bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antigen Shedding May Improve Efficiencies for Delivery of Antibody-Based Anticancer Agents in Solid Tumors
Authors: Pak Youngshang , Zhang Yujian , Pastan Ira , Lee Byungkook
Published: May 2012

Recombinant immunotoxins (RIT) are targeted anticancer agents that are composed of a targeting antibody fragment and a protein toxin fragment. SS1P is a RIT that targets mesothelin on the surface of cancer cells and is being evaluated in patients with mesothelioma. Mesothelin, like many other target antigens, is shed from the cell surface. However, whether antigen shedding positively or negatively affects the delivery of RIT remains unknown. In this study, we used experimental data with SS1P to develop a mathematical model that describes the relationship between tumor volume changes and the dose level of the administered RIT, while accounting for the potential effects of antigen shedding. Cancer Res; 72(13); 3143–52. ©2012 AACR.
Effect of a Low-Fat Diet Combined with IGF-1 Receptor Blockade on 22Rv1 Prostate Cancer Xenografts
Authors: Konijeti Ramdev , Koyama Satomi , Gray Ashley , Barnard R. James , Said Jonathan W. , Castor Brandon , Elashoff David , Wan Junxiang , Beltran Pedro J. , Calzone Frank J. , Cohen Pinchas , Galet Colette , Aronson William J.
Published: May 2012

In preclinical models, both dietary fat reduction and insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-1R) blockade individually inhibit prostate cancer xenograft growth. We hypothesized that a low-fat diet combined with IGF-1R blockade would cause additive inhibition of prostate cancer growth and offset possible untoward metabolic effects of IGF-1R blockade antibody therapy. Fifty severe combined immunodeficient mice were injected with 22Rv1 cells subcutaneously. Ten days postinjection, the animals were randomized to four groups: (i) high-fat diet + saline (HF); (ii) high-fat diet + IGF-1R blocking antibody, ganitumab (HF/Ab); (iii) low-fat diet + saline (LF); and (iv) low-fat diet + ganitumab (LF/Ab). After 19 days of treatment, the animals were euthanized, serum was collected, and tumors were weighed. Tumor Ki67, Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, serum insulin, IGF-I and TNF-α were measured. In vitro, ganitumab treatment inhibited growth and induced apoptosis in several prostate cancer cell lines. In vivo, tumor weights and volumes were unaffected by the different treatments. The LF/Ab therapy significantly reduced proliferation (Ki67) and ERK activation in tumors. The HF/Ab group had significantly higher serum insulin levels than the HF group. However, LF/Ab combination significantly reduced serum insulin back to normal levels as well as normalizing serum TNF-α level. Whereas the combination of low-fat diet and IGF-1R blockade did not have additive inhibitory effects on tumor weight, it led to reduced tumor cell proliferation and a reduction in serum insulin and TNF-α levels. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(7); 1539–46. ©2012 AACR.
Early FDG/PET Scanning as a Pharmacodynamic Marker of Anti-EGFR Antibody Activity in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Krystal Geoffrey W. , Alesi Erin , Tatum James L.
Published: May 2012

Panitumumab is an anti-EGF receptor (EGFR) antibody approved for use in treatment of chemotherapy-refractory colorectal cancers lacking K-RAS mutations. Despite overall response rates approximating 10%, no marker predictive of clinical benefit has been identified. We describe a chemotherapy-refractory patient whose clinical condition necessitated rapid identification of an effective agent in whom we used 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/computed tomographic scanning 48 hours after an initial dose of panitumumab to document a pharmacodynamic response to the antibody. The initial 46% ± 2.7% drop in SUVmax of four target lesions correlated with a partial response by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors and a >90% drop in serum carcinoembryonic antigen at 8 weeks, indicating that an early decrease in FDG uptake may predict subsequent clinical benefit in response to anti-EGFR antibody therapy in colorectal cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(7); 1385–8. ©2012 AACR.
Repression of Malignant Tumor Progression upon Pharmacologic IGF1R Blockade in a Mouse Model of Insulinoma
Authors: Zumsteg Adrian , Caviezel Christoph , Pisarsky Laura , Strittmatter Karin , García-Echeverría Carlos , Hofmann Francesco , Christofori Gerhard
Published: May 2012

