bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on Thermal Stability of the Cured Epoxy/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite
Authors: Yuhana N. Y. , Ahmad S. , Bahri A. R. Shamsul
Published: April 2012

The effect of ultrasonic treatment on thermal stability of binary systems containing epoxy and organic chemically modified montmorillonite (Cloisite 30B) was studied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis were utilized. The mixing of epoxy and Cloisite 30B nanocomposites was performed by mechanical stirring, followed by 1 or 3-hour ultrasonic treatment, and polyetheramine as the curing agent. Both XRD and TEM analyses confirmed that the intercalation of Cloisite 30B was achieved. Thed0spacings for silicate in cured sample prepared at 1- and 3-hour duration of ultrasonic treatment were about 21 and 18 Å, respectively. This shows that shorter duration or ultrasonic treatment may be preferable to achieve higherd0spacing of clay. This may be attributed to the increase in viscosity as homopolymerization process occurred, which restricts silicate dispersion. The 1-hour sonicated samples seem to be more thermally stable during the glass transition, but less stable during thermal decomposition process.
Numerical Range of Two Operators in Semi‐InnerProduct Spaces
Authors: Sahu N. K. , Nahak C. , Nanda S.
Published: April 2012

In this paper, the numerical range for two operators (both linear and nonlinear) have
been studied in semi‐inner product spaces. The inclusion relations between numerical
range, approximate point spectrum, compression spectrum, eigenspectrum, and spectrum
have been established for two linear operators. We also show the inclusion relation between
approximate point spectrum and closure of the numerical range for two nonlinear
operators. An approximation method for solving the operator equation involving two
nonlinear operators is also established.
Maternal Hyperglycemia Disrupts Histone 3 Lysine 36 Trimethylation of the IGF-1 Gene
Authors: Zinkhan Erin K. , Fu Qi , Wang Yan , Yu Xing , Callaway Christopher W. , Segar Jeffrey L. , Scholz Thomas D. , McKnight Robert A. , Joss-Moore Lisa , Lane Robert H.
Published: April 2012

In uteroenvironmental adaptation may predispose to lifelong morbidity. Organisms fine-tune gene expression to achieve environmental adaptation by epigenetic alterations of histone markers of gene accessibility. One example of epigenetics is how uteroplacental insufficiency-induced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which predisposes to adult onset insulin resistance, decreases postnatal IGF-1 mRNA variants and the gene elongation mark histone 3 trimethylation of lysine 36 of the IGF-1 gene (H3Me3K36). Limitations in the study of epigenetics exist due to lack of a primary transgenic epigenetic model. Therefore we examined the epigenetic profile of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in a well-characterized rat model of maternal hyperglycemia to determine if the epigenetic profile of IGF-1 is conserved in disparate models ofin uteroadaptation. We hypothesized that maternal hyperglycemia would increase IGF-1 mRNA variants and H3Me3K36. However maternal hyperglycemia decreased hepatic IGF-1 mRNA variants and H3Me3K36. This finding is intriguing given that despite different prenatal insults and growth, both maternal hyperglycemia and IUGR predispose to adult onset insulin resistance. We speculate that H3Me3K36 of the IGF-1 gene is sensitive to the glucose level of the prenatal environment, with resultant alteration of IGF-1 mRNA expression and ultimately vulnerability to adult onset insulin resistance.
Ultrathin Sicopion Composite Cation-Exchange Membranes: Characteristics and Electrodialytic Performance following a Conditioning Procedure
Authors: Ayala-Bribiesca Erik , Boucher Mario , Bazinet Laurent
Published: April 2012

The aim of this work was to investigate the properties of Sicopion membranes: an ultrathin (≈20 μm) composite cation-exchange membrane (CEM) made from sulphonated poly(ether-ether-ketone) (SPEEK) containing different levels of sulphonic-functionalized silica particles (SFSPs). Sicopion membranes were conditioned according to the French Normalization Association procedure, consisting in a series of acid and alkaline washes, and their electrodialytic characteristics were compared to an existent commercial food-grade membrane (CMX-SB). Electrical conductivity of Sicopion membranes was higher than that of CMX-SB membranes (9.92 versus 6.98 mS/cm), as well as their water content (34.0 versus 27.6%). As the SFSP level was reduced, the ion-exchange capacity (IEC) of Sicopion membranes increased. Concerning their electrodialytic performances, Sicopion membranes presented a lower demineralization rate than CMX-SB membranes (35.9 versus 45.5%), due to an OH−leakage through the pores created by dislodging the SFSP particles during the conditioning procedure.
Testing Homeopathy in Mouse Emotional Response Models: Pooled Data Analysis of Two Series of Studies
Authors: Bellavite Paolo , Conforti Anita , Marzotto Marta , Magnani Paolo , Cristofoletti Mirko , Olioso Debora , Zanolin Maria Elisabetta
Published: April 2012

