bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mast Cells in Canine Parvovirus-2–Associated Enteritis With Crypt Abscess
Authors: Woldemeskel M. W. , Saliki J. T. , Blas-Machado U. , Whittington L.
Published: April 2013

The role of mast cells (MCs) in allergic reactions and parasitic infections is well established. Their involvement in host immune response against bacterial and viral infections is reported. In this study, investigation is made to determine if MCs are associated with Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2)–induced enteritis with crypt abscess (ECA). Mast cell count (MCC) was made on toluidine blue–stained intestinal sections from a total of 34 dogs. These included 16 dogs exhibiting ECA positive for CPV-2 and negative for Canine distemper virus and Canine coronavirus by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent antibody test, 12 dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and 6 non-ECA/non-IBD (control) dogs. The average total MCC per high-power field in ECA (40.8 ± 2.2) and IBD (24.7 ± 2.1) was significantly higher ( P < .05) than in the control (3.4 ± 0.6). Although not significant ( P > .05), MCC was also higher in ECA than in IBD. The present study for the first time has documented significantly increased MCs in CPV-2–associated ECA as was previously reported for IBD, showing that MCs may also play an important role in CPV-2–associated ECA. Further studies involving more CPV-infected dogs are recommended to substantiate the findings.
When Sexism and Feminism Collide
Authors: Holland Kathryn J. , Cortina Lilia M.
Published: April 2013

The current study examined how feminism relates to women’s experiences of sexual harassment—that is, unwanted sexual and sexist conduct in the workplace. We posited that feminism would have both costs (e.g., increasing exposure to harassment) and benefits (e.g., decreasing harassment-related outcomes). We assessed two indicators of feminism: self-identification as “feminist” and engagement in feminist activism. We also measured two subtypes of sexual harassment: sexual-advance and gender harassment. According to survey data from 424 working women, feminist identification predicted fewer gender harassment experiences; once harassed, however, feminist-identified women reported the greatest decrease in job satisfaction and increase in turnover intentions. In contrast, feminist activism related to greater experiences of both kinds of harassment, and activism attenuated some negative outcomes. We further found that (regardless of feminist identification or activism) women who had faced sexual-advance harassment were over 7 times more likely to attach the “sexual harassment” label to their experiences, compared to women who had experienced gender harassment alone. In light of our findings, we recommend that sexual harassment laws, policies, and trainings be broadened to encompass all varieties of sexual harassment, including non-stereotypical, non-sexual conduct. Organizations would also benefit from interventions that reduce bias against undervalued persons, including feminists.
The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Social Welfare Systems
Authors: Göçmen İpek
Published: April 2013

In recent decades, the changing roles of voluntary organizations in the European welfare states have been a focus of interest. In some countries a specific group of organizations put under the policy spotlight is faith-based organizations. This article undertakes a historical-institutionalist analysis of faith-based organizations in France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The article explores the contemporary social welfare roles of faith-based organizations in these countries through studying the institutionalization of religion and the voluntary sector in the sphere of social welfare since the time of national revolutions. The comparative analysis shows that neither the extent of change in the position of faith-based organizations in social welfare, nor the main mechanisms triggering change, is the same for the different welfare states.
A theoretical and experimental investigation of the dynamic response of a squeeze-film damped twin-shaft test rig
Authors: Bonello P , Pham HM
Published: April 2013

This article performs a theoretical and experimental analysis of a twin-shaft test rig in which the two unbalanced rotors are nonlinearly coupled through the flexibly mounted housing of a squeeze-film damper bearing, as in a real aircraft engine. The research aims are two-fold: to validate recently developed fast computation methods and to achieve an insight into the effect of the ratio between the rotor speeds on the overall vibration response. The experimental data correlated reasonably well with the theoretical analysis. The correlation was best when the speed ratio was equal to a ratio of large integers (in its most reduced form). When the speed ratio was a ratio of two low integers, the predicted response was found to be particularly sensitive to the arbitrary initial phase angle between the rotors.
Kinematic analyses of novel translational parallel manipulators
Authors: Gallardo-Alvarado Jaime , Orozco-Mendoza Horacio , Sánchez-Rodríguez Alvaro , Alici Gursel
Published: April 2013

This study reports on the kinematic analyses of four translational parallel manipulators (3RPC, SPS + 2RPC, RPPR + 2RPC and RPPR + 2PPP) articulated with linear actuators. They are based on serially connected chains which are connected with cylindrical (C), prismatic (P), revolute (R), spherical (S) and universal (U) joints. Of these manipulators, the one which is a fully decoupled, fully isotropic and singularity-free translational parallel manipulator (RPPR+2PPP) offers a one-to-one correspondence between its input and output displacement. This makes its forward and inverse position analyses simpler with a set of linear equations to be solved. Although the other manipulators have coupled kinematics, they still have simpler forward kinematic equations over other well-known translational parallel manipulators reported in the literature. We also employ screw theory to undertake the velocity and acceleration analyses. The primary contribution of this manuscript is to show how the 3-RPC translational parallel manipulator can be gradually modified in order to obtain a fully isotropic, fully decoupled and singularity-free translational parallel manipulator.
A mixed approach for the control of a testing equipment employed for earthquake isolation systems
Authors: Pagano Stefano , Russo Michele , Strano Salvatore , Terzo Mario
Published: April 2013

