bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atrial Fibrillation: A Review of Recent Studies with a Focus on Those from the Duke Clinical Research Institute
Authors: Rao Meena P. , Pokorney Sean D. , Granger Christopher B.
Published: August 2014

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia and accounts for one-third of hospitalizations for rhythm disorders in the United States. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation averages 1% and increases with age. With the aging of the population, the number of patients with atrial fibrillation is expected to increase 150% by 2050, with more than 50% of atrial fibrillation patients being over the age of 80. This increasing burden of atrial fibrillation will lead to a higher incidence of stroke, as patients with atrial fibrillation have a five- to sevenfold greater risk of stroke than the general population. Strokes secondary to atrial fibrillation have a worse prognosis than in patients without atrial fibrillation. Vitamin K antagonists (e.g., warfarin), direct thrombin inhibitors (dabigatran), and factor Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban and apixaban) are all oral anticoagulants that have been FDA approved for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. This review will summarize the experience of anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation with a focus on the experience at the Duke Clinic Research Institute.
Reliability Analysis of a Filtering Reducer under the Discrete Space Environmental Shocks
Authors: Lu Jing , Wang Zhonglai , Chen Wei , Zhang Xuefei , Liu Hao
Published: August 2014

Dynamic reliability analysis of a filtering reducer is performed by accounting for discrete shocks from the space environment. Gears are considered as the lumped mass and meanwhile the meshing between different gears is equivalent to a dynamic system consisting of springs and dampers during construction of the dynamic model. The Newmark method is employed to resolve differential equations, and then the additional acceleration could be obtained, caused by shocks to the filtering reducer. Dynamic reliability analysis is conducted with the help of the Simulink tool for the outputs. The results are hopefully useful for spacecraft mechanism design.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Aspect of Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation (Pathophysiological ParaInflammation)
Authors: Nita Małgorzata , Grzybowski Andrzej , Ascaso Francisco J. , Huerva Valentín
Published: August 2014

The products of oxidative stress trigger chronic low-grade inflammation (pathophysiological parainflammation) process in AMD patients. In early AMD, soft drusen contain many mediators of chronic low-grade inflammation such as C-reactive protein, adducts of the carboxyethylpyrrole protein, immunoglobulins, and acute phase molecules, as well as the complement-related proteins C3a, C5a, C5, C5b-9, CFH, CD35, and CD46. The complement system, mainly alternative pathway, mediates chronic autologous pathophysiological parainflammation in dry and exudative AMD, especially in the Y402H gene polymorphism, which causes hypofunction/lack of the protective complement factor H (CFH) and facilitates chronic inflammation mediated by C-reactive protein (CRP). Microglial activation induces photoreceptor cells injury and leads to the development of dry AMD. Many autoantibodies (antibodies against alpha beta crystallin, alpha-actinin, amyloid, C1q, chondroitin, collagen I, collagen III, collagen IV, elastin, fibronectin, heparan sulfate, histone H2A, histone H2B, hyaluronic acid, laminin, proteoglycan, vimentin, vitronectin, and aldolase C and pyruvate kinase M2) and overexpression of Fcc receptors play role in immune-mediated inflammation in AMD patients and in animal model. Macrophages infiltration of retinal/choroidal interface acts as protective factor in early AMD (M2 phenotype macrophages); however it acts as proinflammatory and proangiogenic factor in advanced AMD (M1 and M2 phenotype macrophages).
IL-1RN VNTR Polymorphism in Adult Dermatomyositis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Kamenarska Zornitsa , Dzhebir Gyulnas , Hristova Maria , Savov Alexey , Vinkov Anton , Kaneva Radka , Mitev Vanio , Dourmishev Lyubomir
Published: August 2014

Polymorphisms in the cytokine genes and their natural antagonists are thought to influence the predisposition to dermatomyositis (DM) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of 86 bp in intron 2 of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) gene leads to the existence of five different alleles which cause differences in the production of both IL-1RA (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist) and IL-1β. The aim of this case-control study was to investigate the association between the IL-1RN VNTR polymorphism and the susceptibility to DM and SLE in Bulgarian patients. Altogether 91 patients, 55 with SLE and 36 with DM, as well as 112 unrelated healthy controls, were included in this study. Only three alleles were identified in both patients and controls ((1) four repeats, (2) two repeats, and (3) five repeats). The IL-1RN*2 allele (P=0.02, OR 2.5, and 95% CI 1.2–5.4) and the 1/2+2/2 genotypes were found prevalent among the SLE patients (P=0.05, OR 2.6, and 95% CI 1–6.3). No association was found between this polymorphism and the ACR criteria for SLE as well as with the susceptibility to DM. Our results indicate that the IL-1RN VNTR polymorphism might play a role in the susceptibility of SLE but not DM.
Intelligent Multiobjective Slip and Speed Ratio Control of a Novel Dual‐Belt Continuously Variable Transmission for Automobiles
Authors: Xie Zhengchao , Wong Pak Kin , Chen Yueqiao , Wong Ka In
Published: August 2014

