bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new species of Memecylon (Melastomataceae) from the Western Ghats, India
Authors: SIVU AMBIKABAI RAGHAVANPILLAI , NARAYANAN MATALAI KOKKARAMATH RATHEESH , PRADEEP NEDIYAPARAMBU SUKUMARAN , KUMAR ETTICKAL SUKUMARAN SANTHOSH , PANDURANGAN ALAGRAMAM GOVINDASAMY
Published: March 2014

Memecylon ponmudianum, a new species of Melastomataceae from Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. The new species resembles M. terminale and M. subramanii but differs from the former by its larger and sessile leaves with cordate and amplexicaul leaf bases, robust and shortly peduncled inflorescences, pedicels distinctly shorter than the campanulate calyx, and from the latter by the terete stem and branchlets, smaller subsessile and amplexicaul leaves, terminal short peduncled umbellate cymes with terete peduncle and the pedicels distinctly shorter than calyx. A key to the Memecylon species with cordate leaf bases occurring in south India and Sri Lanka is also presented.
Studies in the Neotropical Apocynaceae L: The genus Allamanda in Colombia and a new combination
Authors: Morales J Francisco
Published: March 2014

A brief sypnosis of the genus Allamanda (Apocynaceae, Rauvolfoideae) in Colombia is given here, including a key and photographs of the species. A new combination, A. salicifolia is proposed.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for recurrent depression: A translational research study with 2-year follow-up
Authors: Meadows Graham N , Shawyer Frances , Enticott Joanne C , Graham Annette L , Judd Fiona , Martin Paul R , Piterman Leon , Segal Zindel
Published: March 2014

Objective:

While mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing depressive relapse/recurrence over 12–18 months, questions remain around effectiveness, longer-term outcomes, and suitability in combination with medication. The aim of this study was to investigate within a pragmatic study design the effectiveness of MBCT on depressive relapse/recurrence over 2 years of follow-up.

Method:

This was a prospective, multi-site, single-blind trial based in Melbourne and the regional city of Geelong, Australia. Non-depressed adults with a history of three or more episodes of depression were randomised to MBCT + depression relapse active monitoring (DRAM) ( n=101) or control (DRAM alone) ( n=102). Randomisation was stratified by medication (prescribed antidepressants and/or mood stabilisers: yes/no), site of usual care (primary or specialist), diagnosis (bipolar disorder: yes/no) and sex. Relapse/recurrence of major depression was assessed over 2 years using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1.

Results:

The average number of days with major depression was 65 for MBCT participants and 112 for controls, significant with repeated-measures ANOVA ( F(1, 164)=4.56, p=0.03). Proportionally fewer MBCT participants relapsed in both year 1 and year 2 compared to controls (odds ratio 0.45, p<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for time to first depressive episode was non-significant, although trends favouring the MBCT group were suggested. Subgroup analyses supported the effectiveness of MBCT for people receiving usual care in a specialist setting and for people taking antidepressant/mood stabiliser medication.

Conclusions:

This work in a pragmatic design with an active control condition supports the effectiveness of MBCT in something closer to implementation in routine practice than has been studied hitherto. As expected in this translational research design, observed effects were less strong than in some previous efficacy studies but appreciable and significant differences in outcome were detected. MBCT is most clearly demonstrated as effective for people receiving specialist care and seems to work well combined with antidepressants.
A Pagan Emperor’s Appropriation of Matthew’s Gospel
Authors: Greenwood David Neal
Published: March 2014

Julian’s aggressive engagement of Christianity has usually been understood to be confined to more polemical works such as his Against the Galilaeans. However, his seventh oration contains a narrative borrowing from and ridiculing Christianity. This article focuses on a short narrative and argues that Julian borrowed from Matthew 4, casting himself in the role of Christ for rhetorical effect.
Carryover Effects of Highly Automated Convoy Driving on Subsequent Manual Driving Performance
Authors: Skottke Eva-Maria , Debus Günter , Wang Lei , Huestegge Lynn
Published: March 2014

Objective:

In the present study, we tested to what extent highly automated convoy driving involving small spacing (“platooning”) may affect time headway (THW) and standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) during subsequent manual driving.

