bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ON MEROMORPHIC SOLUTIONS OF GENERALIZED FERMAT EQUATIONS
Authors: LI BAO QIN
Published: January 2014

Meromorphic solutions f, g of the equations fp + gq = 1 in C2 with p, q ≥ 2 being integers are not necessarily constant. We show that they always are, if fz2 and gz1 have the same zeros. An application is also given to characterize meromorphic solutions of related nonlinear partial differential equations.
NORMALIZED RICCI FLOW, SURGERY, AND SEIBERG–WITTEN INVARIANTS
Authors: ISHIDA MASASHI
Published: January 2014

We investigate the behavior of solutions of the normalized Ricci flow under surgeries of four-manifolds along circles by using Seiberg–Witten invariants. As a by-product, we prove that any pair (α, β) of integers satisfying α + β ≡ 0 (mod 2) can be realized as the Euler characteristic χ and signature τ of infinitely many closed smooth 4-manifolds with negative Perelman's [Formula: see text] invariants and on which there is no nonsingular solution to the normalized Ricci flows for any initial metric. In particular, this includes the existence theorem of non-Einstein 4-manifolds due to Sambusetti [An obstruction to the existence of Einstein metrics on 4-manifolds, Math. Ann.311 (1998) 533–547] as a special case.
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM ASPECTS OF FIVE-DIMENSIONAL CHERN–SIMONS GAUGE THEORY
Authors: HU SEN , HU ZHI
Published: January 2014

In this paper, we investigate the classical and quantum aspects of five-dimensional Chern–Simons theory. As a constrained Hamiltonian system we compute the Dirac brackets among the canonical variables for the Abelian case. In terms of the Batalin–Vilkovisky formalism, we show that the classical master equation leads to new algebraic constraints on the Lie algebra. Finally, partition function and geometric quantization of the theory have been also discussed.
HIGH Q BPS MONOPOLE BAGS ARE URCHINS
Authors: EVSLIN JARAH , GUDNASON SVEN BJARKE
Published: January 2014

It has been known for 30 years that 't Hooft–Polyakov monopoles of charge Q greater than one cannot be spherically symmetric. Five years ago, Bolognesi conjectured that, at some point in their moduli space, BPS monopoles can become approximately spherically symmetric in the high Q limit. In this paper, we determine the sense in which this conjecture is correct. We consider an SU(2) gauge theory with an adjoint scalar field, and numerically find configurations with Q units of magnetic charge and a mass which is roughly linear in Q, for example, in the case Q = 81 we present a configuration whose energy exceeds the BPS bound by about 54%. These approximate solutions are constructed by gluing together Q cones, each of which contains a single unit of magnetic charge. In each cone, the energy is largest in the core, and so a constant energy density surface contains Q peaks and thus resembles a sea urchin.
ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN MULTI-TERMINAL GRAPHENE NANODEVICE WITH INCLINED CROSS STRUCTURES
Authors: YE EN-JIA , SHI YI-JIAN , ZHAO XUEAN
Published: January 2014

The DC and AC transport properties are investigated in multi-terminal graphene nanoribbon (GNR) devices. The devices are composed of three or four graphene ribbons connected with different angles. It is found that DC and AC conductances depend on the structural configurations and ribbon properties. In the vicinity of Dirac point, the intersection of graphene ribbons forms band mixing and results in resonant or anti-resonant states. The edge and width, as well as, the angles of the graphene ribbons influence the DC and AC transport properties drastically. These properties can be used to build future graphene-based nanoelectronics.
MICROWAVE ABSORPTION BEHAVIOR OF MESOPOROUS TRANSITION METAL OXIDE TEMPLATED FROM SBA-15 AND KIT-6
Authors: WU HONGJING , WANG LIUDING , WANG YIMING
Published: January 2014

In this paper, we have synthesized meso-oxides (i.e., Co 3 O 4 and NiO ) by using mesoporous silica as hard template. The microstructures and chemical compositions of the corresponding meso-oxides were characterized by the Transmission electron microscope-selected area electron diffusion (TEM-SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), respectively. And, their electromagnetic and microwave absorption properties were investigated in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz. The results indicate that meso-oxide templated from KIT-6 (i.e., meso-K– Co / Ni ) exhibit a dual absorption characteristic compared with those using SBA-15 as hard template. This phenomenon suggests that meso-oxides templated from SBA-15 and KIT-6 can exhibit different microwave absorption behaviors due to their respective microstructures.
FIRST PRINCIPLES CALCULATIONS OF STRUCTURAL, ELECTRONIC, THERMODYNAMIC AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF BaxSr1-xTe TERNARY ALLOYS
Authors: CHELLI S. , MERADJI H. , AMARA KORBA S. , GHEMID S. , EL HAJ HASSAN F.
Published: January 2014