Van Doorne’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) is the most popular CVT design for automotive transmission, but it is only applicable to low‐power passenger cars because of its low torque capacity. To overcome this limitation of traditional single‐belt CVT, a novel dual‐belt Van Doorne’s CVT (DBVCVT) system, which is applicable to heavy‐duty vehicles, has been previously proposed by the authors. This paper, based on the published analytical model and test rig of DBVCVT, further proposes an intelligent multiobjective fuzzy controller for slip and speed ratio control of DBVCVT. The controller aims to safely control the clamping forces of both the primary and the secondary pulleys in order to improve the transmission efficiency, achieve the accurate speed ratio, and avoid the belt slip under different engine loads and vehicle speeds. The slip, speed ratio, and transmission efficiency dynamics of DBVCVT are firstly analyzed and modeled in this paper. With the aid of a flexible objective function, the analytical model, and fuzzy logic, a Pareto rule base for fuzzy controller is developed for multiobjective DBVCVT control. Experimental results show that the proposed controller for slip and speed ratio regulation of DBVCVT is effective and performs well under different user‐defined weights.
Epigenetic States of Cells of Origin and Tumor Evolution Drive Tumor-Initiating Cell Phenotype and Tumor Heterogeneity
Authors: Chow Kin-Hoe , Shin Dong-Mi , Jenkins Molly H. , Miller Emily E. , Shih David J. , Choi Seungbum , Low Benjamin E. , Philip Vivek , Rybinski Brad , Bronson Roderick T. , Taylor Michael D. , Yun Kyuson
Published: August 2014

A central confounding factor in the development of targeted therapies is tumor cell heterogeneity, particularly in tumor-initiating cells (TIC), within clinically identical tumors. Here, we show how activation of the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) pathway in neural stem and progenitor cells creates a foundation for tumor cell evolution to heterogeneous states that are histologically indistinguishable but molecularly distinct. In spontaneous medulloblastomas that arise in Patched (Ptch)+/− mice, we identified three distinct tumor subtypes. Through cell type–specific activation of the SHH pathway in vivo, we determined that different cells of origin evolved in unique ways to generate these subtypes. Moreover, TICs in each subtype had distinct molecular and cellular phenotypes. At the bulk tumor level, the three tumor subtypes could be distinguished by a 465-gene signature and by differential activation levels of the ERK and AKT pathways. Notably, TICs from different subtypes were differentially sensitive to SHH or AKT pathway inhibitors, highlighting new mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies. In summary, our results show how evolutionary processes act on distinct cells of origin to contribute to tumoral heterogeneity, at both bulk tumor and TIC levels. Cancer Res; 74(17); 4864–74. ©2014 AACR.
Matching Wits with Melanoma Brain Metastases: From Biology to Therapeutics
Authors: Tawbi Hussein
Published: August 2014

Melanoma brain metastases (MBM) present a significant clinical challenge. Molecular profiling of MBM is useful to identify molecular pathways, such as the PI3K pathway, that are specifically and differentially altered in MBM. Therapeutic studies should recruit patients with MBM and prospective tissue collection will lay the foundation for further advances. Clin Cancer Res; 20(21); 5346–8. ©2014 AACR.
Hormone Whodunit: Clues for Solving the Case of Intratumor Androgen Production
Authors: Knudsen Karen E.
Published: August 2014

One of the key mechanisms by which prostate cancer cells evade hormone therapy is through intratumor testosterone production. New evidence points toward androstenedione as a potential precursor of intratumor androgen production and furthers nomination of AKR1C3 as a therapeutic target in advanced disease. Clin Cancer Res; 20(21); 5343–5. ©2014 AACR.
Heart Failure as a Risk Factor for Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Guglin Maya , Lynch Kristian , Krischer Jeffrey
Published: August 2014

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a well-recognized risk factor for heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that HF also increases the risk for DM. Objective: We explored the hypothesis that HF is a risk factor for DM. Methods: The Cardiovascular Health Study was a prospective cohort study of cardiovascular risk in ambulatory older adults. We used a limited-access dataset provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The impact of HF at baseline on DM after 3 or 4 years was examined in a cohort of 3,748 nondiabetic participants aged ≥65 years. The magnitude and significance of the association were evaluated using logistic regression models. Analyses were performed with and without adjustment for confounders and separately among subjects with normal and impaired fasting glucose at baseline. Results: Among subjects with normal fasting glucose at baseline, HF significantly increased the odds of developing impaired fasting glucose after 3 or 4 years [odds ratio (OR) 2.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-4.61, p = 0.043] or overt DM (OR 4.78, 95% CI 1.84-12.4, p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographic and biomedical factors, HF remained significantly associated with a worsening DM status (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.38-4.29, p = 0.002). Conclusions: In the elderly population, the presence of HF more than doubles the incidence of DM within a few years. This association remains significant when adjusting for age, gender and cardiovascular comorbidities.
Single-Stage Multiple-Tract Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in the Treatment of Staghorn Stones under Total Ultrasonography Guidance
Authors: Fei Xiang , Li Jianxing , Song Yan , Wu Bin
Published: August 2014