Background:

Although many previous studies have reported beneficial effects of automated driving, some research has also highlighted potential drawbacks, such as increased speed and reduced THW during the activation of semiautomated driving systems. Here, we rather focused on the question of whether switching from automated to manual driving may produce unwanted carryover effects on safety-relevant driving performance.

Method:

We utilized a pre–post simulator design to measure THW and SDLP after highly automated driving and compared the data with those for a control group (manual driving throughout).

Results:

Our data revealed that THW was reduced and SDLP increased after leaving the automation mode. A closer inspection of the data suggested that specifically the effect on THW is likely due to sensory and/or cognitive adaptation processes.

Conclusion:

Behavioral adaptation effects need to be taken into account in future implementations of automated convoy systems.

Application:

Potential application areas of this research comprise automated freight traffic (truck convoys) and the design of driver assistance systems in general. Potential countermeasures against following at short distance as behavioral adaptation should be considered.
Predictors of Career Success among Government Employees
Authors: Birasnav M. , Merbati Huda Al , Chaudhary Richa , Rangnekar S.
Published: March 2014

Many researchers have advocated that managing career is an important aspect to be concentrated for achieving career success. In this direction, this study investigates the roles of human capital and motivation on achieving career success among government employees. Data were collected from 159 employees working in Kingdom of Bahrain and were analyzed with the help of a series of hierarchical regression analysis. It is found that motivational variables, not employee’s human capital, have associations with career exploration activities. Self-exploration has positive association with objective and subjective career success. Interaction effect between number of hours worked and environment exploration was also found significant on number of promotions received by employees.
The Effects of Liberalization on the Indian Economy
Authors: Agrawal Chetan
Published: March 2014

In order to acquire a seat at the highest table and to deal with a severe balance of payment crisis, India began a process of economic liberalization in 1991. The liberalization process has impacted the conditions of Indian labour in the organized and unorganized sectors, both big and small, with regard to factors such as wages, labour welfare, trade unionism, social security, employability, labour utilization, job security, labour flexibility, employment growth and industrial disputes. This study has the following two main objectives: ( i) to carry out a comparative study of the conditions of Indian labour in the pre- and post-liberalization era with regard to the above-mentioned factors; and ( ii) to carry out an empirical study to test the claims made by the Indian government and noted authors regarding the effect of liberalization on the Indian workforce. The comparative study shows that drastic changes have occurred both in the mindset and the conditions of Indian labour due to the initiation of economic reforms in 1991. This has made government and business address issues such as welfare, social security and labour flexibility that were previously neglected. For the empirical study, surveys, interviews and secondary analyses were conducted, and the results clearly showed that the conditions of Indian labour after economic liberalization have improved with regard to wages, productivity and industrial disputes. However, disappointment was expressed by the respondents with regard to labour welfare, social security, employment growth, human resources development and management and trade union membership. The reasons given for the lack of progress range from a lack of political consensus to poor governance at the political and the administrative levels. India is a young country with an aging economy and in order to benefit from the economic reform, it has to ensure a balance between the market economy and the interests of Indian labour as a whole and develop and apply a set of regulations within which the market economy can work.
‘Becoming All Things to All Persons’: Gender, Human Identity, and Language; Towards Healing and Reconciliation as Mission
Authors: Uchem Rose
Published: March 2014

‘Becoming all things to all persons’ is a key primal insight into the potential healing of the wound and the rift in the human family caused by long years of devaluation of one sex (the female) by the other (the male). In this light, this article examines the theological implications of male-dominant language and imagery for God and God’s people in daily usage and community worship and its cumulative psychological effects on women. The main assumption in this article is that unconscious beliefs and symbols rule the human imagination far more than do words and conscious declarations. The over-riding question is: How can believers be motivated to embrace the Gospel call to the mission of reconciliation in the area of gender, human identity, and language so as to increase everyone’s access to the unique healing power of Christ’s resurrection?
Africae Munus and the Challenges of a Transformative Missional Theological Praxis in Africa’s Social Context
Authors: Ilo Stan Chu
Published: March 2014

