bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of networks in science communication and engagement with non‐expert publics
Authors: Finn Jeanine
Published: January 2013

In this ongoing study, I examine associations among scientists by analyzing scholarly publication data and Internet hyperlink relationships using a social network analysis framework. Unlike other studies of collaboration, this study does not start with an extant network of scientists who share a research focus, but rather groups who are networked for purposes of public and political engagement. I have chosen as my nodes two presumed “networks” of scientists: the group of 16 scientists who authored a January 27th', 2012 op‐ed inThe Wall Street Journalwhich suggested concerns about climate change were being exaggerated, and the group of 38 scientists who authored a response piece (supporting climate change science) on February 1st.

I have chosen climate science because of its scientific complexity that is of necessity interdisciplinary, and its scrutiny by non‐expert publics. Building on the theoretical foundations of social epistemology, I examine how notions of the role of shared practices in engendering trust and knowledge‐sharing among expert groups can be applied when the lines between expert and non‐expert are contested in high‐visibility public arenas. In exploring some of those questions, this study aims to discover if a social network methodology combining co‐authorship data and hyperlink data can reveal patterns of association and engagement with traditional (e.g., scholarly publications) vs. non‐traditional (e.g., web sites or blog articles) methods of communication and legitimation.

This study is intended as part of a larger research trajectory examining the role of social associations in influencing credibility and information trust decisions in areas where expert and non‐experts must meet and negotiate shared meanings. These findings could suggest future directions for collaborative data sharing practices as well as support theoretical work in understanding how trust and credibility are granted in networked information environments.
Growth mechanisms of co‐evaporated kesterite: a comparison of Cu‐rich and Zn‐rich composition paths
Authors: Hsu Wan‐Ching , Repins Ingrid , Beall Carolyn , DeHart Clay , To Bobby , Yang Wenbing , Yang Yang , Noufi Rommel
Published: January 2013

Earth abundant kesterite solar cells have achieved 7–10% cell efficiency mostly by processes that separate the film deposition and the annealing into two sequential steps. In contrast, co‐evaporation onto a high‐temperature substrate, demonstrating previous success in chalcopyrite (Cu(In,Ga)Se2) solar cells, allows real‐time composition control. Chalcopyrite research widely supports the model that Cu‐rich growth conditions assist grain growth, and subsequently, the endpoint composition can be adjusted back to Cu‐poor via monitoring the surface emissivity of the film. On the basis of the same intentions, the recent development of co‐evaporated kesterite (Cu2ZnSnSe4) adapts the concept and achieves 9.2% efficiency. To understand the effect of growth strategies, this study examines the phase evolution, grain morphology, and device performance in Cu‐rich growth and other strategies (Zn‐rich and close‐to‐stoichiometric). By characterizing films obtained from interrupted depositions and also interpreting the variation in surface emission during growths, this study found a subtle hindrance in the reaction of CuxSey and ZnSe possibly caused by the volatile nature of SnSex. The hindrance explains why, distinctive from chalcopyrite, little difference in grain size is observed between kesterite films made by Cu‐rich versus Zn‐rich growth at these deposition rates. At last, a Zn‐rich growth 9.1% device, certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is presented, which equals the performance of the previously‐reported Cu‐rich growth device. At the present stage, we believe the Cu‐rich and Zn‐rich growth share equal promise for the optimization of kesterite solar cells. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Family psychiatric morbidity of acute and transient psychotic disorders and their relationship to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Authors: Castagnini A. C. , Laursen T. M. , Mortensen P. B. , Bertelsen A.
Published: January 2013

Background

Although transient psychotic disorders are currently classified as a category separate from schizophrenia (SZ) and affective disorders, their distinctive features remain uncertain. This study examines the family psychiatric morbidity of the ICD-10 category of ‘acute and transient psychotic disorders’ (ATPDs), pointing out differences from SZ and bipolar disorder (BD).

Method

From a cohort of 2.5 million persons, we identified all patients enrolled in the Danish Psychiatric Register who were ever admitted with ATPDs (n=2537), SZ (n = 10639) and BD disorder (n=5292) between 1996 and 2008. The relative risk (RR) of ATPDs, SZ and BD associated with psychiatric morbidity in first-degree relatives (FDRs) was calculated as the incidence rate ratio using Poisson regression.

Results

The RR of ATPDs [1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.76–2.11] was higher if patients with ATPDs had at least one FDR admitted with any mental disorder than patients without family psychiatric antecedents. An additional risk arose if they had FDRs admitted not only with ATPDs (RR 1.60, 95% CI 1.33–1.92) but also with SZ (RR 2.06, 95% CI 1.70–2.50) and/or BD (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.23–1.96). Despite some overlap, the risk of SZ (RR 2.80, 95% CI 2.58–3.04) and BD (RR 3.68, 95% CI 3.29–4.12) was markedly higher if patients with SZ and BD had FDRs admitted with the same condition.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that family psychiatric predisposition has a relatively modest impact on ATPDs and argue against a sharp differentiation of ATPDs from SZ and BD.
Women Sex-spies: Chastity, National Dignity, Legitimate Government and Ding Ling's “When I was in Xia Village”
Authors: Edwards Louise
Published: January 2013

