bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural and functional analyses of biosimilar enoxaparins available in Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Stephan-Nicollas M. C. G. , Santos Gustavo R. C. , Glauser Bianca F. , Capillé Nina V. M. , Queiroz Ismael N. L. , Pereira Mariana S. , Pomin Vitor H. , Mourão Paulo A. S.
Published: September 2014

Biosimilar enoxaparins have been available for clinical use in Brazil since 2009. Although their use has reduced costs of treatment expenses, their implementation still raises some concerns about efficiency, safety, regularity and reproducibility of batches. We undertook structural and functional analyses on over 90 batches of pharmaceutical- active ingredient, and 330 ones of the final products of biosimilar enoxaparins available in the Brazilian market between 2009 and 2014. Besides a nationwide-scale analysis, we have also employed methods that go beyond those recommended by the standard pharmacopeias. We have used high-resolution 2D NMR, detailed assessment of the anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties, check of side effects in experimental animals after continuous administration, and analyses of individual composing oligosaccharides. The 1D 1H NMR spectra of all batches of biosimilar enoxaparins are fairly coincident, and the resultant average spectrum is quite identical to that from the original drug. This structural equality was also assured by highly resolved 2D NMR spectra. The anticoagulant activity, determined by diverse assays and the in vivoantithrombotic and bleeding effects of the biosimilar version were confirmed as equal as of the parental enoxaparins. Structure and function of the composing oligosaccharides were identical in both enoxaparin types. No side effect was observed after continuous subcutaneous administration to rats for 30 days at the dose of 2 mg kg-1 body weight. Biosimilar enoxaparins available in Brazil fulfilled the requirement of the five items defined by FDA-USA for approval of this type of drug.
Determining Relative Importance and Effective Settings for Genetic Algorithm Control Parameters
Authors: Mills K. L. , Filliben J. J. , Haines A. L.
Published: September 2014

Setting the control parameters of a genetic algorithm to obtain good results is a long-standing problem. We define an experiment design and analysis method to determine relative importance and effective settings for control parameters of any evolutionary algorithm, and we apply this method to a classic binary-encoded genetic algorithm (GA). Subsequently, as reported elsewhere, we applied the GA, with the control parameter settings determined here, to steer a population of cloud-computing simulators toward behaviors that reveal degraded performance and system collapse. GA-steered simulators could serve as a design tool, empowering system engineers to identify and mitigate low-probability, costly failure scenarios. In the existing GA literature, we uncovered conflicting opinions and evidence regarding key GA control parameters and effective settings to adopt. Consequently, we designed and executed an experiment to determine relative importance and effective settings for seven GA control parameters, when applied across a set of numerical optimization problems drawn from the literature. This paper describes our experiment design, analysis, and results. We found that crossover most significantly influenced GA success, followed by mutation rate and population size and then by rerandomization point and elite selection. Selection method and the precision used within the chromosome to represent numerical values had least influence. Our findings are robust over 60 numerical optimization problems.
Who Changes His Mind about Dust and Ashes? The Rhetorical Structure of Job 42:2-6
Authors: Pieter van der Lugt
Published: September 2014

In the present article it is argued that the phrase ונחמתי על־עפר ואפר (Job 42:6) is to be rendered “and I have compassion with dust and ashes”. This means that v. 6, which is generally regarded as Job’s final dramatic—but ambiguous!—confession, can only be spoken by God: it is God who changes his mind! The strophic structure of the poem 42:2-6 confirms this interpretation.
Flowing with Fat and (Bee) Honey: Evidence from Ancient Egypt
Authors: Dershowitz Idan
Published: September 2014

An Egyptian text sheds light on the biblical idiom ʾrṣ zbt ḥlb wdbš, helping establish the nature of both ḥlb and dbš.
Imperfect Duties, Group Obligations, and Beneficence
Authors: Andrew Schroeder S.
Published: September 2014

There is virtually no philosophical consensus on what, exactly, imperfect duties are. In this paper, I lay out three criteria which I argue any adequate account of imperfect duties should satisfy. Using beneficence as a leading example, I suggest that existing accounts of imperfect duties will have trouble meeting those criteria. I then propose a new approach: thinking of imperfect duties as duties held by groups, rather than individuals. I show, again using the example of beneficence, that this proposal can satisfy the criteria, explaining how something can both have the necessity characteristic of duty, while also allowing agents the latitude which seems to attach to imperfect duties.
Three new species of Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Vietnam
Authors: TAKAOKA HIROYUKI , SOFIAN-AZIRUN MOHD , YA’COB ZUBAIDAH , CHEN CHEE DHANG , LAU KOON WENG , PHAM XUAN DA
Published: September 2014