Two previous investigations were performed to assess the activity ofGelsemium sempervirens(Gelsemium s.) in mice, using emotional response models. These two series are pooled and analysed here.Gelsemium s.in various homeopathic centesimal dilutions/dynamizations (4C, 5C, 7C, 9C, and 30C), a placebo (solvent vehicle), and the reference drugs diazepam (1 mg/kg body weight) or buspirone (5 mg/kg body weight) were delivered intraperitoneally to groups of albino CD1 mice, and their effects on animal behaviour were assessed by the light-dark (LD) choice test and the open-field (OF) exploration test. Up to 14 separate replications were carried out in fully blind and randomised conditions. Pooled analysis demonstrated highly significant effects ofGelsemium s.5C, 7C, and 30C on the OF parameter “time spent in central area” and ofGelsemium s.5C, 9C, and 30C on the LD parameters “time spent in lit area” and “number of light-dark transitions,” without any sedative action or adverse effects on locomotion. This pooled data analysis confirms and reinforces the evidence thatGelsemium s.regulates emotional responses and behaviour of laboratory mice in a nonlinear fashion with dilution/dynamization.
Microarray Analysis Verifies Two Distinct Phenotypes of Glioblastomas Resistant to Antiangiogenic Therapy
Authors: DeLay Michael , Jahangiri Arman , Carbonell W. Shawn , Hu Yu-Long , Tsao Sean , Tom Maxwell Wing , Paquette Jesse , Tokuyasu Taku A. , Aghi Manish K.
Published: April 2012

Purpose: To identify mechanisms and mediators of resistance to antiangiogenic therapy in human glioblastoma.

Experimental Design: We carried out microarray gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry comparing 21 recurrent glioblastomas progressing during antiangiogenic treatment with VEGF neutralizing antibody bevacizumab to paired pretreatment tumors from the same patients.

Results: Microarray analysis revealed that bevacizumab-resistant glioblastomas (BRG) had two clustering patterns defining subtypes that reflect radiographic growth patterns. Enhancing BRGs (EBRG) exhibited MRI enhancement, a long-established criterion for glioblastoma progression, and expressed mitogen-activated protein kinases, neural cell adhesion molecule-1 (NCAM-1), and aquaporin 4. Compared with their paired pretreatment tumors, EBRGs had unchanged vascularity and hypoxia, with increased proliferation. Nonenhancing BRGs (NBRG) exhibited minimal MRI enhancement but had FLAIR-bright expansion, a newer criterion for glioblastoma recurrence since the advent of antiangiogenic therapy, and expressed integrin α5, laminin, fibronectin1, and PDGFRβ. NBRGs had less vascularity, more hypoxia, and unchanged proliferation than their paired pretreatment tumors. Primary NBRG cells exhibited more stellate morphology with a 3-fold increased shape factor and were nearly 4-fold more invasive in Matrigel chambers than primary cells from EBRGs or bevacizumab-naive glioblastomas (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Using microarray analysis, we found two resistance patterns during antiangiogenic therapy with distinct molecular profiles and radiographic growth patterns. These studies provide valuable biologic insight into the resistance that has limited antiangiogenic therapy to date. Clin Cancer Res; 18(10); 2930–42. ©2012 AACR.
Cryptotanshinone Activates p38/JNK and Inhibits Erk1/2 Leading to Caspase-Independent Cell Death in Tumor Cells
Authors: Chen Wenxing , Liu Lei , Luo Yan , Odaka Yoshinobu , Awate Sanket , Zhou Hongyu , Shen Tao , Zheng Shizhong , Lu Yin , Huang Shile
Published: April 2012

Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a natural compound isolated from the plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, is a potential anticancer agent. However, the underlying mechanism is not well understood. Here, we show that CPT induced caspase-independent cell death in human tumor cells (Rh30, DU145, and MCF-7). Besides downregulating antiapoptotic protein expression of survivin and Mcl-1, CPT increased phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and inhibited phosphorylation of extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1/2 (Erk1/2). Inhibition of p38 with SB202190 or JNK with SP600125 attenuated CPT-induced cell death. Similarly, silencing p38 or c-Jun also in part prevented CPT-induced cell death. In contrast, expression of constitutively active mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MKK1) conferred resistance to CPT inhibition of Erk1/2 phosphorylation and induction of cell death. Furthermore, we found that all of these were attributed to CPT induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This is evidenced by the findings that CPT induced ROS in a concentration- and time-dependent manner; CPT induction of ROS was inhibited by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger; and NAC attenuated CPT activation of p38/JNK, inhibition of Erk1/2, and induction of cell death. The results suggested that CPT induction of ROS activates p38/JNK and inhibits Erk1/2, leading to caspase-independent cell death in tumor cells. Cancer Prev Res; 5(5); 778–87. ©2012 AACR.
Genetic Predisposition to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and/or Lung Cancer: Important Considerations When Evaluating Risk
Authors: El-Zein Randa A. , Young Robert P. , Hopkins Raewyn J. , Etzel Carol J.
Published: April 2012