This paper presents an activity concerning the modelling and control of a system adopted to perform shear tests on seismic isolators. The test rig consists of a hydraulic actuation system that drives a sliding table mounted on linear bearings. The system is characterized by non-linearities such as hydraulic proportional valve dead zone and frictions. A non-linear model is derived and then employed for parameter identification procedure. The test rig needs a suitable controller able to guarantee the desired table displacement in presence of unknown reaction force of the device under test. The proposed approach consists of a feedforward control integrated with a feedback one. The feedforward control law takes the form of a non-linear inverse model of the system. In this way, it is possible to obtain the desired target without affecting the stability of the test rig. The feedback control has the function to compensate for tracking error due to the model uncertainties and the unknown isolator reaction force. Therefore, the feedback control is not required to compensate for the large non-linearities: in this manner, it is possible to obtain good tracking results without the increasing of the feedback control gain that would change the stability properties of the plant. Numerical simulations have been performed in order to evaluate the goodness of the designed control with and without the specimen under test. Experimental tests show that the controlled system simulations are able to predict the controller performance. The experimental results also confirm that the performance of the proposed controller fully satisfy the standards concerning the testing procedure of seismic isolators.
A bias correction method for fast fuel-to-air ratio estimation in diesel engines
Authors: Guardiola Carlos , Pla Benjamin , Blanco-Rodriguez David , Mazer Alexandre , Hayat Olivier
Published: April 2013

λ probes in turbocharged diesel engines are usually located downstream of the turbine, exhibiting a good dynamic response but a significant delay because of the exhaust line transport and the hardware itself. With the introduction of after-treatment systems, new sensors that can measure the exhaust concentrations are required for optimal control and diagnosis. Zirconia-based potentiometric sensors permit the measurement of nitrogen oxides and oxygen with the same hardware. However, their dynamic response is slower and more filtered than that of traditional λ probes and, in addition, the sensor location downstream of the after-treatment systems increases this problem. The paper uses a Kalman filter for online dynamic estimation of the relative fuel-to-air ratio λ−1 in a turbocharged diesel engine. The combination of a fast drifted fuel-to-air ratio model with a slow but accurate zirconia sensor permits the model bias to be corrected. This bias is modelled with a look-up table depending on the engine operating point and is integrated online on the basis of the Kalman filter output. The calculation burden is alleviated by using the converged gain of the steady-state Kalman filter, precalculated offline. Finally, robustness conditions for stopping the bias updating are included in order to account for the sensor and model uncertainties. The proposed algorithm and sensor layout are successfully proved in a turbocharged diesel engine. Experimental and simulation results are included to support validation of the algorithm.
Development of effective performance measures for wayside rail curve lubrication in heavy haul lines
Authors: Uddin Md Gyas , Chattopadhyay Gopi , Rasul Mohammad
Published: April 2013

Rail curve lubrication using wayside gauge face lubrication systems is widely used by the railway industry. It provides cost-effective solutions to reduce rail/wheel wear, energy consumption, costs and noise. Research efforts on cost-effective friction management solutions for the Australian heavy haul industry have been limited. Therefore, the performance measures necessary for the evaluation of effective gauge face lubrication practice have not been developed. Currently, there are no specific performance measures available for heavy haul rail curve lubrication. Also, the performance of in-rail lubrication seems to be poor in most cases. Appropriate performance measures should be implemented that can accurately demonstrate the actual performance of the lubrication. This paper is focused on the development of effective performance measures based on lubrication theory, maintenance regime, field testings of different wayside lubrication equipment technology and different greases currently used on heavy haul lines. Extensive field tests have been conducted on the Queensland Rail Network’s North Coast Line, which is a dedicated coal line. Data were collected and analysed for the development of performance measures and cost-effective lubrication decisions. The presented performance measures and illustrative examples could be used by other types of railway networks for enhancement of rail/wheel asset life, asset availability, reliability and safety along with reduction of costs.
Towards a realistic in vitro experience of epidural Tuohy needle insertion
Authors: Vaughan Neil , Dubey Venketesh N , Wee Michael YK , Isaacs Richard
Published: April 2013

