bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forgotten indwelling stent in a transplanted kidney: a case report
Authors: Bhuva Shaheel , Kennish Steven J , Wah Tze M
Published: February 2009

• Introduction

Forgotten or retained ureteric stents are a well-recognised phenomenon with the potential to cause a range of complications, the most dangerous of which is obstructive nephropathy. These risks are potentially devastating when the patient has a single functioning transplanted kidney. Here we describe the case of a renal transplantation patient with a forgotten ureteric stent of 10 years, who presented with irritative bladder symptoms and was successfully managed using a multimodal urological approach with specialist advice on antibiotic prophylaxis. To the best of our knowledge this is the longest documented time period for a forgotten ureteric stent in a transplantation patient and is unusual in that obstructive nephropathy did not occur.

• Case presentation

A 32-year-old man with a history of end stage renal failure of unknown aetiology received a cadaveric renal transplant in 1995. An indwelling JJ stent was placed at the time of transplant to protect the vesicoureteric anastomosis. The patient made an unremarkable recovery and initially attended regular follow up in the renal transplant clinic. He was subsequently lost to transplant clinic follow up. In 2005 at the age of 42 he was referred to a nephrologist with irritative bladder symptoms. Renal tract imaging with ultrasound and a plain film demonstrated a retained encrusted ureteric stent.

• Conclusion

The removal of a retained encrusted ureteric stent always provides a urological challenge. This case demonstrates that multimodal treatment involving a combination of endourological and percutaneous techniques can be employed with success even when the patient has a heavily encrusted stent for a single functioning transplanted kidney. Involvement of a microbiologist to advise on prophylactic antibiotics is deemed especially useful, as the immunosuppressed transplant patient is at particular risk of sepsis secondary to bacteraemia as a result of the endoscopic manipulation of the colonised encrusted stent. This case also provides further evidence to highlight the potential benefits of a stent registry.
Transcriptional induction of junctional adhesion molecule-C gene expression in activated T cells
Authors: Immenschuh Stephan , Naidu Srivatsava , Chavakis Triantafyllos , Beschmann Heike , Ludwig Ralf J , Santoso Sentot
Published: February 2009

Junctional adhesion molecule (JAM)-C is an Ig superfamily protein, which is involved in the regulation of various inflammatory and vascular events such as transendothelial leukocyte migration. JAM-C is expressed highly on the surface of endothelial cells and platelets, whereas expression in T lymphocytes is not well studied. To investigate the specific gene regulation of JAM-C in T lymphocytes, we determined JAM-C expression in quiescent and activated human T cells. Treatment with the polyclonal T cell activator PHA increased surface and total JAM-C expression in T cells time- and dose-dependently, as determined by flow cytometry and immunoblot analysis. In contrast, no up-regulation of JAM-A in activated T cells was detectable. The highest level of JAM-C up-regulation by PHA was observed in CD3+forkhead box P3+ and CD4+CD25high T cells. Moreover, TCR activation with combined anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 stimulation induced JAM-C expression in T cells. JAM-C induction occurred at the mRNA level, suggesting a transcriptional regulatory mechanism of JAM-C expression. Accordingly, we studied the regulation of the human JAM-C gene promoter in transiently transfected T cells. Luciferase activity of a JAM-C promoter gene construct with three potential consensus sites for the transcription factor NFAT was induced markedly in activated T cells. Finally, pretreatment with two pharmacological inhibitors of calcineurin, cyclosporin A, and FK-506, but not with MAPK inhibitors, blocked JAM-C induction in activated T cells. In summary, JAM-C is up-regulated in activated human T lymphocytes via a transcriptional mechanism, suggesting a potential role of JAM-C in T cell functions.
Oral Uracil and Tegafur Compared With Classic Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, Fluorouracil As Postoperative Chemotherapy in Patients With Node-Negative, High-Risk Breast Cancer: National Surgical Adjuvant Study for Breast Cancer 01 Trial
Authors: Watanabe Toru , Sano Muneaki , Takashima Shigemitsu , Kitaya Tomoki , Tokuda Yutaka , Yoshimoto Masataka , Kohno Norio , Nakagami Kazuhiko , Iwata Hiroji , Shimozuma Kojiro , Sonoo Hiroshi , Tsuda Hitoshi , Sakamoto Goi , Ohashi Yasuo
Published: February 2009

Purpose

The primary aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of oral uracil-tegafur (UFT) with that of classical cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) given as postoperative adjuvant treatment to women with node-negative, high-risk breast cancer.

Patients and Methods

Women with node-negative, high-risk breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive either 2 years of UFT or six cycles of CMF after surgery. The primary end point was relapse-free survival (RFS). Overall survival (OS), toxicity, and quality of life (QOL) were secondary end points. The hypothesis was that UFT was not inferior to CMF in terms of RFS.

