bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Professional Support Offered by Midwives during Labour: An Observation and Interview Study
Authors: Thorstensson Stina , Ekström Anette , Lundgren Ingela , Hertfelt Wahn Elisabeth
Published: December 2012

Support in labour has an impact on the childbirth experience as well as on childbirth outcomes. Both social and professional support is needed. The aim of this study was to explore professional support offered by midwives during labour in relation to the supportive needs of the childbearing woman and her partner. The study used a qualitative, inductive design using triangulation, with observation followed by interviews. Seven midwives were observed when caring for seven women/couples in labour. After the observations, individual interviews with midwives, women, and their partners were conducted. Data were analysed using hermeneutical text interpretation. The results are presented with three themes. (1)Support as a professional task seems unclear and less well defined than medical controls. (2)Midwives and parents express somewhat different supportive ideas about how to create a sense of security. (3)Partner and midwife interact in support of the childbearing woman. The main interpretation shows that midwives' supportive role during labour could be understood as them mainly adopting the “with institution” ideology in contrast to the “with woman” ideology. This may increase the risk of childbearing women and their partners perceiving lack of support during labour. There is a need to increase efficiency by providing support for professionals to adopt the “with woman” ideology.
Adaptability Analysis of Service Facilities in Transfer Subway Stations
Authors: Yao Liya , Sun Lishan , Wang Wuhong , Xiong Hui
Published: December 2012

Service capability and matching degree of transfer facilities are directly related to the operational efficiency and safety of a subway station. Owing to differences in planning and construction, the transfer subway stations in developing countries have some defects in facility size and serviceability, which cause a decline in service performance, operation efficiency, and security level. In order to solve the problems, traffic investigations were conducted on the form, size, and operation status of several typical transfer subway facilities. The service facilities were classified within a subway station in this research by considering service objects, service forms, service functions, and several other features. In addition, pedestrian behavior and pedestrian flow characteristics in different service facilities were analyzed in detail. The research results are deemed meaningful for the optimization of service facilities in subway stations and for the development of urban pedestrian transportation systems.
Eosinophilic Cystitis: A Rare Cause of Hematuria in Children
Authors: Venkatesh K. S. , Bhat Shaila
Published: December 2012

A 7-year-old boy presented with a history of acute onset of hematuria, dysuria, and suprapubic pain. Urine routine and microscopy showed 40–45 red cells/high power field. Urine culture was sterile. Radiological investigations showed a focal mucosal lesion with bladder wall thickening. Biopsy of the lesion revealed an edematous mucosa with florid infiltration by eosinophils into the muscularis propria with focal areas of myonecrosis. He was diagnosed as a case of eosinophilic cystitis. The patient received 6 weeks of tapered prednisone therapy. He was asymptomatic on followup.
Occult Orbitocranial Penetrating Pencil Injury in a Child
Authors: Al-Otaibi Faisal , Baeesa Saleh
Published: December 2012

Transorbital slow-penetrating injury is an uncommon type of head injury that is seen more often in the pediatric age group. This type of injury can be occult, which is often associated with serious complications. We report on a 4-year-old female who presented with orbital swelling after an unwitnessed right orbital injury following a fall on her face at her school. Three days after injury, the presence of a foreign body was discovered on imaging study when she presented with orbital swelling and purulent discharges. She recovered well after surgical and medical management. This paper sheds light on the importance of high suspicion for the presence and early surgical management of a penetrating foreign body.
Hepatitis C Virus Core Antigen Test in Monitoring of Dialysis Patients
Authors: Li Cavoli Gioacchino , Zagarrigo Carmela , Schillaci Onofrio , Servillo Francesca , Tralongo Angelo , Coglitore Mario , Spadaro Filippo , Scimeca Concetta , Li Destri Natalia , Rotolo Ugo
Published: December 2012

Hepatitis C virus infection is a persistent worldwide public health concern. The prevalence of HCV infection is much higher in patients on chronic haemodialysis (HD) than in the general population. HCV infection can detrimentally affect patients throughout the spectrum of chronic kidney disease. Despite the control of blood products, hepatitis C virus transmission is still being observed among patients undergoing dialysis. Detection systems for serum HCV antibodies are insensitive in the acute phase because of the long serological window. Direct detection of HCV depends on PCR test but this test is not suitable for routine screening. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of HCV core antigen detection as an alternative to PCR. Few studies exist about the efficacy of HCV core antigen test in dialysis population. We studied the utility of HCV core antigen test in routine monitoring of virological status of dialysis patients. We screened 92 patients on long-term dialysis both by PCR HCV-RNA and HCV core antigen test. The sensitivity of HCVcAg test was 90%, the specificity 100%, the positive predictive power 100%, the negative predictive power 97%, and the accuracy 97%. We think serological detection of HCV core antigen may be an alternative to NAT techniques for routine monitoring of patients on chronic dialysis.
Optical Imaging in Breast Cancer Diagnosis: The Next Evolution
Authors: Herranz Michel , Ruibal Alvaro
Published: December 2012