The amount of pressure exerted on the syringe and the depth of needle insertion are the two key factors for successfully carrying out epidural procedure. The force feedback from the syringe plunger is helpful in judging the loss of pressure, and the depth of the needle insertion is crucial in identifying when the needle is precisely placed in the epidural space. This article presents the development of two novel wireless devices to measure these parameters to precisely guide the needle placement in the epidural space. These techniques can be directly used on patients or implemented in a simulator for improving the safety of procedure. A pilot trial has been conducted to collect depth and pressure data with the devices on a porcine cadaver. These measurements are then combined to accurately configure a haptic device for creating a realistic in vitro experience of epidural needle insertion.
Attentional Capture Does Not Depend on Feature Similarity, but on Target-Nontarget Relations
Authors: Becker Stefanie I. , Folk Charles L. , Remington Roger W.
Published: April 2013

What factors determine which stimuli of a scene will be visually selected and become available for conscious perception? The currently prevalent view is that attention operates on specific feature values, so attention will be drawn to stimuli that have features similar to those of the sought-after target. Here, we show that, instead, attentional capture depends on whether a distractor’s feature relationships match the target-nontarget relations (e.g., redder). In three spatial-cuing experiments, we found that (a) a cue with the target color (e.g., orange) can fail to capture attention when the cue–cue-context relations do not match the target-nontarget relations (e.g., redder target vs. yellower cue), whereas (b) a cue with the nontarget color can capture attention when its relations match the target-nontarget relations (e.g., both are redder). These results support a relational account in which attention is biased toward feature relationships instead of particular feature values, and show that attentional capture by an irrelevant distractor does not depend on feature similarity, but rather depends on whether the distractor matches or mismatches the target’s relative attributes (e.g., relative color).
Attention Is Spontaneously Biased Toward Regularities
Authors: Zhao Jiaying , Al-Aidroos Naseem , Turk-Browne Nicholas B.
Published: April 2013

Knowledge about regularities in the environment can be used to facilitate perception, memory, and language acquisition. Given this usefulness, we hypothesized that statistically structured sources of information receive attentional priority over noisier sources, independent of their intrinsic salience or goal relevance. We report three experiments that support this hypothesis. Experiment 1 shows that regularities bias spatial attention: Visual search was facilitated at a location containing temporal regularities, even though these regularities did not predict target location, timing, or identity. Experiments 2 and 3 show that regularities bias feature attention: Attentional capture doubled in magnitude when singletons appeared, respectively, in a color or dimension with temporal regularities among task-irrelevant stimuli. Prioritization of the locations and features of regularities is not easily accounted for in the conventional dichotomy between stimulus-driven and goal-directed attention. This prioritization may in turn promote further statistical learning, helping the mind to acquire knowledge about stable aspects of the environment.
Easy to Retrieve but Hard to Believe
Authors: O’Brien Ed
Published: April 2013

People who recall or forecast many pleasant moments should perceive themselves as happier in the past or future than people who generate few such moments; the same principle should apply to generating unpleasant moments and perceiving unhappiness. Five studies suggest that this is not always true. Rather, people’s metacognitive experience of ease of thought retrieval (“fluency”) can affect perceived well-being over time beyond actual thought content. The easier it is to recall positive past experiences, the happier people think they were at the time; likewise, the easier it is to recall negative past experiences, the unhappier people think they were. But this is not the case for predicting the future. Although people who easily generate positive forecasts predict more future happiness, people who easily generate negative forecasts do not infer future unhappiness. Given pervasive tendencies to underestimate the likelihood of experiencing negative events, people apparently discount hard-to-believe metacognitive feelings (e.g., easily imagined unpleasant futures). Paradoxically, people’s well-being may be maximized when they contemplate some bad moments or just a few good moments.
Riding Other People’s Coattails
Authors: Shea Catherine T. , Davisson Erin K. , Fitzsimons Gráinne M.
Published: April 2013

Two laboratory experiments and one dyadic study of ongoing relationships of romantic partners examined how temporary and chronic deficits in self-control affect individuals’ evaluations of other people. We suggest that when individuals lack self-control resources, they value such resources in other people. Our results support this hypothesis: We found that individuals low (but not high) in self-control use information about other people’s self-control abilities when judging them, evaluating other people with high self-control more positively than those with low self-control. In Study 1, participants whose self-control was depleted preferred people with higher self-control, whereas nondepleted participants did not show this preference. In Study 2, we conceptually replicated this effect while using a behavioral measure of trait self-control. In Study 3, individuals with low (but not high) self-control reported greater dependence on dating partners with high self-control than on those with low self-control. We theorize that individuals with low self-control may use interpersonal relationships to compensate for their lack of personal self-control resources.
Psychogeography and feminist methodology
Authors: Bridger Alexander John
Published: April 2013