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined as a disease causing an airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. COPD is phenotypically complex and characterized by small-airway disease and/or emphysema that result from the interaction between host genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. As in lung cancer, smoking exposure is the most important risk factor for the development of COPD, accounting for 80% to 90% of all cases. COPD affects an estimated 8% to 10% of the general adult population, 15% to 20% of the smoking population, and 50% to 80% of lung cancer patients (with substantial smoking histories). In prospective studies, COPD has been found to be an independent risk factor for lung cancer, conferring a three- to 10-fold increased risk of lung cancer when compared with smokers without COPD. These findings suggest that smokers have a host susceptibility to COPD alone, COPD and lung cancer (i.e., overlap), and lung cancer in the absence of COPD. This minireview focuses on important points that need to be addressed when studying genetic susceptibility factors for COPD and its complex relationship with susceptibility to lung cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 5(4); 522–7. ©2012 AACR.
Does Vitamin E Prevent or Promote Cancer?
Authors: Yang Chung S. , Suh Nanjoo , Kong Ah-Ng Tony
Published: April 2012

The cancer preventive activity of vitamin E has been suggested by many epidemiologic studies. However, several recent large-scale human trials with α-tocopherol, the most commonly recognized and used form of vitamin E, failed to show a cancer preventive effect. The recently finished follow-up of the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) even showed higher prostate cancer incidence in subjects who took α-tocopherol supplementation. The scientific community and the general public are faced with a question: “Does vitamin E prevent or promote cancer?” Our recent results in animal models have shown the cancer preventive activity of γ- and δ-tocopherols as well as a naturally occurring mixture of tocopherols, and the lack of cancer preventive activity by α-tocopherol. On the basis of these results as well as information from the literature, we suggest that vitamin E, as ingested in the diet or in supplements that are rich in γ- and δ-tocopherols, is cancer preventive; whereas supplementation with high doses of α-tocopherol is not. Cancer Prev Res; 5(5); 701–5. ©2012 AACR.
Impaired fibrinolytic capacity and increased fibrin formation associate with myocardial infarction
Authors: Leander Karin , Blombäck Margareta , Wallén Håkan , He Shu
Published: April 2012

We assessed whether abnormality of haemostasis measured by a newly developed global method is associated with risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI). The global markers Coagulation activation profile (Cp), Fibrinolysis activation profile (Fp) and sum of fibrin optical density over time (Fibrin OD- sum) were determined in plasma from 800 MI cases and 1,123 controls included in the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program. Clot lysis time (CLT) was also determined based on raw data of fibrin OD from the global assay. Odds ratios (OR) of MI with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression. A Fp value <10th percentile value in controls was significantly associated with increased MI risk; OR after multivariate adjustments for conventional cardiovascular risk factors 1.66 (95% CI 1.22–2.27). For an abnormally long CLT (>90th percentile value in controls) the adjusted OR of MI was 2.62 (95% CI 1.87–3.66) and for a high Fibrin OD-sum value (>90th percentile in controls) it was 1.86 (95% CI 1.37–2.53). A high Cp value was not significantly associated with MI. In conclusion, we found that abnormal haemostasis in platelet-poor plasma, reflected either as an attenuated fibrinolytic capacity or the resulting increase of fibrin formation, was associated with increased MI risk.
Treatment With B Vitamins and Incidence of Cancer in Patients With Previous Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Hankey Graeme J. , Eikelboom John W. , Yi Qilong , Lees Kennedy R. , Chen Christopher , Xavier Denis , Navarro Jose C. , Ranawaka Udaya K. , Uddin Wasim , Ricci Stefano , Gommans John , Schmidt Reinhold
Published: April 2012

Background and Purpose—

To determine the effect of B vitamin treatment on the incidence of cancer among patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Methods—

A total of 8164 patients with recent stroke or transient ischemic attack were randomly allocated to double-blind treatment with 1 tablet daily of placebo or B vitamins (2 mg folic acid, 25 mg vitamin B
6
, 500 μg vitamin B
12
) and followed for a median of 3.4 years for any cancer as an adverse event.

Results—

There was no significant difference in the incidence of any cancer among participants assigned B vitamins compared with placebo (4.04% versus 4.59%; risk ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.70–1.07) and no difference in cancer mortality (2.35% versus 2.09%; risk ratio, 1.09; 0.81–1.46). Among 1899 patients with diabetes, the incidence of cancer was higher among participants assigned B vitamins compared with placebo (5.35% versus 3.28%; adjusted risk ratio, 2.21; 1.31–3.73), whereas among 6168 patients without diabetes, the incidence of cancer was lower among participants assigned B vitamins compared with placebo (3.66% versus 5.03%; adjusted risk ratio, 0.67; 0.51–0.87;
P
for interaction=0.0001).