Three new species of black flies, Simulium (Nevermannia) langbiangense, S. (N.) phami, and S. (N.) bachmaense, are described on the basis of females, males, pupae and larvae collected in Vietnam. All three species are assigned to the Simulium feuerborni species-group of Simulium (Nevermannia). Simulium (N.) langbiangense sp. nov. is characterized by the female sensory vesicle with a large opening, and a short common basal stalk of the six pupal gill filaments, S. (N.) phami sp. nov. is most striking in having the pupal gill with five filaments, a character not reported in species of the S. feuerborni species-group, and S. (N.) bachmaense sp. nov. is characterized by the female genital fork with a triangular lobe-like projection pointed posteromedially on each arm, and the small larval postgenal cleft. This represents the first record of the S. feuerborni species-group from Vietnam.
A new species of Sybistroma Meigen (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from the Middle East with a key to West-Palaearctic species of the genus
Authors: GRICHANOV IGOR YA. , KAZERANI FARZANEH
Published: September 2014

A new species, Sybistroma occidasiatica sp. nov., from the Middle East is described. It is close to S. inornata (Loew, 1857), but is distinguished by its long arista-like antennal stylus (longer than postpedicel) and short apicoventral epandrial lobe of the hypopygium (much shorter than cercus). The new species is peculiar in comprising two phenotypes, which can be distinguished by the length ratio of 1st and 2nd articles of the antennal stylus. The following recombination is also proposed: Sybistroma caudata (Loew, 1859), comb. nov. (transferred from Gymnopternus Loew, 1857). A checklist of the 26 West-Palaearctic species of the genus is compiled, as well as a key based mainly on male secondary sexual characters. The known distribution of Sybistroma Meigen, 1824, is discussed.
Optimal Ranking Regime Analysis of Intra- to Multidecadal U.S. Climate Variability. Part II: Precipitation and Streamflow*
Authors: Mauget Steven A. , Cordero Eugene C.
Published: September 2014

In Part I of this paper, the optimal ranking regime (ORR) method was used to identify intradecadal to multidecadal (IMD) regimes in U.S. climate division temperature data during 1896–2012. Here, the method is used to test for annual and seasonal precipitation regimes during that same period. Water-year mean streamflow rankings at 125 U.S. Hydro-Climatic Data Network gauge stations are also evaluated during 1939–2011. The precipitation and streamflow regimes identified are compared with ORR-derived regimes in the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO), and indices derived from gridded SST anomaly (SSTA) analysis data. Using a graphic display approach that allows for the comparison of IMD climate regimes in multiple time series, an interdecadal cycle in western precipitation is apparent after 1980, as is a similar cycle in northwestern streamflow. Before 1980, IMD regimes in northwestern streamflow and annual precipitation are in approximate antiphase with the PDO. One of the clearest IMD climate signals found in this analysis are post-1970 wet regimes in eastern U.S streamflow and annual precipitation, as well as in fall [September–November (SON)] precipitation. Pearson correlations between time series of annual and seasonal precipitation averaged over the eastern United States and SSTA analysis data show relatively extensive positive correlations between warming tropical SSTA and increasing fall precipitation. The possible Pacific and northern Atlantic roots of the recent eastern U.S. wet regime, as well as the general characteristics of U.S. climate variability in recent decades that emerge from this analysis and that of Part I, are discussed.
El Niño Flavors and Their Simulated Impacts on Atmospheric Circulation in the High Southern Latitudes*
Authors: Wilson Aaron B. , Bromwich David H. , Hines Keith M. , Wang Sheng-hung
Published: September 2014

Two El Niño flavors have been defined based on whether warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies are located in the central or eastern tropical Pacific (CP or EP). This study further characterizes the impacts on atmospheric circulation in the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere associated with these types of El Niño events though a series of numerical simulations using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). Comparing results with the Interim ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim), CAM simulates well the known changes to blocking over Australia and a southward shift in the subtropical jet stream across the eastern Pacific basin during CP events. More importantly for the high southern latitudes, CAM simulates a westward shift in upper-level divergence in the tropical Pacific, which causes the Pacific–South American stationary wave pattern to shift toward the west across the entire South Pacific. These changes to the Rossby wave source region impact the South Pacific convergence zone and jet streams and weaken the high-latitude blocking that is typically present in the Amundsen-Bellingshausen Seas during EP events. Anticyclonic flow becomes established farther west in the south central Pacific, modifying high-latitude heat and momentum fluxes across the South Pacific and South Atlantic associated with the ENSO–Antarctic dipole.
“Base, but Nevertheless Holy”
Authors: Johnson Christopher DL
Published: September 2014

Victor Turner briefly mentions the liminality of “holy beggars” and “simpletons” (1969: 110) but this point has received little attention in existing literature on either liminality or holy fools. The seventh-century saint’s life The Life of Symeon the Fool is often described as presenting Symeon as someone who challenges and inverts norms while ultimately remaining a “loyal, albeit restless, member” of Emesa’s Christian community (Saward, 2000: 28). This paper will argue that Symeon’s prolonged liminality in the narrative allows him to play both of these roles by blurring the lines between desert and city, compassion and aggression, and critic and caretaker.
Extortion with Protection
Authors: Sabates-Wheeler Rachel , Verwimp Philip
Published: September 2014