This paper will suggest how a psychogeographical methodology can be developed as a new method for feminist psychologists, in the study of urban and rural environments. One of the limitations of situationist psychogeography is its grounding in the male gaze. In addition, men have had privileged access to and time to participate in such activities. Drawing on Feminist geography, Queer theory and Gay/Lesbian writing, core concepts such as embodied subjectivity and heteronormativity can be used to develop the theoretical base of a feminist psychogeographical methodology. In this paper, I will outline how feminist psychogeographical research might be conducted; the ‘situationist’ approach of using bodies as research ‘instruments’ means that innovative data may be gathered through the experience of walking and seeing the world through the situationist lens. Finally, the implications of this work for personal and political social transformation will be addressed.
Evaluating the extent and nature of the informalization of employment relations in South-East Europe
Authors: Williams Colin C , Kedir Abbi , Nadin Sara , Vorley Tim
Published: April 2013

The analysis of employment relations needs to include work in the informal economy. For this purpose, we propose a ‘degrees of informalization’ framework that evaluates the proportion of employment relations infused with informality and the nature of this permeation. We apply this framework to South-East Europe, using evidence from a 2007 Eurobarometer survey. Informality is extensive, largely in the form of under-declared formal waged employment, although significant variations exist across countries. There is a strong correlation between capitalist societies with higher levels of labour market intervention, social protection, redistribution via social transfers and equality, and lower levels of informality.
Gay Men’s Explanations of Health and How to Improve It
Authors: Adams Jeffery , McCreanor Tim , Braun Virginia
Published: April 2013

Little is known about the health views of gay men. In this article we report on how gay men explained health and the ways they discussed how health for gay men can be improved. We conducted a thematic analysis of data collected from 45 gay men in 11 focus groups and identified that health was mainly explained in individual terms, as were the ways to improve health (personal health care services and health promotion). The second way health was explained drew on social and community factors, with the societal acceptance of gay men being reported as essential for health improvements. These individual and social/community approaches were in tension; overall, the individualized approaches dominated. In line with other theorizing in health, we argue that appropriate policy and service provision to meet the health needs of gay men require greater acknowledgment of the social and community explanations of health and ways of improving health.
The Gendered Construction and Experience of Difficulties and Rewards in Cancer Care
Authors: Ussher Jane M. , Sandoval Mirjana , Perz Janette , Wong W. K. Tim , Butow Phyllis
Published: April 2013

Women cancer carers have consistently been found to report higher levels of distress than men carers. However, there is little understanding of the mechanisms underlying these gender differences in distress, and a neglect of rewarding aspects of care. We conducted in-depth semistructured interviews with 53 informal cancer carers, 34 women and 19 men, to examine difficult and rewarding aspects of cancer care. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Women were more likely to report negative changes in the relationship with the person with cancer; neglect of self, social isolation, and physical health consequences; anxiety; personal strength and growth; and to position caring as a privilege. Men were more likely to report increased relational closeness with the person with cancer, and the burden of additional responsibilities within the home as a difficult aspect of caring. We interpret these findings in relation to a social constructionist analysis of gender roles.
Mapping Green Product Spaces of Nations
Authors: Hamwey Robert , Pacini Henrique , Assunção Lucas
Published: April 2013

As countries transition to a green economy, they will need to identify profitable entry points in which they can favorably compete with other nations in emerging green markets. Identifying and building supply capacity for commercially viable, competitive green product exports can be seen as a fundamental part of supporting green growth and sustainable development. Building on the product space model initially advanced by Hidalgo et al. in 2007, this article proposes a green product space methodology to map the export strengths of countries for a specified set of green products. The methodology does so by identifying green products for which a country is likely to be competitive in the world market based on export performance of related products. Results for Brazil are presented to illustrate the green product space methodology followed by a discussion of its limitations and potential contribution to industrial policy formulation to support emerging green sectors.
Using Dynamic Panel Methods to Estimate Shadow Economies Around the World, 1984–2006
Authors: Alm James , Embaye Abel
Published: April 2013

The article estimates the size of shadow economy for 111 countries for the years 1984–2006 based on the currency demand approach. An important innovation is our use of dynamic panel data methods, which allows us to make several important contributions. First, we estimate the shadow economy for a range of heterogeneous countries that previously could not be included in the same regression. Second, we include variables that measure institutional quality in countries, including a variable that measures enforcement efforts. Third, we account for the persistence of currency demand as it evolves over time. Our results indicate a substantial shadow economy across countries, ranging from 10 to 86 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), with some tendency to grow over time. We also find that the shadow economy varies significantly by country income group. The mean shadow economy is 17 percent of GDP for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, 24 percent for non-OECD high-income countries, 33 percent for upper-middle-income countries, 37 percent for lower-middle-income countries, and 38 percent for low-income countries.
Auto-exoticism: Cultural display at the Shanghai Expo
Authors: Winter Tim
Published: April 2013

