bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poking Around Poetically: Research, Poetry, and Trustworthiness
Authors: Lahman Maria K. E. , Geist Monica R. , Rodriguez Katrina L. , Graglia Pamela E. , Richard Veronica M. , Schendel Roland K.
Published: November 2009

In this article, the authors examined the current use of poetry in qualitative research. The literature yielded the following purposes of poetry: poetic allusions, cultural poetry research, participants’ poetry as data, data poems, research experience poems or poems from the field, and autoethnographic poetry.The authors drew on the experiences from a research poetry group, a reflexive circular e-mail, and research poems they authored. The authors deconstructed the reflexive circular e-mail for future possibilities as a data collection method and explored the following tensions: representation of research, research poets’ training and experience, explanation or interpretation, and trustworthiness. The authors composed Poetic Interludes throughout the article as a way of poking around at, with, and through poetry.
The clinical utility of lenalidomide in multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes
Authors: Bonkowski Joseph , Vermeulen Lee C , Kolesar Jill M
Published: November 2009

Purpose. The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical utility, adverse effects, dosage, and cost of lenalidomide are reviewed.

Summary. Lenalidomide is a thalidomide analogue approved for treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with a cytogenetic 5q deletion. In combination with dexamethasone, lenalidomide has been approved by the FDA in the United States for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, and is sometimes used for induction therapy. Although the precise mechanism of action of lenalidomide remains unknown, it does exhibit antineoplastic and immunomodulatory properties. Lenalidomide is quickly absorbed after oral administration and is renally eliminated. In patients with myelodysplatic syndromes, lenalidomide reduces the need for transfusion. In patients with refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma, lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone demonstrated a significantly longer time to tumor progression compared to placebo plus dexamethasone. Lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone also elicited an objective response from patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma. Treatment with lenalidomide was associated with neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, constipation, pruritus, and fatigue. Due to the teratogenic nature of thalidomide, lenalidomide must be obtained through a restrictive distribution program. The initial daily dosing of lenalidomide is 10 mg for MDS with a 5q deletion and 25 mg for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Dose modifications are required for renal impairment and grade 3—4 adverse events.

Conclusion. Lenalidomide is an effective agent for the treatment of MDS with a 5q deletion and relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Validation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for use with multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Honarmand Kimia , Feinstein Anthony
Published: November 2009

Detecting clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety in medically ill patients using self-report rating scales presents a challenge because of somatic confounders. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was developed with this in mind, but has never been validated for a multiple sclerosis population. Our objective was to validate the HADS for multiple sclerosis patients. Multiple sclerosis patients were interviewed for the presence of major depression ( n = 180) and anxiety disorders ( n = 140) with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV disorders. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was undertaken to assess which HADS cut-off scores give the best yield with respect to diagnoses of major depression and all anxiety disorders defined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. A threshold score of 8 or greater on the HADS depression subscale provides a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 87.3% (ROC area under the curve 0.938). The same cut-off score gives a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 80.7% on the anxiety subscale (ROC area under the curve 0.913), but for generalized anxiety disorder only. The study confirms the usefulness of the HADS as a marker of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, but not other anxiety disorders, in multiple sclerosis patients.
An exploratory investigation of abnormal pain response among preadolescent children in foster care
Authors: Tarren-Sweeney Michael
Published: November 2009

The present article describes a pattern of abnormal responses to pain (APR) among children in care, suggestive of pain insensitivity or failure to communicate felt pain. Exploratory analyses of caregiver-reported APR were conducted within a larger epidemiological study of 347 preadolescent children in foster and kinship care. APR items were generated from clinical assessment reports and a clinician survey, during development of a psychiatric rating scale for children in care. An APR construct was identified in factor analysis. Nine per cent of the sample had scores suggesting clinically meaningful APR, with a high level of corresponding psychological disturbance. Various analyses suggest the phenomenon may be a discrete, but integral component of complex, multifaceted psychopathology. Concurrent and retrospective measures of a large number of potential risk variables did not discriminate between APR scores and other estimates of psychopathology. However, moderate correlations between APR and ad hoc measures of impulsivity, dissociative behaviours, and inhibited-avoidant attachment difficulties suggest a number of hypothesized developmental mechanisms that might be explored in further studies.
An unusual clinical phenomenon: A case of bedtime ritual with apparent sexual overtones
Authors: Blunden Sarah , Nair Divya
Published: November 2009

