bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serving the Self From the Seat of Power
Authors: Williams Melissa J.
Published: March 2014

Why do some leaders use their position to amass personal prestige and resources, and others to benefit the team, the organization, or society? This article synthesizes new, cross-disciplinary research showing that self-serving leader behavior is predictable based on the function and nature of power—an essential component of leadership. First, because power increases goal-oriented behavior, it amplifies the tendency of self-focused goals to yield self-interested behavior. Self-focused goals may arise from a variety of sources; evidence is reviewed for the role of traits (e.g., low agreeableness), values (e.g., self-enhancement), self-construal (e.g., independence), and motivation (e.g., personalized power motivation). Second, because power is generally desirable, leaders whose power is threatened (e.g., self-doubts, positional instability) will turn their focus to maintaining that power—even at others’ expense. These ideas have important implications for research and for organizational efforts to develop leaders who will improve others’ outcomes rather than merely benefit themselves.
Understanding Intergovernmental Relations, Twenty-five Years Hence
Authors: Burke Brendan F.
Published: March 2014

This article reviews Deil Wright’s textbook, Understanding Intergovernmental Relations, and assesses its current relevance to its field of coverage. Wright’s last edition of this book was published in 1988. This article, after describing significant lessons from the textbook, summarizes Wright’s related research and commentary from the following two decades, and also analyzes three current intergovernmental topics based on four of Wright’s most important metaphors and historical observations. The 1988 book remains relevant to intergovernmental relations today, though it only tangentially informs the more cross-sectoral turn that the field has taken in recent years.
The farcical side to the war on media piracy: a popular case of Divine Comedy?
Authors: Cvetkovski Trajce
Published: March 2014

This article examines illegal consumption in popular media. Corporate citizens have portrayed media piracy as an activity comprising several layers of illegal and morally derelict behaviour. They have waged a most aggressive war against consumers and technology pioneers. The need for deterrence, it appears, is obvious. However the internet paints a different picture. It reminds us just how little people care about breaking copyright laws. Online parodies concerning anti-piracy campaigns also affirm this development. This article revisits the war on piracy and the strategies adopted. It assesses the success of campaigns aimed at consumers. An argument that deterrence has a paradoxical and somewhat comical effect is advanced. The final part explores the nexus between parody and piracy. Social networking has created a potentially subversive force by encouraging farcical representations of centralized copyright governance models. The dramas are indeed sublime. It appears Dante was right about the human condition.
African American Clergy Involvement in Marriage Preparation
Authors: Wilmoth Joe D. , Blaney Abigail D.
Published: March 2014

Marital stability has been linked to multiple social and economic advantages, particularly for African Americans. Clergy provide the majority of marriage preparation in the United States, but historically African American denominations have not been sampled systematically. To address this issue, we conducted an exploratory survey investigating African American clergy members’ behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions about providing marriage preparation. Data were collected from 141 members of the seven primarily African American denominations and compared with 793 clergy from the 15 largest, predominantly White, congregations. African American clergy were significantly more likely than clergy in the comparison group to say they addressed premarital content effectively, say they utilized a skills-based approach to teaching communication, require a longer waiting period, more sessions, more homework assignments, and consider marriage preparation a valuable part of their ministry and to believe that couples had benefited from marriage preparation.
Exercise training programs to improve hand rim wheelchair propulsion capacity: a systematic review
Authors: Zwinkels Maremka , Verschuren Olaf , Janssen Thomas WJ , Ketelaar Marjolijn , Takken Tim ,   on behalf of the Sport-2-Stay-Fit study group, Backx FJG , de Groot JF , Takken T , Smits DW , Verschuren OW , Visser-Meily JMA , Volman MJ , Wittink HW , Zwinkels M
Published: March 2014

Objective:

An adequate wheelchair propulsion capacity is required to perform daily life activities. Exercise training may be effective to gain or improve wheelchair propulsion capacity. This review investigates whether different types of exercise training programs are effective in improving wheelchair propulsion capacity.

Data sources:

PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from their respective inceptions in October 2013.

Review methods:

Exercise training studies with at least one outcome measure regarding wheelchair propulsion capacity were included. In this study wheelchair propulsion capacity includes four parameters to reflect functional wheelchair propulsion: cardio-respiratory fitness (aerobic capacity), anaerobic capacity, muscular fitness and mechanical efficiency. Articles were not selected on diagnosis, training type or mode. Studies were divided into four training types: interval, endurance, strength, and mixed training. Methodological quality was rated with the PEDro scale, and the level of evidence was determined.

Results:

The 21 included studies represented 249 individuals with spinal-cord injury (50%), various diagnoses like spina bifida (4%), cerebral palsy (2%), traumatic injury, (3%) and able-bodied participants (38%). All interval training studies found a significant improvement of 18-64% in wheelchair propulsion capacity. Three out of five endurance training studies reported significant effectiveness. Methodological quality was generally poor and there were only two randomised controlled trials.