Results

Between October 1996 and April 2001, a total of 733 patients were randomly assigned to receive either treatment. The median follow-up time was 6.2 years. The RFS rates at 5 years were 88.0% in the CMF arm and 87.8% in the UFT arm. OS rates were 96.0% and 96.2%, respectively. The hazard ratios of the UFT arm relative to the CMF arm were 0.98 for RFS (95% CI, 0.66 to 1.45; P = .92) and 0.81 for OS (95% CI, 0.44 to 1.48; P = .49). The toxicity profiles differed between the two groups. The QOL scores were better for patients given UFT than those given CMF.

Conclusion

RFS and OS with oral UFT were similar to those with classical CMF. Given the higher QOL scores, oral UFT is a promising alternative to CMF for postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in women with node-negative, high-risk breast cancer.
MIG-32 and SPAT-3A are PRC1 homologs that control neuronal migration inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Karakuzu Ozgur , Wang David P. , Cameron Scott
Published: February 2009

The Polycomb repression complex 2 (PRC2) methylates histone H3 lysine 27 at target genes to modify gene expression, and this mark is recognized by PRC1,which ubiquitylates histone H2A. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a complex of the MES-2, MES-3 and MES-6 proteins is functionally analogous to the PRC2 complex, but the functional analog of PRC1, and indeed whether C. elegans has such a complex, has been unclear. We describe here that MIG-32 and SPAT-3A are functional analogs of PRC1 in C. elegans,where they are required for neuronal migrations and during vulval development. mig-32 and spat-3 mutants are defective in H2A ubiquitylation, and have nervous system defects that partially overlap with those of mes mutants. However, unlike the mes mutants, mig-32 and spat-3 mutants are fertile, suggesting that PRC1 function is not absolutely required in the germline for essential functions of PRC2.
Notch signaling in bulge stem cells is not required for selection of hair follicle fate
Authors: Demehri Shadmehr , Kopan Raphael
Published: February 2009

Notch signaling plays an important role in hair follicle maintenance, and it has been suggested that Notch is also required for follicular fate selection by adult hair follicle stem cells in the bulge. Here we demonstrate that, on the contrary, Notch signaling in bi-potential bulge stem cells or their uncommitted descendents acts to suppress the epidermal fate choice, thus ensuring follicular fate selection. To examine the role of Notch signaling in adult hair follicle stem cells, we used a Krt1-15-CrePR1 transgenic mouse line to delete Rbpj or all Notch proteins specifically in the bulge stem cells. We conclusively determined that in the absence of Notch signaling,bulge stem cell descendents retain their capacity to execute the follicular differentiation program but fail to maintain it owing to their genetic deficiency. The defect in terminal differentiation caused the diversion of Notch-deficient hair follicles to epidermal cysts, and the presence of wild-type cells could not prevent this conversion. Importantly, our analysis revealed that a functional Notch signaling pathway was required to block bulge stem cells from migrating into, and assuming the fate of, interfollicular epidermis. Taken together, our findings yield detailed insight into the function of Notch signaling in hair follicle stem cells and reveal the mechanism of the replacement of Notch-deficient adult hair follicles by epidermal cysts.
Persistent competition among stem cells and their daughters in theDrosophilaovary germline niche
Authors: Rhiner Christa , Díaz Begoña , Portela Marta , Poyatos Juan F. , Fernández-Ruiz Irene , López-Gay Jesús M. , Gerlitz Offer , Moreno Eduardo
Published: February 2009

Cell competition is a short-range cell-cell interaction leading to the proliferation of winner cells at the expense of losers, although either cell type shows normal growth in homotypic environments. Drosophila Myc(dMyc; Dm – FlyBase) is a potent inducer of cell competition in wing epithelia, but its role in the ovary germline stem cell niche is unknown. Here, we show that germline stem cells (GSCs) with relative lower levels of dMyc are replaced by GSCs with higher levels of dMyc. By contrast,dMyc-overexpressing GSCs outcompete wild-type stem cells without affecting total stem cell numbers. We also provide evidence for a naturally occurring cell competition border formed by high dMyc-expressing stem cells and low dMyc-expressing progeny, which may facilitate the concentration of the niche-provided self-renewal factor BMP/Dpp in metabolically active high dMyc stem cells. Genetic manipulations that impose uniform dMyc levels across the germline produce an extended Dpp signaling domain and cause uncoordinated differentiation events. We propose that dMyc-induced competition plays a dual role in regulating optimal stem cell pools and sharp differentiation boundaries, but is potentially harmful in the case of emerging dmycduplications that facilitate niche occupancy by pre-cancerous stem cells. Moreover, competitive interactions among stem cells may be relevant for the successful application of stem cell therapies in humans.
Agent-based coordination framework for integrated vehicle chassis control
Authors: Wang J-X , Chen N , Pi D-W , Yin G-D
Published: February 2009

An agent-based integrated control framework is proposed to organize the active steering, active driveline, active brake, and anti-lock braking—acceleration slip regulation controllers, which traditionally have been relatively independent. Analysis is made of the characteristics of vehicle-handling dynamics, the functions of the individual controllers, and their interrelationships. A coordination mechanism is employed to manage interdependences and conflicts among the subcontrollers, so as to improve the flexibility, adaptability, and robustness of the global control system. The trade-off between yaw rate tracking, lateral stability, and longitudinal acceleration tracking is considered in the coordination. The control subsystems and the agent-based integrated control architecture are implemented in MATLAB/Simulink to study the vehicle-handling capability under critical manoeuvring conditions. Simulation results show that the proposed intelligent and flexible control framework is predominant in organizing the subsystems, and could provide better performance than the stand-alone controllers for the vehicle longitudinal and lateral motion.
An experimental investigation of car—trailer high-speed stability
Authors: Darling J , Tilley D , Gao B
Published: February 2009