Using a panel data set from Burundi where information on protection payments during the twelve-year civil war was collected, we test the relationship between payments, the nature of extraction by the rebels, and the welfare outcomes. We ask, “Does payment to rebels insure against future welfare loss and does the nature of payment matter? Specifically, does the level of institutionalization of extraction within the rebel governance structure provide a form of insurance for future welfare?” No less than 30 percent of the interviewees made at least one payment. Rebels extract these taxes through one of the following two routes: an “institutionalized” and regular cash-with-receipt method or an ad hoc and unpredictable labor extraction. Using matching methods, we find that payment through the institutionalized route increases household welfare between 16 and 25 percent. Ad hoc extraction has no effect. We situate our findings in the empirical literatures on contributions to mafia-type organizations and rebel governance.
Religious Diversity and Religious Tolerance
Authors: Dowd Robert A.
Published: September 2014

This article seeks to understand the impact of religious diversity on religious tolerance in developing countries and draws lessons from the case of Nigeria. Religious diversity has appeared to prompt religious intolerance in Nigeria when we view the country from a distance. However, this article reveals important subnational variation. Using original survey data collected in 2006, I compare the impact of religious observance on respect for religious freedom across four settings within Nigeria and find religious observance was having, at the time of the survey, a more positive impact on respect for religious freedom in the most religiously diverse and integrated of the four settings. In-depth interviews indicate that Christian and Muslim religious leaders more openly encouraged religious tolerance in religiously diverse and integrated settings than in religiously homogenous settings. Substantively, this study suggests that religious segregation rather than religious diversity has inhibited religious tolerance in Nigeria and provides a baseline for assessing how changes in religious diversity and sociopolitical conditions across time affect the likelihood that Christianity and Islam are applied in ways that promote or impede tolerance. Methodologically, it reveals the importance of examining individual-level data and subnational variation when attempting to understand the political impact of religion in any country.
Resin Monomers Act as Adjuvants in Ni-induced Allergic Dermatitis in vivo
Authors: Bando K. , Takahashi H. , Kinbara M. , Tanaka Y. , Kuroishi T. , Sasaki K. , Takano-Yamamoto T. , Sugawara S. , Endo Y.
Published: September 2014

Resin monomers (RMs) are inflammatory agents and are thought to cause allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). However, mouse models are lacking, possibly because of the weak antigenicities of RMs. We previously reported that inflammatory substances can promote the allergic dermatitis (AD) induced by intradermally injected nickel (Ni-AD) in mice. Here, we examined the effects of RMs on Ni-AD. To sensitize mice to Ni, a mixture containing non-toxic concentrations of NiCl2 and an RM [either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)] was injected intraperitoneally or into ear-pinnae intradermally. Ten days later, a mixture containing various concentrations of NiCl2 and/or an RM was intradermally injected into ear-pinnae, and ear-swelling was measured. In adoptive transfer experiments, spleen cells from sensitized mice were transferred intravenously into non-sensitized recipients, and 24 h later NiCl2 was challenged to ear-pinnae. Whether injected intraperitoneally or intradermally, RM plus NiCl2 mixtures were effective in sensitizing mice to Ni. AD-inducing Ni concentrations were greatly reduced in the presence of MMA or HEMA (at the sensitization step from 10 mM to 5 or 50 µM, respectively, and at the elicitation step from 10 µM to 10 or 100 nM, respectively). These effects of RMs were weaker in IL-1-knockout mice and in macrophage-depleted mice. Cell-transfer experiments in IL-1-knockout mice indicated that both the sensitization and elicitation steps depended on IL-1. Challenge with an RM alone did not induce allergic ear-swelling in mice given the same RM + NiCl2 10 days before the challenge. These results suggest that RMs act as adjuvants, not as antigens, to promote Ni-AD by reducing the AD-inducing concentration of Ni, and that IL-1 and macrophages are critically important for the adjuvant effects. We speculate that what were previously thought of as “RM-ACD” might include ACD caused by antigens other than RMs that have undergone promotion by the adjuvant effects of RMs.
Complicated acute appendicitis? An unusual differential
Authors: Cawich Shamir O , Hassranah Dale , Pooran Suresh , Dan Dilip , Narayansingh Vijay
Published: September 2014

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical diagnosis but several differential diagnoses exist and should be considered. Internal concealment is one such diagnosis.

We present a case of a young man taken to the operating room with a preoperative diagnosis of complicated acute appendicitis. A ruptured caecum was encountered and several free-floating drug pellets were present.