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among the population of the Western world. Diagnostic methods include mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance; meanwhile, nuclear medicine techniques have a secondary role, being useful in regional assessment and therapy followup. Optical imaging is a very promising imaging technique that uses near-infrared light to assess optical properties of tissues and is expected to play an important role in breast cancer detection. Optical breast imaging can be performed by intrinsic breast tissue contrast alone (hemoglobin, water, and lipid content) or with the use of exogenous fluorescent probes that target specific molecules for breast cancer. Major advantages of optical imaging are that it does not use any radioactive components, very high sensitivity, relatively inexpensive, easily accessible, and the potential to be combined in a multimodal approach with other technologies such as mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and positron emission tomography. Moreover, optical imaging agents could, potentially, be used as “theranostics,” combining the process of diagnosis and therapy.
Association between Physical Functionality and Falls Risk in Community-Living Older Adults
Authors: Smee Disa J. , Anson Judith M. , Waddington Gordon S. , Berry Helen L.
Published: December 2012

Ageing-related declines in physiological attributes, such as muscle strength, can bring with them an increased risk of falls and subsequently greater risk of losing independence. These declines have substantial impact on an individual’s functional ability. However, the precise relationship between falls risk and physical functionality has not been evaluated. The aims of this study were to determine the association between falls risk and physical functionality using objective measures and to create an appropriate model to explain variance in falls risk. Thirty-two independently living adults aged 65–92 years completed the FallScreen, the Continuous-Scale Physical Functional Performance 10 (CS-PFP10) tests, and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). The relationships between falls risk, physical functionality, and age were investigated using correlational and multiple hierarchical regression analyses. Overall, total physical functionality accounted for 24% of variance in an individual’s falls risk while age explained a further 13%. Theoldest-oldage group had significantly greater falls risk and significantly lower physical functional performance. Mean scores for all measures showed that there were substantial (but not significant) differences between males and females. While increasing age is the strongest single predictor of increasing falls risk, poorer physical functionality was strongly, independently related to greater falls risk.
Study on Posbist Systems
Authors: Bhattacharjee Subarna , Nanda Asok K. , Alam S. S.
Published: December 2012

The probability theory, in general, with the help of the dichotomous state develops the theory of reliability. Recently, the fuzzy reliability has been developed based on the concept of possibility distribution and fuzzy-state assumption. In this paper, we derive the possibility distribution function and discuss the properties of a k-out-of-n (1≤k≤n) system based on the assumption of the possibility theory and keeping the dichotomous state of the system unchanged when the lifetime distribution is either normal, Cauchy, or exponential. A few results contrary to the conventional reliability theory are obtained.
The Role of Enactment in Learning American Sign Language in Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Fenney Alison , Lee Timothy D.
Published: December 2012

“Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand” (Confucius, 450 B.C). Philosophers and scientists alike have pondered the question of the mind-body link for centuries. Recently the role of motor information has been examined more specifically for a role in learning and memory. This paper describes a study using an errorless learning protocol to teach characters to young and older persons in American Sign Language. Participants were assigned to one of two groups: recognition (visually recognizing signs) or enactment (physically creating signs). Number of signs recalled and rate of forgetting were compared between groups and across age cohorts. There were no significant differences, within either the younger or older groups for number of items recalled. There were significant differences between recognition and enactment groups for rate of forgetting, within young and old, suggesting that enactment improves the strength of memory for items learned, regardless of age.
Microenvironment and Radiation Therapy
Authors: Yoshimura Michio , Itasaka Satoshi , Harada Hiroshi , Hiraoka Masahiro
Published: December 2012

Dependency on tumor oxygenation is one of the major features of radiation therapy and this has led many radiation biologists and oncologists to focus on tumor hypoxia. The first approach to overcome tumor hypoxia was to improve tumor oxygenation by increasing oxygen delivery and a subsequent approach was the use of radiosensitizers in combination with radiation therapy. Clinical use of some of these approaches was promising, but they are not widely used due to several limitations. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor that is activated by hypoxia and induces the expression of various genes related to the adaptation of cellular metabolism to hypoxia, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells and angiogenesis, and so forth. HIF-1 is a potent target to enhance the therapeutic effects of radiation therapy. Another approach is antiangiogenic therapy. The combination with radiation therapy is promising, but several factors including surrogate markers, timing and duration, and so forth have to be optimized before introducing it into clinics. In this review, we examined how the tumor microenvironment influences the effects of radiation and how we can enhance the antitumor effects of radiation therapy by modifying the tumor microenvironment.
Thioxopyrimidine in Heterocyclic Synthesis II: Novel Synthesis of Some Triazoles and Triazepine Derivatives with a Pyrimido[3,2:4,5]thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidine Skeleton
Authors: Wen Ho Yuh , Chou Se Long
Published: December 2012