NVP-AEW541, a specific ATP-competitive inhibitor of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) tyrosine kinase, has been reported to interfere with tumor growth in various tumor transplantation models. We have assessed the efficacy of NVP-AEW541 in repressing tumor growth and tumor progression in the Rip1Tag2 transgenic mouse model of pancreatic β-cell carcinogenesis. In addition, we have tested NVP-AEW541 in Rip1Tag2;RipIGF1R double-transgenic mice which show accelerated tumor growth and increased tumor malignancy compared with Rip1Tag2 single-transgenic mice. Previously, we have shown that high levels of IGF-2, a high-affinity ligand for IGF1R, are required for Rip1Tag2 tumor cell survival and tumor growth. Unexpectedly, treatment of Rip1Tag2 mice with NVP-AEW541 in prevention and intervention trials neither did affect tumor growth nor tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis. Yet, it significantly repressed progression to tumor malignancy, that is, the rate of the transition from differentiated adenoma to invasive carcinoma. Treatment of Rip1Tag2;RipIGF1R double-transgenic mice resulted in moderately reduced tumor volumes and increased rates of tumor cell apoptosis. Sustained expression of IGF-2 and of the IGF-2–binding form of insulin receptor (IR-A) in tumor cells suggests a compensatory role of IR-A upon IGF1R blockade. The results indicate that inhibition of IGF1R alone is not sufficient to efficiently block insulinoma growth and imply an overlapping role of IGF1R and insulin receptor in executing mitogenic and survival stimuli elicited by IGF-2. The reduction of tumor invasion upon IGF1R blockade on the other hand indicates a critical function of IGF1R signaling for the acquisition of a malignant phenotype. Mol Cancer Res; 10(6); 800–9. ©2012 AACR.
Costs and Benefits of Targeted Screening for Causes of Sudden Cardiac Death in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Leslie Laurel K. , Cohen Joshua T. , Newburger Jane W. , Alexander Mark E. , Wong John B. , Sherwin Elizabeth D. , Rodday Angie Mae , Parsons Susan K. , Triedman John K.
Published: May 2012

Background—

Sudden cardiac death in children is a rare but devastating event. Experts have debated the merits of community-based screening programs using an ECG and targeting 2 potential high-risk groups: school-aged children initiating stimulant medications to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and adolescents participating in sports.

Methods and Results—

Simulation models incorporating detailed prevalence, sensitivity and specificity, and treatment algorithms were built to determine the cost-effectiveness of targeted sudden cardiac death screening. Clinical care algorithms were constructed for asymptomatic children initiating stimulants for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (8 years of age) or participating in sports (14 years of age) and presenting with a positive ECG finding suggestive of 1 of the 3 most common pediatric disorders causing sudden cardiac death and identifiable by ECG. Information to develop simulation model assumptions was drawn from the existing literature, Medicaid fees, and expert judgment. Sensitivity analyses examined parameter ranges to identify influential sources of uncertainty. Outcomes included costs and lost life-years caused by condition-related mortality. Our models estimate that screening for all 3 conditions simultaneously would reduce sudden death risk by 3.6 to 7.5×10
−5
with projected life expectancy increases of 0.8 to 1.6 days per screened individual. The incremental cost-effectiveness of screening is $91 000 to $204 000 per life-year. Sensitivity analysis showed that assumed disease prevalence, baseline mortality, and the relative risk of mortality resulting from stimulant medication use and sports participation had the greatest impact on estimated cost-effectiveness.

Conclusion—

Results based on assumptions favoring sudden cardiac death screening indicated that its cost is high relative to its health benefits.
Preoperative Assessment and Perioperative Management of Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Schiefermueller Juergen , Myerson Saul , Handa Ashok I.
Published: May 2012

Preoperative cardiovascular evaluation of patients scheduled to undergo surgery requires a multidisciplinary approach involving anesthetists, surgeons, and cardiologists. Within the last 5 to 10 years, there have been considerable scientific advances in this field, and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association(ACC/AHA) have updated their guidelines.1,11 Greater emphasis now lies on preoperative clinical risk stratification and less on routine cardiac testing. Prophylactic coronary revascularization is now also seen as rarely indicated simply to lower the risk of surgery.1 This review will give a brief summary of the guidelines and suggests a practical stepwise approach to evaluate the patient preoperatively.
Policy and service development implications of the second Australian National Survey of High Impact Psychosis (SHIP)
Authors: Carr Vaughan J , Whiteford Harvey , Groves Aaron , McGorry Patrick , Shepherd Alana M
Published: May 2012

Objective:

We consider insights from the second Australian National Survey of High Impact Psychosis (2010) in order to identify the key policy and service development implications.

Method:

The Survey of High Impact Psychosis (SHIP) provides an updated description of the experiences of people living with psychosis in Australia. We discuss the SHIP survey participants’ greatest challenges for the future in light of the strength of existing literature, highlighting prospective opportunities for policy and service planning.

Results:

Targets for future policy development and service initiatives are informed by the survey participants’ leading challenges: financial difficulties, social isolation, lack of employment, physical and mental ill health, accommodation, and access to services.

