bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
If Romeo and Juliet had mobile phones
Authors: Wellman Barry , Rainie Lee
Published: April 2014

How did the absence of mobile phones affect the romantic life and death of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? The difference in their situation would have been part of the social change to networked individualism from group-based societies. The Mobile Revolution would have afforded personal communication rather than the household-centered communication of the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo and Juliet would have been always available to each other, instead of wondering where the other might be. Location-aware apps would have plotted their whereabouts. The course of true love would have been more connected.
Opportunities and problems with automated data collection via smartphones
Authors: Bouwman Harry , de Reuver Mark , Heerschap Nico , Verkasalo Hannu
Published: April 2014

Through smartphone measurement software, researchers will be able to collect vast amounts of log data on the use of mobile media and applications. The present paper discusses the opportunities of smartphone measurement software in multi-method research, but also the ethical and methodological issues involved. We provide suggestions on how to deal with obvious privacy issues that arise from using smartphone measurement software. We also discuss how one can deal with sampling and selecting respondents. An illustrative study in which we applied smartphone measurement suggests that methodological and ethical issues can be overcome in practice, although doing so requires a great deal of effort. Still, collecting data through smartphone measurement is highly promising as both the quality and quantity of the resulting data is impressive.
“It’s like I trust it so much that I don’t really check where it is I’m going before I leave”: Informational uses of smartphones among Danish youth
Authors: Bertel Troels Fibæk
Published: April 2014

This article examines the use of smartphones for instrumental information access and use among Danish youth. Based on 31 individual semistructured interviews with Danish high school students and a grounded theory approach, it finds that instrumental use of information on smartphones has become an integrated and relied on part of everyday lives of these young Danes. Near-ubiquitous access to information is found to have consequences at both individual and social levels. Individually, users are able to look up information irrespective of the time and place and respond and adapt to this information in a rapid and flexible manner: a process the article refers to as “flexible alignment.” Further, near-ubiquitous access to information may lead to a more flexible orientation among users, who come to depend on just-in-time (rather than ahead-of-time) access to information in dealing with the contingencies of everyday life. Socially, the article finds that users may become increasingly autonomous vis-à-vis the network of social contacts, as mobile access to information is no longer exclusively available through mediated person-to-person communication but can be accessed individually as well.
Bodystorming with Hawkins’s block: Toward a new methodology for mobile media design
Authors: Oppegaard Brett , Still Brian
Published: April 2014

Inspired by the intuitive prototyping method employed by Palm Pilot founder Jeff Hawkins, this formative field study recreates and reimagines his generative techniques as a new methodology that could be useful for mobile media designers. Viewed theoretically through an activity theory lens, this approach also integrates bodystorming ideals as a way to externalize and embody user perspectives about the potential of place-based media, in situ, using a proposed National Park Service app, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, as an example. Such data gathering, especially early in the design process, could help user-centered projects gather otherwise inaccessible feedback, leading to better designs, through tailored content and interfaces, particularly at the dynamic intersections of digital and physical space.
Book Review: Perry Anderson (2012). India Trilogy: Gandhi Centre Stage—Why Partition?—After Nehru, London Review of Books
Authors: Jagarnath Vashna
Published: April 2014

Perry Anderson (2012). India Trilogy: Gandhi Centre Stage—Why Partition?—After Nehru, London Review of Books, 34(13), 3–11; 34(14), 11–19; 34(15), 21–36.
Peasants of Manipur: Agrarian Change, Land Tenure and Emerging Patterns of Re-peasantization in India
Authors: Singh Ch. Priyoranjan , Sharma Hanjabam Isworchandra
Published: April 2014

This article highlights some critical agrarian changes that are taking place in the fertile valley region of the state of Manipur, in north-eastern India, which has a history of being the most agriculturally advanced state in the entire region. The focus is on how peasants are seeking survival autonomies through farming intensification and diversification that are crucially grounded on mutual trust and co-operation at the community level; and how age-old tenurial systems are giving way to new ones that serve community purposes, leading to value addition at the community level with very little room for undue private expropriation. ‘Back to the farm’ as a neo-idiom seems to be re-emerging among the peasantry, which until recently appeared to have given up farming as a primary occupation.
Interface migration during partitioning of Q&P steel
Authors: Thomas G. A. , Speer J. G.
Published: April 2014

The quenching and partitioning (Q&P) process for heat treatment of steel has previously been shown yield to good combinations of strength and ductility owing to the presence of martensite and austenite. Interface mobility has been discussed in previous literature, mostly related to local driving forces. The present work considers the migration of the martensite/austenite interface in two steels (containing CMnSiMo or CNiSiMo). Experimental data show clear evidence of interface migration in the CMnSiMo steel during partitioning treatments at temperatures between 200 and 400°C for times ranging from 30 to 1000 s; conversely, the interface in the CNiSiMo steel was stationary during the same partitioning treatments. The different behaviours observed are considered in the context of differences in interface mobility and driving forces, and it appears that interface crystallography differences could influence the partitioning behaviour of Q&P steels.
Outcome after intensity modulated radiotherapy for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma
Authors: He Xiayun , Li Duanshu , Hu Chaosu , Wang Zhuoying , Ying Hongmei , Wu Yi
Published: April 2014

Background

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a malignancy with one of the highest fatality rates. We reviewed our recent clinical experience with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with surgery and chemotherapy for the management of ATC.