Condensation of ethoxymethyleneamino‐thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidines 4 with appropriate amino compounds afforded the corresponding 7‐substituted‐8‐imino‐pyrimido[3,2:4,5]thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidines 6a, 6b, and 7 and 2‐substituted‐pyrimido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐c]pyrimidines 9a, 9b, respectively. Also, hydrazinolysis of compound 4 in ethanol which yielded the key intermediate 7‐amino‐8‐imino‐pyrimido[3,2:4,5]thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidine (10), which can be cyclized with appropriate isothiocyanates 14a–14g in refluxing pyridine, afforded the corresponding 2‐(substituted‐amino)‐pyrimido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐c]pyramidines 15a–15g. Furthermore, intramolecular cyclization of compound (10) with appropriate 1,3‐dibromopropane and Mannich bases 18a–18c under the basic condition afforded the corresponding (tri)dihydropyrimido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2:4,5]pyrimido[1,6‐b][1,2,4]triazepines 16 and 18a–18c, respectively. On the other hand, the 11‐substituted‐pyrimido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2:4,5]pyrimido[1,6‐b][1,2,4]triazepines 21a–21e were also obtained by the intramolecular cyclization of compound (10) with appropriate enaminone derivatives 19a–19e under the acidic condition.
Spectroscopic and Biological Studies on Newly Synthesized Cobalt (II) and Nickel (II) Complexes with 2‐Acetyl Coumarone Semicarbazone and 2‐Acetyl Coumarone Thiosemicarbazone
Authors: Goel Sanjay , Chandra Sulekh , Dwivedi Sudhanshu Dhar
Published: December 2012

Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes of general composition ML2X2 (M = Co(II), Ni(II); X = Cl−, NO3 −) were synthesized by the condensation of metal salts with semicarbazone/thiosemicarbazone derived from 2‐acetyl coumarone. The ligands and metal complexes were characterized by NMR, elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR, and atomic absorption spectral studies. On the basis of electronic, molar conductance and infrared spectral studies, the complexes were found to have square planar geometry. The Schiff bases and their metal complexes were tested for their antibacterial and antioxidant activities.
A MicroRNA Component of the Neoplastic Microenvironment: Microregulators with Far-Reaching Impact
Authors: Li Xiaolei , Wu Zhiqiang , Fu Xiaobing , Han Weidong
Published: December 2012

The interplay between tumor cells and their microenvironment plays a pivotal role in tumor development and progression. Although a growing body of evidence has established the importance of the tumor microenvironment, an understanding of the crosstalk between its components and cancer cells remains elusive. The pathways triggered by microenvironmental factors could modulate cancer-related gene transcription, also affecting small noncoding RNAs, microRNAs, which have emerged as key posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression, directly involved in human cancers. Although microRNAs regulate most biological mechanisms, their role in the tumor microenvironment has only recently become the focus of intense research. In this paper, we focus on the intertwined connection between the tumor microenvironment and aberrant expression of microRNAs involved in carcinogenesis. We also discuss the emerging roles of microRNAs in the tumor microenvironment as it relates to cancer progression. We conclude that microRNAs are critical for our understanding of the development of cancer, and that targeting microRNA signaling pathways in the microenvironment as well as in tumor cells opens new therapeutic avenues to the global control of cancer.
Targeted Isotretinoin in Neuroblastoma: Kinetics, Genetics, or Absorption
Authors: Matthay Katherine K.
Published: December 2012

Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid; 13-cisRA) has been shown to significantly improve survival for children with high-risk neuroblastoma. Pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin may be negatively affected by the mode of drug administration and the dosing formula. Clin Cancer Res; 19(2); 311–3. ©2012 AACR.
Relationships between Dietary Intake and Body Composition according to Gross Motor Functional Ability in Preschool-Aged Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Walker Jacqueline L. , Bell Kristie L. , Stevenson Richard D. , Weir Kelly A. , Boyd Roslyn N. , Davies Peter S.W.
Published: December 2012

Background/Aims: We aimed to determine the relationships between energy intake, macronutrient intake and body composition in preschool-aged children with cerebral palsy (CP) according to gross motor functional ability in comparison with typically developing children (TDC). Methods: Seventy-three children with CP (70% male) of all functional abilities and 16 TDC (63% male) aged 2.8 ± 0.9 years participated in this study. Dietary intake was measured via a validated 3-day weighed food record. Body composition was determined via isotope dilution techniques. Results: There was a significant relationship between energy intake and fat-free mass index, which was stronger in TDC compared to children with CP. There were no significant correlations between other dietary intake and body composition variables, despite differences in body composition as ambulatory status declined. Non-ambulant, tube-fed children had significantly lower protein intakes compared to orally fed children. No other differences in macronutrient intake between children with CP and TDC were apparent. Conclusions: Results suggest that relationships between dietary intake and body composition are not evident in this population, but develop over time. Physical activity levels may have a greater impact on body composition at this age. Longitudinal research is required to examine these factors.
Satiety following Intake of Potatoes and Other Carbohydrate Test Meals
Authors: Geliebter Allan , Lee Michelle I.-Ching , Abdillahi Mariane , Jones James
Published: December 2012