Conclusions:

Many of the areas of need identified by survey participants are supported by quality research that may be more widely translated into effective services. For areas of need where the evidence is lacking, more clinical research is urgently needed. A targeted approach is vital to secure necessary investment in the wider dissemination of efficacious interventions and their systematic evaluation in ordinary clinical practice, enabled by both research investment and active integration of the research effort within ordinary clinical settings.
Caregiver Voices
Authors: Golden Shannon L. , Nageswaran Savithri
Published: May 2012

Children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) receive care from multiple providers and agencies for a prolonged period of time. Coordination of care between providers is essential in the care of children with CCC. The purpose of this study was to determine which aspects of care coordination are important to caregivers and explore the challenges faced by caregivers in coordinating care. Using focus group methodology, the authors elicited experiences of caregivers relative to care coordination for children with CCC. Several themes emerged: ( a) more information sharing and quality communication is needed among all those involved in providing care for children with CCC, ( b) caregivers need help in navigating the system of care, and ( c) caregivers develop strategies to cope with care coordination demands. Caregiver burden of coordinating care for children with CCC can be alleviated in part through improved communication and collaboration between agencies and providers and through developing easier ways to navigate a complex health system.
Nondepressed Linear Skull Fractures in Children Younger Than 2 Years
Authors: Reid Samuel R. , Liu Meixia , Ortega Henry W.
Published: May 2012

Background.

Current recommendations are that young children with a skull fracture following head injury undergo computed tomography (CT) examination of their head to exclude significant intracranial injury. Recent reports, however, have raised concern that radiation exposure from CT scanning may cause malignancies.

Objective.

To estimate the proportion of children with nondisplaced linear skull fractures who have clinically significant intracranial injury.

Methods.

Retrospective review of patients younger than 2 years who presented to an emergency department and received a diagnosis of skull fracture.

Results.

Ninety-two patients met the criteria for inclusion in the study; all had a head CT scan performed. None suffered a clinically significant intracranial injury.

Conclusion.

Observation, rather than CT, may be a reasonable management option for head-injured children younger than 2 years who have a nondisplaced linear skull fracture on plain radiography but no clinical signs of intracranial injury.
Help-Seeking Attitudes, Mental Health Stigma, and Self-Concealment Among African American College Students
Authors: Masuda Akihiko , Anderson Page L. , Edmonds Joshua
Published: May 2012

Stigma has been noted as a major obstacle of mental health service use among African Americans. The present study investigated whether mental health stigma and self-concealment were uniquely associated with attitudes toward seeking professional psychological services in African American college students. Data of 163 African Americans ( nFemale = 127; 78% female) were used for present analyses. Results revealed that both mental health stigma and self-concealment were uniquely associated with help-seeking attitudes after controlling for gender, age, and previous experience of seeking professional psychological services.
The Fanonian dialectic: Masters and slaves in Ayi Kwei Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
Authors: Dunham Jarrod
Published: May 2012

The polemical social commentary of Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born has understandably been the focal point of numerous critical interpretations. Such readings, however, tend to neglect the significance of the other, interpersonal dimension of the text that positions individual characters in relation to one another in interactions that mirror and amplify Armah’s larger social concerns. This article undertakes a reading that, by tracing Armah’s intellectual heritage from Frantz Fanon, through Alexandre Kojève, to Hegel’s master−slave dialectic, simultaneously accounts for the novel’s political agenda and its more nuanced portrayal of the everyday plights of its characters. A distinctly Fanonian iteration of the master−slave dialectic, which is manifested in the highly stratified structure of Ghanaian society and in the desire for recognition that characterizes all social and economic interactions within that society, is proposed as a unifying theme by which the novel’s socio-political and interpersonal dimensions can be understood as complementary rather than oppositional or unrelated facets of the text.
Key differences on the compaction response of natural and glass fiber preforms in liquid composite molding
Authors: Francucci Gastón , Vázquez Analía , Rodríguez Exequiel Santos
Published: May 2012

In the present work, the effects of fiber structure and fluid absorption on the compaction behavior of jute woven fabrics and sisal mats were analyzed and compared with the response of glass fiber mats. It was found that the fiber content that can be achieved with a certain compaction pressure is lower in the case of natural fiber preforms. In addition, due to the hollow structure of these natural fibers, jute and sisal preforms suffered larger permanent deformation than glass fiber preforms after the compressive loading cycle. In addition, it was found that fluid absorption reduced the compaction pressure in natural reinforcements due to fiber softening. These phenomena were not observed in glass fiber mats.
Study on wet-laid nonwoven separator of lithium-ion battery
Authors: Yi Wang , Xiaoli Dou , Yunzhen Yao , Yun Liang , Jian Hu , Huaiyu Zhan
Published: May 2012

In this paper, a new kind of wet-laid nonwoven material composed of highly fibrillated PPTA (para-phenylene terephthalamide) pulp is used in the preparation of a lithium-ion battery separator. Because the PPTA pulp is composed of fibrils and micro-fibrils, which are mostly less than 1 µm in diameter, the pore size of the separator could be well controlled to less than 1 µm. The effects of PPTA pulp on the pore structure of the separator, thermo-stability, electrochemical property and mechanical properties are researched. The results show that with the increase of PPTA pulp dosage, the pore size of separator is decreased. In addition, this type of separator shows excellent thermal stability. The strength retention of the nonwoven separator is 45% after it is stored at 180°C for 10 minutes, but the polyolefin membrane is completely molten under the same conditions.
Analysis of dye extracted from Phellodendron bark and its identification in archaeological textiles
Authors: Ahn Cheunsoon , Zeng Xia , Obendorf S Kay
Published: May 2012

