bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory of mind, insecure attachment and paranoia in adolescents with early psychosis and healthy controls
Authors: Korver-Nieberg Nikie , Fett Anne-Kathrin J , Meijer Carin J , Koeter Maarten WJ , Shergill Sukhi S , de Haan Lieuwe , Krabbendam Lydia
Published: April 2013

Objective:

Impaired Theory of Mind (ToM) is found in adults with schizophrenia and is associated with paranoid symptoms. Insecure attachment is proposed to underlie impaired ToM as well as paranoia. Insight into associations between insecure attachment and impaired ToM skills may help clinicians and patients to understand interpersonal difficulties and use this knowledge to improve recovery. This study used a visual perspective-taking task to investigate whether cognitive ToM is already impaired in adolescents with early psychosis as compared to controls. Also investigated was whether perspective-taking and paranoia are associated with insecure (adult) attachment.

Methods:

Thirty-two adolescent patients with early psychosis and 78 healthy controls participated in this cross-sectional study design and completed the level 1 perspective-taking task, psychopathology assessments (CAPE, PANSS), paranoid thoughts (GPTS), attachment style (PAM) and the WASI vocabulary.

Results:

Patients did not significantly differ in level-1 perspective-taking behaviour compared to healthy controls. No significant associations were found between perspective-taking, paranoia and attachment. Insecure attachment was significantly related to paranoid thoughts, after controlling for illness-related symptoms.

Conclusion:

No impairment of level-1 perspective-taking was found in adolescent patients with early psychosis compared to healthy controls. Results indicate that level-1 perspective-taking is not impaired during the early stages of psychotic illness. The association between paranoia and attachment support previous findings and provide further insight into the nature of psychotic symptoms. Understanding the role of attachment in paranoia may help patients and their care workers to gain insight into the reasons for the development or persistence of symptoms. Future research should compare early psychosis samples with more chronic samples to explore whether perspective-taking deteriorates during the course of the illness.
Does abortion reduce the mental health risks of unwanted or unintended pregnancy? A re-appraisal of the evidence
Authors: Fergusson David M , Horwood L John , Boden Joseph M
Published: April 2013

Objective:

There have been debates about the linkages between abortion and mental health. Few reviews have considered the extent to which abortion has therapeutic benefits that mitigate the mental health risks of abortion. The aim of this review was to conduct a re-appraisal of the evidence to examine the research hypothesis that abortion reduces rates of mental health problems in women having unwanted or unintended pregnancy.

Methods:

Analysis of recent reviews (Coleman, 2011; National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2011) identified eight publications reporting 14 adjusted odds ratios (AORs) spanning five outcome domains: anxiety; depression; alcohol misuse; illicit drug use/misuse; and suicidal behaviour. For each outcome, pooled AORs were estimated using a random-effects model.

Results:

There was consistent evidence to show that abortion was not associated with a reduction in rates of mental health problems ( p>0.75). Abortion was associated with small to moderate increases in risks of anxiety (AOR 1.28, 95% CI 0.97−1.70; p<0.08), alcohol misuse (AOR 2.34, 95% CI 1.05−5.21; p<0.05), illicit drug use/misuse (AOR 3.91, 95% CI 1.13−13.55; p<0.05), and suicidal behaviour (AOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.12−2.54; p<0.01).

Conclusions:

There is no available evidence to suggest that abortion has therapeutic effects in reducing the mental health risks of unwanted or unintended pregnancy. There is suggestive evidence that abortion may be associated with small to moderate increases in risks of some mental health problems.
Are Implicit Associations With Nuclear Energy Related to Policy Support? Evidence From the Brief Implicit Association Test
Authors: Truelove Heather Barnes , Greenberg Michael R. , Powers Charles W.
Published: April 2013

Nuclear energy has long been assumed to elicit automatic, negative reactions. However, little research has investigated implicit associations with nuclear energy. To assess implicit and explicit attitudes toward nuclear energy, 704 U.S. consumer panelists completed a multicategory Implicit Association Test (IAT) and an Internet survey. Results showed that participants held negative implicit attitudes toward nuclear energy (vs. wind and natural gas) and positive implicit attitudes toward nuclear energy (vs. coal). Strong opponents of nuclear policy implicitly preferred natural gas over nuclear and implicitly disliked nuclear as much as coal. Strong supporters of nuclear policy implicitly preferred nuclear over coal, and showed no implicit preference for gas over nuclear. Implicit attitudes toward nuclear energy (vs. gas and wind) were related to policy support when controlling for explicit attitudes and demographics. Understanding both implicit and explicit nuclear attitudes is important for decision makers as the United States charts its energy future.
Direct participation and the quality of work
Authors: Gallie Duncan
Published: April 2013