The structural, electronic thermodynamic and thermal properties of Ba x Sr 1-x Te ternary mixed crystals have been studied using the ab initio full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within density functional theory (DFT). In this approach, the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof-generalized gradient approximation (PBE-GGA) was used for the exchange-correlation potential. Moreover, the recently proposed modified Becke Johnson (mBJ) potential approximation, which successfully corrects the band-gap problem was also used for band structure calculations. The ground-state properties are determined for the cubic bulk materials BaTe , SrTe and their mixed crystals at various concentrations (x = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75). The effect of composition on lattice constant, bulk modulus and band gap was analyzed. Deviation of the lattice constant from Vegard's law and the bulk modulus from linear concentration dependence (LCD) were observed for the ternary Ba x Sr 1-x Te alloys. The microscopic origins of the gap bowing were explained by using the approach of Zunger and co-workers. On the other hand, the thermodynamic stability of these alloys was investigated by calculating the excess enthalpy of mixing, ΔHm as well as the phase diagram. It was shown that these alloys are stable at high temperature. Thermal effects on some macroscopic properties of Ba x Sr 1-x Te alloys were investigated using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the phononic effects are considered.
SIMULATION OF UNDERWATER ACOUSTICAL FIELD FLUCTUATIONS IN RANGE-DEPENDENT RANDOM ENVIRONMENT OF SHALLOW SEA
Authors: GULIN OLEG E. , YAROSHCHUK IGOR O.
Published: January 2014

To investigate statistical problem of moderate to low-frequency sound scattering on the two-dimensional (2D) random inhomogeneities of a shallow sea with horizontal boundaries (bottom and surface) and loss local-mode approach has been utilized. An explicit-form solution by quadrature for modal amplitudes as a function of distance is represented. In adiabatic approximation asymptotical estimations have been performed, which demonstrate how medium weak fluctuations influence the local eigenvalues and statistical characteristics of a field. It is shown that general effects previously established while studying the random layered problem keep the force. Spatial scales of statistical influence and laws of dependences are determined. Also it follows from the analysis of the explicit-form solution for modal amplitudes that in this shallow-sea model with horizontal boundaries and in the absence of regular variations of sound speed the coupling of modes is insignificant. General statistical effects are described well within the framework of adiabatic approximation.
An approach for serious game development for cultural heritage
Authors: Antoniou Angeliki , Lepouras George , Bampatzia Stavroula , Almpanoudi Hera
Published: January 2014

The unique aspects of different places seem to require games of different characteristics. This paper describes the initial steps of an attempt to design games for different places of cultural heritage and consists of three parts. In the first part, the descriptive model to be used as a classification method for games of different characteristics for cultural heritage sites is presented. In the second part, the model is used for the creation of different cultural heritage games. Finally, the third part presents a detailed case study of one of the developed games, showing the implementation and user testing processes as well as its efficiency in terms of education and visit motivation.
UsageQoS
Authors: Huang Xiaodi
Published: January 2014

Services are an indispensable component in cloud computing. Web services are particularly important. As an increasing number of Web services provides equivalent functions, one common issue faced by users is the selection of the most appropriate one based on quality. This article presents a conceptual framework that characterizes the quality of Web services, an algorithm that quantifies them, and a system architecture that ranks Web services by using the proposed algorithm. In particular, the algorithm, called UsageQoS that computes the scores of quality of service (QoS) of Web services within a community, makes use of the usage frequencies of Web services. The frequencies are defined as the numbers of times invoked by other services in a given time period. The UsageQoS algorithm is able to optionally take user ratings as its initial input. The proposed approach has been validated by extensively experimenting on several datasets, including two real datasets. The results of the experiments have demonstrated that our approach is capable of estimating QoS parameters of Web services, regardless of whether user ratings are available or not.
Form-Based Web Service Composition for Domain Experts
Authors: Weber Ingo , Paik Hye-Young , Benatallah Boualem
Published: January 2014

In many cases, it is not cost effective to automate business processes which affect a small number of people and/or change frequently. We present a novel approach for enabling domain experts to model and deploy such processes from their respective domain as Web service compositions. The approach builds on user-editable service, naming and representing Web services as forms. On this basis, the approach provides a visual composition language with a targeted restriction of control-flow expressivity, process simulation, automated process verification mechanisms, and code generation for executing orchestrations. A Web-based service composition prototype implements this approach, including a WS-BPEL code generator. A small lab user study with 14 participants showed promising results for the usability of the system, even for nontechnical domain experts.
Curiosity
Authors: Wu Qiong , Miao Chunyan
Published: January 2014

Literature in psychology has shown that curiosity is the intrinsic motivation for exploration, learning, and creativity. Various forms of computational curiosity have been developed to provide artificial beings with desirable functions, such as detecting and adapting to novel inputs, making decisions related to aesthetics, and achieving pedagogical purposes. This article reviews existing models of computational curiosity in light of psychological theories that are beneficial to building models of human cognition and designing human-like agents. We first study theories in psychology to shed light on the underpinnings of human curiosity, where a two-step process is proposed to serve as a general model for analyzing curiosity. Subsequently, existing models of computational curiosity are reviewed under the proposed framework. We conclude the review by identifying 4 key research issues in computational curiosity and 10 important research areas where computational curiosity could bring significant impact.
Sodium Channels, Inherited Epilepsy, and Antiepileptic Drugs
Authors: Catterall William A.
Published: January 2014

