus, decoratus and singaporensis) are elevated to species level and placed in the new genus stat. n., comb. n.. All species are briefly described and a key is provided for their separation. Two other species, Pythamus productus Baker and P. decoratus Baker, known only from females, are retained in Pythamus pending further studies.
Review of the genus Tachytes Panzer (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabroninae) of South Korea, with description of one new species
Authors: BACK YEONG-BIN , KIM JEONG-KYU
Published: May 2014

Korean species of the genus Tachytes Panzer are reviewed. Four previously known species are confirmed, and one new species, Tachytes gyusanus is described. The new species is very similar to T. modestus, but it differs critically in the form of male genitalic capsule. A revised key to South Korean species, a description of the new species, and digital images and line drawings of diagnostic characteristics are provided.
A New Grading System for Ototoxicity in Adults
Authors: Theunissen Eleonoor A.R. , Dreschler Wouter A. , Latenstein Merel N. , Rasch Coen R.N. , van der Baan Sieberen , de Boer Jan Paul , Balm Alfons J.M. , Zuur Charlotte L.
Published: May 2014

Objective:

This study aimed to propose an ototoxicity grading system sensitive to the effect of ototoxicity on specific daily life situations like speech intelligibility and the perception of ultra-high sounds and to test its feasibility compared to current criteria.

Methods:

Pure tone averages (PTAs) for speech perception (1-2-4 kHz) and ultra-high frequencies (8-10-12.5 kHz) were incorporated. Threshold shift and hearing level posttreatment were taken into account. Criteria were tested on head and neck cancer patients treated with (chemo-)radiotherapy ([C]RT) and compared with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4 (CTCAEv4) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association criteria (ASHA).

Results:

Grades 1 and 2 were based on threshold shifts from baseline (in dB) and subjective complaints. Grades 3 and 4 were defined as treatment-induced hearing loss of ≥ 35 dB at PTA 1-2-4 kHz and ≥ 70 dB at PTA 1-2-4 kHz, respectively. In high-dose cisplatin CRT incidences by the new criteria, CTCAEv4 and ASHA were comparable (78%-88%). In RT and low-dose cisplatin CRT, incidences were 36% to 39% in the new criteria versus 22% to 53% in CTCAEv4 and ASHA.

Conclusion:

The new criteria show an increased sensitivity to ototoxicity compared to CTCAEv4 and ASHA and provide insight into the effect of hearing loss on certain daily life situations. The new grading system seems feasible for clinic and research purposes.
The impact of a smoke-free psychiatric hospitalization on patient smoking outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Stockings Emily A , Bowman Jenny A , Prochaska Judith J , Baker Amanda L , Clancy Richard , Knight Jenny , Wye Paula M , Terry Margarett , Wiggers John H
Published: May 2014

Objective:

Smoke-free policies have been introduced in inpatient psychiatric facilities in most developed nations. Such a period of supported abstinence during hospitalization may impact smoking behaviours post discharge, yet little quantitative evidence exists. The aim of this review was to provide the first synthesis of the research evidence examining the impact of a smoke-free psychiatric hospitalization on patients’ smoking-related behaviours, motivation, and beliefs.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic review of electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE from inception to June 2013. Studies were included if they were conducted in an inpatient psychiatric facility with a smoke-free policy and if they examined any change in patients’ smoking-related behaviours, motivation, or beliefs either during admission, post discharge, or both. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool.

Results:

Fourteen studies were included in the review. Of the four studies that assessed change in smoking from admission to post discharge, two indicated a significant decline in cigarette consumption up to 3 months post discharge. Positive changes in motivation to quit and beliefs about quitting ability were identified in two studies. One study reported an increase in the rate of quit attempts and one reported a decline in nicotine dependence levels.

