bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ENTROPY AND HAUSDORFF DIMENSION IN RANDOM GROWING TREES
Authors: RUDAS ANNA , TÓTH IMRE PÉTER
Published: May 2012

We investigate the limiting behavior of random tree growth in preferential attachment models. The tree stems from a root, and we add vertices to the system one-by-one at random, according to a rule which depends on the degree distribution of the already existing tree. The so-called weight function, in terms of which the rule of attachment is formulated, is such that each vertex in the tree can have at most K children.

We define the concept of a certain random measure μ on the leaves of the limiting tree, which captures a global property of the tree growth in a natural way. We prove that the Hausdorff and the packing dimension of this limiting measure is equal and constant with probability one. Moreover, the local dimension of μ equals the Hausdorff dimension at μ-almost every point. We give an explicit formula for the dimension, given the rule of attachment.
HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT IN A HELICALLY COILED TUBE WITH Al2O3/WATER NANOFLUID UNDER LAMINAR FLOW CONDITION
Authors: KUMAR P. C. MUKESH , KUMAR J. , SURESH S. , BABU K. PRAVEEN
Published: May 2012

In this experimental investigation, the heat transfer coefficients of a shell and helically coiled tube heat exchanger using Al2O3 /water nanofluid under laminar flow condition were studied. The Al2O3 nanoparticles were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD). The Al2O3 /water nanofluid at 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8% particle volume concentration were prepared by using two step method. The prepared nanofluid was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It is observed that the overall heat transfer coefficient, inner heat transfer coefficient and experimental inner Nusselt number increase while increasing particle volume concentration and increasing inner Dean number. The enhancement of overall heat transfer coefficient was found to be 7%, 16.9% and 24.2% at 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8% Al2O3 /water nanofluid respectively when compared with water. The enhancement of tube side experimental Nusselt number was found to be 17%, 22.9% and 28% at 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8% particle volume concentration of Al2O3 /water nanofluid respectively when compared with water at fixed Dean number. The tests were conducted in the range of 1600 < De < 2700, and 5200 < Re < 8600 under laminar flow condition and counter flow configuration. These enhancements are due to higher thermal conductivity of nanofluid while increasing particle volume concentration and Brownian motion of nanoparticles. It is studied that there is no negative impact on formation of secondary flow and mixing of fluid when nanofluid passes through the helically coiled tube.
THE SILICON PHOTOMULTIPLIER — A NEW DETECTOR FOR SINGLE PHOTON-NUMBER-RESOLVING AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Authors: ZHANG G. Q. , ZHAI X. J. , ZHU C. J. , LIU H. C. , ZHANG Y. T.
Published: May 2012

A new type of single photon detector, silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), — which has photon-number-resolving capability at room temperature, was introduced. The SiPM is composed of hundreds to thousands of Geiger mode avalanche photo-diodes (GAPD) pixels in size from several to several tens of microns integrated in one silicon chip. The SiPM can resolve the photon-number of a short light pulse by spatial multiplexing. The influence of relative high dark count rate on the quantum bit error rate (QBER) can be mitigated greatly by gating detection events and slightly cooling the detector. The key parameters of SiPM were demonstrated and the results show that the SiPM can reach the requirements for quantum information processing and applications.
REMOTE STATE PREPARATION IN NON-MARKOVIAN ENVIRONMENT
Authors: ZHANG YANLIANG , ZHOU QINGPING , KANG GUODONG , ZHOU FANG , WANG XIAOBO
Published: May 2012

We present a scheme for remote preparing a general two-particle state by two entangled states serving as the quantum communication channel. In this scheme, it is possible for the receiver to perfectly reconstruct the initial state that the sender hopes to prepare with the method of introducing an auxiliary qubit and postselection measurements in the situation of non-maximal entangled quantum channel. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of the dissipation factors on the processing of the remote state preparation when the entangled resources are in the Markovian and non-Markovian noisy environments. It is shown that the fidelity of remote state preparation is decreasing exponentially over time in Markovian environments and attenuating oscillatorily in non-Markovian. However, when the non-Markovian and the detuning conditions are satisfied simultaneously, the fidelity can be preserved at comparative high levels, effectively.
A SIMPLE AND SECURE QUANTUM SECRET SHARING SCHEME BASED ON PRODUCT STATES
Authors: XU JUAN , CHEN HANWU , LIU ZHIHAO
Published: May 2012

Based on an orthogonal set of product states of two three-state particles, a new quantum secret sharing scheme is proposed, which uses a novel distribution strategy so that continuous and independent measurements, rather than particle-wise coordinated ones, are performed. As a result, it is convenient and efficient to implement. The scheme is also secure against several common attacks and gets rid of partial-information leakage due to the revised coding method. Moreover, the quantitative analysis shows that the security can be further improved by using more product states from appropriate multiple sets.
THE SCHRÖDINGER GROUP AND THE ORBIT METHOD
Authors: ANDRZEJEWSKI K. , GONERA J. , MAŚLANKA P.
Published: May 2012