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-stage multiple-tract percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in the treatment of staghorn stones solely guided by ultrasonography (US). Patients and Methods: From May 2007 to July 2012, 55 single-stage multiple-tract PCNL procedures were performed (53 patients, of whom 2 had bilateral stones). Caliceal puncture and dilatation were performed under US guidance in all cases. The procedure was evaluated for access success, length of postoperative hospital stay, complications (modified Clavien system), and stone clearance. Results: The mean (±SD) operating time was 84.87 ± 24.9 min, with a mean (±SD) postoperative hospital stay of 5.2 ± 1.31 days. The patients experienced a mean (±SD) decrease in hemoglobin level of 8.23 ± 2.39 g/l and the stone-free rate after single-stage surgery was 78.18%. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was indicated in 2 cases as an auxiliary treatment. There were 10 grade 1 (62.5%) and 6 grade 2 (37.5%) complications; however, there were no complications above grade 3. Conclusion: Total US-guided single-stage multiple-tract PCNL for treating staghorn calculi in selected cases is safe, feasible, and may be performed with an acceptable morbidity and with the advantage of preventing radiation hazards and damage to adjacent organs.
The Opioid System and Brain Development: Effects of Methadone on the Oligodendrocyte Lineage and the Early Stages of Myelination
Authors: Vestal-Laborde Allison A. , Eschenroeder Andrew C. , Bigbee John W. , Robinson Susan E. , Sato-Bigbee Carmen
Published: August 2014

Oligodendrocytes express opioid receptors throughout development, but the role of the opioid system in myelination remains poorly understood. This is a significant problem as opioid use and abuse continue to increase in two particular populations: pregnant addicts (in whom drug effects could target early myelination in the fetus and newborn) and adolescents and young adults (in whom late myelination of ‘higher-order' regions takes place). Maintenance treatments for opioid addicts include the long-lasting opioids methadone and buprenorphine. Similar to our previous findings on the effects of buprenorphine, we have now found that early myelination in the developing rat brain is also altered by perinatal exposure to therapeutic doses of methadone. Pups exposed to this drug exhibited elevated brain levels of the 4 major splicing variants of myelin basic protein, myelin proteolipid protein, and myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. Consistent with the enrichment and function of these proteins in mature myelin, analysis of the corpus callosum in these young animals also indicated an elevated number of axons with already highly compacted myelin sheaths. Moreover, studies in cultured cells showed that methadone exerts direct effects at specific stages of the oligodendrocyte lineage, stimulating the proliferation of progenitor cells while on the other hand accelerating the maturation of the more differentiated but still immature preoligodendrocytes. While the long-term effects of these observations remain unknown, accelerated or increased oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination could both disrupt the complex sequence of synchronized events leading to normal connectivity in the developing brain. Together with our previous observations on the effects of buprenorphine, the present findings further underscore a crucial function of the endogenous opioid system in the control of oligodendrocyte development and the timing of myelination. Interference with these regulatory systems by opioid use or maintenance treatments could disrupt the normal process of brain maturation at critical stages of myelin formation.
Safe and Effective Use of Chronic Transdermal Estradiol for Life-Threatening Uremic Bleeding in a Patient with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Bali Atul , Hix John Kevin , Kouides Peter
Published: August 2014

Uremic platelet dysfunction rarely causes significant bleeding in adequately dialyzed patients. When encountered, the management is complicated by a lack of well-supported treatment modalities. Estrogen use in uremic platelet dysfunction has been described, but enthusiasm for the treatment has been dampened by the risk of thrombotic events in vasculopathic dialysis patients. We present a patient on long-term peritoneal dialysis with coronary disease who developed recurrent life-threatening bleeding episodes secondary to uremia, where treatment with transdermal estrogen was used safely and effectively for a 24-month period.
Scaphocephaly and Cranial Vault Reconstruction: Renier's ‘H' Technique
Authors: Melo Jose Roberto Tude , Portella Junior Caio Sander Andrade , Lelis Lucas Chaves , Pires de Lima Emanoel
Published: August 2014

Background: Resulting from an early fusion of the sagittal suture, scaphocephaly (SC) is the most frequent form of all craniosynostosis and represents 40-60% of all cases. The scope of this study is to describe the first series of Renier's ‘H' technique to be applied in children with SC outside of France. Methods: A consecutive review is made of the medical records of children hospitalized in the last 6 years (between March 2007 and March 2013) with isolated SC in whom Renier's ‘H' technique was performed. Results: Thirteen children met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Considering medical evaluation and parental satisfaction, the evaluation of postsurgical cranial reconstruction was classified as satisfactory in all cases. Conclusions: We consider the Renier's H technique to be effective in the cranial reshaping of children with isolated SC, with satisfactory esthetic postsurgical results.
Detailed Analysis of Bone Marrow From Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease and Left Ventricular Dysfunction
Authors: Cogle Christopher R. , Wise Elizabeth , Meacham Amy M. , Zierold Claudia , Traverse Jay H. , Henry Timothy D. , Perin Emerson C. , Willerson James T. , Ellis Stephen G. , Carlson Marjorie , Zhao David X.M. , Bolli Roberto , Cooke John P. , Anwaruddin Saif , Bhatnagar Aruni , da Graca Cabreira-Hansen Maria , Grant Maria B. , Lai Dejian , Moyé Lem , Ebert Ray F. , Olson Rachel E. , Sayre Shelly L. , Schulman Ivonne H. , Bosse Raphael C. , Scott Edward W. , Simari Robert D. , Pepine Carl J. , Taylor Doris A.
Published: August 2014

Rationale
:

Bone marrow (BM) cell therapy for ischemic heart disease (IHD) has shown mixed results. Before the full potency of BM cell therapy can be realized, it is essential to understand the BM niche after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Objective
:

To study the BM composition in patients with IHD and severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.

