bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cyclophilin D and the mitochondrial permeability transition in kidney proximal tubules after hypoxic and ischemic injury
Authors: Park Jeong Soon , Pasupulati Ratna , Feldkamp Thorsten , Roeser Nancy F. , Weinberg Joel M.
Published: April 2011

Mitochondrial matrix cyclophilin D (CyPD) is known to promote development of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT). Kidney proximal tubule cells are especially prone to deleterious effects of mitochondrial damage because of their dependence on oxidative mitochondrial metabolism for ATP production. To clarify the role of CyPD and the MPT in proximal tubule injury during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) and hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R), we assessed freshly isolated tubules and in vivo injury in wild-type (WT) and Ppif−/−CyPD-null mice. Isolated mouse tubules developed a sustained, nonesterified fatty acid-mediated energetic deficit after H/R in vitro that could be substantially reversed by delipidated albumin and supplemental citric acid cycle substrates but was not modified by the absence of CyPD. Susceptibility of WT and Ppif−/−tubules to the MPT was increased by H/R but was less in normoxic and H/R Ppif−/−than WT tubules. Correction of the energetic deficit that developed during H/R strongly increased resistance to the MPT. Ppif−/−mice were resistant to I/R injury in vivo spanning a wide range of severity. The data clarify involvement of the MPT in oxygen deprivation-induced tubule cell injury by showing that the MPT does not contribute to the initial bioenergetic deficit produced by H/R but the deficit predisposes to subsequent development of the MPT, which contributes pathogenically to kidney I/R injury in vivo.
Short-term modulation at synapses between neurons in laminae II–V of the rodent spinal dorsal horn
Authors: Zhang W. , Schneider S. P.
Published: April 2011

Unitary excitatory (EPSP) and inhibitory (IPSP) postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) were evoked between neurons in Rexed's laminae (L)II–V of spinal slices from young hamsters (7–24 days old) at 27°C using paired whole cell recordings. Laminar differences in synaptic efficacy were observed: excitatory connections were more secure than inhibitory connections in LII and inhibitory linkages in LII were less reliable than those in LIII–V. A majority of connections displayed paired-pulse facilitation or depression. Depression was observed for both EPSPs and IPSPs, but facilitation was seen almost exclusively for IPSPs. There were no frequency-dependent shifts between facilitation and depression. Synaptic depression was associated with an increased failure rate and decreased PSP half-width for a majority of connections. However, there were no consistent changes in failure rate or PSP time course at facilitating connections. IPSPs evoked at high-failure synapses had consistently smaller amplitude and showed greater facilitation than low-failure connections. Facilitation at inhibitory connections was positively correlated with synaptic jitter and associated with a decrease in latency. At many connections, the paired-pulse ratio varied from trial to trial and depended on the amplitude of the first PSP; dependence was greater for inhibitory synapses than excitatory synapses. Paired-pulse ratios for connections onto neurons with rapidly adapting, “phasic” discharge to depolarizing current injection were significantly greater than for connections onto neurons with tonic discharge properties. These results are evidence of diversity in synaptic transmission between dorsal horn neurons, the nature of which may depend on the types of linkage, laminar location, and intrinsic firing properties of postsynaptic cells.
Consistency of muscle synergies during pedaling across different mechanical constraints
Authors: Hug François , Turpin Nicolas A. , Couturier Antoine , Dorel Sylvain
Published: April 2011

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether muscle synergies are constrained by changes in the mechanics of pedaling. The decomposition algorithm used to identify muscle synergies was based on two components: “muscle synergy vectors,” which represent the relative weighting of each muscle within each synergy, and “synergy activation coefficients,” which represent the relative contribution of muscle synergy to the overall muscle activity pattern. We hypothesized that muscle synergy vectors would remain fixed but that synergy activation coefficients could vary, resulting in observed variations in individual electromyographic (EMG) patterns. Eleven cyclists were tested during a submaximal pedaling exercise and five all-out sprints. The effects of torque, maximal torque-velocity combination, and posture were studied. First, muscle synergies were extracted from each pedaling exercise independently using non-negative matrix factorization. Then, to cross-validate the results, muscle synergies were extracted from the entire data pooled across all conditions, and muscle synergy vectors extracted from the submaximal exercise were used to reconstruct EMG patterns of the five all-out sprints. Whatever the mechanical constraints, three muscle synergies accounted for the majority of variability [mean variance accounted for (VAF) = 93.3 ± 1.6%, VAFmuscle> 82.5%] in the EMG signals of 11 lower limb muscles. In addition, there was a robust consistency in the muscle synergy vectors. This high similarity in the composition of the three extracted synergies was accompanied by slight adaptations in their activation coefficients in response to extreme changes in torque and posture. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that these muscle synergies reflect a neural control strategy, with only a few timing adjustments in their activation regarding the mechanical constraints.
On the Dynamics of Nonautonomous Parabolic Systems Involving the Grushin Operators
Authors: Cung The Anh , Vu Manh Toi
Published: April 2011

