bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whole‐flock, metaphylactic tilmicosin failed to eliminate contagious ovine digital dermatitis and footrot in sheep: a cluster randomised trial
Authors: Angell J. W. , Grove‐White D. H. , Williams H. J. , Duncan J. S.
Published: July 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical success of whole‐flock systemic tilmicosin and enhanced biosecurity in eliminating active contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) from sheep flocks. Thirty flocks in the UK were randomly allocated to receive either treatment as usual (as per the farmer's normal routine) or whole‐flock treatment with tilmicosin, together with isolation and extended treatment of clinically affected individuals and isolation and treatment of purchased sheep during the study period. All flocks were visited once at onset of the trial to examine all sheep. One year later, all sheep were re‐examined to determine the presence/absence of clinical lesions. The primary outcome was the clinical elimination of CODD from flocks. Secondary outcomes were reduction in prevalence of CODD, clinical elimination of footrot and reduction in prevalence of footrot. The analysis included 11 control flocks and 13 intervention flocks, with initially 3460 and 4686 sheep, respectively. For CODD: at follow‐up, in the intervention group, 6/13 (46 per cent) flocks had a prevalence of zero compared with 1/11 (9 per cent) in the control group (P=0.12). For footrot: at follow‐up, no flocks had a prevalence of zero. Therefore, the intervention is not recommended for the elimination of CODD or footrot in the UK.
Quantized gravitoelectromagnetism theory at finite temperature
Authors: Santos A. F. , Khanna Faqir C.
Published: July 2016

The Gravitoelectromagnetism (GEM) theory is considered in a Lagrangian formulation using the Weyl tensor components. A perturbative approach to calculate processes at zero temperature has been used. Here the GEM at finite temperature is analyzed using Thermo Field Dynamics, real time finite temperature quantum field theory. Transition amplitudes involving gravitons, fermions and photons are calculated for various processes. These amplitudes are likely of interest in astrophysics.
Soliton solutions for a (3 + 1)-dimensional modified Korteweg–de Vries–Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation in a plasma
Authors: Sun Yan , Tian Bo , Zhen Hui-Ling , Wu Xiao-Yu , Xie Xi-Yang
Published: July 2016

Under investigation in this paper is a (3 + 1)-dimensional modified Korteweg–de Vries–Zakharov–Kuznetsov (KdV-ZK) equation, which describes the nonlinear behaviors of ion-acoustic waves in a magnetized plasma where the cooler ions are treated as a fluid with adiabatic pressure and the hot isothermal electrons are described by a Boltzmann distribution. With the Hirota method and symbolic computation, we obtain the one-, two- and three-soliton solutions for such an equation. We graphically study the solitons related with the coefficient of the cubic nonlinearity [Formula: see text]. Amplitude of the one soliton increases with increasing [Formula: see text], but the width of one soliton keeps unchanged as [Formula: see text] increases. The two solitons and three solitons are parallel, and the amplitudes of the solitons increase with increasing [Formula: see text], but the widths of the solitons are unchanged. It is shown that the interactions between the two solitons and among the three solitons are elastic.
Carrier leakage effect on efficiency droop in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes
Authors: Huang Yang , Liu Zhiqiang , Yi Xiaoyan , Guo Yao , Wu Shaoteng , Yuan Guodong , Wang Junxi , Wang Guohong , Li Jinmin
Published: July 2016

A new model for efficiency droop in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is proposed, where the primary nonradiative recombination mechanisms, including Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH), Auger and carrier leakage, are considered. A room-temperature external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement was performed on our designed samples and analyzed by the new model. Owing to advantages over the common “[Formula: see text] model”, the “new model” is able to effectively extract recombination coefficients and calculate the leakage currents of the hole and electron. From this new model, we also found that hole leakage is distinct at low injection, while it disappears at high injection, which is contributed to the weak blocking effect of electron in quantum wells (QWs) at low injection.
Dynamics of water trimer in femtosecond laser pulses
Authors: Wang Zhiping , Zhang Fengshou , Xu Xuefeng , Wang Yanbiao , Qian Chaoyi
Published: July 2016

With the help of the time-dependent local-density approximation (TDLDA) coupled non-adiabatically to molecular dynamics (MD), we studied both the static properties and irradiation dynamics of water trimer subject to the short and intense femtosecond laser field. It is shown that the optimized geometry and the optical absorption strength of the water trimer accord well with results in literature. Three typical possible irradiated scenarios of water trimer which are “normal oscillation”, “dissociation and formation” and “pure OH dissociation” are exhibited by investigating the ionization and the level depletion related to electrons as well as the OH bonds, proton-transfer, the intermolecular distance and the kinetic energy connected with ions. In three scenarios, the behaviors of water trimer can be attributed to the sequential combination of responses of the electrons emission, the proton-transfer, OH vibration and rotation, OH dissociation and hydroxyl formation, respectively. The relevant time scales of the first proton-transfer and OH dissociation are identified as 13 fs and 10–20 fs, respectively. The study of kinetic energies of ions show that the kinetic energies of the remaining ions are all below 4.5 eV and outgoing hydrogen ions carry a kinetic energy about 5–12 eV. Furthermore, it is found that in the tunneling ionization situations the depletion is fairly shared between the various levels except the most deep occupied electronic level while in the multiphotonic ionization case the electron loss comes from all single-electron levels and the HOMO level contributes the most.
End of a dark age?
Authors: Stuckey W. M. , McDevitt Timothy , Sten A. K. , Silberstein Michael
Published: July 2016