For many postcolonial countries, articulating a sense of identity and cultural nationalism has involved negotiating those histories and identities constructed and ascribed upon them by others. Indeed, such themes have long troubled many postcolonial intellectuals and been the subject of intense debates. Shanghai Expo 2010 brought this issue into focus once again, an event where national identities were performed to an audience of 73 million. This article examines the objects and architecture of cultural nationalism in relation to questions of sovereignty and enduring colonialities for a number of Asian and African countries participating in previous world’s fairs and at Shanghai. It draws on the ideas of Partha Chatterjee to interpret why they embraced a language of tradition and heritage, reproducing the same geo-cultural hierarchies familiar to the age of European empire. The author argues that, within the cultural economies of globalization today, such countries engage in a form of auto-exoticism.
The role of young users in determining long-term care expenditure in Norway
Authors: McArthur David Philip , Tjerbo Trond , Hagen Terje P.
Published: April 2013

Aims: In Norway, it is the responsibility of the country’s 429 municipalities to provide long term care (LTC) services to their residents. Recent years have seen a sharp rise in the number of LTC users under the age of 65. This article aims to explore the effect of this rise on LTC expenditure. Methods: Panel data models are used on data from municipalities from 1986 to 2011. An instrumental variable approach is also utilized to account for possible endogeneity related to the number of young users. Results: The number of young users appears to have a strong effect on LTC expenditure. There is also evidence of municipalities exercising discretion in defining eligibility criteria for young users in order to limit expenditure. Conclusions: The rise in the number of young LTC users presents a long-term challenge to the sustainability of LTC financing. The current budgeting system appears to compensate municipalities for expenditure on young LTC users.
Function and expression of ATIP and its variants in cardiomyoblast cell line H9c2
Authors: Varghayee Naghmeh , Krezel Michael A , Rezmann Linda , Chow Laurie , Frauman Albert George , Louis William J , Louis Simon N
Published: April 2013

Hypothesis:

Cardiac hypertrophy in myocytes is in part regulated by changes in expression of a novel Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2-receptor) interacting protein identified as ATIP.

Introduction:

The role of the AT2-receptor in cardiac hypertrophy is controversial, with some reports indicating that AT2-receptor activation has detrimental effects on disease progression, whereas others indicate that it has a beneficial role.

Materials and methods:

In an effort to unravel this paradox, we examined the expression and function of ATIP in cell-based models of cardiac hypertrophy using QPCR, immunohistochemistry, cell proliferation, morphological and transfection techniques in H9c2 cardio-myoblast and myotubules.

Results:

These studies indicate that in cultured cardio-myoblast and myotubules, Ang II mediates cellular hypertrophy and proliferation solely via the AT1-receptor, the ATIP variants are abundantly expressed and that ATIP3 may play an anti-proliferative/hypertrophic role in these cells in the absence of AT2-receptor expression or activation.

Conclusions:

Previously ATIP has been shown to inhibit growth factor signalling in cancerous cells via an interaction with the AT2-receptor. This is the first report to identify that ATIP may have a similar role in other disease states characterised by excessive growth and indicates that for ATIP3, at least, an interaction with the AT2-receptor may not be necessary.
Visual Studies in Byzantium: A Pictorial Turn avant la lettre
Authors: Alloa Emmanuel
Published: April 2013

As Hegel once said, in Byzantium, between homoousis and homoiousis, the difference of one letter could decide the life and death of thousands. As this article seeks to argue, Byzantine thinking was not only attentive to conceptual differences, but also to iconic ones. The iconoclastic controversy (726–842 AD) arose from two different interpretations of the nature of images: whereas iconoclastic philosophy is based on the assumption of a fundamental ‘iconic identity’, iconophile philosophy defends the idea of ‘iconic difference’. And while the reception in the Latin West of the controversies over the image as a mere problem of referentiality of the letter explains why its originality has remained underestimated for centuries, re-examining Byzantine visual thinking in the light of today’s ‘pictorial turn’ reveals its striking modernity.
Foresight, Hindsight and State Secrecy in the American West: The Geopolitical Aesthetics of Trevor Paglen
Authors: Gustafsson Henrik
Published: April 2013

This article relates the current discourse on image wars to the interdisciplinary practice of ‘experimental geography’ in the writings and photographs of Trevor Paglen. In his ongoing project to map the dark geographies of covert military activity in the American southwest, Paglen engages a dialectical method that turns the imperial apparatus of surveillance against itself. Performing his photographic campaigns as a series of interventions into the aesthetic traditions of American landscape art, Paglen solicits a critical exploration not only of the power of military technology, but also of the power of imagination.
Virtual infrastructures of habit: the changing intensities of habit through gracefulness, restlessness and clumsiness
Authors: Bissell David
Published: April 2013