Attending doctors should consider this differential in the high prevalence areas and, whenever encountered, they should strongly consider early reporting.
Green treasures and paper floras: the business of Mutis in New Granada (1783–1808)
Authors: Marcaida José Ramón , Pimentel Juan
Published: September 2014

This paper explores the endeavours of José Celestino Mutis before and during his directorship of the Royal Botanical Expedition to the New Kingdom of Granada (1783-1816). Firstly, it will consider various aspects of Mutis’ activities as a naturalist and entrepreneur, in particular his efforts to promote the identification and commercial exploitation of three natural products associated with the Viceroyalty of New Granada: quina, cinnamon, and tea. Secondly, the paper will focus on the complex dynamics of the expedition’s artistic workshop, whose outcome was the monumental compilation of botanical illustrations known as the Flora de Bogotá. The overall aim is to offer a reflection on the challenges posed by the practices of accumulation and management in the context of a scientific expedition inspired by the new policies of the reformist movement in Spain and designed to make profit out of the nature of the New World and its knowledge.
Non-linear minimum variance estimation for fault detection systems
Authors: Alkaya Alkan , Grimble Michael John
Published: September 2014

A novel model-based algorithm for fault detection in stochastic linear and non-linear systems is proposed. The non-linear minimum variance estimation technique is used to generate a residual signal, which is then used to detect actuator and sensor faults in the system. The main advantage of the approach is the simplicity of the non-linear estimator theory and the straightforward structure of the resulting solution. Simulation examples are presented to illustrate the design procedure and the type of results obtained. The results demonstrate that both actuator and sensor faults can be detected successfully.
Performance improvement in artificial intelligence-based objects tracking via probabilistic estimation approach
Authors: Mazinan A H
Published: September 2014

The present research is focused on the object tracking domain based upon a new probabilistic estimation approach. This is realized through a generalization of the particle filter framework (PFF), in association with a neural network, namely an intelligence-based PFF (IPFF). In this idea, a number of appropriate features of mobile objects should first be considered for use in the process of IPFF realization to make the estimation and better performance. The applicability of the proposed approach has been considered though three separated scenarios, including non-stationary, stationary/non-stationary and finally stationary objects, as long as the standard mean shift object tracking approach is realized as a benchmark approach. The experimental results verify the approach performance improvement.
Leaking and death-threats by students: A study in German schools
Authors: Bondü Rebecca , Scheithauer Herbert
Published: September 2014

Leaking comprises observable behavior or statements that signal intentions of committing a violent offense and is considered an important warning sign for school shootings. School staff who are confronted with leaking have to assess its seriousness and react appropriately – a difficult task, because knowledge about leaking is sparse. The present study, therefore, examined how frequently leaking occurs in schools and how teachers identify leaking and respond to it. To achieve this aim, we informed teachers from eight schools in Germany about the definition of leaking and other warning signs and risk factors for school shootings in a one-hour information session. Teachers were then asked to report cases of leaking over a six- to nine-month period and to answer a questionnaire on leaking and its treatment after the information session and six to nine months later. Our results suggest that leaking is a relevant problem in German schools. Teachers mostly rated the information session positively and benefited in several aspects (e.g. reported more perceived courses of action or improved knowledge about leaking), but also expressed a constant need for support. Our findings highlight teachers’ needs for further support and training and may be used in the planning of prevention measures for school shootings.
Modesty in the Top Management Team
Authors: Ridge Jason W. , Ingram Amy
Published: September 2014

Much of the recent research on executive characteristics focuses on attributes that society tends to view negatively, such as self-interest, self-serving bias, and narcissism. While providing insights into how executives’ impact organizational outcomes, there may be attributes more positively viewed by society present in top management teams (TMTs) that have been overlooked, specifically TMT modesty. Though modesty deviates from the conventional view of executives, evidence from social psychology suggests that modesty positively impacts career success and upward mobility, suggesting that at least some individuals that rise to the level of the TMT are more modest than previously expected. Building on this insight, we argue that TMT modesty both elicits positive investor reactions following earnings calls and corresponds with higher levels of firm performance.
Breaking Western Filmmaking Models: An Unexplored Indian Frame of Film Communication—Evidence From Telugu Cinema
Authors: Murthy C. S. H. N. , Meitei Oinam Bedajit , Barua Amrita
Published: September 2014

The present study primarily intends to document how textbooks and reference textbooks on film studies written by Western and diaspora authors either belittled Indian cinema as masala genre or glorified the moniker Bollywood as a signifier of pan-Indianness, overlooking the significant contributions of the Telugu film industry, which is the twin brother of the Hindi film industry both in genesis and growth (since 1931) and even today runs neck to neck with Hindi cinema in the production of films and film remakes. The study argues that Indian cinema has never been examined at the modernist (foundation) level of its structural perspectives comprising innovations of production, cultural flows in the delineation of regional variations, and fine arts including aesthetics consisting of six arts and genres that are native, distinct, and unique. Drawing its support from de-Westernizing media studies, the article posits that lack of familiarity with the Indian cultural and linguistic traditions, together with its complex structure and semiotics rooted in religious classics, which are portrayed more effectively in Telugu cinema than in Hindi cinema, is the reason for the failure of Western academia to negotiate the complex meaning processes of these filmic communications.
The effects of beliefs regarding drug assignment in experimental and field studies of nicotine delivery devices: A review
Authors: Dar Reuven , Barrett Sean P
Published: September 2014