Methanol extractions of 20 archaeological textiles excavated from burial sites in Korea were examined in comparison to standard natural dyes, freshly dyed silk, and naturally-aged dyed silks for the purpose of identifying archaeological textiles dyed with yellow dye from the Phellodendron bark. Phellodendron bark dye was identified by the presence of both berberine and palmatine using the retention times of HPLC-DAD chromatograms and mass spectral data generated from the electrospray ionization (ESI) source. Extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) were used to quantify the concentration of berberine and palmatine in each sample. The results indicated that three of the 20 archaeological textile samples were dyed with Phellodendron bark based on the significant amount of berberine and palmatine detected in these samples, while twelve samples were determined not to have been dyed with natural dyes from Phellodendron bark. Identification of dye in these textiles would allow for appropriate conservation procedures to avoid further dye loss.
Relaxation of knitted fabric by low pressure evaporation
Authors: Lo TY , Ng Sun-Pui , Lai Daniel Tze Leung
Published: May 2012

By applying micro-agitation to plain knit fabrics, the fabric can be effectively relaxed. Water evaporates when pressure drops. When a piece of wet fabric is subjected to a rapid drop in pressure, the water in the fabric will evaporate rapidly. The pressure field created upon rapid evaporation provides the micro-agitation operating in close vicinity of the fibres in the fabric. A chamber was built to provide a suitable environment and a new LPR (Low Pressure Relaxation) process was developed. Experiments were performed with two sets of fabrics, one from cotton and the other from wool. Results were compared between the new LPR process and wash and tumble drying process. Comparable dimensional change upon the two relaxation processes confirmed that the new LPR process is able to relax knitted fabrics effectively.
Net shape preparation and bending properties of tapered three-dimensional braided composites
Authors: Liu Zhaolin , Liu Li-Fang , Yu Jianyong
Published: May 2012

The yarn-reduction technique and the yarn-addition technique were introduced to net shape prepare tapered three-dimensional braided composites. Considering that the processes of yarn reduction and yarn addition were mutually inverse, this paper mainly shed light on the former. Two types of yarn-reduction process, the column yarn-reduction process and row unit yarn-reduction process, were discussed in the architectures of preforms thus formed and bending behaviors of corresponding composites. Results show that the principle of these two techniques is that the braiding rules should not be disturbed after yarn reduction or yarn addition. Orientation degrees and lengths of some rearranged yarns are increased in the second step after yarn reduction, whereas the other rearranged yarns only reverse their orientation directions, then the yarn trajectories are the same as before yarn reduction in subsequent steps. Bending properties of the row unit yarn-reduction composites are slightly higher than those of the column yarn-reduction composites and significantly better than the cut composites. The primary failure mechanism of the yarn-reduction composites is yarn breakage, while the dominant failure mechanisms of the cut composites are matrix cracking and interfacial debonding.
Analyzing roller drafting dynamics with stochastic perturbations: Simulation approach
Authors: Kim Jong S , Lim Jung H , Huh You
Published: May 2012

This research investigates the effects that perturbations in roller drafting operations have on fiber bundles in the draft zone. In particular, it examines the effect of perturbations on the thickness of the output bundle. To do so, a test signal was characterized by a stochastic signal with an autocorrelation function and was generated using the Random Phase Spectral (RPS) method. Each stochastic signal represented perturbations in the roller drafting. Then, the spatial and temporal distributions of the linear density of the fiber bundle in the drafting zone were simulated, using the mathematical model that described the bundle flow dynamics in the roller drafting process, and the irregularities of the output linear density were estimated. Results showed that changes in the bundle cohesion, input linear density, and draft ratio led to distinctive variations with some special pattern in the output bundle linear density, but changes in the draft process speed did not. For example, perturbations in the bundle cohesion generated a stochastically periodic component in the irregularities of the output linear density. In contrast, periodic attributes generated from perturbations in the input linear density subsided in the output bundle as the perturbation intensity increased. At the same time, the output bundle irregularity was strongly influenced by the perturbation strength of the input linear density. Variation in the draft ratio appeared similarly in the output thickness irregularities. However, variations in the process speed did not influence the output irregularities, indicating that inertial effects of the fiber bundle on the draft dynamics can be neglected.
Square, Plaza, Piazza, Place: What Do We Know about these Targets of Urban Regeneration Programmes?
Authors: Faye Benoit , Le Fur Éric
Published: May 2012