We study the long‐time behavior of solutions to nonautonomous semilinear parabolic systems involving the Grushin operators in bounded domains. We prove the existence of a pullback 𝒟‐attractor in
(L2(Ω)) m for the corresponding process in the general case. When the system has a special gradient structure, we prove that the obtained pullback
𝒟‐attractor is more regular and has a finite fractal dimension. The obtained results, in particular, extend and improve some existing ones for the reaction‐diffusion equations and the Grushin equations.
Fatal Myocarditis in Course ofPlasmodium falciparumInfection: Case Report and Review of Cardiac Complications in Malaria
Authors: Costenaro Paola , Benedetti Paolo , Facchin Chiara , Mengoli Carlo , Pellizzer Giampietro
Published: April 2011

We describe a fatal case of imported malaria where the sole finding revealed at thepostmortemevaluation was an acute lymphocytic myocarditis with myocardiolysis. This case recalls the potential importance of myocardial injury in the prognosis of malaria and prompts a reevaluation of current perspectives on the pathogenesis of severe falciparum infection. In the light of this, we have reviewed the cases of cardiac complications in malaria published to date.
Clinical Features, Treatment, and Outcome in 102 Adult and Pediatric Patients with Localized High-Grade Synovial Sarcoma
Authors: Al-Hussaini H. , Hogg D. , Blackstein M. E. , O'Sullivan B. , Catton C. N. , Chung P. W. , Griffin A. M. , Hodgson D. , Hopyan S. , Kandel R. , Ferguson P. C. , Wunder J. S. , Gupta A. A.
Published: April 2011

Background. There remains controversy on the routine use of chemotherapy in localized SS.Methods. The records of 87 adult (AP) and 15 pediatric (PP) patients with localized SS diagnosed between 1986 and 2007 at 2 centres in Toronto were reviewed.Results. Median age for AP and PP was 37.6 (range 15–76) and 14 (range 0.4–18) years, respectively. 65 (64%) patients had large tumours (>5 cm). All patients underwent en bloc surgical resection resulting in 94 (92.2%) negative and 8 (7.8%) microscopically positive surgical margins. 72 (82.8%) AP and 8 (53%) PP received radiotherapy. Chemotherapy was administered to 12 (13.8%) AP and 13 (87%) PP. 10 AP and 5 PP were evaluable for response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with response rate of10%and40%, respectively. 5-year EFS and OS was69.3±4.8%and80.3±4.3%, respectively, and was similar for AP and PP, In patients with tumors >5 cm, in whom chemotherapy might be considered most appropriate, relapse occurred in 9/19 (47%) with chemotherapy, compared to 17/46 (37%) In those without.Conclusions. Patients with localized SS have a good chance of cure with surgery and RT. Evidence for a well-defined role of chemotherapy to improve survival In localized SS remains elusive.
Use of Tikhonov Regularization to Improve the Accuracy of Position Estimates in Inertial Navigation
Authors: Nieminen Tuukka , Kangas Jari , Kettunen Lauri
Published: April 2011

Inertial navigation problems are often understood as initial value problems. However, there are many applications where boundary value problems naturally arise. In these situations, it has been shown that the finite element method can be efficiently used to compute accurate position and velocity estimates. We will propose that finite element method complemented with Tikhonov regularization—a basic tool for inverse problems—is a powerful combination for further accuracy improvements. The proposed method provides a straightforward way to exploit prior information of various types and is subject to rigorous optimality results. Use and accuracy of the proposed method are demonstrated with examples.
The rs1014290 Polymorphism of the SLC2A9 Gene Is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Han Chinese
Authors: Liu Wan-Chun , Hung Chi-Chih , Chen Szu-Chia , Lin Ming-Yen , Chen Ling-I , Hwang Daw-Yang , Chang Jer-Ming , Tsai Jer-Chia , Chen Hung-Chun , Hwang Shang-Jyh
Published: April 2011

Aims. TheSLC2A9gene encodes the glucose transporter 9, with the abilities of transporting both glucose and uric acid and is involved in the pancreatic glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) ofSLC2A9accounted for 5% variance of serum uric acid (UA). UA was identified as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We investigated whether theSLC2A9gene variations are associated with type 2 DM in Han Chinese.Methods. Three common SNPs of theSLC2A9, rs1014290, rs2280205, and rs3733591, were genotyped in 1003 Han Chinese randomly selected from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.Results. The variant SNP rs1014290 is associated with decreased 0.12-fold risk of type 2 DM (P=.002). Per-copy increase in the minor C-allele results in 0.13 mmol/L (P=.037) and 10.03 μmol/L (P=.016) decrease in serum glucose and UA, respectively.Conclusions. The SNP rs1014290 within theSLC2A9gene is associated with type 2 DM in Han Chinese.
Modular Locally Constant Mappings in Vector Ultrametric Spaces
Authors: Fallahi Kamal , Nourouzi Kourosh
Published: April 2011