Voltage-gated sodium channels initiate action potentials in brain neurons, mutations in sodium channels cause inherited forms of epilepsy, and sodium channel blockers—along with other classes of drugs—are used in therapy of epilepsy. A mammalian voltage-gated sodium channel is a complex containing a large, pore-forming α subunit and one or two smaller β subunits. Extensive structure-function studies have revealed many aspects of the molecular basis for sodium channel structure, and X-ray crystallography of ancestral bacterial sodium channels has given insight into their three-dimensional structure. Mutations in sodium channel α and β subunits are responsible for genetic epilepsy syndromes with a wide range of severity, including generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), Dravet syndrome, and benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures. These seizure syndromes are treated with antiepileptic drugs that offer differing degrees of success. The recent advances in understanding of disease mechanisms and sodium channel structure promise to yield improved therapeutic approaches.
Pharmacometrics in Pregnancy: An Unmet Need
Authors: Ke Alice Ban , Rostami-Hodjegan Amin , Zhao Ping , Unadkat Jashvant D.
Published: January 2014

Pregnant women and their fetuses are orphan populations with respect to the safety and efficacy of drugs. Physiological and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) changes during pregnancy can significantly affect drug pharmacokinetics (PK) and may necessitate dose adjustment. Here, the specific aspects related to the design, execution, and analysis of clinical studies in pregnant women are discussed, underlining the unmet need for top-down pharmacometrics analyses and bottom-up modeling approaches. The modeling tools that support data analysis for the pregnancy population are reviewed, with a focus on physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) and population pharmacokinetics (POP-PK). By integrating physiological data, preclinical data, and clinical data (e.g., via POP-PK) to quantify anticipated changes in the PK of drugs during pregnancy, the PBPK approach allows extrapolation beyond the previously studied model drugs to other drugs with well-characterized ADME characteristics. Such a systems pharmacology approach can identify drugs whose PK may be altered during pregnancy, guide rational PK study design, and support dose adjustment for pregnant women.
A Comparative Analysis of Structural Brain MRI in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Appel Jason , Potter Elizabeth , Shen Qian , Pantol Gustavo , Greig Maria T. , Loewenstein David , Duara Ranjan
Published: January 2014

Dementia is a debilitating and life-altering disease which leads to both memory impairment and decline of normal executive functioning. While causes of dementia are numerous and varied, the leading cause among patients 60 years and older is Alzheimer’s disease. The gold standard for Alzheimer’s diagnosis remains histological identification of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles within the medial temporal lobe, more specifically the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. Although no definitive cure for Alzheimer's disease currently exists, there are treatments targeted at preserving cognition and memory while delaying continued loss of function. Alzheimer's disease exists along a spectrum of cognitive decline and is often preceded by Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Patients with MCI demonstrate memory loss and cognitive impairment while still continuing normal activities of daily living, and are considered to be at increased risk for developing Alzheimer's Dementia. Identifying patients with prodromal states of Alzheimer's dementia such as MCI may allow initiation of appropriate treatment planning and delay of cognitive decline. Therefore, the need for a non-invasive early biomarker for the detection of Alzheimer's disease has never been greater. Multiple neuroimaging methods utilizing visual rating scales, volumetric measurements, and automated methods have been developed to identify, quantify, and track anatomic sequelae of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Functional MRI Assessment of Task-Induced Deactivation of the Default Mode Network in Alzheimer’s Disease and At-Risk Older Individuals
Authors: Pihlajamäki Maija , Sperling Reisa A.
Published: January 2014

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in old age, and is characterized by prominent impairment of episodic memory. Recent functional imaging studies in AD have demonstrated alterations in a distributed network of brain regions supporting memory function, including regions of the default mode network. Previous positron emission tomography studies of older individuals at risk for AD have revealed hypometabolism of association cortical regions similar to the metabolic abnormalities seen in AD patients. In recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of AD, corresponding brain default mode regions have also been found to demonstrate an abnormal fMRI task-induced deactivation response pattern. That is, the relative decreases in fMRI signal normally observed in the default mode regions in healthy subjects performing a cognitive task are not seen in AD patients, or may even be reversed to a paradoxical activation response. Our recent studies have revealed alterations in the pattern of deactivation also in elderly individuals at risk for AD by virtue of their APOE e4 genotype, or evidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In agreement with recent reports from other groups, these studies demonstrate that the pattern of fMRI task-induced deactivation is progressively disrupted along the continuum from normal aging to MCI and to clinical AD and more impaired in e4 carriers compared to non-carriers. These findings will be discussed in the context of current literature regarding functional imaging of the default network in AD and at-risk populations.
Changes in Parahippocampal White Matter Integrity in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Authors: Rogalski E. J. , Murphy C. M. , deToledo-Morrell L. , Shah R. C. , Moseley M. E. , Bammer R. , Stebbins G. T.
Published: January 2014