Conclusions:

A smoke-free psychiatric hospitalization may have a positive impact on patients’ smoking-related behaviours, motivation, and beliefs, both during admission and up to 3 months post discharge. Further controlled studies with more rigorous designs are required to confirm this potential.
The occupational status of immigrants in Western and non-Western societies
Authors: Spörlein Christoph , van Tubergen Frank
Published: May 2014

This study examines existing hypotheses on cross-national differences in immigrants’ labor market integration. Unlike previous research, which focused on Western countries, we study the occupational status of immigrants in both Western and non-Western countries. We use census data for 45 Western and non-Western destination countries and test hypotheses derived from human capital and discrimination theory applying multilevel modeling. The analysis shows that differences in immigrants’ occupational status attainment can partly be explained by pre-migration language exposure, economic advancement of the origin country, geographical distance, group size, and the religious as well as socioeconomic distance of immigrant groups and the majority population. Despite differences in the magnitude of effects, patterns of immigrants’ occupational attainment appear comparable between Western and non-Western societies. We do not find compelling evidence that human capital factors are consistently more important in Western societies.
Exploring effects of coordination on the autonomy of regulators: energy regulators in Belgium
Authors: Rommel Jan , Verhoest Koen
Published: May 2014

Regulatory administrations are increasingly fragmented. Regulation is produced by multi-actor multi-level constellations. Researchers have described how actors in such constellations coordinate with each other. This article explores how coordination affects the decision-making autonomy of agencies, using a case study of energy regulation in Belgium. It describes the extent of autonomy from the parent minister and explores how the regulator coordinates with other actors at multiple levels of government. The findings indicate that de facto discretion of regulators can be increased or reduced by other governmental actors besides the parent minister. This calls for the development of a ‘relational perspective’ on (regulatory) agency autonomy, which looks at relations with multiple actors, even when these actors have no direct principal–agent relationship with the agency.

Points for practitioners

In recent decades, many Western governments have created independent regulatory agencies. The accumulation of these agencies across policy sectors and across levels of government has been associated with the creation of new coordination mechanisms. However, these trends may have certain unintended consequences. When authority is fragmented, the capacity for single actors to intervene may be reduced. Coordination may affect the de facto decision-making capacity of regulators. When agencies use inter-organizational relations to build up expertise, the autonomy vis-à-vis the parent minister may increase. However, when coordination mechanisms are based only on informal, voluntary agreements, these mechanisms may fail to compensate for all resource dependencies.
Functionalised silica/epoxy nanocomposites with enhanced fracture toughness for large-scale applications
Authors: Han Wei , Yu Yang , Fang Liming , Johnston Martin R , Qiao Shi Zhang , Tang Youhong
Published: May 2014

A small amount of commercial functional nanosilica was mechanically mixed with epoxy to enhance the composite fracture toughness. Nanosilicas with amino and epoxide functional groups show strong interfaces with epoxy, which suppress large aggregations and enhance resin-wettability, hence enhancing the fracture toughness of epoxy composites. Compared with other reports, less nanosilica content was needed to achieve the same fracture toughness values or similar enhancement ratio. Due to their commercial availability, the low-cost of the raw material and simple fabrication method, those nanocomposites have the potential for large-scale applications.
NOD2 Mediates Odontoblast Differentiation and RANKL Expression
Authors: Lee S.-I. , Kim G.-T. , Kim H.J. , Park S.-H. , Kim E.-C.
Published: May 2014

The precise regulation of odontoblast differentiation and osteoclastogenic cytokine expression in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) is crucial for the pathology of bacteria-related pulpitis. Although the up-regulation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) has been reported in inflamed human dental pulps, the role of NOD2 in the differentiation of HDPCs remains unclear. Here, we show the involvement of NOD2 in odontoblast differentiation together with osteoclastogenic cytokine expression in HDPCs. Treatment with muramyl dipeptide (MDP), a known NOD2-agonist, significantly inhibited odontoblast differentiation of HDPCs, as revealed by reduced ALP activity, osteoblast/odontoblast marker expression, and mineralized nodule formation. Importantly, the forced down-regulation of NOD2 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) recovered MDP-down-regulated odontoblast differentiation. MDP-elicited suppression of odontoblast differentiation resulted from the increased expression of MKP-1 protein and the subsequent decline of MAPKs phosphorylation, which is a prerequisite for odontoblast differentiation. Furthermore, we found that MDP treatment elevated the expression of osteoclastogenic cytokines in HDPCs, which was also reversed by NOD2 silencing. Analysis of these data, taken together, suggests that the regulation of NOD2 expression upon MDP challenge might serve as an intrinsic mechanism that underlies the hindered dentin formation and accelerated dentin resorption in bacterial infection-mediated pulpitis.