Previous work on car—trailer stability has been largely limited to theoretical studies with some reference to practical experience or accident statistics. In this study, extensive and systematic experimental investigations were carried out on a combined car—adjustable-trailer system. The influence of different trailer parameters on the system high-speed stability was examined by changing the mass, dimensions, and inertial characteristics of a fully adjustable trailer. It was found that the dominant factors affecting stability were the trailer yaw inertia, nose mass (mass distribution), and trailer axle position. The tyre pressure also affects the stability, although this effect is less significant. It is interesting to see that the trailer mass alone does not dramatically affect the high-speed stability, as this runs contrary to current guidelines relating to limits on the relative mass of the car and trailer. Experimental tests on a friction stabilizer and on car electronic stability programs demonstrate that both of these improve the high-speed stability and help to delay the onset of ‘snaking’.
The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on Mortality: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from the Minimum Drinking Age
Authors: Carpenter Christopher , Dobkin Carlos
Published: February 2009

We estimate the effect of alcohol consumption on mortality using the minimum drinking age in a regression discontinuity design. We find large and immediate increases in drinking at age 21, including a 21 percent increase in recent drinking days. We also find a discrete 9 percent increase in the mortality rate at age 21, primarily due to motor vehicle accidents, alcohol-related deaths, and suicides. We estimate a 10 percent increase in the number of drinking days for young adults results in a 4.3 percent increase in mortality. Our results suggest policies that reduce drinking among young adults can have substantial public health benefits. (JEL I12, I18)
Separated at Girth: US Twin Estimates of the Effects of Birth Weight
Authors: Royer Heather
Published: February 2009

The fetal origins hypothesis asserts that nutrient deprivation in utero can raise chronic disease risk. Within economics, this hypothesis has gained acceptance as a leading explanation for the correlations between birth weight, a proxy for fetal nutrient intake, and adult outcomes. Exploiting birth-weight differences between twins using (a) a newly-created dataset of twins from 1960–1982 California birth records and (b) the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort, I find birth weight is related to educational attainment, later pregnancy complications, and the birth weight of the next generation. These effects are generally small. However, the protective effects of birth weight vary across the birth-weight distribution. (JEL: I12, I21, J13)
Border Effect or Country Effect? Seattle May Not Be so Far from Vancouver After All
Authors: Gorodnichenko Yuriy , Tesar Linda L
Published: February 2009

This paper reexamines the evidence on the border effect. We argue that if there is cross-country heterogeneity in the distribution of within-country price differentials, there is no clear benchmark from which to gauge the effect of a border. In the absence of a structural model or a (natural) experiment, it is impossible to separate the “border” effect from the effect of trading with a country with a different distribution of prices. We show that the border effect identified by Engel and Rogers (1996) is entirely driven by the difference in the distribution of prices within the United States and Canada. (JEL F11, F14)
Moral Hazard and Customer Loyalty Programs
Authors: Basso Leonardo J , Clements Matthew T , Ross Thomas W
Published: February 2009

Frequent-flier plans (FFPs) may be the most famous of customer loyalty programs, and there are similar schemes in other industries. We present a theory that models FFPs as efforts to exploit the agency relationship between employers (who pay for tickets) and employees (who book travel). FFPs “bribe” employees to book flights at higher prices. While a single airline offering an FFP has an advantage, competing FFPs can result in lower profits for airlines even while ticket prices rise. Thus, in contrast to switching-cost treatments of FFPs, we may observe prices and profits moving in opposite directions. (JEL D82, L93, M31)
Reputational Incentives for Restaurant Hygiene
Authors: Jin Ginger Zhe , Leslie Phillip
Published: February 2009

How can consumers be assured that firms will endeavor to provide good quality when quality is unobservable prior to purchase? We test the hypothesis that reputational incentives are effective at causing restaurants to maintain good hygiene quality. We find that chain affiliation provides reputational incentives and franchised units tend to free-ride on chain reputation. We also show that regional variation in the degree of repeat customers affects the strength of reputational incentives for good hygiene at both chain and nonchain restaurants. Despite these incentives, a policy intervention in the form of posted hygiene grade cards causes significant improvements in restaurant hygiene. (JEL I18, I19, L14, L83).
An Empirical Framework for Large-Scale Policy Analysis, with an Application to School Finance Reform in Michigan
Authors: Ferreyra Maria Marta
Published: February 2009