Methods and Results
:

BM from 280 patients with IHD and LV dysfunction were analyzed for cell subsets by flow cytometry and colony assays. BM CD34
+
cell percentage was decreased 7 days after AMI (mean of 1.9% versus 2.3%–2.7% in other cohorts;
P
<0.05). BM-derived endothelial colonies were significantly decreased (
P
<0.05). Increased BM CD11b
+
cells associated with worse LV ejection fraction (LVEF) after AMI (
P
<0.05). Increased BM CD34
+
percentage associated with greater improvement in LVEF (+9.9% versus +2.3%;
P
=0.03, for patients with AMI and +6.6% versus −0.02%;
P
=0.021 for patients with chronic IHD). In addition, decreased BM CD34
+
percentage in patients with chronic IHD correlated with decrement in LVEF (−2.9% versus +0.7%;
P
=0.0355).

Conclusions
:

In this study, we show a heterogeneous mixture of BM cell subsets, decreased endothelial colony capacity, a CD34+ cell nadir 7 days after AMI, a negative correlation between CD11b percentage and postinfarct LVEF, and positive correlation of CD34 percentage with change in LVEF after cell therapy. These results serve as a possible basis for the small clinical improvement seen in autologous BM cell therapy trials and support selection of potent cell subsets and reversal of comorbid BM impairment.

Clinical Trial Registrations
:

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT00684021, NCT00684060, and NCT00824005
Allopurinol Initiation and Change in Blood Pressure in Older Adults With Hypertension
Authors: Beattie Catherine J. , Fulton Rachael L. , Higgins Peter , Padmanabhan Sandosh , McCallum Linsay , Walters Matthew R. , Dominiczak Anna F. , Touyz Rhian M. , Dawson Jesse
Published: August 2014

Hypertension is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and new treatments are needed. Uric acid reduction lowers blood pressure (BP) in adolescents, suggesting a direct pathophysiological role in the development of hypertension. Whether the same relationship is present in older adults is unknown. We explored change in BP after allopurinol initiation using data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Data were extracted for patients with hypertension aged >65 years who were prescribed allopurinol with pretreatment and during treatment BP readings. Data from comparable controls were extracted. The change in BP in patients with stable BP medication was the primary outcome and was compared between groups. Regression analysis was used to adjust for potential confounding factors, and a propensity-matched sample was generated. Three hundred sixty-five patients who received allopurinol and 6678 controls were included. BP fell in the allopurinol group compared with controls (between-group difference in systolic and diastolic BP: 2.1 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, −0.6 to 4.8; and 1.7 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 0.4–3.1, respectively). Allopurinol use was independently associated with a fall in both systolic and diastolic BP on regression analysis (
P
<0.001). Results were consistent in the propensity-matched sample. There was a trend toward greater fall in BP in the high-dose allopurinol group, but change in BP was not related to baseline uric acid level. Allopurinol use is associated with a small fall in BP in adults. Further studies of the effect of high-dose allopurinol in adults with hypertension are needed.
New species of Oropezella Collin (Diptera, Hybotidae, Ocydromiinae) from Brazil and Costa Rica, with comments on the relationships among species-groups
Authors: ALE-ROCHA ROSALY , FREITAS-SILVA RAFAEL AUGUSTO PINHEIRO DE
Published: August 2014

The following sixteen new species of Oropezella from Brazil and Costa Rica are described and illustrated: Oropezella aquila sp. nov., O. arcuata sp. nov., O. bicolor sp. nov., O. bipunctata sp. nov., O. clavata sp. nov., O. costaricensis sp. nov., O. falcata sp. nov., O. flavida sp. nov., O. granulosa sp. nov., O. longifrons sp. nov., O. planti sp. nov., O. plaumanni sp. nov., O. rafaeli sp. nov., O. spathula sp. nov., O. uncata sp. nov. and O. undulata sp. nov. A new combination is proposed: Oropezella amazonica (Rafael & Ale-Rocha, 1990) is transferred from Ocydromia. Additionally, an identification key to all 25 Neotropical and Andean species of Oropezella is provided. A cladistic analysis of Oropezella using 29 species from the Neotropical, Andean, Palearctic and Neozelandic regions is performed and its results and implications discussed.
Correction of the spelling of Trichomycterus eichhorniarum Miranda Ribeiro, 1912 (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae)
Authors: KOERBER STEFAN , AZPELICUETA MARÍA DE LAS MERCEDES
Published: August 2014

