bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia Stabilizes GAS6/Axl Signaling in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Authors: Mishra Anjali , Wang Jingcheng , Shiozawa Yusuke , McGee Samantha , Kim Jinkoo , Jung Younghun , Joseph Jeena , Berry Janice E. , Havens Aaron , Pienta Kenneth J. , Taichman Russell S.
Published: April 2012

The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and is known to play a role in proliferation and invasion. Previous data from our laboratory indicate that Axl and its ligand growth arrest–specific 6 (GAS6) may play a role in establishing metastatic dormancy in the bone marrow microenvironment. In the current study, we found that Axl is highly expressed in metastatic prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and DU145 and has negligible levels of expression in a nonmetastatic cancer cell line LNCaP. Knockdown of Axl in PC3 and DU145 cells resulted in decreased expression of several mesenchymal markers including Snail, Slug, and N-cadherin, and enhanced expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, suggesting that Axl is involved in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer cells. The Axl-knockdown PC3 and DU145 cells also displayed decreased in vitro migration and invasion. Interestingly, when PC3 and DU145 cells were treated with GAS6, Axl protein levels were downregulated. Moreover, CoCl2, a hypoxia mimicking agent, prevented GAS6-mediated downregulation of Axl in these cell lines. Immunochemical staining of human prostate cancer tissue microarrays showed that Axl, GAS6, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (Hif-1α; indicator of hypoxia) were all coexpressed in prostate cancer and in bone metastases compared with normal tissues. Together, our studies indicate that Axl plays a crucial role in prostate cancer metastasis and that GAS6 regulates the expression of Axl. Importantly, in a hypoxic tumor microenvironment Axl expression is maintained leading to enhanced signaling. Mol Cancer Res; 10(6); 703–12. ©2012 AACR.
Fetal Vertebral Artery Doppler Reference Values at 19–41 Weeks of Gestation
Authors: Morales Roselló José , Peralta Llorens Núria
Published: April 2012

Objectives: To establish Doppler reference values for the fetal vertebral artery resistance index (VA RI), pulsatility index (VA PI) and peak systolic velocity (VA PSV), and describe their normal ratios to the umbilical artery (UA) throughout the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: Between 19 and 41 weeks of gestation, 484 ultrasound examinations of the fetal VA and UA were performed on singleton pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies. The VA was examined at the anatomical point where the artery surrounds the lateral masses of the atlas between the first cervical vertebra and the occipital bone, and values were obtained for the VA RI, VA PI and VA PSV. The 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles were subsequently generated for these parameters and their ratios to the UA. Results: The VA RI and VA PI reached their maximum values at the end of the second trimester. Both indexes subsequently decreased due to an increase in the diastolic flow. Conversely, the VA PSV values increased progressively until the end of gestation. As for the VA/UA ratios, the RI and PI were higher in the middle of the third trimester and decreased slightly afterwards. On the other hand, the PSV increased progressively until the end of pregnancy. Conclusions: The fetal VA can be visualized with Doppler ultrasound as early as 19 weeks’ gestation. In this study, reference values of the VA RI, PI and PSV and their ratios to the UA during the second half of pregnancy have been provided for fetal research. However, future work is necessary to further explore the possible applications of VA Doppler examination in fetal medicine.
Dietary Factors Affect Food Reward and Motivation to Eat
Authors: Pandit Rahul , Mercer Julian G. , Overduin Joost , la Fleur Susanne E. , Adan Roger A.H.
Published: April 2012

The propensity to indulge in unhealthy eating and overconsumption of palatable food is a crucial determinant in the rising prevalence of obesity in today’s society. The tendency to consume palatable foods in quantities that exceed energy requirements has been linked to an addiction-like process. Although the existence of ‘food addiction’ has not been conclusively proven, evidence points to alterations in the brain reward circuitry induced by overconsumption of palatable foods that are similar to those seen in drug addiction. The diet-induced obesity paradigm is a common procedure to replicate features of human obesity in rodents. Here we review data on the effect of various obesogenic diets (high-fat, Ensure™, cafeteria type, sucrose) on the extent of leptin resistance, hypothalamic-neuropeptidergic adaptations and changes in feeding behavior. We also discuss to what extent such diets and properties such as macronutrient composition, physical structure, sensory stimuli, and post-ingestive effects influence the brain-reward pathways. Understanding the interaction between individual components of diets, feeding patterns, and brain reward pathways could facilitate the design of diets that limit overconsumption and prevent weight gain.
Long-Term Effects of Calcium Antagonists on Augmentation Index in Hypertensive Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Takenaka Tsuneo , Seto Takeru , Okayama Mika , Kojima Eriko , Nodaira Yuka , Sueyoshi Keita , Kikuta Tomohiro , Watanabe Yusuke , Inoue Tsutomu , Takane Hiroshi , Ohno Yoichi , Suzuki Hiromichi
Published: April 2012