Methods

13 patients with ATC who were treated by IMRT in our institution between October 2008 and February 2011, have been analyzed. The target volume for IMRT was planned to include Gross tumor volume (GTV): primary tumor plus any N + disease (66 Gy/33 F/6.6 W), with elective irradiation of thyroid bed, bilateral level II through VI and mediastinal lymph nodes to the level of the carina (54-60 Gy). Seven patients received surgical intervention and eleven patients had chemotherapy.

Results

The median radiotherapy dose to GTV was 60 Gy/30 fractions/6 weeks. The median survival time of the 13 patients was 9 months. The direct causes of death were distant metastases (75%) and progression of the locoregional disease (25%). Ten patients were spared dyspnea and tracheostomy because their primary neck lesion did not progress.

Conclusion

The results showed that IMRT combined by surgery and chemotherapy for ATC might be beneficial to improve locoregional control. Further new therapies are needed to control metastases.
Economic costs of obesity in Thailand: a retrospective cost-of-illness study
Authors: Pitayatienanan Paiboon , Butchon Rukmanee , Yothasamut Jomkwan , Aekplakorn Wichai , Teerawattananon Yot , Suksomboon Naeti , Thavorncharoensap Montarat
Published: April 2014

Background

Over the last decade, the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) in Thailand has been rising rapidly and consistently. Estimating the cost of obesity to society is an essential step in setting priorities for research and resource use and helping improve public awareness of the negative economic impacts of obesity. This prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study aims to estimate the economic costs of obesity in Thailand.

Methods

The estimated costs in this study included health care cost, cost of productivity loss due to premature mortality, and cost of productivity loss due to hospital-related absenteeism. The Obesity-Attributable Fraction (OAF) was used to estimate the extent to which the co-morbidities were attributable to obesity. The health care cost of obesity was further estimated by multiplying the number of patients in each disease category attributable to obesity by the unit cost of treatment. The cost of productivity loss was calculated using the human capital approach.

Results

The health care cost attributable to obesity was estimated at 5,584 million baht or 1.5% of national health expenditure. The cost of productivity loss attributable to obesity was estimated at 6,558 million baht - accounting for 54% of the total cost of obesity. The cost of hospital-related absenteeism was estimated at 694 million baht, while the cost of premature mortality was estimated at 5,864 million baht. The total cost of obesity was then estimated at 12,142 million baht (725.3 million US$PPP, 16.74 baht =1 US$PPP accounting for 0.13% of Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Conclusions

Obesity imposes a substantial economic burden on Thai society especially in term of health care costs. Large-scale comprehensive interventions focused on improving public awareness of the cost of and problems associated with obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle should be regarded as a public health priority.
A robotic object hitting task to quantify sensorimotor impairments in participants with stroke
Authors: Tyryshkin Kathrin , Coderre Angela M , Glasgow Janice I , Herter Troy M , Bagg Stephen D , Dukelow Sean P , Scott Stephen H
Published: April 2014

Background

Existing clinical scores of upper limb function often use observer-based ordinal scales that are subjective and commonly have floor and ceiling effects. The purpose of the present study was to develop an upper limb motor task to assess objectively the ability of participants to select and engage motor actions with both hands.

Methods

A bilateral robotic system was used to quantify upper limb sensorimotor function of participants with stroke. Participants performed an object hit task that required them to hit virtual balls moving towards them in the workspace with virtual paddles attached to each hand. Task difficulty was initially low, but increased with time by increasing the speed and number of balls in the workspace. Data were collected from 262 control participants and 154 participants with recent stroke.

Results

Control participants hit ~60 to 90% of the 300 balls with relatively symmetric performance for the two arms. Participants with recent stroke performed the task with most participants hitting fewer balls than 95% of healthy controls (67% of right-affected and 87% of left-affected strokes). Additionally, nearly all participants (97%) identified with visuospatial neglect hit fewer balls than healthy controls. More detailed analyses demonstrated that most participants with stroke displayed asymmetric performance between their affected and non-affected limbs with regards to number of balls hit, workspace area covered by the limb and hand speed. Inter-rater reliability of task parameters was high with half of the correlations above 0.90. Significant correlations were observed between many of the task parameters and the Functional Independence Measure and/or the Behavioural Inattention Test.

Conclusions

As this object hit task requires just over two minutes to complete, it provides an objective and easy approach to quantify upper limb motor function and visuospatial skills following stroke.
Effect of eccentric isokinetic strengthening in the rehabilitation of patients with knee osteoarthritis: Isogo, a randomized trial
Authors: Jegu Anne-Gaëlle , Pereira Bruno , Andant Nicolas , Coudeyre Emmanuel
Published: April 2014

Background

Femorotibial knee osteoarthritis is associated with muscle weakness in the lower limbs, particularly in the quadriceps, which results in disease progression. The interest of having muscular strengthening as part of the therapeutic arsenal for the medical treatment of knee osteoarthritis is now well established.