The article compares the importance for the quality of work of three forms of direct participation – individual task discretion, semi-autonomous teamwork and consultative participation – drawing on a representative national survey of British employees. It assesses their implications for employee welfare, specifically their subjective importance, their implications for learning new skills and their effects on psychological well-being. It finds that individual task discretion is the most effective form of direct participation, followed by consultative participation. Although there are also positive effects of semi-autonomous teamwork, these are weaker and less consistently significant. The article finds that the strength of the implications of direct participation vary between employees, particularly by occupational class and the importance employees attach to the use of initiative at work. However, with the exception of those with weak initiative orientation, its effects are generally positive across different categories of employee.
You Must Remember This
Authors: McElroy Kathleen
Published: April 2013

This study demonstrates how reporter-written obituaries of Black civil rights movement leaders reinforce a limited, facile view of the African American freedom struggle that haunts even today’s race relations. The obituaries remember a movement that Julian Bond characterized as “a morality play” of “Black saints” against “southern White sinners.” What these articles remember—and in some cases forget—is critical because collective memory research shows that obituaries reflect what the present thinks of the past. Five nostalgic, racialized frames emerge from these obituaries: (a) the importance of violence inflicted on Blacks, (b) the importance of the dutiful suffering endured by Blacks, (c) news media’s documentation of White southern oppression, (d) the salience and valence of the early-1960s Martin Luther King Jr., and (e) the idealism of integration over Black nationalist goals.
Factor Analysis of the Parent Experience of Racial Socialization Scale
Authors: Thomas Anita Jones , Blackmon Sha’Kema , Speight Suzette L. , Hewitt Amber , Witherspoon Karen M. , Selders Michael
Published: April 2013

This investigation examined the factor structure and validity evidence for the Parent Experience of Racial Socialization Scale (PERS). Exploratory factor analysis found four interpretable factors accounting for 40% of the variance in the racial socialization construct. The identified factors were religion and spirituality, alertness to discrimination, mainstream, and cultural pride and coping. Correlation analyses indicated negative relationships between the newly identified PERS factors religion and spirituality and alertness to discrimination and the Teenagers Experiences of Racial Socialization (TERS) factor Alertness to Discrimination. In contrast, a positive relationship was found for the PERS spirituality and religion factor and the TERS cultural endorsement of the mainstream factor. Recommendations for research methods regarding racial socialization scales are provided.
Making Undocumented Immigrants into a Legitimate Political Subject: Theoretical Observations from the United States and France
Authors: Nicholls Walter J.
Published: April 2013

Over the last 20 years, the global North has witnessed the growing prominence of immigrant rights movements. This article examines how this highly stigmatized population has achieved a certain degree of legitimacy in hostile political environments. The central claim of the article is that this kind of legitimacy is initially achieved through the efforts of activists to represent undocumented immigrants in ways that resonate with the normative values of the nation. The author examines how activist networks are formed to present their cases within national political fields and the effects of this process on the political identities of immigrants and their respective citizenship regimes. The process of gaining legitimacy is contradictory. It contributes to nationalizing the political identities of foreigners and reproducing the exclusionary logic of national citizenship regimes. But in doing this, it encourages those who cannot conform to national values to embrace more radical and universal conceptions of rights. The generation of competing discourses and notions of rights (national versus universal) therefore arises through struggles to make undocumented immigrants into legitimate political subjects.
Recent advances in our understanding of dust source emission processes
Authors: Bryant Robert G.
Published: April 2013

The dust cycle can play an important role in the land–atmosphere–ocean system through interaction with biogeochemical cycles and direct and indirect radiative forcing of the atmosphere. One of the limiting factors for existing global models of dust transport, atmospheric processing and deposition is the quality and availability of data to allow evaluation and validation of emission schemes against in situ data from source regions. This review provides a critical overview of recent studies of aeolian processes from within or on dust sources, and focuses on studies dealing with retrieval of dust emission data, quantification of the contribution and variability of dust emissions from specific landforms, and the use of remote sensing data to reconcile dust storm inventories by direct comparison to dust source geomorphology. These case studies highlight significant advances in both field measurement and regional understanding of important components of the dust cycle derived through use of remote sensing data. However, recent research also demonstrates that most source regions exhibit significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity in dust emissions from candidate geomorphologies, which has direct implications for strategies aimed at inclusion of dust emission schemes at a scale relevant to climate models. To accommodate these factors and other significant scaling issues, additional research is needed to increase our quantification of a wider range of dust source types and geomorphological contexts over longer time periods.
WAIS-IV and WISC-IV Structural Validity
Authors: Canivez Gary L. , Kush Joseph C.
Published: April 2013