Conclusion:

Exercise training programs seem to be effective in improving wheelchair propulsion capacity. However, there is remarkably little research, particularly for individuals who do not have spinal-cord injury.
Unproductive Activity and Endogenous Technological Change in a Marxian Model of Economic Reproduction and Growth
Authors: Olsen Erik K.
Published: March 2014

This paper integrates unproductive activity into a Marxist growth model based on Marx’s reproduction schemes. Labor extraction and technological change are related to the production and distribution of surplus and thus are endogenous. Unproductive labor is shown to have potentially contradictory effects. It can squeeze profits and reduce growth or increase work intensity and develop productivity enhancing technological change, which increase profitability and growth. Empirical evidence indicates that both effects occurred in the postwar United States. Marx’s reproduction schemes are also shown to rely on a classical growth dynamic in which the profit and savings rates determine the rate of growth.
Was Henri de Man an Early Post-Keynesian Neo-Marxist?
Authors: Cuyvers Ludo
Published: March 2014

Henri de Man is the author of the dissenting “Au-delà du Marxisme” (1926) and of the Belgian Plan du Travail ( Labor Plan) of 1933. Later he became a Belgian social-democratic leader. He published between 1931 and 1935 18 economic articles in the Bulletin d’Information et de Documentation of the National Bank of Belgium. It is shown that the articles, partly inspired by Keynes’s writings up to 1931, are rather reflecting early Keynesian economic ideas relating to government intervention and public works, and do not contain any reference to the multiplier mechanism. A number of arguments in the articles are, however, advocating a Marxist inspired underconsumption theory. Based on further analysis of these articles, it is concluded that they contain also other important characteristics in common with the post-Keynesian neo-Marxist economic theories developed after the Second World War, such as the importance attached to the external markets of capitalism and a rejection of the labor theory of value, as well as a neglect of the Marxian law of the falling rate of profits. Their economic ideas are rooted in Marxism and the analysis of new economic phenomena, including the early Keynesianism of John Maynard Keynes. Therefore, they should be considered as an early version of these theories.
“You are Like a Virus”
Authors: Basaran Oyman
Published: March 2014

Using in-depth interviews, I analyze the military medical inspections that conscripts in Turkey are required to undergo if they request an exemption from compulsory military service based on their homosexuality. The inspections respond to the Turkish military’s two main needs: Through these inspections, on the one hand, the military attempts to exclude feminine/dangerous bodies threatening its order based on homosocial bonding, thereby maintaining its role in the production of hegemonic masculinity in Turkey; on the other hand, through refining and proliferating surveillance mechanisms, the Turkish military seeks to prevent the conscripts from earning unjust exemption by pretending to be homosexual. By complicating Foucault’s account of medical authority, I aim to make sense of the interplay of these objectives and discuss the fragile medical processes through which the military extends its reach into the male population in Turkey. This article makes a contribution to our understanding of how the military, medical, and cultural notions of homosexuality intersect in governing hegemonic masculinity in Turkey.
Accuracy of the Brazilian Version of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly at Screening for Dementia in Community-Dwelling Elderly Participants
Authors: Lourenço Roberto Alves , Sanchez Maria Angélica dos Santos
Published: March 2014

Objectives:

To determine the accuracy of the Brazilian version of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE-BR) for screening for dementia and to analyze the association of sociodemographic variables of the elderly participants and informant, as well as the mental health of the informant, in the scores of the questionnaire.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out with 417 elderly participants and their informants from the sample of the Frailty in the Brazilian Elderly Study, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The older individuals were assessed by clinical, functional, and neurocognitive evaluation, and the diagnosis of dementia was established according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (Fourth Edition) criteria. The informants were evaluated by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Center of Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale, and Burden Interview Scale. The Cambridge Cognitive Examination Test—Revised (CAMCOG-R) was used for convergent validity analysis. The association between IQCODE-BR and the study variables was determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results:

The best cutoff point was 3.26; the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver–operating characteristic curve were 89%, 72%, and 0.88 (95% confidence interval: 0.837-0.917), respectively. The CAMCOG-R and the MMSE showed a moderate and negative association with IQCODE-BR.