The functional disability induced by knee osteoarthritis manifests itself principally when walking, notably downhill, during which the muscles are called upon to contract eccentrically.

We can therefore think that eccentric muscular strengthening could bring a functional benefit that is superior to concentric muscular strengthening.

Methods/Design

This is a prospective, randomized, bicenter, parallel-group, international study. Eighty patients aged from 40 to 75 years old, suffering from medical-stage knee osteoarthritis, will undertake 6 weeks of isokinetic muscular strengthening. Randomization determines the mode of muscular strengthening: either exclusively eccentric or exclusively concentric.

The principal objective is to demonstrate the superiority of the improvement in the quadriceps isokinetic torque after isokinetic muscular strengthening by the eccentric mode compared to the concentric mode.

The following parameters are also evaluated: the variations in the level of pain, the parameters of walking (maximum speed over 10 and 200 meters, analysis on a computerized Gaitrite™ treadmill), static equilibrium (on a FUSYO™ force platform), and the functional status of the patient using the Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) questionnaire after the strengthening period and at 6 months.

Discussion

A better knowledge of the most effective mode of muscular strengthening is needed to optimize the functional benefits to the patients. In case of superiority in terms of efficacy of the eccentric mode, the latter could be given priority in the rehabilitation treatment of knee osteoarthritis patients.

Trial registration

Clinical trials.gov number:NCT01586130.
Influence of endogamy and mitochondrial DNA on immunological parameters in cattle
Authors: Macedo Auricélio A , Bittar Joely F F , Bassi Paula B , Ronda Juliano B , Bittar Eustáquio R , Panetto João C C , Araujo Márcio S S , Santos Renato L , Martins-Filho Olindo A
Published: April 2014

Background

Endogamy increases the risk of manifestation of deleterious recessive genes. Mitochondrial DNA allows the separation of American Zebu (Bos indicusandBos taurus) and evaluate the effect of mitochondrial DNA on productive traits of cattle. However, the effect of endogamy and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) on the immune system remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between endogamy, mtDNA and immune parameters.

Results

A total of 86 cattle (43 cows and 43 calves) were used in this study. Age, endogamy, milk yield, and origin of mtDNA were measured and their influence on immunological parameters was evaluated. Older cows had increased CD4+T cells, decreased CD21+and γδhighT cells as well as increased CD4+/CD8+and T/B ratio. Multiple regression analysis indicated that endogamy in calves was associated with increased CD8+T and CD21+B lymphocytes, and decreased γδhighT cells in peripheral blood. Cows with medium and lower endogamy had a lower percentage of B lymphocytes and γδlowT cells and cows with lower endogamy had higher levels of γδ T cells and γδhighT cells, as well as the CD4+/CD48+cell ratio. Calves with higher endogamy had higher levels of CD8+T lymphocytes, whereas calves with lower endogamy had lower levels of γδlowT cells.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated for the first time that endogamy influences the immune system of cattle.
Phytodegradation potential of bisphenolA from aqueous solution by Azolla Filiculoides
Authors: Zazouli Mohammad Ali , Mahdavi Yousef , Bazrafshan Edris , Balarak Davoud
Published: April 2014

Many organic hazardous pollutants such as bisphenolA (BPA) which are toxic and not easily biodegradable can concerns for environmental pollution worldwide. The objective of this study was to examine whether Azolla Filiculoides is able to remove BPA from aqueous solutions. In this study, the Azolla with different biomass (0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 g) has been cultured in solution that was contained 5, 10, 25 and 50 ppm BPA. Samples were collected every 2 days from all of containers. The analytical determination of BPA was performed by using of DR4000 uv-visible at λmax = 276 nm. The results indicated that Azolla has high ability to remove BPA from aqueous solutions. The BPA removal was 60-90%. The removal efficiency is increasing with decreasing of BPA concentration and increasing of biomass amount and vice versa. The removal efficiency was more than 90% when BPA concentration was 5 ppm and amount of biomass was 0.9gr. It is concluded that Azolla able remove BPA by Phytodegradation from the aqueous solutions. Since conventional methods of BPA removal need to high cost and energy, phytoremediation by Azolla as a natural treatment system can decrease those issues and it can be a useful and beneficial method to removal of BPA.
Open lung approach with low tidal volume mechanical ventilation attenuates lung injury in rats with massive brain damage
Authors: Krebs Joerg , Tsagogiorgas Charalambos , Pelosi Paolo , Rocco Patricia RM , Hottenrott Maximilia , Sticht Carsten , Yard Benito , Luecke Thomas
Published: April 2014

Introduction

The ideal ventilation strategy for patients with massive brain damage requires better elucidation. We hypothesized that in the presence of massive brain injury, a ventilation strategy using low (6 milliliters per kilogram ideal body weight) tidal volume (VT) ventilation with open lung positive end-expiratory pressure (LVT/OLPEEP) set according to the minimal static elastance of the respiratory system, attenuates the impact of massive brain damage on gas-exchange, respiratory mechanics, lung histology and whole genome alterations compared with high (12 milliliters per kilogram ideal body weight) VT and low positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation (HVT/LPEEP).