This article takes the theme of Pope Benedict’s Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Africae Munus, on reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa as its starting point. It analyses how the commitments of African Christians at the Second African Synod (2009) can be realized through a transformative missional theological praxis. This theological approach is proposed as a deeper concern on how to bring about the fruits of the eschatological harvest of God’s kingdom to bear on the present complex African social context. This article proposes two ways of doing this: The first is a socio-theological analysis of Africa’s social context, and the second is showing how to mine the spiritual, religious, cultural, human, and material resources of Africa. The article proposes an outline for an African transformative missional theology and a praxis of African development built on such a theology.
Research into the problem of wear creating a polygon-shaped wheel on metro trains
Authors: Wei Liu , Zong Llingxiao , Luo Shihui , He Xiaomin
Published: March 2014

The reasons for wear of a wheel to create a polygon-shaped wheel on metro trains are analysed in this paper. Analysis of wear data leads to the conclusion that it is mainly structural vibration of the wheelset that causes the wear that creates polygon-shaped wheels. After analysing the characteristics of the structure and vibration of the vehicle, a model that considers wheelset flexibility is established. We then analyse the effects of flexible deformation of the wheelset on vertical force, creepage and creep force in wheel/rail rolling contact, and find that the main wheel wear frequency is 35.98 Hz. As for the question of how many faces the worn polygon-shaped wheel displays, we propose that the nature of the wear to create the polygon-shaped wheel depends on the average running speed of the vehicle. This relationship accounts for the apparent contradiction of a fixed vibration frequency and variable vehicle speed leading to wear to create a polygon-shaped wheel, and shows how a multi-faced polygon can be caused by a low-frequency vibration between wheel and rail.
Autonomous waypoint guidance for tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle that has nacelle-fixed auxiliary wings
Authors: Kang Youngshin , Kim Nakwan , Kim Byoung-Soo , Tahk Min-Jea
Published: March 2014

The mathematical dynamics model of the tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that has nacelle-fixed auxiliary wings (NFAWs) is presented based on computational fluid dynamics analysis using FLUENT and DATCOM. The advantage of the aerodynamic performance of the NFAW is compared to the performance of the original tilt-rotor UAV in a trim analysis as well as simulation. The inner loop and outer loop of the neural network controller are designed for the tilt-rotor and its NFAW variant. In order to improve the control performance of outer loop, pseudo-control hedging (PCH) is applied to the outer loop as well as the inner loop neural network control. The dynamic inversion on a linear model of the original tilt-rotor at hover conditions is used as a baseline. The sigma-pi neural network (SPNN) adaptation minimizes the error of the inversion model. This error typically occurs due to the use of an approximate tilt-rotor model for helicopter mode instead of the NFAW model throughout the flight envelope from helicopter to airplane mode. The waypoint navigation and the automatic hover guidance are applied to the most outer loop of the neural network controller for the autonomous flight, which consists of nacelle conversion and reconversion as well as automatic take-off and landing. The fast dynamic reference commands generated by the autonomous waypoint guidance are inputted to the outer loop control in order to make the PCH of the outer loop effective. Lastly, the nonlinear simulation results are compared under turbulent wind conditions, in which the NFAW is more negatively affected than the original tilt-rotor model.
Low compliance bladder plays a role in hydronephrosis in lupus cystitis: a case report
Authors: Liu B , Fu DW
Published: March 2014

Lupus cystitis is uncommon in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus cystitis is usually associated with hydronephrosis. To our knowledge, it is considered to be due to distal ureteral obstruction at the ureterovesical junction. However, in a Chinese female, we found low compliance bladder played a role in hydronephrosis.
India’s Look East Policy
Authors: Haokip Thongkholal
Published: March 2014

The Look East policy has emerged as an important foreign policy initiative of India in the post-Cold War period. It was launched in 1991 by the Narasimha Rao government with the aim of developing political contacts, increasing economic integration and forging security cooperation with countries of Southeast Asia. The policy marked a shift in India’s perspective of the world, with the strategic and economic importance of Southeast Asia to India’s national interests being recognised. The second phase, which began in 2003, extends the coverage of the Look East policy from Australia to East Asia, with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its core. The new phase thus marks a shift in focus from trade to wider economic and security cooperation, political partnerships, physical connectivity through road and rail links. In this article, the evolution of India’s Look East policy and its recent approach are analysed.
Dangerous liaisons, fatal women: The fear and fantasy of soccer wives and girlfriends in Spain
Authors: Vaczi Mariann
Published: March 2014