The placebo effect of a psychoactive drug can be defined as the effect of expecting the drug in the absence of its pharmacological actions. As nicotine is widely believed to be the primary factor driving cigarette smoking, smokers are likely to expect nicotine to alleviate craving and withdrawal. The present review examines the extent to which any observed effects of nicotine, and especially its craving- and withdrawal-reducing effects, can be attributed to placebo. We begin by reviewing studies that examined the placebo effects of nicotine in the laboratory and follow with a review of potential placebo effects that are typically not controlled in placebo-controlled studies of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). In laboratory studies, nicotine instructions decrease tobacco smoking, craving and/or withdrawal, while nicotine-specific effects have not been consistently reported. In field trials of NRT, there is a general failure to assess smokers’ beliefs regarding their drug assignment. This omission makes it difficult to unequivocally attribute findings of placebo-controlled NRT studies to the physiological effects of nicotine. In sum, our review indicates that the placebo effects of nicotine, and specifically nicotine content expectations, may account for many of the benefits associated with nicotine delivery devices in both laboratory and field studies.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome in a Boy With Lung Fluke Infection
Authors: Yang Cui-Wei , Gao Feng , Xia Zhe-Zhi
Published: September 2014

Guillain-Barré syndrome is the most common acute peripheral neuropathy in children in most countries. The cause and pathogenesis of the disease have yet to be clarified. There have been only a few reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome resulting from parasite infections worldwide, no cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome after lung fluke infection have been reported. We report a case of an 8-year-old male patient with Guillain-Barré syndrome after lung fluke infection. The child had a history of consumption of undercooked crabs. He was diagnosed with paragonimiasis. The patient experienced paralysis of and pain in the lower limbs about 3 weeks after symptom onset. Neurologic and electrophysiologic examination findings supported the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Parasitic infections should also be considered when determining which antecedent infection is associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Steady computations of ingress through gas turbine rim seals
Authors: Lalwani Yogesh , Sangan Carl M , Wilson Mike , Lock Gary D
Published: September 2014

In gas turbines, rim seals are fitted at the periphery of the wheel-space between the turbine disc and its adjacent casing; their purpose is to reduce the ingress of hot mainstream gases. This paper describes the use of a three-dimensional, steady-state model to investigate ingress through engine-representative single and double radial-clearance seals. The three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes computations of a simplified turbine stage are carried out using the commercial computational fluid dynamics code ANSYS CFX v13, and the model is based on the geometry of an experimental test rig at the University of Bath. The measured variation of the peak-to-trough pressure difference in the annulus, which is the main driving mechanism for ingress, is reproduced well qualitatively by the computations; quantitatively, the maximum local differences between computation and experiment are less than 20% of the measured peak-to-trough circumferential variation. The radial variation of swirl ratio in the rotor–stator wheel-space is well predicted over the range of flow rates and rim seal geometries studied. The radial distribution of sealing effectiveness determined from experiments is reproduced inward of the mixing region near the seal clearance over a range of sealing flow rates; some over-prediction of the effectiveness was found for both seals at high radius, probably due to limitations in the turbulent mixing modelling. The three-dimensional steady-state approach may be a practical tool for the engine designer where there is a lack of experimental data, providing quantitative predictions of the flow structure within the rotor–stator wheel-space and qualitative predictions of the sealing effectiveness for a given rim seal geometry.
Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of symmetric polyneuropathy in a cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Authors: Jasmin R , Sockalingam S , Ramanaidu L P , Goh K J
Published: September 2014

Objective

Peripheral neuropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is heterogeneous and its commonest pattern is symmetrical polyneuropathy. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence, clinical and electrophysiological features, disease associations and effects on function and quality of life of polyneuropathy in SLE patients, defined using combined clinical and electrophysiological diagnostic criteria.

Methods

Consecutive SLE patients seen at the University of Malaya Medical Centre were included. Patients with medication and other disorders known to cause neuropathy were excluded. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were obtained using a pre-defined questionnaire. Function and health-related quality of life was assessed using the modified Rankin scale and the SF-36 scores. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) were carried out in both upper and lower limbs. Polyneuropathy was defined as the presence of bilateral clinical symptoms and/or signs and bilateral abnormal NCS parameters.

Results

Of 150 patients, 23 (15.3%) had polyneuropathy. SLE-related polyneuropathy was mainly characterized by sensory symptoms of numbness/tingling and pain with mild signs of absent ankle reflexes and reduced pain sensation. Function was minimally affected and there were no differences in quality of life scores. NCS abnormalities suggested mild length-dependent axonal neuropathy, primarily in the distal lower limbs. Compared to those without polyneuropathy, SLE-related polyneuropathy patients were significantly older but had no other significant demographic or disease associations.