The dynamical realizations of the Schrödinger group are analyzed. Under the assumption that the "mass" parametrizing the central extension is nonvanishing the coadjoint orbits are classified and described in terms of convenient variables. It is shown that the corresponding dynamical system describes the standard Newton equations.
Continental break-up mechanism; lessons from intermediate- and fast-extension settings
Authors: Nemčok M. , Stuart C. , Rosendahl B. R. , Welker C. , Smith S. , Sheya C. , Sinha S. T. , Choudhuri M. , Allen R. , Reeves C. , Sharma S. P. , Venkatraman S. , Sinha N.
Published: May 2012

Continental break-up mechanisms vary systematically between slow- and fast-extension systems. Slow-extension break-up has been established from studies of the Central Atlantic, European and Adria margins. This study focuses on the intermediate and fast cases from Gabon and East India, and draws from the interpretation of reflection seismic, gravimetric and magnetic data.

Interpretation indicates continental break-up via continental mantle unroofing in all systems, with modifications produced by magmatism in faster-extension systems. Break-up of the intermediate-extension Gabon system involves partial upper continental crustal decoupling from continental mantle; whereas, in the fast East Coast India system, decoupled and lower-crustal regimes underwent upwarping in ‘soggy’ zones in the footwalls of major normal faults. Usually, upper-crustal break-up is affected by pre-existing anisotropies, which form systems of constraining ‘rails’ for extending continental crust. This modifies the local stress regimes. They regain a regional character as the function of constraining rails vanishes during progressive unroofing of the upper mantle. Different regions attain different amounts of upper-crustal stretching prior to the break-up. The break-up location is then controlled by the upper-crustal energy balance principle of ‘wound linkage’, by which the minimum physical work is performed for linking upper-crustal ‘wounds’, leading to successful upper-crustal break-up.

Supplementary material:

Supplementary information and figures on the modelling of the mechanisms and architecture is available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18525
.
Kidney proteome changes provide evidence for a dynamic metabolism and regional redistribution of plasma proteins during torpor-arousal cycles of hibernation
Authors: Jani Alkesh , Orlicky David J. , Karimpour-Fard Anis , Epperson L. Elaine , Russell Rae L. , Hunter Lawrence E. , Martin Sandra L.
Published: May 2012

Hibernating ground squirrels maintain homeostasis despite extreme physiological challenges. In winter, these circannual hibernators fast for months while cycling between prolonged periods of low blood flow and body temperature, known as torpor, and short interbout arousals (IBA), where more typical mammalian parameters are rapidly restored. Here we examined the kidney proteome for changes that support the dramatically different physiological demands of the hibernator's year. We identified proteins in 150 two-dimensional gel spots that altered by at least 1.5-fold using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. These data successfully classified individuals by physiological state and revealed three dynamic patterns of relative protein abundance that dominated the hibernating kidney: 1) a large group of proteins generally involved with capturing and storing energy were most abundant in summer; 2) a select subset of these also increased during each arousal from torpor; and 3) 14 spots increased in torpor and early arousal were enriched for plasma proteins that enter cells via the endocytic pathway. Immunohistochemistry identified α2-macroglobulin and albumin in kidney blood vessels during late torpor and early arousal; both exhibited regional heterogeneity consistent with highly localized control of blood flow in the glomeruli. Furthermore, albumin, but not α2-macroglobulin, was detected in the proximal tubules during torpor and early arousal but not in IBA or summer animals. Taken together, our findings indicate that normal glomerular filtration barriers remain intact throughout torpor-arousal cycles but endocytosis, and hence renal function, is compromised at low body temperature during torpor and then recovers with rewarming during arousal.
Pyrophosphorolysis-Activated Polymerization Detects Circulating Tumor DNA in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Madic Jordan , Piperno-Neumann Sophie , Servois Vincent , Rampanou Aurore , Milder Maud , Trouiller Bénédicte , Gentien David , Saada Stéphanie , Assayag Franck , Thuleau Aurélie , Nemati Fariba , Decaudin Didier , Bidard François-Clément , Desjardins Laurence , Mariani Pascale , Lantz Olivier , Stern Marc-Henri
Published: May 2012

Purpose: To develop a molecular tool to detect circulating tumor–derived DNA (ctDNA) in the plasma from patients with uveal melanoma as a marker of tumor burden and monitor treatment efficacy.

Experimental Design: A real-time PCR was developed on the basis of bidirectional pyrophosphorolysis-activated polymerization (bi-PAP) for the quantification of ctDNA using 3′blocked primer pairs specific for the 3 recurrent mutually exclusive mutations of Gα subunits GNAQ and GNA11.

Results: Sensitivity and specificity of bi-PAP were assessed on serial dilutions of tumor DNA in normal DNA for the 3 recurrent mutations. Each assay could detect a single mutated molecule per reaction, whereas 104 copies of normal DNA were not detected. The ctDNA was readily detected in plasma of mice bearing uveal melanoma xenografts in amounts proportional to circulating human DNA. Finally, plasma was almost always found positive (20 of 21 tested patients) in a prospective analysis of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.