This article examines 70 years of debate about Ding Ling's 1941 influential short story about a woman spy, “When I was in Xia Village.” In the article I show that the re-absorption of “our” female spies into post-conflict solidarity narratives is a fraught process. For national governments, the difficulty lies in asserting the moral legitimacy of their rule in the face of evidence about their deployment of women as sex spies. For national populations, the difficulty lies in the desire to construct reassuring victory stories within which peacetime normalcy can be restored. The diverse exegeses around Ding Ling's “Xia Village” reveal that even decades after the hostilities cease, “our” women sex spies still require an explanation to communities seeking to consolidate or “remember” their national virtue. The evolution of this process of “explaining” reveals the on-going importance of sexual morality to governance in current-day China. Specifically, through the analysis of the critiques of “Xia Village” the article demonstrates that female chastity has been and continues to be an important commodity in establishing and sustaining popular perceptions of the moral virtue of the PRC as a nation, and the CCP as its legitimate government.
Immunoglobulins drive terminal maturation of splenic dendritic cells
Authors: Ziętara Natalia , Łyszkiewicz Marcin , Puchałka Jacek , Pei Gang , Gutierrez Maximiliano Gabriel , Lienenklaus Stefan , Hobeika Elias , Reth Michael , Martins dos Santos Vitor A. P. , Krueger Andreas , Weiss Siegfried
Published: January 2013

Nature and physiological status of antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells DCs, are decisive for the immune reactions elicited. Multiple factors and cell interactions have been described that affect maturation of DCs. Here, we show that DCs arising in the absence of immunoglobulins (Ig) in vivo are impaired in cross-presentation of soluble antigen. This deficiency was due to aberrant cellular targeting of antigen to lysosomes and its rapid degradation. Function of DCs could be restored by transfer of Ig irrespective of antigen specificity and isotype. Modulation of cross-presentation by Ig was inhibited by coapplication of mannan and, thus, likely to be mediated by C-type lectin receptors. This unexpected dependency of splenic DCs on Ig to cross-present antigen provides insights into the interplay between cellular and humoral immunity and the immunomodulatory capacity of Ig.
Mesothelial cells give rise to hepatic stellate cells and myofibroblasts via mesothelial–mesenchymal transition in liver injury
Authors: Li Yuchang , Wang Jiaohong , Asahina Kinji
Published: January 2013

In many organs, myofibroblasts play a major role in the scarring process in response to injury. In liver fibrogenesis, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are thought to transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts, but the origins of both HSCs and myofibroblasts remain elusive. In the developing liver, lung, and intestine, mesothelial cells (MCs) differentiate into specific mesenchymal cell types; however, the contribution of this differentiation to organ injury is unknown. In the present study, using mouse models, conditional cell lineage analysis has demonstrated that MCs expressing Wilms tumor 1 give rise to HSCs and myofibroblasts during liver fibrogenesis. Primary MCs, isolated from adult mouse liver using antibodies against glycoprotein M6a, undergo myofibroblastic transdifferentiation. Antagonism of TGF-β signaling suppresses transition of MCs to mesenchymal cells both in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that MCs undergo mesothelial–mesenchymal transition and participate in liver injury via differentiation to HSCs and myofibroblasts.
Yeast gene CMR1/YDL156W is consistently co-expressed with genes participating in DNA-metabolic processes in a variety of stringent clustering experiments
Authors: Abu-Jamous Basel , Fa Rui , Roberts David J. , Nandi Asoke K.
Published: January 2013

The binarization of consensus partition matrices (Bi-CoPaM) method has, among its unique features, the ability to perform ensemble clustering over the same set of genes from multiple microarray datasets by using various clustering methods in order to generate tunable tight clusters. Therefore, we have used the Bi-CoPaM method to the most synchronized 500 cell-cycle-regulated yeast genes from different microarray datasets to produce four tight, specific and exclusive clusters of co-expressed genes. We found 19 genes formed the tightest of the four clusters and this included the gene CMR1/YDL156W, which was an uncharacterized gene at the time of our investigations. Two very recent proteomic and biochemical studies have independently revealed many facets of CMR1 protein, although the precise functions of the protein remain to be elucidated. Our computational results complement these biological results and add more evidence to their recent findings of CMR1 as potentially participating in many of the DNA-metabolism processes such as replication, repair and transcription. Interestingly, our results demonstrate the close co-expressions of CMR1 and the replication protein A (RPA), the cohesion complex and the DNA polymerases
α
,
δ
and
ɛ
, as well as suggest functional relationships between CMR1 and the respective proteins. In addition, the analysis provides further substantial evidence that the expression of the CMR1 gene could be regulated by the MBF complex. In summary, the application of a novel analytic technique in large biological datasets has provided supporting evidence for a gene of previously unknown function, further hypotheses to test, and a more general demonstration of the value of sophisticated methods to explore new large datasets now so readily generated in biological experiments.
Film and tourism: the imagined place and the place of the imagined
Authors: Pires Basáñez Rafael , Ingram Hadyn
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider how film can induce image, both individually and collectively. In particular, the psychological drivers of film are explored and how these may impact on tourism visitation. The impacts of film and cinema are explored, as is the relationship between tourists' motivation and purchase behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review the limited literature on the subject, seeking commonalities and resonances between film and tourism. A focus group is used to develop a perceptual map with which to better understand the phenomenon and a questionnaire was conducted to research attitudes towards film and propensity towards film‐induced behaviour.