Conclusions

SLE-related polyneuropathy is a chronic, axonal and predominantly sensory neuropathy, associated with older age. Its underlying pathogenetic mechanisms are unknown, although a possibility could be an increased susceptibility of peripheral nerves in SLE patients to effects of aging.
The Political Context of Economic Cooperation in Asia: The Relation between Trade Integration and Security Rivalries
Authors: Sridharan E.
Published: September 2014

This article lays out the overarching context of economic cooperation in Asia and discusses the two big questions: the strategic consequences of economic integration in Asia and the economic consequences of the lack of a security consensus in Asia. The rise of China is central to both. China’s economic rise has led to the rapid growth of Asian economic integration as well as given rise to security rivalries, both land and maritime, all around its borders. The article examines whether economic integration will mitigate security rivalries or whether the absence of a regional security arrangement instead of the hub-and-spokes US-centred security system in the Asia-Pacific will impede the growth of economic and political cooperation. Much depends on the unpredictable and evolving interaction of Chinese behaviour and the US and Asian responses to it.
Book Review: Jose Mauricio Domingues. 2013. Global Modernity, Development, and Contemporary Civilization: Towards a Renewal of Critical Theory
Authors: Chaudhuri Bidisha
Published: September 2014

Jose Mauricio Domingues. 2013. Global Modernity, Development, and Contemporary Civilization: Towards a Renewal of Critical Theory. New York: Routledge, 44.95$, 276 pp., ISBN: 978-0-415-84871-8.
Book Review: R.V. Rajan. 2013. Don’t Flirt with Rural Marketing—The Handbook of Rural Marketing
Authors: Gerking Stephan
Published: September 2014

R.V. Rajan. 2013. Don’t Flirt with Rural Marketing—The Handbook of Rural Marketing. Madras, India: Productivity and Quality Publishing Private Limited, ₹ 395, 102 pp., ISBN: 9788185984629.
Active/semi-active hybrid control for motion and vibration control of mechanical and structural systems
Authors: Hiramoto Kazuhiko , Grigoriadis Karolos M
Published: September 2014

As a new control design framework for motion and vibration control of mechanical and structural systems, an active/semi-active hybrid control (ASHC) methodology is proposed in this paper. In the proposed ASHC framework, a mechanical system that has both an actuator for motion and vibration control, and a semi-active control device, e.g., MR damper, for vibration control is defined as a control configuration. Depending on the location of the actuator and the semi-active device, two ASHC problems are formulated as optimization problems of the control performance on the motion and vibration control. In the ASHC approach, the higher control performance is accomplished by the cooperative and complementary control of the actuator and the semi-active control device. Some solution candidates and design examples are presented to show the effectiveness and the importance of the ASHC framework.
Drug Holidays From ADHD Medication
Authors: Ibrahim Kinda , Donyai Parastou
Published: September 2014

Objective: ADHD is managed by stimulants that are effective but can cause growth retardation. Prescribers should ideally monitor children and trial a “drug holiday” to enable catch-up growth. Our aim was to map the experience of drug holidays from ADHD medication in children and adolescents. Method: A comprehensive search of the literature identified 22 studies published during the period 1972 to 2013. Results: Drug holidays are prevalent in 25% to 70% of families and are more likely to be exercised during school holidays. They test whether medication is still needed and are also considered for managing medication side effects and drug tolerance. The impact of drug holidays was reported in terms of side effects and ADHD symptoms. There was evidence of a positive impact on child growth with longer breaks from medication, and shorter breaks could reduce insomnia and improve appetite. Conclusion: Drug holidays from ADHD medication could be a useful tool with multiple purposes: assessment, management, prevention, and negotiation.
Distinct Patterns of Everyday Executive Function Problems Distinguish Children With Tourette Syndrome From Children With ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Hovik Kjell Tore , Egeland Jens , Isquith Peter K. , Gioia Gerard , Skogli Erik Winther , Andersen Per Normann , Øie Merete
Published: September 2014

Objective: The aim is to investigate the everyday executive function (EF) in children with Tourette syndrome (TS), Inattentive or Combined presentations of ADHD (ADHD-I/ADHD-C), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and typically developing children (TDC). Method: Nineteen TS, 33 ADHD-C, 43 ADHD-I, 34 ASD, and 50 TDC participated (8-17 years). Parents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Results: TS, ADHD-C, ADHD-I, or ASD were rated with significantly more regulation problems on all scales compared with TDC. Considerable overlap of symptoms between clinical groups made differentiation difficult on individual scales. Scale configurations showed children with TS to have more problems with emotional control (EC) than cognitive flexibility in relation to children with ASD, more problems with EC than inhibitory control in relation to ADHD-C, and more problems with EC than planning/organizing in relation to ADHD-I. Conclusion: Paired BRIEF scales dissociated EF problems in children with TS from children with ADHD-C, ADHD-I, or ASD. Clinical relevance is discussed.
Performance Of Tourism Destinations: Evidence From Tunisia
Authors: Ben Aissa Sami , Goaied Mohamed
Published: September 2014

This study uses data envelopment analysis and a two-stage procedure to compare the performance of Tunisian tourism destinations and to examine the impact of investment (public and private), economic circumstances, workers skills, and travel agent number on the efficiency of Tunisian tourism destinations. In the first stage, the efficiency score is calculated. This calculation is followed in the second stage with a bootstrapped truncated regression model examining the effects of the cited variables to determine the best development strategy that can increase the tourism competitiveness of Tunisian tourism destinations. This study has six major conclusions. First, the test results confirm that the destination efficiency is sensitive to public and private investment in the tourism industry. Second, the trade deficit has a significant negative impact on the efficiency of the country destinations. Third, tourism education and training in Tunisia do not meet the Tunisian tourist market needs. Fourth, the wage level in the tourism sector positively affects the performance of destinations. Fifth, whereas the number of Type A (hold and sell travel) travel agencies positively affects the performance of a destination, Type B agencies (only sell travels) negatively influence it. Last, tourism destinations have to develop commodities, tourism monuments, leisure activities, and other para-tourism activities to attract more tourists or to improve their length of stay.
How do respiratory patients perceive oxygen therapy? A critical interpretative synthesis of the literature
Authors: Kelly Carol Ann , Maden Michelle
Published: September 2014