Critical feminist analysis has produced much important work on women in the gender regime of men’s sport. The protagonists of these studies have been mostly female athletes, fans, managers and journalists. This article focuses on yet another female persona in men’s sport: the lover. Complementing research that identifies wives and girlfriends (WAGs) as helpmates who fulfill traditional auxiliary roles to their athlete partners, this article presents another sexual persona through the Spanish soccer scene: femmes fatales or ‘fatal women’. Through fantasy narratives, these WAGs are constructed as ‘dangerous destabilizers’ that threaten elite male sport performance through their sexuality. The presence of female fans, athletes and professionals in men’s sport has often provoked redressive actions such as techniques of sexualization, the denial of authentic female fandom and expertise, or the prescription of gender-appropriate behaviors and aspirations. Complementing critical feminist research on these mechanisms, and with an attempt to gain a wider perspective of female presence in men’s sport, this article explores the often contradictory reactions to ‘fatal women’: demonization, fetishization, the pathologization of sex and the proliferation of erotic fantasies.
Community Engagement Approach
Authors: Bender Melinda S. , Clark Mary Jo , Gahagan Sheila
Published: March 2014

Childhood obesity affects approximately 20% of U.S. preschool children. Early prevention is needed to reduce young children’s risks for obesity, especially among Hispanic preschool children who have one of the highest rates of obesity. Vida Saludable was an early childhood obesity intervention designed to be culturally appropriate for low-income Hispanic mothers with preschool children to improve maternal physical activity and reduce children’s sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. It was conducted at a large southwestern United States urban health center. Presented here are the methods and rationale employed to develop and culturally adapt Vida Saludable, followed by scoring and ranking of the intervention’s cultural adaptations. An empowered community helped design the customized, culturally relevant program via a collaborative partnership between two academic research institutions, a community health center, and stakeholders. Improved health behaviors in the participants may be attributed in part to this community-engagement approach. The intervention’s cultural adaptations were scored and received a high comprehensive rank. Postprogram evaluation of the intervention indicated participant satisfaction. The information presented provides investigators with guidelines, a template, and a scoring tool for developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally adapted interventions for ethnically diverse populations.
Working With Racism
Authors: Huria Tania , Cuddy Jessica , Lacey Cameron , Pitama Suzanne
Published: March 2014

Purpose: Substantial health disparities exist between Māori—the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand—and non-Māori New Zealanders. This article explores the experience and impact of racism on Māori registered nurses within the New Zealand health system. Method: The narratives of 15 Māori registered nurses were analyzed to identify the effects of racism. This Māori nursing cohort and the data on racism form a secondary analysis drawn from a larger research project investigating the experiences of indigenous health workers in New Zealand and Canada. Jones’s levels of racism were utilized as a coding frame for the structural analysis of the transcribed Māori registered nurse interviews. Results: Participants experienced racism on institutional, interpersonal, and internalized levels, leading to marginalization and being overworked yet undervalued. Discussion and Conclusions: Māori registered nurses identified a lack of acknowledgement of dual nursing competencies: while their clinical skills were validated, their cultural skills—their skills in Hauora Māori—were often not. Experiences of racism were a commonality. Racism—at every level—can be seen as highly influential in the recruitment, training, retention, and practice of Māori registered nurses. Implications for Practice: The nursing profession in New Zealand and other countries of indigenous peoples needs to acknowledge the presence of racism within training and clinical environments as well as supporting indigenous registered nurses to develop and implement indigenous dual cultural-clinical competencies.
Breast Cancer in African Americans
Authors: Mollica Michelle , Newman Susan D.
Published: March 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this synthesis is to explore the experience of the transition from cancer patient to survivor in African Americans with breast cancer, addressing the risk/ protective factors that have an influence on successful transition using the social ecological model. Methods: The investigator searched CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycInfo databases. Articles were assessed for content addressing risk and protective factors of transition in African American breast cancer survivorship. Eleven research articles were obtained and synthesized. Results: Risk and protective factors exist at all levels of the social ecological model. Emotional issues are prevalent after the cessation of cancer treatment, enhanced by the lack of social support in this population. Spirituality was shown to be present in many levels as a protective factor during this period. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: The entrance to survivorship represents a time of increased stressors and subsequent coping. Through careful identification of influencing factors, health care providers can develop strategies to attenuate the emotional distress and negative complications of the transition specific to this vulnerable population. Illuminating the experiences of African American women during this transition period provides insight into the interventional needs during and after the cessation of breast cancer treatment.
Contextual Design of a Motivated Medication Management Device
Authors: Chiou Erin , Venkatraman Vindhya , Larson Kathleen , Li Yaqiong , Gibson Madeleine , Lee John D.
Published: March 2014