Background: Our previous retrospective study showed that benidipine was superior to amlodipine (AM) for reducing proteinuria and preserving the augmentation index (AI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: The present study enrolled CKD patients whose blood pressure was not well controlled by an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and a calcium channel blocker other than AM or azelnidipine (AZ). Either AM (5 mg) or AZ (16 mg) was prescribed randomly. Clinical parameters, including proteinuria, serum creatinine, and AI, were measured before initiation of AM or AZ and 1 year later to assess the long-term effect on renal function and central blood pressure. Results: Brachial and central blood pressures were similarly reduced in both groups. However, pulse rate increased in the AM group, but decreased in the AZ group (+3 ± 1 vs. –2 ± 1 bpm, p < 0.0001). The reduction of proteinuria was greater in the AZ group (–29 ± 2 vs. –38 ± 3%, p < 0.01). Improvement of AI adjusted for a pulse rate of 75 bpm was larger in the AZ group than in the AM group (–4 ± 1 vs. –9 ± 1%, p < 0.05). In both groups, estimated GFR remained unchanged throughout the observation period. Conclusion: In hypertensive patients with CKD, combined treatment with AZ and an ARB decreases proteinuria and preferentially improves arterial reflection.
The Relationship between Subclinical Asperger’s Syndrome and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
Authors: Midorikawa Akira , Kawamura Mitsuru
Published: April 2012

Background/Aims: The existence of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD), including senile Asperger’s syndrome (AS), has been proposed. However, there are no empirical case reports to support the proposal. In this report, we present 3 patients who showed symptoms of bv-FTD and demonstrated signs of autistic spectrum disorder, especially AS. Methods: We evaluated 3 subjects using the diagnostic criteria for bv-FTD, and their caregivers retrospectively provided data to calculate the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, Japanese version [Wakabayashi et al.: Shinrigaku Kenkyu 2004;75:78–84]. We also compared these data with those obtained from 3 individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Results: All 3 patients met the criteria for bv-FTD and had a higher Autism-Spectrum Quotient score than did comparable Alzheimer’s disease subjects. Conclusion: It is possible that some senile persons with frontotemporal lobar degeneration-like maladaptive behavior may suffer from subclinical AS.
Measurements of Enhanced Turbulent Mixing near Highways
Authors: Gordon Mark , Staebler Ralf M. , Liggio John , Makar Paul , Li Shao-Meng , Wentzell Jeremy , Lu Gang , Lee Patrick , Brook Jeffrey R.
Published: April 2012

In August and September of 2010, measurements of turbulent fluxes and turbulent kinetic energy were made on highways in the Toronto area (Ontario, Canada). In situ turbulence measurements were made with a mobile laboratory while driving on the highway with traffic. Results demonstrate that the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) spectrum is significantly enhanced on and near the highway by traffic for frequencies above 0.015 Hz. The decay of TKE with distance behind vehicles is well approximated by power-law curves. The strongest increase in TKE is seen while following heavy-duty trucks, primarily for frequencies above 0.7 Hz. From these results, a parameterization of on-road TKE enhancement is developed that is based on vehicle type and traffic-flow rate. TKE with distance downwind of the highway also decays following a power law. The enhancement of roadside TKE is shown to be strongly dependent on traffic flow. The effect of vehicle-induced turbulence on vertical mixing was studied by comparing parameterized TKE enhancement with the typical TKE predictions from the Global Environmental Multiscale weather forecast to predict the potential increase in vertical diffusion that results from highway traffic. It is demonstrated that this increase in TKE by traffic may be locally significant, especially in the early morning.
Assessing Atmospheric Response to Surface Forcing in the Observations. Part I: Cross Validation of Annual Response Using GEFA, LIM, and FDT
Authors: Liu Zhengyu , Wen Na , Fan Lei
Published: April 2012

Three statistic methods [generalized equilibrium feedback analysis (GEFA), linear inverse modeling (LIM), and fluctuation–dissipation theorem (FDT)] are compared for their assessment of the atmospheric response to sea surface temperature variability in the coupled climate system with a sample length comparable with the observations (decades). The comparison is made first in an idealized coupled model and then in the observations. For daily to pentad data, for a linear stochastic system, the simple model study demonstrates that all three methods are able to provide a consistent assessment of the atmospheric response. For monthly data, GEFA is able to produce an assessment comparable with the daily or pentad assessments using the three methods. The consistence of the three methods is further confirmed in the observations for the responses of the atmospheric geopotential height (at 200 hPa) to the tropical ENSO mode and the North Pacific mode. It is found that the three methods produce a consistent response with the overall pattern correlation over 0.95 and the amplitude difference within 10%–20%. The consistent results in both the simple model and the observations suggest that the three statistical methods can be used as a cross validation on the robustness of the assessment of the atmospheric response to surface forcing in the observations.
Climatology and Formation of Tropical Midlevel Clouds at the Darwin ARM Site
Authors: Riihimaki Laura D. , McFarlane Sally A. , Comstock Jennifer M.
Published: April 2012