Weiss, Keith, Zhu, and Chen (2013a) and Weiss, Keith, Zhu, and Chen (2013b), this issue, report examinations of the factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition (WISC-IV), respectively; comparing Wechsler Hierarchical Model (W-HM) and Cattell–Horn–Carroll Hierarchical Model (CHC-HM), subtest cross-loadings, and factorial invariance between clinical and normative groups from the respective standardizations. Both studies suffer from a number of theoretical, methodological, and practical problems that significantly limit conclusions and recommendations for practitioner interpretations of these instruments. Additional analyses and research are required to better inform practitioners for WAIS-IV and WISC-IV use.
Histological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies on the protective effect of ginger extract against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in male rats
Authors: Ali Doaa A , Abdeen Ahmed M , Ismail Mohammed F , Mostafa Mai A
Published: April 2013

Cisplatin (CP) is a widely used anticancer drug; however, it has several side effects such as nephrotoxicity. Ginger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, consumed since ancient times has numerous health benefits. The objective of this work was to evaluate the protective effect of ginger extract (GE) against CP-induced nephrotoxicity. CP group displayed a marked renal failure characterized by a significant increase in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in addition to severe histopathological and ultrastructural renal alterations. Also, CP group showed an increase in the immunohistochemical expression of Bax proapoptotic protein. In contrast, GE+CP group showed significant decrease in the elevated serum creatinine and BUN levels and an improvement in the histopathological and ultrastructural renal injury induced by CP. The overexpression of Bax proapoptotic protein was significantly decreased in the GE+CP group. Hence, the present results indicated that GE has a protective effect against CP-induced renal damage in rats. Thereby, such findings recommended the usage of GE to prevent and/or decrease the renal damage induced by CP chemotherapeutic treatment.
Trace and major element levels in rats after oral administration of diesel and biodiesel derived from opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seeds
Authors: Aksoy Laçine , Sözbilir Nalan Bayşu
Published: April 2013

The study investigated the toxic effects of diesel and biodiesel derived from opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum L.) oil seeds on the trace and major elements in kidney, lung, liver, and serum of rats. By the end of 21 days, trace and major element concentrations in kidney, lung, and liver tissues and the serum were measured using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy. We observed that trace and major element levels in kidney, lung, and liver tissues and the serum changed. Especially, important differences were detected in trace and major element concentrations in kidney and lung tissues. In kidney tissue, the concentration differences of calcium, sodium, and zinc (Zn) were found between diesel and biodiesel groups. In lung tissue, the concentration differences of cadmium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, and Zn were found between diesel and biodiesel groups. Among the significant findings, Zn concentration in serum and liver tissue of diesel and biodiesel were different from control ( p < 0.05). However, the metal levels of biodiesel group were similar to control group. Due to lesser toxicity of biodiesel, it could be considered as an alternate fuel.
Potential anticancer activity of carvone in N2a neuroblastoma cell line
Authors: Aydın Elanur , Türkez Hasan , Keleş Mevlüt Sait
Published: April 2013

Carvone (CVN) is a monocyclic monoterpene found in the essential oils of Mentha spicata var. crispa (Lamiaceae) and Carum carvi L. (Apiaceae) plants and has been reported to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant, and antitumor activities. The beneficial health properties of CVN have encouraged us to look into its anticancer activity. To the best of our knowledge, reports are not available on the anticancer activity of CVN in cultured primary rat neuron and N2a neuroblastoma (NB) cells. Therefore, the present study is an attempt toward exploring the potential anticancer activity of CVN, if any, in cultured primary rat neuron and N2a NB cells. Our results indicated that CVN (only at 25 mg/L) treatment led to an increase in the total antioxidant capacity levels in cultured primary rat neuron cells compared with control cells. Also, CVN (at concentrations higher than 100 mg/L) treatment led to an increase in the total oxidative stress levels in both cell types. The mean values of the total scores of cells showing DNA damage (for comet assay) were not found to be significantly different from the control values in both cells ( p > 0.05). On the other hand, after 24 h treatment with CVN, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that CVN application significantly reduced the cell viability rates in both cell types at concentrations higher than 100 mg/L. Summarizing, our data suggest that CVN represents little potential for promising anticancer agent to improve brain tumors therapy.
Educational leadership programmes in the UK
Authors: Robbins Steven
Published: April 2013

This article presents the evidence of stress-related training for the school leader in the UK. It is intended to stimulate thought and interest in the subject of stress preparation for extant and aspiring school leaders through a review of the current literature and the presentation of data from all UK training institutions and universities. Importantly, the approach from the main training providers, including the National College, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Department of Education, will be explored. Evidence will be given from dialogues with managers and directors who are responsible for managing and directing these programmes. The literature review will show that the range of materials specifically on stress and the school leader is limited and that there is a need for further empirical evidence and research on the subject. It will also place stress and ‘stressors’ in a broader psychological perspective to approach an understanding of how stress relates to the person and well-being.
Feeling the Threat
Authors: Deemer Eric D. , Thoman Dustin B. , Chase Justin P. , Smith Jessi L.
Published: April 2013