In this paper, I develop an empirical framework for the analysis of large-scale policies, and apply it to study the effects of school finance reform on the Detroit metropolitan area. Exploiting school finance reform in Michigan in 1994, I estimate a general equilibrium model of multiple jurisdictions with 1990 data from Detroit, predict the 2000 equilibrium, and compare this prediction with 2000 data to validate the model. I conduct counterfactual simulations using the estimates. According to my analysis, feasible revenue-based reforms that ensure spending equity or adequacy have little impact on school quality or household demographics in Detroit. (JEL H75, I22)
Altruism and the Child Cycle of Alumni Donations
Authors: Meer Jonathan , Rosen Harvey S
Published: February 2009

We study alumni contributions to an anonymous research university. If alumni believe donations will increase the likelihood of their child's admission, and if this belief helps motivate their giving, then the pattern of giving should vary systematically with the ages of their children, whether the children ultimately apply to the university, and the admissions outcome. We call this pattern the child cycle of alumni giving. The evidence is consistent with the child-cycle pattern. Thus, while altruism drives some giving, the hope for a reciprocal benefit also plays a role. We compute rough estimates of the proportion of giving due to selfish motives. (JEL D91, D64, I21)
A Theory of Urban Squatting and Land-Tenure Formalization in Developing Countries
Authors: Brueckner Jan K , Selod Harris
Published: February 2009

This paper offers a new theoretical approach to urban squatting, reflecting the view that squatters and formal residents compete for land within a city. The key implication is that squatters “squeeze” the formal market, raising the price paid by formal residents. The squatter organizer ensures that squeezing is not too severe, since otherwise, the formal price will rise to a level that invites eviction by landowners. Because eviction is absent in equilibrium, the model differs from previous analytical frameworks, where eviction occurs with some probability. It also facilitates a general equilibrium analysis of squatter formalization policies. (JEL O15, Q15, R14)
Understanding the challenges of service change – learning from acute pain services in the UK
Authors: Powell AE , Davies HTO , Bannister J , Macrae WA
Published: February 2009

Summary

Objectives

To explore organizational difficulties faced when implementing national policy recommendations in local contexts.

Design

Qualitative case study involving semi-structured interviews with health professionals and managers working in and around acute pain services.

Setting

Three UK acute hospital organizations.

Main outcome measures

Identification of the content, context and process factors impacting on the implementation of the national policy recommendations on acute pain services; insights into and deeper understanding of the generic obstacles to change facing service improvements.

Results

The process of implementing policy recommendations and improving services in each of the three organizations was undermined by multiple factors relating to: doubts and disagreements about the nature of the change; challenging local organizational contexts; and the beliefs, attitudes and responses of health professionals and managers. The impact of these factors was compounded by the interaction between them.

Conclusions

Local implementation of national policies aimed at service improvement can be undermined by multiple interacting factors. Particularly important are the pre-existing local organizational contexts and histories, and the deeply-ingrained attitudes, beliefs and assumptions of diverse staff groups. Without close attention to all of these underlying issues and how they interact in individual organizations against the background of local and national contexts, more resources or further structural change are unlikely to deliver the intended improvements in patient care.
After the gold rush? A systematic and critical review of general medical podcasts
Authors: Wilson Paul , Petticrew Mark , Booth Alison
Published: February 2009

Summary

Objectives

Podcasts are increasingly used to enhance many forms of research communication and education. We set out to assess the extent of this podcast revolution by identifying and critically describing the content and quality of podcast services provided by leading general medical journals.

Methods

Summary of general and internal medicine journal podcasts identified in April 2008 by means of web-searching, with a brief commentary on their content and quality.

Results

Of the top 100 general medical and internal journals as ranked by impact factor only eight offer a regular podcast. The technical quality of most is of an acceptable but not of a high standard. The mode of delivery and resulting listening experience is variable with those utilizing an interview format more interesting to listen to than those reliant upon a single voice.

Conclusions

General medical podcasts are potentially a valuable resource for providing a digestible overview of the latest research, and for providing an opportunity to dip into areas outside one's own core interests. Although they represent a novel use of technology for disseminating knowledge, uptake has been limited and the quality of the listening experience is variable.
What's it in this picture?
Authors: Kivukuto-Mutendela J , Kuhigwa T , Bulabula A
Published: February 2009

The authors recall the chemoprophylaxis of helminthiasis from a case of intestinal obstruction due to roundworms. Unfortunately, in tropical countries, young patients continue to have heavy surgery related to this aetiology.
Adolescent pregnancies and deliveries: problems encountered
Authors: Nkwabong E , Fomulu J N
Published: February 2009

Teenage pregnancies are increasing and need special attention. The aim of this retrospective study, conducted from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 at the maternity department of the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital, Cameroon, was to analyze the evolution of pregnancy and delivery in primiparous teenagers. The medical files of 190 teenagers and 403 patients aged between 20 and 25 years were analyzed and compared. Mean gestational age, the rate of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disease and the caesarean section rate were similar in both groups. However, there were a greater number of low Apgar scores, vaginal tears and instrumental deliveries in teenagers. Those aged 15 years or less had the additional risk of an increased rate of preterm labour, low birth weight and early neonatal death. Therefore, pregnancies and deliveries among teenagers, especially those aged 15 years or less, should be monitored regularly.
Aetiology of paediatric portal hypertension – experience of a tertiary care centre in South India
Authors: Simon Ebby G , Joseph A J , George Biju , Zachariah Uday G , Jeyamani R , Eapen C E , Chandy George , Ramakrishna B S , Kurian George , Chacko Ashok
Published: February 2009