Conclusions: Bi-PAP assays detect and quantify ctDNA in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. A prospective study is ongoing to assess the clinical usefulness of ctDNA level in uveal melanoma. Clin Cancer Res; 18(14); 3934–41. ©2012 AACR.
Influence of Smoking on the Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity Profiles of Taxane Therapy
Authors: de Graan Anne-Joy M. , Loos Walter J. , Friberg Lena E. , Baker Sharyn D. , van der Bol Jessica M. , van Doorn Leni , Wiemer Erik A.C. , van der Holt Bronno , Verweij Jaap , Mathijssen Ron H.J.
Published: May 2012

Purpose: Cigarette smoke is known to interact with the metabolism of several anticancer drugs. It may also affect the incidence and severity of adverse events and efficacy of chemotherapy. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on the pharmacokinetics and toxicities of patients treated with docetaxel or paclitaxel.

Experimental Design: Smoking status, toxicity profiles, and pharmacokinetic parameters (calculated by nonlinear mixed-effect modeling population analysis) were determined in 566 patients (429 nonsmokers and 137 smokers) treated with docetaxel or paclitaxel.

Results: Smokers treated with docetaxel showed less grade IV neutropenia (35% vs. 52%; P = 0.01) than nonsmokers. Smokers treated with paclitaxel had less grade III–IV leukopenia than nonsmokers (12% vs. 25%; P = 0.03), and the white blood cell (WBC) nadir was lower in nonsmokers (median, 2.7 × 109/L; range, 0.05 × 109 to 11.6 × 109/L) than in smokers (median, 3.3 × 109/L; range 0.8 × 109 to 10.2 × 109/L; P = 0.02). Of interest, significantly lower WBC counts and absolute neutrophil counts at baseline were seen in nonsmoking patients treated with paclitaxel (P = 0.0001). Pharmacokinetic parameters were similar in smokers and nonsmokers for both taxanes.

Conclusion: Cigarette smoking does not alter the pharmacokinetic determinants of docetaxel and paclitaxel. Smokers treated with docetaxel and paclitaxel have less neutropenia and leukopenia, but further research is warranted to elucidate this potential protective effect. Clin Cancer Res; 18(16); 4425–32. ©2012 AACR.
Heidelberg Coping Scales for Delusions: Psychometric Evaluation of an Expert Rating Instrument
Authors: Rückl Sarah , Büche Liesa , Gentner Nana Christina , Heyne Judith , von Bock Anique , Barthel Andreas , Vedder Helmut , Bürgy Martin , Kronmüller Klaus-Thomas
Published: May 2012

Background: Coping is of substantial relevance in the treatment and course of psychiatric disorders. Standardized instruments to assess coping with psychotic symptoms, particularly delusions, are rare. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a new instrument to assess coping strategies in the context of delusional experiences: the Heidelberg Coping Scales for Delusions (HCSD). Methods: Two hundred and twelve inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and affective disorders currently experiencing delusions were interviewed with the HCSD and other coping assessment instruments. Psychometric properties and factor structure were analyzed. Results: The HCSD showed good inter-rater reliability and convergent validity. Factor analysis yielded an interpretable structure with five factors: resource-oriented coping, medical care, distraction, cognitive coping, and depressive coping. Symptomatic behavior, due to its particular characteristics, was considered apart. Conclusion: The HCSD is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of coping strategies in patients with delusions. Further research is needed to evaluate coping changes over time and their influence on treatment and clinical outcomes.
Hypoallergenic Mutants of the Timothy Grass Pollen Allergen Phl p 5 Generated by Proline Mutations
Authors: Wald Martin , Kahlert Helga , Reese Gerald , Krontal Nina , Zafred Domen , Keller Walter , Cromwell Oliver , Fiebig Helmut , Nandy Andreas
Published: May 2012

Background: Phl p 5 is a major allergen of Timothy grass (Phleum pratense). A recombinant native Phl p 5 has already been used in clinical trials of allergen-specific immunotherapy as a component of a cocktail of allergens. Recombinant hypoallergenic allergens should further improve the treatment by reducing the risk of anaphylactic reactions at an increased therapeutic dosage. Native Phl p 5 is formed by α-helical regions separated by regions containing prolines. In order to generate hypoallergenic mutants, we studied the effect of proline mutations in single and multiple regions. Methods: All mutants were analyzed by IgE inhibition assays and size exclusion chromatography with on-line mass determination. Selected mutants were additionally analyzed by field-flow fractionation, dynamic light scattering, circular dichroism spectroscopy, basophil activation and T-cell proliferation assays. Results: Variants lacking prolines in a single region were obtained as soluble monomers. Six of eight molecules showed a slightly reduced IgE-binding capacity. Mutants carrying proline deletions in multiple regions formed monomers, dimers or insoluble aggregates. The mutant MPV.7 with five proline deletions and a substitution of proline 211 to leucine is monomeric, shows a strongly diminished IgE binding and maintains T-cell reactivity. The hydrodynamic radius and the content of the α-helical structure of MPV.7 are well comparable with the wild-type allergen. Conclusions: The hypoallergenic Phl p 5 variant MPV.7 combines multiple proline deletions with a substitution of proline 211 to leucine and meets basic demands for a pharmaceutical application. MPV.7 is a promising candidate for grass pollen immunotherapy with a cocktail of recombinant hypoallergens.
Use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Darbepoetin Improve Ischemia-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Outcomes
Authors: Altun Bulent , Yilmaz Rahmi , Aki Tuncay , Akoglu Hadim , Zeybek Dilara , Piskinpasa Serhan , Uckan Duygu , Purali Nuhan , Korkusuz Petek , Turgan Cetin
Published: May 2012