Public squares are becoming the targets of regeneration programmes in many cities. A complex space comprising economic, social, architectural, urbanistic and symbolic dimensions, the square is composed of characteristics whose distribution derives from the needs of and power relations between residents and non-residents. Taking as an example the French city of Bordeaux, a hedonic approach is used to explore the implications of the distribution of these characteristics on the spatial structure of residential prices. The impact of characteristics may vary according to the degree of centrality, the type of square and the regeneration policy implemented. However, the values of price elasticities of the characteristics often give unexpected results in regard to the theory of centrality and the expectations of regeneration programmes. City planners can thus evaluate the consequences of their decisions on housing values.
Driving, Cities and Changing Climates
Authors: Waitt Gordon , Harada Theresa
Published: May 2012

The relevance of cars in relation to changing climates seems indisputable: scientific evidence points out the significant contribution of cars globally in causing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite higher levels of general public understanding and concern about climate change, this has not generally resulted in decreased car use. This paper outlines how a spatial perspective drawing on a cultural economy approach may provide insights into the paradox of the environmental ‘value action gap’ by focusing on suburban belongings, passions and anticipations derived from driving. Drawing on insights from Burraneer Bay, an affluent Sydney suburb, the paper illustrates how habituated and embodied knowledge of driving props up class envy, the spatial bordering of the city and the transformation of a love of driving into driving as love, underpinned as much by a desire to consume as by the performance of an identity. The implications for urban policy are considered that look beyond culture as attitudes.
Layers of the Urban State: Migrant Organisations and the Chinese State
Authors: Hsu Jennifer
Published: May 2012

This paper explores the development of migrant non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and their interactions with central and local Chinese state. The paper suggests that, while the central state is actively managing NGOs in Beijing and Shanghai with a strong regulatory framework, the urban local state, particularly at the district level, is increasingly an important actor in ensuring the effectiveness of migrant NGOs’ activities. In this vein, the paper presents a model of state–migrant NGO relations, the subsequent informal rules that emerge from this reality and the implications thereafter for state-society relations in China.
Homeownership, Neighbourhood Characteristics and Children’s Positive Behaviours among Low- and Moderate-income Households
Authors: Grinstein-Weiss Michal , Key Clinton , Yeo Yeong Hun , Yoo Joan , Holub Krista , Taylor Andrea , Tucker Jenna
Published: May 2012

Using data on low-to-moderate-income households in the US Community Advantage Program survey, this paper examines homeownership, neighbourhood characteristics and the interaction between the two on the positive behaviour of children from low- and moderate-income households. To control for potential selection bias and endogeneity problems, propensity score weighting and hierarchical regression are employed to tease apart the effects of homeownership, neighbourhood characteristics and their interaction on child positive behaviour. No effect is found of homeownership or neighbourhood characteristics on children’s positive behaviour when the interaction between the two is not included in the model. However, homeownership was found to have a stronger positive effect on children’s positive behaviour as neighbourhood population density increases and, at approximately 4000 persons per square mile (approximate population density of San Diego, CA), homeownership has a significant positive effect on children’s overall scores on the positive behaviour scale.
Attributional and consequential life cycle inventory assessment of recycling copper slag as building material in Singapore
Authors: Kua Harn-wei
Published: May 2012

This work is an attributional and consequential life cycle inventory assessment on the use of copper slag as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement. Assessments were done with respect to the emissions of seven kinds of heavy metals and four types of gaseous emissions. It was found that replacing cement with copper slag will reduce the emissions of cobalt, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. However, it will increase the emissions of cadmium to the environment. This substitution may also reduce the emissions of arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, mercury and sulphur dioxide. In addition, three scenarios of likely consequences of this substitution were considered. It was found that these consequences will reduce the life cycle benefits of such a material substitution. Finally, four policy-making lessons were delineated.
Selective Ignorance and Agricultural Research
Authors: Elliott Kevin C.
Published: May 2012

Scholars working in science and technology studies have recently argued that we could learn much about the nature of scientific knowledge by paying closer attention to scientific ignorance. Building on the work of Robert Proctor, this article shows how ignorance can stem from a wide range of selective research choices that incline researchers toward partial, limited understandings of complex phenomena. A recent report produced by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development serves as the article’s central case study. After arguing that the forms of selective ignorance illustrated in cases like this one are both socially important and difficult to address, I suggest several strategies for responding to them in a socially responsible manner.
Dying Bees and the Social Production of Ignorance
Authors: Kleinman Daniel Lee , Suryanarayanan Sainath
Published: May 2012

This article utilizes the ongoing debates over the role of certain agricultural insecticides in causing Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)—the phenomenon of accelerated bee die-offs in the United States and elsewhere—as an opportunity to contribute to the emerging literature on the social production of ignorance. In our effort to understand the social contexts that shape knowledge/nonknowledge production in this case, we develop the concept of epistemic form. Epistemic form is the suite of concepts, methods, measures, and interpretations that shapes the ways in which actors produce knowledge and ignorance in their professional/intellectual fields of practice. In the CCD controversy, we examine how the (historically influenced) privileging of certain epistemic forms intersects with the social dynamics of academic, regulatory, and corporate organizations to lead to the institutionalization of three interrelated and overlapping types of ignorance. We consider the effects of these types of ignorance on US regulatory policy and on the lives of different stakeholders.
Displacement of Agency
Authors: Lin Wen-yuan
Published: May 2012