Conclusions—

Daily administration of folic acid, vitamin B
6
, and vitamin B
12
to 8164 patients with recent stroke or transient ischemic attack for a median of 3.4 years had no significant effect, compared with placebo, on cancer incidence or mortality. However, a post hoc subgroup analysis raises the hypothesis that folic acid treatment may increase the incidence of cancer among diabetics and reduce the incidence of cancer among nondiabetics with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00097669. URL:
www.controlled-trials.com
. Unique identifier: ISRCTN74743444.
Using the Market to Address Climate Change: Insights from Theory & Experience
Authors: Aldy Joseph E. , Stavins Robert N.
Published: April 2012

Emissions of greenhouse gases linked with global climate change are affected by diverse aspects of economic activity, including individual consumption, business investment, and government spending. An effective climate policy will have to modify the decision calculus for these activities in the direction of more efficient generation and use of energy, lower carbon-intensity of energy, and a more carbon-lean economy. The only technically feasible and cost-effective approach to achieving this goal on a meaningful scale is carbon pricing: that is, market-based climate policies that place a shadow-price on carbon dioxide emissions. We examine alternative designs of three such instruments: carbon taxes, cap and trade, and clean energy standards. We note that the U.S. political response to possible market-based approaches to climate policy has been, and will continue to be, largely a function of issues and structural factors that transcend the scope of environmental and climate policy.
Is Shale Gas Good for Climate Change?
Authors: Schrag Daniel P.
Published: April 2012

Shale gas is a new energy resource that has shifted the dominant paradigm on U.S. hydrocarbon resources. Some have argued that shale gas will play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by displacing coal used for electricity, serving as a moderate-carbon “bridge fuel.” Others have questioned whether methane emissions from shale gas extraction lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions overall. I argue that the main impact of shale gas on climate change is neither the reduced emissions from fuel substitution nor the greenhouse gas footprint of natural gas itself, but rather the competition between abundant, low-cost gas and low-carbon technologies, including renewables and carbon capture and storage. This might be remedied if the gas industry joins forces with environmental groups, providing a counterbalance to the coal lobby, and ultimately eliminating the conventional use of coal in the United States.
National Policies to Promote Renewable Energy
Authors: El-Ashry Mohamed T.
Published: April 2012

The world is entering a new energy era marked by concerns over energy security, climate change, and access by the poor to modern energy services. Yet the current energy path is not compatible with sustainable development objectives. Global demand for energy will continue to grow; so will CO2 emissions. Achieving a low-carbon energy world will require an unprecedented technological transformation in the way energy is produced and used. That transformation has begun, as renewables capacity continues to grow, prices continue to fall, and shares of global energy from renewables continue to increase. Government policies are the main driver behind renewable energy's meteoric growth. Still, the world is tapping only a small amount of the vast supply of renewable energy resources. There is broad consensus that the role of these resources should be expanded significantly in order to meaningfully address energy security, energy access, and climate change.
Pre-existence, Naming, and Investiture in the Similitudes of Enoch and in Hebrews
Authors: Hall Robert G.
Published: April 2012

Abstract

Understanding longings of readers of Wisdom, Philo, and theSimilitudes of Enoch, can clarify how to respond to a classic conundrum in Hebrews: how can Hebrews conceive God requiting Jesus’ loud cries and tears (Heb 5:7) by instating him as pre-existent divine Son through whom God created the world? Such readers long to conform to what God knows them to be. Hebrews interprets Psalms to assuage this longing, revealing the Son conformed to God’s knowledge and themselves following their forerunner to perfection.
Roman Stoic Precreation Discourse
Authors: Russell B. Sisson
Published: April 2012

Abstract

Cosmological imagery figures prominently in the precreation discourse of Roman Stoics, more so than in the precreation discourse of Jewish and Christian writers of the Hellenistic-Roman period. Roman Stoics imagine a realm of eternal time and space beyond the world of ordinary human experience and understanding. What humans can know of this realm is not revealed to them by a deity who dwells there, but by the spirits of virtuous souls who speak to select family members from the places where they dwell in the afterlife. Two examples are Aeneas’ father Anchises who describes primal reality to his son in the underworld, in Book VI of Virgil’sAeneid, and Scipio Africanus, the Roman soldier and statesman, who speaks of similar matters when his grandson of the same name travels to the outermost realm of heaven in a dream, in Book VI of Cicero’sRepublic. The myth and philosophy from which Cicero and Virgil draw their images of the primordial realm make the rhetography of their precreation discourse much richer than that found in Jewish and Christian precreation discourse of the period. Also, the relationship between rhetography and rhetology is more complex in Roman Stoic discourse and poses challenges for translators and interpreters of Cicero and Virgil.
Substitutes for Immigrants?
Authors: Shinkawa Toshimitsu
Published: April 2012

The rapid aging of Japan’s population and workforce has prompted proposals by key political and economic actors to advocate for immigration, though public sentiment has generally been opposed to immigration. Japan has therefore undertaken social policies to mobilize seniors and women as workers and establish gender equality in employment. These measures have sought to reduce the rising costs faced by Japan’s pension system and mitigate the long-term decline of the country’s fertility rate. The author examines the efficacy of these social policies in the context of Japan’s deregulation of labor markets and the expansion of flexible and low-wage employment arrangements. Although the proportion of nonregular employment has grown since the late 1980s, it has not created gains in productivity, though it has increased economic disparities. These outcomes suggest that the importation of unskilled immigrants as a (similarly) cheap source of labor would not be an adequate solution.
The impact of alcohol and illicit drugs on people with psychosis: The second Australian national survey of psychosis
Authors: Moore Elizabeth , Mancuso Serafino G , Slade Tim , Galletly Cherrie , Castle David J
Published: April 2012

Objective:

To provide the most up-to-date prevalence estimates of alcohol and illicit drug use among individuals with psychosis in Australia, and explore correlates associated with a lifetime diagnosis of both alcohol abuse/dependence and cannabis abuse/dependence.