In the present study, changes in the parahippocampal white matter (PWM), in the region that includes the perforant path, were investigated, in vivo, in 14 individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) compared to 14 elderly controls with no cognitive impairment (NCI). For this purpose, (1) volumetry; (2) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived measures of mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA); and (3) tractography were used. In addition, regression models were utilized to examine the association of PWM measurements with memory decline. The results from this study confirm previous findings in our laboratory and others, showing that compared to controls, individuals with aMCI have PWM volume loss. In addition to volume reduction, participants with aMCI demonstrated a significant increase in MD, but no difference in FA, both in the PWM region and in fibers modeled to pass through the PWM region. Further, the DTI metric of MD was associated with declarative memory performance, suggesting it may be a sensitive marker for memory dysfunction. These results indicate that there is general tissue loss and degradation (decreased volume; increased MD) in individuals with aMCI compared to older people with normal cognitive function. However, the microstructural organization of remaining fibers, as determined by measures of anisotropic diffusion, is not significantly different from that of controls.
Executive Function Improvement in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Following Shunt Surgery
Authors: Gleichgerrcht Ezequiel , Cervio Andrés , Salvat Jorge , Loffredo Anselmo Rodríguez , Vita Luciana , Roca María , Torralva Teresa , Manes Facundo
Published: January 2014

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate improvement of executive functions after shunt surgery in patients with early normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Patients with NPH were assessed before and after shunt surgery with tests shown to be sensitive to damage to the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Significant differences were found between basal and follow-up performances on the Boston Naming Test, the backwards digits span, Part B of the Trail Making Test, and the number of words produced on the phonological fluency task. In conclusion, our study reveals that patients with NPH who respond positively to continuous slow lumbar cerebral spinal fluid drainage and receive a ventriculoperitoneal shunt implant, improve their performance on tasks of executive function. Due to the high demand for this form of mental processing in real-life complex scenarios, and based on the severe executive deficits present in both demented and non-demented NPH patients, we encourage the assessment of executive functions in this clinical group.
Lumbar Puncture Alleviates Chorea in a Patient with Huntington’s Disease and Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Authors: Shirani Peyman , Salamone Alicia R. , Lahijani Elham , York Michele K. , Schulz Paul E.
Published: January 2014

A 44-year-old African-American male was admitted to our hospital after a suicide attempt. He had depression, poor cognitive function, choreiform movements, difficulty pronouncing words, and difficulty walking. His symptoms had worsened markedly over several months. Chorea lead to genetic testing that confirmed a diagnosis of Huntington Disease (HD). A CT scan of the head showed wider ventricles than is typical of HD. The head CT and gait change suggested normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Lumbar puncture (LP) led to improved neuropsychologic test scores and walking thereby supporting the diagnosis of NPH. Surprisingly, the LP also led to an 80% improvement of chorea. There are two other reports of an association between HD and NPH. NPH should be considered in HD patients with atypical symptoms, such as the inability to walk or rapid progression, as its treatment may lead to improved cognition, gait, and chorea.
Cognitive Phenotypes, Brain Morphometry and the Detection of Cognitive Decline in Preclinical AD
Authors: Jacobson Mark W. , McEvoy Linda K. , Dale Anders , Fennema-Notestine Christine
Published: January 2014

Identifying a preclinical phase of Alzheimer’s Disease (PCAD) that is distinct from cognitive changes in healthy aging continues to be a major research focus. Combining neuropsychological and neuroimaging methodologies should improve our ability to differentiate healthy from pathological aging, although studies that utilize both methods often result in equivocal findings, possibly due to variability in cognitive test performance that may be capturing distinct phenotypes. One method of capturing this cognitive variability is to utilize contrasting neuropsychological tests to identify subgroups representative of distinct cognitive phenotypes, and determine whether differences in brain morphometry support these classifications. We review several approaches to defining cognitive subgroups, and we consider the possibility that cognitive asymmetry might provide one means of identifying both functional and structural changes associated with aging and dementia.
Lack of Noradrenergic Modulation of Indirect Semantic Priming
Authors: Cios Jacquelyne S. , Miller Regan F. , Hillier Ashleigh , Tivarus Madalina E. , Beversdorf David Q.
Published: January 2014

Norepinephrine and dopamine are both believed to affect signal-to-noise in the cerebral cortex. Dopaminergic agents appear to modulate semantic networks during indirect semantic priming, but do not appear to affect problem solving dependent on access to semantic networks. Noradrenergic agents, though, do affect semantic network dependent problem solving. We wished to examine whether noradrenergic agents affect indirect semantic priming. Subjects attended three sessions: one each after propranolol (40 mg) (noradrenergic antagonist), ephedrine (25 mg) (noradrenergic agonist), and placebo. During each session, closely related, distantly related, and unrelated pairs were presented. Reaction times for a lexical decision task on the target words (second word in the pair) were recorded. No decrease in indirect semantic priming occurred with ephedrine. Furthermore, across all three drugs, a main effect of semantic relatedness was found, but no main effect of drug, and no drug/semantic relatedness interaction effect. These findings suggest that noradrenergic agents, with these drugs and at these doses, do not affect indirect semantic priming with the potency of dopaminergic drugs at the doses previously studied. In the context of this previous work, this suggests that more automatic processes such as priming and more controlled searches of the lexical and semantic networks such as problem solving may be mediated, at least in part, by distinct mechanisms with differing effects of pharmacological modulation.
Acute Recovery of Oral Word Production Following Stroke: Patterns of Performance as Predictors of Recovery
Authors: Cloutman Lauren , Newhart Melissa , Davis Cameron , Heidler-Gary Jennifer , Hillis Argye E.
Published: January 2014