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994, 2000) holds that contextual barriers inhibit self-efficacy and goal choice intentions from points both near and far from the active career development situation. The current study examined the influence of one such proximal barrier, stereotype threat, on attainment of these outcomes among women considering careers in science. Participants were female undergraduate students ( N = 439) enrolled in chemistry and physics laboratory classes. As predicted, results indicated that stereotype threat exerted a significant negative indirect effect on women’s science career choice intentions in physics but not chemistry. Single-pathway models positing a chain of effects of stereotype threat via science self-efficacy and intentions to pursue undergraduate research were also shown to fit the data better than multiple-pathway models in both physics and chemistry. Implications for the career development of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are discussed.
Clinical Dilemmas and a Review of Strategies to Manage Drug Shortages
Authors: Rider Anne Elise , Templet Derek J. , Daley Mitchell J. , Shuman Carrie , Smith Leticia V.
Published: April 2013

Objective: The objectives of this article are to review the clinical implications of drug shortages highlighting patient safety, sedation, and oncology and introduce an expanded phase approach for the management of drug shortages. Data Sources: Literature retrieval was accessed through a PubMed search of English-language sources from January 1990 through April 2012 using the medical subject heading pharmaceutical preparations/supply and distribution and the general search term drug shortages. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All original prospective and retrospective studies, peer-reviewed guidelines, consensus statements, and review articles were evaluated for inclusion. Relevance was determined considering the therapeutic class, focus on drug shortages, and manuscript type. Data Synthesis: The increased number of drug shortages has created significant challenges for health care providers. Two particularly vulnerable populations are critically ill and oncology patients. A lack of therapeutic alternatives in critically ill patients may impact patient safety as well as treatment outcomes. Similarly, a chemotherapy agent in short supply may contribute to adverse outcomes in oncology patients. Conclusions: The mounting number of drug shortages has created a health care crisis, requiring changes in management strategies as well as clinical practice. The expanded phased approach outlined here provides a consistent, systematic approach for the management of drug shortages.
An attack on science? Media use, trust in scientists, and perceptions of global warming
Authors: Hmielowski Jay D. , Feldman Lauren , Myers Teresa A. , Leiserowitz Anthony , Maibach Edward
Published: April 2013

There is a growing divide in how conservatives and liberals in the USA understand the issue of global warming. Prior research suggests that the American public’s reliance on partisan media contributes to this gap. However, researchers have yet to identify intervening variables to explain the relationship between media use and public opinion about global warming. Several studies have shown that trust in scientists is an important heuristic many people use when reporting their opinions on science-related topics. Using within-subject panel data from a nationally representative sample of Americans, this study finds that trust in scientists mediates the effect of news media use on perceptions of global warming. Results demonstrate that conservative media use decreases trust in scientists which, in turn, decreases certainty that global warming is happening. By contrast, use of non-conservative media increases trust in scientists, which, in turn, increases certainty that global warming is happening.
John Dewey and Adult Learning in Museums
Authors: Monk David F.
Published: April 2013

The objective of this article is to investigate learning in museums through the lens of John Dewey’s philosophy of education and experiential learning. The influence of Dewey’s philosophy of education is widespread and resounding. In this article, I examine the experiential qualities of Dewey’s philosophy and compare it with the objectives of the museum educational experience, explaining the relevance to adult education. There can be no doubt that museums are unique arenas for learning, made rich by the experiential nature of their environment. They have a long history of educating the public through informal and nonformal learning. Through their interactive nature, museums have the power to confront individuals’ schemata and transform the way people view the world. Recent museum educational theory focuses on the social, personal, and physical interactions that combine to create meaningful learning experiences. Museums are often not given the consideration they deserve as meaningful centers for learning, especially in adult education. It is my hope that through a discussion of Dewey’s educational philosophy and its implications for museum learning theory, I can illustrate the relevance of museums as alternative sites of learning for adult educators.
Cultural (De)coding and Racial Identity Among Women of the African Diaspora in U.S. Adult Higher Education
Authors: Murray-Johnson Kayon K.
Published: April 2013

Over time, research has suggested there are sometimes tensions arising from differences in the way African Americans and Black Caribbean immigrants in the United States perceive each other as part of the African diaspora. In this autoethnographic study, I explore personal experiences with cross-cultural misperceptions between Black female students in three U.S. higher education settings. I use critical race feminism and dialogue education to tell my story, analyzing my encounters and cultural frame of reference and its relationship to Black identity in the United States, and calling for increased dialogue between and among diverse Black females in adult education settings.
The Effect of Pediatric Knowledge on Hospice Care Costs
Authors: Lindley Lisa C. , Mixer Sandra J. , Cozad Melanie J.
Published: April 2013