Findings

The paper suggests that there are commonalities between film and tourism and that film can evoke powerful and long‐lasting images with the viewer, thus creating marketing opportunities for destination marketing organisations (DMOs).

Practical implications

With greater understanding of the nature and power of filmic image, it is hoped that tourism DMOs may develop more effective strategies for attracting visitors to destinations.

Originality/value

Research in this topic is very limited and, as far as the authors are aware, there is nothing which adopts an in‐depth approach on the nature and application of film‐induced tourism.
Flourishing in a dictatorship: Agfa's marketing and the Nazi regime
Authors: Berghoff Hartmut , Kolbow Berti
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how Agfa, a division of IG Farben and Germany's leading producer of photographic equipment, adapted its marketing strategy to the new political environment created by the Nazi regime. This was a time when many consumer goods manufacturers suffered from the state‐driven reallocation of resources favoring the armament industry. Agfa, however, expanded its production well into the war.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study is based on archival records of Agfa's sales department.

Findings

This paper shows that Hitler's armament drive left room for non‐essential consumer goods such as cameras, film, and photographic paper as they fitted the regime's consumption policy, as well as its import and foreign exchange policy. A pioneer in marketing, Agfa was able to secure its growth strategy and its room to maneuver by focusing its product and promotion program on the socioeconomic needs of the “Volksgemeinschaft” and the “Four Year Plan”.

Originality/value

This paper sheds new light on the often‐underestimated role of consumption during the “Third Reich.” Furthermore, it supports the evolutionary – rather than revolutionary – nature of the history of marketing practice in Germany, as Agfa's interwar marketing policy features many sophisticated modern elements prior to the “Marketing Revolution” of the 1960s.
Free amino acid profile during ripening of ewe's milk cheese from the Croatian island Krk
Authors: Mikulec Nataša , Habuš Ivan , Antunac Neven , Vitale Ljubinka , Havranek Jasmina
Published: January 2013

The aim of this study was to determine the content of free amino acids (FAA) and their ratio in ewe's milk cheese from the island Krk during its ripening. FAA content was determined by reversed phase HPLC (RP‐HPLC) of cheese aqueous/ethanol extracts after FAA were transformed into their 6‐aminoquinolyl‐N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate derivatives. Their concentration increased during ripening, reaching the value of 5% in cheese dry matter. The dominant FAA were glutamic acid>leucine>valine>aspartic acid>phenylalanine>serine>proline, and higher content of nonessential vs essential FAA was revealed. Krk cheese has, in relation to other cheeses, higher values for glutamic acid/leucine, glutamic acid/phenylalanine, glutamic acid/proline and smaller values for leucine/aspartic acid, valine/aspartic acid, phenylalanine/aspartic acid ratios, while other ratios are comparable to those of other hard ovine cheeses.
People Power or a One‐Shot Deal? A Dynamic Model of Protest
Authors: Meirowitz Adam , Tucker Joshua A.
Published: January 2013

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, a crucial question is whether popular protest is now likely to be a permanent part of Middle Eastern politics or if the protests that have taken place over the past two years are more likely to be a “one‐shot deal.” We consider this question from a theoretical perspective, focusing on the relationship between the consequences of protests in one period and the incentives to protest in the future. The model provides numerous predictions for why we might observe a phenomenon that we call the “one‐shot deal”: when protest occurs at one time but not in the future despite an intervening period of bad governance. The analysis focuses on the learning process of citizens. We suggest that citizens may not only be discovering the type or quality of their new government—as most previous models of adverse selection assume—but rather citizens may also be learning about the universe of potential governments in their country. In this way, bad performance by one government induces some pessimism about possible replacements. This modeling approach expands the formal literature on adverse selection in elections in two ways: it takes seriously the fact that removing governments can be costly, and it explores the relevance of allowing the citizen/principal to face uncertainty about the underlying distribution from which possible government/agent types are drawn.
Middle Bronze Age II Battleaxes from Rishon LeZion, Israel: Archaeology and Metallurgy
Authors: Shalev S. , Caspi E. N. , Shilstein S. , Paradowska A. M. , Kockelmann W. , Kan‐Cipor Meron T. , Levy Y.
Published: January 2013

Thirteen bronze battleaxes from Middle Bronze Age II graves at Rishon LeZion, Israel were analysed by ED XRF at multiple surface locations in order to determine their metallurgical composition. Six of these were further subjected to neutron diffraction using an ENGIN‐X diffractometer in order to determine bulk phase composition. The results indicate that the previously established geographical and chronological variability in Sn–Cu (with occasional Pb) and As–Cu alloys found using the former method may be an artefact of preservation and conservation. In addition, the varying homogeneity determined by the latter reflects special treatment for improving on the metal cast.
Validation of the Arabic version of the Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental States (CAARMS) in Tunisian adolescents and young adults
Authors: Braham Amel , Bannour Ahmed Souhail , Ben Romdhane Asma , Nelson Barnabay , Bougumiza Iheb , Ben Nasr Selma , ElKissi Yousri , Ben Hadj Ali Bechir
Published: January 2013

Aim:

The study aimed to examine whether the Arabic version of the Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental States (CAARMS) has good construct validity, concurrent validity and reliability.