Method:

This paper uses data from the Survey of High Impact Psychosis (SHIP), conducted as a follow-up to the first Australian National Low Prevalence (Psychotic) Disorders Study (1997–1998). The SHIP was a national study, carried out across five states, in which a sample of 1825 individuals was recruited through a two-phase sampling framework.

Results:

Alcohol and illicit drug use was highly prevalent for the entire sample. There were few significant differences in the prevalence or frequency of use across the diagnostic categories examined. Substantial increases in substance abuse/dependence were noted since the 1997–1998 survey (51% diagnosed with alcohol abuse/dependence, 51% with cannabis abuse/dependence and 32% with other illicit drug abuse/dependence, compared to 28%, 23% and 12% respectively, in the 1997–1998 survey by Kavanagh et al., 2004). Factors significantly associated with both lifetime alcohol and cannabis dependence included male gender, younger age, single marital status, lower educational attainment, shorter duration of illness, lifetime presence of hallucinations, higher negative syndrome score and lower body mass index (BMI). A number of other factors were found to be differentially associated with either lifetime alcohol or cannabis dependence.

Conclusions:

The use of alcohol and illicit substances is common among people with a psychotic illness, with a concerning upward trend in rates of substance abuse/dependence since the 1997–1998 survey. Clinicians should be aware of the potential impact of concurrent substance use and provide integrated treatment for individuals presenting with psychotic illnesses. More research and investment in new intervention programs is required.
“He’s a Real Dude”
Authors: Godfrey Paul C. , Agle Bradley R.
Published: April 2012

Researchers often fail to honor luminaries in their fields of inquiry, at least while they are still alive. What follows is one such tribute, to Dr. Thomas M. Jones, the Boeing Company endowed professor in business management at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. Business & Society represents an appropriate outlet for this tribute, given that Tom was the first editor of the journal when the International Association for Business and Society (IABS) assumed editorial control of the Sage Publications journal in 1993.
The Relationship Between Norwegian and Swedish Employees’ Perception of Corporate Social Responsibility and Affective Commitment
Authors: Ditlev-Simonsen Caroline D.
Published: April 2012

Corporations are spending a substantial and increasing amount of money on corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, little is known about the effects on key stakeholders of these activities. This study investigates if CSR activities have an effect on employees’ affective commitment (AC). Two models test to what extent employees’ CSR perception, involvement in decision processes, and demographic variables are related to their AC relative to their perception of positive organizational support (POS). The analysis is based on a sample of 512 employees from 4 Scandinavian companies; 3 Norwegian and 1 Swedish, randomly selected from a population of 6,710 mostly Norwegian and Swedish employees in those 2 countries. The results indicate that CSR perception is a significant predictor of AC, although how employees feel that the company cares about them (POS) has stronger explanatory power on AC. Contrary to the few other studies addressing AC and CSR, gender was not found to be a significant variable in the model.
The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development: A place to link together and be effective in a globalized world
Authors: Jones David N. , Truell Rory
Published: April 2012

The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development (The Agenda) is designed by IFSW, IASSW and ICSW to strengthen the profile of social work and to enable social workers to make a stronger contribution to policy development. The Agenda themes and commitments are presented and links with the core global statements are made explicit. The practical, conceptual and ethical challenges inherent in crafting global statements are discussed, including the need to respect regional diversity. The article concludes with a challenge to social workers to help shape the Agenda process and the future strategies of the global bodies.
A critical analysis of the social work definition according to the relational paradigm
Authors: Folgheraiter Fabio , Raineri Maria Luisa
Published: April 2012

In this article, we attempt to conduct a critical analysis of the joint IFSW and IASSW social work definition by re-reading it from the perspective of the relational paradigm. Our hypothesis is that if we adopt a precise position that focuses on the essentials, rather than seeking to pull together different and sometimes discordant perspectives, it might be possible to overcome some discrepancies and difficulties evident in the current definition. The intention is to identify the core of social work without undermining the ‘paradigmatic openness’ of it.
Black Settlement Houses and Oppositional Consciousness
Authors: Hounmenou Charles
Published: April 2012

Due to the failure of the mainstream American settlement house movement to assist Blacks moving to cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a parallel movement was developed by Black female activists and reformers. As a historically oppressed group, African Americans used nonconfrontational strategies to fight for racial uplift and equal rights. This article posits that Black settlement houses provided a propitious environment for culturally based empowerment initiatives that contributed to the development of oppositional consciousness in the Black community. The article examines how Black female leaders’ activism was influenced by the extent of social control the settlement houses were subject to. It argues that the culture of resistance developed in Black settlement houses foreshadowed and contributed to subsequent social movements in the African American community.
Commitment Problems or Bidding Wars? Rebel Fragmentation as Peace Building
Authors: Driscoll Jesse
Published: April 2012