Methods

In total, 28 adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) no brain damage (NBD) with LVT/OLPEEP; 2) NBD with HVT/LPEEP; 3) brain damage (BD) with LVT/OLPEEP; and 4) BD with HVT/LPEEP. All animals were mechanically ventilated for six hours. Brain damage was induced by an inflated balloon catheter into the epidural space. Hemodynamics was recorded and blood gas analysis was performed hourly. At the end of the experiment, respiratory system mechanics and lung histology were analyzed. Genome wide gene expression profiling and subsequent confirmatory quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for selected genes were performed.

Results

In NBD, both LVT/OLPEEP and HVT/LPEEP did not affect arterial blood gases, as well as whole genome expression changes and real-time qPCR. In BD, LVT/OLPEEP, compared to HVT/LPEEP, improved oxygenation, reduced lung damage according to histology, genome analysis and real-time qPCR with decreased interleukin 6 (IL-6), cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 (CINC)-1 and angiopoietin-4 expressions. LVT/OLPEEP compared to HVT/LPEEP improved overall survival.

Conclusions

In BD, LVT/OLPEEP minimizes lung morpho-functional changes and inflammation compared to HVT/LPEEP.
A strategy for coupled 3D imaging of large-scale seismic and electromagnetic data sets: Application to subsalt imaging
Authors: Um Evan Schankee , Commer Michael , Newman Gregory A.
Published: April 2014

Offshore seismic and electromagnetic (EM) imaging for hydrocarbons can require up to tens of millions of parameters to describe the 3D distribution of complex seabed geology and relevant geophysical attributes. The imaging and data volumes for such problems are enormous. Descent-based methods are the only viable imaging approach, where it is often challenging to manage the convergence of stand-alone seismic and EM inversion experiments. When a joint seismic-EM inversion is implemented, convergence problems with descent-based methods are further aggravated. Moreover, resolution mismatches between seismic and EM pose another challenge for joint inversion. To overcome these problems, we evaluated a coupled seismic-EM inversion workflow and applied it to a set of full-wave-seismic, magnetotelluric (MT) and controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data for subsalt imaging. In our workflow, we address disparate resolution properties between seismic and EM data by implementing the seismic inversion in the Laplace domain, where the wave equation is transformed into a diffusion equation. The resolution of seismic data thus becomes comparable to that of EM data. To mitigate the convergence problems, the full joint seismic-EM inverse problem is split into manageable components: separate seismic and EM inversions and an intermediate step that enforces structural coupling through a cross-gradient-only inversion and resistivity-velocity crossplots. In this workflow, stand-alone seismic and MT inversion are performed first. The cross-gradient-only inversion and the crossplots are used to precondition the resistivity and velocity models for subsequent stand-alone inversions. By repeating the sequence of the stand-alone seismic, MT, and cross-gradient-only inversions along with the crossplots, we introduce the seismic structural information into the resistivity model, and vice versa, significantly improving the salt geometry in both resistivity and velocity images. We conclude that the improved salt geometry can then be used to precondition a starting model for CSEM inversions, yielding significant improvement in the resistivity images of hydrocarbon reservoirs adjacent to the salt.
Glucocorticoids Increase NPY Gene Expression via Hypothalamic AMPK Signaling in Broiler Chicks
Authors: Liu Lei , Song Zhigang , Jiao Hongchao , Lin Hai
Published: April 2014

Glucocorticoids (GCs) induce profound hyperphagia in birds. However, the neuronal regulatory network underlying GC-provoked hyperphagia is unclear. To determine whether any cross talk occurs among hypothalamic GC receptors (GRs), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and GCs in the regulation of appetite, we performed an intracerebroventricular injection of mifepristone (a GR inhibitor) and compound C (an AMPK inhibitor) on GC-treated male chicks. The results indicate that central GC administration increased the expression of GR and neuropeptide Y mRNA, as well as phosphorylated AMPKαThr172 and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylaseSer79. Blocking AMPK significantly attenuated GC-induced hyperphagia. Blocking GR significantly attenuated part of the AMPK signaling pathway and GC-induced hyperphagia. Thus, the results suggest that GCs cause hyperphagia via the AMPK-neuropeptide Y signaling pathway.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Signaling Is a Key Mediator of Hormone-Induced Leukocyte Infiltration in the Pubertal Female Mammary Gland
Authors: Aupperlee Mark D. , Zhao Yong , Tan Ying Siow , Leipprandt Jeffrey R. , Bennett Jessica , Haslam Sandra Z. , Schwartz Richard C.
Published: April 2014