Background and Aims: The study investigated satiation and satiety following intake of starch-rich side dishes representing a range of glycemic indices (GIs). Methods: Twelve normal-weight (BMI = 22.4 ± SD 2.0) participants (6 male, 6 female, 22–30 years) received one of four side dishes or white bread (GI reference) in randomized order on five mornings, followed by an ad libitum lunch. Blood draws prior to test meal and during the 2 h before lunch measured plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. GI was calculated from glucose incremental area under the curve (AUC). Hunger, fullness, desire to eat and prospective consumption were rated just before blood draws. Results: No significant difference was found in hunger or fullness AUCs between test meals. Both potato meals yielded lower desire to eat compared to pasta throughout the 2-hour period (p = 0.002). Total lunch energy intake did not differ. No significant correlations were found between test meal GI and ratings of hunger, fullness or energy intake at lunch meal. Conclusions: GI of energy-equivalent test meals did not predict satiety or lunch meal intake. There was evidence of reduced appetite following both potato meals relative to the other carbohydrate side dishes but no differences in subsequent intake.
Determination of Creatinine in Human Urine with Flow Injection Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Niesser Mareile , Koletzko Berthold , Peissner Wolfgang
Published: December 2012

Background/Aims: Excretion of urinary compounds in spot urine is often estimated relative to creatinine. For the growing number of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays of urine-excreted molecules, a fast and accurate method for determination of creatinine is needed. Methods: A high-throughput flow injection tandem mass spectrometry method for exact quantitation of creatinine in urine has been developed and validated. Sample preparation used only two-step dilution for protein precipitation and matrix dilution. Flow injection analysis without chromatographic separation allowed for total run times of 1 min per sample. Creatinine concentrations were quantitated using stable isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Selectivity and coelution-free quantitation were assured by qualifier ion monitoring. Results: Method validation revealed excellent injection repeatability of 1.0% coefficient of variation (CV), intraday precision of 1.2% CV and interday precision of 2.4% CV. Accuracy determined from standard addition experiments was 106.1 ± 3.8%. The linear calibration range was adapted to physiological creatinine concentrations. Comparison of quantitation results with a routinely used method (Jaffé colorimetric assay) proved high agreement (R2 = 0.9102). Conclusions: The new method is a valuable addition to the toolbox of LC-MS/MS laboratories where excretion of urinary compounds is studied. The ‘dilute and shoot’ approach to isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry makes the new method highly accurate as well as cost- and time-efficient.
Closed versus Open Endotracheal Suctioning in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Neonates: A Randomized, Crossover Trial
Authors: Pirr Sabine M. , Lange Matthias , Hartmann Carolin , Bohnhorst Bettina , Peter Corinna
Published: December 2012

Background: Endotracheal suctioning, which is frequently necessary in mechanically ventilated patients, might cause complications, especially in patients with compromised lung function such as extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) neonates. Objectives: To investigate whether closed endotracheal suctioning (CS) reduces the frequency of hypoxemia and bradycardia in ELBW neonates compared to open suctioning (OS). Methods: In a randomized, crossover trial, 15 ventilated ELBW neonates (mean birth weight 655 g) underwent suctioning with both techniques. Data on oxygen saturation (Spo2), heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure, arterial blood gases, duration of the suctioning procedure and recovery time were collected. Statistical analysis was done using the SPSS t test for paired samples. Results: The mean frequency of hypoxemia <85% was significantly decreased (p = 0.012) during CS (0.5) versus OS (1.1). The mean minimum Spo2 was significantly higher (p = 0.012) during CS (87%) compared to OS (84%), and a significantly less steep drop in mean Spo2 (p = 0.007) (CS: –5%, OS: –8%) was found. Mean arterial Po2 (p = 0.035; CS: 59 mm Hg, OS: 53 mm Hg) and mean oxygenation ratio (p = 0.016; CS: 197, OS: 171) were significantly higher after CS. No significant differences were found in HR, incidence or duration of bradycardia, recovery time, arterial blood pressure, duration of suctioning, number of complications, or duration of hypoxemia. Conclusion: CS was superior to OS on oxygenation values. To prove its overall superiority, further research is required. So, in this group of patients, CS should currently be administered on an individual basis.
Neural Substrates of Amphetamine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization: Unconditioned (Zero Context) and Conditioned (Switch versus Same Context) Components in c-fos Overexpression
Authors: Wang Ying-Chou , Yeh Yu-Chi , Wang Chia-Chuan , Hsiao Sigmund , Lee Chin-Cheng , Huang Andrew Chih Wei
Published: December 2012