We argue that dark matter (DM)and dark energy phenomena associated with galactic rotation curves (RC’s), X-ray cluster mass profiles, and type Ia supernova data can be accounted for via small corrections to idealized general relativistic spacetime geometries due to disordered locality. Accordingly, we fit the HI nearby galaxy survey (THINGS) RC data rivaling modified Newtonian dynamics, Roentgen Satellite/Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ROSAT/ASCA) X-ray cluster mass profile data rivaling metric-skew-tensor gravity, and SCP Union2.1 SN Ia data rivaling [Formula: see text]CDM without nonbaryonic DM or a cosmological constant. In the case of DM, we geometrically modify proper mass interior to the Schwarzschild solution. In the case of dark energy, we modify proper distance in Einstein–de Sitter cosmology. Therefore, the phenomena of DM and dark energy may be chimeras created by an errant belief that spacetime is a differentiable manifold rather than a disordered graph.
How host regulation of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis protects against peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer
Authors: Dhar Poshmaal , Ng Garrett Z. , Sutton Philip
Published: July 2016

The bacterial pathogen Helicobacter pylori is the etiological agent of a range of gastrointestinal pathologies including peptic ulcer disease and the major killer, gastric adenocarcinoma. Infection with this bacterium induces a chronic inflammatory response in the gastric mucosa (gastritis). It is this gastritis that, over decades, eventually drives the development of H. pylori-associated disease in some individuals. The majority of studies investigating H. pylori pathogenesis have focused on factors that promote disease development in infected individuals. However, an estimated 85% of those infected with H. pylori remain completely asymptomatic, despite the presence of pathogenic bacteria that drive a chronic gastritis that lasts many decades. This indicates the presence of highly effective regulatory processes in the host that, in most cases, keeps a check on inflammation and protect against disease. In this minireview we discuss such known host factors and how they prevent the development of H. pylori-associated pathologies.
Early development of podocyte injury independently of hyperglycemia and elevations in arterial pressure in nondiabetic obese Dahl SS leptin receptor mutant rats
Authors: McPherson Kasi C. , Taylor Lateia , Johnson Ashley C. , Didion Sean P. , Geurts Aron M. , Garrett Michael R. , Williams Jan M.
Published: July 2016

The current study examined the effect of obesity on the development of renal injury within the genetic background of the Dahl salt-sensitive rat with a dysfunctional leptin receptor derived from zinc-finger nucleases (SSLepRmutant strain). At 6 wk of age, body weight was 35% higher in the SSLepRmutant strain compared with SSWTrats and remained elevated throughout the entire study. The SSLepRmutant strain exhibited impaired glucose tolerance and increased plasma insulin levels at 6 wk of age, suggesting insulin resistance while SSWTrats did not. However, blood glucose levels were normal throughout the course of the study. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP) was similar between the two strains from 6 to 10 wk of age. However, by 18 wk of age, the development of hypertension was more severe in the SSLepRmutant strain compared with SSWTrats (201 ± 10 vs. 155 ± 3 mmHg, respectively). Interestingly, proteinuria was substantially higher at 6 wk of age in the SSLepRmutant strain vs. SSWTrats (241 ± 27 vs. 24 ± 2 mg/day, respectively) and remained elevated until the end of the study. The kidneys from the SSLepRmutant strain displayed significant glomerular injury, including podocyte foot process effacement and lipid droplets compared with SSWTrats as early as 6 wk of age. By 18 wk of age, plasma creatinine levels were twofold higher in the SSLepRmutant strain vs. SSWTrats, suggesting the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Overall, these results indicate that the SSLepRmutant strain develops podocyte injury and proteinuria independently of hyperglycemia and elevated arterial pressure that later progresses to CKD.
Decoding Intratumoral Heterogeneity of Breast Cancer by Multiparametric In Vivo Imaging: A Translational Study
Authors: Schmitz Jennifer , Schwab Julian , Schwenck Johannes , Chen Qian , Quintanilla-Martinez Leticia , Hahn Markus , Wietek Beate , Schwenzer Nina , Staebler Annette , Kohlhofer Ursula , Aina Olulanu H. , Hubbard Neil E. , Reischl Gerald , Borowsky Alexander D. , Brucker Sara , Nikolaou Konstantin , la Fougère Christian , Cardiff Robert D. , Pichler Bernd J. , Schmid Andreas M.
Published: July 2016