This paper examines how the changing intensities of habit alter the way that places are inhabited and experienced. Developing a virtual and distributed understanding of habit that underscores its transformative powers, the paper demonstrates how habit can be understood as an important virtual infrastructure in the way that it provides a charged, dynamic background that entrains and supports movement. Based on reflections on long-duration airline travel, the paper describes how the intensity of habit’s operation changes over the course of a journey, and is revealed through different qualities of bodily movement. Gracefulness, restlessness and clumsiness are presented as three movement transitions that demonstrate how practical competencies are fragile and contingent on milieu. Where much geographical inquiry has examined disruptions to physical infrastructures, this paper shows how the virtual infrastructures of habit are susceptible to different kinds of transformation, which changes bodily capacities for moving, sensing, perceiving and attending, and, thus, the lived experience of place.
Alteration of Synaptic Activity–Regulating Genes Underlying Functional Improvement by Long-term Exposure to an Enriched Environment in the Adult Brain
Authors: Lee Min-Young , Yu Ji Hea , Kim Ji Yeon , Seo Jung Hwa , Park Eun Sook , Kim Chul Hoon , Kim Hyongbum , Cho Sung-Rae
Published: April 2013

Background. Housing animals in an enriched environment (EE) enhances behavioral function. However, the mechanism underlying this EE-mediated functional improvement and the resultant changes in gene expression have yet to be elucidated. Objectives. We attempted to investigate the underlying mechanisms associated with long-term exposure to an EE by evaluating gene expression patterns. Methods. We housed 6-week-old CD-1 (ICR) mice in standard cages or an EE comprising a running wheel, novel objects, and social interaction for 2 months. Motor and cognitive performances were evaluated using the rotarod test and passive avoidance test, and gene expression profile was investigated in the cerebral hemispheres using microarray and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results. In behavioral assessment, an EE significantly enhanced rotarod performance and short-term working memory. Microarray analysis revealed that genes associated with neuronal activity were significantly altered by an EE. GSEA showed that genes involved in synaptic transmission and postsynaptic signal transduction were globally upregulated, whereas those associated with reuptake by presynaptic neurotransmitter transporters were downregulated. In particular, both microarray and GSEA demonstrated that EE exposure increased opioid signaling, acetylcholine release cycle, and postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors but decreased Na+/Cl−-dependent neurotransmitter transporters, including dopamine transporter Slc6a3 in the brain. Western blotting confirmed that SLC6A3, DARPP32 (PPP1R1B), and P2RY12 were largely altered in a region-specific manner. Conclusion. An EE enhanced motor and cognitive function through the alteration of synaptic activity–regulating genes, improving the efficient use of neurotransmitters and synaptic plasticity by the upregulation of genes associated with postsynaptic receptor activity and downregulation of presynaptic reuptake by neurotransmitter transporters.
A track ballast maintenance and inspection model for a rail network
Authors: Prescott Darren , Andrews John
Published: April 2013

The geometry of railway track governs the quality of the ride for passengers and, should it deteriorate to an extreme state, can become a safety concern with potential derailment. The geometry is dependent upon a number of different factors, among which is the condition of the ballast. Several options exist to control the condition of the ballast, including manual intervention, tamping and stoneblowing. Ballast condition is monitored implicitly by measuring the geometry of the railway lines using a specially equipped measurement train. By analysing the data collected by this train, the deterioration process of the railway geometry can be understood. Using this understanding, mathematical models can then be constructed, which take account of the possible maintenance and renewal options to predict the track state. This model enables decisions to be made on the best or optimal strategy for maintenance and renewal of the ballast. This article describes a model of the track maintenance process for a railway network. Owing to their flexibility, the model is formulated using a Petri net and combines the deterioration, maintenance and inspection processes for a railway network containing a number of regions. There are a limited number of maintenance machines in the network and the maintenance in each region is organised independently. The model also takes account of the fact that the maintenance of track sections with severe levels of ballast deterioration must take priority over all other maintenance in the network and allows for opportunistic maintenance to be analysed.
Pilot project of the Nutrition-Friendly School Initiative (NFSI) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Cotonou, Benin, in West Africa
Authors: Delisle Hélène F. , Receveur Olivier , Agueh Victoire , Nishida Chizuru
Published: April 2013

This paper describes the first African experience with the Nutrition-Friendly School Initiative (NFSI) in two large West African cities: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Cotonou, Benin. NFSI was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners in 2006, as a means of preventing the double burden of malnutrition: the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition among school-children. NFSI pilot-testing is one component of the Partnership Project on the Double Burden of Malnutrition, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency for 6 years (2008–2014). The Project assisted the government in the selection of pilot schools, fostered the installation of health and nutrition committees in selected schools, and helped with the initial school self-assessments. In accordance with the empowering philosophy of health promotion, pilot schools did not follow a pre-defined schedule of interventions, except for the training of teachers in nutrition education and the nutritional (anthropometric) surveillance of schoolchildren. For the latter activities, technical assistance and seminal funds were provided. Yearly planning workshops were held for school committees, with WHO support. In both settings, training was given to street vendors in order to improve the hygiene and nutritional value of food sold to schoolchildren. Other activities included special nutrition events and sanitation measures. In both cities, NFSI showed promising results in terms of school and community mobilization towards improved nutrition and health; however, NFSI must be better understood as an endogenous and self-sustaining approach. Furthermore, household poverty and scarce school resources appear as major barriers to gaining full impact of NFSI in low-income populations.
Cooperative or Adversarial? Journalists’ Enactment of the Watchdog Function in Political News Production
Authors: Eriksson Göran , Östman Johan
Published: April 2013