Methods:

Validity was established on a sample of 58 Tunisian adolescents and young adults aged between 16 and 30 years. These subjects were divided into three groups according to the CAARMS scores: ultra‐high risk positive subjects (UHR (+) ) (n = 22), ultra‐high risk negative subjects (UHR (–) ) (n = 25) and subjects meeting the criteria of a first‐episode psychosis (FEP) (n = 11). For construct validity, we used the convergent validity. We used the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) concomitantly with the CAARMS. For concurrent validity, we studied the correlation between symptoms of the CAARMS and their equivalents in the PANSS. The CAARMS reliability was conducted by the study of interrater reliability.

Results:

The UHR (+) group was shown with intermediate scores of PANSS between the two groups UHR (–) and FEP. That confirms a good construct validity of the Arabic version of the CAARMS. We noted a correlation between the scores in positive and negative sections measured by the CAARMS and their corresponding level of the PANSS. These results show that the CAARMS has a good concurrent validity with the PANSS. For the reliability study, we noted a good correlation between the two raters with a Pearson coefficient ranging from 0.55 to 0.90.

Conclusion:

Analysis of the results of construct validity, concurrent validity and reliability of the CAARMS indicates that this version translated into Arabic is valid and reliable.
Environmental Justice, Environmentalism, and Environmental History in Twentieth‐Century Latin America
Authors: Wakild Emily
Published: January 2013

Environmental histories of Latin America have reached a critical mass. The breadth, depth, and sophistication of this new literature merit comparisons to less conventionally environmental topics, such as labor and politics, and new strands of environmental research, such as environmental justice. While the field of Latin American environmental history for the twentieth century is far from complete or comprehensive, one of its strengths is the simultaneous consideration of social relationships (including struggles for justice) and the natural world. Rather than a need to catch up with other historiographies that have bifurcated environmental history and environmental justice, this integrated model of investigation places recent scholarship in a strategic place to make history more policy relevant. Going forward, scholars should continue to find and fuse environmental history and environmental justice studies and refrain from letting distinctions among subfields conceal rich thematic harmony.
Validation of the Hong Kong Oral Health Literacy Assessment Task for Paediatric Dentistry (HKOHLAT‐P)
Authors: Wong Hai Ming , Bridges Susan M. , Yiu Cynthia K. Y. , McGrath Colman P. J. , Au Terry K. , Parthasarathy Divya S.
Published: January 2013

Background

Oral health literacy is a newly emerging field with considerable research potential.

Aim

To validate an original instrument, the Hong Kong Oral Health Literacy Assessment Task (HKOHLAT‐P) for paediatric dentistry.

Design

A convenient sample of 200 child/parent dyads attending a dental hospital in Hong Kong was selected. Convergent validity was tested by examining the association of HKOHLAT‐P scores with those derived from the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Dentistry (TOFHLiD) and Hong Kong Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (HKREALD‐30). The predictive validity of HKOHLAT‐P was determined by testing the association between HKOHLAT‐P and children's caries experience (dmft) and the Chinese Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). The test‐retest reliability and internal consistency of HKOHLAT‐P were also evaluated.

Results

HKOHLAT‐P was positively correlated with TOFHLiD and HKREALD‐30 (P < 0.01), and was negatively correlated with children's dmft and ECOHIS. In the regression model, HKOHLAT‐P was associated with TOFHLiD, HKEALD‐30, children's dmft, and ECOHIS (P < 0.05) after controlling for participants' demographic characteristics. The intra‐class correlation coefficient of HKOHLAT‐P was 0.63 and the Cronbach's α was 0.71.

Conclusion

Initial testing of HKOHLAT‐P suggested that it is a valid and reliable instrument.
Genotype by environment interaction and model comparison for growth traits of Santa Ines sheep
Authors: Santana M.L. , Bignardi A.B. , Eler J.P. , Cardoso F.F. , Ferraz J.B.S.
Published: January 2013

The objectives of the present study were to compare alternative models for the genetic evaluation and assess the importance of genotype by environment interaction (G×E) in the estimation of genetic parameters and genetic evaluation of birth weight (BW), weight at 60 days of age (W60) and weight at 180 days of age (W180) of Santa Ines sheep. Data comprise 7622BW, 4673 W60 and 2830 W180 records from animals born in 44 Brazilian herds. Four models were used for the analyses: animal model (AM) with homogeneous residual variance (1), or heterogeneous residual variance (2), hierarchical reaction norms model (HRNM) with homogeneous (1) or heterogeneous residual variance (2). The models that best fit theBW, W60 and W180 data wereAM2,HRNM1 andHRNM2 respectively. Thus, models for genetic evaluation that consider heterogeneity of variances are recommended to evaluate growth traits of sheep. The correlation between intercept and slope of theHRNMwas higher than 0.70 for all traits studied, indicating that animals with higher average breeding values responded better to improvement in environmental conditions, a fact characterizing the scale effect of G×E. Therefore, G×E is an important factor to be considered in the estimation of genetic parameters and genetic evaluation of growth traits of sheep.
The relative impact of psoriasis and obesity on socioeconomic and medical outcomes in psoriasis patients
Authors: Kim G.E. , Seidler E. , Kimball A.B.
Published: January 2013

Background

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder that is associated with obesity. Independently, both psoriasis and obesity likely impose impressive physical and psychosocial burdens on affected patients.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative impact of body mass index (BMI) on the socioeconomic status, medical co‐morbidities, and current and chronic quality of life of psoriasis patients.