How might the agency of the subaltern be conceptualized within the intersection of multiple worlds? Actor-network theory’s (ANT) translation framework for understanding agency portraying this as entrepreneur and talking of a world in the making is arguably “imperialist,” “managerial,” and “monolithic.” Draws from the enactment turn of ANT and insights into the politics of representation, this article elaborates an alternative framework which focuses on displacement. By examining the case of dialysis patients, the article explores the displacing practices that follow the disruption of routines in dialysis. Patients have to go through a process of problematization, distribution, hybridization, and restabilization, in order to sustain the coexistence of their alternative practices with dialysis. Unlike entrepreneurs in the translation model who transform the world by interesting others, enduring trials, and becoming spokespersons for all, those patients who manage to displace and sustain the coexistence of multiple worlds avoid interesting, still less confronting, the hegemonic actors and claiming representation for themselves. This article suggests the displacement of agency as a generic alternative.
Parental differential treatment, child’s externalizing behavior and sibling relationships: Bridging links with child’s perception of favoritism and personality, and parents’ self-efficacy
Authors: Meunier Jean Christophe , Roskam Isabelle , Stievenart Marie , De Moortele Gaëlle Van , Browne Dillon T. , Wade Mark
Published: May 2012

This study examined the associations between parental differential treatment (PDT), children’s externalizing behavior (EB), and sibling relationships, as well as the intervening effects of children’s perceptions of favoritism, personality, and parents’ self-efficacy (SE). A total of 117 families having a child clinically referred for EB problems were studied. First, the role of PDT and perceived favoritism on EB and sibling relationships was examined. PDT was moderately related to both EB and sibling affection. Perception of favoritism was only predictive of sibling hostility. Second, EB effects on PDT were examined and the mediating role of parents’ SE within this relation was explored. EB predicted higher level PDT in parents and the link between PDT and EB was mediated by parental SE.
Sooner or later? The marital horizons of parents and their emerging adult children
Authors: Willoughby Brian J. , Olson Chad D. , Carroll Jason S. , Nelson Larry J. , Miller Richard B.
Published: May 2012

Grounded in a marital horizon theory of emerging adulthood, this article presents a study that provides an evaluation of the differences between parents’ and emerging adults’ views about marriage. Using a sample of 536 emerging adults and their parents (446 mothers, 360 fathers) recruited from five college sites from across the United States, the study sought to identify parents’ marital ideals for their children and to investigate how these attitudes compare to those of emerging adults themselves. Results demonstrated that there are significant differences between parents and emerging adults with regard to marital horizon factors. Specifically, parents reported a higher desired age for marriage, lower importance of marriage as a life goal, and emphasized different criteria of marriage readiness than their emerging adult children. Results also suggest that contemporary patterns of delayed marriage among emerging adults are generally supported, and perhaps encouraged, by parents.
Afferent stimulation provided by glove electrode during task-specific arm exercise following stroke
Authors: Sullivan Jane E , Hurley Donna , Hedman Lois D
Published: May 2012

Background:

Sensory amplitude electrical stimulation (SES) and repetitive task practice reduce impairments and arm dysfunction when delivered separately following stroke.

Objective:

To determine if home-based, task-specific arm exercise was more effective when administered concurrent with SES.

Methods:

Thirty-eight subjects with chronic stroke and mean Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score 28/66 (15–45) participated. Subjects were randomly assigned to an SES ( n = 20) or sham stimulation ( n = 18) group. Subjects engaged in task-based home exercise for 30 minutes, twice daily, for four weeks while wearing a glove electrode on the impaired hand. Experimental subjects received SES while control subjects received sham stimulation during exercise. Primary outcome measures: FMA and Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT).

Results:

There were no significant between-group differences for outcome measures. There was a significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores in the SES group AMAT median time ( P = 0.003 95% confidence interval (CI): −14.304, −6.365; effect size: 0.84). Practice time was not associated with changes in outcomes. Subjects with more sensorimotor dysfunction had significantly greater improvements on AMAT median time ( P = 0.037). There was a significant relationship between baseline FMA score and FMA change score ( r = 0.402; P = 0.006).

Conclusions:

This study describes a unique SES delivery system via glove electrode that enabled delivery of SES during home-based arm task practice in stroke survivors. Task practice with concurrent SES did not demonstrate significantly better effects than task practice with sham stimulation, however there was a trend for greater improvement in one activity measure.
The role of multi-disciplinary teams in decision-making for patients with recurrent malignant disease
Authors: Strong Sean , Blencowe Natalie S , Fox Tom , Reid Colette , Crosby Tom , Ford Hugo ER , Blazeby Jane M
Published: May 2012

Background:

It is mandatory in many countries for decisions for all new patients with cancer to be made within multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs). Whether patients with disease recurrence should also routinely be discussed by the MDT is unknown.