Abbreviations: HDPCs, human dental pulp cells; NOD2, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2; MDP, muramyl dipeptide; siRNA, small interfering RNA; MAPKs, mitogen-activated protein kinases; MKP-1, MAPK phosphatase-1; BMMs, bone-marrow-derived macrophages; and CM, conditioned medium.
Early-Life Socioeconomic Status and Mortality at Three Life Course Stages
Authors: Pudrovska Tetyana
Published: May 2014

Using the 1957–2011 data from 10,317 participants in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, I examine how socioeconomic status (SES) at age 18 affects all-cause mortality between ages 18 and 72. Integrating fundamental cause theory, gender relations theory, and a life course perspective, I evaluate the cumulative advantage (CA) and age-as-leveler processes as well as gender differences in these processes. Findings indicate that higher early-life SES at age 18 is related to lower mortality over the life course, and the effect of early-life SES is not explained by socioeconomic achievement and health behaviors in adulthood. Consistent with the CA model, early-life SES generates increasing within-cohort inequality with age, and this CA process is stronger for women than men. Results also show that unequal selection by SES obscures the CA process and creates an illusion of the age-as-leveler process. This study calls for a lifelong gendered approach to socioeconomic health disparities.
Exploring the Mathematical Knowledge Needed for Teaching Teachers
Authors: Castro Superfine Alison , Li Wenjuan
Published: May 2014

The purpose of this study is to explore the knowledge demands of teacher educators as they teach disciplinary content to preservice elementary teachers, specifically in mathematics, and to understand how such knowledge is different from that used by K-12 teachers. Drawing from a database including teaching and learning artifacts from five iterations of a content course for preservice teachers, the authors illustrate different forms of knowledge observed across different mathematics teacher educators’ practice and discuss how the observed knowledge forms are different from knowledge used by K-12 teachers in their practice. Finally, the authors discuss how the process used in this study can identify potential components of a knowledge base for teacher education.
The cost-effectiveness of orthopaedic clinical officers in Malawi
Authors: Grimes Caris E , Mkandawire Nyengo C , Billingsley Michael L , Ngulube Christopher , Cobey James C
Published: May 2014

Background

In Malawi the orthopaedic clinical officer (OCO) training programme trains non-physician clinicians in musculoskeletal care. We studied the cost-effectiveness of this program.

Methods

Hospital logbooks were reviewed for data pertaining to activity in seven district hospitals over a 6-month period. The total costs were divided by the total effectiveness, calculated as disability adjusted life years (DALYs) averted.

Results

The total cost-effectiveness of providing orthopaedic care through the OCO training programme was US$92.06 per DALY averted. The mean per hospital was US$138.75 (95% CI: US$69.58–207.91) per DALY averted which is very cost-effective when compared with other health interventions. Of the 837 patients treated 63% were aged <15 years and 36% were in the ‘economically active’ demographic of ages 15–74 years.

Conclusion

Training of clinical officers in orthopaedic surgery is very cost-effective and allows transfer of skills into rural areas. The demographics suggest that failure to provide such care would have a negative economic impact.
Stress, Burnout, and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Wang Yanan , Zheng Lu , Hu Tianhong , Zheng Quanquan
Published: May 2014

Basic-level police work in China is regarded as highly stressful. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between stress, job satisfaction, job burnout, and locus of control as related to the police work. The article consists of an empirical study with a sample of 521 basic-level policemen and policewomen in an autonomous region of China. Participants completed a series of questionnaires that included Police Stress Questionnaire, the Overall Job Satisfaction Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance Scale. The results indicated that police stress was negatively related to job satisfaction, whereas it was positively related to job burnout. The relationship between police stress and job satisfaction was mediated by job burnout. Locus of control acted as a moderator in the stress–burnout relationship as well as in the burnout–satisfaction relationship. The findings had certain practical implications for mental health, police management, and personnel recruitment of police in China.
Psychological Capital
Authors: Wang Xiaomei , Zheng Quanquan , Cao Xiancai
Published: May 2014

The concept of approaching psychological capital (PsyCap) as an influencer on behaviors and results at both an individual and an organizational level is gaining support from a growing body of research. However, to date, the construct and impact of the PsyCap on adolescents’ behavioral outcomes have not been tested. If tested, an understanding of the psychological construct and its impact could be helpful for teachers and administrators in adjusting institutional methodology in accordance with the mental health status of the students. We explore the impact of PsyCap and the moderating role of perceived social support. We also adopt an innovative perspective to detect how to reduce problem behaviors. A construct of PsyCap of adolescents and the relationships among PsyCap, perceived social support, and behavioral problems is proposed. The findings provide a strong evidence-based recommendation for the use of PsyCap in a public school education management.
Voices of Parolees Attending Community College
Authors: Potts Kristi S. , Bierlein Palmer Louann
Published: May 2014