A 4-yr climatology of midlevel clouds is presented from vertically pointing cloud lidar and radar measurements at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) site at Darwin, Australia. Few studies exist of tropical midlevel clouds using a dataset of this length. Seventy percent of clouds with top heights between 4 and 8 km are less than 2 km thick. These thin layer clouds have a peak in cloud-top temperature around the melting level (0°C) and also a second peak around −12.5°C. The diurnal frequency of thin clouds is highest during the night and reaches a minimum around noon, consistent with variation caused by solar heating. Using a 1.5-yr subset of the observations, the authors found that thin clouds have a high probability of containing supercooled liquid water at low temperatures: ~20% of clouds at −30°C, ~50% of clouds at −20°C, and ~65% of clouds at −10°C contain supercooled liquid water. The authors hypothesize that thin midlevel clouds formed at the melting level are formed differently during active and break monsoon periods and test this over three monsoon seasons. A greater frequency of thin midlevel clouds are likely formed by increased condensation following the latent cooling of melting during active monsoon periods when stratiform precipitation is most frequent. This is supported by the high percentage (65%) of midlevel clouds with preceding stratiform precipitation and the high frequency of stable layers slightly warmer than 0°C. In the break monsoon, a distinct peak in the frequency of stable layers at 0°C matches the peak in thin midlevel cloudiness, consistent with detrainment from convection.
The Knowledge to Act
Authors: Becker Jeffrey
Published: April 2012

How do workers in authoritarian states engage in protest, and how do they choose from available protest strategies? Through analysis of Chinese migrant labor protests from 2007 to 2008, the author examines how structural change expanded opportunities for protest and how migrants took advantage of those opportunities. Where formal organization is prohibited, informal ties facilitate protest by providing material support and information. Although traditional kinship ties provide material support, urban ties between workers with no connections before migrating to the cities provide information. Workers with access to urban ties are both more likely to engage in protest and more likely to engage in nonviolent protest through informal bargaining or the legal system. Little is known about the process of collective action among workers in authoritarian states, and understanding how Chinese migrant workers engage in labor protests despite prohibitions on formal organization sheds light on this phenomenon.
Making them count: How effective has official encouragement of quantitative methods been in British sociology?
Authors: Platt Jennifer
Published: April 2012

Britain’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has striven to increase the levels of quantitative work in British social science, but with little success shown in sociology journal articles. Why is this? A number of historical factors have contributed to this result: rapid recruitment in the 1960s of young faculty with little training, a tradition of doctorates without coursework, and the historical emergence of political and feminist critiques of quantification. It is evident that considerable persuasive and coercive resources were not sufficient to overcome intellectual resistance at the disciplinary and departmental level.
Typology of Web 2.0 spheres: Understanding the cultural dimensions of social media spaces
Authors: Arora Payal
Published: April 2012

It has taken the past decade to commonly acknowledge that online space is tethered to real place. From euphoric conceptualizations of social media spaces as a novel, unprecedented and revolutionary entity, the dust has settled, allowing for talk of boundaries and ties to real-world settings. Metaphors have been instrumental in this pursuit, shaping perceptions and affecting actions within this extended structural realm. Specifically, they have been harnessed to architect Web 2.0 spaces, be it chat rooms, electronic frontiers, homepages, or information highways for policy and practice. While metaphors are pervasive in addressing and normalizing new media spaces, there is less effort channeled into organizing these digital domains along cultural lines to systematize and deepen understandings of its histories, agencies and communities. Hence, this article proposes a framework that reveals dominant cultural dimensions of Web 2.0 spaces through a five-fold typology: (1) utilitarian-driven, (2) aesthetic-driven, (3) context-driven, (4) play-driven and (5) value-driven. This effort capitalizes and transfers mappings of actors and networks from real to virtual space to capture and organize diverse cultural (re)productions.
Being satisfied at work does affect burnout among psychiatrists: A national follow-up study from New Zealand
Authors: Kumar Shailesh , Sinha Paresha , Dutu Gaelle
Published: April 2012

Background:

Burnout and job satisfaction in psychiatrists has been an area of considerable interest. Longitudinal studies on the subject are lacking, rendering it difficult to establish whether burnout changes with time or whether low job satisfaction may predict high burnout with time in psychiatrists.

Aims:

This longitudinal study of burnout and job satisfaction in a cohort of New Zealand psychiatrists was conducted to examine if initial scores on the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) predicted scores on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) three years later and vice versa.

Methods:

Three questionnaires (a socio-demographic questionnaire, the JDS and the MBI) were sent to all registered psychiatrists in 2008, which included all those who had participated in a study three years earlier. Scores on these three questionnaires were compared for those who had participated in both studies.