Oxygen therapy is a common intervention in health care worldwide; yet, despite universal use, it is evident through poor practice that oxygen is often prescribed and administered injudiciously. It is proposed that possibly an influencing culture presides, whereby oxygen is often poorly understood and uncertainty regarding its use exists. It is unclear where the origins of this culture lie but exploring perceptions may enlighten the problem. A review of the literature was undertaken to establish what is already known about this elusive phenomenon. The paucity of any direct evidence regarding perceptions of oxygen directed the review to utilize a critical interpretative synthesis (CIS). The aim of this study was to explore how respiratory patients perceive oxygen therapy. A systematic search in Medline, Cinahl, Embase, British Nursing Index and PsychInfo yielded 1514 studies of which 42 were selected to consider the review question. The CIS allowed evidence from across studies to synthesize existing and new interpretations of data related to patients’ perceptions of oxygen therapy. Synthetic constructs then informed the synthesizing arguments, namely positive – feeling safe, enabler and comforter; negative – fear, oxygen versus self, restriction and embarrassment; and impartiality – mixed blessings. The findings are divergent, and at times contradictory. There appears uncertainty among patients regarding the purpose and benefits of oxygen therapy, though an underlying faith in health-care professionals is apparent. This faith seems to foster acceptance of a life-changing therapy, despite the impact, burden and incomplete understanding. There is a clear need for further research regarding these elusive perceptions in order to improve clinical practice in respect of oxygen.
Forging a Link Between Conduct Disorder and Adolescent/Adult Offending Via Externalizing Behavior and Reading Performance
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: September 2014

The current study tested whether teacher-rated externalizing behavior and academic (reading) performance mediate the relationship between childhood onset conduct disorder and self-reported adolescent delinquency and officially recorded adult offending. All 411 boys from the Cambridge Study of Delinquent Development served as participants in this study. Mediation analysis revealed that the direct effect of childhood onset conduct disorder and the indirect effect of reading performance on mid-adolescent delinquency and early adult offending were nonsignificant, but that adolescent externalizing behavior had a significant indirect effect on both delinquency and adult offending.
Anti-programmed death receptor 1 immunotherapy in melanoma: rationale, evidence and clinical potential
Authors: Freeman-Keller Morganna , Weber Jeffrey S.
Published: September 2014

Malignant melanoma is a significant public health problem; according to 2013 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data, its average incidence rate rose 2.6% each year for the last decade, and it is now the fifth most common cancer diagnosis in the United States. The rising incidence and historical poor response to chemotherapy have led to intense investigation of novel treatments for melanoma, including therapies to improve the immune-mediated destruction of cancer cells. Among the hallmarks of malignancy is the ability to evade this process: while early stages of tumor growth can induce functional CD8+ T-cell responses, cancer cells become increasingly embedded in an immune-suppressive tumor stroma. In the tumor microenvironment, T-cell proliferation and effector function are impaired due to engagement of T-cell programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) with programmed death receptor ligand (PD-L1) expressed by cancer cells and antigen-presenting cells, which blocks T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This receptor-ligand engagement thereby inhibits immunity, allows the tumor to continue to grow, and contributes to the phenomenon of ‘T-cell exhaustion’. One immunotherapy strategy currently under investigation is inhibition of the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1, thereby overcoming a critical immune checkpoint to facilitate destruction of cancer cells. In this review we discuss the preclinical rationale for PD-1 pathway inhibition in cancer, recent results of clinical trials targeting PD-1 and PD-L1, and evaluate its potential as a future anticancer therapy.
Nutrition Management of Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Phillips Wendy
Published: September 2014

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasing in prevalence in children in the United States. This disease has been traditionally managed with medications, and behavioral management programs are available to help craft the home and school environments to help the child function better. Nutrition therapy can also be used to complement these management techniques. This article reviews research regarding specific food components in the management of behaviors associated with ADHD. Additionally, nutrition recommendations for registered dietitians and other health care providers who work with children with behavioral disorders such as ADHD are provided.
Diagnostic accuracy of fecal immunochemical test in average‐ and familial‐risk colorectal cancer screening
Authors: Cubiella Joaquín , Castro Inés , Hernandez Vicent , González-Mao Carmen , Rivera Concepción , Iglesias Felipe , Alves María Teresa , Cid Lucía , Soto Santiago , De-Castro Luisa , Vega Pablo , Hermo Jose Antonio , Macenlle Ramiro , Martínez Alfonso , Estevez Pamela , Cid Estela , Herreros-Villanueva Marta , Portillo Isabel , Bujanda Luis , Fernández-Seara Javier ,   COLONPREV
Published: September 2014

Background

There is little information about the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in familial‐risk colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.