Many older adults find that they must manage one or more chronic illnesses entailing multiple medication regimens. These regimens can be daunting, with consequences for medication adherence and health outcomes. To promote adherence to medication regimens, we used contextual design to develop paper and digital prototypes of a medication management device. The design focused on enhancing users’ motivation to adhere to medication therapy. Our design process and outcome suggest that contextual design might serve as an effective data-driven method that can account for the less tangible aspects of work activities, such as motivation.
Molecular-dynamics simulations of the nanoscale Taylor test under extreme loading conditions
Authors: Mastilovic Sreten
Published: March 2014

A series of molecular-dynamics simulations of the classic Taylor impact test is performed by using a flat-ended monocrystalline nanoscale projectile made of the Lennard-Jones two-dimensional solid. The nanoprojectile striking velocities range from 0.75 to 7 km/s. These atomistic simulations offer insight into nature of fragment distributions and evolution of state parameters. According to the simulation results, the cumulative distribution of fragment sizes in the course of this non-homogeneous fragmentation process for hypervelocity impacts appears to be well represented by the bimodal-exponential distribution commonly observed during high-energy uniform fragmentation events. For more moderate impact velocities, the cumulative distribution of fragment sizes, in addition to the bimodal-exponential part, exhibits a large-fragment tail. Temporal evolutions on instantaneous kinetic temperature, stress and strain invariants are presented and discussed. Scaling relations between temperature/temperature rate and kinematic rates of deformation are suggested.
Three-phase anisotropic elliptical inclusions with internal uniform in-plane and anti-plane stresses
Authors: Wang Xu
Published: March 2014

We study the stress field of a three-phase composite in which an internal elliptical inclusion is bonded to the surrounding matrix through an interphase layer. The linearly elastic materials occupying both the inclusion and the matrix are generally anisotropic, whereas the interphase layer is made of an isotropic elastic material. The two interfaces of the three-phase composite are confocal ellipses. Two conditions are found that ensure that the internal in-plane and anti-plane stress field is uniform. When these conditions are met, the mean stress within the isotropic interphase layer is also uniform. A real form expression of the internal uniform stress field inside the inclusion is derived. Several examples are presented to demonstrate and validate the obtained results.
Understanding the Influence of Independent Civil Society Monitoring and Evaluation at the District Level
Authors: Gildemyn Marie
Published: March 2014

In developing countries, an increasing number of civil society organizations (CSOs) engage in independent monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of government programs and policies. Most CSOs rely on a range of M&E tools in combination with advocacy strategies to hold government accountable and improve the implementation of programs and policies. Despite the popularity of such initiatives, their effectiveness and impact remain unconfirmed and are not well understood. In addition, little is known about the influence of this type of CSO-led M&E at the district level. Using a case study design, the current research provides a map of the different influence mechanisms that occurred following the M&E of the National Health Insurance by Ghanaian CSOs. The research further suggests that the built-in dialogue space is acting as a catalyst for certain influence mechanisms.
Funds of Identity: A new concept based on the Funds of Knowledge approach
Authors: Esteban-Guitart Moisès , Moll Luis C
Published: March 2014