Background: Interest has recently been focused on the possible role of bone marrow-originating stem cells and the therapeutic role of erythropoietin in the recovery of ischemia-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). The aim of the present study was to compare treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treatment with darbepoetin-α (DPO) or both concomitantly in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) AKI. Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were included, and 28 of them were randomly assigned to controls (treated with serum physiologic) or one of the three treatment groups treated with either DPO, MSCs, or both (MSCs and DPO concomitantly) after the induction of I/R injury. Hematocrit, serum creatinine, and BUN levels were obtained at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h of surgery, and renal tissue was obtained at 72 h after nephrectomy for histological analysis. Tissue injury was quantified by standardized histological scoring systems, using light and electron microscopes. Results: Treatment with MSCs or DPO improved renal function compared with controls. However, the improvement observed in renal function in the MSC/DPO group was better than that in the other groups. Histological analysis demonstrated that tissue injury was significantly decreased in rats in the MSC or DPO groups compared to that of the controls; however the best recovery was observed in rats treated with MSCs and DPO concomitantly. Conclusion: These results suggest that concomitant application of DPO and MSCs may be a potential novel renoprotective therapy for patients after having sustained an ischemic renal insult.
Trajectory of Functional Decline Before and After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Dhamoon Mandip S. , Moon Yeseon P. , Paik Myunghee C. , Sacco Ralph L. , Elkind Mitchell S.V.
Published: May 2012

Background and Purpose—

Previous research in our cohort showed a delayed decline in functional status after first ischemic stroke. We compared the long-term trajectory of functional status before and after ischemic stroke.

Methods—

The Northern Manhattan Study contains a prospective, population-based study of stroke-free individuals age ≥40 years, followed for a median of 11 years. The Barthel index (BI), a commonly used measure of activities of daily living, was assessed annually. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess functional decline over time before stroke and beginning 6 months after stroke. Follow-up was censored at the time of recurrent stroke.

Results—

Among 3298 participants, 210 participants had an ischemic stroke during follow-up and had poststroke BI assessed. Mean age (±SD) was 77±9 years, 38% were men, 52% were Hispanic, 37% had diabetes, and 31% had coronary artery disease. There was no difference in rate of functional decline over time before and after stroke (
P
=0.51), with a decline of 0.96 BI points per year before stroke (
P
<0.0001) and 1.24 BI points after stroke (
P
=0.001). However, when stratified by insurance status, among those with Medicaid or no insurance, in a fully adjusted model, there was a difference in slope before and after stroke (
P
=0.04), with a decline of 0.58 BI points per year before stroke (
P
=0.02) and 1.94 BI points after stroke (
P
=0.001).

Conclusions—

In this large, prospective, population-based study with long-term follow-up, there was a significantly steeper decline in functional status after ischemic stroke compared with before stroke among those with Medicaid or no insurance, after adjusting for confounders.
Evaluation of Polar WRF from Modeling the Atmospheric Boundary Layer over Antarctic Sea Ice in Autumn and Winter
Authors: Tastula Esa-Matti , Vihma Timo , Andreas Edgar L
Published: May 2012

Regional simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer over Antarctic sea ice that have been adequately validated are rare. To address this gap, the authors use the doubly nested Polar Weather Research and Forecasting (Polar WRF) mesoscale model to simulate conditions during Ice Station Weddell (ISW) in the austral autumn and winter of 1992. The WRF simulations test two boundary layer schemes: Mellor–Yamada–Janjic and the Asymmetric Convective Model. Validation is against surface-layer and sounding observations from ISW. Simulated latent and sensible heat fluxes for both boundary layer schemes had poor correlation with the observed fluxes. Simulated surface temperature had better correlation with the observations, with a typical bias of 0–2 K and a root-mean-square error of 6–7 K. For surface temperature and wind speed, the Polar WRF yielded better results than the ECMWF Re-Analysis Interim (ERA-Interim). A more challenging test of the simulations is to reproduce features of the low-level jet and the temperature inversion, which were observed, respectively, in 80% and 96% of the ISW radiosoundings. Both boundary layer schemes produce only about half as many jets as were observed. Moreover, the simulated jet coincided with an observed jet only about 30% of the time. The number of temperature inversions and the height at the inversion base were better reproduced, although this was not the case with the depth of the inversion layer. Simulations of the temperature inversion improved when forecasts of cloud fraction agreed to within 0.3 with observations. The modeled inversions were strongest when the incoming longwave radiation was smallest, but this relationship was not observed at ISW.
Uncertainties in Trajectory Calculations within Near-Surface Mesocyclones of Simulated Supercells
Authors: Dahl Johannes M. L. , Parker Matthew D. , Wicker Louis J.
Published: May 2012