As one of the few qualitative studies on this topic, this phenomenological study examined how parolees experience participation in a community college reentry program. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 11 parolee college students. Major themes found that parolees enjoy the college environment and that they have become role models for their families as a result of their college experiences. Most participants also believe that taking community college classes has improved their parole experiences and will decrease their chances of returning to prison. This research reveals a potential role for more community colleges to serve such parolee populations as part of their public good mission.
Cuba’s Socialist Transition
Authors: Fernández Ríos Olga
Published: May 2014

The Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party, held in April 2011, ratified a socialist strategy for implementing a new model of economic and social development that rejects the centrist structures and practices of the “real socialist” model. The achievements of the Cuban Revolution and Cubans’ critical awareness of mistakes demand transformations of the model of development to meet the needs of the country. These transformations include perfecting political institutionality, confronting bureaucratism, establishing a balance between centralization and decentralization, and revitalizing popular participation in decision making and the management of resources.

El VI Congreso del Partido Comunista de Cuba, celebrado en abril de 2011, ratificó una estrategia socialista implementando un nuevo modelo de desarrollo económico y social que rechaza estructuras y prácticas del modelo estadocentrista del “socialismo real.” Los logros de la Revolución Cubana y la conciencia crítica de caminos que resultaron errados exigen transformaciones en el modelo de desarrollo, acorde con las necesidades del país. Estas transformaciones incluyen el perfeccionamiento de la institucionalidad política, el enfrentamiento al burocratismo, el equilibrio entre centralización y descentralización y una revitalización permanente de la participación popular en la toma de decisiones y la gestión de recursos.
U.S. Proposals for an Unwanted Transition in Cuba
Authors: Núñez Sarmiento Marta
Published: May 2014

Two recent U.S. government and scholarly projects on a “transition toward democracy in Cuba”—the reports to the president of the Commissions for Assistance to a Free Cuba and the results of the Brookings Institution’s seminars on U.S. policy toward a Cuba in transition—are typical of attempts by U.S. academics and policy makers to make Cuban society conform to U.S. models of social organization and bring Cuba once again under U.S. hegemony. Failing to consult the work of Cuban social scientists who have directly assessed the gains and losses of the Cuban transition to a better society and criticized it from within, they overlook Cuba’s permanent shift from capitalism to socialism in the past 50-plus years and ignore the distinctiveness of the Cuban socialist system.

Dos recientes proyectos gubernamentales y académicos estadounidenses sobre una “transición hacia la democracia en Cuba”—los informes al presidente de las Comisiones de Asistencia para una Cuba Libre y los resultados de los seminarios de la Institución Brookings sobre la política de EE.UU. hacia una Cuba en transición—son típicas de los intentos de parte de los académicos y los legisladores estadounidenses para que la sociedad cubana se ajuste a los modelos de organización social de los Estados Unidos y para nuevamente llevar a Cuba bajo la hegemonía de EE.UU. En no consultar el trabajo de los científicos sociales cubanos que han evaluado directamente las ganancias y pérdidas de la transición cubana a una sociedad mejor y criticarla desde dentro, se pasan por alto el cambio permanente en Cuba del capitalismo al socialismo en los últimos más de 50 años y ignoran lo distintivo del sistema socialista cubano.
Nonstate Enterprises in Cuba
Authors: Harnecker Camila Piñeiro
Published: May 2014

The new types of nonstate enterprises, private and cooperative firms, that are beginning to take root in Cuba are part of the reform process that is taking place in that nation and redefining its socialist path. There are different positions in Cuba with regard to the adequacy of nonstate enterprises for the advance of Cuban socialism. Some consider them simply a necessary evil, while others consider them essential for the functioning of any economy. A third position is that nonstate enterprises and enterprises in general are most useful to the goals of socialism to the extent that they are democratically managed and responsive to social interests. The current process in Cuba is an opportunity to perfect Cuban socialism and bring it closer to its humanist and emancipatory goals.