The main purpose of this paper is to articulate a theory of human identity from a Vygotskian perspective. In doing so, we use the term “funds of identity” inspired by the “funds of knowledge” approach. We use the term funds of identity to refer to the historically accumulated, culturally developed, and socially distributed resources that are essential for a person’s self-definition, self-expression, and self-understanding. Funds of knowledge—bodies of knowledge and skills that are essential for the well-being of an entire household—become funds of identity when people actively use them to define themselves. From our point of view, identity is made up of cultural factors such as sociodemographic conditions, social institutions, artifacts, significant others, practices, and activities. Consequently, understanding identity requires an understanding of the funds of practices, beliefs, knowledge, and ideas that people make use of.
Emotional experience, meaning, and sense production: Interweaving concepts to dialogue with the funds of identity approach
Authors: Nogueira Ana Lúcia Horta
Published: March 2014

This essay comments on the paper by Esteban and Moll (2014) , which proposes the concept of funds of identity. The comments reflect the concepts of emotional experience (perezhivanie), semiotic mediation (Vygotsky), and the process of meaning and sense production (Bakhtin), which affirm that human development is rooted in the synthesis of social and personal history. According to this perspective, the individual’s subjectivity is produced by and immersed within the social world, and even when the environmental conditions remain almost the same, the role of the environment changes as the person changes during the process of development, mediated by the meanings and senses produced through the social practices and interactions. Regarding the illustrative examples presented by the authors, it is argued that the students’ funds of identity can be an important resource to teachers, not only as a departing point to the school practices but also as material for the school to accomplish its historical role of collectively constructing and sharing social knowledge and cultural experience. The concept of funds of identity can be viewed as a very provocative way to analyze how sociocultural experiences produce subjectivity. Future studies can further the theoretical discussion, deepening on the possibilities, implications, and limits of the concept.
Perceived and actual motivational climate of a mastery-involving sport education season
Authors: Hastie Peter , Sinelnikov Oleg , Wallhead Tristan , Layne Todd
Published: March 2014

The purpose of the study was to implement a Sport Education season designed to be mastery-involving and examine the degree of congruence between the objective measure of the presented climate with the students’ perceptions of the saliency of this motivational climate. Twenty-one male high school students (mean age of 15.9 years) and one expert teacher participated in 12 lessons, each of 90 minutes’ duration, of team handball taught using Sport Education. During each phase of the Sport Education season the TARGET motivational climate variables were coded by analyzing the lesson videotapes. Following each phase, students completed the “perceptions of teacher’s emphasis on goals” questionnaire. Results showed a consistent student perception of a mastery climate across all phases of the season. The teacher was able to manipulate the predominantly performance-based task structure of practice style tasks and formal competition within the model to foster a mastery climate with an emphasis on mastery-based recognition and evaluation structures. The latter finding has important instructional implications for facilitating student motivation within the teaching of competitive sports in secondary physical education.
Why mental health matters to global health
Authors: Patel Vikram
Published: March 2014

Global health has been defined as an area of study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide. This article provides an overview of some central issues in global mental health in three parts. The first part demonstrates why mental health is relevant to global health by examining three key principles of global health: priority setting based on the burden of health problems, health inequalities and its global scope in particular in relation to the determinants and solutions for health problems. The second part considers and addresses the key critiques of global mental health: (a) that the “diagnoses” of mental disorders are not valid because there are no biological markers for these conditions; (b) that the strong association of social determinants undermines the use of biomedical interventions; (c) that the field is a proxy for the expansion of the pharmaceutical industry; and (d) that the actions of global mental health are equivalent to “medical imperialism” and it is a “psychiatric export.” The final part discusses the opportunities for the field, piggybacking on the surge of interest in global health more broadly and on the growing acknowledgment of mental disorders as a key target for global health action.
Gender at the border: Nationalism and the new logic of punishment
Authors: Kaufman Emma
Published: March 2014