Objectives

The objective of this article is to investigate whether FIT diagnostic accuracy for advanced neoplasia (AN) differs between average and familial‐risk (first‐degree relative) patients.

Methods

A total of 1317 consecutive participants (595 familial) who collected one stool sample before performing a colonoscopy as a CRC screening test were included. FIT diagnostic accuracy for AN was evaluated with Chi‐square test at a 20 µg hemoglobin/g of feces cut‐off value. Finally, we determined which variables were independently related to AN.

Results

An AN was found in 151 (11.5%) patients. The overall accuracy was not statistically different between both cohorts for AN (88.4%, 91.7%; p  = 0.051). At the cut‐off stablished, differences in FIT sensitivity (31.1%, 40.6%; p  = 0.2) or specificity (96.5%, 97.3%; p  = 0.1) were not statistically significant. Finally, independent variables such as sex (male) (odds ratio (OR) 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–3.1), age (50–65, >65 years) (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–4.3; OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2–6.1), previous colonoscopy (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.9) and FIT ≥20 µg/g feces (OR 17.7, 95% CI 10.8–29.1) were associated with AN diagnosis.

Conclusions

FIT accuracy for AN detection is equivalent in average and familial‐risk CRC screening cohorts.
Effects of cooling process on microstructure and hardness for 1·0C–1·5Cr bearing steel
Authors: Li Z.-X. , Li C.-S. , Li B.-Z. , Ma Y.-Q. , Li T.
Published: September 2014

Effects of cooling rate ( Vcr) and final cooling temperature ( Tft), after hot deformation, on microstructure and hardness for 1·0C–1·5Cr bearing steel were investigated. The results show that if Vcr increases from 2 to 25°C s−1 and Tft remains at 650°C, pearlite colony size and grain size both decrease, hardness increases. When Vcr exceeds 8°C s−1, carbide network can be restrained effectively. TEM micrographs indicate that there exist branches in the local region of lamellar cementite and ferrite, and a ferrite thin film is also found around the proeutectoid carbide. Under the cooling rate of 10°C s−1, with the increase in Tft, the microstructure changes from martensite into pearlite, carbide network becomes more serious and hardness decreases.
Copper based superhydrophobic microchannels: Fabrication and its effect on friction reduction
Authors: Tang Y. , Fu T. , Liu Q. , Luo W.
Published: September 2014

Copper based superhydrophobic surfaces are fabricated using a laser electrodeposited composite method, which is able to form a dual rough microstructure. It is found that the static contact angles on these special microstructure surfaces are bigger than 150° and rolling angles are smaller than 5° when there is no low energy material coating on surfaces. It is also found that the pressure drops on microchannel surfaces composed with these microstructures show an increasing trend with the widening of channel. Under the condition of laminar flow, they are obviously smaller on superhydrophobic microchannels than on a smooth channel. Owing to the superhydrophobic structures, the friction factor reduces compared with a smooth surface. The biggest reduction value is 48·8, and the smallest is 46·9.
Ultrafine ferrite formation through cold-rolling and annealing of low-carbon dual-phase steel
Authors: Okitsu Y. , Takata N. , Tsuji N.
Published: September 2014

Formation process of ultrafine grained ferrite through a simple thermomechanical route composed of cold-rolling and annealing of dual-phase starting microstructures was investigated. A 0·1C steel having a ferrite–martensite dual-phase microstructure was cold-rolled by 91 and subsequently annealed below the eutectoid (A1) temperature. During the annealing, the cold-rolled microstructure gradually changed to be equiaxed ultrafine ferrite, without preferential growth of particular ferrite grains. Hardness of the cold-rolled specimen continuously decreased without a significant drop. The main components of texture in the cold-rolled specimen, α-fibre and γ-fibre, did not change greatly after the formation of ultrafine grains. It was suggested that finely subdivided region having large misorientations in the cold-rolled state grew with recovery to form the ultrafine ferrite.
Effects of La2O3 on electrolytic boronising of titanium
Authors: Huang Y.-G. , Chen J.-R. , Zhang X.-H. , Wang H.-Q. , Fang Z. , Li Q.-Y.
Published: September 2014

La2O3 is added into boriding agent considered as a role of boriding catalyst to improve the growth of TiB crystal whiskers in commercial purity titanium (CP-Ti) substrate by electrolytic boronising technology. The catalytic mechanism of boriding catalyst is discussed. The boriding of CP-Ti substrates is carried out in an electrochemical cell in which we use a mixture of sodium tetraborate and potassium carbonate as the base ingredients of molten electrolyte. Both TiB2 and TiB phases in the borided titanium samples are confirmed by X-ray diffraction method (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal the boride layers consist of a homogeneous TiB2 phase on the top and TiB whiskers toward the substrate, and the result verify boriding catalyst promotes the growth of crystal whiskers significantly with an average boride layer thickness of 132 μm and a maximum thickness 338 μm.