We give some sufficient conditions for mappings defined on vector ultrametric spaces to be modular locally constant.
Adaptive Wavelet Estimation of a Biased Density for Strongly Mixing Sequences
Authors: Chesneau Christophe
Published: April 2011

The estimation of a biased density for exponentially strongly
mixing sequences is investigated. We construct a new adaptive wavelet
estimator based on a hard thresholding rule. We determine a sharp
upper bound of the associated mean integrated square error for a wide
class of functions.
Contemporary Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Fu Qiang , Moul Judd W. , Sun Leon
Published: April 2011

Purpose. Patients diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer have more surgical treatment options than in the past. This paper focuses on the procedures' oncological or functional outcomes and perioperative morbidities of radical retropubic prostatectomy, radical perineal prostatectomy, and robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods. A MEDLINE/PubMed search of the literature on radical prostatectomy and other new management options was performed.Results. Compared to the open procedures, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy has no confirmed significant difference in most literatures besides less blood loss and blood transfusion. Nerve sparing is a safe means of preserving potency on well-selected patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. Positive surgical margin rates of radical prostatectomy affect the recurrence and survival of prostate cancer. The urinary and sexual function outcomes have been vastly improved. Neoadjuvant treatment only affects the rate of positive surgical margin. Adjuvant therapy can delay and reduce the risk of recurrence and improve the survival of the high risk prostate cancer.Conclusions. For the majority of patients with organ-confined prostate cancer, radical prostatectomy remains a most effective approach. Radical perineal prostatectomy remains a viable approach for patients with morbid obesity, prior pelvic surgery, or prior pelvic radiation. Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) has become popular among surgeons but has not yet become the firmly established standard of care. Long-term data have confirmed the efficacy of radical retropubic prostatectomy with disease control rates and cancer-specific survival rates.
Left Transperitoneal Adrenalectomy with a Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery Combined Technique: Initial Case Reports
Authors: Sumino Yasuhiro , Nakano Daisaku , Mori Ken-Ichi , Nomura Takeo , Sato Fuminori , Mimata Hiromitsu
Published: April 2011

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) is a step toward the development of minimally invasive surgery. It is initially difficult for surgeons with limited experience to perform the surgery. We describe two cases of left adrenalectomy with a LESS combined with the addition of an accessory port. After a 2.5-cm skin incision was made at the level of the paraumbilicus to insert the primary 12-mm trocar for the laparoscope, a 5-mm nonbladed trocar was placed through the skin incision side-by-side with the primary trocar. A second 3-mm nonbladed trocar was then placed along the anterior axillary line; a multichannel trocar was not used as a single port. Both adrenalectomies were completed successfully. In patients with a minor adrenal tumor, a combined technique using LESS and an additional port is easier than LESS alone and may, therefore, be a bridge between the conventional laparoscopic approach and LESS.
A Two‐Species Cooperative Lotka‐Volterra System of Degenerate Parabolic Equations
Authors: Sun Jiebao , Zhang Dazhi , Wu Boying
Published: April 2011

We consider a cooperating two‐species Lotka‐Volterra model of degenerate
parabolic equations. We are interested in the coexistence of the species in a bounded domain. We establish the existence of global generalized solutions of the initial boundary value problem by means of parabolic regularization and also consider the existence of the nontrivial time‐periodic solution for this system.
Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Induced by Severe Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Virus Infection: A Case Report
Authors: Zhang Xiang-Yan , Ye Xian-Wei , Feng Duan-Xing , Han Jing , Li Dan , Zhang Cheng
Published: April 2011

After early outbreaks in North America in April 2009, the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus spread rapidly around the world, and even some patients developed certain severe complications. We reported one case of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) induced by severe pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. A 17-year-old girl had acute onset of fever, dry cough, rhinorrhea, and sore throat Her family members and close friends also had the similar symptoms. Anti-infection treatment with penicillin was given after 8 days of the onset of symptoms in the local hospital, and her chest radiograph showed consolidation of the left lung. Then, she was sent to the People's Hospital of Guizhou Province in China and endotracheal intubation were underwent on the ninth day for acute hypoxic respiratory failure. She was diagnosed with HLH induced by severe pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus. Oseltamivir, steroids, immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis were given immediately after admission. After being treated in the People's Hospital of Guizhou Province for 16 days, she was discharged. This experience shows that HLH may be a life-threatening complication for severe pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection and responds well to therapy.
Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis with Continuous IV Infusion of LMWH: A Retrospective Study in 32 Children
Authors: Fiamoli Veronika , Blatny Jan , Zapletal Ondrej , Kohlerova Svetlana , Janousova Eva
Published: April 2011

Thirty-two consecutive children aged 0–18 years with VTE treated with LMWH administered as a continuous infusion (CI) were identified at the Children's University Hospital Brno. The treatment led to at least partial resolution of the thrombus within two weeks in 85% of patients. There were no adverse events or increased bleeding reported in any patients. No recurrences were observed during a followup period of 6 months. Although continuous infusion should not replace subcutaneous (SC) administration of LMWH, CI appeared to be safe and efficient and may provide an alternate method of administering LMWH in a subset of the paediatric population where SC administration may not be feasible. Further prospective studies are needed to support the promising findings of our pilot clinical observation.
Nutritional Status Driving Infection byTrypanosoma cruzi: Lessons from Experimental Animals
Authors: Malafaia Guilherme , Talvani André
Published: April 2011