The aetiological profile of paediatric portal hypertension in our hospital, a tertiary care centre in South India, showed that the commonest causes were extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) and cirrhosis. Wilson's disease was the most common cause of cirrhosis.
Anal carcinoma in a tropical low socio-economic population in the new millennium: what has changed?
Authors: Irabor D O , Dongo A E
Published: February 2009

The paper is a retrospective look at the clinicopathological presentation of carcinoma of the anal canal in a tertiary health institution in Nigeria. Sixty-five patients were diagnosed with anal carcinoma over a five-year period (2002–2006) from a total of 394 patients who had malignancies of the colon, rectum and anus. The male: female ratio was 1.2:1 showing a slight male predominance; the average age was 48 years; tenesmus, bleeding per rectum and anal pain were the most common presenting features. None of the patients tested positive to HIV during the duration of their stay in hospital. The most predominant histopathological subtype was adenocarcinoma – a departure from the hitherto squamous cell cancer dominance. Thus, only a few patients benefited from chemo-radiation; the majority had abdominoperineal resection while quite a significant proportion of patients (27.7%) declined any form of treatment for socio-cultural reasons.
Survival from adult tetanus in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ajose Frances O A , Odusanya Olumuyiwa O
Published: February 2009

A longitudinal recruitment of adult tetanus patients to determine the survival rate of adult tetanus patients was conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. One hundred and sixty-four patients were admitted and forty-nine (30%) survived. The only significant determinant of survival was young age ( P = 0.017).
A Recent Rise in Twin Birthrates and Demographic Changes in Mothers of Twins in South Korea: 2003–2007
Authors: Hur Yoon-Mi , Song Tae-Bok
Published: February 2009

Using the South Korean national live birth data for the years 2003 to 2007, monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin birth rates were estimated and analyzed by maternal age, and parents of twins and those of singletons were compared in their level of education. During this period, while the MZ twin birth rate showed no change, the DZ twin birth rate increased up to 9.4 pairs per thousand births. This rate is close to five times as high as the natural DZ twinning rate in the South Korean population. The highest twinning rate occurred among mothers aged 30 to 34 years, followed by mothers aged 25 to 29. These results represented the first evidence for the downward trend in ages of mothers of twins. In each year between 2003 and 2006, percentages of parents who completed college or higher level of education were higher in the twin than in the singleton group, suggesting that the parental socioeconomic level became higher in twins than in singletons. We speculated that these demographic changes occurred because assisted reproductive technology was more easily available among parents of high socioeconomic status. In their sampling strategies, twin researchers should consider our findings of recent changes in demographic characteristics of parents of twins as well as increased DZ twin birth rates.
The Australian Twin Study of Gambling (OZ-GAM): Rationale, Sample Description, Predictors of Participation, and a First Look at Sources of Individual Differences in Gambling Involvement
Authors: Slutske Wendy S. , Meier Madeline H. , Zhu Gu , Statham Dixie J. , Blaszczynski Alex , Martin Nicholas G.
Published: February 2009

Two major challenges to conducting a community-based twin study of pathological gambling (PG) disorder are that: (a) it is relatively rare, and (b) individuals with the disorder in the community may be difficult to locate and recruit. We describe a new study of 4,764 individuals recruited from the Australian Twin Registry in which we attempt to effectively deal with the first challenge and examine the impact of the second challenge. The lifetime prevalence of DSM-IV PG in this Australian twin sample was 2.2%, which is 400–500% higher than has been obtained in prevalence surveys conducted in the United States. A number of predictors of non-participation were identified, including a lifetime PG disorder diagnosis, but these did not have a large net effect on the estimated number of individuals with PG or related characteristics in the twin sample. Results of biometric modeling suggested that the effect of genetic, shared family environmental, and nonshared environmental influences on the propensity to engage in 11 different specific forms of gambling (e.g., playing the lottery, betting on horse or dog races, playing electronic gaming machines) were generally moderate, low, and moderate, respectively, with mean parameter estimates obtained of 43%, 10%, and 46%. An intriguing comparison with results from a 1963 US adolescent twin study conducted by Loehlin and Nichols (1976) suggests that: (a) propensity genes for gambling involvement may be more likely to be expressed in the heavy-gambling Australian culture, or that (b) the family environment has a transient effect on the gambling behavior of young people.
Sources of inspiration and mental image in textile design process
Authors: Laamanen Tarja-Kaarina , Seitamaa-Hakkarainen Pirita
Published: February 2009

The purpose of this study was to describe the sources of inspiration and the emergence of mental images in a virtual design course. The study was conducted in The Department of Home Economics and Craft Science at the University of Helsinki. During the virtual course, eleven students
designed fabric collage textiles and carried out exercises using the technique in a networked environment. Qualitative content analysis was performed on the collected visual and verbal data. The study indicated that typical mental images related to visual, kinaesthetic and verbal aspects of
design activity. It was essential to use diverse processing of mental images and multisensory sources of inspiration. A virtual environment lacks face-to-face interactions but, at the same time, it seems to provide a shared body of experiences about design examples.
Learning as experience: a model for teaching the reflective exegesis for communication design practice
Authors: Shumack Kaye
Published: February 2009

This paper proposes a model for teaching the reflective exegesis for communication design practice in the fourth year of undergraduate studies, refined as a result of three years of student feedback. In this context, the exegesis is understood as a short essay, in which students reflect on practice, around their studio-based visual design project. The exegesis is developed in a reflective studies module that explores understandings about personal styles and conventions of practice, the design process as a cycle of linked process stages, and micro-moments of decision making.