Methods

Overall, 114 subjects were examined and asked to complete a self‐administered questionnaire regarding disabilities, relationships, education, as well as medical and economic outcomes. Participants also answered the ten questions used in the Dermatology Life Quality Index modified to ask ‘over the last week’, ‘over the last year’ and ‘over your lifetime with psoriasis’. Survey responses were compared amongst the three patient groups based on BMI (normal, overweight, obese).

Results

Patients with elevated BMI were more likely to rate their general health lower (P < 0.001), believe that psoriasis caused their weight gain (P = 0.014), experience sleep problems over their lifetime (P = 0.016), hide their psoriasis over their lifetime (P = 0.010), have their self‐confidence affected by their psoriasis over their lifetime (P = 0.011) and avoid common activities over their lifetime (P = 0.012).

Conclusion

There are long‐term negative effects of elevated BMI that impose additional burdens on psoriasis patients, including impairments in sleep quality and increased social anxiety.
Impact of a School‐Based Pediatric Obesity Prevention Program Facilitated by Health Professionals
Authors: Johnston Craig A. , Moreno Jennette P. , El‐Mubasher Abeer , Gallagher Martina , Tyler Chermaine , Woehler Deborah
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated a school‐based obesity intervention for elementary school children (N = 835) where health professionals assisted teachers with the integration of healthy messages into the school curriculum.

METHODS

Schools were randomized into a professional‐facilitated intervention (PFI; N = 4) or a self‐help (SH; N = 3) condition. Changes in weight‐based outcomes were assessed in students enrolled in the second grade from all 7 schools (overall: N = 835 students; PFI: N = 509 students, SH: N = 326 students). Students were between ages 7 and 9 and from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Asian = 25.3%, Black = 23.3%, Hispanic = 23.1%, White = 28.3%). The sample included 321 overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 85th percentile), 477 normal‐weight (BMI ≥ 5th percentile and <85th percentile), and 37 underweight (BMI < 5th percentile) students.

RESULTS

After 2 years, children who were overweight/obese in the PFI condition significantly reduced their standardized BMI (zBMI) compared to children in the SH condition (Wald χ2 = 28.7, p < .001). End‐of‐year grades decreased for overweight/obese students in both conditions; however, students in the PFI exhibited a smaller decrease in grades compared to the SH condition (Wald χ2 = 80.3, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that an obesity prevention program where health professionals assist teachers by integrating healthy messages into existing curriculum was effective in reducing zBMI compared to the SH condition.
Relationship between changes in pulmonary kinetics and autonomic regulation of blood flow
Authors: McNarry M. A. , Kingsley M. I. C. , Lewis M. J.
Published: January 2013

Various regulatory mechanisms of pulmonary oxygen uptake () kinetics have been postulated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between vagal withdrawal, measured using RMSSDRR, the root mean square of successive differences in cardiac interval (RR) kinetics, a mediator of oxygen delivery, and kinetics. Forty‐nine healthy adults (23 ± 3 years; 72 ± 13 kg; 1.80 ± 0.08 m) performed multiple repeat transitions to moderate‐ and heavy‐intensity exercise. Electrocardiography, impedance cardiography, and pulmonary gas exchange parameters were measured throughout; time domain measures of heart rate variability were subsequently derived. The parameters describing the dynamic response of , cardiac output () and RMSSDRR were determined using a mono‐exponential model. During heavy‐intensity exercise, the phase II τ of was significantly correlated with the τ of RR (r = 0.36, P < 0.05), Q (r = 0.67, P < 0.05), and RMSSDRR (r = 0.38, P < 0.05). The τ describing the rise in Q explained 47% of the variation in τ, with 30% of the rate of this rise in Q explained by the τ of RR and RMSSDRR. No relationship was evident between kinetics and those of Q, RR, or RMSSDRR during moderate exercise. Vagal withdrawal kinetics support the concept of a centrally mediated oxygen delivery limitation partly regulating kinetics during heavy‐, but not moderate‐, intensity exercise.
Double-layered passivation film structure of Al2O3/SiNx for high mobility oxide thin film transistors
Authors: Ko Park Sang-Hee , Ryu Min-Ki , Oh Himchan , Hwang Chi-Sun , Jeon Jae-Hong , Yoon Sung-Min
Published: January 2013