Differential diagnosis and therapy of heterogeneous breast tumors poses a major clinical challenge. To address the need for a comprehensive, noninvasive strategy to define the molecular and functional profiles of tumors in vivo, we investigated a novel combination of metabolic PET and diffusion-weighted (DW)-MRI in the polyoma virus middle T antigen transgenic mouse model of breast cancer. The implementation of a voxelwise analysis for the clustering of intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity in this model resulted in a multiparametric profile based on [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG)-PET and DW-MRI, which identified three distinct tumor phenotypes in vivo, including solid acinar, and solid nodular malignancies as well as cystic hyperplasia. To evaluate the feasibility of this approach for clinical use, we examined estrogen receptor-positive and progesterone receptor-positive breast tumors from five patient cases using DW-MRI and [18F]FDG-PET in a simultaneous PET/MRI system. The postsurgical in vivo PET/MRI data were correlated to whole-slide histology using the latter traditional diagnostic standard to define phenotype. By this approach, we showed how molecular, structural (microscopic, anatomic), and functional information could be simultaneously obtained noninvasively to identify precancerous and malignant subtypes within heterogeneous tumors. Combined with an automatized analysis, our results suggest that multiparametric molecular and functional imaging may be capable of providing comprehensive tumor profiling for noninvasive cancer diagnostics. Cancer Res; 76(18); 5512–22. ©2016 AACR.
Calcium-Sensing Receptor Promotes Breast Cancer by Stimulating Intracrine Actions of Parathyroid Hormone–Related Protein
Authors: Kim Wonnam , Takyar Farzin M. , Swan Karena , Jeong Jaekwang , VanHouten Joshua , Sullivan Catherine , Dann Pamela , Yu Herbert , Fiaschi-Taesch Nathalie , Chang Wenhan , Wysolmerski John
Published: July 2016

Parathyroid hormone–related protein (PTHrP) contributes to the development and metastatic progression of breast cancer by promoting hypercalcemia, tumor growth, and osteolytic bone metastases, but it is not known how PTHrP is upregulated in breast tumors. Here we report a central role in this process for the calcium-sensing receptor, CaSR, which enables cellular responses to changes in extracellular calcium, through studies of CaSR–PTHrP interactions in the MMTV-PymT transgenic mouse model of breast cancer and in human breast cancer cells. CaSR activation stimulated PTHrP production by breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Tissue-specific disruption of the casr gene in mammary epithelial cells in MMTV-PymT mice reduced tumor PTHrP expression and inhibited tumor cell proliferation and tumor outgrowth. CaSR signaling promoted the proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines and tumor cells cultured from MMTV-PyMT mice. Further, CaSR activation inhibited cell death triggered by high extracellular concentrations of calcium. The actions of the CaSR appeared to be mediated by nuclear actions of PTHrP that decreased p27kip1 levels and prevented nuclear accumulation of the proapoptotic factor apoptosis inducing factor. Taken together, our findings suggest that CaSR–PTHrP interactions might be a promising target for the development of therapeutic agents to limit tumor cell growth in bone metastases and in other microenvironments in which elevated calcium and/or PTHrP levels contribute to breast cancer progression. Cancer Res; 76(18); 5348–60. ©2016 AACR.
Mitochondria-Targeted Doxorubicin: A New Therapeutic Strategy against Doxorubicin-Resistant Osteosarcoma
Authors: Buondonno Ilaria , Gazzano Elena , Jean Sae Rin , Audrito Valentina , Kopecka Joanna , Fanelli Marilù , Salaroglio Iris C. , Costamagna Costanzo , Roato Ilaria , Mungo Eleonora , Hattinger Claudia M. , Deaglio Silvia , Kelley Shana O. , Serra Massimo , Riganti Chiara
Published: July 2016

Doxorubicin is one of the leading drugs for osteosarcoma standard chemotherapy. A total of 40% to 45% of high-grade osteosarcoma patients are unresponsive, or only partially responsive, to doxorubicin (Dox), due to the overexpression of the drug efflux transporter ABCB1/P-glycoprotein (Pgp). The aim of this work is to improve Dox-based regimens in resistant osteosarcomas. We used a chemically modified mitochondria-targeted Dox (mtDox) against Pgp-overexpressing osteosarcomas with increased resistance to Dox. Unlike Dox, mtDox accumulated at significant levels intracellularly, exerted cytotoxic activity, and induced necrotic and immunogenic cell death in Dox-resistant/Pgp-overexpressing cells, fully reproducing the activities exerted by anthracyclines in drug-sensitive tumors. mtDox reduced tumor growth and cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, primed tumor cells for recognition by the host immune system, and was less cardiotoxic than Dox in preclinical models of drug-resistant osteosarcoma. The increase in Dox resistance was paralleled by a progressive upregulation of mitochondrial metabolism. By widely modulating the expression of mitochondria-related genes, mtDox decreased mitochondrial biogenesis, the import of proteins and metabolites within mitochondria, mitochondrial metabolism, and the synthesis of ATP. These events were paralleled by increased reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial depolarization, and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in resistant osteosarcoma cells, where Dox was completely ineffective. We propose mtDox as a new effective agent with a safer toxicity profile compared with Dox that may be effective for the treatment of Dox-resistant/Pgp-positive osteosarcoma patients, who strongly need alternative and innovative treatment strategies. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(11); 2640–52. ©2016 AACR.
Inhibition of Breast Cancer Metastasis by Presurgical Treatment with an Oral Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor: A Preclinical Proof-of-Principle Study
Authors: Winer Arthur , Janosky Maxwell , Harrison Beth , Zhong Judy , Moussai Dariush , Siyah Pinar , Schatz-Siemers Nina , Zeng Jennifer , Adams Sylvia , Mignatti Paolo
Published: July 2016