It is well documented that macrophages and eosinophils play important roles in normal murine pubertal mammary gland development. Although it is accepted that estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) are key players in mammary gland development, the roles these hormones might play in regulating the actions of leukocytes in that process is an understudied area. We show here that P and E, respectively, induce unique, but overlapping, sets of proinflammatory and angiogenic cytokines and chemokines, in the pubertal female BALB/c mammary gland, as well as induce infiltration of macrophages and eosinophils to the mammary periepithelium. This extends earlier studies showing P induction of proinflammatory products in pubertal and adult mammary epithelial organoids and P-induced in vivo infiltration of leukocytes to the adult mammary periepithelium. Importantly, epidermal growth factor receptor-signaling, which is likely mediated by amphiregulin (Areg), a downstream mediator of E and P, is both necessary and sufficient for both E- and P-induced recruitment of macrophages and eosinophils to the pubertal mammary periepithelium. We further show that receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), although not sufficient of itself to cause macrophage and eosinophil recruitment, contributes to an optimal response to P. The potency of Areg is highlighted by the fact that it is sufficient to induce macrophage and eosinophil recruitment at levels equivalent to that induced by either E or P. Our finding of a dominant role for Areg in hormonally induced leukocyte recruitment to the pubertal mammary gland parallels its dominance in regulating ductal outgrowth and its role in P-induced proliferation in the pubertal gland.
Knockdown of Monocarboxylate Transporter 8 (mct8) Disturbs Brain Development and Locomotion in Zebrafish
Authors: de Vrieze Erik , van de Wiel Sandra M. W. , Zethof Jan , Flik Gert , Klaren Peter H. M. , Arjona Francisco J.
Published: April 2014

Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS) is an inherited disorder of brain development characterized by severe psychomotor retardation. This X-linked disease is caused by mutations in the monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), an important thyroid hormone transporter in brain neurons. MCT8-knockout mice lack the 2 major neurological symptoms of AHDS, namely locomotor problems and cognitive impairment. The pathological mechanism explaining the symptoms is still obscure, and no cure for this condition is known. The development of an animal model that carries MCT8-related neurological symptoms is warranted. We have employed morpholino-based gene knockdown to create zebrafish deficient for mct8. Knockdown of mct8 results in specific symptoms in the thyroid axis and brain. The mct8-morphants showed impaired locomotor behavior and brain development. More specifically, we observed maldevelopment of the cerebellum and mid-hindbrain boundary and apoptotic clusters in the zebrafish brain. The mRNA expression of zebrafish orthologs of mammalian TSH, thyroid hormone transporters, and deiodinases was altered in mct8 morphants. In particular, deiodinase type 3 gene expression was consistently up-regulated in zebrafish mct8 morphants. The thyroid hormone metabolite tetrac, but not T3, partly ameliorated the affected phenotype and locomotion disability of morphant larvae. Our results show that mct8 knockdown in zebrafish larvae results in disturbances in the thyroid axis, brain, and locomotion behavior, which is congruent with the clinical aspect of impaired locomotion and cognition in patients with AHDS. Taken together, the zebrafish is a suitable animal model for the study of the pathophysiology of AHDS.
Mouse and Human BAC Transgenes Recapitulate Tissue-Specific Expression of the Vitamin D Receptor in Mice and Rescue the VDR-Null Phenotype
Authors: Lee Seong Min , Bishop Kathleen A. , Goellner Joseph J. , O'Brien Charles A. , Pike J. Wesley
Published: April 2014

The biological actions of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) are mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which is expressed in numerous target tissues in a cell type-selective manner. Recent studies using genomic analyses and recombineered bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) have defined the specific features of mouse and human VDR gene loci in vitro. In the current study, we introduced recombineered mouse and human VDR BACs as transgenes into mice and explored their expression capabilities in vivo. Individual transgenic mouse strains selectively expressed BAC-derived mouse or human VDR proteins in appropriate vitamin D target tissues, thereby recapitulating the tissue-specific expression of endogenous mouse VDR. The mouse VDR transgene was also regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 and dibutyryl-cAMP. When crossed into a VDR-null mouse background, both transgenes restored wild-type basal as well as 1,25(OH)2D3-inducible gene expression patterns in the appropriate tissues. This maneuver resulted in the complete rescue of the aberrant phenotype noted in the VDR-null mouse, including systemic features associated with altered calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and disrupted production of parathyroid hormone and fibroblast growth factor 23, and abnormalities associated with the skeleton, kidney, parathyroid gland, and the skin. This study suggests that both mouse and human VDR transgenes are capable of recapitulating basal and regulated expression of the VDR in the appropriate mouse tissues and restore 1,25(OH)2D3 function. These results provide a baseline for further dissection of mechanisms integral to mouse and human VDR gene expression and offer the potential to explore the consequence of selective mutations in VDR proteins in vivo.
Virtual Travel in Second Life
Authors: Zold Elizabeth
Published: April 2014

This article argues for the use of experiential learning to teach eighteenth-century travel literature to undergraduates. Exploring the three-dimensional virtual world of Second Life, students wrote their own travelogues and reflected on the ways in which the experience affected how they analyzed travelogues for the rest of the semester.
A Grand Gender Convergence: Its Last Chapter
Authors: Goldin Claudia
Published: April 2014

The converging roles of men and women are among the grandest advances in society and the economy in the last century. These aspects of the grand gender convergence are figurative chapters in a history of gender roles. But what must the “last” chapter contain for there to be equality in the labor market? The answer may come as a surprise. The solution does not (necessarily) have to involve government intervention and it need not make men more responsible in the home (although that wouldn't hurt). But it must involve changes in the labor market, especially how jobs are structured and remunerated to enhance temporal flexibility. The gender gap in pay would be considerably reduced and might vanish altogether if firms did not have an incentive to disproportionately reward individuals who labored long hours and worked particular hours. Such change has taken off in various sectors, such as technology, science, and health, but is less apparent in the corporate, financial, and legal worlds. (JEL J3, J16, J22, J24, J31, J33, N3)
Vertical Integration and Input Flows
Authors: Atalay Enghin , Hortaçsu Ali , Syverson Chad
Published: April 2014