A 6-year-old boy attended a psychology clinic with a history of separation anxiety, delayed bedtime and problematic daytime behaviour. In addition, his mother described that at bedtime he would rock over a particular soft toy (teddy bear) on the floor of his bedroom with the bear straddled between his legs in what appeared to be a sexualized ritual. Clinical history taking and a psychological assessment led to a diagnosis of Separation Anxiety and sleep related Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD). Systematic desensitization, token-reward systems and play therapy were used to reduce separation anxiety. Alternative bedtime rocking routines without sexual overtones were developed and resulted in reduced time for sleep initiation, increased total sleep time and improved daytime behaviour. This case study demonstrates a case of severe RMD used as a self-soothing and anxiety-reduction strategy which was initially misinterpreted as a sexualized activity. Caution should be exercised in misinterpreting similar case presentations. Correct diagnosis was increased in this case with a psychologist with expertise in sleep and therefore presents a potentially unmet clinical need for sleep psychologists.
Therapeutic collaboration and formalized feedback: Using perspectives from Vygotsky and Bakhtin to shed light on practices in a family therapy unit
Authors: Sundet Rolf
Published: November 2009

Patient-focused research points to the necessity of continuously monitoring process and outcome in psychotherapy to supply service users and their therapists with feedback as a way of avoiding no change and detrimental development. At the Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, therapists implement monitoring in an intensive family therapy unit inspired by postmodern and language-oriented forms of family therapy using the Session Rating Scale and the Outcome Rating Scale. Research generated descriptions of users’ experiences of these scales as conversational tools are reflected upon using concepts from the work of Vygotsky and Bakhtin. Mediation, dialogicality, voice, the zone of proximal development and the metaphor of scaffolding are offered as conceptualizations that expand the inspirational sources of the unit by creating and enhancing further possibilities for collaboration between families and their therapists.
Cooperation for reputation: Wasteful contributions as costly signals in public goods
Authors: Van Vugt Mark , Hardy Charlotte L.
Published: November 2009

Why do people persistently contribute to public goods and does it matter to them if their donation makes a difference? A costly signalling perspective suggests that donors might be more concerned about their reputation than the utility of their helping act. We report data on two step-level public goods experiments. We find that in public (vs. private) conditions, contributions go up even when the public good is already provided (Experiment 1) or is unattainable (Experiment 2). Furthermore, these conspicuous donations appear to enhance the status and prestige of the donor because they signal some hidden quality. This research suggests that a public good contribution can be a self-presentation strategy and that the benefits of these contributions to society are sometimes of secondary importance.
Exploring the roots of dehumanization: The role of animal—human similarity in promoting immigrant humanization
Authors: Costello Kimberly , Hodson Gordon
Published: November 2009

Little is known about the origins of dehumanization or the mechanisms through which dehumanization impacts outgroup prejudice. We address these issues by measuring and manipulating animal—human similarity perceptions in a human intergroup context. As predicted, beliefs that animals and humans are relatively similar were associated with greater immigrant humanization, which in turn predicted more favorable immigrant attitudes (Study 1). Those higher in Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) or lower in Universal Orientation particularly rejected animal—human similarity beliefs, partially explaining their increased tendency to dehumanize and reject immigrants. In Study 2, perceptions of animal—human similarity were experimentally induced through editorials highlighting similarities between humans and other animals or emphasizing the human—animal divide. Emphasizing animals as similar to humans (versus humans as similar to animals, or the human—animal divide) resulted in greater immigrant humanization (even among highly prejudiced people). This humanization process facilitated more re-categorization (i.e., inclusive intergroup representations between immigrants and Canadians) and increased immigrant empathy, both of which predicted less prejudicial attitudes toward immigrants. Implications for research, theory, and interventions for dehumanization and prejudice are considered.
Characterization of Airborne Amphibole Particles in Libby, MT
Authors: Lee R.J. , Van Orden D.R. , Allison K.A. , Bunker K.L. , Huntington C.
Published: November 2009

A detailed evaluation of 122 air samples collected in and around Libby, Montana and previously analyzed by EPA has been performed. Photographic records of each analyzed particle were collected and archived in a searchable database. The results of the study indicate that the EPA’s failure to follow generally accepted procedures overestimated the concentration of regulated asbestos fibers by 10 times and by 3 times for all asbestiform fibers. These results are applicable to the analysis of naturally occurring asbestos in all parts of the country. The results demonstrate the need for detailed morphological and chemical analyses to reliably determine potential exposures and associated risks when evaluating mixed asbestos/non-asbestos environments.
A recombinant adenovirus type 35 fiber knob protein sensitizes lymphoma cells to rituximab therapy
Authors: Wang Hongjie , Liu Ying , Li Zong-Yi , Fan Xiaolong , Hemminki Akseli , Lieber André
Published: November 2009