Results:

The overall number of psychiatrists reporting a high level of emotional exhaustion (EE) did not change across the two phases. The number of psychiatrists reporting high levels of depersonalization (DP) increased from 31 (13%) to 45 (20.2%); the mean DP score for the cohort significantly increased by 17.5% ( p < .01). Those reporting reduced personal accomplishment (PA) increased from 90 (37.7%) to 98 (43.9%); the mean PA score for the cohort significantly reduced by 14.5% ( p < .001). Low scores on skill variety, task Identity, and feedback of the JDS were significantly correlated with high EE scores three years later, whereas low scores on skill variety were significantly correlated with high scores on DP, and low scores on task significance and feedback were correlated with low scores on PA three years later.

Conclusions:

Paying attention to aspects of job satisfaction may assist us in developing specific interventions for psychiatrists who may score high on different dimensions of burnout.
Effects of MMP Inhibitors Incorporated within Dental Adhesives
Authors: Almahdy A. , Koller G. , Sauro S. , Bartsch J.W. , Sherriff M. , Watson T.F. , Banerjee A.
Published: April 2012

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition has been shown to reduce adhesive bond degradation when applied as a pre-conditioner, adding to clinical steps in the placement of adhesives, but their incorporation within dental adhesives has not been fully explored. This study examined the effect of including 2 MMP inhibitors (BB94 and GM6001) within the primers of 3 commercially available adhesives. Fluorometric assay and zymography showed that adhesives with MMP inhibitors had high affinity toward both synthetic fluorogenic FRET peptides (95%) and dentin powder substrates, respectively. The immediate microtensile bond strength was enhanced for 2 types of adhesives following the addition of both inhibitors. However, no changes were detected between the control and the inhibitor groups following 3-month storage. The modified two-step etch-and-rinse and single-step systems showed less Rhodamine B penetration to the “hybrid layer” and to the “adhesive”, respectively. The incorporation of BB94 and GM6001 within the primers resulted in the inhibition of dentin MMPs with improved initial bond strength and enhanced sealing ability.
Craniofacial Pain and Jaw-muscle Activity during Sleep
Authors: Yachida W. , Castrillon E.E. , Baad-Hansen L. , Jensen R. , Arima T. , Tomonaga A. , Ohata N. , Svensson P.
Published: April 2012

This study compared the jaw-muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity during sleep in patients with craniofacial pain (n = 63) or no painful conditions (n = 52) and between patients with tension-type headache (TTH: n = 30) and healthy control individuals (n = 30). All participants used a portable single-channel EMG device (Medotech A/S) for four nights. There was no significant difference in EMG activity between craniofacial pain (24.5 ± 17.9 events/hr) and no painful conditions (19.7 ± 14.5), or between TTH (20.8 ± 15.0) and healthy control individuals (15.2 ± 11.6, p >.050). There were positive correlations between EMG activity and number of painful muscles (r = 0.188; p = 0.044), characteristic pain intensity (r = 0.187; p = 0.046), McGill Pain Questionnaire (r = 0.251; p = 0.008), and depression scores (r = 0.291; p = 0.002). Patients with painful conditions had significantly higher night-to-night variability compared with pain-free individuals (p < 0.050). This short-term observational study suggests that there are no major differences between patients with different craniofacial pain conditions and pain-free individuals in terms of jaw-muscle EMG activity recorded with a single-channel EMG device during sleep. However, some associations may exist between the level of EMG activity and various parameters of craniofacial pain. Longitudinal studies are warranted to further explore the relationship between sleep bruxism and craniofacial pain.
Contrasting New Public Management (NPM) Versus Post-NPM Through Financial Performance
Authors: Zafra-Gómez Jose Luis , Rodríguez Bolívar Manuel Pedro , Muñoz Laura Alcaide
Published: April 2012

Financial reports under New Public Management (NPM) programs can provide an incomplete picture of government finances. Post-NPM reforms could help overcome this weakness through the use of aggregate financial measures. This article focuses on the effects of the agencification process analyzing the differences between individual and aggregate measures of government financial performance in the Spanish local government. In general, the results show there is greater compliance with post-NPM postulates, although this does not mean that NPM and post-NPM management models cannot coexist. The use of aggregate performance measures could help bring about this improvement in controlling public agencies and, therefore, make public sector entities more efficient.
The Political Economy of Collaborative Organization
Authors: Dormady Noah C.
Published: April 2012

This article provides a theoretical framework to advance the understanding of collaborative organization through integrating extant theories of political economy. Eight propositions are advanced from theories of rent seeking, commodification, administrative capture, cartelization, transparency, risk, institutional logic, and transaction cost. These propositions are applied to a recent multisectoral collaborative, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Because of the innate diversity that exists among institutions, collaborative organization constitutes a hybrid organizational form through which regulatory penumbras, or gray areas, emerge. Political economic conditions can arise in these penumbral areas, as they offer organizations the opportunity to operate within diminished regulatory environments.
Climate change implications for HVAC&R systems for a large library building in Malaysia
Authors: Yau YH
Published: April 2012

The air conditioning systems play an important role in providing a comfortable and safe environment for occupants as well as a suitable condition to store books in the library via proper control of the indoor conditions. This paper presents the research conducted on the maximum required cooling load based on the climate change scenario in the future for a large building. In order to present the worst-case condition inside the library, the maximum number of heat gain from occupants and electrical devices is considered. For this research, the main library of University of Malaya is selected for data collection, analysis and simulation. The existing air conditioning systems are modelled via TRNSYS software as a baseline model. Three sets of future Typical Meteorological Year (TMY2) data files for Kuala Lumpur are developed in the UK to be used for simulation in the TRNSYS to analyse the maximum required cooling load for two sections of the main library building. Based on the comparison of the result in the year 2000, it can be estimated that the required cooling load for years 2020 and 2050 is estimated to be increased from 4.1% to 4.8% and 10% to 11.8%, respectively.