We use broad-based yet detailed data from the economy's goods-producing sectors to investigate firms' ownership of production chains. It does not appear that vertical ownership is primarily used to facilitate transfers of goods along the production chain, as is often presumed: roughly one-half of upstream establishments report no shipments to downstream establishments within the same firm. We propose an alternative explanation for vertical ownership, namely that it promotes efficient intrafirm transfers of intangible inputs. We show evidence consistent with this hypothesis, including the fact that, after a change of ownership, an acquired establishment begins to resemble the acquiring firm along multiple dimensions. (JEL G32, G34, L14, L22, L60, M11)
Misallocation and Growth
Authors: Jovanovic Boyan
Published: April 2014

This paper models growth via on-the-job learning when firms and workers are heterogeneous. It is an overlapping generations model in which young agents match with the old. More efficient assignments lead to faster long-run growth, more inequality, and less turnover in the distribution of human capital. Constant-growth paths are characterized for general functional forms and then, for the Cobb-Douglas case, the transition dynamics are solved analytically when the skill of the young is log-normally distributed and the initial human capital of the old generation is also log-normal. Growth and inequality move together on the transition to the balanced growth path. ( JEL D83, J24, J31, J41)
The Role of Local Officials in New Democracies: Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Martinez-Bravo Monica
Published: April 2014

This paper shows that the body of appointed officials that a new democracy inherits from the previous regime is a key determinant of the extent of electoral fraud and clientelistic spending in new democracies. I develop a model that predicts that appointed officials have stronger incentives to influence voters during national level elections because of their career concerns. I test the implications of the model using data from Indonesia's transition to democracy. Both the pattern of alignment of electoral results between village and district levels and the pattern of subsequent turnover of appointed village heads corroborate the predictions of the model. ( JEL D72, H77, H83, O17, O18)
Stock Prices, News, and Economic Fluctuations: Comment
Authors: Kurmann André , Mertens Elmar
Published: April 2014

Beaudry and Portier (2006) propose an identification scheme to study the effects of news shocks about future productivity in vector error correction models (VECMs). This comment shows that, when applied to their VECMs with more than two variables, the identification scheme does not have a unique solution. The problem arises from a particular interplay of cointegration assumptions and long-run restrictions. (JEL E32, E44, G12, G14)
Adaptive Control of Artificial Pancreas Systems ‐ A Review
Authors: Turksoy Kamuran , Cinar Ali
Published: April 2014

Artificial pancreas (AP) systems offer an important improvement in regulating blood glucose concentration for patients with type 1 diabetes, compared to current approaches. AP consists of sensors, control algorithms and an insulin pump. Different AP control algorithms such as proportional‐integral‐derivative, model‐predictive control, adaptive control, and fuzzy logic control have been investigated in simulation and clinical studies in the past three decades. The variability over time and complexity of the dynamics of blood glucose concentration, unsteady disturbances such as meals, time‐varying delays on measurements and insulin infusion, and noisy data from sensors create a challenging system to AP. Adaptive control is a powerful control technique that can deal with such challenges. In this paper, a review of adaptive control techniques for blood glucose regulation with an AP system is presented. The investigations and advances in technology produced impressive results, but there is still a need for a reliable AP system that is both commercially viable and appealing to patients with type 1 diabetes.
A Quadruply‐Asymmetric Sigmoid to Describe the Insulin‐Glucose Relationship during Intravenous Insulin Infusion
Authors: Braithwaite Daniel T. , Umpierrez Guillermo E. , Braithwaite Susan S.
Published: April 2014

For hospitalized patients requiring intravenous insulin therapy, an objective is to quantify the intravenous insulin infusion rate (IR) across the domain of blood glucose (BG) values at a single timepoint. The algorithm parameters include low BG (70 mg/dL), critical high BG, target range BG limits, and maintenance rate (MR) of insulin infusion, which, after initialization, depends on rate of change of blood glucose, previous IR, and other inputs. The restraining rate (RR) is a function of fractional completeness of ascent of BG (FCABG) from BG 70 mg/dL to target. The correction rate (CR) is a function of fractional elevation of BG (FEBG), in comparison to elevation of a critical high BG, above target. IR = RR + CR. The proposed mathematical model describing a sigmoidal relationship between IR and BG may offer a safety advantage over the linear relationship currently employed in some intravenous glucose management systems.
The Influence of Dynamic Orthosis Training on Upper Extremity Function after Stroke: A Pilot Study
Authors: Cappato de Araújo Rodrigo , Rocha Daniel Neves , Rodarti Pitangui Ana Carolina , Pinotti Marcos
Published: April 2014