Many tumors, including lymphomas, up-regulate expression of CD46 to escape destruction by complement. Tumor cells are therefore relatively resistant to therapy by monoclonal antibodies, which act through complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). From an Escherichia coli expression library of adenovirus type 35 fiber knob mutants, we selected a variant (Ad35K++) that had a higher affinity to CD46 than did the natural Ad35 fiber knob. We demonstrated that incubation of lymphoma cells with recombinant Ad35K++ protein resulted in transient removal of CD46 from the cell surface. Preincubation of lymphoma cells with Ad35K++ sensitized cells to CDC, triggered by the CD20-specific monoclonal antibody rituximab. In xenograft models with human lymphoma cells, preinjection of Ad35K++ dramatically increased the therapeutic effect of rituximab. Blood cell counts and organ histology were normal after intravenous injection of Ad35K++ into mice that express human CD46. The presence of polyclonal anti-Ad35K++ antibodies did not affect the ability of Ad35K++ to enhance rituximab-mediated CDC in in vitro assays. The Ad35K++-based approach has potential implications in monoclonal antibody therapy of malignancies beyond the combination with rituximab.
Foxp1 is an essential transcriptional regulator for the generation of quiescent naive T cells during thymocyte development
Authors: Feng Xiaoming , Ippolito Gregory C. , Tian Lifeng , Wiehagen Karla , Oh Soyoung , Sambandam Arivazhagan , Willen Jessica , Bunte Ralph M. , Maika Shanna D. , Harriss June V. , Caton Andrew J. , Bhandoola Avinash , Tucker Philip W. , Hu Hui
Published: November 2009

Proper thymocyte development is required to establish T-cell central tolerance and to generate naive T cells, both of which are essential for T-cell homeostasis and a functional immune system. Here we demonstrate that the loss of transcription factor Foxp1 results in the abnormal development of T cells. Instead of generating naive T cells, Foxp1-deficient single-positive thymocytes acquire an activated phenotype prematurely in the thymus and lead to the generation of peripheral CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells that exhibit an activated phenotype and increased apoptosis and readily produce cytokines upon T-cell receptor engagement. These results identify Foxp1 as an essential transcriptional regulator for thymocyte development and the generation of quiescent naive T cells.
Molecular analysis of T-B-NK+severe combined immunodeficiency and Omenn syndrome cases in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alsmadi Osama , Al-Ghonaium Abdulaziz , Al-Muhsen Saleh , Arnaout Rand , Al-Dhekri Hasan , Al-Saud Bandar , Al-Kayal Fadi , Al-Saud Haya , Al-Mousa Hamoud
Published: November 2009

Background

Children with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) lack autologous T lymphocytes and present with multiple infections early in infancy. Omenn syndrome is characterized by the sole emergence of oligoclonal auto-reactive T lymphocytes, resulting in erythroderma and enteropathy. Omenn syndrome (OS) shares the genetic aetiology of T-B-NK+ SCID, with mutations in RAG1, RAG2, or DCLRE1C.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with T-B-NK+ SCID or phenotypes suggestive of Omenn syndrome were investigated by molecular genetic studies using gene tightly linked microsatellite markers followed by direct sequencing of the coding regions and splice sites of the respective candidate genes.

Results

We report the molecular genetic basis of T-B-NK+ SCID in 22 patients and of OS in seven patients all of Arab descent from Saudi Arabia. Among the SCID patients, six (from four families) displayed four homozygous missense mutations in RAG1 including V433M, R624H, R394W, and R559S. Another four patients (from three familes) showed 3 novel homozygous RAG2 mutations including K127X, S18X, and Q4X; all of which predict unique premature truncations of RAG2 protein. Among Omenn patients, four (from two families) have S401P and R396H mutations in RAG1, and a fifth patient has a novel I444M mutation in RAG2. Seven other patients (six SCID and one OS) showed a gross deletion in exons 1-3 in DCLRE1C. Altogether, mutations in RAG1/2 and DCLRE1C account for around 50% and 25%, respectively, in our study cohort, a proportion much higher than in previous reported series. Seven (24%) patients lack a known genetic aetiology, strongly suggesting that they carry mutations in novel genes associated with SCID and Omenn disorders that are yet to be discovered in the Saudi population.

Conclusion

Mutation-free patients who lack a known genetic aetiology are likely to carry mutations in the regulatory elements in the SCID-causing genes or in novel genes that are yet to be discovered. Our efforts are underway to investigate this possibility by applying the whole genome scans on these cases via the use of Affymetrix high density DNA SNP chips in addition to homozygosity mapping.
The health impact of remarriage behavior on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: findings from the US longitudinal survey
Authors: Noda Tatsuya , Ojima Toshiyuki , Hayasaka Shinya , Hagihara Akihito , Takayanagi Ryoichi , Nobutomo Koichi
Published: November 2009

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major disease among adults, and its deterioration was reported to be associated with psychological imbalance. Meanwhile, bereavement and divorce have proven harmful to the health status of a surviving spouse. But few studies have been conducted to evaluate the remedial effect on survivors' health outcome by remarriage after bereavement. The present study thus examined the associations between remarriage and the onset of COPD.

Methods

Our cohort was drawn from Health and Retirement Study participants in the United States, and consisted of 2676 subjects who were divorced or bereaved from 1992 to 2002. We then followed them for up to 11 years and assessed the incidence rate of COPD using a Cox proportional hazard model after adjusting for marital status, age, gender, education and the number of cigarettes smoked.