This study addresses the sensitivity of backward trajectories within simulated near-surface mesocyclones to the spatiotemporal resolution of the velocity field. These backward trajectories are compared to forward trajectories computed during run time within the numerical model. It is found that the population of backward trajectories becomes increasingly contaminated with “inflow trajectories” that owe their existence to spatiotemporal interpolation errors in time-varying and strongly curved, confluent flow. These erroneous inflow parcels may mistakenly be interpreted as a possible source of air for the near-surface vortex. It is hypothesized that, unlike forward trajectories, backward trajectories are especially susceptible to errors near the strongly confluent intensifying vortex. Although the results are based on model output, dual-Doppler analysis fields may be equally affected by such errors.
Understanding the social costs of psychosis: The experience of adults affected by psychosis identified within the second Australian national survey of psychosis
Authors: Stain Helen J , Galletly Cherrie A , Clark Scott , Wilson Jacqueline , Killen Emily A , Anthes Lauren , Campbell Linda E , Hanlon Mary-Claire , Harvey Carol
Published: May 2012

Background:

Social inclusion is a key priority of the Fourth National Mental Health Plan for Australia (2009–2014), with strong evidence for its protective impact on mental health. Social integration has been associated with enhanced well-being for people with mental illnesses such as psychosis.

Objective:

To explore the impact of psychosis on an individual’s social and community participation.

Method:

The second Australian national survey of psychosis was conducted across seven Australian sites. Semi-structured interviews with adults living with psychosis assessed mental health status, social and role functioning, life satisfaction and future goals. The cohort comprised 1825 adults with a psychotic illness (59.6% were male; 42.4% were aged 18–34 years; 31.5% had 12 years or more of education) of whom 32.7% had been employed in the past year.

Results:

Most adults indicated experiencing loneliness (80.1%) and a need for more friends (48.1%). Men were more likely to have never had a long-term relationship (59.4% M, 33.2% F). Even though women were more likely to experience anxiety in social situations [(χ2(1) = 8.95, p < 0.01)], they were more likely to have attended a social activity in the past year [χ2(2) = 11.84, p < 0.01]. Just over half of the survey participants (56.7%) reported having daily or nearly daily contact with family members. In the past year, 69% had not attended any social activity and 43% described stigma as a barrier. Although 63.2% showed significant impairment in social functioning, only 29.5% had received help for this in the last year. Social isolation and loneliness were rated as major challenges by 37.2% of the cohort.

Conclusions:

Social isolation and dysfunction experienced by people with psychosis have not decreased since the last Australian national survey of people with psychosis. Alongside education and employment, social functioning and participation must be addressed to improve social inclusion for people with psychosis. Programs targeting social opportunities (befriending, peer support), social anxiety and social functioning for all stages of psychosis are warranted.
Depression and 5-year mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction: Analysis of the IDACC database
Authors: Wheeler Alexis , Beltrame John , Tucker Graeme , Air Tracy , Ling Liang-Han , Schrader Geoffrey
Published: May 2012

Objective:

Symptoms of depression are highly prevalent and persistent following myocardial infarction (MI). Whether depression is a risk factor for long-term mortality following MI remains controversial. The present study aimed to determine whether depression during hospitalisation for acute MI (AMI) predicted 5-year all-cause or cardiac mortality.

Method:

This study utilised the Identifying Depression as a Comorbid Condition (IDACC) database of 337 hospitalised patients with AMI. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Data were linked to a government administrative death registry to determine 5-year mortality. Survival data were analysed using Cox’s proportional hazards model.

Results:

The mean age during AMI hospitalisation was 59 years ± 12, 74% of patients were men and depression (CES-D ≥ 16) was present in 132 patients (39.3%). The 5-year all-cause mortality rate was 10.4% (35 deaths) and the cardiac mortality rate was 6.5% (22 deaths). When depression was defined as a dichotomous variable, moderate to severe depression (defined by CES-D ≥ 27) at the time of AMI was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.54, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 6.28; p = 0.04) but not cardiac mortality. However, when depression was defined by three categories (no depression CES-D < 16, mild depression CES-D 16–26, moderate to severe depression CES-D ≥ 27), it was not found to predict mortality. In addition, perceived social support was a predictor of all-cause and cardiac mortality in AMI patients.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate that the relationship between mortality and depression severity is not linear and that the association only becomes evident when the severity reaches a threshold level of CES-D ≥ 27, consistent with major depression. Low power may have influenced the finding of a lack of association between depression and cardiac mortality.
The Four-Point Hypothesis: Transpositions and Complications
Authors: Ormerod Neil
Published: May 2012

Drawing on the four Trinitarian relations, Bernard Lonergan has developed what has been called a four-point hypothesis which brings into a single perspective four distinct created participations in the divine nature, the Incarnation, the beatific vision, sanctifying grace, and the habit of charity. This article has three aims: (1) to explain the Thomistic origins of the hypothesis; (2) to transpose it into categories of meaning; and (3) to suggest extensions of the hypothesis into other theological topics. These are the indwelling of Christ in the believer, the Eucharist as the body of Christ, and the Church as the body of Christ.
Re-envisaging Ruskin’s Types: Beautiful Order as Divine Revelation
Authors: Edwards L. Clifton
Published: May 2012