After highly fragmented civil wars, order is often secured through the selective co-optation of rebel field commanders and atomized insurgents. This paper presents a formal model of civil war settlement as a coalition formation game between various regime and rebel factions. This approach emphasizes the ability of installed civilian rulers to lure warlords into the state based on promises of future wealth, then use divide-and-rule tactics to pit different warlord factions against one another. Quantitative and qualitative data from Tajikistan, including an original data set of warlord incorporation and regime purges during wartime reconstruction, are used to evaluate the model.
Enamel Lesion Parameter Correlations between Polychromatic Micro-CT and TMR
Authors: Hamba H. , Nikaido T. , Sadr A. , Nakashima S. , Tagami J.
Published: April 2012

Transverse microradiography (TMR) is considered as the gold standard technique for the evaluation of enamel lesions. Micro-computed tomography (µCT) has the advantage of non-destructive measurements, but the beam-hardening effect with polychromatic x-rays is a major drawback. To date, no study has validated µCT against TMR. The objective of this study was to validate µCT measurements of enamel lesions under various x-ray conditions and software beam-hardening correction (BHC) against TMR. Human molars with natural white-spot lesions were scanned for 5 min by µCT at 100 kV in different conditions: 50 µA (0.5-mm Al filter), 165 µA (0.5-mm Al/0.3-mm Cu), and 200 µA (0.5-mm Al/0.4-mm Cu), with or without BHC. Grayscale values were converted into mineral density values using phantoms. Thin sections at the same positions were then prepared for TMR. Lesion depth (LD; µm) and mineral loss (ΔZ; vol%µm) were compared between µCT and TMR by Pearson’s correlations. µCT measurements correlated well with TMR under all conditions (p < 0.001, r > 0.86 for LD and ΔZ), except for 0.5-mm Al without BHC (p > 0.05). Even without BHC, combined Al/Cu filters successfully reduced the beam-hardening effect. µCT can be used as a non-destructive alternative to TMR with comparable parameters for the study of enamel lesions.
Looking Behind Community College Budgets for Future Policy Considerations
Authors: Romano Richard M.
Published: April 2012

This study reviews the historical trend of college revenues and expenditures from a national perspective using primarily data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) as reported by the Delta Project for the years 1999-2009. Looking at trends related to state and local appropriations, college costs and prices, output, and productivity, it argues that various policy issues flow from these trends. The recommendations that follow are not precise prescriptions for legislative action, but rather suggestions for the direction of public and institutional policy that invite further reflection and research.
New silane coupling agents for silica tire tread compounds
Authors: Ko Jae Young , Prakashan K , Kim Jin Kuk
Published: April 2012

Effectiveness of four new silane coupling agents in solution styrene butadiene rubber–based silica tire tread compounds were evaluated with respect to two commercial silane coupling agents. The new silane coupling agents investigated were 1-[3-(octanoylthio) propyl]-1,1,3,3,3-pentaethoxy-1,3-disilapropane (S1), bis[3-(octanoylthio)-1-propyl]-diethoxysilane (S2), 5-(triethoxysilylpropylthia)-2-potassium-1,3,4-thiadiazolate (S3) and 2,5-(triethoxysilylpropylthia)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (S4), and the two commercial silanes used for the comparison were bis(triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulphide (Si69) and 3-octanoylthio-1-propyltriethoxysilane (NXT). The chemical structure of S1 and S2 silanes was based on the NXT silane. S3 is a monofunctional silane, whereas S4 is a bifunctional silane based on the chemical structure of S3. The effectiveness of the coupling agents were found to be varying for different properties of the rubber compounds. The S3 and S4 silane compounds were having shorter cure time and higher maximum torque values compared with other compounds; however, the tensile strength and the tanδ values indicative of tire performance were lower than that of the other silane compounds. The NXT, S1 and S2 silane compounds showed higher tanδ at 0°C and lower tanδ at 60°C, compared with the other compounds, indicative of improved wet skid resistance and lowered rolling resistance of these compounds. The Si69 compound showed higher tensile properties and lower abrasion when compared with the other compounds; however, the tanδ values for the tire performance were slightly lower to the NXT, S1 and S2 silane compounds.
“Every Man His Own Landlord”
Authors: Heath Andrew
Published: April 2012

In the decade before the Civil War, Philadelphians incorporated at least twenty land associations for developing tracts on the metropolitan periphery. The companies purchased real estate, laid out streets and improvements, then conveyed one lot of ground for each share subscribed. While many stockholders came from the ranks of the city’s middle and upper classes, journeymen were almost certainly the largest single group of investors. The associations promised to democratize the workings of a speculative real estate market for these men, allowing them to compete with the large landholders who owned much of the property in the vicinity of the city. But the promotional material of the associations also drew on the ideas of labor radicals, land reformers, and the new Republican Party in arguing that expansion on the metropolitan frontier could function like outmigration to the West itself and ensure the perpetuation of a republican polity.
Immunohistochemical Investigation of F344/N Rat Islet Cell Tumors from National Toxicology Program Studies
Authors: Koivisto Christopher , Flake Gordon P. , Kolenda-Roberts Holly , Masinde Tiwanda , Kissling Grace E. , Sills Robert C. , Hoenerhoff Mark J.
Published: April 2012