Results

Among all subjects, 224 who remarried after bereavement or divorce tended to be younger and more male dominated. Remarriage after bereavement/divorce was associated with significantly decreased risk of COPD onset for overall subjects [hazard ratio (HR): 0.51, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.28-0.94], female subjects [HR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.13-0.98], and for those under 70 years old [HR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.17-0.79].

Conclusion

This study investigates the impact of remarriage on health outcome based on a large-scale population survey and indicates that remarriage significantly correlates with reduced risk of COPD incidence, even after adjusting smoking habit.
Solitary submucous neurofibroma of the mandible: review of the literature and report of a rare case
Authors: Depprich Rita , Singh Daman D , Reinecke Petra , Kübler Norbert R , Handschel Jörg
Published: November 2009

Solitary neurofibroma is a rare benign non-odontogenic tumor. Particularly in the oral cavity, neurogenic tumors are rare, especially if they are malignant. Neurofibromas may present either as solitary lesions or as part of the generalised syndrome of neurofibromatosis or von Recklinghausen's disease of the skin. Clinically, oral neurofibromas usually appear as pediculated or sessile nodules, with slow growth and mostly without pain. The diagnosis can be confirmed by histological examination. Neurofibromas are immunopositive for the S-100 protein, indicating its neural origin. Treatment is surgical and the prognosis is excellent. For illustration a rare case of a solitary neurofibroma in the mandible is presented.
1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and Its TX527 Analog Inhibit the Growth of Endothelial Cells Transformed by Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpes Virus G Protein-Coupled Receptor in Vitro and in Vivo
Authors: Gonzalez-Pardo Verónica , Martin Daniel , Gutkind J. Silvio , Verstuyf Annemieke , Bouillon Roger , de Boland Ana Russo , Boland Ricardo L.
Published: November 2009

The Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus-G protein-coupled receptor is a key molecule in the pathogenesis of Kaposi sarcoma, playing a central role in promoting vascular endothelial growth factor-driven angiogenesis and spindle cell proliferation. We studied the effects of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)2D3] and the analog TX527 on the proliferation of endothelial cells (SVECs) and SVECs transformed by the viral G protein-coupled receptor (SVEC-vGPCR). 1α,25(OH)2D3 and TX527 decreased SVEC-vGPCR and SVEC numbers, the response being time dependent and similar in both cell lines. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels increased on treatment with 10 nm 1α,25(OH)2D3 or 1 nm TX527 in a time-dependent manner (1.5–24 h) in SVECs and SVEC-vGPCR. Basal VDR levels were increased in SVEC-vGPCR. The antiproliferative effects were accompanied by reduction in cyclin D1 and accumulation of p27 in SVECs but not SVEC-vGPCR. Induction of VDR was blocked by transfection of short hairpin RNA against VDR in SVEC-vGPCR and the antiproliferative effects of 1α,25(OH)2D3 and TX527 were decreased, involving the VDR genomic pathway in the hormone and analog mechanism of action. In vivo experiments showed that 1α,25(OH)2D3 and TX527 decreased SVEC-vGPCR tumor progression when the tumor cells were implanted in nude mice. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that 1α,25(OH)2D3 and its TX527 analog have antiproliferative effects on the growth of endothelial cells transformed by the vGPCR in vitro and in vivo, the vitamin D receptor being part of the inhibitory mechanism of action.
Environment, antecedents and climate change: lessons from the study of temperature physiology and river migration of salmonids
Authors: Farrell A. P.
Published: November 2009

Animal distributions are shaped by the environment and antecedents. Here I show how the temperature dependence of aerobic scope (the difference between maximum and minimum rates of oxygen uptake) is a useful tool to examine the fundamental temperature niches of salmonids and perhaps other fishes. Although the concept of aerobic scope has been recognized for over half a century, only recently has sufficient evidence accumulated to provide a mechanistic explanation for the optimal temperature of salmonids. Evidence suggests that heart rate is the primary driver in supplying more oxygen to tissues as demand increases exponentially with temperature. By contrast, capacity functions (i.e. cardiac stroke volume, tissue oxygen extraction and haemoglobin concentration) are exploited only secondarily if at all, with increasing temperature, and then perhaps only at a temperature nearing that which is lethal to resting fish. Ultimately, however, heart rate apparently becomes a weak partner for the cardiorespiratory oxygen cascade when temperature increases above the optimum for aerobic scope. Thus, the upper limit for heart rate may emerge as a valuable, but simple predictor of optimal temperature in active animals, opening the possibility of using biotelemetry of heart rate in field situations to explore properly the full interplay of environmental factors on aerobic scope. An example of an ecological application of these physiological discoveries is provided using the upriver migration of adult sockeye salmon, which have a remarkable fidelity to their spawning areas and appear to have an optimum temperature for aerobic scope that corresponds to the river temperatures experienced by their antecedents. Unfortunately, there is evidence that this potential adaptation is incompatible with the rapid increase in river temperature presently experienced by salmon as a result of climate change. By limiting aerobic scope, river temperatures in excess of the optimum for aerobic scope directly impact upriver spawning migration and hence lifetime fecundity. Thus, use of aerobic scope holds promise for scientists who wish to make predictions on how climate change may influence animal distributions.
Differences in LTM-forming capability between geographically different strains of AlbertaLymnaea stagnalisare maintained whether they are trained in the lab or in the wild
Authors: Orr M. , Hittel K. , Lukowiak K. S. , Han J. , Lukowiak K.
Published: November 2009