Conclusion:

The IQCODE-BR is an instrument with good accuracy for the detection of dementia syndrome in Brazilian older person.
Medical leadership arrangements in English healthcare organisations: Findings from a national survey and case studies of NHS trusts
Authors: Dickinson Helen , Ham Chris , Snelling Iain , Spurgeon Peter
Published: March 2014

This project sought to describe the involvement of doctors in leadership roles in the NHS and the organisational structures and management processes in use in NHS trusts. A mixed methods approach was adopted combining a questionnaire survey of English NHS trusts and in-depth case studies of nine organisations who responded to the survey. Respondents identified a number of challenges in the development of medical leadership, and there was often perceived to be an engagement gap between medical leaders and doctors in clinical roles. While some progress has been made in the development of medical leadership in the NHS in England, much remains to be done to complete the journey that started with the Griffiths Report in 1983. We conclude that a greater degree of professionalism needs to be brought to bear in the development of medical leadership. This includes developing career structures to make it easier for doctors to take on leadership roles; providing training, development and support in management and leadership at different stages of doctors’ careers; and ensuring that pay and other rewards are commensurate with the responsibilities of medical leaders. The time commitment of medical leaders and the proportion of doctors in leadership roles both need to increase. The paper concludes considering the implications of these findings for other health systems.
Prediction of the power generated by photovoltaic cells fixed on the roof of a moving passenger coach: A case study
Authors: Rohollahi Ehsan , Abdolzadeh Morteza , Mehrabian Mozaffar Ali
Published: March 2014

As fossil fuel resources decrease and their price correspondingly increases, finding a suitable alternative source of energy is a priority in all countries. This case study predicts the amount of energy that can be generated by photovoltaic cells mounted on the roof of a passenger coach moving on the Kerman–Tehran rail line in Iran under various conditions such as different months, hours and train speeds. The energy gain is calculated using an isotropic solar model and data on the levels of radiation incident on a horizontal surface at Kerman, Yazd, Esfahan, Qom and Tehran. These cities are located on the Kerman–Tehran rail route. The results show that departure time and speed of the train play a significant role in determining the amount of energy created by the photovoltaic panels.
United Kingdom National Guideline on the Management of Trichomonas vaginalis 2014
Authors: Sherrard Jackie , Ison Cathy , Moody Judith , Wainwright Emma , Wilson Janet , Sullivan Ann
Published: March 2014

The main objective is to assist practitioners in managing men and women diagnosed with Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) infection. This guideline offers recommendations on the diagnostic tests, treatment regimens and health promotion principles needed for the effective management of TV, covering the management of the initial presentation, as well as how to prevent transmission and future infection.
The Chaos Theory of Careers (CTC): Ten years on and only just begun
Authors: Pryor Robert GL , Bright Jim EH
Published: March 2014

The developments in the Chaos Theory of Careers (CTC) are outlined for the last decade since the publication of the original formulation in this journal in 2003 (Pryor & Bright, 2003a). The history of the development of the CTC and the major theoretical constructs of the theory including context, complexity, change, chance, attractors, emergent patterns and fractals are described. The empirical evidence directly relevant to the CTC formulation and its efficacy as a counselling approach are reviewed. Practical tools to use with a CTC approach such as assessments, card sorts and counselling strategies are described. The impact of the CTC approach on practice and theory is discussed. Future applications of the CTC related to adaptability and cultural diversity are highlighted. It is concluded that the CTC provides the most coherent and comprehensive current account of career development behaviour that can incorporate both modernist and post-modernist perspectives. The last decade has demonstrated the theoretical and practical value of the CTC, but there remains enormous untapped potential to explore in the next decade.
High school students – complexity, change and chance: Do the key concepts of the Chaos Theory of Careers apply?
Authors: Borg Tony , Bright Jim EH , Pryor Robert GL
Published: March 2014

A key postulate of the Chaos Theory of Careers is the significant influence of change, in general, and unplanned change, in particular, on individuals’ career development. This qualitative research study investigated the perceived incident and impact of such change in the career paths of 55 high school graduates from the same class. Using a combination of interviews and surveys, the research examined the nature and extent of chance events perceived by the participants 18 months after having left school. Consistent with previous research with university students, it was found not only change in career development from plans at high school but that for 71% of the sample, such change was unplanned. Unplanned change was most substantial for those who entered the workforce while those who entered traineeships reported the least impact of unplanned change on their careers. A complex array of reasons for the changes experienced was mentioned. The results confirm this aspect of the Chaos Theory of Careers even for those with very limited post-high school career development experience. The implications for school careers education and counselling are identified.
Transitioning Students With Disabilities
Authors: Oertle Kathleen Marie , Bragg Debra D.
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this article is to propose an expanded conceptual model, Transition to Community College (TtCC). Based on a review of the literature, the proposed model extends the work of Garrison-Wade and Lehmann as a revised transition framework to be used to guide the development and evaluation of disability policies, practices, and programs. Exemplary changes in the laws, policies, practices, and responsibilities from the secondary to the postsecondary setting are presented. Recommendations for secondary and postsecondary leaders and researchers are offered.
Trigger Factors and Outcomes of Falls Among Korean Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Hong Hyun-Ja , Kim Nam-cho , Jin Yinji , Piao Jinshi , Lee Sun-Mi
Published: March 2014