In this context, the exegesis is not written as a dissertation to accompany a creative practice research outcome, but as a way to explore the edges and spaces of design practice as a form of research through evaluation of the design process. This takes place in a speculative and playful way, grounded in selected theories from reflective practice and experiential knowledge and knowing. It aims to foster meaningful learning conversations about current and future practice.
New queer Greece: thinking identity through Constantine Giannaris's From the Edge of the City and Ana Kokkinos's Head On
Authors: Papanikolaou Dimitris
Published: February 2009

ReadingFrom the Edge of the CityandHead Onas world examples of New Queer Cinema, this article shows how the role they assign to sexuality crucially inflects their perspectives on diaspora and Greekness.From the Edge of the Cityundermines the conventional narrative of successful Greek repatriations by presenting a group of Russian-Greek young men negotiating both their position within Greek society and their framing by a new queer (cinematic) gaze.Head Onscreens queer desire as a strategy which finally unsettles the traditional space (and the accepted narratives) of Greek-Australia and disrupts the heteronormative temporality of Greek emigrations. Both films thus present us with new understandings of movement and ethnic belonging they suggestgenderfuckandnationfuckas positions which dismantle the traditional framing of national and gender identities and propose a new queer(ed) Greece as a fluid space-off for the radical rethinking of identity.
Package Design as a Communications Vehicle in Cross-Cultural Values Shopping
Authors: Limon Yonca , Kahle Lynn R. , Orth Ulrich R.
Published: February 2009

Following a strategic approach, the authors test a universal model across cultural groups. They propose that consumers infer brand values (i.e., internal, external, and fun and enjoyment values) from packages and form their purchase intentions on the basis of those values. The authors test this proposition on three culturally diverse subsamples who evaluated three fictional brands each for one hedonic product (chocolate) and one utilitarian product (salt). The results indicate that variances in consumers’ use of package-evoked brand values are dependent on culture and are specifically driven by consumer values. The decision-making patterns studied seem to be universal in existence but not in relative or absolute importance. The findings underscore the ability of packages to convey meaning in terms of brand values; they also affirm the role of brand values as predictors of consumer purchase intentions depending on cultural groups. The authors conclude by outlining implications for international brand management and research.
The Effect of Superstar Software on Hardware Sales in System Markets
Authors: Binken Jeroen L.G. , Stremersch Stefan
Published: February 2009

Systems are composed of complementary products (e.g., video game systems are composed of the video game console and video games). Prior literature on indirect network effects has argued that in system markets, sales of the primary product (often referred to as “hardware”) largely depend on the availability of complementary products (often referred to as “software”). Mathematical and empirical analyses have almost exclusively operationalized software availability as software quantity. However, though not substantiated with empirical evidence, case illustrations show that certain high-quality, “superstar” software titles (e.g., Super Mario 64) may have disproportionately large effects on hardware unit sales (e.g., Nintendo N64 console sales). In the context of the U.S. home video game console market, the authors show that the introduction of a superstar increases video game console sales by an average of 14% (167,000 units) over a period of five months. One in every five buyers of a superstar software title also purchases the hardware required to use the software. Software type does not consistently alter this effect. The findings imply that scholars who study the relationship between software availability and hardware sales need to account for superstar returns and their decaying effect over time, beyond a mere software quantity effect. Hardware firms should maintain a steady flow of superstar introductions because the positive effect of a superstar lasts only five months and, if need be, make side payments to software firms because superstars dramatically increase hardware sales. Hardware firms’ exclusivity over superstars does not provide an extra boost to their own sales, but it takes away an opportunity for competing systems to increase their sales.
Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry screening of serum metabolomic biomarkers in hepatitis B virus infected cirrhosis patients
Authors: Xue Ruyi , Dong Ling , Wu Hao , Liu Taotao , Wang Jiyao , Shen Xizhong
Published: February 2009

: Metabolomic studies have been applied to disease biomarkers selection. With the metabolomic technique, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), human serum metabolites can be detected and identified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum metabolic profile of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected cirrhosis patients and to detect disease biomarkers.

: HBV infected non-cirrhosis male subjects (n=20) and HBV infected cirrhosis male patients (n=20) participated in this experiment. Serum metabolome was detected through chemical derivatization followed by GC/MS. The high-flux metabolomic data were analyzed by stepwise discriminant analysis.