Breast cancer has the second highest death toll in women worldwide, despite significant progress in early diagnosis and treatments. The main cause of death is metastatic disease. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are required for the initial steps of metastasis, and have therefore been considered as ideal pharmacologic targets for antimetastatic therapy. However, clinical trials of MMP inhibitors were unsuccessful. These trials were conducted in patients with advanced disease, beyond the stage when these compounds could have been effective. We hypothesized that early treatment with a selective MMP inhibitor between the time of diagnosis and definitive surgery, the so-called “window-of-opportunity,” can inhibit metastasis and thereby improve survival. To investigate our hypothesis, we used the 4T1 mouse model of aggressive mammary carcinoma. We treated the animals with SD-7300, an oral inhibitor of MMP-2, -9, and -13, starting after the initial detection of the primary tumor. Seven days later, the primary tumors were excised and analyzed for MMP activity, and the SD-7300 treatment was discontinued. After 4 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and their lungs analyzed histologically for number of metastases and metastatic burden (metastases' area/lung section area). SD-7300 treatment inhibited 70% to 80% of tumor-associated MMP activity (P = 0.0003), reduced metastasis number and metastatic burden by 50% to 60% (P = 0.002 and P = 0.0082, respectively), and increased survival (92% vs. 66.7%; P = 0.0409), relative to control vehicle. These results show that treatment of early invasive breast cancer with selective MMP inhibitors can lower the risk of recurrence and increase long-term disease-free survival. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(10); 2370–7. ©2016 AACR.
Photochemical Tissue Passivation Reduces Vein Graft Intimal Hyperplasia in a Swine Model of Arteriovenous Bypass Grafting
Authors: Goldstone Robert N. , McCormack Michael C. , Khan Saiqa I. , Salinas Harry M. , Meppelink Amanda , Randolph Mark A. , Watkins Michael T. , Redmond Robert W. , Austen William G.
Published: July 2016

Background

Bypass grafting remains the standard of care for coronary artery disease and severe lower extremity ischemia. Efficacy is limited by poor long‐term venous graft patency secondary to intimal hyperplasia (
IH
) caused by venous injury upon exposure to arterial pressure. We investigate whether photochemical tissue passivation (
PTP
) treatment of vein grafts modulates smooth muscle cell (
SMC
) proliferation and migration, and inhibits development of
IH
.

Methods and Results

PTP
was performed at increasing fluences up to 120 J/cm
2
on porcine veins. Tensiometry performed to assess vessel elasticity/stiffness showed increased stiffness with increasing fluence until plateauing at 90 J/cm
2
(median, interquartile range [
IQR
]). At 90 J/cm
2
,
PTP
‐treated vessels had a 10‐fold greater Young's modulus than untreated controls (954 [
IQR
, 2217] vs 99 kPa [
IQR
, 63];
P
=0.03). Each pig received a
PTP
‐treated and untreated carotid artery venous interposition graft. At 4‐weeks, intimal/medial areas were assessed.
PTP
reduced the degree of
IH
by 66% and medial hypertrophy by 49%. Intimal area was 3.91 (
IQR
, 1.2) and 1.3 mm
2
(
IQR
, 0.97;
P
≤0.001) in untreated and
PTP
‐treated grafts, respectively. Medial area was 9.2 (
IQR
, 3.2) and 4.7 mm
2
(
IQR
, 2.0;
P
≤0.001) in untreated and
PTP
‐treated grafts, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess alpha‐smooth muscle actin (
SMA
) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (
PCNA
). Objectively, there were less
SMA
‐positive cells within the intima/media of
PTP
‐treated vessels than controls. There was an increase in
PCNA
‐positive cells within control vein grafts (18% [
IQR
, 5.3]) versus
PTP
‐treated vein grafts (5% [
IQR
, 0.9];
P
=0.02).

Conclusions

By strengthening vein grafts,
PTP
decreases
SMC
proliferation and migration, thereby reducing
IH
.
Memory Remains: Haunted by Home in Lebanese (Post)war Fiction
Authors: Khayyat Yasmine
Published: July 2016

This article examines the dialectics of memory and oblivion in two Arabic novels deeply imbricated in the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) and its aftermath: Ghādah al-Sammān’s (b. 1942) wartime novel Kawābīs Bayrūt (Beirut Nightmares), first published in 1976; and Ilyās Khūrī’s (b. 1948) postwar novel Yālū (Yalo), first published in 2002. Characters in both novels sift through fragments of their wartime memories, selectively forgetting some and remembering others in order to craft particular textual narratives for themselves that impede, enable, critique, and/or complicate the possibility of their belonging to the postwar Lebanese nation. Ruins are strewn throughout the novels. Instead of embracing ruins as nostalgic markers as did the classical bards of Pre-Islamic Arabia, the narrator of Kawābīs Bayrūt conjures up their innovators, such as al-Mutanabbī and Abū Tammām, to whose introspective meditations on ruins al-Sammān adds her own textured rereading of ruination atop their visceral rejection of all things nostalgia-infused. As the protagonists are continually entangled in (and are produced by) the violence of the war machine, they persistently struggle to integrate into their respective realities, revealing the contradiction at the heart of so-called ‘national belonging.’
Confessions and Indiscretions: Translating the Self in the Southern Mahjar
Authors: Ferreira Silvia C.
Published: July 2016