Background:Impairments in oral word production are common at the onset of stroke. The identification of factors that predict early recovery has important implications for identifying those at greater risk of continued impaired functioning, and the management of the patient's care following discharge.

Aims:To identify patterns of performance that are predictors of acute recovery of oral word production abilities following stroke; to identify any association between early and more chronic recovery.

Method and procedures:Acute stroke patients were administered oral word production tasks within 1–2 days of hospital admission, with repeat testing by 7 days; a subset of patients had repeat testing between three weeks to one year later. Performance was examined for error rate and type to identify potential predictors of early recovery.

Outcome and results:The proportion of circumlocution and no response errors at initial testing were associated with the magnitude of recovery of language functioning within the first week following stroke. Patient characteristics of age and gender were found to have no influence on the degree of early recovery observed. None of the examined factors predicted late recovery. The degree of early recovery was not associated with the degree of later recovery.

Conclusions:The current study identified patterns of task performance that increase our understanding of how oral word production recovers following acute stroke. The finding that the degree of early recovery does not predict the degree of later recovery is consistent with the hypothesis that early and late recovery are due to different mechanisms (restored blood flow in acute stroke, and reorganization in later recovery).
Governance by Diffusion: Transnational Municipal Networks and the Spread of Local Climate Strategies in Europe
Authors: Hakelberg Lukas
Published: January 2014

Cities have become crucial actors for the global governance of climate change. Their increased activity in this field is reflected by the rising number of adoptions of local climate strategies in an original sample of 274 European cities from 1992 to 2009. Using event history analysis, I find that this spread is promoted by transnational municipal networks (TMNs) successfully deploying strategies for governance by diffusion, their impact exceeding that of most alternative explanatory factors cited in the literature. Given their capacity to foster the spread of climate policy innovations among cities, TMNs can thus be expected to play a decisive role in a climate governance system that is becoming increasingly fragmented, polycentric, and transnational.
Automatic Bias of Temporal Expectations following Temporally Regular Input Independently of High-level Temporal Expectation
Authors: Breska Assaf , Deouell Leon Y.
Published: January 2014

Exposure to rhythmic stimulation results in facilitated responses to events that appear in-phase with the rhythm and modulation of anticipatory and target-evoked brain activity, presumably reflecting “exogenous,” unintentional temporal expectations. However, the extent to which this effect is independent from intentional processes is not clear. In two EEG experiments, we isolated the unintentional component of this effect from high-level, intentional factors. Visual targets were presented either in-phase or out-of-phase with regularly flickering colored stimuli. In different blocks, the rhythm could be predictive (i.e., high probability for in-phase target) or not, and the color could be predictive (i.e., validly cue the interval to the target) or not. Exposure to nonpredictive rhythms resulted in faster responses for in-phase targets, even when the color predicted specific out-of-phase target times. Also, the contingent negative variation, an EEG component reflecting temporal anticipation, followed the interval of the nonpredictive rhythm and not that of the predictive color. Thus, rhythmic stimulation unintentionally induced expectations, even when this was detrimental. Intentional usage of predictive rhythms to form expectations resulted in a stronger behavioral effect, and only predictive cues modulated the latency of the target-evoked P3, presumably reflecting stimulus evaluation. These findings establish the existence of unintentional temporal expectations in rhythmic contexts, dissociate them from intentional expectations, and highlight the need to distinguish between the source of expectation (exogenous–endogenous) and the level of voluntary control involved in it (unintentional–intentional).
The Lectionary as a Guide to Thinking about Poverty
Authors: Bergen Wesley J.
Published: January 2014

If a church uses a lectionary as its guide for worship and preaching, how likely is it to address the problem of poverty? If it does address this question, toward what answers does the lectionary guide the preacher? Using the New Common Lectionary as a general guide, and with occasional references to the Roman Catholic Lectionary for the Mass, this study will ponder how the lectionary serves as a basis for sermons and services on poverty.
Preaching as the Unfinished Task of Theology: Grief, Trauma, and Early Christian Texts in Homiletical Interpretation
Authors: Jacobsen David Schnasa
Published: January 2014