Practical application: The good amount of technical information of real application conducted on the required maximum cooling load in a large building for years 2020 and 2050 is estimated to increase from 4.1% to 4.8% and 10% to 11.8% respectively in the tropics could be used as an important guide for building services engineers and researchers who are intending to optimise HVAC&R system design in large buildings operating in tropical countries in the future.
When Does Responsiveness Pique Sexual Interest? Attachment and Sexual Desire in Initial Acquaintanceships
Authors: Birnbaum Gurit E. , Reis Harry T.
Published: April 2012

Three studies examined the contribution of attachment orientation and perceived partner responsiveness to sexual desire in initial acquaintanceships. In all studies, participants discussed a recent negative event with an unfamiliar, opposite-sex partner and then rated how responsive this partner had been during the interaction and their desire to have sex with him or her. Study 1 examined the association between perceived partner responsiveness and sexual desire in randomly paired strangers. Studies 2 and 3 experimentally manipulated partner responsiveness by standardized Instant Messages (Study 2) and a confederate’s responsive or unresponsive reactions during face-to-face interviews (Study 3). Results indicated that perceiving a partner as responsive was associated with heightened interest in sex with this partner, primarily among less avoidant people. These results are consistent with research showing that secure individuals see sex as a means of becoming close to relationship partners, whereas avoidant individuals tend to approach sex in distancing ways.
Transactional associations between supportive family climate and young children’s heritage language proficiency in immigrant families
Authors: Park Heejung , Tsai Kim M. , Liu Lisa L. , Lau Anna S.
Published: April 2012

Heritage language (HL) proficiency confers developmental benefits; however, the onset of HL loss is observed among many young children from immigrant families. In this longitudinal study, transactional associations between children’s HL proficiency and supportive family climate were examined in Chinese immigrant families with pre-school-aged children. Parental warmth, cultural maintenance values, and use of HL support were investigated as aspects of family climate. Measures included observable parent–child interactions and performance-based language proficiency assessments. While parental cultural maintenance values appeared influential, parental behavioral support of HL showed more robust prospective associations with children’s HL development. Concurrently, children’s earlier HL proficiency predicted subsequent parental behavior; parents whose children had limited HL proficiency decreased their use of HL support 1 later. Implications of the findings are discussed for immigrant parents with young children.
A Platform for Nursing Research on Spirituality and Religiosity
Authors: Cohen Marlene Z. , Holley Lyn M. , Wengel Steven P. , Katzman Rabbi Mendel
Published: April 2012

Spirituality or religiousness is important across the health trajectory, from promoting health and preventing disease, to coping with illness and end of life. Research on the relationship of religiousness or spirituality to health spans more than one discipline and applies many definitions and measures. The purpose of this multidisciplinary work is to facilitate research by nurses who seek to investigate the relationship between health and religiousness or spirituality, and provide evidence-based guidance for nursing practice. Senior researchers summarize the history of inquiry on this topic, discuss particular and persistent challenges posed by definitions of religion and spirituality, describe selected measures that have enjoyed wide application, and make recommendations for consideration by nurse researchers. Use of existing knowledge to select variables, definitions, and measures, and to link research questions and findings to the larger body of current inquiry, will advance nursing practice closer to fulfilling Nightingale’s ideals for effective care.
Effect of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery on Pulmonary Status of Adults with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Kempainen Robert R. , Sajan Javad A. , Pylkas Anne M. , Dunitz Jordan M. , Rimell Frank L. , Milla Carlos E.
Published: April 2012

Objective

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) provides symptomatic relief of sinus disease in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), but it is unclear whether it has beneficial effects on lung disease in this population. This study assessed the effect of FESS on the respiratory status of adult patients with CF.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Tertiary medical center.

Subjects

Thirty‐two adult patients with CF who underwent 45 operative cases.

Methods

Clinical information retrieved for the 12‐month periods preceding and following to determine the effect of FESS on the rate of decline in lung function, as well as intravenous antibiotic use and hospitalization for pulmonary exacerbation.

Results

The rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity was not significantly different in the 12 months before and after FESS. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery did not reduce days hospitalized or days on intravenous antibiotics for a respiratory exacerbation in the pre‐ vs postoperative period. Limiting the analysis to the 30 surgeries that were performed in patients with concomitant respiratory symptoms (ie, excluding the 15 surgeries performed for sinus symptoms alone) did not significantly alter the results. Covariates of importance in CF, including CFTR genotype, gender, or microbiology, did not affect the study results.