Miranda Ribeiro (1912) described Trichomycterus eichorniarum based on specimens caught between the pseudo-rhizomes of the water hyacinth Eichhornia azurea and named the species referring to this circumstance. In the description he missed an ‘h’ in both, the specific name and the provided reference to ‘Eichornea’. The latter is an orthographical variant of this generic name that should be “corrected to the validly published form of that name” according to Article 61.4 of the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (Melbourne Code) (McNeill 2012).
The cicada genus Karenia Distant, 1888 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), with description of a new species
Authors: PHAM HONG-THAI , CONSTANT JEROME
Published: August 2014

The cicadas of the genus Karenia are reviewed, and Karenia tibetensis sp.nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) is described from Tibet, China. Pictures of the male adult and illustrations of the male genitalia are provided. A key to the species of Karenia is presented and the distribution of the Karenia species is discussed
A new Protzia species and the first description of the female Atractides (Polymegapus) persicus Pešić & Asadi 2010 from Turkey
Authors: GÜLLE PINAR , BOYACI YUNUS ÖMER
Published: August 2014

In this study, there is a description of a new species, Protzia longiacetabulata n.sp., and P. squamosa Walter, 1908 representing a new Protzia record for the fauna of Turkey. Protzia longiacetabulata n.sp. is closest to the P. halberti from the P. rotunda species group and identified from these species by the number of the leg claws and acetabuli. Furthermore, there is the first description of the female of Atractides persicus Pešić & Asadi, 2010, for which there is a description from Iran of the male.
Redescription of Ypsolopha kotzschi (Toll, 1947) (Lepidoptera, Ypsolophidae)
Authors: BARANIAK EDWARD , WALCZAK URSZULA
Published: August 2014

Ypsolopha kotzschi (Toll, 1947) was described from a single male collected by H. Kotzsch and his wife in the Kuh-i-Mirabi Mountains (mountain range between Mashhad and Neyshãbũr), NE Iran in 1938. The specimen was transported on cotton wool. This preparation resulted in its poor condition (antennae almost completely destroyed). No additional specimens have been reported since.
Synopsis of the genus Pseudosparna Mermudes & Monné (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), with description of two new species
Authors: MONNÉ MIGUEL A. , MONNÉ MARCELA L.
Published: August 2014

Two new species of Pseudosparna Mermudes & Monné, 2009 are described: P. tucurui sp. nov. from Brazil (Pará) and P. pichincha sp. nov. from Ecuador (Pichincha). A key to the species of Pseudosparna is also included.
An Assessment of Ambassador Luo Jialun’s Mission to India
Authors: Tien-Sze Fang
Published: August 2014

Luo Jialun (1897– 1969) was the first Ambassador of the Republic of China to India. In his tenure as Ambassador to India (1947– 9), he had intensive interactions with leaders of newly independent India. He was also often consulted for his expertise and opinions related to nation building. Unfortunately, his ambassadorship ended in December 1949 after New Delhi decided to recognise the communist-ruled People’s Republic of China and break off diplomatic ties with the Republic of China. Acknowledging that Luo’s diplomatic career in India has not received much publicity, this article tries to establish the significance of his India mission. The article argues that Luo should not be blamed for the severance of diplomatic relations between India and the Republic of China, which was affected by the global and regional systemic changes resulting from the defeat of the Nationalist government in China. Despite the eventual severance of ties, Luo’s passage to India from May 1947 to January 1950 was largely productive. He had relied on his knowledge and experience to fulfil his assignment as an envoy.
Hu Shih and ‘The Indianisation of China’
Authors: Sheel Kamal
Published: August 2014

Hu Shih was one of the most significant philosophers and intellectuals of China during the early twentieth century. As a professor of philosophy at Peking University, as a leader of the ‘bai-hua’ movement, and as an ideologue behind the famous May Fourth Movement of 1919, he was among the first contributors for radical ideological change and modernity in China. His article on the ‘Indianization of China’ presented a scathing criticism of Indian influence on China that inhibited the blooming of ‘indigenous modernity’, progressivism and dynamism there. Hu’s views supported contemporary ‘modernist’ Chinese intellectuals’ labelling of India under the British as a ‘ruined’ civilisation, ‘failed’ state or incapable role model for the agenda of modernity. Yet, he did not overlook affinities, mutual respect and admiration for those in India searching for ‘indigenous roots’ to modernity. His famous observation that ‘India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border’ is one of the most quoted sentences in any study of Sino-Indian encounters and connections. This article highlights multiple shades of Hu Shih’s interpretation of India.
India’s Political Leaders and Nationalist China
Authors: Deepak B. R.
Published: August 2014

This article discusses how, owing to the commonalities in thoughts and actions of Indian and Chinese nationalists, they forged close ties not only at the individual, but also at the organizational, levels. It posits that while the early Indian nationalists sought to pursue the path of armed struggle to dislodge the British from India, in the second phase leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC) sought to establish links with the Kuomintang (KMT), the ruling party in China. The Indian leadership, especially Nehru, was of the view that there was much in common in the struggle carried out in different colonial countries, including the unification drive in China in the 1920s, and that therefore there was a need to forge close ties to support each other’s struggles. It was this thinking of Nehru and others national leaders including Gandhi that culminated in Nehru’s China visit in 1939 and Chiang Kai-shek’s India visit in 1942, although Chiang’s prime objective was to muster India’s support for the Allied war effort. The quest for alliance with China did not die out even after the Chinese Revolution; however, developments that unfolded thereafter led in a different direction.
Spillover Effects of an Uninsured Population
Authors: Timmermans Stefan , Orrico Laura A. , Smith Jasmine
Published: August 2014