The optimization of the passivation process for oxide thin film transistors with high carrier mobility was investigated. Hydrogen incorporation into oxide channels during the deposition of SiNx could degrade device stability and uniformity, especially for high-mobility devices. A novel double-layered passivation film structure composed of Al2O3/SiNx was proposed, in which thin and dense Al2O3 film prepared by atomic layer deposition was introduced underneath the SiNx layer. In-Ga-Zn-O TFT passivated with the proposed double-layered films showed no significant negative shift in turn-on voltage, even after passivation. The field-effect mobility and subthreshold swing were typically measured as 27.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 0.11 V/dec, respectively. Hydrogen doping was effectively protected by the introduction of Al2O3 as thin as 15 nm.
Blueprints of Signaling Interactions between Pattern Recognition Receptors: Implications for the Design of Vaccine Adjuvants
Authors: Timmermans Kim , Plantinga Theo S. , Kox Matthijs , Vaneker Michiel , Scheffer Gert Jan , Adema Gosse J. , Joosten Leo A. B. , Netea Mihai G.
Published: January 2013

Innate immunity activation largely depends on recognition of microorganism structures by Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs). PRR downstream signaling results in production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Moreover, PRR engagement in antigen-presenting cells initiates the activation of adaptive immunity. Recent reports suggest that for the activation of innate immune responses and initiation of adaptive immunity, synergistic effects between two or more PRRs are necessary. No systematic analysis of the interaction between the major PRR pathways were performed to date. In this study, a systematical analysis of the interactions between PRR signaling pathways was performed. PBMCs derived from 10 healthy volunteers were stimulated with either a single PRR ligand or a combination of two PRR ligands. Known ligands for the major PRR families were used: Toll-like receptors (TLRs), C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), NOD-like receptors (NLRs), and RigI-helicases. After 24 h of incubation, production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and IL-10 was measured in supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The consistency of the PRR interactions (both inhibitory and synergistic) between the various individuals was assessed. A number of PRR-dependent signaling interactions were found to be consistent, both between individuals and with regard to multiple cytokines. The combinations of TLR2 and NOD2, TLR5 and NOD2, TLR5 and TLR3, and TLR5 and TLR9 acted as synergistic combinations. Surprisingly, inhibitory interactions between TLR4 and TLR2, TLR4 and Dectin-1, and TLR2 and TLR9 as well as TLR3 and TLR2 were observed. These consistent signaling interactions between PRR combinations may represent promising targets for immunomodulation and vaccine adjuvant development.
Modification of Ca2+-handling in cardiomyocytes by redox sensitive mechanisms in response to ouabain
Authors: Saini-Chohan Harjot K. , Hryshko Larry , Xu Yan-Jun , Dhalla Naranjan S.
Published: January 2013

We examined the role of redox-sensitive signal transduction mechanisms in modifying the changes in [Ca2+]iproduced by ouabain upon incubating adult rat cardiomyocytes with antioxidants or inhibitors of different protein kinases and monitoring alterations in fura-2 fluorescence. Ouabain increased basal [Ca2+]i, augmented the KCl-induced increase in [Ca2+]i, and promoted oxyradical production in cardiomyocytes. These actions of ouabain were attenuated by an oxyradical scavenging mixture (superoxide dismutase plus catalase), and the antioxidants (N-acetyl-l-cysteine and N-(2-mercaptoproprionyl)glycine). An inhibitor of MAP kinase (PD98059) depressed the ouabain-induced increase in [Ca2+], whereas inhibitors of tyrosine kinase (tyrphostin and genistein) and PI3 kinase (Wortmannin and LV294002) enhanced the ouabain-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. Inhibitors of protein kinase C (calphostin and bisindolylmalaimide) augmented the ouabain-induced increase in [Ca2+]i, whereas stimulation of protein kinase C by a phorbol ester (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) depressed the action of ouabain. These results suggest that ouabain-induced inhibition of Na+–K+ATPase may alter the redox status of cardiomyocytes through the production of oxyradicals, and increase the activities of various protein kinases. Thus, these redox-sensitive signal transduction mechanisms involving different protein kinases may modify Ca2+-handling sites in cardiomyocytes and determine the magnitude of net increase in [Ca2+]iin response to ouabain.
The Milesian Connection: Dan 11:23 and Antiochus IV’s Rise to Power
Authors: Scolnic Benjamin Edidin
Published: January 2013

Abstract

The phrasebm‘t goyin Dan 11:23 has been called “barbarous” and “curious.” In the context of a verse that seems to say that Antiochus IV will rise to power with the help of a small band of conspirators, it seems quite strange to call the group a “little nation.” The phrase may refer to several members of one small nation, Miletus, who formed a network that brought Antiochus IV to the Seleucid throne. Two powerful families of officials in the kingdom of Antiochus IV, those of Apollonius son of Menestheus and Timarchus, came from Miletus in Asia Minor, an independent city that was not part of the Seleucid kingdom. I will suggest that the Milesians Apollonius, governor of Coele Syria and Phoenicia, and Timarchus, later satrap of Babylonia, and his brother Heraclides, later treasurer of the kingdom, formed a web that helped to bring Antiochus IV to the Seleucid throne with the essential help of Eirenias, the Milesian statesman who was an ambassador to both Eumenes II, king of Pergamon, and the Seleucid court.
Personality and the acute subjective effects of d-amphetamine in humans
Authors: Kirkpatrick Matthew G , Johanson Chris-Ellyn , de Wit Harriet
Published: January 2013