The cost of hospice care is rising. Although providing care for children at end of life may be costly for hospices, it is unclear whether or not gaining pediatric knowledge and even establishing a pediatric program may be done cost effectively. The purpose of our study was to examine the effect of possessing pediatric knowledge (i.e., pediatric program, pediatric experience) on core hospice care costs. Using 2002 to 2008 California hospice data, the findings of the regression analysis suggest that having pediatric knowledge does not significantly increase nursing, physician, and medical social service costs. Having a pediatric program was related to increased counseling costs. Our findings shed important light on the minimal costs incurred when hospices decide to develop pediatric knowledge.
The Determinants of Patients in a Palliative Care Unit Being Discharged Home in Japan
Authors: Amano Koji , Nishiuchi Yasuno , Baba Mika , Kawasaki Muneyoshi , Nakajima Shinichiro , Wakayama Hiroshi , Watakabe Akiko , Kunimoto Hiromi , Morita Tatsuya
Published: April 2013

In Japan, regarding the place of end-of-life care, many people preferred the home. However, there is a discrepancy between patients’ wishes and the actual circumstances. The primary aim of this study was to explore the factors that determine discharge home of patients in a palliative care unit. A total of 31 patients met the criteria. The patients who could be discharged home (group 1; n = 23) were compared with the others (group 2; n = 8). Palliative prognostic index was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 ( P = .032). Regarding routes of feeding, oral intake was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 ( P = .043). That is to say, factors determining discharge home of patients may be influenced by the patient’s prognosis and the necessity of a feeding device.
Collaborative Care for Children
Authors: Foley Michele , Dunbar Nancy , Clancy Jeanne
Published: April 2013

At the end of the 2011–2012 school year, two collaborative initiatives took place in Springfield, MA, between the public school system and Baystate Medical Center, an affiliate of Tufts University. The success of these initiatives was highlighted during grand rounds that featured academic medical center physicians and nurses as well as public school nurses. The program highlighted care of urban children with one of two chronic diseases, type 1 diabetes or asthma. Although the treatment and care of both these chronic childhood illnesses vary greatly, it is evident that primary care providers, school nurses, and students can benefit from increased collaboration, communication, and understanding of each other’s roles. The partnerships were developed in an effort to overcome health care disparities that can and do exist in urban school districts such as Springfield, MA. In this commentary, we discuss important outcomes that resulted from the joint presentation at grand rounds.
What is the story? The uniqueness paradox and the Patient Story in the minutes of the boardroom
Authors: Fear William J
Published: April 2013

Stories are ubiquitous in organizations and play an important role in all aspects of organizing. Patient Stories have come to prominence in health care in a number of different forms. In Wales, they have been used as one element of a large-scale organizational development program, the 1000 Lives Campaign. The purpose of the Patient Stories was to bring about learning and organizational change at the board level. Using Lakoff and Johnson’s theory of metaphor, I deconstructed the Patient Stories being presented to the board. I found that the stories were being used as a vehicle to present the Uniqueness Story to the board. The Uniqueness Story highlighted the value and worth of nursing and was a means of attracting and maintaining resources. This led to the understanding that there was a story behind the stories that can be explained using the original theory of metaphor. The implication is that if the Uniqueness Story is presented through the vehicle of the Patient Story, it assumes the validity of an accepted truth claim.
Bathing in reeking wounds: The liberal arts, beauty, and war
Authors: Stimpson Catharine R
Published: April 2013

A historic dialectic exists between the beautiful and the bestial. The bestial destroys the beautiful, but in a bloody miracle, the beautiful emerges from the womb of the bestial, the ‘terrible beauty’ of which the poet W. B. Yeats wrote. The liberal arts, so often thought to dwell in a remote ivory tower, embody this dialectic. Wars and disasters have spurred their evolution. Even more important, the liberal arts are at once the dialectic's most energetic and sensitive explorers. Shakespeare’s gory tragedy about war and warriors, Macbeth, is a springboard for such explorations, dramatizing a dialectic between war and love, destruction and redemption, savagery and poetry. We bathe in reeking wounds. Because of their diversity, liberal artisans, practitioners of the liberal arts, are now uniquely prepared to engage with this dialectic. They can also inoculate us against the diseases of the allure of war, blood lust, and propaganda.
Principal component analysis and perturbation theory–based robust damage detection of multifunctional aircraft structure
Authors: Hajrya Rafik , Mechbal Nazih
Published: April 2013

A fundamental problem in structural damage detection is to define an efficient feature to calculate a damage index. Furthermore, due to perturbations from various sources, we also need to define a rigorous threshold whose overtaking indicates the presence of damages. In this article, we develop a robust damage detection methodology based on principal component analysis. We first present an original damage index based on projection of the separation matrix, and then, we drive a novel adaptive threshold that does not rely on statistical assumptions. This threshold is analytic, and it is based on matrix perturbation theory. The efficiency of the method is illustrated using simulations of a composite smart structure and experimental results performed on a conformal load-bearing antenna structure laboratory test.
Improvement of toughness and strength of thick structural steel weld by friction stir welding conditions
Authors: Morisada Y , Fujii H , Nishimoto R , Miyazawa T , Iwamoto Y , Ueji R
Published: April 2013