Conclusion

These results did not demonstrate an effect of FESS on progression of lung disease in patients with CF, but further research is needed because low statistical power has made some of the negative findings inconclusive.
Evaluation of the effects of venlafaxine and pregabalin on the carbon dioxide inhalation models of Generalised Anxiety Disorder and panic
Authors: Diaper Alison , Osman-Hicks Victoria , Rich Ann S , Craig Kevin , Dourish Colin T , Dawson Gerard R , Nutt David J , Bailey Jayne E
Published: April 2012

Previous studies have shown that subjective and objective symptoms of anxiety induced by 7.5% CO2 inhalation can be attenuated by anxiolytics such as lorazepam and, to a lesser extent, paroxetine. Venlafaxine and pregabalin, two other licensed treatments for Generalised Anxiety Disorder, were used to further investigate the 7.5% and 35% CO2 models of anxiety in healthy volunteers. Fifty-four participants were randomised to receive either placebo, venlafaxine or pregabalin. Study treatments were dosed incrementally over a three week period, to reach daily doses of 150mg venlafaxine and 200mg pregabalin by the CO2 challenge test day. Participants inhaled air 7.5% CO2 for 20 minutes (single-blind presentation), and a non-blinded single vital capacity of 35% CO2. Subjective ratings were recorded before and after each inhalation. Both 7.5% and 35% CO2 inhalations produced the expected effects of increased ratings of symptoms of panic and anxiety, with increased blood pressure and heart rate. No significant treatment effects were found, although there were trends towards a reduction in feeling tense and nervous by both drugs compared with placebo during the 7.5% CO2 challenge, and a reduction in alertness generally in the venlafaxine group compared with the pregabalin group. In contrast with the clear anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines reported in several previous CO2 studies, these findings suggest that the anxiogenic effects of CO2 challenges are not significantly influenced by these serotonergic and GABAergic anxiolytics. This may be due to a lack of sensitivity of the CO2 challenges in healthy volunteers to these drug types.
Choice of randomization to clozapine versus other second generation antipsychotics in the CATIE schizophrenia trial
Authors: Hermes Eric , Rosenheck Robert
Published: April 2012

There is evidence to suggest that clozapine is underutilized in treatment-refractory schizophrenia. Data from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE), a multi-phase, randomized comparative effectiveness trial for schizophrenia, were used to identify factors associated with choosing randomization to clozapine. Two pathways were available in phase 2 of CATIE: randomization to clozapine or an untried atypical antipsychotic (2E), or randomization to an untried atypical antipsychotic (2T). We examined the proportion of entrants who chose to enter phase 2E due to the lack of efficacy of the phase 1 treatment, along with their demographic and clinical characteristics. Only 31.2% who discontinued phase 1 for lack of efficacy entered phase 2E. In multivariable analysis, males showed significantly increased odds of choosing phase 2E (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.38; confidence interval (CI) = 1.20, 4.70) as did patients with higher Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total scores (AOR = 1.01; CI = 1.00, 1.03), more inpatient days (AOR = 1.06; CI = 1.02, 1.10) and more outpatient visits, (AOR = 1.06; CI = 1.02, 1.11). More effort examining the decision-making process of patients and providers is needed in order to increase the utilization of this effective treatment.
Cannabinoid exposure in adolescent female rats induces transgenerational effects on morphine conditioned place preference in male offspring
Authors: Byrnes John J , Johnson Nicole L , Schenk Marian E , Byrnes Elizabeth M
Published: April 2012

In the United States, marijuana is one of the drugs most abused by adolescents, with females representing a growing number of users. In previous studies, treatment of adolescent female rats with morphine significantly altered brain reward systems in future offspring. As both cannabinoid and opioid systems develop during adolescence, it was hypothesized that early exposure to cannabinoids would induce similar transgenerational effects. In the current study, female rats were treated with the cannabinoid receptor (CB1/CB2) agonist WIN 55,212-2 or its vehicle for three consecutive days during adolescent development (30 days of age), and were subsequently mated in adulthood (60 days of age). The adolescent and adult male offspring of these WIN 55,212-2 (WIN-F1)- or vehicle (VEH-F1)-treated females were tested for their response to morphine using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Both adolescent and adult WIN-F1offspring exhibited greater sensitivity to morphine CPP than their VEH-F1 counterparts. Collectively, the findings provide additional evidence of transgenerational effects of adolescent drug use.
Design of composite patch reinforcement applied to mixed-mode cracked panel using finite element analysis
Authors: Ramji M , Srilakshmi R
Published: April 2012