There is evidence that subjective responses to psychoactive drugs are related to personality traits. Here, we extend previous findings by examining personality measures in relation to acute responses to d-amphetamine (AMPH) in a large sample of healthy volunteers. Healthy adults ( n=286) completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Brief Form (MPQ-BF) and participated in four sessions during which they received oral AMPH (0, 5, 10, 20 mg), under double-blind conditions. Subjective responses to the drug were measured using the Profile of Mood States, Addiction Research Center Inventory, and Drug Effects Questionnaire. Drug responses were reduced via principal components analysis to three higher-order factors (‘Euphoria’, ‘Arousal’, ‘Dysphoria’). Participants were rank ordered on selected MPQ-BF scales; the top and bottom third on each trait were compared on the drug response factors. High trait physical fearlessness was significantly associated with greater amphetamine-related Arousal, and high trait reward sensitivity was significantly associated with greater Euphoria. In addition, high trait impulsivity was significantly associated with greater Arousal and Euphoria. These results provide further evidence that individual differences in the subjective effects of AMPH are partially explained by differences in personality, and are consistent with the idea that both personality and responses to stimulants depend upon shared neurochemical systems.
Novel Models for Delivering Mental Health Services and Reducing the Burdens of Mental Illness
Authors: Kazdin Alan E. , Rabbitt Sarah M.
Published: January 2013

Most individuals in both developing and developed countries who experience mental illness do not receive psychological services. The dominant model of delivering services used in developed countries (individual therapy by a highly trained mental health professional) can provide effective (i.e., evidence-based) treatments but is greatly limited as a means of reaching the large swath of individuals in need. We highlight several models outside the mental health professions (e.g., public health, medicine, business) that are more affordable and accessible and can be scaled up to reach many individuals in need. These models include task shifting, disruptive innovations, interventions in everyday settings, best-buy interventions, lifestyle changes, and social media. We convey their key characteristics and how they have been or can be applied to mental health. We end by discussing challenges in applying the models, critical issues on which effective treatment delivery depends, and paths to make progress.
Antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from India, Pakistan and Bhutan in 2007–2011
Authors: Sethi Sunil , Golparian Daniel , Bala Manju , Dorji Dorji , Ibrahim Muhammad , Jabeen Kausar , Unemo Magnus
Published: January 2013

Background

Knowledge on antimicrobial drug resistance and genetic characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates circulating in India, Pakistan, and Bhutan is sorely lacking. In this paper, we describe the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and molecular characteristics of N. gonorrhoeae isolates from India, Pakistan, and Bhutan in 2007–2011.

Methods

Antimicrobial susceptibility and β-lactamase production were tested for 65 N. gonorrhoeae isolates from India (n=40), Pakistan (n=18) and Bhutan (n=7) using Etest methodology (eight antimicrobials) and nitrocefin solution, respectively. Resistance determinants, i.e. penA, mtrR, porB1b, gyrA, and parC, were sequenced. N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) was performed for molecular epidemiology.

Results

The highest resistance level was observed for ciprofloxacin (94%), followed by penicillin G (68%), erythromycin (62%), tetracycline (55%), and azithromycin (7.7%). All the isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, cefixime, and spectinomycin. Thirty-four (52%) of the isolates were producing β-lactamase. No penA mosaic alleles or A501-altered alleles of penicillin-binding protein 2 were identified. Forty-nine NG-MAST STs were identified, of which 42 STs have not been previously described worldwide.

Conclusions

Based on this study, ceftriaxone, cefixime, and spectinomycin can be used as an empirical first-line therapy for gonorrhoea in India, Pakistan, and Bhutan, whereas ciprofloxacin, penicillin G, tetracycline, erythromycin, and azithromycin should not be. It is imperative to strengthen the laboratory infrastructure in this region, as well as to expand the phenotypic and genetic surveillance of antimicrobial resistance, emergence of new resistance, particularly, to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and molecular epidemiology.
Lin28 proteins are required for germ layer specification in Xenopus
Authors: Faas Laura , Warrander Fiona C. , Maguire Richard , Ramsbottom Simon A. , Quinn Diana , Genever Paul , Isaacs Harry V.
Published: January 2013

Lin28 family proteins share a unique structure, with both zinc knuckle and cold shock RNA-binding domains, and were originally identified as regulators of developmental timing in Caenorhabditis elegans. They have since been implicated as regulators of pluripotency in mammalian stem cells in culture. Using Xenopus tropicalis, we have undertaken the first analysis of the effects on the early development of a vertebrate embryo resulting from global inhibition of the Lin28 family. The Xenopus genome contains two Lin28-related genes, lin28a and lin28b. lin28a is expressed zygotically, whereas lin28b is expressed both zygotically and maternally. Both lin28a and lin28b are expressed in pluripotent cells of the Xenopus embryo and are enriched in cells that respond to mesoderm-inducing signals. The development of axial and paraxial mesoderm is severely abnormal in lin28 knockdown (morphant) embryos. In culture, the ability of pluripotent cells from the embryo to respond to the FGF and activin/nodal-like mesoderm-inducing pathways is compromised following inhibition of lin28 function. Furthermore, there are complex effects on the temporal regulation of, and the responses to, mesoderm-inducing signals in lin28 morphant embryos. We provide evidence that Xenopus lin28 proteins play a key role in choreographing the responses of pluripotent cells in the early embryo to the signals that regulate germ layer specification, and that this early function is probably independent of the recognised role of Lin28 proteins in negatively regulating let-7 miRNA biogenesis.
APLP2 regulates neuronal stem cell differentiation during cortical development
Authors: Shariati S. Ali M. , Lau Pierre , Hassan Bassem A. , Müller Ulrike , Dotti Carlos G. , De Strooper Bart , Gärtner Annette
Published: January 2013

Expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its two paralogues, APLP1 and APLP2 during brain development coincides with key cellular events such as neuronal differentiation and migration. However, genetic knockout and shRNA studies have led to contradictory conclusions about their role during embryonic brain development. To address this issue, we analysed in depth the role of APLP2 during neurogenesis by silencing APLP2 in vivo in an APP/APLP1 double knockout mouse background. We find that under these conditions cortical progenitors remain in their undifferentiated state much longer, displaying a higher number of mitotic cells. In addition, we show that neuron-specific APLP2 downregulation does not impact the speed or position of migrating excitatory cortical neurons. In summary, our data reveal that APLP2 is specifically required for proper cell cycle exit of neuronal progenitors, and thus has a distinct role in priming cortical progenitors for neuronal differentiation.
Afro-Brazilian religions and audiovisual narratives in Amazonia: research tools
Authors: Cordovil Daniela
Published: January 2013

This text discusses the use of audiovisual resources like cinema and video by Afro-Brazilian Religions practioners in two ethnographical contexts of Amazonia, namely the urban areas of Cururupu and Belém. In Cururupu, the production of amateur videos commissioned in a local audiovisual store serves as a source of self-recognition and enables the discussion and continuous experience of the rituals. In Belém, a documentary film on the cosmovision of Tambor de Mina, the most widely practiced Afro-Brazilian religion in the city, was made through a partnership between a father of saint (afro-brazilian religion priest) and a filmmaker using federal government funding. Setting out from these ethnographic examples, I explore how audiovisual resources are employed by a religious tradition whose reproduction is based on a centuries-old orality. The text points to the advantages and potential uses of these kinds of audiovisual narratives by anthropologists as a means of access to native cultures.
Effect of Flapless Surgery on Single‐Tooth Implants in the Esthetic Zone: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Bashutski Jill D. , Wang Hom‐Lay , Rudek Ivan , Moreno Ildefonso , Koticha Tapan , Oh Tae‐Ju
Published: January 2013

Background: Implant therapy is a highly predictable treatment option; however, insufficient data exist to show whether flapless implant surgery provides better esthetic outcomes and less bone loss than implant surgery with a flap approach.

Methods: In this randomized, controlled study comparing the flapless and traditional flap protocol for implant placement, 24 patients received a single implant in the anterior maxillary region. A cone beam computed tomography–aided surgical guide was used for implant placement surgery for both groups. Implants were restored using a one‐piece, screw‐retained ceramic crown at 3 months. Radiographic and clinical measurements were assessed at baseline (implant placement) and at 3 (crown placement), 6, 9, and 15 months. Clinical parameters evaluated were plaque index, gingival index, papillary index (PPI) (0 = no papilla, 1 = less than half, 2 = more than half but not complete, 3 = complete fill, and 4 = overfill), marginal tissue levels, biotype, width of keratinized tissue, and soft tissue thickness.

Results: Implant success rate was 92% in both groups. Mean PPI values for the flap control group and flapless test group were 2.38 ± 0.51 versus 2.31 ± 0.48 at crown placement (P = 0.68) and 2.52 ± 0.52 versus 2.64 ± 0.54 at 15 months (P = 0.42), respectively. PPI increased over time in both groups, although the flapless group had a significantly larger change in PPI from crown placement to 6 and 9 months (P <0.01). Crestal bone levels in the flap group were more apical in relation to the implant platform than those in the flapless group for the duration of the study. No differences among groups were noted for all other measurements.

Conclusions: Both flapless and flap implant placement protocols resulted in high success rates. A flapless protocol may provide a better short‐term esthetic result, although there appears to be no long‐term advantage.
Bernard Shaw’s Stalinist Allegory:The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles
Authors: Yde Matthew
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT:

For over fifty years, playwright George Bernard Shaw called for the state extermination of the incorrigibly criminal or anti-social. Yet these statements have usually been dismissed as expressions of Shaw’s well-known propensity for comic exaggeration and hyperbole, his pugnacious rhetoric, his love of paradox, and especially, his addiction to antagonizing the British political establishment. Nonetheless, as this article shows, Shaw was not joking, and in fact, gave full support to the liquidation policies that arose in the totalitarian countries in the thirties, especially those in the Soviet Union. His 1934 play The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles, although rarely recognized as such, is actually an allegory of the Soviet Union that gives especial attention to the totalitarian state’s uncompromising policy of disposing of recalcitrant citizens. The article analyses the play in light of Shaw’s 1931 visit to the Soviet Union and his vociferous support of its political agenda under Stalin.