This paper reviews the scientific knowledge about protein-energy and micronutrient malnutrition in the context of Chagas disease, especially in experimental models. The search of articles was conducted using the electronic databases of SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), PubMed and MEDLINE published between 1960 and March 2010. It was possible to verify that nutritional deficiencies (protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition) exert a direct effect on the infection byT. cruzi. However, little is known about the immunological mechanisms involved in the relationship “nutritional deficiencies and infection byT. cruzi”. A hundred years after the discovery of Chagas disease many aspects of this illness still require clarification, including the effects of nutritional deficiencies on immune and pathological mechanisms ofT. cruziinfection.
Paradoxical Clinical Effect of Estrogen on Breast Cancer Risk: A “New” Biology of Estrogen-induced Apoptosis
Authors: Jordan V. Craig , Ford Leslie G.
Published: April 2011

Administration of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) decreases the incidence of breast cancer, as shown in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in 10,739 postmenopausal women with a prior hysterectomy. Although paradoxical because estrogen is recognized to stimulate breast cancer growth, laboratory data support a mechanism of estrogen-induced apoptosis under the correct environmental circumstances. Long-term antiestrogen treatment or estrogen deprivation causes the eventual development and evolution of antihormone resistance. Cell populations emerge with a vulnerability, as estrogen is no longer a survival signal but is an apoptotic trigger. The antitumor effect of ERT in estrogen-deprived postmenopausal women is consistent with laboratory models. Cancer Prev Res; 4(5); 633–7. ©2011 AACR.
Platelet function variability and non-genetic causes
Authors: Farhan Serdar , Jarai Rudolf , Wojta Johann , Tentzeris Ioannis , Siller-Matula Jolanta , Huber Kurt
Published: April 2011

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) has been established for the treatment of coronary artery disease, especially in and after acute coronary syndromes, and after coronary interventions. Data suggest that a significant percentage of individuals treated with clopidogrel do not receive the expected therapeutic benefit because of a decreased responsiveness of their platelets, which is caused by several extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms. The clinical consequence of clopidogrel non-responsiveness is severe cardiovascular complications. Besides genetic variability in response to antiplatelet therapy, non-genetic causes such as drug interactions (proton-pump inhibitors, statins, calcium-channel blockers, coumarine derivates, antibiotics, antimycotics) and co-morbidities (diabetes mellitus, renal failure, obesity) are responsible for this phenomenon. Large clinical trials with standardised laboratory methods and hard clinical endpoints are needed to identify these interactions with clopidogrel and predictors for its non-responsiveness.
Programmed Necrosis, Not Apoptosis, in the Heart
Authors: Kung Gloria , Konstantinidis Klitos , Kitsis Richard N.
Published: April 2011

It is well known that apoptosis is an actively mediated cell suicide process. In contrast, necrosis, a morphologically distinct form of cell death, has traditionally been regarded as passive and unregulated. Over the past decade, however, experiments in
Caenorhabditis elegans
and mammalian cells have revealed that a significant proportion of necrotic death is, in fact, actively mediated by the doomed cell. Although a comprehensive understanding of necrosis is still lacking, some key molecular events have come into focus. Cardiac myocyte apoptosis and necrosis are prominent features of the major cardiac syndromes. Accordingly, the recognition of necrosis as a regulated process mandates a reexamination of cell death in the heart. This review discusses pathways that mediate programmed necrosis, how they intersect with apoptotic pathways, roles of necrosis in heart disease, and new therapeutic opportunities that the regulated nature of necrosis presents.
Predictors of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Sac Enlargement After Endovascular Repair
Authors: Schanzer Andres , Greenberg Roy K. , Hevelone Nathanael , Robinson William P. , Eslami Mohammad H. , Goldberg Robert J. , Messina Louis
Published: April 2011

Background—

The majority of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs in the United States are performed with endovascular methods. Baseline aortoiliac arterial anatomic characteristics are fundamental criteria for appropriate patient selection for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) and key determinants of long-term success. We evaluated compliance with anatomic guidelines for EVAR and the relationship between baseline aortoiliac arterial anatomy and post-EVAR AAA sac enlargement.

Methods and Results—

Patients with pre-EVAR and at least 1 post-EVAR computed tomography scan were identified from the M2S, Inc. imaging database (1999 to 2008). Preoperative baseline aortoiliac anatomic characteristics were reviewed for each patient. Data relating to the specific AAA endovascular device implanted were not available. Therefore, morphological measurements were compared with the most liberal and the most conservative published anatomic guidelines as stated in each manufacturer's instructions for use. The primary study outcome was post-EVAR AAA sac enlargement (>5-mm diameter increase). In 10 228 patients undergoing EVAR, 59% had a maximum AAA diameter below the 55-mm threshold at which intervention is recommended over surveillance. Only 42% of patients had anatomy that met the most conservative definition of device instructions for use; 69% met the most liberal definition of device instructions for use. The 5-year post-EVAR rate of AAA sac enlargement was 41%. Independent predictors of AAA sac enlargement included endoleak, age ≥80 years, aortic neck diameter ≥28 mm, aortic neck angle >60°, and common iliac artery diameter >20 mm.