Aircraft repair is gaining importance for extending the fatigue life of aging aircrafts and also for improving its structural integrity. Among various repair techniques, bonded composite repair is mostly preferred. In this paper, a three-dimensional finite element analysis is carried out to study and compare the performance of single- and double-sided patch on center-cracked aluminum panel. The effects of different parameters such as patch layup, patch thickness and patch material on the stress intensity factor is highlighted. It is shown that the mechanics of double-sided repair is completely different from the single-sided repair. Also, it is found that double-sided repair is more efficient than single-sided repair. In case of single-sided repair, alternative patch material like unbalanced lamina or transversely graded material is proposed. It is observed that there is significant reduction of stress intensity factor with transversely graded patch in case of single-sided repair.
Effect of surface treatment on the morphology of sisal fibers in sisal/polylactic acid composites
Authors: Jiang Aiju , Xi Jianling , Wu Hongwu
Published: April 2012

Sisal fibers were pretreated by alkali and alkylation, and then mixed with polylactic acid to make sisal fiber-reinforced polylactic acid composites, respectively. The architecture and aspect ratio of sisal fibers before and after mixing, the micro-morphology of fracture surface, and the properties of composites were investigated. The results showed that surface treatment greatly impacted the fiber fracture behavior. Shearing fracture occurred to the untreated sisal fibers and alkali-treated sisal fibers, which led to a sharp reduction in the length of the fiber, while the shear-tear facture occurred to the alkylation-treated sisal fibers and resulted in obvious decrease in both length and diameter of alkylation-treated sisal fibers. The fiber aspect ratio of sisal fibers was affected first by the pretreatment method, then by the processing temperature, and the sisal fiber content. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of reinforcing fibers and sisal fiber-reinforced polylactic acid composites were influenced fundamentally by the pretreatment method.
Investigation of the nonlinear behaviour of damping of aluminum foam core sandwich composite beams
Authors: Fereidoon A , Niyari A Hazrati
Published: April 2012

Damping is a useful parameter for controlling vibration and movement in the design of the structure. In many structural applications, damping provides sufficient energy dissipation by suppressing resonant amplitudes of vibration. The present paper is concerned with the utilization of the finite element-based modal strain energy method for predicting the modal loss factor of laminated composite beams. Finite element analysis is performed to study the effects of layerwise in-plane displacements on speciﬁc damping capacity for Duocel aluminum foam core sandwich composite beams. The core was sandwiched between two face sheet graphite/epoxy laminates with a constant thickness. A numerical modelling of the damping response in axisymmetrical conditions was performed using the ABAQUS commercial software. All calculations about the theoretical approach were performed using the MATLAB Version 7.8 (Mathworks Inc.). A good match between the ﬁnite element modelling and the theoretical approach was obtained.
Axial temperature distribution optimization of mandrel for heated mandrel winding method
Authors: Qiao Ming , Xu Jiazhong , You Bo , Zou Anlan , Guo Deyou
Published: April 2012

The heated mandrel winding method is a new process based on the internal heat-curing method. With the advantages of high production efficiency, good pressure resistance, and so on, the thermosetting fiber composite shell produced using the heated mandrel winding method has been used as a high-pressure shell. Because of the differences between the heated mandrel winding method and the internal heat-curing method, it is especially important to ensure that the axial temperature is distributed as expected. To this end, the structure of the mandrel is improved, wherein the distribution of the holes is rearranged. An experiment shows that the improved mandrel improves the heat transfer. Furthermore, the steam heating process for mandrels with core pipes of different diameters is numerically simulated using FLUENT. The distributions of the flow field and temperature field are compared, and the influence of the mandrel-to-core-pipe diameter ratio on the temperature distribution on the external surface is analyzed based on the flow field characteristics of steam in a cavity. The conclusions provide the theoretical basis for the optimization of the mandrel structure.
Personal and organizational predictors of physicians’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to medical waste management in Mazandaran province (northern Iran)
Authors: Jabbari H , Farokhfar M , Jafarabadi M Asghari , Taghipour H , Bakhshian F , Rohane S
Published: April 2012

Medical waste management (MWM) is an important public health concern worldwide. Although physicians must participate in medical waste management, their personal and organizational predictors in this process are unknown. This study aimed to the determinants of physicians’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to MWM in eight hospitals of Mazandaran province, northern Iran. A validated, reliable self-administered questionnaire was used including 30 questions about the respondents’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) and personal and professional variables. Of a total of 200 physicians, 150 persons completed the questionnaire (response rate of 75%). The average score (± SD) for physicians’ knowledge was 6.50 (± 1.50) out of 10, whereas those for attitudes and practices were 4.44 (± 0.88) and 4.02 (± 1.35) out of 5, respectively. Surgeons and orthopaedists had the lowest scores, whereas para-clinical specialists and internal medicine specialists had the highest scores. The score of knowledge showed significant differences among speciality groups and the various speciality groups’ scores differed significantly only for knowledge ( P = 0.024) and the mean of total KAP was significantly different between educational and non-educational hospitals ( P < 0.05). As hospital type and physician speciality was related to the KAP concerning MWM, therefore it is recommend that all hospitals should develop appropriate protocols for medical waste management based on the this variables using a participatory process with teamwork and continuous training
Estimating future generation of obsolete household appliances in China
Authors: Zhang Ling , Yuan Zengwei , Bi Jun , Huang Lei
Published: April 2012