A lack of health insurance has long been associated with negative effects on individual and family health due to access barriers. However, we know little about how a lack of health insurance affects wider communities beyond health care. Based on in-depth interviews in two Los Angeles communities, we report how a lack of health insurance affects the functioning of religious institutions and schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. We find a negative spillover effect at the individual and institutional levels for schools experiencing greater absenteeism due to health insurance problems of pupils. However, we find that religious organizations are little affected by a lack of health insurance of adherents. Instead, churches offer health programs as a means to engage their communities. Besides documenting a negative and a positive spillover effect, we offer a conceptual framework for the qualitative study of health spillover effects and examine the policy implications of our findings.
Does “Out of Work” Get into the Womb? Exploring the Relationship between Unemployment and Adverse Birth Outcomes
Authors: Scharber Helen
Published: August 2014

This study uses Texas vital records from 1994 to 2003 to examine the relationship between self-reported maternal unemployment and birth outcomes, including birthweight and infant mortality. In the preferred specification, a sample containing 1,344, 605 sibling births to 604,649 mothers was used. Regression results indicated that within the same women, being unemployed was associated with lower average birthweights and higher rates of infant mortality than being engaged in market work, especially when unemployment preceded market work, and a range of hypothesized mediators did little to attenuate these relationships. Interaction models revealed that the poor average birth outcomes related to unemployment were driven by observations with at least one other indicator of health complication, such as presence of a medical risk factor. These results confirm that the relationship between unemployment and mother-child health varies across individuals, although further research is needed to understand the causal linkages connecting unemployment, health risks, and birth outcomes.
Stress Proliferation across Generations? Examining the Relationship between Parental Incarceration and Childhood Health
Authors: Turney Kristin
Published: August 2014

Stress proliferation theory suggests that parental incarceration may have deleterious intergenerational health consequences. In this study, I use data from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) to estimate the relationship between parental incarceration and children’s fair or poor overall health, a range of physical and mental health conditions, activity limitations, and chronic school absence. Descriptive statistics show that children of incarcerated parents are a vulnerable population who experience disadvantages across an array of health outcomes. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and familial characteristics, I find that parental incarceration is independently associated with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, behavioral or conduct problems, developmental delays, and speech or language problems. Taken together, results suggest that children’s health disadvantages are an overlooked and unintended consequence of mass incarceration and that incarceration, given its unequal distribution across the population, may have implications for population-level racial-ethnic and social class inequalities in children’s health.
Gender and Reinforcing Associations between Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Body Mass over the Life Course
Authors: Pudrovska Tetyana , Reither Eric N. , Logan Ellis S. , Sherman-Wilkins Kyler J.
Published: August 2014

Using the 1957–1993 data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we explore reciprocal associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and body mass in the 1939 birth cohort of non-Hispanic white men and women. We integrate the fundamental cause theory, the gender relations theory, and the life course perspective to analyze gender differences in (a) the ways that early socioeconomic disadvantage launches bidirectional associations of body mass and SES and (b) the extent to which these mutually reinforcing effects generate socioeconomic disparities in midlife body mass. Using structural equation modeling, we find that socioeconomic disadvantage at age 18 is related to higher body mass index and a greater risk of obesity at age 54, and that this relationship is significantly stronger for women than men. Moreover, women are more adversely affected by two mechanisms underlying the focal association: the obesogenic effect of socioeconomic disadvantage and the SES-impeding effect of obesity. These patterns were also replicated in propensity score–matching models. We conclude that gender and SES act synergistically over the life course to shape reciprocal chains of two disadvantaged statuses: heavier body mass and lower SES.
Temporal Flexibility and its Limits: The Personal Use of ICTs at Work
Authors: Rose Emily
Published: August 2014

Employee temporal flexibility is a common strategy aimed at assisting workers to reduce conflict between work and family life. Information and communication technologies can facilitate this by enabling employees to attend to various personal life matters during the workday. Critical to utilising such flexibility is a degree of autonomy over how work time can be used. However, in organisational settings, such autonomy is tempered by structural and normative constraints. This article examines how environments of constrained autonomy affect employees’ ability to use time flexibly. Case study data of engineers and managers working in the telecommunications industry is presented. This reveals two findings. Firstly, environments of constrained autonomy limit when during the workday employees can engage in personal mediated communications. Secondly, when personal time is inserted into such contexts, the quantitative and qualitative character of this time is affected.
Gender and hardiness as predictors of career adaptability: an exploratory study among Black call centre agents
Authors: Coetzee Melinde , Harry Nisha
Published: August 2014