Structural steel plates with tensile strength of 490 MPa and 6 mm in thickness were successfully joined with microstructural control by single sided one-pass butt friction stir welding (FSW). The microstructure in the stir zone (SZ) could be changed to bainite, bainite with proeutectoid ferrite, and fine equiaxed ferrite based on the welding temperature. The bainite increased the hardness and tensile strength, and the ferrite gave the joint similar mechanical properties similar to the base metal. The welding temperature was controlled between below Ac1 and above Ac3 by the rotating rate of the tool and tool materials; i.e. Ir–Re alloy and sintered c-BN with W–Re.
Analysis of tool geometry in dissimilar Al alloy friction stir welds using optical microscopy and serial sectioning
Authors: Izadi H , Fallu J , Abdel-Gwad A , Liyanage T , Gerlich A P
Published: April 2013

The influence of tool geometry on material flow during friction stir welding of dissimilar aluminium alloys is investigated. Sheets of Al 2024 and Al 6061 alloys are friction stir welded in lap and butt configurations using different welding conditions. Optical microscopy with serial sectioning is utilised to systematically study material flow when small variations are made to the tool pin. It is shown that three flat features on the pin impose vertical material flow which can promote intermixing. When a threaded tool is used, the material flow and formation of the intermixed region depends on the orientation of the base materials, since the differences in viscosity of material on the advancing versus retreating side of the tool will inhibit intermixing. Decreasing the travel speed will promote intermixing by increasing the residence time to compensate for the differences in material viscosity that otherwise limit intermixing.
Butt welding of thick, high strength steel plate with a high power laser and hot wire to improve tolerance to gap variance and control weld metal oxygen content
Authors: Ohnishi T , Kawahito Y , Mizutani M , Katayama S
Published: April 2013

This study, which pertains to the butt welding of 590 MPa high strength steel plates with a high power laser over gaps, was conducted to investigate weld penetration characteristics, to clarify welding phenomena, and to develop procedures for obtaining high quality joints. Butt welding was performed on 12 mm thick plates with a 16 kW high power disc laser together with a hot wire. In this way, welding defects are suppressed and weld metal oxygen content is controlled, thereby producing sound, fully penetrated welds. Penetrations were stable over a range of gaps from 0 to 0·4 mm, owing to an ejection of excess melt through a keyhole outlet at the bottom of the molten weld pool by a strong plume. Here, the use of a hot wire together with a laser of sufficient power to produce a fully penetrated keyhole was effective in improving the gap tolerance and suppressing oxygen inclusion within the butt weld.
Ductility dip cracking mechanism of Ni–Cr–Fe alloy based on grain boundary energy
Authors: Chen J Q , Lu H , Yu C , Chen J M , Zhang M L
Published: April 2013

Inconel 690 and the companion filler metal 52M (FM-52M) have susceptibility of ductility dip cracking (DDC) in welding procedure. According to test results, DDC was not only preferential to propagate on grain boundaries vertical to loading direction but also related to grain boundary structure. To reveal the relation of grain boundary angle and cracking, a three-dimensional polycrystalline model was constructed to simulate the formation of DDC. In this work, the initiation and propagation of DDC were studied based on extended Read–Shockley formula. The results indicate that grain boundaries with approximate 45° disorientation are most prone to cracking, and the simulated DDC morphology shows agreement with experimental results. The study provides an extra method to predict DDC propagation and helps to evaluate DDC susceptibility in grain level.
Dependence of twinning on matrix orientation in tensile deformed commercial purity titanium
Authors: Li X , Xu G F , Peng X Y , Zhang L G , Wang X W , Li Z
Published: April 2013

In this work, twinning systems of tensile deformed commercial purity titanium were studied using the electron backscatter diffraction technique and Schmid factor analysis. The dependence of twinning on the matrix orientation was determined by the distribution map of the Schmid factor. The results showed that both [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] compressive twins and [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] tensile twins are dependent on the matrix orientation. Twins were activated in the grains with large values of twinning Schmid factor. The critical shear stress and Schmid factor of a grain determined the activation of a particular twinning system.
Texture evolution in commercially pure titanium after equal channel angular pressing at room temperature
Authors: Wang G J , Zhao X C , Yang X R , Liu X Y
Published: April 2013

Texture development in commercially pure titanium during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) through route C has been studied up to four passes at room temperature. Textures were measured by X-ray diffraction, while the microstructural analyses were performed using electron backscattered diffraction as well as transmission electron microscopy. The results show that continuous dynamic recrystallisation is observed during the ECAP process and the B fibre is formed after four passes, which represents normal to shear plane.
Surface modification of pure titanium by plasma tantalumising
Authors: Chen X H , Zhang P Z , Wei D B , Huang J , Xuan W
Published: April 2013