The goal of this study was to assess the use of a dynamic orthosis on upper extremity function in chronic stroke patients. A case series approach was utilized, with provision of a training program (3x/week, 50 minutes/session for 8 weeks) and employment of a dynamic orthosis. Six volunteers with persistent hemiparesis due to a single, unilateral stroke performed task‐oriented movements with the aid of a dynamic orthosis. Tests were administered before and after training. Functional capacity was assessed using the TEMPA (Test d′Évaluation des Membres Supérieurs de Personnes Âgées) test. The Wilcoxon test was used for pre‐training and post‐training comparisons of TEMPA scores. The volunteers showed significant improvement of upper extremity function in the performance of a bilateral task (p = 0.01) and three unilateral tasks (p = 0.04). This pilot study suggests that the dynamic orthosis associated with the performance of functional tasks can have positive outcomes regarding the improvement of functional capacity of upper extremity.
A Novel Smart Routing Protocol for Remote Health Monitoring in Medical Wireless Networks
Authors: Sundararajan T. V. P. , Sumithra M. G. , Maheswar R.
Published: April 2014

In a Medical Wireless Network (MWN), sensors constantly monitor patient′s physiological condition and movement. Inter‐MWN communications are set up between the Patient Server and one or more Centralized Coordinators. However, MWNs require protocols with little energy consumption and the self‐organizing attribute perceived in ad‐hoc networks. The proposed Smart Routing Protocol (SRP) selects only the nodes with a higher residual energy and lower traffic density for routing. This approach enhances cooperation among the nodes of a Mobile Ad Hoc Network. Consequently, SRP produces better results than the existing protocols, namely Conditional Min‐Max Battery Cost Routing, Min‐Max Battery Cost Routing and AdHoc On‐demand Distance Vector in terms of network parameters. The performance of the erstwhile schemes for routing protocols is evaluated using the network simulator Qualnet v 4.5.
Femininity and the Temporal Phenomenon in Akhmadulina´s poetry
Authors: Иванова Ирина , Ivanova Irina
Published: April 2014

The articles studies Bella Akhmadulina ´s attitude to the phenomenon of time and concludes that the poetess was more attracted by the artistic past and the atmosphere associated with it: La Belles Dame culture and chivalry; the nobility, who were free from any obligation and could have all the time for themselves; the existential choice of eternity and the feeling of involvement with reality. The author demonstrates how femininity determines Akhmadulina´s choice of temporal and spacial continuum, and studies the links between the poetess´s perception of time and existential philosophy.
General Approaches to a Travel Company´s Branding Strategies
Authors: Кошлякова Мария , Koshlyakova Mariya
Published: April 2014

Tourism product reveals a number of unique commercial qualities which call for the travel company to employ highly effective branding strategies. The Appropriate Reputation Strategy is a PR strategy which allows a company to capitalize on its reputational strengths. The Attraction Strategy is building an image that reflects the customer need for advertising communication. The strategy of creating mythlike reality implies mythologizing the supposedly obligatory markers of a lifestyle.
Justification and Interlaced Knowledge at ATLAS, CERN
Authors: Tuertscher Philipp , Garud Raghu , Kumaraswamy Arun
Published: April 2014

We report on a longitudinal study of the emergence of the ATLAS detector, a complex technological system developed at CERN, Geneva. Our data show that the coordination of initial architectural choices was driven by cycles of contestation and justification that resulted in the creation of what we term interlaced knowledge—pockets of shared knowledge interwoven within and across subsystem communities at ATLAS. We also found that these justifications were possible because of the presence of a boundary infrastructure that served as a common substrate of knowledge for all ATLAS participants. Together, the boundary infrastructure and interlaced knowledge enabled participants to make co-oriented technological choices, address latent interdependencies, and minimize the incidence and severity of glitches when integrating the various subsystems.
Spiral Structure of 7 Å Halloysite: Mathematical Models
Authors: Mitra Girija Bhushan
Published: April 2014

Halloysite is used for targeted delivery of drugs and other biomolecules. Renewed interest in examination by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to predict the size of particles that can be loaded onto the nanotubes has resulted. Anhydrous halloysite consists of spiraled tubules the length and diameter of which can be determined by measurement using an electron microscope. In spite of ample evidence regarding the spiral structure of halloysite, current programs to evaluate the structure of halloysite nanotubes consider it to be a hollow tube or a cylinder which prevents accurate prediction of its structure and leads to misinformation about the sizes of materials that can be loaded onto the nanotubes. The overall objective of the current study was to derive equations to estimate the structure of halloysite nanotubes which take into consideration its spiral structure. The study of Fourier transform either by electron diffraction or XRD led to the measurement of the spiral thickness and the nature of the spiral. Calculations of the nanotube dimensions may determine the ability of these carriers to allow the mechanical delivery of certain drugs. Here the structure of hydrated halloysite (hollow cylindrical tubes with a doughnut-like cross-section) and anhydrous halloysite (spiraled or helical structure) are described as previously reported in the literature. The Fourier transform of the spiraled structure was selected based on three different kinds of spirals: the Archimedean spiral, the Power spiral, and the Logarithmic spiral. Programs used to define the crystal structure of materials and to calculate the Fourier transform need to take the spiral structure into consideration.
Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solution Using Natural and Fe(III) Oxyhydroxide Clinoptilolite
Authors: Milićević Sonja , Milošević Vladan , Povrenović Dragan , Stojanović Jovica , Martinović Sanja , Babić Blljana
Published: April 2014