In this study, we have investigated the immunoexpression of peptide hormones and mediators associated with human islet cell tumors in a group of proliferative islet cell lesions in F344 rats including islet cell hyperplasias, adenomas, and carcinomas, as defined by conventional histopathologic criteria. All proliferative islets expressed synaptophysin, although decreased expression intensity was observed in hyperplasias and adenomas. Most of the proliferative lesions expressed insulin, which generally decreased as lesions progressed toward malignancy. The distribution of glucagon, somatostatin, and gastrin-expressing cells was altered in proliferative islet lesions but did not comprise a large proportion of cells. Islet cell tumors were associated with increased nuclear expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 as well as increased proliferating cell nuclear antigen and decreased β-catenin expression. c-Myelocytomatosis oncogene expression was variable. This is the first study to describe the immunophenotype of islet cell tumors in the F344 rat and to show that islet cell tumors in the F344 rat exhibit similarities in protein expression to the human counterpart.
Readability Assessment of Patient Education Materials from the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation
Authors: Kasabwala Khushabu , Agarwal Nitin , Hansberry David R. , Baredes Soly , Eloy Jean Anderson
Published: April 2012

Objective

Americans are increasingly turning to the Internet as a source of health care information. These online resources should be written at a level readily understood by the average American. This study evaluates the readability of online patient education information available from the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO‐HNSF) professional Web site using 7 different assessment tools that analyze the materials for reading ease and grade level of its target audience.

Study Design and Setting

Analysis of Internet‐based patient education material from the AAO‐HNSF Web site.

Methods

Online patient education material from the AAO‐HNSF was downloaded in January 2012 and assessed for level of readability using the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch‐Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG grading, Coleman‐Liau Index, Gunning‐Fog Index, Raygor Readability Estimate graph, and Fry Readability graph. The text from each subsection was pasted as plain text into Microsoft Word document, and each subsection was subjected to readability analysis using the software package Readability Studio Professional Edition Version 2012.1.

Results

All health care education material assessed is written between an 11th grade and graduate reading level and is considered “difficult to read” by the assessment scales.

Conclusions

Online patient education materials on the AAO‐HNSF Web site are written above the recommended 6th grade level and may need to be revised to make them more easily understood by a broader audience.
Chinese manipulation for mechanical neck pain: a systematic review
Authors: Lin Jian Hua , Chiu Thomas Tai Wing , Hu Jia
Published: April 2012

Objective:

To assess whether Chinese manipulation improves pain, function/disability and global perceived effect in adults with acute/subacute/chronic neck pain.

Data sources:

CAJ Full-text Database (Chinese), Wanfang Database (Chinese), Cochrane Database (English) and Medline (English).

Review methods:

Literature searching was performed with the following keywords and their combination: ‘manual therapy/bone setting/Chinese manipulation’, ‘neck/cervical pain’, ‘cervical vertebrae’, ‘cervical spondylosis/radiculopathy’ and ‘randomized controlled trial/review.’ Two independent reviewers selected studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias for each included study. Randomized controlled trials or quasi-randomized controlled trials on the effect of Chinese manipulation in treating adult patients with neck pain were selected. Mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Quality of the evidence was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Results:

Four studies (610 participants) were included in this review. There was very low-quality evidence suggesting that, compared to cervical traction in sitting, Chinese manipulation produced more immediate post-intervention pain relief (mean difference: –1.06; 95% CI: –1.37~ –0.75; P < 0.001) and improvement of global signs and symptoms (mean difference: –3.81; 95% CI: −4.71 ~ −2.91; P < 0.001). Very low-quality evidence showed that Chinese manipulation alone was superior to Chinese traditional massage in immediate post-intervention pain relief (mean difference: −2.02; 95% CI: −2.78~ −1.26; P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

There was limited evidence showing Chinese manipulation could produce short-term improvement for neck pain.
CAT-SLAM: probabilistic localisation and mapping using a continuous appearance-based trajectory
Authors: Maddern Will , Milford Michael , Wyeth Gordon
Published: April 2012

This paper describes a new system, dubbed Continuous Appearance-based Trajectory Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (CAT-SLAM), which augments sequential appearance-based place recognition with local metric pose filtering to improve the frequency and reliability of appearance-based loop closure. As in other approaches to appearance-based mapping, loop closure is performed without calculating global feature geometry or performing 3D map construction. Loop-closure filtering uses a probabilistic distribution of possible loop closures along the robot’s previous trajectory, which is represented by a linked list of previously visited locations linked by odometric information. Sequential appearance-based place recognition and local metric pose filtering are evaluated simultaneously using a Rao–Blackwellised particle filter, which weights particles based on appearance matching over sequential frames and the similarity of robot motion along the trajectory. The particle filter explicitly models both the likelihood of revisiting previous locations and exploring new locations. A modified resampling scheme counters particle deprivation and allows loop-closure updates to be performed in constant time for a given environment. We compare the performance of CAT-SLAM with FAB-MAP (a state-of-the-art appearance-only SLAM algorithm) using multiple real-world datasets, demonstrating an increase in the number of correct loop closures detected by CAT-SLAM.
Do trading hours affect volatility links in the foreign exchange market?
Authors: Treepongkaruna Sirimon , Brooks Robert , Gray Stephen
Published: April 2012