Criminologists have spent the past decade writing about the border. Sociologists have documented the growing convergence of punishment and migration control, while legal theorists have critiqued the concepts of sovereignty and citizenship. Over time, these inquiries have cohered into what Katja Aas and Mary Bosworth call the ‘criminology of mobility’. One central premise of this new criminology, perhaps even its motivating concern, is that globalization has altered the relationship between punishment and identity. This article expands on that theoretical claim. What do we mean when we say that punishment and identity are intertwined? How have mass mobility and waning sovereignty affected the practice of punishment? With these questions in mind, this article examines the relationship between three aspects of identity – gender, sexuality, and nationality – in one space of punishment, the British prison. Drawing on interviews with foreign national prisoners in five men’s prisons, I argue that sexism and homophobia work as resources for prisoners who seek to establish themselves as members of the British polity. In the contemporary prison, asserting gender conformity is one way to lay claim to a British national identity.
Floating carceral spaces: Border enforcement and gender on the high seas
Authors: Pickering Sharon
Published: March 2014

To examine the micro politics of new carceral spaces this article considers the very human(e) interactions that occur in an increasingly depersonalized, technologically remote-driven space: the border. This interrogation is also specifically interested in the enactment of gender at the border in relation to the increasing numbers of women making irregular maritime journeys and the competing paradigms of enforcement (masculine) and rescue (feminine) in the use of interception and custody in the border’s daily operation. In an effort to ground recent theoretical excursions empirically into the geographical margins of the state, this article examines the narratives of Australian customs agents who undertake maritime border enforcement and are charged with the custody of asylum seekers.
Methodologies for animals’ geographies: cultures, communication and genomics
Authors: Hodgetts Timothy , Lorimer Jamie
Published: March 2014

The recent renaissance within animal geography has tended to focus on the spatial orderings of animals by humans, rather than on the lived geographies and experiences of animals themselves. We suggest that one reason for this imbalance is methodological – a persistent commitment to human-centred methods somewhat at odds with the more-than-human aspirations of the sub-discipline. In this paper we review and critically assess methodological developments in three areas that we consider to be especially significant for developing animals’ geographies: (i) techniques for tracking the spatialities of animal culture; (ii) scientific and artistic engagements in inter-species communication; and (iii) geographic tools afforded by genetic analyses. In conclusion, we reflect on the promise and some of the challenges to developing these methods within (what is still largely known as) human geography.
Red cell distribution width
Authors: Abul Yasin , Ozsu Savas , Korkmaz Ahmet , Bulbul Yilmaz , Orem Asim , Ozlu Tevfik
Published: March 2014

The most important long-term complication of pulmonary thromboembolism is chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) that is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. It is uncertain why some patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) develop CTEPH and others do not. Elevated red cell distribution width (RDW) has been associated with adverse outcomes of heart failure, PE, and idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether RDW might be a predictor of CTEPH in PE patients or not. This study is a retrospective cohort study. A total of 203 consecutive patients with acute PE were included. The RDW was higher in the CTEPH patients than the patients without CTEPH (17.04 ± 3.46, 14.64 ± 1.82, respectively, p = 0.015). RDW was also higher in the CTEPH patients at the time of diagnosis of CTEPH during follow-up compared with the baseline RDW level at the time of PE diagnosis (18.63 ± 3.58, 17.02 ± 3.59, respectively, p = 0.014). The optimal cutoff value of the RDW for predicting CTEPH was 14.65. The area under the curve of RDW for the prediction of CTEPH was 0.735 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.600–0.869); in cases with RDW levels >14.65%, the specificity, sensitivity, and negative predictive value for CTEPH were 62% (95% CI: 0.55–0.69), 75% (95% CI: 0.47–0.92), and 96.7% (95% CI: 0.91–0.99), respectively. A multivariate regression analysis showed that RDW, hazard ratio: 1.58 (95% CI: 1.09–2.30), was a predictor of CTEPH ( p = 0.016). High level of RDW was an independent predictor of CTEPH in PE patients. Therefore, RDW levels may provide a prediction for CTEPH in PE patients.
Potentially immunogenic proteins expressed similarly in human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Maynard Kristen M , Arvindam Upasana , Cross Madeline , Firpo Meri T
Published: March 2014