Conclusion—

In this multicenter observational study, compliance with EVAR device guidelines was low and post-EVAR aneurysm sac enlargement was high, raising concern for long-term risk of aneurysm rupture.
The American Family in Black & White: A Post-Racial Strategy for Improving Skills to Promote Equality
Authors: Heckman James J.
Published: April 2011

In contemporary America, racial gaps in achievement are primarily due to gaps in skills. Skill gaps emerge early, before children enter school. Families are major producers of skills, thus inequality in school performance is strongly linked to inequality in family environments. Schools do little to reduce or enlarge the skill gaps that are present when children enter school. Parenting matters, and the true measure of child advantage and disadvantage is the quality of parenting received. A growing fraction of American children across all race and ethnic groups is being raised in dysfunctional families. Investment in the early lives of children from disadvantaged families will help close achievement gaps. America currently relies too heavily on schools and adolescent remediation strategies to solve problems that start in the preschool years. Policy should prevent rather than remediate. Voluntary, culturally sensitive support for parenting is a politically and economically palatable strategy that addresses problems common to all racial and ethnic groups.
The Achievement Gap: Past, Present & Future
Authors: Nisbett Richard E.
Published: April 2011

The achievement gap between blacks and whites owes nothing to genetics. It is not solely due to discrimination or social-class differences between blacks and whites. It is due in good part to environmental differences between blacks and whites stemming from family, neighborhood, and school socialization factors that are present even for middle-class blacks. The gap is closing slowly, but it could be closed much more rapidly, with interventions both large and small. Preschool programs exist that can produce enormous differences in outcomes in school and in later life. Elementary schools where children spend much more time in contact with the school, and which include upper-middle-class experiences such as visits to museums and dramatic productions, have a major impact on poor black children's academic achievement. Simply convincing black children that their intellectual skills are under their control can have a marked impact.
Affirmative Action: The U.S. Experience in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Sabbagh Daniel
Published: April 2011

Broadly defined, affirmative action encompasses any measure that allocates resources through a process that takes into account individual membership in underrepresented groups. The goal is to increase the proportion of individuals from those groups in positions from which they have been excluded as a result of state-sanctioned oppression in the past or societal discrimination in the present. A comparative overview of affirmative action regimes reveals that the most direct and controversial variety of affirmative action emerged as a strategy for conflict management in deeply divided societies; that the policy tends to expand in scope, either embracing additional groups, encompassing wider realms for the same groups, or both; and that in countries where the beneficiaries are numerical majorities, affirmative action programs are more extensive and their transformative purpose is unusually explicit.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow? Post-Racial & Pan-Racial Politics in the Age of Obama
Authors: Lee Taeku
Published: April 2011

After Barack Obama's historic election, media reports overwhelmingly credited white independents with setting aside decades of racially polarized voting to send the nation's first black president to the White House. Lee looks more closely to reveal that Obama owes a greater debt to non-white voters (partisan and nonpartisan) than to white independents. As more people of color – including immigrant and second-generation Latinos and Asian Americans – join the ranks of nonpartisan voters, the concept of pan-racialism can shed light on how individuals of a shared demographic category come to engage, politically, as a group. The age of Obama calls not for the celebration of a post-racial politics, but rather for a collective struggle to build a pan-racial politics: that is, a politics of mutual recognition, inclusion, and moral partiality between all racial and ethnic groups.
Hip-Hop & the Global Imprint of a Black Cultural Form
Authors: Morgan Marcyliena , Bennett Dionne
Published: April 2011

Hip-hop, created by black and Latino youth in the mid-1970s on the East Coast of the United States, is now represented throughout the world. The form's core elements – rapping, deejaying, breaking (dance), and graffiti art – now join an ever-growing and diversifying range of artistic, cultural, intellectual, political, and social practices, products, and performances. The artistic achievements of hip-hop represent a remarkable contribution to world culture; however, the “hip-hop nation” has created not just art and entertainment, but art with the vision and message of changing the world – locally, nationally, and globally. International representations of hip-hop capture and reinterpret hip-hop's history by incorporating local as well as African American aesthetic, cultural, social, and political models. This essay examines the global movement of the hip-hop nation and its artistic incorporation into global youth culture. It considers how that movement is both a social and political process that integrates symbols of African American culture and political struggle.
On the Surface-Convection Feedback during Drought Periods on the Canadian Prairies
Authors: Brimelow Julian C. , Hanesiak John M. , Burrows William R.
Published: April 2011

Linkages between the terrestrial ecosystem and precipitation play a critical role in regulating regional weather and climate. These linkages can manifest themselves as positive or negative feedback loops, which may either favor or inhibit the triggering and intensity of thunderstorms. Although the Canadian Prairies terrestrial system has been identified as having the potential to exert a detectable influence on convective precipitation during the warm season, little work has been done in this area using in situ observations.