This retrospective case-control study investigated risk factors for falls in hospitalized patients and the influence of falls on patient outcomes, using electronic medical records (EMRs) in a South Korean tertiary university hospital. Data were obtained from 868 patients who had experienced a fall and 3,472 patients who had not. Potential risk factors were obtained from EMR data and analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis. Multiple logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the influence of falls on patient outcomes. Results showed that introducing a fall prevention reinforcement policy contributed to reducing fall risk. Hospital inpatient falls contribute to negative patient outcomes (mortality, readmission, emergency room visits after discharge, length of stay, and costs).
Quality characteristics of gluten-free cookies made of buckwheat, corn, and rice flour with/without transglutaminase
Authors: Altındağ Gülçin , Certel Muharrem , Erem Fundagül , İlknur Konak Ülgen
Published: March 2014

Buckwheat is one of the most valuable pseudo-cereals in terms of its nutritional composition, and it is suitable for celiac patients because of its gluten-free characteristic. However, gluten is the main structure-forming protein responsible for the development of structure in baked products. Therefore, it is a challenge to produce high-quality gluten-free products. Transglutaminase addition is a relatively common application used in the production of gluten-free baked goods. The objective of this study was to investigate the combination of buckwheat flour with rice and corn flour at different levels in gluten-free cookie formulations and the impact of transglutaminase on the quality of cookies. Quality parameters evaluated were proximal chemical composition, spread ratio, color, and textural parameters (hardness and fracturability). Spread ratio, protein, crude fiber, ash content, and also b* and hardness values were significantly ( p < 0.05) affected by flour combinations. Further, addition of transglutaminase resulted in increased moisture content, spread ratio, and fracturability but decreased hardness values.
Supporting Students With Asperger Syndrome on College Campuses
Authors: Barnhill Gena P.
Published: March 2014

With the increasing number of students with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) enrolling in college, it has become apparent that support services are greatly needed to assist these students in navigating college life, both academically and socially. Yet, there is a dearth of research describing the specific supports needed for this population. This exploratory study sought to determine the current support practices offered on college and university campuses for students with AS. A critical focus of this study was on the specific accommodations accessed and the support services provided, including support groups, counseling, supervised social activities, and summer transition programs. Both supports that were found to be helpful and not helpful are provided. In addition, recommendations for implementing support programs are provided.
Source Imaging of P300 Visual Evoked Potentials and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Subjects
Authors: Machado Sergio , Arias-Carrión Oscar , Sampaio Isabel , Bittencourt Juliana , Velasques Bruna , Teixeira Silmar , Nardi Antonio Egídio , Piedade Roberto , Ribeiro Pedro
Published: March 2014

The P300 event-related potential (EPR) is regarded as a neurophysiological indicator of cognitive processing of a stimulus. However, it is not known whether the P300 is a unitary component recorded on the scalp as a result of the activity of a specific intracerebral structure, or if it represents the sum of underlying components that may reflect the activation of broadly distributed intracerebral structures. The objective of the present experiment was to investigate possible correlations among the source(s) involved in the generation of the P300 and their possible neurocognitive function. The visual-evoked potential (VEP) was elicited by the oddball paradigm and analyzed after employment of sLORETA (standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography). The window of the P300 wave encompasses the period during which the response to the target and nontarget condition differs significantly (≈375 ms to ≈465 ms, with a peak at ≈422.5 ms). The results showed sequential and what appeared to be logical activation patterns of specific structures (specific for the processing of the stimulus used here) after presentation of the target stimulus. The peak of the P300 wave represented activation of the parahippocampal gyrus, which is responsible for upgrading memory in response to a target stimulus.
Surgical Targeting of Recurrent Thyroid Cancer Using a Novel Mixture of 99m-Technetium Macroaggregated Albumin and Indocyanine Green
Authors: Jung Yuh-S. , Kim Seok-ki , Park Insoo , Ryu Junsun , Kim Seok Won , Lee Chang Yoon , Lee Jia
Published: March 2014

Background. Precise targeting has played a pivotal role in the success of surgery for recurrent differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs). To improve on current targeting methods, we developed a novel technique using 99mTc-macroaggregated human serum albumin and indocyanine green (TIGMA), with which surgeons effectively target lesions in real time by radiofluorescence dual guidance. Methods. Seven patients with 10 recurrent DTC lesions were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Prior to the operation, we injected TIGMA into the target lesion under the guidance of ultrasonography. Resection was concurrently monitored using a gamma probe and a specially designed near infrared fluorescence camera. Outcomes were evaluated using imaging, surgical, and pathological records. Results. In all enrolled cases, both injection of TIGMA and radiofluorescence dual guidance were well tolerated and easy to implement. The technical success rates were 100%, confirmed by final pathological examination, postoperative ultrasonography, and I-131 scan clearance. Complications such as temporary postoperative neck pain (n = 2) were minimal. Conclusions. TIGMA using radiofluorescence dual guidance facilitated the precise targeting of recurrent lesions. The entire procedure was feasible, safe, and successful. This method would help enhance surgical outcomes for recurrent DTCs.
In situ multicomponent MMC coating developed on Ti–6Al–4V substrate
Authors: Haldar B. , Karmakar S. , Saha P. , Chattopadhyay A. B.
Published: March 2014