The neural substrates of the unconditioned and conditioned components of amphetamine (AMPH)-induced behavioral sensitization remain unknown. The present study examines the brain activation of rats in response to an AMPH challenge with augmented locomotion in groups receiving chronic AMPH under chloral hydrate anesthetization (i.e., the ‘zero context’) or when tested in the ‘same context’ as a chronic treatment, or when tested in a ‘different context’. The neural activations of the three groups reveal fairly consistent patterns: (a) The substantia nigra is activated in the same context condition and the pure AMPH effect (i.e., the zero context with the unconditioned component), but not in the switch context condition. (b) The ventral pallidum showed Fos expression in the switch context and the same context, but not in the zero context condition. (c) The other nuclei, including the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen, medial thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and ventral tegmental area, are activated in all contextual conditions and the pure AMPH effect (the zero context). The context exerts definable effects on the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system on AMPH-induced behavioral sensitization. (d) The ventral pallidum and the substantia nigra activations dissociate the unconditioned component from the conditioned component in behavioral sensitization. Further studies are needed to determine how these two nuclei mediate the effect in terms of primary and conditioned rewards.
Molecular Cytogenetics (FISH, GISH) of Coccinia grandis: A ca. 3 myr-Old Species of Cucurbitaceae with the Largest Y/Autosome Divergence in Flowering Plants
Authors: Sousa A. , Fuchs J. , Renner S.S.
Published: December 2012

The independent evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes in 19 species from 4 families of flowering plants permits studying X/Y divergence after the initial recombination suppression. Here, we document autosome/Y divergence in the tropical Cucurbitaceae Coccinia grandis, which is ca. 3 myr old. Karyotyping and C-value measurements show that the C. grandis Y chromosome has twice the size of any of the other chromosomes, with a male/female C-value difference of 0.094 pg or 10% of the total genome. FISH staining revealed 5S and 45S rDNA sites on autosomes but not on the Y chromosome, making it unlikely that rDNA contributed to the elongation of the Y chromosome; recent end-to-end fusion also seems unlikely given the lack of interstitial telomeric signals. GISH with different concentrations of female blocking DNA detected a possible pseudo-autosomal region on the Y chromosome, and C-banding suggests that the entire Y chromosome in C. grandis is heterochromatic. During meiosis, there is an end-to-end connection between the X and the Y chromosome, but the X does not otherwise differ from the remaining chromosomes. These findings and a review of plants with heteromorphic sex chromosomes reveal no relationship between species age and degree of sex chromosome dimorphism. Its relatively small genome size (0.943 pg/2C in males), large Y chromosome, and phylogenetic proximity to the fully sequenced Cucumis sativus make C. grandis a promising model to study sex chromosome evolution.
Effects of Soil Moisture on the Responses of Soil Temperatures to Climate Change in Cold Regions*
Authors: Subin Zachary M. , Koven Charles D. , Riley William J. , Torn Margaret S. , Lawrence David M. , Swenson Sean C.
Published: December 2012

At high latitudes, changes in soil moisture could alter soil temperatures independently of air temperature changes by interacting with the snow thermal rectifier. The authors investigated this mechanism with model experiments in the Community Land Model 4 (CLM4) with prescribed atmospheric forcing and vegetation state. Under equilibrium historical conditions, increasing CO2 concentrations experienced by plants from 285 to 857 ppm caused local increases in soil water-filled pore space of 0.1–0.2 in some regions throughout the globe. In permafrost regions that experienced this moistening, vertical- and annual- mean soil temperatures increased by up to 3°C (0.27°C averaged over all permafrost areas). A similar pattern of moistening and consequent warming occurred in simulations with prescribed June–September (JJAS) rainfall increases of 25% over historical values, a level of increase commensurate with projected future rainfall increases. There was a strong sensitivity of the moistening responses to the baseline hydrological state. Experiments with perturbed physics confirmed that the simulated warming in permafrost soils was caused by increases in the soil latent heat of fusion per unit volume and in the soil thermal conductivity due to the increased moisture. In transient Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario experiments, soil warming due to increased CO2 or JJAS rainfall was smaller in magnitude and spatial extent than in the equilibrium experiments. Active-layer deepening associated with soil moisture changes occurred over less than 8% of the current permafrost area because increased heat of fusion and soil thermal conductivity had compensating effects on active-layer depth. Ongoing modeling challenges make these results tentative.
Convective Entrainment and Large-Scale Organization of Tropical Precipitation: Sensitivity of the CNRM-CM5 Hierarchy of Models
Authors: Oueslati Boutheina , Bellon Gilles
Published: December 2012