The authors present findings from a novel study designed to explore linkages between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and lightning duration (DUR) from the Canadian Lightning Detection Network for 38 census agricultural regions (CARs) on the Canadian Prairies. Statistics Canada divides the prairie agricultural zone into CARs (polygons of varying size and shape) for the purpose of calculating agricultural statistics. Here, DUR is used as a proxy for thunderstorm activity. Statistical analyses were undertaken for 38 CARs for summers [June–August (JJA)] between 1999 and 2008. Specifically, coefficients of determination were calculated between pairs of standardized anomalies of DUR and NDVI by season and by month. Correlations were also calculated for CARs grouped by size and/or magnitude of the NDVI anomalies.

The main findings are as follows: 1) JJA lightning activity is overwhelmingly below average within larger dry areas (i.e., areas with below-average NDVI); that is, the linkages between NDVI and DUR increased significantly as both the area and magnitude of the dry anomaly increased. 2) In contrast, CARs with above-average NDVI did not consistently experience above-average lightning activity, regardless of the CAR size. 3) The lower threshold for the length scale of the dry anomalies required to affect the boundary layer sufficiently to reduce lightning activity was found to be approximately 150 km (~18 000 km2). 4) The authors’ analysis suggests that the surface-convection feedback appears to be a real phenomenon, in which drought tends to perpetuate drought with respect to convective storms and associated rainfall, within the limits found in 1) and 3).
High-Resolution Satellite Surface Latent Heat Fluxes in North Atlantic Hurricanes
Authors: Liu Jiping , Curry Judith A. , Clayson Carol Anne , Bourassa Mark A.
Published: April 2011

This study presents a new high-resolution satellite-derived ocean surface flux product, XSeaFlux, which is evaluated for its potential use in hurricane studies. The XSeaFlux employs new satellite datasets using improved retrieval methods, and uses a new bulk flux algorithm formulated for high wind conditions. The XSeaFlux latent heat flux (LHF) performs much better than the existing numerical weather prediction reanalysis and satellite-derived flux products in a comparison with measurements from the Coupled Boundary Layer Air–Sea Transfer (CBLAST) field experiment. Also, the XSeaFlux shows well-organized LHF structure and large LHF values in response to hurricane conditions relative to the other flux products. The XSeaFlux dataset is used to interpret details of the ocean surface LHF for selected North Atlantic hurricanes. Analysis of the XSeaFlux dataset suggests that ocean waves, sea spray, and cold wake have substantial impacts on LHF associated with the hurricanes.
White on Black
Authors: Smith Darron T. , Juarez Brenda G. , Jacobson Cardell K.
Published: April 2011

In this article, the authors examine White parents’ endeavors toward the racial enculturation and inculcation of their transracially adopted Black children. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the authors identify and analyze themes across the specific race socialization strategies and practices White adoptive parents used to help their adopted Black children to develop a positive racial identity and learn how to effectively cope with issues of race and racism. The central aim of this article is to examine how these lessons about race help to connect family members to U.S. society’s existing racial hierarchy and how these associations position individuals to help perpetuate or challenge the deeply embedded and historical structures of White supremacy. The authors use the notion of White racial framing to move outside of the traditional arguments for or against transracial adoption to instead explore how a close analysis of the adoptive parents’ racial instructions may serve as a learning tool to foster more democratic and inclusive forms of family and community.
Determination of CTEs of cured epoxy and polyester (PET) stitching threads
Authors: Shiqiang Deng  , Meng Hou  , Xiaolin Liu  , Ben Qi  , Lin Ye
Published: April 2011

Coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of constituents in fiber-reinforced composites are among the key thermal parameters that need to be defined for material selection, modeling and structural design. This article presents an experimental approach for determining the CTEs of two constituents in a non-crimp fabrics (NCFs) reinforced composite system by means of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), mechanical tests at various temperatures and the principle of composite micromechanics. The constituents include the matrix (a cured epoxy resin) and the polyester (PET) stitching threads that are used to assemble multi-layered reinforcements comprising NCFs. CTEs of the cured epoxy resin were measured by both DMA and thermal mechanical analysis, and CTEs of PET threads were successfully estimated from those of the epoxy resin and a PET/epoxy composite in both transverse and longitudinal directions by means of composite micromechanics. DMA was found, in this study, to be an effective technique that can be used to determine the CTEs of polymers and polymer threads in a wide range of temperatures on the basis of proper calibration.
Investigating damping properties of nanocomposites and sandwich structures with nanocomposites as core materials
Authors: Tsai Jia-Lin , Chang Nai-Ren
Published: April 2011