Autobiographies constitute an important but understudied dimension of literature from the Southern Mahjar, the South American countries that received large numbers of Syrian and Lebanese migrants throughout the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A powerful example of the genre’s role in negotiating migrant identities is found in the two-part autobiography of the prominent Southern Mahjar writer Tawfīq Ḍuʿūn, published in São Paulo, Brazil under the titles Sīrat ḥayātī (The Biography of My Life) and Dhikrā al-hijrah: risālat al-muhājirīn al-sūriyyin wa-l-lubnāniyyin ilā ikhwānihim al-mutakhallifīn (Memories of Migration: A Message from the Syrian and Lebanese Emigrants to Their Brothers Left Behind) in the mid-twentieth century. Ḍuʿūn also released both volumes in Portuguese under the titles Confissões e indiscrições: meio século de experiências em quatro continentes (Confessions and Indiscretions: A Half-Century of Experiences on Four Continents) and A emigração sirio-libanesa às terras de promissão (Syro-Lebanese Emigration to the Promised Lands). This article traces the production of modern subjectivities across all four volumes of Ḍuʿūn’s autobiography. It considers how the heterogonous articulations of the modern subject highlighted in the texts often refashion categories of modernity in order to challenge their authority. The article draws particular attention to the role that self-translation plays in both producing and disrupting the stability of modern subjectivities, pointing to other possibilities for subject formation.
The Declaration of Independence as a Transitional Constitution: The Case of Israel
Authors: Tamir Michal
Published: July 2016

In the two decades since Israel’s constitutional revolution, the Basic Laws have come to enjoy normative supremacy and demonstrate efficacy by enabling judicial review of the legislative and the executive branches. Yet, they have not assumed an integrative role in the Israeli society. In terms of their substance, the Basic Laws are incomplete in scope. In terms of the procedure leading up to their enactment, they lack public legitimacy. This can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that the Supreme Court was the key political actor responsible for retroactively upgrading the Basic Laws from regular laws to constitutional norms. This paper argues that the only document in the history of Israel possessing the potential to fulfill an integrative role was the Declaration of Independence. Due to its intrinsic ‘transitional’ characteristics and the unique socio-political circumstances surrounding its drafting, this founding document could and should have been perceived as a transitional constitution. This transitional constitution established Israel’s basic values and opened the way for an incremental constitutional process that continued with the enactment of the Basic Laws, and that will culminate only with the drafting of a full constitution. However, owing in part to the narrow conception of transitional justice, the Declaration was never interpreted as such. This historical error could have been corrected in 1994 as the identical principle clause of Israel’s two Human Rights Basic Laws—which constitute Israel’s (partial) Bill of Rights—declared that the human rights regime in Israel should be “respected in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence”. Yet, this opportunity was once again not seized. This failure carries unfortunate consequences for the Israeli constitutional regime since unlike the Basic Laws, which enjoy formal normative supremacy yet nonetheless suffer from legitimacy deficiencies, the Declaration bears the potential to fulfill an integrative constitutional function.
From Palestine to Syria: Three Intifadas and Lessons for Popular Struggles
Authors: Pearlman Wendy
Published: July 2016

What lessons can the Palestinian national movement offer contemporary revolts in the Middle East in general, and Syria, specifically? Though the Syrian revolt to overthrow dictatorship is distinct from Palestinians’ mobilization against occupation, many issues and patterns link them as popular struggles. Looking for such patterns, this essay examines three major uprisings in Palestinian history: the Great Revolt of 1936–39, the first Intifada beginning in 1987, and the second Intifada beginning in the year 2000. Comparing these cases to the ongoing Syrian rebellion, it draws conclusions about the factors shaping the course and success of grassroots struggles. Specifically it points to the yearning for dignity as the fundamental engine of popular mobilization against oppressive rule, the effect of state repression in escalating protest, and the relationship between movements’ internal political unity and the effectiveness of their campaigns for change.
Motivating Action under Uncertain Conditions: Enhancing Emergency Briefings during Coastal Storms
Authors: Carr Rachel Hogan , Montz Burrell , Semmens Kathryn , Maxfield Keri , Hoekstra Stephanie , Goldman Elizabeth
Published: July 2016

Coastal flood risk communication is most effective at motivating action when the medium and timing of delivery provide understandable information with clear directives when residents need it most. The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) has many useful coastal flood forecast tools and products, but how and when this information is delivered are of critical importance. To assess how coastal residents understand and interpret NWS coastal flood products and the best mechanisms for delivery, five focus groups (including residents and emergency managers) in Monmouth and Ocean Counties in New Jersey were conducted. These focus groups employed a scenario-based approach that walked participants through the seven days leading up to Hurricane Sandy. Results support the use of emergency briefing packages as a preferred method for disseminating storm and flood risk information. However, changes to improve visual clarity, provide more succinct information, and localize messages must be undertaken for risk communication to be effective. Further, while residents prefer storm information four to five days prior to storm landfall, emergency managers preferred information seven days prior in order to have time to disseminate information to the community. Findings from this study, which include proposed revisions to NWS products, are expected to improve risk communication and community resiliency in the face of coastal storm threats.
Effects of Disclosing Sponsored Content in Blogs
Authors: van Reijmersdal Eva A. , Fransen Marieke L. , van Noort Guda , Opree Suzanna J. , Vandeberg Lisa , Reusch Sanne , van Lieshout Floor , Boerman Sophie C.
Published: July 2016