Aim:

This study investigated the role of an upper gastro intestinal (UGI) MDT in decision-making for patients with disease recurrence.

Design:

A retrospective review of prospectively kept MDT records (2010 to 2011) was performed identifying patients discussed with recurrence of oesophagogastric cancer. Information was recorded about: i) why an MDT referral was made, ii) who made the referral and iii) the final MDT recommendation. Implementation of the MDT recommendation was also examined.

Participants:

All patients discussed with recurrence of cancer at a central UGI cancer MDT were included.

Results:

During the study 54 MDT meetings included discussions regarding 304 new patients and 29 with disease recurrence. Referrals to the MDT for patients with recurrence came from outpatient clinics ( n=19, 65.5%) or following emergency admission ( n=10). Most referrals were made by the surgical team ( n=25, 86.2%). MDT recommendations were best supportive care ( n=11, 37.9%), palliative chemotherapy ( n=9, 31.0%), stent ( n=5, 17.2%), palliative radiotherapy ( n=3, 10.3%) and further surgery ( n=1, 3.4%), with 25 (86.2%) of these implemented.

Conclusion:

UGI MDTs focus on new referrals and only a small proportion of patients with recurrent disease are re-discussed. Many patients go on to receive further treatments. Whether such patients are optimally managed within the standard MDT is uncertain, however, and warrants further consideration.
On the integration of validation, quality assurance and non-destructive evaluation
Authors: Patterson Eann A , Feligiotti Mara , Hack Erwin
Published: May 2012

Experimental strain analysis, structural health monitoring and non-destructive testing and evaluation are regarded as separate disciplines that, in general, are deployed independently at different phases in the life cycle of an engineering component, i.e. in the design process, in service and after an event or service period, respectively. It is proposed that the integrated use of these three disciplines is advantageous and beneficial in terms of reduced capital and operational costs for critical and safety-relevant components, as well as, in validating simulations, in both quantifying and reducing risk of unexpected failure, and in estimating remanent life. We propose the foundation of this integration to be data-rich strain fields measured and compared quantitatively, with each other and with data from simulations, at temporal intervals during the life of a component.
Nanoformulation of paclitaxel to enhance cancer therapy
Authors: Gu Quanrong , Xing James Z , Huang Min , Zhang Xiaojing , Chen Jie
Published: May 2012

Paclitaxel is a microtubule inhibitor causing mitotic arrest and is widely used in cancer chemotherapy. However, its poor water solubility restricts its direct clinical applications. In this article, we report paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles that are water soluble and that can improve the drug’s bio-distribution and therapeutic efficacy. Paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles were synthesized by using Pluronic copolymers (F-68 and P-123) and surfactant (Span 40) as nanocarrier. The toxicity and cellular uptake of paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles were evaluated. The paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles can completely disperse into phosphate buffer saline to produce a clear aqueous suspension. Based on HPLC analysis, the drug-loading rate is 9.0 ± 0.1% while drug encapsulation efficiency is 99.0 ± 1.0%. The cytotoxicity assay was performed using breast cancer MCF-7 and cervical cancer Hela cells. For MCF-7 cells, the half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles and paclitaxel are 8.5 ± 0.3 and 14.0 ± 0.7 ng/mL at 48 hours and 3.5 ± 0.4 and 5.2 ± 0.5 ng/mL at 72 hours across several runs. IC50 of paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles and paclitaxel for Hela cells are 5.0 ± 0.3 and 8.0 ± 0.3 ng/mL at 48 hours and 2.0 ± 0.1 and 6.5 ± 0.3 ng/mL at 72 hours. In-vitro studies show that the drug’s nanoformulation gives obvious enhancements in the drug’s efficiency at killing cancer cells over paclitaxel alone. Materials of the nanocarrier used for nanoformulation are approved with low toxicity according to the result of cell studies. Conclusion: paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles greatly improved the physicochemical properties of paclitaxel without modifying its chemical structure, allowing for deep-site cancer drug delivery and enhancing the drug therapeutic efficiency.
A Governance-Based Typology of Family Foundations
Authors: Lungeanu Razvan , Ward John L.
Published: May 2012

This article brings together research on philanthropy, family business, and governance to examine patterns of giving by U.S. family versus nonfamily independent foundations. The authors use a sample comprising the 200 largest U.S. independent foundations in 2007 to show that family foundations are more focused in their grantmaking than nonfamily foundations. Board size moderates this relationship. They also offer a new typology of family foundations to show that the generation stage of the family and the foundation board’s composition are associated with different levels of grantmaking diversity in family foundations but in dissimilar ways. Scholarly and practical implications are discussed.
Charter Management Organizations
Authors: Farrell Caitlin , Wohlstetter Priscilla , Smith Joanna
Published: May 2012