High specific strength and corrosion resistance are the important characteristics of Ti–6Al–4V. Relatively soft and inferior wear resistive properties of Ti–6Al–4V alloy restrict further scope of exotic applications. In the present study, attempts were carried out to improve tribological properties of Ti–6Al–4V surface by preplacing B4C, hBN and Ti powders over the substrate and irradiating it with a fibre laser in an argon shroud. Clad layers, consisting of in situ multicomponents such as TiB2, TiN, TiO2, VN, V2O3, C, etc., were developed in the coating matrix. The effects of change in laser scanning speed on coating properties were studied extensively. Microhardness of the tailored surface was improved up to 2200 HV0·05 as compared to a microhardness value of 350 HV0·05 of the untreated Ti–6Al–4V substrate. The wear performance of the hard coating was tested with universal wear testing machine and analysed.
A phase 1 study of the PI3Kδ inhibitor idelalisib in patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
Authors: Kahl Brad S. , Spurgeon Stephen E. , Furman Richard R. , Flinn Ian W. , Coutre Steven E. , Brown Jennifer R. , Benson Don M. , Byrd John C. , Peterman Sissy , Cho Yoonjin , Yu Albert , Godfrey Wayne R. , Wagner-Johnston Nina D.
Published: March 2014

Key Points

This clinical study assessed idelalisib, a selective PI3Kδ inhibitor, in 40 patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. In a dose-escalation trial in heavily pretreated patients, an overall response rate of 40% was observed with an acceptable safety profile.
Effects of the durations of crosscorrelated microtremor records on broadband dispersion measurements using seismic interferometry
Authors: Chimoto Kosuke , Yamanaka Hiroaki
Published: March 2014

For ambient noise, a long time series is typically used for measuring surface-wave dispersion in seismic interferometry. It is preferable to measure dispersions with a broad period range. The reliability of such measurements is often studied using the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the crosscorrelation function (CCF). While many studies have revealed that the S/N evolves as the length of a time series increases, the required conditions for such measurements remain unclear. We maximized the period range suitable for dispersion measurements by examining variations in the amplitudes of the signals and noise of CCFs. For these purposes, and to preserve the broadband amplitude information, we do not apply filtering in the frequency domain or signal normalization in the time domain. The preserved signals and the trailing noise levels of the CCFs exhibit different time-varying features that agree with the predictions of theoretical work on amplitudes. Specifically, as the duration of the crosscorrelated time series increases, the amplitude of the signal remains constant while the trailing noise decreases. Moreover, the trailing noise exhibits a power-law dependence on the period. The period range in which the maximum CCF amplitude exceeds the level expected for this power law corresponds to the period range in which dispersion measurements can be made appropriately with frequency-time analysis (FTAN). This approach can be used to quantitatively determine the optimal period range for dispersion measurements. Results obtained with this method indicate that long-duration records used for crosscorrelation provide not only high S/Ns but also broaden the period range in which dispersion measurements can be made.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Versus Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Comparison of Toxicity
Authors: Yu James B. , Cramer Laura D. , Herrin Jeph , Soulos Pamela R. , Potosky Arnold L. , Gross Cary P.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a technically demanding prostate cancer treatment that may be less expensive than intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Because SBRT may deliver a greater biologic dose of radiation than IMRT, toxicity could be increased. Studies comparing treatment cost to the Medicare program and toxicity are needed.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study by using a national sample of Medicare beneficiaries age ≥ 66 years who received SBRT or IMRT as primary treatment for prostate cancer from 2008 to 2011. Each SBRT patient was matched to two IMRT patients with similar follow-up (6, 12, or 24 months). We calculated the cost of radiation therapy treatment to the Medicare program and toxicity as measured by Medicare claims; we used a random effects model to compare genitourinary (GU), GI, and other toxicity between matched patients.

Results

The study sample consisted of 1,335 SBRT patients matched to 2,670 IMRT patients. The mean treatment cost was $13,645 for SBRT versus $21,023 for IMRT. In the 6 months after treatment initiation, 15.6% of SBRT versus 12.6% of IMRT patients experienced GU toxicity (odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.53; P = .009). At 24 months after treatment initiation, 43.9% of SBRT versus 36.3% of IMRT patients had GU toxicity (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.63; P = .001). The increase in GU toxicity was due to claims indicative of urethritis, urinary incontinence, and/or obstruction.