This article presents two studies examining the effects of disclosing online native advertising (i.e., sponsored content in blogs) on people’s brand attitude and purchase intentions. To investigate the mechanisms underlying these effects, we integrated resistance theories with the persuasion knowledge model. We theorize that disclosures activate people’s persuasion knowledge, which in turn evokes resistance strategies that people use to cope with the persuasion attempt made in the blog. We tested our predications with two experiments ( N = 118 and N = 134). We found that participants indeed activated persuasion knowledge in response to disclosures, after which they used both cognitive (counterarguing) and affective (negative affect) resistance strategies to decrease persuasion. The obtained insights do not only advance our theoretical understanding of how disclosures of sponsored blogs affect persuasion but also provide valuable insights for legislators, advertisers, and bloggers.
Weighted PARAFAC and Nonlinear Regression for Handling Intensity Changes in Fluorescence Spectroscopy Caused by pH Fluctuations
Authors: Svendsen Carina , Skov Thomas , van den Berg Frans W.J.
Published: July 2016

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a sensitive and selective technique, which can be of great value in bioprocesses to provide online, real-time measures of chemical compounds. Although fluorescence spectroscopy is a widely studied method, not much attention has been given to issues concerning intensity variations in the fluorescence landscapes due to pH fluctuations. This study elucidates how pH fluctuations cause intensity changes in fluorescence measurements and thereby decreases the quality of the subsequent quantification. A photo-degradation process of riboflavin was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy and used as a model system. A two-step modeling approach, combining weighted PARAllel FACtor analysis (PARAFAC) with weighted nonlinear regression of the known reaction kinetics, is suggested as a way of handling the fluorescence intensity shifts caused by the pH changes. The suggested strategy makes it possible to compensate for uncertainties in the shifted data and thereby obtain more reliable concentration profiles for the chemical compounds and kinetic parameters of the reaction.
Acting Role of Background Gas in the Emission Response of Laser-Induced Plasmas of Energetic Nitro Compounds
Authors: Delgado Tomás , Vadillo José M. , Laserna J. Javier
Published: July 2016

This study focuses on the analysis of the optical emission response obtained by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy from energetic nitro compounds in condensed phase sampled in atmospheres of variable composition. The influence of different background gases was evaluated from the characteristic emissions of the excited species coexisting in the plasma plume and conclusions concerning the main pathways involved in the generation of such emission species were extracted. Different reactive (O2, N2, H2) and inert (Ar, He) gases were tested to establish the comparative emission features of organic compounds.
Empowerment and occupation: A new perspective
Authors: Hammell Karen R. Whalley
Published: July 2016

Background.

The idea of empowerment permeates the occupational therapy literature yet has received little critical reflection from occupational therapy’s theorists.

Purpose.

This paper aims to explore the concept of empowerment and highlight a recent definition that resonates with occupational therapists’ core values.

Key Issues.

Empowerment is generally understood to be a process of bestowing power and giving ability to someone deficient in both. However, a new definition provides a framework for understanding how empowerment might enhance people’s capabilities.

Implications.

The World Bank’s depiction of empowerment fits well with occupational therapists’ beliefs in the importance of the ability and opportunity to “do,” providing a framework for action. This framework focuses on people’s capabilities: their freedom—or opportunity—to choose what they wish to do and to be and their ability to act on these wishes. Moreover, the World Bank’s assertion that empowered people have freedom of both choice and action suggests empowerment is a relevant concept for occupational therapists.
Employment and Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Children’s Up-to-Date Vaccination Status
Authors: Chen Weiwei , Elam-Evans Laurie D. , Hill Holly A. , Yankey David
Published: July 2016

This study examined whether additional information on parents’ employment and household characteristics would help explain the differences in children’s up-to-date (UTD) vaccination status using the 2008 National Immunization Survey and its associated Socioeconomic Status Module. After controlling for basic sociodemographic factors in multivariable analyses, parent’s work schedules and ease of taking time off from work were not associated with UTD vaccination status among 19- to 35-month-old children. We also conducted a stratified analysis to test the heterogeneous effects of the factors among children at 3 age-restricted maternal education levels and found the benefit of paid sick leave had a significant association only among families where the mother had a college degree. Families who had moved since the child’s birth, especially if the mother had high school or lower education, were less likely to have children UTD on the vaccine series.
Arab Responses to Western Hegemony
Authors: Nugent Elizabeth , Masoud Tarek , Jamal Amaney A.
Published: July 2016