We found strain differences in the ability of wild Alberta Lymnaea stagnalis to form long-term memory (LTM) following operant conditioning when L. stagnalis were collected from the wild and trained in the laboratory. Lymnaea stagnalis obtained from the Belly River watershed had an enhanced ability to form LTM compared with those from an isolated pond (referred to as Jackson snails). We therefore asked whether the differences in cognitive ability were an epiphenomenon as a result of training in the laboratory. To answer this question we trained each specific strain (Belly and Jackson) in both the laboratory and the field (i.e. in their home pond and in the pond where the other strain resided - referred to as the visitor pond). We found that within each strain there was no difference in the LTM phenotype whether they were trained in the lab or in either their home or visitor pond. That is, the strain differences in the ability to form LTM were still present. Interestingly, we found no strain differences in the ability to learn or the ability to form intermediate-term memory (ITM).
Vocally correlated seasonal auditory variation in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Authors: Henry K. S. , Lucas J. R.
Published: November 2009

Songbirds exhibit seasonal plasticity in a broad variety of behavioral and morphological traits associated with reproduction. Changes in song production are well described while changes in song reception are not. In the present study, we test for seasonal variation in auditory processing of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus L.) using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) to tone bursts. We measured amplitude and latency of the first ABR peak in spring, summer and autumn at stimulus frequencies from 0.8 to 6.4 kHz and intensity levels from 24 to 80 dB SPL. ABR thresholds were determined at each frequency using cross-correlation. Amplitude was greater in spring than in autumn at frequencies from 3.2 to 6.4 kHz whereas latency and thresholds exhibited no seasonal variation. The results indicate an increase in the number or temporal synchrony of responses from peripheral auditory neurons during the early breeding season. Changes in peripheral auditory processing may enhance temporal coding of the fine structure and envelope of song; thereby, improving assessment of encoded information in both sexes (e.g. individual identity and dominance status) and auditory feedback during song production in males. Peripheral auditory changes may be mediated by reproductive hormones, and could involve changes in hair cell density on the basilar papilla. Our results suggest that peripheral auditory processing of songbirds changes seasonally in parallel with other behavioral and morphological traits, such as song production.
Perception of airborne odors by loggerhead sea turtles
Authors: Endres C. S. , Putman N. F. , Lohmann K. J.
Published: November 2009

Sea turtles are known to detect chemical cues, but in contrast to most marine animals, turtles surface to breathe and thus potentially have access to olfactory cues both in air and in water. To determine whether sea turtles can detect airborne chemical cues, captive loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were placed into a circular, water-filled arena in which odorants could be introduced to the air above the water surface. Air that had passed across the surface of a cup containing food elicited increased activity, diving and other behavior normally associated with feeding. By contrast, air that had passed across the surface of an identical cup containing distilled water elicited no response. Increases in activity during food odor trials occurred only after turtles surfaced to breathe and peaked in the first post-breath minute, implying that the chemical cues eliciting the responses were unlikely to have been detected while the turtles were under water. These results provide the first direct evidence that sea turtles can detect airborne odors. Under natural conditions, this sensory ability might function in foraging, navigation or both.
On dispersed microdamageability of elastic-brittle materials under deformation
Authors: Babich D V , Bastun V N
Published: November 2009

The variant of a continuum model describing joint deformation and accumulation of microdamages in elastic-brittle materials is presented. The microdamageability is considered as the process of origin of a system of flat elliptic or circular microcracks randomly dispersed over volume, the concentration of which increases with a load. The damageable material is simulated by the continuous medium, for which the elastic symmetry and non-linear law of deformation are attributed to the pattern of the microstrength distribution, microfracture mechanism, and the mode of the stress state induced in the body. The model provided is used to describe the possible mechanism of non-linear deformation for practically all materials within the range of small strains.
Investigation of shrinkage behaviour and cracks in cement paste using moiré interferometry
Authors: Chen T C , Yin W Q , Ifju P G
Published: November 2009