This study examines how power relations between journalism and political actors vary across the news production process. Applying a process approach, it addresses this issue by exploring journalists’ enactment of the watchdog role in two key moments of news production: the interactional phase and the news-construction phase. The study is conducted in the context of press conferences with the Swedish Government and involves data from question-and-answer sessions and published news content that was initiated by such press conferences. With a low or moderate extent of journalistic aggressiveness in the interactional phase, the results indicate that this moment is characterized by cooperativeness and can be described in accordance with an exchange model. By contrast, the analysis of the published news content demonstrates a high extent of criticism and is in line with an adversary model. Altogether, the findings contribute new evidence to suggest that the power relations between journalists and political actors vary across the moments of news production, and that journalistic autonomy increases in the later phases of the process. The differences in the extent of watchdog-role performance are discussed in terms of a strategic ritual by which news journalism promotes a favorable image of itself as a public watchdog institution.
Experience with cinacalcet in primary hyperparathyroidism: results after 1 year of treatment
Authors: Luque-Fernández Inés , García-Martín Antonia , Luque-Pazos Alessandra
Published: April 2013

Objectives:

To assess the characteristics of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) treated with cinacalcet and to evaluate its efficacy in reducing serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations after 1 year of treatment.

Methods:

The study included 20 patients with PHPT who had completed at least 12 months of treatment with cinacalcet (eight patients for refusal of parathyroidectomy, three for surgery not possible due to comorbidities and nine for progressive hypercalcemia prior to surgery). We recorded clinical and biochemical data at baseline, and after 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. We also monitored adverse events. Cinacalcet was administered in increasing doses until normal serum calcium was reached or side effects preventing a further increase occurred.

Results:

After 3 months of treatment, serum calcium significantly decreased (11.73 ± 0.85 versus 10.71 ± 1.63 mg/dl, p < 0.001) and serum phosphorus significantly increased (2.41 ± 0.48 versus 2.63 ± 0.70 mg/dl, p = 0.004) while no significant change occurred in PTH (181.91 ± 102.37 versus 195.47 ± 111.71 pg/ml, p = 0.695). No further variation was observed after 6 months compared with 3 months of follow up. However, after 12 months of treatment, there was a significant decrease in PTH concentrations compared with baseline (181.91 ± 102.37 versus 152.47± 70.16 pg/ml, p = 0.028) as well as serum calcium (11.73 ± 0.85 versus 10.20± 0.95 mg/dl, p < 0.001); serum phosphorus significantly increased (2.41 ± 0.48 versus 2.71 ± 0.43 mg/dl, p = 0.01). Normocalcemia (S-Ca < 10.2 mg/dl) was achieved in 55% of patients. The medication was usually well tolerated (83.4%). Most common adverse events were nausea and vomiting, especially at the beginning of therapy.

Conclusion:

Cinacalcet rapidly reduced serum calcium in patients with PHPT and this reduction remained stable after 1 year of treatment. We also observed a decrease in PTH. Cinacalcet is an effective alternative in nonsurgical treatment of PHPT and may be useful in the preoperative hypercalcemia management.
Clozapine for self-injurious behavior in individuals with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Zarzar Theodore , McEvoy Joseph
Published: April 2013

Prior reports suggest that clozapine can markedly reduce aggression and self-injurious behavior in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). We present a series of four patients with BPD and persistent self-injurious behavior treated with clozapine at a state psychiatric hospital. After treatment with clozapine these patients ceased self-injurious behaviors and aggression, and no longer required intensive levels of observation or restrictive procedures. All were successfully discharged from the hospital soon after initiation of clozapine. Clozapine appears to be efficacious in the management of chronic suicidality, self-injurious behaviors and aggression in patients with severe BPD.
Assembly of N type Bi2(Te, Se)3 thermoelectric modules by low temperature bonding
Authors: Li C C , Zhu Z X , Liao L L , Dai M J , Liu C K , Kao C R
Published: April 2013

Solid liquid interdiffusion technique is employed to attach N type Bi2(Te0·92Se0·08)3 thermoelectric material to alumina substrate. The surface finishes of the bonding surfaces for Bi2(Te0·92Se0·08)3 and alumina are Ni and Ag respectively. The bonding layer is pure Sn. The growth kinetic of intermetallic compounds and their microstructure evolution during aging at 200°C was established. The success of this bonding technique provides a cost effective way to assemble thermoelectric modules at a low temperature for higher temperature applications.
Influence of glass fibre content on catalytic and adhesion properties of laser irradiated polyamide composites
Authors: Rytlewski P.
Published: April 2013