In order to improve corrosion resistance of pure titanium in strong acid solution, the tantalum modified layer was formed on the pure titanium surface by double glow plasma surface tantalumising. The modification layer was comprised of deposition layer and diffusion layer, which metallurgically adhered to the substrate. Tantalum element decreased with the case depth. The corrosion resistance of the tantalum modified layer in HCl solution was investigated by weight loss method and electrochemical measurements, and the corrosion morphology (SEM) was studied by SEM and X-ray diffraction. The annual corrosion rate of the modified layer was only 12 and 21% of pure titanium in 10 and 20 wt-% HCl solution respectively, and the corrosion rate was still small in 30% HCl solution. In concentrated acid for 120 h, it was found that there was significant pitting corrosion on the surface of pure titanium, while no pitting corrosion could be perceived in the modified layer. The main reason for the good corrosion resistance was a compact, stable tantalum oxidation film formed at the surface of the modified layer.
Effect of SiC concentration in electrolyte on Ni–SiC composite coating properties
Authors: Aghaie E , Najafi A , Maleki-Ghaleh H , Mohebi H
Published: April 2013

In the present study, a nickel sulphate bath containing SiC particles between 0·5 and 5·0 μm has been used as the plating electrolyte to obtain Ni–SiC composites on copper surfaces with high hardness and wear resistance for using in antiwear applications such as dies, tools and working parts of automobiles. The influence of SiC concentration in the electrolyte on morphology, microhardness, friction coefficient and wear missing volume of coatings has been studied. The coatings were analysed with scanning electron microscopy as well as X-ray diffraction. The findings indicate that increasing the concentration of SiC particles in the Watts bath results in improving the microhardness of coatings and also decreasing the friction coefficient and wear missing volume. Increasing the presence of SiC particles not only decreases the grain size of Ni crystals but also changes the morphology and preference orientation of Ni crystals.
Effect of temperatures on electrodeposition of CoWP films
Authors: Yu Y. D. , He M. M. , Li M. G. , Guo H. F. , Wei G. Y. , Ge H. L.
Published: April 2013

CoWP alloy films were prepared by a typical citrate system electrodeposition on a copper substrate. The paper investigated effects of different temperatures on codeposition mechanism, magnetic property, component and structure of CoWP alloy films during the electrodeposition process. With the increase in temperatures, deposition rate and thickness rose gradually during the electrodeposition process. It was found that higher temperature improved contents of phosphorus and tungsten but reduced amounts of cobalt in the films. Almost all the deposited films were crystalline and formed tetrahedral structures Co3W with preferred crystallographic orientation (200) and (201). Films of dissimilar surface morphology could be observed under different temperatures. Lower saturation magnetisation and higher coercivity of CoWP films could be obtained at higher temperatures.
A qualitative study of stakeholder views on the effects of provider payment on cooperation, quality of care and cost-containment in integrated stroke care
Authors: Tummers Johanneke FMM , Schrijvers Augustinus JP , Visser-Meily Johanna MA
Published: April 2013

Background

Stroke services are a form of integrated care which have been introduced in many countries, including the Netherlands, to improve health outcomes and processes of care by connecting the acute, rehabilitative, and chronic phases of stroke care. Limited research exists on the effects of payment systems on the functioning of integrated care services from the perspectives of those involved in providing, planning and contracting the care. This qualitative study identified stakeholder views on i) challenges in integrated stroke care associated with fee-for-service systems; ii) other possible financing models for stroke care, and iii) challenges in the implementation of an integrated financing mechanism for stroke care.

Methods

Twenty-four participants were interviewed using face-to-face audio-recorded semi-structured interviews. Respondents were purposively selected from five stakeholder groups; care providers, health care managers, health insurers, experts and patient representatives. Transcribed data were coded and analysed to generate themes relating to the study aims.

Results

Respondents mentioned the following challenges associated with the current fee-for-service system; inappropriate incentives for cooperation, efficiency and improving quality and the inability to exert steering power at the level of the stroke service. In addition, care is not patient-centred and the financing system is inflexible.

The respondents mentioned several solutions for the challenges, but there was no consensus amongst them. Regarding the implementation of integrated financing, respondents mentioned the following general challenges; a) the foundations of the financing system are incompatible with integrated financing, b) co-morbidity and c) the lack of evidence on the effect of integrated financing. Stroke-specific challenges were; a) the diverse patient population, b) a non-uniform care trajectory, c) unclear division of responsibility for the overall care and d) different stages of development among stroke services.