: Out of the 41 metabolites detected in serum, we selected metabolites, including acetic acid, sorbitol, D-lactic acid, hexanoic acid, 1-naphthalenamine, butanoic acid, phosphoric acid, D-glucitol, and glucose, which in combination with each other could segregate the two groups. The error count was 0% for the non-cirrhosis group and 25% for the cirrhosis group.

: This technique can be used to select biomarkers for hepatic cirrhosis.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:305–10.
Zuständigkeitsänderungen in isolierten PKH-Verfahren
Authors: Maier Arne
Published: February 2009

Der Autor bezweifelt die Vereinbarkeit der geltenden Zuständigkeitsregelungen in isolierten PKH-Verfahren mit dem verfassungsrechtlichen Gebot, die Möglichkeiten gerichtlichen Rechtsschutzes bedürftiger und wohlhabender Personen weitgehend anzugleichen (BVerfGE 81, 347 = NJW 1991, 413). Der Beitrag beschreibt das Problem und zeigt verschiedene Lösungsmöglichkeiten auf. De lege ferenda wird vorgeschlagen, für isolierte PKH-Verfahren eine Sonderzuständigkeit des Amtsgerichts am Wohnsitz des Antragstellers einzuführen.
Analytical and Experimental Methods for Residual Stress Effects in Fatigue
Authors: Champoux RL , Kapp JA , Underwood JH
Published: February 2009

Description

11 peer-reviewed papers discuss the effects of residual stresses near surfaces, and through-thicknes or bulk effects. For fatigue and fracture enginers; structural enginers, and designers.
Comparison of Several Computer Programs for Probit Analysis of Dose-Related Mortality Data
Authors: Roberts MH
Published: February 2009

Five readily available computer programs for probit analysis were evaluated for input/output options and reliability of output: (1) DULUTH-TOX from Charles Stephan of the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Research Laboratory, Duluth; (2) ASTM-PROBIT from the ASTM Guide for Probit Analysis, Draft 2; (3) UG-PROBIT, which was written by statisticians at the University of Guelph, Canada; and (4) SPSSX; and (5) SAS. SPSSX and SAS are probit procedures available in standard statistical packages.

Except for UG-PROBIT, the programs yielded essentially identical median lethal concentration (LC50) values for the 20 data sets tested. DULUTH-TOX and ASTM-PROBIT include an objective evaluation of the validity of input data and calculated results, but they lack graphical output. SAS-PROBIT provides graphical output superior to that from SPSSX-PROBIT. SPSSX-PROBIT yields inappropriate fiducial limits in some cases.

UG-PROBIT, SPSSX-PROBIT, and SAS-PROBIT purport to consider control or "natural" responses. Only SPSSX-PROBIT and SAS-PROBIT actually adjusted observed treatment responses for the control response.

SPSSX-PROBIT and SAS-PROBIT are currently available only for mini and mainframe computers. All other programs can be implemented on microcomputers as well. DULUTH-TOX and ASTM-PROBIT, in all implementations, have a major advantage in that objective tests are included to determine the validity of input data and to guide the interpretation of output. The commercial statistical programs have the advantages of graphical output and a method for handling control mortality.
Comparison of Field Vane and Laboratory Undrained Shear Strength in Soft Sensitive Clays
Authors: Lefebvre G , Ladd CC , Paré J-J
Published: February 2009

The purpose of the paper is to compare, at two different sites, the field vane strength with the undrained shear strength measured in laboratory on intact clay specimens cut from block samples. The laboratory tests included triaxial compression, triaxial extension, and direct simple shear tests on specimens anisotropically reconsolidated to the in-situ stresses. The laboratory undrained shear strength was determined on averaged stress strain curves built from the three types of laboratory tests in order to account for strain compatibility. At both sites, the undrained shear strengths obtained by the field vane and by the laboratory tests are nearly identical. The comparison is discussed in terms of field vane correction.
The Scratch Standard is Only a Cosmetic Standard
Authors: Young M
Published: February 2009

In this paper, I present a history of the scratch and dig standard for optical surface quality and show that this standard has since its inception been recognized as a cosmetic standard and not as an objective or performance standard. In addition, I attempt to dispel the myth that the scratch standard was changed during the 1960's and show that scratch number cannot be related to scratch width. Finally, I describe a preliminary aging experiment that suggests that the scratch standards have not aged with time and are, in fact, extremely stable.
Highly Damage Resistant Porous Dielectric Coating for High Power Lasers in the Ultraviolet to Near-infrared Wavelength Region
Authors: Yoshida K , Yoshida H , Kato Y , Yamanaka C
Published: February 2009

Mechanically hard and broadband gradient refractive index artireflection coating was developed. It has a high damage threshold of >6 J/cm2 at 355 nm and 12–13 J/cm2 in the visible to near-infrared region. It will be applicable to high power pulsed lasers as well as to industrial uses.
Raman Scattering Analysis of Thin Film Coatings Using Guided Waves
Authors: Stewart AF , Tallant DR , Higgins KL
Published: February 2009