This research aims to investigate the damping responses of the epoxy-based nanocomposites as well as the composite sandwich structures with the nanocomposite as core materials. Both the silica nanoparticles and the rubber particles (CSR, CTBN) were introduced in the epoxy matrix through the sonication process to form the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the nanocomposites were sandwiched between the unidirectional composites laminates to fabricate the nanocomposite sandwich structures. The damping performances of the nanocomposites as well as their sandwich structures were determined from the forced vibration technique together with the half-power method. Meanwhile, the flexural stiffness of the material systems was evaluated by the resonance frequency obtained from the vibration tests. Results indicated that either silica nanoparticles or rubber particles can improve the damping responses of the epoxy-based nanocomposites. However, it was found that when the rubber particles were present alone, the stiffness of the nanocomposites was dramatically reduced. By introducing the hybrid material systems (10 wt% silica nanoparticles and 10 wt% rubber particles), the superior damping properties and flexural stiffness can be concurrently accomplished. Moreover, when the hybrid material system was employed as core materials in the sandwich structures, this enhanced damping property can also be observed in the vibration tests.
Synthesis of polystyrene/bentonite clay nanocomposites by emulsion polymerization in aqueous and in supercritical carbon dioxide medium
Authors: Kamrupi I.R. , Dolui S.K.
Published: April 2011

In this article, the synthesis of polystyrene/bentonite clay nanocomposites by emulsion polymerization in aqueous and supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) media using organically modified bentonite clay is reported. The modified clay is dispersed within the monomer via ultrasonication and the mixture is allowed to undergo in situ emulsion polymerization, resulting in the formation of polymer/clay nanocomposites. A comparative study of the properties of the nanocomposites synthesized in the two media was carried out. The effects of clay concentration on polymer conversion, molecular weight, morphology, and mechanical properties have been investigated. Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate was used as a stabilizer in aqueous medium and polydimethylsiloxane in sc-CO2 medium. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis.
“Macho Men” and Preventive Health Care
Authors: Springer Kristen W. , Mouzon Dawne M.
Published: April 2011

The gender paradox in mortality—where men die earlier than women despite having more socioeconomic resources—may be partly explained by men’s lower levels of preventive health care. Stereotypical notions of masculinity reduce preventive health care; however, the relationship between masculinity, socioeconomic status (SES), and preventive health care is unknown. Using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, the authors conduct a population-based assessment of masculinity beliefs and preventive health care, including whether these relationships vary by SES. The results show that men with strong masculinity beliefs are half as likely as men with more moderate masculinity beliefs to receive preventive care. Furthermore, in contrast to the well-established SES gradient in health, men with strong masculinity beliefs do not benefit from higher education and their probability of obtaining preventive health care decreases as their occupational status, wealth, and/or income increases. Masculinity may be a partial explanation for the paradox of men’s lower life expectancy, despite their higher SES.
Transformation Through Suffering
Authors: Taylor Steve
Published: April 2011

This article summarizes a study of 32 individuals who experienced psychological transformation following periods of intense turmoil and trauma in their lives. Several individuals reported temporary spiritual experiences following turmoil, but the majority underwent a permanent psychological transformation. These experiences are termed suffering-induced transformational experiences (SITEs). The types of trauma that featured included intense stress and upheaval, depression, bereavement, serious illness, becoming disabled, alcoholism, and encounters with death (through medical conditions or accidents). The individuals were interviewed, and the most prevalent characteristics of their new state of being were identified, including increased well-being, intensified perception, a sense of connection, improved relationships, a less materialistic and more altruistic attitude, decreased cognitive activity, and reduced fear of death. Reasons for the transformation are suggested, the most important being the dissolution of psychological attachments, followed by acceptance.
Reading Comprehension Interventions for Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities
Authors: Solis Michael , Ciullo Stephen , Vaughn Sharon , Pyle Nicole , Hassaram Bindiya , Leroux Audrey
Published: April 2011

The authors conducted a synthesis of studies of reading comprehension interventions for middle school students (Grades 6–8) identified with a learning disability. They identified 12 studies between 1979 and 2009 with treatment and comparison designs and 2 single-participant studies. Findings from the studies indicate large effect sizes for researcher-developed comprehension measures. Few studies ( n = 4) reported standardized measures of reading comprehension, which indicated medium effect sizes. The majority of study treatments ( n = 13) utilized strategy instruction related to main idea or summarization.
Cognitive Processing Skills and Developmental Dyslexia in Chinese
Authors: Wang Xiaochen , Georgiou George K. , Das J. P. , Li Qing
Published: April 2011

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to examine the extent to which Chinese dyslexic children experience deficits in phonological and orthographic processing skills and (b) to examine if Chinese dyslexia is associated with deficits in Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) processing. A total of 27 Grade 4 children with dyslexia (DYS), 27 Grade 4 chronological age (CA) controls, and 27 Grade 2 reading age (RA) controls were tested on measures of phonological awareness, rapid naming, phonological memory, PASS, reading accuracy, and reading fluency. The results indicated that the DYS group performed significantly poorer than the CA and RA groups on both measures of phonological awareness and on a measure of orthographic processing but comparably to the RA group on a measure of rapid naming and both measures of phonological memory. In regard to the PASS processing skills, the DYS group performed worse than the CA controls on Successive and Simultaneous processing but comparably to the RA group on all PASS processing skills. Implications of these findings for early identification and intervention of reading difficulties are discussed.
Democratic Practice after the Revolution: The Case of Portugal and Beyond
Authors: Fishman Robert M.
Published: April 2011