Conclusion

Although SBRT was associated with lower treatment costs, there appears to be a greater rate of GU toxicity for patients undergoing SBRT compared with IMRT, and prospective correlation with randomized trials is needed.
The Association Between Body Composition, 25(OH)D, and PTH and Bone Mineral Density in Black African and Asian Indian Population Groups
Authors: George Jaya A. , Micklesfield L. K. , Norris S. A. , Crowther N. J.
Published: March 2014

Context and Objective:

There are few data on the contribution of body composition to bone mineral density (BMD) in non-Caucasian populations. We therefore studied the contribution of body composition, and possible confounding of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and PTH, to BMD at various skeletal sites in black African (BA) and Asian Indian (AI) subjects.

Design and Setting:

This was a cross-sectional study in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Participants:

BMD, body fat, and lean mass were measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry and abdominal fat distribution by ultrasound in 714 healthy subjects, aged 18–65 years.

Results:

Whole-body (subtotal), hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine (lumbar) BMD were significantly higher in BA than AI subjects (P < .001 for all). Whole-body lean mass positively associated with BMD at all sites in both ethnic groups (P < .001 for all) and partially explained the higher BMD in BA females compared with AI females. Whole-body fat mass correlated positively with lumbar BMD in BA (P = .001) and inversely with subtotal BMD in AI subjects (P < .0001). Visceral adiposity correlated inversely with subtotal BMD in the BA (P = .037) and with lumbar BMD in the AI group (P = .005). No association was found between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and BMD. PTH was inversely associated with hip BMD in the BA group (P = .01) and with subtotal (P = .002), hip (P = .001), and femoral BMD (P < .0001) in the AI group.

Conclusions:

Significant differences in whole-body and site-specific BMD between the BA and AI groups were observed, with lean mass the major contributor to BMD at all sites in both groups. The contribution of other components of body composition differed by site and ethnic group.
Let Us Live! Empowerment and the Rhetoric of Life in the Japanese Precarity Movement
Authors: Cassegard Carl
Published: March 2014

The precarity movement (or antipoverty movement) represents a startling revival of public protest in Japan. This revival can be understood as a turn to a more confrontational stance within an already active current of freeter activism. My aim is to throw light on this shift by focusing on the General Freeter Union/PAFF in Tokyo and its emergence from the “Dame-ren circles” of Tokyo. I argue that the precarity movement has functioned to a large extent as a vehicle not only for external change in society but also for empowerment of its participants with particular attention being given to marginalized groups that have long been unable or unwilling to voice discontent in public, and that this has been a crucial element in the revitalization of protest. I give particular attention to, firstly, the formation of the category of the “precariat” in Japan and its relation to predecessor terms such as good-for-nothing” (dame) or lower stratum (kasô). Secondly, I turn to the vitalistic element in the precarity movement's discourse, which is evident in the celebration of fun and the sensual or bodily experience of being “alive.” The rhetoric of “life” in the precarity movement functions as a lens through which the shift to a more confrontational stance can be traced and nuances in this shift studied. In the precarity movement, “life” tends to be pictured in two different ways: one in which an older ideal of “simply living” lives on, but mainly as a dream of what would be possible in a better society; and another in which struggle and revolt are themselves seen as the source of a liberation of life. I conclude by arguing that many of these reorientations build on the legacy on Dame-ren but also crucially transform this legacy. These transformations have helped the precarity movement to not only open up new forms of participation for subaltern groups but also to present itself as untainted by older forms of radicalism, thus contributing to the revival of protest activism.
Enlightened Daughter, Benighted Mother: Yi Injik's Tears of Blood and Early Twentieth-Century Korean Domestic Fiction
Authors: Yang Yoon Sun
Published: March 2014

Yi Injik's Tears of Blood (1906) is the pioneering piece of “new fiction” (sin sosŏl). As many works of this male-authored genre revolve around women's conflicts regarding marriage, family, and home life, literary critics often condescendingly disregard them as domestic fiction, an ahistorical rendition of premodern tales and therefore undeserving of critical scrutiny, as opposed to a handful of politically sensitive and worthy examples of social fiction. In this line of thinking, Tears of Blood has been classified as social fiction that openly depicts urgent political issues. This essay claims, however, that Tears of Blood sets the dominant paradigm of the genre as early twentieth-century domestic fiction. The women-centered narratives of new fiction show the uneasy ways in which male Korean intellectuals coped with the question of how to imagine women as “citizens” of the nation in place of the unabashed gender hierarchy of Chosŏn Korea; how to perceive women as belonging not to a class-divided family but to a nation where each one is supposedly given an equal standing to one another. In “Tears of Blood,” the homogenizing project conflictingly intersects with the ideology of “civilization and enlightenment” and the colonialist gaze of the author, a well-known pro-Japanese collaborator. The contradictory interplay between nationalism, colonialism, and the idea of “civilization and enlightenment” splits Tears of Blood into two women's stories: one focusing on a young Korean girl's growth into the emblem of the civilized future of the nation, the other about her old-fashioned mother whose symbolic position vacillates between the nation's venerable past and the “uncivilized” who are predisposed to invasion by foreign powers. The split not only places the female characters in a position to conflict with each other but also shows the recurring themes of domestic women's conflicts in new fiction.
Slanted Allusions: Transnational Poetics and Politics of Marilyn Chin and Russell Leong
Authors: Cheung King-Kok
Published: March 2014