Granulated polyamide (PA6) was mechanically mixed with copper oxide and copper acetylacetonate powders and with glass fibres, then extruded and injection moulded to produce three types of composites varying in the glass fibre content. The composites were irradiated with a Nd:YAG laser ( λ = 1064 nm) and ArF excimer laser ( λ = 193 nm). Next, they were electroless metalised by the use of a commercial metallisation bath and formaldehyde as a reducing agent. The surface of the specimens irradiated with the Nd:YAG laser did not exhibit adequate catalytic properties. The sample containing 30 wt-% of the glass fibres showed the best catalytic properties. However, these properties were still insufficient from the viewpoint of applicability. On the other hand, the specimens irradiated with the ArF laser could effectively be metallised. In this case, improvement of the catalytic and adhesion properties of the composites was observed as the glass fibre content was increased.
Microstructure thermostability of shot peened duplex stainless steel surface layer
Authors: Feng Q , Jiang C H , Xu Z , Wu X Y
Published: April 2013

Shot peening treatment was employed to introduce deformation into the surface layer of duplex stainless steel S32205, and the microstructure thermostability during isothermal annealing was investigated using X-ray diffraction line profile analysis. Microstructure variation in shot peened layer is observed with the extension of annealing time. The domain growth activation energy and microstrain relaxation energy in both ferrite and austenite were calculated by computer regression analysis. Compared to ferrite, the shot peened austenite exhibits a higher dislocation density, a larger driving force for recrystallisation and relaxation; however, it has higher activation energy of domain growth and higher microstrain relaxation energy. The results show that the microstructure thermostability of austenite is higher than that of ferrite.
Morphological, chemical and mechanical characteristics of an anodic coating on stainless steel
Authors: Junqueira R M R , de Andrade Manfridini A P , de Oliveira Loureiro C R , de Mendonça R , de Almeida Macedo W A
Published: April 2013

Anodic interference films were grown on stainless steel by an electrochemical process in a 70 g L−1 CrO3+500 g L−1 H2SO4 solution at temperatures of 25–75°C. The aim of this research was to assess the influence of temperature on characteristics of this coating. The morphology of the films was assessed through atomic force microscopy, the chemical composition was assessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, while the mechanical characteristics were assessed by resistance to abrasion wear and nanohardness. The roughness of the films grown at 25°C is less than that of the other temperatures. No significant difference regarding the porosity of the films was detected. A chromium hydroxide was observed on the top of the oxide layer grown on stainless steel. The steel coloured at 75°C presented a lesser hardness compared to the samples grown at 25, 35 and 55°C. The wear resistance increased as the temperature of the film's growth rose, which was inversely proportional to the hardness.
Effect of La on intermetallic layer of galvalume
Authors: Lai X F , Peng H P , Wang J H , Wu C J , Tu H , Liu Y , Su X P
Published: April 2013

The effect of various La levels on the reaction between pure iron panel and 55%Al–Zn–1·6 wt-%Si liquid baths during hot dipping at 600°C was investigated in this work. Three bath compositions containing 0, 0·2 and 0·5 wt-%La respectively, combined with six immersion times of 10, 60, 120, 180, 300 and 600 s, were studied. It was found that La can effectively control the formation of intermetallic layer by the synergistic effect with Si. The addition of La makes Si enriched in the intermetallic layer during the hot dipping. It hinders the formation of the Fe2Al5 phase and promotes the growth of the τ5 phase. The intermetallic layer becomes more compact and uniform after the La was added. The intermetallic layer is composed of Fe2Al5 ( τ1/ τ9), FeAl3 and τ5 phase. The diffusion path model was introduced to interpret the effect mechanism of La and Si in this work.
FePt magnetic multilayers electrodeposited from non-aqueous liquids
Authors: Zhou H. R. , Wei G. Y. , Lou J. W. , Cao Y. , Meng X. F. , Ge H. L. , Dettinger H.
Published: April 2013

FePt magnetic multilayers were pulse electrodeposited from the mixture of ammonium hexachloroplatinate and iron dichloride in ionic liquids based on glycol (EG) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIC). The chelate effect and electrochemical behaviour of the EMIC with the ions were determined by ultraviolet–visible spectra and cyclic voltammetry respectively. The iron atomic content in the FePt films ranged from 0·4 to 81·0 at-% when deposition potentials changed from 1·0 to −2·0 V(Ag/AgCl) in electrodeposition system with the EG (50 mL), ammonium hexachloroplatinate (25 mM L−1), iron dichloride (175 mM L−1) and EMIC (25 mM L−1) at 393 K. Fe50Pt50 thin films with smooth surface (50 at-% iron layer in FePt film) and the multilayer cross-section were obtained. Fct structural FePt multilayer was obtained based on X-ray diffraction pattern. Magnetic hysteresis loops showed that the multilayer possessed a magnetic anisotropic behaviour.