This paper explores whether volatility linkages exist at the intra-daily frequency in the foreign exchange market, and whether market trading hours affect volatility transmission. To answer these questions, we apply the Fleming, Kirby and Ostdiek model (1998) to 21 currency pairs using hourly data and allowing specific consideration to be given to the role of which market is open in driving volatility linkages. Our findings indicate that hourly volatility is less persistent than daily volatility. We also find that market trading hours play a different role in driving volatility linkages for major and non-major currencies. For major currency pairs, we find that simultaneous trading hours are not critical for the processing of information flow. However, for the other currency pairings volatility transmission is affected by which markets are open.
Determinants of bond spreads: evidence from credit derivatives of Australian firms
Authors: Darwin Tristan , Treepongkaruna Sirimon , Faff Robert
Published: April 2012

This paper investigates the determinants of credit spreads (levels and changes) via credit derivatives, using an Australian sample. We incorporate a number of different relationships to assess the contributions of various market-wide and firm-specific factors in determining levels, and changes in credit spreads, of corporate bonds. Using over-the-counter credit default swap (CDS) premium data as a proxy for the default risk of the entity, we find that both CDS and liquidity are priced into credit spreads, with liquidity explaining more credit spreads than credit risk (proxied using CDS premia) itself. We also find that a number of firm-specific and market-wide variables, namely, firm leverage, market-to-book ratio, market value, volatility, liquidity, the spot rate, the slope of the yield curve, the time to maturity of the underlying bond and the level and return on the All Ordinaries Index, are in many cases significant determinants of credit spreads. Finally, in additional robustness testing, a potential sample selection bias is accommodated via the Heckman ((1979) Sample selection bias as a specification error. Econometrica 47: 153–162) procedure.
Equity value implications of the SEC Exchange Act Rule 13a-14: a litigation cost perspective
Authors: Garg Mukesh , Naiker Vic , Navissi Farshid
Published: April 2012

The purpose of our study is to assess the role of litigation risk in the stock price setting process in relation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Exchange Act Rule 13a-14. We employ 12 June, the proposal of Rule 13a-14, and 27 June, the ruling of certification requirement, as event dates, and investigate litigation cost implications of the SEC proposal and ruling. We focus on firms in industries that are highly exposed to class action lawsuits and find negative abnormal returns surrounding 12 June, and positive abnormal returns surrounding 27 June, for firms relieved from compliance requirements. The results are more profound for firms in high-litigation-risk industries.
Thermal decomposition and fire behavior of glass fiber–reinforced polyester resin composites containing phosphate-based fire-retardant additives
Authors: Ricciardi Maria R , Antonucci Vincenza , Giordano Michele , Zarrelli Mauro
Published: April 2012

The thermal degradation and the fire behavior of a polyester resin containing phosphate-based fire-retardant additives and its corresponding glass fiber composites were investigated. An unsaturated commercial polyester resin was modified by the addition of three phosphate-based fire retardants: ammonium polyphosphate, silane-coated ammonium polyphosphate, and melamine pyrophosphate, at 35% w/w. The effects of the fire retardants on resin thermal decomposition and small-scale fire behavior were studied using dynamic thermogravimetric tests at different heating rates and microcalorimetric measurements according to ASTM D7309-07. Different modes of degradation with different activation energy levels for the neat resin and the phosphate-loaded resins were identified by analyzing the thermogravimetric data through the Kissinger method. Since the ammonium polyphosphate-containing resin showed greater thermal and fire performance than the other systems, it was used to manufacture unidirectional glass fiber composites by a vacuum infusion process. The oxidative pyrolysis and fire behavior of the composites produced were studied using thermogravimetric and cone calorimeter tests that demonstrated improvement of their thermal stability and fire performance.
Or47b Receptor Neurons Mediate Sociosexual Interactions in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Lone Shahnaz Rahman , Sharma Vijay Kumar
Published: April 2012

In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, social interactions especially among heterosexual couples have been shown to have significant impact on the circadian timing system. Olfaction plays a major role in such interactions; however, we do not know yet specifically which receptor(s) are involved. Further, the role of circadian clock neurons in the rhythmic regulation of such sociosexual interactions (SSIs) is not fully understood. Here, we report the results of our study in which we assayed the locomotor activity and sleep-wake behaviors of male-male (MM), female-female (FF), and male-female (MF) couples from several wild-type and mutant strains of Drosophila with an aim to identify specific olfactory receptor(s) and circadian clock neurons involved in the rhythmic regulation of SSI. The results indicate that Or47b receptor neurons are necessary for SSI, as ablation or silencing of these neurons has a severe impact on SSI. Further, the neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF) and PDF-positive ventral lateral (LNv) clock neurons appear to be dispensable for the regulation of SSI; however, dorsal neurons may be involved.