Selected refractory oxide, thin film coatings have been analyzed using Raman spectroscopy. Diamond and rutile prisms were used to couple the probe beam into the thin film coatings which served as waveguides. Propagation of the probe beam as a guided wave in the thin film increases the probability for Raman scattering by species in the thin film, compared to techniques which depend on a single pass through or probe beam reflection at the film. Because the probe beam is confined entirely within the thin film coating, Raman spectra are obtained which are generally free of vibrational bands due to the substrate. The combination of more efficient coupling between the probe beam and the thin film and the elimination of substrate interferences results in improved sensitivity and the ability to record recognizable Raman spectra of thin films composed even of materials that are relatively inefficient Raman scatterers.
Elastic-Plastic Behavior of Short Fatigue Crack in Smooth Specimen
Authors: Hoshide T , Miyahara M , Inoue T
Published: February 2009

The fundamental problem posed in this study is that associated with the behavior of short surface crack in low-cycle fatigue, which plays a significant role in predicting fatigue life. In the investigation, low-cycle fatigue tests of smooth specimens were conducted under push-pull loading for several materials, and behaviors of cracks on the specimen surface were observed by means of a plastic replication technique. When the growth rate of surface cracks was correlated to J-integral range, the data for cracks longer than about three times grain-size without coalescence growth were found to coincide with the relation obtained for large through-thickness cracks. Other data, even when excluding the results with coalescence, shifted toward the higher-rate region than the large-crack relation. Such an acceleration was suggested to be due to the difference in growth mechanism.

The prediction of fatigue life was investigated on the basis of the J-integral approach, and it was found that some restrictions remained in the applicability of the crack growth law of ordinary fracture mechanics type to the life prediction for smooth specimens under low-cycle fatigue.
Overload Effects in Sustained-Load Crack Growth in Inconel 718
Authors: Weerasooriya T , Nicholas T
Published: February 2009

Crack-growth-rate experiments were conducted on compact tension (CT) specimens of Inconel 718 in air at 649°C. The loading spectrum consisted of a single 1 Hz cycle at R = 0.1, where R is the ratio of minimum to maximum stress-intensity factors, and a hold time which was applied at various levels of the fatigue cycle. The ratio of the hold-time amplitude to the maximum amplitude of the fatigue cycle, Rin, was kept at 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, or 0.5. Hold times were varied from 0 to 200 s. Tests were performed under computer-controlled constant-K conditions using values of the maximum of the fatigue cycle of 40 and 50 MPa m1/2. Data show that for Rin = 1.0, a linear summation model works well, while at Rin = 0.9 there is a measurable retardation effect on the crack growth during the hold time. For values of Rin less than or equal to 0.8, the sustained-load crack growth is almost completely retarded. A simple retardation model is proposed which can fit the experimental data and is based on the concept of an overload plastic zone being produced by the fatigue cycles. It is concluded that hold times do not contribute to crack growth in this material unless their amplitude is at or near the maximum amplitude of the adjacent fatigue cycles.
Evaluation of Crack Growth Models for Elevated-Temperature Fatigue
Authors: Haritos GK , Nicholas T , Painter G
Published: February 2009

To date, only two models have been proposed for predicting crack growth rates in aircraft engine materials under typical operating conditions. Moreover, modeling to date has been performed on materials which exhibit limited amounts of time-dependent behavior. This investigation evaluates the predictive and interpolative capabilities of these models when applied to IN718, at 649°C. At this temperature, this material exhibits significant time-dependent behavior. Experimental data were generated and used to assess the predictive and interpolative characteristics of each model. These data covered variations in frequency, stress ratio, and hold time. Values for the coefficients in the functional relationships between the constants and the test variables were obtained for the hyperbolic sine equation (SINH) model. Similar functional relationships were incorporated into the modified sigmoidal equation (MSE) model. Several important conclusions were drawn about the capabilities of these two models to predict crack-growth rates in turbine-engine materials at elevated temperature.
Stress-Intensity Factors and Displacements for Arc Bend Specimens Using Collocation
Authors: Kapp JA
Published: February 2009

Stress-intensity factors, crack mouth opening displacements, and load-line displacements were determined for the arc bend-chord support specimen using boundary collocation. Several inner radius (r1) to outer radius (r2) ratios were studied at each of two span (S) to width (W) ratios. The actual solution matrix is for S/W = 3.0, r1/r2 = 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, and for S/W = 4.0, r1/r2 = 0.8, 0.7, 0.6. Also, the three-point bend single-edge specimen [SE(B)] at both S/W = 3.0 and S/W = 4.0 was studied to examine the limiting behavior of the generated solutions. For all of the S/W = 3.0 cases, solutions were obtained for crack length-to-width ratios (a/W) from 0.2 to 0.6, and in the S/W = 4.0 cases, a/W was varied from 0.2 to 0.5. The solutions were obtained by the linear superposition of a pure bending stress, a pure shear stress, and a uniform normal stress on an annular segment. The magnitudes of the individual components depended upon the size of the annular segment and the S/W ratio. Wide-range expressions were fit to the numerical solutions to make them applicable over a wider range of testing conditions and for inclusion in future revisions of the ASTM Standard for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness Testing (E 399-83).