The spurious double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is a systematic bias affecting state-of-the-art coupled general circulation models (GCMs). Modeling studies show that the ITCZ structure is very sensitive to moist convection parameterization and in particular, to the vertical profile of convective heating and free-tropospheric moistening. To further explore this sensitivity, the authors focus in this study on the influence of lateral entrainment in convective plumes on the simulated tropical precipitation and large-scale circulation. Sensitivity studies to the entrainment parameter were performed in a hierarchy of models (coupled ocean–atmosphere GCM, atmospheric GCM, and aquaplanet GCM), in order to mitigate the double ITCZ problem in the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques Coupled Global Climate Model, version 5 (CNRM-CM5). The sensitivity of the ITCZ structure to lateral entrainment is robust across our hierarchy of models. In response to increased entrainment, the realistic simulations exhibit a weakening of the southern side of the double ITCZ over the southeastern Pacific Ocean and a better representation of the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ). However, as a result of stronger moisture–convection feedbacks, precipitation is overestimated in the center of convergence zones. The change in ITCZ configuration is associated with a more realistic representation of the large-scale vertical regimes, explained by a decreased frequency of weak-to-moderate ascending regimes and an enhanced frequency of subsidence regimes. Mechanisms at play in this circulation change are examined by analyzing the vertically integrated dry static energy budget. This energetic analysis suggests that the feedback between large-scale dynamics and deep convection is crucial in controlling the probability distribution function (PDF) of midtropospheric vertical wind. This PDF, in turn, controls the precipitation distribution and, in particular, the double ITCZ bias.
Projected Future Changes in Vegetation in Western North America in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Jiang Xiaoyan , Rauscher Sara A. , Ringler Todd D. , Lawrence David M. , Williams A. Park , Allen Craig D. , Steiner Allison L. , Cai D. Michael , McDowell Nate G.
Published: December 2012

Rapid and broad-scale forest mortality associated with recent droughts, rising temperature, and insect outbreaks has been observed over western North America (NA). Climate models project additional future warming and increasing drought and water stress for this region. To assess future potential changes in vegetation distributions in western NA, the Community Earth System Model (CESM) coupled with its Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM) was used under the future A2 emissions scenario. To better span uncertainties in future climate, eight sea surface temperature (SST) projections provided by phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) were employed as boundary conditions. There is a broad consensus among the simulations, despite differences in the simulated climate trajectories across the ensemble, that about half of the needleleaf evergreen tree coverage (from 24% to 11%) will disappear, coincident with a 14% (from 11% to 25%) increase in shrubs and grasses by the end of the twenty-first century in western NA, with most of the change occurring over the latter half of the twenty-first century. The net impact is a ~6 GtC or about 50% decrease in projected ecosystem carbon storage in this region. The findings suggest a potential for a widespread shift from tree-dominated landscapes to shrub and grass-dominated landscapes in western NA because of future warming and consequent increases in water deficits. These results highlight the need for improved process-based understanding of vegetation dynamics, particularly including mortality and the subsequent incorporation of these mechanisms into earth system models to better quantify the vulnerability of western NA forests under climate change.
Impact of Atmospheric Forcing on Antarctic Continental Shelf Water Masses
Authors: Petty Alek A. , Feltham Daniel L. , Holland Paul R.
Published: December 2012

The Antarctic continental shelf seas feature a bimodal distribution of water mass temperature, with the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas flooded by Circumpolar Deep Water that is several degrees Celsius warmer than the cold shelf waters prevalent in the Weddell and Ross Seas. This bimodal distribution could be caused by differences in atmospheric forcing, ocean dynamics, ocean and ice feedbacks, or some combination of these factors. In this study, a highly simplified coupled sea ice–mixed layer model is developed to investigate the physical processes controlling this situation. Under regional atmospheric forcings and parameter choices the 10-yr simulations demonstrate a complete destratification of the Weddell Sea water column in winter, forming cold, relatively saline shelf waters, while the Amundsen Sea winter mixed layer remains shallower, allowing a layer of deep warm water to persist. Applying the Weddell atmospheric forcing to the Amundsen Sea model destratifies the water column after two years, and applying the Amundsen forcing to the Weddell Sea model results in a shallower steady-state winter mixed layer that no longer destratifies the water column. This suggests that the regional difference in atmospheric forcings alone is sufficient to account for the bimodal distribution in Antarctic shelf-sea temperatures. The model prediction of mixed layer depth is most sensitive to the air temperature forcing, but a switch in all forcings is required to prevent destratification of the Weddell Sea water column.
Drugs of abuse and increased risk of psychosis development
Authors: Gururajan Anand , Manning Elizabeth E , Klug Maren , van den Buuse Maarten
Published: December 2012

Objective:

There is considerable evidence to suggest that the abuse of illicit drugs, particularly cannabis and methamphetamine, has aetiological roles in the pathogenesis of psychosis and schizophrenia. Factors that may increase susceptibility to the propsychotic effects of these drugs include the age at which the abuse starts as well as family history of genetic polymorphisms relevant to the pathophysiology of this disorder. However, the neurobiological mechanisms involved in drug abuse-associated psychosis remain largely unclear.

Methods and Results:

This paper presents an overview of the available evidence, including clinical, animal model, and molecular studies, with a focus on brain regions and neurotransmitters systems, such as dopamine and glutamate, previously implicated in psychosis.