The estimate of future obsolete streams is one of the crucial issues for the establishment of an efficient waste collection and recycling system in China. Due to low availability of reliable data, information on discarded household appliances (HAs) is deficient in China. This study adopts a stocks-based prediction model based on material flow analysis. The model firstly models the lifetime distribution of HAs, and then the future stocks of HAs are extrapolated. By determining the initial year of calculation, the model makes a prediction of future obsolete HAs in China in the time period from 2010–2030. The results show that the discarded amount of the five major kinds of HAs will increase from 130 million units in 2010 to 216 to 221 million units by 2020, and 259 to 282 million units by 2030. A total of 4370 to 4528 million units (149 to 155 million tonnes) of obsolete HAs will be generated in China over the next 20 years. Urban households will generate significantly more obsolete HAs (about 2619 to 2723 million units) than rural households, mainly due to the difference in their HAs possession levels. Thus recycling capacity must increase if the rising quantity of domestic obsolete HAs is to be handled properly. The results of this study can help to develop the collection and recycling systems and facilities needed for the obsolete HAs generated in the future. From a methodological perspective, the stock-based model provides a suitable tool to predict the generation of discarded HAs in the future
Why We Need Reliable, Valid, and Appropriate Learning Disability Assessments
Authors: Wolforth Joan
Published: April 2012

This paper discusses issues regarding the validity and reliability of psychoeducational assessments provided to Disability Services Offices at Canadian Universities. Several vignettes illustrate some current issues and the potential consequences when university students are given less than thorough disability evaluations and ascribed diagnoses. The article details current service provider concerns that are leading to an erosion of confidence in both the diagnoses given and the category of learning disabilities (LD) in general. The author makes an impassioned plea asking psychology clinicians to ensure that, before making a final identification of Learning Disability, they communicate a diagnosis that is defensible, that the diagnosis is clearly grounded in empirically supported research findings, and that they can illustrate that all possible causes for lower test scores have been considered.
Collectivists, Communists, Labor Bosses, and Treason: The Tea Parties as Right-Wing Populist Counter-Subversion Panic
Authors: Berlet Chip
Published: April 2012

The Tea Parties are a right-wing populist movement echoing earlier episodes of white nationalism in the USA. Power elites have encouraged similar counter-subversion panics using populist rhetoric and producerist narratives to enlist a mass base to defend their unfair power, privilege, and wealth. Typically, a large, middle-class white constituency sides with organized wealth as a way to defend their relative and precarious position in society. The blame for economic, political, and social tensions is transferred away from free market capitalism to mythical conspiracies of collectivists, communists, labor bosses, and other scapegoated subversives and traitors. At the same time, defense of unequal racial and gender hierarchies can be mobilized as part of these counter-subversion efforts. Patriots, economic libertarians, Christian dominionists, militia activists, nativists, and ethnic nationalists fit under the Tea Party umbrella in an uneasy coalition ostensibly built around reversing the ‘big government’ policies of the Obama administration.
The simplest creeping gait for a quadruped robot
Authors: Liu Fei , Wu Dan , Chen Ken
Published: April 2012

This article presents the simplest creeping gait (creeping gait with one center-of-gravity movement in a cycle) for a quadruped robot. The creeping gait with one center-of-gravity movement is efficient in reducing the complexity of gait planning and the control of quadrupeds. To find the simplest creeping gait, the geometrical model of a quadruped is constructed, and the omni-directional stability margin is derived to determine the stability. Based on the features of creeping gaits, the simplest possible gait is analyzed. The mathematical description is used to describe the simplest gait with the maximum omni-directional stability margin. Details of the creeping gait, including its initial pattern and its sequences, are provided. In a cycle of the creeping gait with one center-of-gravity movement, the center of gravity needs to move only once. Only 16 commands are required to move a quadruped with two degrees of freedom in each leg. An experiment conducted on the THU-WL robot proves that the gait is reliable and stable. The creeping gait with one center-of-gravity movement is a remarkable simplification for the creeping gait.
The Foreign-Language Effect
Authors: Keysar Boaz , Hayakawa Sayuri L. , An Sun Gyu
Published: April 2012

Would you make the same decisions in a foreign language as you would in your native tongue? It may be intuitive that people would make the same choices regardless of the language they are using, or that the difficulty of using a foreign language would make decisions less systematic. We discovered, however, that the opposite is true: Using a foreign language reduces decision-making biases. Four experiments show that the framing effect disappears when choices are presented in a foreign tongue. Whereas people were risk averse for gains and risk seeking for losses when choices were presented in their native tongue, they were not influenced by this framing manipulation in a foreign language. Two additional experiments show that using a foreign language reduces loss aversion, increasing the acceptance of both hypothetical and real bets with positive expected value. We propose that these effects arise because a foreign language provides greater cognitive and emotional distance than a native tongue does.