The 19th-century art critic John Ruskin offers an intriguing approach to nature as ‘divine art’: he sees in natural beauty ‘types’ or artistic images of the Godhead. Ruskin’s epistemology requires some refinement, but he offers a potentially fruitful approach to the divine revealed in the natural world. I reformulate Ruskin’s typology with reference to the epistemology of Michael Polanyi: through this approach, one may enter into Ruskin’s Christian ‘vision’ of nature with its unique symbolic ‘practice.’ From this standpoint, I develop Ruskin’s types relating to natural order. My claim, in line with Ruskin’s, is that within human experience of a beautiful world is a revelation of divine order.
Inescapable Perspective and David’s Sin in 2 Samuel 11–12
Authors: Flynn Shawn W.
Published: May 2012

The variety of reading methods applied to 2 Samuel 11–12 have resulted in various interpretive debates. The variety of approaches, however, shares a consensus regarding David’s sin as his relationship with Bathsheba and/or his murder of Uriah. Yet these sins would not seem to justify the harsh judgment that results in the death of David’s first-born son. This study suggests that the narrator constructs an alternate sin of David. The analysis first attends to questions of the Deuteronomistic editors as an interpretive lens for uncovering David’s sin. The results of that analysis are then brought into conversation with narrative-literary reading methods, paying particular attention to perspective as a literary device. The study argues that approaching the text from two reading lenses solidifies David’s alternate sin and the real narrative justification for the death of David’s son.
Good for the money
Authors: DiGiuseppe Matthew R , Barry Colin M , Frank Richard W
Published: May 2012

Previous research indicates that a lack of state capacity is a key determinant of internal armed conflict. Scholars identify several internal dimensions of state capacity, but have yet to explore how international finance influences state resources. This is surprising because sovereign lending has increased dramatically in recent decades and plays an increasing role in the functioning of developed and developing governments. In this article, we explore this relationship between a state’s integration into global credit markets and its subsequent capacity to promote domestic stability. We argue that international capital increases a state’s ability to respond to internal opposition because states with favorable credit terms can expand their resource base beyond domestic constraints to deter, accommodate, or repress opposition while maintaining a level provision of resources to their political base. We examine the influence that both capital access and credit terms have on the risk of civil conflict in 141 countries from 1981 to 2007. Our empirical results indicate that states with affordable credit access are indeed less likely to experience civil conflict.
Political order, development and social violence
Authors: Fox Sean , Hoelscher Kristian
Published: May 2012

Why are some countries more prone to social violence than others? Despite the fact that annual deaths due to homicides worldwide outnumber those due to organized armed conflict by a factor of roughly 3 to 1, this question has received very little attention from conflict and development specialists in recent years. As a modest first step in addressing this gap in the literature we draw together insights from the conflict and criminology literatures to develop a model of social violence that accounts for both political-institutional and socio-economic factors. While there is an extensive literature on the socio-economic determinants of social violence, there are only a handful of studies that consider the significance of political-institutional arrangements. Using cross-country estimates of homicides produced by the World Health Organization as an indicator of social violence, we test our model using OLS regression analysis for a sample of more than 120 countries. We find that countries with ‘hybrid’ political orders experience higher rates of social violence than those with strong autocratic or strong democratic regimes, and that weakly institutionalized democracies are particularly violent. We also find robust associations between indicators of poverty, inequality and ethnic diversity and social violence. These results indicate that social and political violence share some common underlying causes. We conclude by suggesting that the apparent global decline in organized armed conflict and the concomitant rise in social violence in recent decades may be linked to world urbanization and the ‘third wave’ of democratization in the global South, although further research is required to confirm this hypothesis.
The Limits of Indigenismo in Ecuador
Authors: Becker Marc
Published: May 2012

Although Ecuador is home to a large number of indigenous peoples, the country failed to produce the number of internationally recognized indigenista intellectuals or governmental policies that emerged in Mexico or Peru, countries with similar demographic profiles. Despite being one of the first countries to endorse proposals that emerged out of the Instituto Indigenista Interamericano (Inter-American Indian Institute) formed at Pátzcuaro, Mexico, in 1940, indigenista institutions were unable to gain traction in Ecuador. The shortcomings of a national indigenista institute in Ecuador were due to the failure of its liberal leaders to present a sufficiently radical critique of indigenous realities. Their failure opened spaces that allowed a grassroots movement to grow, leading to the organization of militant indigenous federations that pressed for economic and social justice.