Conclusion:

It is clear that further studies are urgently needed to provide a greater insight into the mechanisms that mediate the long-term and neurodevelopmental effects of cannabis and methamphetamine. A dialogue between basic science and clinical research may help to identify at-risk individuals and novel pathways for treatment and prevention.
Can I Get a Witness? Thoughts on Witnessing Executions
Authors: Johnson Robert , McGunigall-Smith Sandra , Callahan Claire
Published: December 2012

What should witnesses to executions see if they are to bear witness to the death penalty? At what point has a witness seen an execution in full, and by that seeing, held officials accountable for a punishment carried out in the name of the larger society? We identify the key elements of an execution and discuss ways to provide execution witnesses with a reasonably full appreciation of this profound exercise in state power.
An Evaluation of an HIV Testing Program in the Jail Setting
Authors: Tartaro Christine , Levy Marissa P.
Published: December 2012

Prison and jail inmates tend to be involved disproportionately in behavior that places them at risk for HIV transmission. The state of New Jersey, and its urban areas in particular, has a high rate of African American residents living with HIV or AIDS. In an effort to reach several urban areas where individuals have not yet been diagnosed, a southern New Jersey county jail has begun offering free rapid HIV tests on a voluntary basis. Results indicate that correctional facilities were among the most common places for inmates to receive testing and that those tested were involved in numerous high-risk sexual and/or drug activities. Recommendations for future testing and education programs are provided.
Critical Interactives
Authors: Buell Duncan A. , Cooley Heidi Rae
Published: December 2012

Over the past 3 years, the authors have pursued unique cross-college collaboration. They have hosted a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)–funded Humanities Gaming Institute and team-taught a cross-listed course that brought together students from the humanities and computer science. Currently, they are overseeing the development of an NEH-supported social history game called Desperate Fishwives. In the process, the authors have realized that “game” is not the most appropriate designator for the kind of projects they are pursuing. Instead, they propose critical interactives, a term that suggests projects that mobilize ludic methods in order to engage participants in socially and politically sensitive, indeed controversial, subject matter. Their most recent project, Ghosts of the Horseshoe, offers an initial look at how critical interactives are particularly apt at raising awareness about the relations among institutional policy, broader public policy, and the ways that people negotiate the public history of a particular place.
The evolution of international security studies and the everyday: Suggestions from the Buffyverse
Authors: Rowley Christina , Weldes Jutta
Published: December 2012

Security studies is again reflecting on its origins and debating how best to study in/security. In this article, we interrogate the contemporary evolutionary narrative about (international) security studies. We unpack the myth’s components and argue that it restricts the empirical focus of (international) security studies, limits its analytical insights, and constrains the sorts of interlocutors with whom it engages. We then argue that these limitations can at least partially be remedied by examining the performance of identities and in/securities in everyday life. In order initially to establish the important similarities between (international) security studies and the everyday, we trace elements of the evolutionary myth in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel – which both stand in for, and are, the everyday in our analysis. We then argue that the Buffyverse offers a complex understanding of (identities and) in/security as a terrain of everyday theorizing, negotiation and contestation – what we call the ‘entanglement’ of in/security discourses – that overcomes the shortcomings of (international) security studies and its myth, providing insights fruitful for the study of in/security. In conclusion, we briefly draw out the implications of our analysis for potential directions in (international) security studies scholarship and pedagogy.
Markets of the Poor: Opportunities and Limits
Authors: Karnani Aneel
Published: December 2012

Markets of the poor have attracted much attention in recent years. Unfortunately, there are very few examples of profitable businesses that market socially useful goods in low-income markets and operate at a large scale. However, there are many examples of businesses that profit by exploiting the poor, such as tobacco. Some constraints on free markets are needed to protect the vulnerable consumers—these are the limits to markets of the poor. The poor have many basic needs that continue to be unsatisfied—these are the opportunities offered by the markets of the poor. But, these are not easy opportunities. The challenge is to design profitable business models that sell products and services that benefit the poor and genuinely improve the quality of their lives, at prices they can truly afford. It is necessary to reduce quality in order to reduce costs significantly in most cases, but in such a way that the cost–quality trade-off is acceptable to poor consumers.
Doing Recovery Online
Authors: Mudry Tanya E. , Strong Tom
Published: December 2012

Although problem gambling is becoming more prevalent, research shows that many problem gamblers do not seek help. Online social support forums have become an increasingly popular option for receiving support for problem gambling. Few researchers have explored how participants within these forums interact, or what is supportive about participation in online communities. Melding netnography (ethnographic approaches online), discourse analysis, and ethnomethodology, we analyzed the discursive interactions of self-identified problem gamblers on an online forum. We report on the characteristics of this unique setting, the common discourses that members used, and how they discursively accomplished various interactional tasks, including constructing identities, and negotiating membership, legitimacy, and support. We conclude with recommendations for practitioners and researchers interested in better understanding people trying to overcome problem gambling and other behavioral concerns.
Confrontation versus withdrawal: Cultural differences in responses to threats to honor
Authors: Cross Susan E. , Uskul Ayse K. , Gerçek-Swing Berna , Alözkan Cansu , Ataca Bilge
Published: December 2012