Preachers sometimes find themselves vexed by biblical texts that offer troubling theological problems. Early on Christian proclamation sought to move past those problems by encouraging figural interpretations (Augustine) when what a text said literally did not tend toward the love of God or neighbor. Contemporary homiletics argues that some of these texts may need to be revised theologically, or in some cases repudiated altogether by “preaching against the text.” The author here argues that some troubling texts actually represent the unfinished theological task of preaching itself. They require more than revision or repudiation, but instead a kind of ongoing homiletical-theological re-engagement in the gospel. Just as a preacher tries to makes sense of the gospel in light of trauma, grief, or crisis, so also a homiletical interpreter of troubling texts needs to wrestle with them in light of the traumatic exigencies of grief or crisis that surrounded their production. In this way, preachers can engage some troublesome texts not by standing apart from them in an act of self-possessed mastery of judgment, but pastorally in differentiated proximity to them in all their grief and trauma.
A Truly Human Incarnation: Recovering a Place for Nativity in Contemporary Christology
Authors: Gandolfo Elizabeth O’Donnell
Published: January 2014

Theological reflection on the person and saving work of Christ in the past several decades has been concerned primarily with the adult man Jesus, his life-giving ministry, his consequent death on the cross, and the salvation that his life, death, and resurrection offer to sinful human beings and a broken and unjust world. But the liberating good news of divine incarnation does not begin with Jesus’ public ministry as an adult. Rather, it begins with a socially high-risk pregnancy; with a humble, messy, and painful birth; and with the natal body of a squalling, dependent, and vulnerable infant. This article draws on both contemporary feminist scholarship and premodern theological voices to posit that recovering the nativity as a christological symbol brings into focus at least three important theological insights that a predominant emphasis on the adult Jesus marginalizes in christology and the Christian community today: that the natal life taken on in the Incarnation, like all human life, is inherently vulnerable from the start; that the nativity is an overlooked, yet powerful icon of divine redemption; and that contemplating the vulnerability of Christ’s natality can cultivate the practice of peace in a vulnerable and violent world.
Factors Affecting Visibility of a Target Tissue in Histologic Sections
Authors: McGavin M. D.
Published: January 2014

The objective of histologic techniques is to stain the subject with high specificity and high visibility. Visibility depends on the microscope’s resolution and contrast and on the microscopist’s skill at optimizing the microscope’s image. It also depends on histotechnological factors, which include specificity and differentiation of the stain, density of background staining (particularly in silver stains), innate color, and grayscale contrasts of the dyes in the stains and color and density of the counterstain. If contrast is not optimal, the image should be evaluated on the basis of 2 types of contrast-color and grayscale. Complementary colors have maximum color contrast, and the color triangle is useful in the selection of a suitable counterstain. Grayscale contrast is a function of the density of a stain. If dyes capable of staining the target and backgrounds tissue do not have optimal color contrast, the only method of increasing contrast is to change the grayscale value of one of the stains, usually the counterstain. Colors can have a subconscious effect on a viewer. Depending on whether they are aesthetically pleasing, they may influence the rigor of and time spent on the histopathologic examination. Maximizing the specificity of stains such as hematoxylin, eosin, trichrome, and Luxol fast blue (LFB) depends on optimal differentiation. In differentiation of counterstains such as methylene blue in the Ziehl-Neelsen stain, its recommended density is conveniently expressed as a grayscale value. Independent evaluation of color and grayscale contrasts is very helpful in determining the cause of low contrast in an image. This review discusses aspects of the histotechnique affecting the visibility of tissue components.
A Review of Histiocytic Diseases of Dogs and Cats
Authors: Moore P. F.
Published: January 2014

Histiocytic proliferative disorders are commonly observed in dogs and less often cats. Histiocytic disorders occur in most of the dendritic cell (DC) lineages. Canine cutaneous histiocytoma originates from Langerhans cells (LCs) indicated by expression of CD1a, CD11c/CD18, and E-cadherin. When histiocytomas occur as multiple lesions in skin with optional metastasis to lymph nodes and internal organs, the disease resembles cutaneous Langerhans cell histiocytosis of humans. Langerhans cell disorders do not occur in feline skin. Feline pulmonary LCH has been recognized as a cause of respiratory failure due to diffuse pulmonary infiltration by histiocytes, which express CD18 and E-cadherin and contain Birbeck’s granules. In dogs and cats, histiocytic sarcomas (HS) arise from interstitial DCs that occur in most tissues of the body. Histiocytic sarcomas begin as localized lesions, which rapidly disseminate to many organs. Primary sites include spleen, lung, skin, brain (meninges), lymph node, bone marrow, and synovial tissues of limbs. An indolent form of localized HS, progressive histiocytosis, originates in the skin of cats. Hemophagocytic HS originates in splenic red pulp and bone marrow macrophages in dogs and cats. In dogs, histiocytes in hemophagocytic HS express CD11d/CD18, which is a leuko-integrin highly expressed by macrophages in splenic red pulp and bone marrow. Canine reactive histiocytic diseases, systemic histiocytosis (SH) and cutaneous histiocytosis, are complex inflammatory diseases with underlying immune dysregulation. The lesions are dominated by activated interstitial DCs and lymphocytes, which invade vessel walls and extend as vasocentric infiltrates in skin, lymph nodes, and internal organs (SH).
Evaluation of effluents from bench-scale treatment combinations for landfill leachate in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Aluko Olufemi Oludare , Sridhar MKC
Published: January 2014