Policymakers have shown increasing interest in replicating high-quality education models as a way to improve chronically underperforming schools. Charter management organizations (CMOs) have been touted as one organizational model poised to be such a vehicle for reform. CMOs are nonprofit organizations that operate a network of charter schools with a common mission or instructional design and shared central office support. In this article, the authors describe the theory of action behind CMOs and their emergence onto the education reform scene, finding promising signs that, as a network of schools, CMOs have more leverage than individual charter schools, and yet more nimbleness than traditional school districts, to replicate “what works.” Using data collected from a national study of 25 CMOs engaging in scale-up, the authors investigate the essential elements for CMO growth, identifying the influences of federal, state, and local policies, as well as internal organizational capacities, that either restrict or facilitate CMO expansion.
Toward an Ideal Democracy
Authors: Cohen Erik , Allen Ann
Published: May 2012

This article explores the impact of standardization policies of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 on the American Indian/Alaska Native community and the ability of educational policy to promote sovereignty, liberty and equity within indigenous communities. Examining current research and data generated from the National Indian Education Study (NIES) of 2009, we argue that the English-only assessments of NCLB devalue indigenous social and cultural capital through the salient measure of language revitalization efforts. Consequently, by virtue of a narrowing effect on the curriculum, school-community relations are strained by standards-based reforms, as representative of current educational policy. We examine educational policy within a historical interpretation of Federal Indian policies in its capacity to promote language revitalization and student achievement. Federal Indian policies have both hurt and helped Indian education exist as a vehicle towardsmaintaining sovereignty, liberty, and equity. The concept of social capital is explored further as a recommendation to strengthen school-community relations. Ultimately, educational policy that unites the concepts of sovereignty, liberty, and equity is integral toward revitalizing indigenous language without sacrificing a focus of raising student achievement; thus, emblematic of responsive Indian educational policy.
Access to College
Authors: Daun-Barnett Nathan J.
Published: May 2012

Student’s access to college is influenced both by their level of academic preparation to do college-level work and the cost of participating in postsecondary education—on this point researchers and policy makers seem to agree (Perna, 2006). The relative importance of each, however, is very much a subject of disagreement and that debate has implications for policy formation, particularly when resources are scarce. In this article, I begin by summarizing the evolution of this debate from the late 1990s through today. Much of this conversation took place on the federal stage in anticipation of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Next, I examine one particular report issued by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and I respond empirically to several of the critiques levied by the education research community. In this reanalysis of the report on college access by Berkner and Chavez, I make several adjustments to illustrate how a number of methodological limitations affect the inferential claims in their report. My conclusions suggest that the definition of “college qualified” has important implications for these sorts of analyses and that the cost of college influences students’ decisions to attend college both directly in terms of their perceived ability to attend college and through family income and the choices they make to prepare for college. Considering a fuller range of post–high school alternatives reveals important influences of race and class, which are masked by the focus on 4-year college attendance.
Rail irregularities, corrugation and acoustic roughness: characteristics, significance and effects of reprofiling
Authors: Grassie Stuart L
Published: May 2012

Railway noise is excited by irregularities on the running surfaces of wheels and rails, with rails being more significant for most of the wavelength and frequency range of interest. Measurements are presented that demonstrate the significance of irregularities in the 100–1000 mm wavelength range (corresponding roughly to 25–250 Hz) on ground-borne noise, and show that a reprofiling specification to address reductions in low frequency noise should address these longer wavelengths. Differences are demonstrated between irregularities in the 6.3–2000 mm wavelength range on a dedicated high speed line, and on heavy haul, mixed traffic, metro and light rail systems. Although the sample size is small for the high speed and heavy haul systems, the lowest levels of irregularity were nevertheless found on the high speed line. Heavy haul systems also have low levels of irregularity, which are below the limit specified in the acoustic standard ISO 3095. Metro systems are distinguished by corrugation, higher levels of short wavelength roughness corresponding perhaps to roughening from consistently high traction and braking, and significant differences between high and low rails in some curves. In one case shown here the high rail is amongst the smoothest in an entire sample of dozens of rails whereas the corresponding low rail is by far the most heavily corrugated and irregular. Light rail systems have relatively high levels of irregularity, particularly at short wavelengths. This may result from sanding to enhance adhesion. Reprofiling in general reduces irregularities below the level stated in ISO 3095, except at wavelengths of less than 30 mm for which irregularities are consistently greater after reprofiling than before. Reprofiling is particularly effective in reducing irregularities in the 30–500 mm wavelength range, in which irregularities are typically reduced by 10 dB but in some cases by 20–30 dB. Irregularities to the ISO 3095 limit spectrum exist immediately after some forms of grinding. The best results are obtained from reprofiling that is undertaken to an appropriate specification that is conscientiously monitored.