No obstante que Ecuador sea el hogar de un gran número de indígenas, el país no llegó a producir el número de intelectuales indigenistas con reconocimiento internacional o políticas gubernamentales que se vieron a dar en México o Perú, países con perfiles demográficos similares. Pese ser uno de los primeros entre países apoyando las propuestas que emergieron del Instituto Indigenista Interamericano formado en Pátzcuaro, México, en 1940, las instituciones indigenistas no lograron ganar cancha en Ecuador. La deficiencias de un instituto nacional indigenista en Ecuador se debían a la falla de sus lideres liberales en presentar una critica suficientemente radical de la realidades indígenas. Su fracaso abrió espacios que permitieron el crecimiento de movimientos de base, dirigiendo la organización de federaciones militantes indígenas que presionaron para la justicia económica y social.
Histories and Memories of the Indian Boarding Schools in Mexico, Canada, and the United States
Authors: Dawson Alexander S.
Published: May 2012

Indigenismo can be found in almost every country in the Americas. Most indigenistas attempted to write the Indian into their national pasts and adopted similar modernizing projects. Still, what appears to be a common history can be deceiving. Examination of one indigenista project in three distinct American contexts—the indigenous boarding schools in Mexico, Canada, and the United States—indicates considerable differences in practice. For one thing, while the boarding schools north of the border aimed to separate students from the deleterious influence of their communities and bring them into the cultural mainstream, in Mexico indigenous communities were essential to development strategies, and the internados, as an important element of these strategies, sought to cultivate rather than break down ethnic affiliations. These and other differences in the politics that emerged from these projects suggest that the study of indigenismo may require attention to the ways in which particular power arrangements give meaning to indigenous identities.

El indigenismo se encuentra en casi cada uno de los países de las Américas. La mayor parte de los indigenistas intentaban inscribir al indio en sus pasados nacionales y adoptaron similares proyectos modernizantes. Aún así lo que aparenta ser historia común puede engañar. El examen de uno de los proyectos indigenistas en tres distintos contextos americanos—los colegios internados indígenas en México, Estados Unidos, y Canadá—indica diferencias considerables en la práctica. Para mencionar una, aun cuando los colegios al norte de la frontera buscaban separar a los alumnos de los efectos perjudiciales de sus comunidades y traerlos a la corriente principal de la cultura, en México las comunidades indígenas formaban parte esencial en los planes de desarrollo, y los internados, como elemento importante de estos planes, buscaban cultivar y no desmantelar las afiliaciones étnicas. Estas y otras diferencias en la política que emerge de estos proyectos sugiere que el estudio del indigenismo puede requerir que se le de atención a la manera por la cual los arreglos políticos particulares le dan significado a la identidad indígena.
Mental Contrasting and the Self-Regulation of Responding to Negative Feedback
Authors: Kappes Andreas , Oettingen Gabriele , Pak Hyeonju
Published: May 2012

Mentally contrasting a desired future with impeding reality promotes goal pursuit when expectations of success are high and curbs goal pursuit when expectations of success are low. Four studies tested whether mental contrasting affects responses to goal-relevant negative feedback. Mental contrasting promoted the processing of negative feedback (Studies 1 and 2), which in turn helped participants to form plans beneficial for goal pursuit (Study 2). Mental contrasting also protected the self-view of competence against negative feedback (Study 3) and facilitated beneficial attributions for negative feedback (Study 4). All effects occurred in line with expectations of success. These results suggest that mental contrasting regulates effective responses to negative feedback by bringing goal pursuit in line with expectations of success.
On the Role of Attention and Emotion in Morality
Authors: Van Dillen Lotte F. , van der Wal Reine C. , van den Bos Kees
Published: May 2012

The emotion of disgust can influence people’s moral judgments, even if this emotion objectively is unrelated to the moral judgment in question. The present work demonstrates that attentional control regulates this effect. In three studies, disgust was induced. In an unrelated part of the studies, participants then judged a moral transgression. Disgust resulted in more severe moral judgments when attentional control (either measured by means of individual predisposition or manipulated with experimental control) was weak as opposed to strong (Studies 1-3). Findings further showed that attentional control mediated the positive relation between the intensity of participants’ disgust responses and the severity of their moral judgments (Study 2). Moreover, attentional control has its effects through the regulation of affective processing (Study 3). Taken together, the findings suggest that unrelated influences of disgust on moral judgments are contingent on the attention system.
Exporting intensity, human capital and business ownership experience
Authors: Robson Paul J.A. , Akuetteh Charles K. , Westhead Paul , Wright Mike
Published: May 2012

This article examines whether human capital, particularly prior business ownership experience, is associated with the opportunity exploitation outcome relating to the intensity of exporting. A distinction is made between entrepreneurs who acquire their business ownership experience sequentially (that is, serial entrepreneurs) or concurrently (that is, portfolio entrepreneurs). Using survey data from 432 entrepreneurs in Ghana, this study explores whether human capital theory relating to prior business ownership experience is associated with superior exporting intensity. Notably, portfolio entrepreneurs reported higher exporting intensities than other entrepreneurs. The case for customized assistance to each type of entrepreneur with regard to prior business ownership experience is made.
Oral nutritional support of older (65 years+) medical and surgical patients after discharge from hospital: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Beck Anne Marie , Holst Mette , Rasmussen Henrik Højgaard
Published: May 2012

Objective:

To estimate the effectiveness of oral nutritional support compared to placebo or usual care in improving clinical outcome in older (65 years+) medical and surgical patients after discharge from hospital. Outcome goals were: re-admissions, survival, nutritional and functional status, quality of life and morbidity.