This study compares evaluations by members of an honor culture (Turkey) and a dignity culture (northern USA) of honor threat scenarios, in which a target was the victim of either a rude affront or a false accusation, and the target chose to withdraw or confront the attacker. Turkish participants were more likely than American participants to evaluate positively the person who withdrew from the rude affront and the person who confronted the false accusation. Participants in both societies perceived that others in their society would endorse confrontation more than withdrawal in both types of scenarios, but this effect was larger for Turkish than American participants. Honor values were associated with evaluations of the targets most strongly among Turkish participants who read about a person who confronted their attacker. These findings provide insight into the role of cultural norms and individual differences in the ways honor influences behavior.
Impunity and domination: A puzzle for republicanism
Authors: Talisse Robert B.
Published: December 2012

Republicans hold that freedom is non-domination rather than non-interference. This entails that any instance of interference that does not involve domination is not freedom-lessening. The case for thinking of freedom as non-domination proceeds mostly by way of a handful of highly compelling cases in which it seems intuitive to say of some person that he or she is unfree despite being in fact free from interference. In this essay, I call attention to a kind of case which directs attention to what seems to me to be a highly counterintuitive element of the republican conception of freedom.
Factors That Were Found to Influence Ghanaian Adolescents’ Eating Habits
Authors: Amos Patricia Mawusi , Intiful Freda Dzifa , Boateng Laurene
Published: December 2012

The study sought to find out whether factors such as parental, peer, and media influences predict Ghanaian adolescent students’ eating habits. A random selection of 150 students from a population of senior high school students in Ghana were asked to complete the Eating Habits Questionnaire for Adolescents. Data were analyzed by the use of bivariate correlation, t test, and multiple regression analytical techniques using SPSS version 16. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between peer influence and eating habits suggesting that the higher the peer pressure, the more unhealthy the students’ eating habits. Counterintuitively, parental and media influences did not significantly correlate with students’ eating habits. Gender difference in eating habits suggested that girls had more unhealthy eating habits than boys. Finally, multiple regression analysis revealed that peer influence was a better predictor of students’ eating habits than parental and media influences. The findings were discussed and recommendations were given in light of the study’s limitations.
The prognostic value of pulmonary embolism severity index in acute pulmonary embolism: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Xiao-Yu , Ben Su-Qin , Chen Hong-Lin , Ni Song-Shi
Published: December 2012

Background

Prognostic assessment is important for the management of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) and simple PESI (sPESI) are new emerged prognostic assessment tools for APE. The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the accuracy of the PESI and the sPESI to predict prognostic outcomes (all-cause and PE-related mortality, serious adverse events) in APE patients, and compare between these two PESIs.

Methods

MEDLINE and EMBASE database were searched up to June 2012 using the terms “Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index” and “pulmonary embolism”. Summary odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for prognostic outcomes in low risk PESI versus high risk PESI were calculated. Summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) used to estimate overall predicting accuracies of prognostic outcomes.

Results

Twenty-one studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed low-risk PESI was significantly associated with lower all-cause mortality (OR 0.13; 95% CI 0.12 to 0.15), PE-related mortality (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.17) and serious adverse events (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.41), with no homogeneity across studies. In sPESI subgroup, the OR of all-cause mortality, PE-related mortality, and serious adverse events was 0.10 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.14), 0.09 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.26) and 0.40 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.51), respectively; while in PESI subgroup, the OR was 0.14 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.16), 0.09 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.21), and 0.30 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.38), respectively. For accuracy analysis, the pooled sensitivity, the pooled specificity, and the overall weighted AUC for PESI predicting all-cause mortality was 0.909 (95% CI: 0.900 to 0.916), 0.411 (95% CI: 0.407 to 0.415), and 0.7853±0.0058, respectively; for PE-related mortality, it was 0.953 (95% CI: 0.913 to 0.978), 0.374 (95% CI: 0.360 to 0.388), and 0.8218±0.0349, respectively; for serious adverse events, it was 0.821 (95% CI: 0.795 to 0.845), 0.389 (95% CI: 0.384 to 0.394), and 0.6809±0.0208, respectively. In sPESI subgroup, the AUC for predicting all-cause mortality, PE-related mortality, and serious adverse events was 0.7920±0.0117, 0.8317±0.0547, and 0.6454±0.0197, respectively. In PESI subgroup, the AUC was 0.7856±0.0075, 0.8158±0.0451, and 0.6609±0.0252, respectively.

Conclusions

PESI has discriminative power to predict the short-term death and adverse outcome events in patients with acute pulmonary embolism, the PESI and the sPESI have similar accuracy, while sPESI is easier to use. However, the calibration for predicting prognosis can’t be calculated from this meta-analysis, some prospective studies for accessing PESI predicting calibration can be recommended.