Conclusions

This study provides new knowledge on stakeholder perception of the effect of payment systems and financial incentives on cooperation processes, quality of care and cost-containment in integrated stroke care. The results show that fee-for-service does not provide the right incentives for the integration of stroke care. We recommend to perform financial experiments for integrated stroke care.
Sequencing CTLA-4 blockade with cell-based immunotherapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Wada Satoshi , Jackson Christopher M , Yoshimura Kiyoshi , Yen Hung-Rong , Getnet Derese , Harris Timothy J , Goldberg Monica V , Bruno Tullia C , Grosso Joseph F , Durham Nicholas , Netto George J , Pardoll Drew M , Drake Charles G
Published: April 2013

Background

The FDA recently approved an anti-CTLA-4 antibody (Iplimumab) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. This decision was based on Phase III results, which demonstrate that blocking this immune checkpoint provides a survival advantage in patients with advanced disease. As a single agent, ipilimumab is also being clinically evaluated in advanced (metastatic, castrate-resistant) prostate cancer and two randomized, placebo-controlled Phase III studies have recently completed accrual.

Methods

We used a well-described genetically engineered mouse (GEM), autochronous prostate cancer model (Pro-TRAMP) to explore the relative sequencing and dosing of anti-CTLA-4 antibody when combined with a cell-based, GM-CSF-secreting vaccine (GVAX).

Results

Our results show that combined treatment results in a dramatic increase in effector CD8 T cells in the prostate gland, and enhanced tumor-antigen directed lytic function. These effects are maximized when CTLA-4 blockade is applied after, but not before, vaccination. Additional experiments, using models of metastatic disease, show that incorporation of low-dose cyclophosphamide into this combined treatment regimen results in an additional pre-clinical benefit.

Conclusions

Together these studies define a combination regimen using anti-CTLA-4/GVAX immunotherapy and low-dose chemotherapy for potential translation to a clinical trial setting.
Best proximity point theorems for generalized contractions in partially ordered metric spaces
Authors: Zhang Jingling , Su Yongfu , Cheng Qingqing
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this paper is to obtain four best proximity point theorems for generalized contractions in partially ordered metric spaces. Further, our P-operator technique, which changes a non-self mapping to a self-mapping, plays an important role. Some recent results in this area have been improved.

MSC:47H05, 47H09, 47H10.
Inhibition of p38MAPK and CD137 signaling reduce dengue virus-induced TNF-α secretion and apoptosis
Authors: Nagila Amar , Netsawang Janjuree , Suttitheptumrong Aroonroong , Morchang Atthapan , Khunchai Sasiprapa , Srisawat Chatchawan , Puttikhunt Chunya , Noisakran Sansanee , Yenchitsomanus Pa-thai , Limjindaporn Thawornchai
Published: April 2013

Background

Hepatic injury in dengue virus (DENV) infection is authenticated by hepatomegaly and an upsurge in transaminase levels. DENV replicates in hepatocytes and causes hepatocyte apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of DENV-induced hepatic injury could facilitate the development of alternate chemotherapeutic agents and improved therapies.

Findings

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) participates in both apoptosis-related signaling and pro- inflammatory cytokine production. The role of p38 MAPK in DENV-infected HepG2 cells was examined using RNA interference. The results showed that DENV infection activated p38 MAPK and induced apoptosis. The p38 MAPK activation and TNF-α production were controlled by p38 MAPK and CD137 signaling in DENV-infected HepG2 cells as activated p38 MAPK, TNF-α and apoptosis were significantly decreased in p38 MAPK and CD137 depleted DENV-infected HepG2 cells. Addition of exogenous TNF-α to p38 MAPK depleted DENV-infected HepG2 cells restored DENV-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

Conclusion

DENV induces CD137 signaling to enhance apoptosis by increasing TNF-α production via activation of p38 MAPK.
Effect of L-arginine on HSP70 expression in liver in weanling piglets
Authors: Wu Xin , Xie Chunyan , Yin Yulong , Li Fengna , Li Tiejun , Huang Ruilin , Ruan Zheng , Deng Zeyuan
Published: April 2013

Background

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of L-arginine (Arg) on photomicrographs and HSP70 expression in the liver of weanling piglets. Twelve healthy Landrace × Yorkshire piglets that had been weaned at 21 d (average body weight 5.56 ± 0.51 kg) were randomly divided into a control group and an Arg group (6 g/kg feed). At age 28 d, all of the piglets were slaughtered to obtain liver samples to determine HSP70 expression by real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry.

Results

The results showed that, compared to control piglets, treatment with Arg decreased inflammatory reactions caused by weaning. The immunohistochemical localization of HSP70 in liver revealed strong expression in the Arg group. Arg increased HSP70 mRNA and HSP70 expression in the liver (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with Arg could maintain liver health by inducing HSP70 expression in weanling piglets.
Reexpansion pulmonary edema after treatment of simultaneous bilateral spontaneous tension pneumothorax
Authors: Kwon Jong Bum , Choi Si Young , Kim Chi Kyung , Park Chan Beom
Published: April 2013

We report a case of 46-year-old male with simultaneous bilateral spontaneous tension pneumothorax. Severe reexpansion pulmonary edema developed after bilateral tube thoracoscomy, but he was recovered after 2 days ventilator care. After bilateral wedge resection and talc pleurodesis, he was discharged without complications and had remained well and without recurrence during the 8-year follow-up.