The removal of pollutants in landfill leachate was investigated using constructed wetlands, a trickling filter, alum flocculation and coagulation, and a sequencing batch reactor in various combinations. Thirteen combined operations were investigated involving three out of the four unit treatment methods in series. The study was conducted because unit operations, though achieved reductions in pollutants concentrations had effluent values above the national regulatory guideline values. The suspended solids of effluents were permissible in most treatment processes, while reductions in 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia (NH3) of leachates ranged from 80% to 97%; 86% to 97% and 92% to 98% respectively. However, there were significant increases in nitrate (85%) and dissolved oxygen of treatment (218%). In addition, the characteristics of the recommended treatment sequence, involving constructed wetlands, alum and trickling filter produced effluents with reductions in colour (97%), alkalinity (97%), BOD (97%), COD (97%) and NH3 (98%), and in metals, except nickel (29% reduction from the influent values). The recommended treatment combination is suitable for effective leachate management at the landfill. The cost of constructing and operating the recommended treatment combination at the facility, for 5 years, would be NGN6,009,750.00 ($38,036.39). The performance should be monitored on site prior to full adoption if effluent characteristics remain consistently low over dry and wet seasons.
Comment les adolescents définissent-ils leurs propres compétences en matière de consommation ? Une approche par les portraits
Authors: Batat Wided
Published: January 2014

L’objectif de cette recherche est de montrer l’intérêt du concept de « compétence » dans l’étude du comportement de l’adolescent-consommateur, au travers d’un cas empirique. Cet article étudie le sens que les adolescents attribuent à leur compétence de consommation à partir d’une analyse interprétative de 18 portraits d’adolescents âgés de 11 à 15 ans. Les résultats permettent d’identifier onze dimensions de la compétence de consommation.
Mesurer la force persuasive de l’activisme consumériste : une étude expérimentale de la théorie des cités appliquée aux food imitating products
Authors: Bouillé Julien , Robert-Demontrond Philippe , Basso Frédéric
Published: January 2014

Cet article s’intéresse aux mouvements d’activisme consumériste sous l’angle des critiques adressées aux entreprises dont les pratiques sont jugées irresponsables (ici les pratiques de food imitating products). L’objectif de cette recherche est de montrer que les différents modes de structuration des discours militants n’ont pas la même influence persuasive sur les attitudes des consommateurs vis-à-vis de l’entreprise incriminée. Nous défendons, tout d’abord, l’idée que les enjeux de persuasion et de justification de la critique (p.e. mobiliser des consommateurs à des actions de boycott) peuvent être analysés à l’aide du « modèle des cités » de Boltanski et Thévenot (1991). Nous rapportons, ensuite, les résultats d’une expérimentation dont le but est d’examiner l’impact de la configuration des discours militants (qualité, latéralité et logique de l’argumentation) sur le degré d’acceptation de la critique ainsi que sur les intentions déclarées des consommateurs de boycotter respectivement le produit et la marque mis en cause. Les résultats nous conduisent, enfin, à dégager une configuration de la critique militante à partir de laquelle nous esquissons des recommandations managériales pour les entreprises ciblées par les groupes d’activistes consuméristes.
Les stratégies de neutralisation de la pression normative par les consommateurs : le cas du téléchargement illégal
Authors: Odou Philippe , Bonnin Gaël
Published: January 2014

Résumé

Les techniques de neutralisation, qui permettent aux consommateurs d’accomplir des pratiques déviantes tout en restant attachés à la norme de référence, sont mal connues. Nous montrons, dans le cas du téléchargement illégal, qu’il s’agit d’un assemblage discursif autonome, articulé autour de trois stratégies défensives (déresponsabilisation neutralisatrice, neutralisation pragmatique, neutralisation idéologique), et supportant la contradiction interne.
Les émotions ressenties dans un point de vente : Proposition d’une échelle de mesure
Authors: Lichtlé Marie-Christine , Plichon Véronique
Published: January 2014

Les états affectifs ressentis en magasin sont nombreux, hétérogènes et spécifiques. Pour les mesurer, la majorité des chercheurs utilise les instruments de mesure des psychologues anglo-saxons. Or ces mesures comportent de nombreuses limites et sont peu adaptées au contexte de la distribution. L’objectif de cette recherche a été de créer une échelle de mesure des émotions ressenties dans un point de vente. Après une rapide analyse de la littérature sur les états affectifs et sur leurs mesures, nous avons étudié plus particulièrement les affects ressentis par les clients en magasin. Enfin, une phase qualitative et deux études quantitatives nous ont permis de proposer une échelle de mesure en six dimensions (la plénitude, l’évasion, la nervosité, le plaisir, la détente et l’oppression) adaptée au contexte de la distribution. La fiabilité, la validité convergente, discriminante et prédictive de l’échelle sont toutes très satisfaisantes.
Using Benchmarking Techniques and the 2011 Maternity Practices Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) Survey to Improve Performance among Peer Groups across the United States
Authors: Edwards Roger A. , Dee Deborah , Umer Amna , Perrine Cria G. , Shealy Katherine R. , Grummer-Strawn Laurence M.
Published: January 2014

Background:

A substantial proportion of US maternity care facilities engage in practices that are not evidence-based and that interfere with breastfeeding. The CDC Survey of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) showed significant variation in maternity practices among US states.