The increasing levels of industrial wastewater released to the environment present a serious threat to human health, living resources, and ecological systems. Fe-modified zeolites were developed and tested for removal of Cu2+ and Zn2+ from contaminated water. The surfaces of the naturally occurring zeolite, clinoptilolite, were modified with Fe(III) oxyhydroxides using three different methods, denoted I, II, and III (FeCli1, FeCli2, and FeNaCli1, respectively). The oxyhydroxides were prepared in Method I using 0.1 M FeCl3·6H2O in an acetate buffer (pH = 3.6); in Method II, using 10ai] FeCl3·6H2O solution in 0.1 M KOH (pH = 10); and Method III was the same as Method I except the clinoptilolite was pretreated with NaCl. Newly synthesized materials from these three methods were then tested for their ability to enhance the sorption capacity for Cu and Zn compared to the natural sample (Cli). Powder X-ray diffraction measurements and the chemical composition of these modified samples confirmed that clinoptilolite maintained its structure while amorphous Fe3+ species were synthesized. The specific surface area (BET method) of both the natural and modified clinoptilolite increased by 2 and 7.5 times for Methods I and II, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that CaO was formed during Method I (FeClii). Throughout the adsorption process, the hydrolysis of CaO and the release of OH− caused the precipitation of Cu and Zn hydroxide, which made the determination of the sorption capacity of FeClii impossible. This phenomenon was avoided in Method III (FeNaClii) because of the absence of exchangeable Ca2+. The adsorption experiments with Method II resulted in double-enchanced adsoprtion capacity. Laboratory batch experiments revealed that the sorption capacities increased in the following order: Cli < FeCli2 < FeNaCli1, for Cu: 0.121 mmol/g < 0.251 mmol/g < 0.403 mmol/g and for Zn: 0.128 mmol/g < 0.234 mmol/g < 0.381 mmol/g.
New Method Using Growth Dynamics to Quantify Microbial Contamination of Kaolinite Slurries
Authors: Smith Christopher W. , Babb Christopher M. , Snapp Sara J. , Kohlhagen Glenda B. , Barkovskii Andrei L.
Published: April 2014

The early and sensitive detection of microbial contamination of kaolinite slurries is needed for timely treatment to prevent spoilage. The sensitivity, reproducibility, and time required by current methods, such as the dip-slide method, do not meet this challenge. A more sensitive, reproducible, and efficient method is required. The objective of the present study was to develop and validate such a method. The new method is based on the measured growth kinetics of indigenous kaolinite-slurry microorganisms. The microorganisms from kaolinite slurries with different contamination levels were eluted and quantified as colony-forming units (CFUs). Known quantities of E. coli (ATCC 11775) were inoculated into sterilized kaolinite slurries to relate kaolinite-slurry CFUs to true microbial concentrations. The inoculated slurries were subsequently incubated, re-extracted, and microbial concentrations quantified. The ratio of the known inoculated E. coli concentration to the measured concentration was expressed as the recovery efficiency coefficient. Indigenous microbial communities were serially diluted, incubated, and the growth kinetics measured and related to CFUs. Using the new method, greater optical densities (OD) and visible microbial growth were measured for greater dilutions of kaolinite slurries with large microbial-cell concentrations. Growth conditions were optimized to maximize the correlation between contamination level, microbial growth kinetics, and OD value. A Standard Bacterial Unit (SBU) scale with five levels of microbial contamination was designed for kaolinite slurries using the experimental results. The SBU scale was validated using a blind test of 50 unknown slurry samples with various contamination levels provided by the Imerys Company. The validation tests revealed that the new method using the SBU scale was more time efficient, sensitive, and reproducible than the dip-slide method.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Mesoporous Magadiite Plates via Heterogeneous Nucleation
Authors: Ma Yalu , Liu Na , Jin Xiaoning , Feng Tianshi
Published: April 2014

The conventional cauliflower-like shape of magadiite imposes serious limitations on its applications in adsorption, catalysis, ion exchange, etc. To overcome this problem, a method to prepare it with plate-like structures was developed. This novel approach is based on an interface-controlled heterogeneous nucleation process. Zirconia grinding balls with diameters of 2.0 mm were dispersed in the starting solution to provide solid-liquid interfaces. Then the starting solution with a SiO2:NaOH:H2O molar ratio of 9:2:75 was subjected to hydrothermal treatment at 433 K for 96 h. The presence of the solid-liquid interface improved the crystallization yield and controlled the morphology and specific surface area of the crystals. With the zirconia balls, the yield and sizes of the plate-like magadiite were 52 wt.% and 1–3 μm, respectively. In the absence of zirconia balls, the yield was smaller (45 wt.%) and magadiite shaped like cauliflower was formed. The plate-like magadiite had a specific surface area of 66 m2 g−1 and a pore-size distribution between 4 and 5 nm, compared with a surface area of 28 m2 g−1 for the cauliflower-like magadiite. In addition, the plate-like magadiite was a more effective ion exchanger than the cauliflower-like magadiite with a cation exchange capacity of 64.5 mmol/100 g (compared to 53.8 mmol/100 g for the cauliflower-like form) and it had a faster sorption rate for calcium ions.