Data sources:

Three recent Cochrane reviews and an update of their literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science. Search terms included randomized controlled trials; humans; age 65+ years; subset: dietary supplements.

Review methods:

One reviewer assessed trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed trial quality.

Results:

Six trials were included ( N = 716 randomly assigned participants). All trials used oral nutritional supplements. A positive effect on nutritional intake (energy) and/or nutritional status (weight) (in compliant participants) were observed in all trials. Two pooled analysis was based on a fixed-effects model. No significant effect were found on mortality (four randomized controlled trials with 532 participants, odds ratio 0.80 (95% confidence (CI) interval 0.46 to 1.39)) or re-admissions (four randomized controlled trials with 478 participants, odds ratio 1.07 (95% CI 0.71 to 1.61)).

Conclusion:

Although the evidence is limited, we suggest that oral nutritional support may be considered for older malnourished medical and surgical patients after discharge from hospital.
Do law reforms matter? Exploring the victimization− criminalization continuum in the sentencing of Aboriginal women in Canada
Authors: Balfour Gillian
Published: May 2012

In 1996 Canada introduced progressive sentencing law reforms, such as: restorative non-carceral alternatives for offenders to serve their prison sentence in the community under strict conditions for up to two years; and special consideration of Aboriginal offenders so that courts may take into account the detrimental effects of colonialism such as residential schools, family breakdown and substance abuse. This article is a quantitative examination of 168 reported sentencing decisions to assess the impacts of these reforms upon Aboriginal men and women convicted of violent offences. Findings presented here suggest that the potential of sentencing law reforms is realized unevenly across Canada, pursued most often in sexual assault cases, and seldom on behalf of Aboriginal women. I suggest sentencing law reforms are insufficient strategies to address the incarceration spiral of Aboriginal women when the conditions of their lives are contoured by legacies of trauma and neglect.
Tracking-based semi-supervised learning
Authors: Teichman Alex , Thrun Sebastian
Published: May 2012

We consider a semi-supervised approach to the problem of track classification in dense three-dimensional range data. This problem involves the classification of objects that have been segmented and tracked without the use of a class-specific tracker. This paper is an extended version of our previous work.

We propose a method based on the expectation–maximization algorithm: iteratively (1) train a classifier, and (2) extract useful training examples from unlabeled data by exploiting tracking information. We evaluate our method on a large multiclass problem in dense range data collected from natural street scenes.

When given only three hand-labeled training tracks of each object class, the final accuracy of the semi-supervised algorithm is comparable to that of the fully supervised equivalent which uses two orders of magnitude more. Further, we show experimentally that the accuracy of a classifier considered as a function of human labeling effort can be substantially improved using this method. Finally, we show that a simple algorithmic speedup based on incrementally updating a boosting classifier can reduce learning time by a factor of three.
Finite-time regional verification of stochastic non-linear systems
Authors: Steinhardt Jacob , Tedrake Russ
Published: May 2012

Recent trends pushing robots into unstructured environments with limited sensors have motivated considerable work on planning under uncertainty and stochastic optimal control, but these methods typically do not provide guaranteed performance. Here we consider the problem of bounding the probability of failure (defined as leaving a finite region of state space) over a finite time for stochastic non-linear systems with continuous state. Our approach searches for exponential barrier functions that provide bounds using a variant of the classical supermartingale result. We provide a relaxation of this search to a semidefinite program, yielding an efficient algorithm that provides rigorous upper bounds on the probability of failure for the original non-linear system. We give a number of numerical examples in both discrete and continuous time that demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
Graph-based distributed cooperative navigation for a general multi-robot measurement model
Authors: Indelman Vadim , Gurfil Pini , Rivlin Ehud , Rotstein Hector
Published: May 2012

Cooperative navigation (CN) enables a group of cooperative robots to reduce their individual navigation errors. For a general multi-robot (MR) measurement model that involves both inertial navigation data and other onboard sensor readings, taken at different time instances, the various sources of information become correlated. Thus, this correlation should be solved for in the process of information fusion to obtain consistent state estimation. The common approach for obtaining the correlation terms is to maintain an augmented covariance matrix. This method would work for relative pose measurements, but is impractical for a general MR measurement model, because the identities of the robots involved in generating the measurements, as well as the measurement time instances, are unknown a priori. In the current work, a new consistent information fusion method for a general MR measurement model is developed. The proposed approach relies on graph theory. It enables explicit on-demand calculation of the required correlation terms. The graph is locally maintained by every robot in the group, representing all of the MR measurement updates. The developed method calculates the correlation terms in the most general scenarios of MR measurements while properly handling the involved process and measurement noise. A theoretical example and a statistical study are provided, demonstrating the performance of the method for vision-aided navigation based on a three-view measurement model. The method is compared, in a simulated environment, with a fixed-lag centralized smoothing approach. The method is also validated in an experiment that involved real imagery and navigation data. Computational complexity estimates show that the newly developed method is computationally efficient.