This essay takes issue both with scholars who consider Chinese allusions in Asian American literature as Orientalist and with critics who advocate wholesale reclamation of an Asian (heroic) tradition. It shows through a detailed analysis of two poems how Chinese American writers could resort to bicultural interplay to convey transnational critique, and it contends that such deliberate filtering and revisioning of cultural legacies is in fact one of the hallmarks of Chinese American writing.
Combined Experimental and DFT Study of the Chemical Binding of Copper Ions on the Surface of Nanodiamonds
Authors: Gridnev Ilya D , Osipov Vladimir Yu , Aleksenskii Alexander E , Vul’ Alexander Ya , Enoki Toshiaki
Published: March 2014

DFT (density functional theory) computations of the chemical fixation of copper ions on the naturally functionalized surface of nanodiamond crystallites bound by (111) planes revealed exothermic formation of chelate Cu complexes with two appropriately located carboxylic groups on the (111) surface. The irreversible strict fixation of copper ions is achieved via removing acetic acid in low-pressure conditions yields the corresponding chelate complexes not bearing any other ligands except for the surface carboxylic groups. Optimization of positional isomers of the chelating complexes showed that complexation is more likely to take place near the edges (linear ribs) of the nanoparticle. Nearby functional groups like –F, –Cl, or –OH substituents on the surface strongly affect the structures and stabilities of the resulting chelate complexes. Some of the copper atoms may be incorporated into unusual Cu(III) complexes with Cu–C covalent bonds.
RNAs nonspecifically inhibit RNA polymerase II by preventing binding to the DNA template
Authors: Pai Dave A. , Kaplan Craig D. , Kweon Hye Kyong , Murakami Kenji , Andrews Philip C. , Engelke David R.
Published: March 2014

Many RNAs are known to act as regulators of transcription in eukaryotes, including certain small RNAs that directly inhibit RNA polymerases both in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We have examined the potential for a variety of RNAs to directly inhibit transcription by yeast RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and find that unstructured RNAs are potent inhibitors of purified yeast Pol II. Inhibition by RNA is achieved by blocking binding of the DNA template and requires binding of the RNA to Pol II prior to open complex formation. RNA is not able to displace a DNA template that is already stably bound to Pol II, nor can RNA inhibit elongating Pol II. Unstructured RNAs are more potent inhibitors than highly structured RNAs and can also block specific transcription initiation in the presence of basal transcription factors. Crosslinking studies with ultraviolet light show that unstructured RNA is most closely associated with the two large subunits of Pol II that comprise the template binding cleft, but the RNA has contacts in a basic residue channel behind the back wall of the active site. These results are distinct from previous observations of specific inhibition by small, structured RNAs in that they demonstrate a sensitivity of the holoenzyme to inhibition by unstructured RNA products that bind to a surface outside the DNA cleft. These results are discussed in terms of the need to prevent inhibition by RNAs, either though sequestration of nascent RNA or preemptive interaction of Pol II with the DNA template.
The effect of resveratrol on normal and osteoarthritic chondrocyte metabolism
Authors: Kim H. J. , Braun H. J. , Dragoo J. L.
Published: March 2014

Background

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound commonly found in the skins of red grapes. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a human gene that is activated by resveratrol and has been shown to promote longevity and boost mitochondrial metabolism. We examined the effect of resveratrol on normal and osteoarthritic (OA) human chondrocytes.

Methods

Normal and OA chondrocytes were incubated with various concentrations of resveratrol (1 µM, 10 µM, 25 µM and 50 µM) and cultured for 24, 48 or 72 hours or for six weeks. Cell proliferation, gene expression, and senescence were evaluated.

Results

SIRT1 was significantly upregulated in normal chondrocytes with resveratrol concentrations of 25 µM and 50 µM on both two- (2D) (both p = 0.001) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures (p = 0.008 and 0.001, respectively). It was significantly upregulated in OA chondrocytes treated with 10 µM, 25 µM and 50 µM resveratrol on 2D cultures (p = 0.036, 0.002 and 0.001, respectively) and at 50 µM concentration on 3D cultures (p = 0.001). At 72 hours, the expression of collagen (COL)-10, aggrecan (AGG), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) was significantly greater in both 25 µM (p = 0.011, 0.006 and 0.015, respectively) and 50 µM (p = 0.019, 0.004 and 0.002, respectively) resveratrol-treated normal chondrocyte cultures. In OA chondrocytes, expression of COL10 and RUNX2 was significantly greater in 25 µM (p = 0.004 and 0.024) and 50 µM (p = 0.004 and 0.019) cultures at 72 hours on 3D cultures.