Scholars have long held that Islamism—defined as a political ideology that demands the application of Islamic holy law and the deepening of religious identity—is in part a response to Western domination of Muslim lands. Drawing on the literatures on nationalism and international relations theory, we argue that Islamism is one of a menu of options that Muslims may adopt in response to Western hegemony—a menu that includes Arab nationalism and pro-Western accommodation. We hypothesize that a Muslim’s ideological response to Western domination is a function of the type of domination experienced—that is, military, cultural, or economic—as well as of individual-level characteristics such as intensity of religious practice. We test this hypothesis with a nationally representative survey experiment conducted in Egypt. We find that, among subjects in our study, pro-Western responses to Western domination were more common than “Islamist” or “nationalist” ones and that these were particularly driven by reminders of the West’s economic ascendancy. These findings suggest that foreign domination does not always yield defensive responses and often produces desires for greater cooperation with the hegemon.
One-sided Violence in Refugee-hosting Areas
Authors: Fisk Kerstin
Published: July 2016

Previous research demonstrates that refugee populations can threaten the security of receiving countries. This study, in contrast, seeks to examine the physical security challenges refugees face in host states. It utilizes a new, geographically referenced data set on subcountry refugee demographics to test the hypothesis that locations home to larger refugee populations are more likely to experience one-sided attacks by conflict actors. Results demonstrate that refugee accommodation is a significant predictor of one-sided violence in Africa. In particular, combatants commit significantly more acts of violence against civilians in locations home to larger numbers of self-settled refugees compared to other locations. These findings suggest that scholars and practitioners account for possible dangers presented by refugee flows and threats to refugees simultaneously.
Trajectories of Drug Abuse and Addiction Development Among FSU Immigrant Drug Users in Israel
Authors: Yakhnich Liat , Michael Keren
Published: July 2016

This qualitative study explores the trajectories of drug abuse and addiction development among former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrant users. It is based on in-depth interviews with 19 Russian-speaking recovering addict counselors employed in Israeli addiction treatment centers. The interview analysis yielded two main trajectories: one of abuse deterioration and the other of abuse initiation in the context of coping with immigration. The core issue that characterizes both trajectories is the immigrant users’ sense of loneliness. Participation in treatment appears as a path for regaining their sense of belonging. Implications for prevention and treatment based on the interviewees’ reflections, as well as on extant literature, are discussed.
Muslim Acculturation in a Catholic Country
Authors: Gattino Silvia , Miglietta Anna , Rizzo Marco , Testa Silvia
Published: July 2016

The literature suggests that religion may play an important role in the acculturation process of immigrants by contributing to the maintenance of the heritage culture and preventing identification with the mainstream. With few exceptions, studies on this topic have focused on religion as a whole by assessing specific aspects or dimensions (such as religious identification, beliefs, and practices) and creating a composite measure without analyzing the contribution of each dimension to the acculturation process. In this study, the relationships between specific religious dimensions and acculturation were assessed with a sample of 282 Muslim immigrants who were recruited in the northern part of Italy. Two regression models show that religious identification drives the maintenance of Muslim culture but is unrelated to the acculturation to Italian culture, whereas beliefs and practices do not contribute to heritage acculturation but are negatively associated to acculturation to the host culture.
Associations Between Self-Regulation, Exercise Participation, and Adherence Intention Among Korean University Students
Authors: Ahn Jihoon , Jeon Hyunsoo , Kwon Sungho
Published: July 2016

The social cognitive theory model of physical activity is useful in understanding and promoting exercise. Self-regulation, as an element of the social cognitive theory model, is key to success in regular exercise participation. Existing research suggests that intrinsic motivation and positive emotion are associated with exercise participation and adherence. This study examined the relationships between self-regulation and exercise participation and adherence intention in university students when these two variables were controlled. Participants included 418 students enrolled in universities in Seoul (244 men, M age = 23.5 year, SD = 0.8; 174 women, M age = 22.8 year, SD = 1.0). The measures included the Self-Control Scale, exercise participation level, the Korea Exercise Adherence Intention Scale, the Korean Sport Participation Motivation scale, and the Korean Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Results showed that self-regulation ability was significantly associated with exercise participation level and adherence intention, when intrinsic motivation and positive emotion were controlled.
Test-Taking Strategies in L2 Assessment
Authors: Huang Heng-Tsung Danny
Published: July 2016

This research explored the test-taking strategies associated with the Test of English for International Communication Speaking Test (TOEIC-S) and their relationship with test performance. Capitalizing on two sets of TOEIC-S and a custom-made strategy inventory, the researcher collected data from a total of 215 Taiwanese English learners consisting of 84 males and 131 females with an average age of 20.1 years ( SD = 2.6). Quantitative data analysis gave rise to three major findings. First, TOEIC-S test-taking strategy use constituted a multi-faceted construct that involved multiple types of strategic behaviors. Second, these strategic behaviors matched those allowing test-takers to communicate both in real life and in the workplace. Third, communication strategy use and cognitive strategy use both contributed significantly to TOEIC-S performance.
Applying the Implicit Association Test to Measure Intolerance of Uncertainty
Authors: Mosca Oriana , Dentale Francesco , Lauriola Marco , Leone Luigi
Published: July 2016

Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is a key trans-diagnostic personality construct strongly associated with anxiety symptoms. Traditionally, IU is measured through self-report measures that are prone to bias effects due to impression management concerns and introspective difficulties. Moreover, self-report scales are not able to intercept the automatic associations that are assumed to be main determinants of several spontaneous responses (e.g., emotional reactions). In order to overcome these limitations, the Implicit Association Test (IAT) was applied to measure IU, with a particular focus on reliability and criterion validity issues. The IU-IAT and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory (IUI) were administered to an undergraduate student sample (54 females and 10 males) with a mean age of 23 years ( SD = 1.7). Successively, participants were asked to provide an individually chosen uncertain event from their own lives that may occur in the future and were requested to identify a number of potential negative consequences of it. Participants’ responses in terms of cognitive thoughts (i.e., cognitive appraisal) and worry reactions toward these events were assessed using the two subscales of the Worry and Intolerance of Uncertainty Beliefs Questionnaire. The IU-IAT showed an adequate level of internal consistency and a not significant correlation with the IUI. A path analysis model, accounting for 35% of event-related worry, revealed that IUI had a significant indirect effect on the dependent variable through event-related IU thoughts. By contrast, as expected, IU-IAT predicted event-related worry independently from IU thoughts. In accordance with dual models of social cognition, these findings suggest that IU can influence event-related worry through two different processing pathways (automatic vs. deliberative), supporting the criterion and construct validity of the IU-IAT. The potential role of the IU-IAT for clinical applications was discussed.
Precarity and Elemental Difference: On Butler’s Re-writing of Irigarayan Difference
Authors: Parker Emily Anne
Published: July 2016

It is widely accepted that Judith Butler’s work represents a fundamental departure from that of Luce Irigaray. However, in a 2001 essay, Butler suggests that Irigaray’s work plays a formative role in her own, and that the problematization of the biological and cultural distinction that Irigaray’s notion of sexual difference accomplishes must be rethought and multiplied rather than simply rejected. In this essay, I place the notion of precarity in the work of Butler alongside that of sexual difference in Irigaray, to show how together they seek to address violence to certain bodies through an approach that is at once ecological and political. I show that Butler’s concept of precarity has deep, largely unappreciated, roots in the work of Irigaray. Butler explores precarity as bodily multiplicity in ways that pluralize Irigaray’s own ethics and politics of difference. Butler is, in other words, rewriting sexual difference as precarity.
Potentially overlooked branches of the left pulmonary artery
Authors: Nagata Toshiyuki , Nakamura Yoshihiro , Kariatsumari Kota , Otsuka Tsunayuki , Aoki Masaya , Sato Masami
Published: July 2016

Background

During pulmonary resection, we sometimes encounter “pitfall branches” of the pulmonary artery, which could cause serious vessel injury. Current computed tomography and computer-processing technology can identify the pulmonary artery along the peripheral bronchus, thereby revealing the true rates of different pulmonary artery branching patterns. Knowledge of these branching patterns allows safe and definitive surgery.

Methods

In 186 cases of left lung resection performed at our institution from January 2006 to September 2011, two general thoracic surgeons and one radiologist independently reviewed computed tomography images and examined the branches of the pulmonary artery arising from the pars mediastinalis.

Results

Branching patterns of the lingular artery included 17 (9.2%) cases with mediastinal origin, 50 (26.9%) with interlobar and mediastinal origin, and 119 (63.9%) with interlobar origin. The 2 types of lingular artery of mediastinal origin, which were potentially overlooked during surgery, were observed in 36.1% of cases. This was a higher rate than previously reported. Moreover, a mediastinal basal pulmonary artery (A5+8+10 abnormal branching) was seen in one case.

Conclusion

Potentially overlooked branches of the left pulmonary artery arising from the pars mediastinalis are much more frequent than we expected. It is crucial to understand the branching pattern of the pulmonary artery by preoperative computed tomography assessment.
Creating unity through celebrating diversity: A case study that explores the impact of music education on refugee background students
Authors: Crawford Renée
Published: July 2016

This article reports the findings of a case study that investigated the impact of music education on students in an F-12 school in Victoria, Australia that is considered as having a high percentage of young people with a refugee background. Key findings from this research indicated that music education had a positive impact on this group of young refugee students, which related to three primary themes: fostering a sense of wellbeing, social inclusion (a sense of belonging), and an enhanced engagement with learning. While some of these impacts were not always clearly distinguished from the more general experience of school, the students did identify some best practice elements of music learning and teaching that link to these three themes in a number of interrelated contexts. This research raises important questions about the ways in which education might be approached in schools with a high percentage of refugee background students and reaffirms the necessity of music and the arts as an important component.
Conflict Initiating Factors and Management Styles in Family and Nonfamily Intergenerational Relationships: Young Adults’ Retrospective Written Accounts
Authors: Wiebe Weston T. , Zhang Yan Bing
Published: July 2016

Using a content analytic approach, this study examined young adults’ retrospective written accounts about their perceived communication with family and nonfamily elders in conflict situations to uncover conflict initiating factors and management styles. Results revealed that old-to-young criticism (especially in nonfamily contexts) and competition were the most frequently reported conflict initiating factor and management style in intergenerational relationships. Also, results indicated that family elders’ use of the competing and avoiding styles were reciprocated by young adults.