This paper focuses on using the cure reference method (CRM), which was previously developed for the measurement of residual strains in composites, to determine the shrinkage that develops in cementitious materials. The experimental technique involves both the replication of diffraction grating on the cement paste specimen during the curing process and the use of high-sensitivity moiré interferometry. An automated fringe analysis system was developed and applied to obtain the full-field displacement and strain information on the surface of the specimen. Overall shrinkage as a function of time, location, and surrounding drying conditions was measured. Moreover, a method of combining CRM and the sealing of the entire specimen was used to investigate the contribution of chemical shrinkage. Chemical shrinkage as a function of water/cement (w/c) ratio, temperature, and time was explored. The experimental results demonstrate the same trends of shrinkage behaviour as documented in the literature. Furthermore, the ring test was performed to investigate shrinkage-induced cracks.
Thermal forming of light-weight alloys under a multi-stage forming process
Authors: Lai C P , Chan L C , Chow C L , Yu K M
Published: November 2009

This article presents an experimental investigation aimed to obtain the optimum formability of light-weight alloys under the multi-stage forming process. Titanium alloy sheets (Ti-6Al-4V) and aluminium alloy sheets (AA5052) of thickness 1 mm with different widths (i.e. 20, 90, and 110 mm) are selected as forming specimens. In order to carry out the multi-stage forming process, a special fixture with a heating system for the pre-straining process is designed and manufactured. The limit dome heights of both titanium alloys and aluminium alloys are measured and recorded. The experimental results reveal that both of the light-weight alloys yielded enhanced ductility at higher working temperatures, because of a decrease in the yield strength. The formability of selected materials is found to be sensitive to the forming temperatures and multi-stage forming processes.
Numerical simulation of unsteady cavitating flow over a disc
Authors: Nouri N M , Moghimi M , Mirsaeedi S M H
Published: November 2009

Engineering interest in natural and ventilated cavities over submerged bodies has led researchers to study cavitation. Comparatively simple analytical methods have been used to model the developed cavitation for flows whose hydrodynamics are often dominated by irrotational and rotational inviscid effects. However, a range of more complex physical phenomena are often associated with such cavities, including viscous effects, unsteadiness, mass transfer, three dimensionality, and compressibility. In this article, a finite volume method is used to simulate the developed cavitation over a disc, using the Kunz cavitation model and considering large eddy viscosity as a turbulence model. Comparison between experimental data and computed cavity length shows the ability of the combined cavitation and turbulence models to predict cavity characteristics.
Optimal Taxation in Theory and Practice
Authors: Mankiw N. Gregory , Weinzierl Matthew , Yagan Danny
Published: November 2009

The optimal design of a tax system is a topic that has long fascinated economic theorists and flummoxed economic policymakers. This paper explores the interplay between tax theory and tax policy. It identifies key lessons policymakers might take from the academic literature on how taxes ought to be designed, and it discusses the extent to which these lessons are reflected in actual tax policy.
The Liabilities and Risks of State-Sponsored Pension Plans
Authors: Novy-Marx Robert , Rauh Joshua D.
Published: November 2009

As of December 2008, state governments had approximately $1.94 trillion set aside in pension funds for their employees. How does the value of these assets compare to the present value of states' pension liabilities? Just as future Social Security and Medicare liabilities do not appear in the headline numbers of the U.S. federal debt, the financial liability from underfunded public pensions does not appear in the headline numbers of state debt. If pensions are underfunded, then the gap between pension assets and liabilities is off-balance-sheet government debt. We show that government accounting standards require states to use procedures that severely understate their liabilities. We then discuss the true economic funding of state public pension plans. Using market-based discount rates that reflect the risk profile of the pension liabilities, we calculate that the present value of the already-promised pension liabilities of the 50 U.S. states amount to $5.17 trillion, assuming that states cannot default on pension benefits that workers have already earned. Net of the $1.94 trillion in assets, these pensions are underfunded by $3.23 trillion. This “pension debt” dwarfs the states' publicly traded debt of $0.94 trillion. And we show that even before the market collapse of 2008, the system was economically severely underfunded, though public actuarial reports presented the plans' funding status in a more favorable light.
Changing Household Financial Opportunities and Economic Security
Authors: Dynan Karen E.
Published: November 2009

Households have experienced an expansion of financial opportunities over the past several decades. Expanded financial opportunities, such as the democratization of credit and new lending approaches, can yield benefits in terms of household economic security. However, the financial crisis that began in 2007 has powerfully illustrated that expanded financial opportunities can also pose dangers for households. By increasing the scope for investment in risky assets, people may end up with larger swings in wealth than they had anticipated. Households may borrow too much and then face obligations that are unsustainable given their resources. To explore these issues, I examine household data on wealth, assets, and liabilities going back 25 years and, in some cases, 45 years. I argue that changes in household finances in the decades leading up to the mid-1990s—including the gradual rise in indebtedness—likely increased household well-being, on balance, and contributed to a decline in aggregate economic volatility. However, changes in finances since the mid-1990s—in particular, a much sharper rate of increase in household debt—appear to have been destabilizing for many individual households and ultimately for the economy as a whole. I consider how the lessons learned in the current crisis might change household financial opportunities and choices going forward.
Risk reduction in cosmetic surgery
Authors: Khoo Christopher
Published: November 2009

Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is defined as ‘operations or other procedures that revise or change the appearance, colour, texture, structure or position of bodily features to achieve what patients perceive to be more desirable’. It differs from reconstructive surgery in that patients do not suffer from surgical pathology, but come to a surgeon desiring alteration of appearance to achieve an improvement. It has been said that cosmetic surgery patients differ from those presenting to other surgeons, in that instead of hoping that they do not need an operation, in cosmetic surgery the wish to undergo surgery is the patient's primary motivation for the consultation.