This article examines democratic practice after the revolution that brought an end to authoritarian dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974, taking the Portuguese case as an opportunity to theorize democratic practice and historical processes that shape its emergence. The argument stresses the distinctive features of democracy born in social revolution and the explanatory role of the partial inversion of social hierarchies and remaking of cultural repertoires in social revolutionary settings. The Portuguese case is compared to its larger neighbor, Spain, which moved from authoritarianism to democracy at roughly the same time following a process of change thoroughly unlike that of Portugal. Comparisons with other instances of postrevolutionary democracy and implications for more conventional democratic systems are also introduced. A central theme concerns the extent to which democracies attain the ideal of full political equality among citizens. This article asserts that democracies born in social revolution may approximate that ideal for reasons rooted in their historical pathways to representative government.
Varieties of Capitalism, Power Resources, and Historical Legacies: Explaining the Slovenian Exception
Authors: Crowley Stephen , Stanojević Miroslav
Published: April 2011

Although Slovenia is a small, relatively new nation-state, it has been justifiably called “neocorporatist” and a “coordinated market economy,” making it unique among postcommunist societies, including ten new EU member states. The authors explore how it became so, and in the process shed light on the debate between varieties of capitalism (VoC) and power resources theories about how coordinated or neocorporatist economies emerge. Although several of the elements predicted by the varieties of capitalism perspective were present in Slovenia, others were not. The authors also find that a significant mobilization by organized labor at a crucial point played an essential role, and overall find that power resources theory has greater explanatory power in this case. However, in turning from explaining how the Slovenian model was formed to why it was so unique among postcommunist cases, they find that specific historical legacies were critical, particularly those from the distinct Yugoslav form of communism.
Christianisation et économie. Le travail à la mission des dehoniens dans l’Ouest Cameroun
Authors: Tsopmbeng François Étienne
Published: April 2011

La christianisation des hautes terres de l’Ouest Cameroun s’est entremêlée à l’économie. Le missionnaire dehonien a associé les paysans bamiléké aux activités économiques grâce auxquelles il pourvoyait à certains besoins de la mission. Les conflits suscités par ces activités l’opposaient aux travailleurs chrétiens. Les compromis dégagés ont été régulés. À travers cette régulation, le missionnaire dehonien tente de prendre son travailleur en charge presque complètement: en plus du salaire, il lui accordait des indemnités, même en nature. Il l’aidait à participer au nouveau style de vie qu’introduisait la colonisation. Ceci se distingue de la pratique de l’administration coloniale française qui, dans ses compromis et régulations, accordait une priorité plus claire au bénéfice qu’engrange le capital qu’à la condition des travailleurs autochtones.
The Power of Peers
Authors: Holland Nicole E.
Published: April 2011

This investigation demonstrates the effect that peers have on students’ academic engagement and educational aspirations. Forty-nine African American university students retrospectively discuss the manner by which their friends influenced their academic commitment and activity while in high school; their postsecondary education aspirations, planning, and decision making; and their college experiences. These data reveal that peers have noteworthy influence on their friends’ academic activities and their postsecondary education planning and experiences; however, greater efforts need to be made to ensure that students, their families, and their peers have access to, and are making decisions based on, appropriate academic and college planning information.
Fear and Loathing in Psychopaths: a Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Facial Affect Recognition Deficit
Authors: Wilson Kevin , Juodis Marcus , Porter Stephen
Published: April 2011

Several studies have identified an association between psychopathy and deficits in facial affect recognition. Although this finding is widely seen as providing strong evidence for amygdala dysfunction in psychopaths, this interpretation is challenged by studies finding no recognition impairments. An alternative hypothesis predicts that recognition deficits are dynamic and are influenced by verbal processing demands. These competing hypotheses were tested via a meta-analysis of 22 investigations of psychopathy ( N = 1,387 participants) using the facial affect recognition paradigm. Results indicated that studies entailing a verbal response style found larger recognition deficits for emotions processed by the left amygdala. The findings of this review offer an alternative to currently popular theories of psychopathy and suggest that future research should consider response style when investigating facial affect recognition deficits in this population.
Confucian Revival and the Emergence of “Jiaohua Organizations”: A Case Study of the Yidan Xuetang
Authors: Billioud Sébastien
Published: April 2011

This article analyzes the sources of inspiration of the Beijing-based Yidan xuetang, a nonprofit association engaged in the promotion of self-cultivation teachings based on traditional culture and Confucianism, and its relation to religion and politics. It discusses the difficulty of characterizing its activities according to prevailing categories and proposes to define it as a jiaohua (transformation of the self and others through teaching) organization, a category with potential relevance beyond this specific case.