Los nuevos tipos de empresas no estatales, empresas privadas y cooperativas, que están comenzando a echar raíces en Cuba son parte del proceso de reforma que se está llevando a cabo en esa nación y que redefine su trayectoria socialista. Hay diferentes posiciones en Cuba con respecto a la adecuación de las empresas no estatales para el avance del socialismo cubano. Algunos los consideran simplemente un mal necesario, mientras que otros los consideran esenciales para el funcionamiento de cualquier economía. Una tercera posición es que las empresas no estatales y las empresas en general son más útiles para los objetivos del socialismo en la medida en que se gestionan democráticamente y que responden a los intereses sociales. El proceso actual de Cuba es una oportunidad para perfeccionar el socialismo cubano y acercarlo a sus objetivos humanista y emancipadores.
The Frontier of Change in the Cuban Economy
Authors: Rodríguez José Luis
Published: May 2014

Beginning in 2008, the Cuban leadership recognized the need for change in its economic policy to overcome the legacy of the Special Period and the shortcomings of the economic model that prevailed until 1989. A product of widespread grassroots discussion, the guidelines for economic and social policy approved in 2011 include a greater role for market relations and nonstate property in the management of the economy. They also identify a new area of cooperative, mixed, and private property alongside of state ownership, promote decentralization of management and the participation of workers in this process, and place greater emphasis on personal consumption in the incentive system. The implementation of these changes is already having an effect on economic indicators, among them a significant reduction in imports, a decrease in gross fixed capital formation, a reduction of the budget deficit, and an increase in labor productivity. More complex and decisive changes can be expected in the years to come.

A partir de 2008, la dirigencia cubana reconoció la necesidad de un cambio en su política económica para superar el legado del Período Especial y las deficiencias del modelo económico que prevaleció hasta 1989. Un producto de la discusión popular generalizada, las pautas de la política económica y social aprobada en 2011 incluyen un mayor papel de las relaciones de mercado y de la propiedad no estatal en el manejo de la economía. También identifican una nueva área de la propiedad cooperativa, mixta y privada junto a la propiedad estatal, promueven la descentralización de la gestión y la participación de los trabajadores en este proceso, y ponen mayor énfasis en el consumo personal en el sistema de incentivos. La implementación de estos cambios ya está teniendo un efecto en los indicadores económicos, entre ellos una reducción significativa de las importaciones, la disminución de la formación bruta del capital fijo, una reducción del déficit presupuestario, y un aumento en la productividad del trabajo. En los próximos años se pueden esperar cambios más complejos y decisivos.
A comparison of preschool children’s discussions with parents during picture book and chapter book reading
Authors: Leech Kathryn A. , Rowe Meredith L.
Published: May 2014

Discussions that occur during book reading between parents and preschool children relate to children’s language development, especially discussions during picture books that include extended discourse, a form of abstract language. While a recent report shows increased chapter book reading among families with preschool children, it is unknown whether chapter books also facilitate these types of conversations. Further, the substantial variation in preschoolers’ language ability raises the question of whether chapter book reading may be beneficial for all children of this age. The current study examined the discussions between five-year-old children ( N = 33) and their parents while reading both a picture book and the first chapter of a chapter book. Findings are discussed in terms of the variation observed in the amount and types of discussion, how chapter book discussions compare to picture book discussions, and finally, how children’s narrative skill can serve as an indicator of children’s ability to participate in discussions, especially during chapter book reading.
Reading personalized books with preschool children enhances their word acquisition
Authors: Kucirkova Natalia , Messer David , Sheehy Kieron
Published: May 2014

This study examines whether books that contain personalized content are better facilitators of young children’s word acquisition than books which are not personalized for a child. In a repeated-measures experimental design, 18 children (mean age 3;10) were read a picture book which contained both personalized and non-personalized sections, with unknown, real, target words embedded in each section. The book was read to the children on two occasions, with a one-week gap between each session. There were three testing points and these took place after the first reading session, just before the second reading session and immediately after the second reading session. At each testing point the children’s knowledge of the new words was assessed with picture comprehension, definition and emotional valence tests. The findings revealed that, at the second and third testing points, the children showed significantly better knowledge about the words that were in the personalized sections of the books than the words in the non-personalized sections. The implications of these findings for future book reading research and practice are discussed.