There are distinctive risks in cosmetic surgery. The focus is on an individual surgeon, rather than a system of institutional care delivery. The surgeon's assessment and selection of patients is crucial to the avoidance of subsequent dissatisfaction. Mainstream surgical training concentrates on the acquisition of knowledge and technical competencies: the cosmetic surgeon's armamentarium must include in addition superlative communication skills and a degree of psychological awareness which will allow exclusion of those patients for whom it is unlikely that satisfaction can be achieved. It may circumvent disaster for the surgeon to say ‘no’.

Awareness of inherent clinical risks and the ability to manage them are crucial to successful practice, as is the surgeon's commitment to support and encourage the patient throughout the entire process. There is, however, the potential for extremely high levels of satisfaction for both surgeon and patient if pitfalls are avoided, and risks are managed appropriately within a positive doctor–patient relationship.
Tuberculosis: clinical management and medicolegal pitfalls
Authors: Branley Howard M
Published: November 2009

This paper describes the diagnosis and treatment of the various forms of tuberculosis covering drug resistance and at-risk groups. The second part of the paper considers the medicolegal aspects of failure to diagnose and treat with appropriate therapy.
Absorption of Periodically Aligned Absorber Strips in Concrete Structures
Authors: Drotleff Horst , Wack Roman , Leistner Philip
Published: November 2009

At present, new buildings are frequently built by thermally active concrete ceilings due to the requirements of thermal comfort and energy saving. Thus sound absorbers (sails, baffles) are installed below the ceiling in order not to deteriorate thermal efficiency. This frequently collides with architectural design asking for planar surfaces. A periodic arrangement of sound-absorbent strips in concrete ceilings shows higher sound absorption than is to be expected from surface-averaged sound absorption. This is well known, since the ceiling behaves like an acoustic phase grating. The challenge for acoustic consultants is to design periodic ceiling structures in a way that the sound absorption is adequate to keep thermal losses as low as possible. Based on the so-called Rayleigh expansion, frequently published so far, a simple model was derived to predict sound absorption at normal, oblique and field incidence. The model was validated by means of measurements and calculations for two types of absorbers: a micro-perforated resonator and a porous absorber made of recycled glass. The measured and computed results comply at normal incidence, whereas discrepancy between measurement and calculation is clearly higher at field incidence. It is assumed that this behavior is mainly due to the edge effect. The findings of a demonstration project in situ are: Sound absorption achieved by means of periodic strips in concrete ceilings is adequate for usual office use, thermal losses are very low, but implementation at the construction site requires further improvement. Part of this text was previously published in the proceedings of INTER-NOISE 2008.
OM Practice—Choice-Based Revenue Management: An Empirical Study of Estimation and Optimization
Authors: Vulcano Gustavo , van Ryzin Garrett , Chaar Wassim
Published: November 2009

Discrete choice models are appealing for airline revenue management (RM) because they offer a means to profitably exploit preferences for attributes such as time of day, routing, brand, and price. They are also good at modeling demand for unrestricted fare class structures, which are widespread throughout the industry. However, there is little empirical research on the practicality and effectiveness of choice-based RM models. Toward this end, we report the results of a study of choice-based RM conducted with a major U.S. airline. Our study had two main objectives: (1) to assess the extent to which choice models can be estimated well using readily available airline data, and (2) to gauge the potential impact that choice-based RM could have on a sample of test markets.

We developed a maximum likelihood estimation algorithm that uses a variation of the expectation-maximization method to account for unobservable data. The procedure was applied to data for a test market from New York City to a destination in Florida. The outputs are promising in terms of the quality of the computed estimates, although a large number of departure instances may be necessary to achieve highly accurate results. These choice model estimates were then used in a simulation study to assess the revenue performance of the EMSR-b (expected marginal seat revenue, version b) capacity control policies and the current controls used by the airline relative to controls optimized to account for choice behavior. Our simulation results show 1%–5% average revenue improvements using choice-based RM. Although such simulated results must be taken with caution, overall our study suggests that choice-based revenue management is both feasible to execute and economically significant in real-world airline environments.
DNA Sequence Capture and Enrichment by Microarray Followed by Next-Generation Sequencing for Targeted Resequencing: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Gene as a Model
Authors: Chou Lan-Szu , Liu C-S Jonathan , Boese Benjamin , Zhang Xinmin , Mao Rong
Published: November 2009

Background: The introduction and use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques have taken genomic research into a new era; however, implementing such powerful techniques in diagnostics laboratories for applications such as resequencing of targeted disease genes requires attention to technical issues, including sequencing template enrichment, management of massive data, and high interference by homologous sequences.