Conclusions

At concentrations of 25 µM and/or 50 µM, resveratrol treatment significantly upregulates SIRT1 gene expression in normal and osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Resveratrol induces chondrocytes into a hypertrophic state through upregulation of COL1, COL10, and RUNX2. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:51–9.
El laberinto de la participación juvenil: estrategias de implicación ciudadana en la juventud
Authors: Francés García Francisco José
Published: March 2014

El estudio de la participación juvenil supone un reto investigador, por cuanto las prácticas colectivas de los jóvenes se contextualizan en el marco de la participación ciudadana adulta, pero presentando elementos y potencialidades propias del a condición juvenil. El artículo pretende asumir el vínculo entre reproducción del orden social y producción de nuevos órdenes en las prácticas sociales de los jóvenes, para cuestionar los enfoques teóricos que plantean una desafección pública de la juventud contemporánea. Para ello se exponen las limitaciones y disfuncionalidades del modelo participativo actual y se proponen elementos que configurarían las condiciones neecsarias para la implicación ciudadana de los jóvenes, a través del avance en tres dimensiones básicas de los procesos participativos innovadores: inclusividad, intensidad e influencia.
Nota metodológica sobre el estudio ”Socialización, aculturación y competencia intercultural. Un análisis empírico de familias multiculturales”
Authors: López Monsalve Begoña , Perea Crespo Ignacia
Published: March 2014

Las siguientes páginas presentan brevemente la metodología empleada en el estudio Socialización, aculturación y competencia intercultural. Un análisis empírico de familias multiculturales (SEJ200505034). Se trata de anotaciones metodológicas que exponen algunos de los mayores logros de esta investigación que, con un diseño innovador, aborda un tema de gran relevancia social desde una óptica privilegiada, como es la multiculturalidad vivida en el seno de las familias mixtas; casos cada vez más comunes en la sociedad española actual.
Sensitivity of harvest decisions to errors in stand characteristics
Authors: Kangas Annika , Mehtätalo Lauri , Mäkinen Antti , Vanhatalo Kalle
Published: March 2014

In forest planning, the decision maker chooses for each stand a treatment schedule for a predefined planning period. The choice is based either on optimization calculations or on silvicultural guidelines. Schedules for individual stands are obtained using a growth simulator, where measured stand characteristics such as the basal area, mean diameter, site class and mean height are used as input variables. These characteristics include errors, however, which may lead to incorrect decisions. In this study, the aim is to study the sensitivity of harvest decisions to errors in a dataset of 157 stands. Correct schedules according to silvicultural guidelines were first determined using error-free data. Different amounts of errors were then generated to the stand-specific characteristics, and the treatment schedule was selected again using the erroneous data. The decision was defined as correct, if the type of harvest in these two schedules were similar, and if the timings deviated at maximum Â±2 for thinning and Â±3 years for clear-cut. The dependency of probability of correct decisions on stand characteristics and the degree of errors was then modelled. The proposed model can be used to determine the required level of measurement accuracy for each characteristics in different kinds of stands, with a given accuracy requirement for the timing of treatments. This information can further be utilized in selecting the most appropriate inventory method.
The cost-efficiency of seedling packaging specifically designed for tree planting machines
Authors: Ersson Back , Bergsten Urban , Lindroos Ola
Published: March 2014

Todayâs crane-mounted planting heads plant seedlings with biologically similar or better results than operational manual planting. However, the total cost of mechanized tree planting in southern Sweden must decrease at least 25% to compete economically with manual planting. Although seedlings packed in machine-specific packaging increase the productivity of planting machines by reducing seedling reloading time, they also increase logistics and investment costs. In this study, we analyzed the total cost of outplanting seedlings with an excavator-mounted Bracke Planter and seedlings packed according to four different concepts: cultivation trays, cardboard boxes, band-mounted seedlings in cardboard boxes and linked pots in container modules. The total cost per planted seedling was calculated for each packaging system as the sum of all costs from nursery to the recovery of empty packaging. The results showed that todayâs system of transporting seedlings in cultivation trays is the most cost-efficient of the four alternatives. Machine-specific seedling packaging was 16â23% costlier per planted seedling than cultivation trays when trucking distances were 100 km. Sensitivity analyses indicated that machine-specific seedling packaging increased in cost-efficiency relative to cultivation trays primarily when more planting machines were contracted, but also as planting machine fixed costs and productivity increased. Moreover, the relative cost-efficiency of band-mounted seedlings, but not seedlings in container modules, increased with increasing trucking distance. Thus, we show that investments in machine-specific seedling packaging for todayâs planting machines are justified only when the fixed costs, productivity and number of contracted planting machines increase substantially.