Objective:

The purpose of this article is to use benchmarking techniques to identify states within relevant peer groups that were top performers on mPINC survey indicators related to breastfeeding support.

Methods:

We used 11 indicators of breastfeeding-related maternity care from the 2011 mPINC survey and benchmarking techniques to organize and compare hospital-based maternity practices across the 50 states and Washington, DC. We created peer categories for benchmarking first by region (grouping states by West, Midwest, South, and Northeast) and then by size (grouping states by the number of maternity facilities and dividing each region into approximately equal halves based on the number of facilities).

Results:

Thirty-four states had scores high enough to serve as benchmarks, and 32 states had scores low enough to reflect the lowest score gap from the benchmark on at least 1 indicator. No state served as the benchmark on more than 5 indicators and no state was furthest from the benchmark on more than 7 indicators. The small peer group benchmarks in the South, West, and Midwest were better than the large peer group benchmarks on 91%, 82%, and 36% of the indicators, respectively. In the West large, the Midwest large, the Midwest small, and the South large peer groups, 4-6 benchmarks showed that less than 50% of hospitals have ideal practice in all states.

Conclusion:

The evaluation presents benchmarks for peer group state comparisons that provide potential and feasible targets for improvement.
Teaching in Two Tongues
Authors: Menon Shailaja , Viswanatha Vanamala , Sahi Jane
Published: January 2014

This article is a sharing of emergent ideas about the potential role of languages in teacher education (TE) programmes in multilingual contexts in India. Languages play a critical role in TE programmes where they shape both the learning as well as the future teaching of prospective teachers. This role acquires particular significance in multilingual contexts, such as those encountered in most Indian settings. We draw upon multiple disciplines to develop a theoretical conception of language and language learning that is both socio-culturally located as well as critical in nature. We contextualise the discussion by describing the situation vis-à-vis languages and language teaching in India. Next, we develop and describe a rationale for adopting a bilingual/multilingual position in TE programmes in India. Finally, we describe a few possibilities for the practice of language teaching. The article should be read as an invitation to further study and dialogue, rather than as a definitive position on the issues addressed.
Dialogism in India’s New National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education
Authors: Setty Rohit
Published: January 2014

This article presents evidence from a linguistic analysis conducted on the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) 2009, and explores the dialogic characteristics of the document driving the current reform of teacher education. I address one orienting research question: in what ways and to what extent are the aims and intentions of reformers linguistically realised in the text of the NCFTE? I begin this article with a brief on the foundations and content of the NCFTE. I then turn to an analysis of the data derived from the text of the NCFTE, and show that both monoglossic and heteroglossic dimensions are evident in the text, but that they are both used in very distinct ways. The implications of this work extend beyond semantics, and can serve to press policymakers to think about how the linguistic resources they employ can shape the discourse of educational reform in India.
Bosutinib
Authors: Stansfield Lindsay , Hughes Thomas E , Walsh-Chocolaad Tracey L
Published: January 2014

Objective: To review clinical trials and main characteristics of bosutinib, a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Data Sources: Pertinent data were identified through a search of PubMed (January 1990-April 2013) using the primary search terms SKI-606, bosutinib, and CML. Additionally, preliminary reports published in abstract form by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Society of Hematology (January 1990-April 2013) were screened for inclusion. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Clinical Phase 1, 2, and 3 studies reported in English evaluating the safety and efficacy of bosutinib in patients with CML were reviewed. Data Synthesis: Bosutinib is a TKI of the breakpoint cluster region/Abelson murine leukemia ( BCR-ABL) gene approved by the Food and Drug Administration on September 4, 2012, for second-line treatment of chronic phase, accelerated phase, and blast phase CML. In the second-line setting, bosutinib is effective in some patients with CML resistant or intolerant to imatinib, dasatinib, and/or nilotinib, but it is not effective in patients whose disease expresses the T315I point mutation in BCR-ABL. Bosutinib also has been compared with imatinib, the standard first-line treatment, in 502 patients with newly diagnosed chronic phase CML in a Phase 3 trial. Complete cytogenetic response at 12 months, the primary efficacy end point, is similar between bosutinib and imatinib (p = 0.601); therefore, bosutinib is not indicated in the first-line setting. Common adverse events associated with bosutinib include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events reported in at least 5% of bosutinib-treated patients include elevated serum lipase and liver aminotransferases, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and diarrhea. Conclusions: Currently available clinical trials suggest that bosutinib is generally a safe and effective treatment option for patients with CML who have failed first-line TKIs and who do not express the T315I mutation; however, tolerability may be problematic for some patients.