Methods: In this study, we investigated a process for enriching DNA samples that uses a customized high-density oligonucleotide microarray to enrich a targeted 280-kb region of the NF1 (neurofibromin 1) gene. The captured DNA was sequenced with the Roche/454 GS FLX system. Two NF1 samples (CN1 and CN2) with known genotypes were tested with this protocol.

Results: Targeted microarray capture may also capture sequences from nontargeted regions in the genome. The capture specificity estimated for the targeted NF1 region was approximately 60%. The de novo Alu insertion was partially detected in sample CN1 by additional de novo assembly with 50% base-match stringency; the single-base deletion in sample CN2 was successfully detected by reference mapping. Interferences by pseudogene sequences were removed by means of dual-mode reference-mapping analysis, which reduced the risk of generating false-positive data. The risk of generating false-negative data was minimized with higher sequence coverage (>30×).

Conclusions: We used a clinically relevant complex genomic target to evaluate a microarray-based sample-enrichment process and an NGS instrument for clinical resequencing purposes. The results allowed us to develop a systematic data-analysis strategy and algorithm to fit potential clinical applications.
Emile Papiernik will stay alive in our thoughts
Authors: Arabin Birgit
Published: November 2009

No abstract available
Chirality, a never-ending source of confusion
Authors: Wallentin Carl-Johan , Orentas Edvinas , Wärnmark Kenneth , Wendt Ola F.
Published: November 2009

In this Discussion a few points of confusion concerning chirality are clarified. The term chirodescriptive is proposed for such space groups that lack inversion centres, reflection planes, glide planes or rotary-inversion axes and thus can contain enantiopure, chiral objects. It is pointed out that chiral compounds can (and often do) crystallise in non-chirodescriptive space group when they occur as racemates and in such cases there is no incompatibility between chirality and mirror planes or centres of inversions. We also propose the term raceomorphism to describe the relationship between a conglomerate and a collection of racemic crystals of the same compound.
Royalism and the King: Article 21 of the Rome Statute and the Politics of Sources
Authors: Cryer Robert
Published: November 2009

This article argues that the drafters of the Rome Statute, in their desire to hem in the interpretative mandate granted to the judges of the ICC, have created an unfortunate relationship between the sources of international law in the Court. This has come about because of the creation of a hierarchy of sources in Article 21 of the Statute, which does not comport with general international law or the rules of treaty interpretation. Through an analysis of the use of the various sources of international law in the Al-Bashir case, the article shows how this can distort the definitions of international crimes. It also raises the specter of fragmentation within international criminal law, where crimes such as genocide are interpreted differently in the ICC than elsewhere.
International Court and Private Citizen
Authors: Zahar Alexander
Published: November 2009

The protection of individuals' rights, often necessary against their own states, may sometimes also be necessary against international organizations. This is a particularly delicate matter where the international organization is meant to represent international law and justice. Drawing on the experience of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the author argues that the operations of the International Criminal Court will inevitably have a direct and significant impact on the treatment of individuals in countries that are not able or willing to stand up for their citizens' rights and interests under state laws or international law. The interface of the ICC with the ordinary state national is generally not regulated by the ICC's statute and rules (just as it is not by the ICTY's) and, in the absence of regular and effective state protections, constitutes a lawless frontier at which the court is potentially all-powerful and the individual is at its mercy. The strong state/weak state divide (along with that of citizens enjoying correspondingly strong/weak legal protections) offers the ICC opportunities for evidence-gathering, but also risks damage to the Court's moral standing and reputation for justice. The author concludes that the ICC needs to institute, at the very least, a policy that foresees such situations and aims to maintain a balance of rights and interests in the relationship of international court and private citizen.
"I Beg You, Please Come Testify"—The Problematic Absence of Subpoena Powers at the ICC
Authors: Sluiter Göran
Published: November 2009

The Review Conference on the ICC Statute, which takes place in 2010, offers the first opportunity to repair some of the defects in that instrument. This paper considers the absence of subpoena powers in respect of witnesses as one of the biggest threats to an effective functioning of the ICC. It is demonstrated that the absence of such subpoena powers follows clearly from the ICC Statute and was a deliberate choice during the negotiations, representing a compromise between states against and in favor of a powerful Court. It is submitted that the absence of subpoena powers even entails under the Statute a nonderogable right for witnesses not to appear at the Court. As a result of this, both the quality of fact-finding and the accused's right to a fair trial are seriously jeopardized. The paper proposes as a solution a number of recommendations to the Statute.