The call centre career poses developmental challenges that require high levels of hardiness and career adaptability. This article explores whether call centre agents’ gender and hardiness significantly and positively predicted their career adaptability, and whether women and men differed significantly regarding their hardiness and career adaptability. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 409 early-career Black African call centre agents (mean age = 32 years; 66% females). Correlations, stepwise hierarchical regression analysis and the Mann–Whitney U test for significant mean differences were performed to achieve the objective of the study. The results showed that gender significantly predicted career adaptability and that the females had significantly higher levels of career adaptability than their male counterparts. A high sense of hardy control and a low tolerance for unpredictability predicted higher levels of career adaptability. In the light of the paucity of research on the hardiness and career adaptability of Black women and men in the African context, the research contributed valuable new insights that may inform career development interventions for Black call centre agents. The results of the study emphasise the importance of developing call centre agents’ hardiness in order to strengthen their career adaptability. The results further indicated that the diverse strengths and growth areas of women and men in terms of developing their career adaptability must be considered in career development interventions.
Novel improved cuckoo search for PID controller design
Authors: Jin Qibing , Qi Linfeng , Jiang Beiyan , Wang Qi
Published: August 2014

The cuckoo search is a new bio-inspired algorithm with few parameters to be adjusted. In this paper, the parameters of the basic cuckoo search, nest number, discovered probability and step length are discussed. However, when the search scope is large the efficiency of the basic cuckoo search may decrease, so a novel improved cuckoo search is introduced to cope with the issue. Meanwhile, eight benchmark functions are employed to show the efficiency of the proposed cuckoo search. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is utilized in designing PID controllers. Compared with the traditional Ziegler–Nichols PID (ZNPID), the controllers provided by the proposed algorithm are more effective, in that the overshoot and the transient time of the controllers are both smaller than ZNPID. While compared with particle swarm optimization and the basic cuckoo search, the convergence rate and accuracy of the proposed algorithm is better.
Group Ethical Voice
Authors: Huang Lei , Paterson Ted A.
Published: August 2014

Interest in the important role that ethical leaders play in organizations has expanded in recent years because of several high-profile corporate ethical breakdowns and the increased responsibility placed upon corporate leaders as a result. In the present study, we introduce a new outcome of ethical leadership: group ethical voice. We further theorized and tested two mediating mechanisms linking ethical leadership with group ethical voice. Using two field studies and one experimental study, we found support for our assertion that ethical leadership was positively associated with group ethical voice. We also found support for most of our hypothesized mediating mechanisms (ethical culture and group ethical voice efficacy) linking ethical leadership with group ethical voice—except for the indirect effect of upper-level ethical leadership on group ethical voice via group ethical voice efficacy. We further found that group ethical voice positively influenced ethical performance (significant for the sales groups, marginally significant for the customer service groups). Contributions to both ethical leadership and voice literature are discussed along with the limitations of the current study and directions for future research.
In Search of the Spirit in Spiritual Assets
Authors: Smith Colin
Published: August 2014

This article discusses the concept of spiritual assets or spiritual capital in community development and social transformation. It argues that much of the existing discourse on the subject tends to be reductionist in its approach, often limiting discussion of spiritual assets to the social and cultural capital of religious organizations. The study proposes an understanding of spiritual assets which acknowledges the creative and sustaining work of the Spirit in enabling and motivating communities to envision, and discern paths of renewal and social transformation.
Prevalence of human papillomavirus and Epstein–Barr virus in salivary gland diseases
Authors: Lin Frank Cheau-Feng , Chen Pei-Liang , Tsao Tang-Yi , Li Chia-Ru , Jeng Kee-Ching , Tsai Stella Chin-Shaw
Published: August 2014

Objective

The roles of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) in head and neck neoplasms have been well reported, but little is known about their relationship with salivary gland tumours. This study investigated the presence of HPV and EBV in salivary gland diseases.

Methods

The presence of HPV 16/18 and EBV was analysed in archival pathological specimens collected from patients who had undergone surgery for salivary gland diseases. HPV 16/18 DNA was detected using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and further confirmed with immunohistochemistry. EBV DNA was detected using real-time PCR.

Results

A total of 61 pathological specimens were examined: 39.5% (15/38) of pleomorphic adenomas, 33.3% (3/9) of Warthin’s tumours, 33.3% (one of 3) of mucoepidermoid carcinomas, and 25.0% (one of 4) of benign lymphoepithelial lesions were positive for high-risk HPV 16/18. Only two Warthin’s tumours were positive for EBV.

Conclusion

The infectious nature of salivary gland neoplasms was revealed by the high prevalence of HPV infection, and the specific presence of EBV in Warthin’s tumours, suggesting a potential role for HPV and EBV in salivary gland diseases.
Interobserver and Intraobserver Reliability of the Radiographic Analysis of Femoroacetabular Impingement and Dysplasia Using Computer-Assisted Measurements
Authors: Nepple Jeffrey J. , Martell John M. , Kim Young-Jo , Zaltz Ira , Millis Michael B. , Podeszwa David A. , Sucato Daniel J. , Sink Ernest L. , Clohisy John C. ,   for the ANCHOR Study Group
Published: August 2014

Background:

A comprehensive evaluation of hip radiographs in the young adult with hip pain has become increasingly complex and time consuming. The interobserver reliability of manually performed measurements of femoroacetabular impingement, including the alpha angle, has been questioned. Methods to improve the reliability of a radiographic evaluation may increase the clinical utility of these parameters.

Purpose:

To determine the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of a computer-assisted radiographic analysis of the young adult hip in a clinically relevant setting.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A reliability study of a comprehensive computer-assisted radiographic evaluation was performed, which included 25 radiographic parameters of proximal femoral morphology, acetabular morphology, hip osteoarthritis, and pelvic tilt/rotation. Anteroposterior pelvis and 45° Dunn lateral radiographs of 70 consecutive patients undergoing hip preservation surgery were included. Each radiograph was analyzed by 4 experienced hip surgeons. The reliability of continuous measurements was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), while categorical parameters were analyzed using κ values and percentages of agreement.

Results:

The interobserver reliability of the parameters of proximal femoral morphology, acetabular morphology, and osteoarthritis was generally substantial to excellent. Parameters with lesser interobserver reliability included the alpha angle (ICC, 0.43), Tönnis osteoarthritis classification (κ = 0.22), and classification of pelvic tilt (using the coccyx or sacrococcygeal joint) (κ = 0.43 and 0.61, respectively).

Conclusion:

A computer-assisted analysis of young adult hip radiographs generally demonstrates substantial to excellent levels of interobserver reliability for most parameters. However, alpha angle measurements demonstrated only moderate interobserver reliability, despite excellent intraobserver reliability. Measurements of the joint space width appear to be significantly more reliable than the use of the Tönnis osteoarthritis classification in this population. The classification of pelvic tilt utilizing the coccyx or sacrococcygeal joint is only moderately reliable.
Conversion of waste polypropylene to liquid fuel using acid-activated kaolin
Authors: Panda Achyut K , Singh RK
Published: August 2014

Waste polypropylene was subjected to thermal degradation in the presence of kaolin and acid-treated kaolin, with different catalyst-to-plastics ratios, in a semi-batch reactor at a temperature range of 400–550°C to obtain optimized process conditions for the production of liquid fuels. The effects of process temperature, catalyst and feed composition on yield and quality of the oil were determined. For a thermal decomposition reaction at up to 450°C, the major product is volatile oil; and the major products at a higher temperature (475–550°C) are either viscous liquid or wax. The highest yield of condensed fraction in the thermal reaction is 82.85% by weight at 500°C. Use of kaolin and acid-treated kaolin as a catalyst decreased the reaction time and increased the yield of liquid fraction. The major product of catalysed degradation at all temperatures is highly volatile liquid oil. The maximum oil yield using kaolin and acid-treated kaolin is 87.5% and 92%, respectively, at 500°C. The oil obtained was characterized using GC-MS for its composition and different fuel properties by IS methods.
Two gear-grinding techniques to improve pitch deviations of ultra-precision gears
Authors: Ling Siying , Zhang Bing , Zhang Jun , Wang Liding
Published: August 2014

The ultra-precision master gear with high pitch accuracy has important applications in the calibration of high-precision gear measuring instruments or coordinate measuring machines and in military industries. In order to improve pitch deviations of ultra-precision gear, two gear-grinding techniques to improve pitch deviations of ultra-precision gear were proposed. First, based on the indexing plate system, the working principle of indexing plate and error transferring rules were discussed, and the technical approaches of decreasing the geometric eccentricity were proposed. Then according to the error interference principle, the offset-compensated technique and the neighbour-tooth translocation technique were proposed to improve the pitch machining accuracy of ultra-precision master gear. Finally, precision gear-grinding experiments were conducted by adopting the neighbour-tooth translocation technique based on offset-compensated technique. And the single pitch deviation fp of the test specimen is reduced from 1.06 to 0.63μm and the total cumulative pitch deviation Fp is reduced from 3.11 to 1.98μm with measurement uncertainty U95 = 0.33μm, which both reach the highest class (class 1 defining in ISO 1328-1:2013). The results show the efficiency and practicability of the two gear-grinding techniques to machine ultra-precision master gear.
Lateral dynamics simulations of a three-wheeled tilting vehicle
Authors: Berote Johan , Darling Jos , Plummer Andrew
Published: August 2014

A novel tilting three-wheeled vehicle was developed at the University of Bath as part of a project funded by the European Union. The space and weight savings provided by this type of vehicle could be a solution to the pollution and congestion problems seen in urban environments. The direct tilt control method originally implemented on the prototype was shown to perform well in the steady state, but rapid transients were shown to lead potentially to rollover instability. To investigate this phenomenon and to design an improved controller, a multi-body model was combined with a lateral dynamics single-track model to predict both the steady-state behaviour and the transient behaviour. With this model, it was possible to obtain an accurate representation of the kinematic and dynamic roll motions of the vehicle and the resultant weight transfer across the rear axle, together with the lateral dynamics of the vehicle. The simple lateral dynamics model provided an easily understood physical representation of the system which can often be hidden in a complex multi-body model. This paper presents the development of the model and its validation against data from static and dynamic tests.