A major limitation of the use of cellular therapies is the loss of donor-derived cells because of immune incompatibility. While induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells offer the potential for autologous transplant therapies, questions have been raised using a mouse model that specific antigens mediate the rejection of grafts after syngeneic transplants with iPS, but not embryonic stem (ES) cells. In this study, we examined whether the human homologs of these markers, HORMAD1, ZG16, and Cyp3A, are differentially expressed in human iPS versus ES cells, as well as undifferentiated and in vitro-differentiated cells. Both qRT-PCR and flow cytometric analyses demonstrated similar gene and protein expression profiles for iPS and ES cells regardless of differentiation state. Our data are consistent with a recent study in mice that showed no evidence of rejection of differentiated syngeneic iPS cells. Furthermore, our results suggest that expression of these gene products cannot predict differences in clinical outcomes between human iPS and ES-derived cells.
Emotions experienced in retail outlets: A proposed measurement scale
Authors: Lichtlé Marie-Christine , Plichon Véronique
Published: March 2014

The affective states experienced by consumers in stores are numerous, heterogeneous and specific. In order to measure them, most researchers use Anglo-Saxon psychological measurement scales. However, these carry several limitations and are ill-suited to the retail environment. The purpose of this research was to create a scale with which to measure the emotions experienced in retail outlets. Following a brief analysis of the literature on affective states and the measurement thereof, we turn our attention to the emotions experienced in-store by consumers. We then use a qualitative phase and two quantitative studies to propose a six-dimensional measurement scale (well-being, escapism, nervousness, pleasure, calm and constriction) that has been adapted to the retail environment. The reliability and convergent, discriminant and predictive validity of the scale are all wholly satisfactory.
TAM receptors, Gas6, and protein S: roles in inflammation and hemostasis
Authors: van der Meer Jonathan H. M. , van der Poll Tom , van ‘t Veer Cornelis
Published: March 2014

TAM receptors (Tyro3, Axl, and Mer) belong to a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that have important effects on hemostasis and inflammation. Also, they affect cell proliferation, survival, adhesion, and migration. TAM receptors can be activated by the vitamin K–dependent proteins Gas6 and protein S. Protein S is more commonly known as an important cofactor for protein C as well as a direct inhibitor of multiple coagulation factors. To our knowledge, the functions of Gas6 are limited to TAM receptor activation. When activated, the TAM receptors have effects on primary hemostasis and coagulation and display an anti-inflammatory or a proinflammatory effect, depending on cell type. To comprehend the effects that the TAM receptors and their ligands have on hemostasis and inflammation, we compare studies that report the different phenotypes displayed by mice with deficiencies in the genes of this receptor family and its ligands (protein S+/−, Gas6−/−, TAM−/−, and variations of these). In this manner, we aim to display which features are attributable to the different ligands. Because of the effects TAM receptors have on hemostasis, inflammation, and cancer growth, their modulation could make interesting therapeutic targets in thromboembolic disease, atherosclerosis, sepsis, autoimmune disease, and cancer.
Implications of the miR-10 family in chemotherapy response of NPM1-mutated AML
Authors: Havelange Violaine , Ranganathan Parvathi , Geyer Susan , Nicolet Deedra , Huang Xiaomeng , Yu Xueyan , Volinia Stefano , Kornblau Steven M. , Andreeff Michael , Croce Carlo M. , Marcucci Guido , Bloomfield Clara D. , Garzon Ramiro
Published: March 2014

Key Points

High miR-10 family expression levels in AML patients are associated with achieving complete remission to induction chemotherapy. Functional experiments did not show any impact of miR-10a-5p in AML blast growth or survival at baseline conditions or after chemotherapy.
Active transport between home and school assessed with GPS: a cross-sectional study among Dutch elementary school children
Authors: Dessing Dirk , de Vries Sanne I , Graham Jamie MA , Pierik Frank H
Published: March 2014

Background

Active transport to school is associated with higher levels of physical activity in children. Promotion of active transport has therefore gained attention as a potential target to increase children’s physical activity levels. Recent studies have recognized that the distance between home and school is an important predictor for active travel among children. These studies did not yet use the promising global positioning system (GPS) methods to objectively assess active transport. This study aims to explore active transport to school in relation to the distance between home and school among a sample of Dutch elementary school children, using GPS.

Methods

Seventy-nine children, aged 6-11 years, were recruited in six schools that were located in five cities in the Netherlands. All children were asked to wear a GPS receiver for one week. All measurements were conducted between December 2008 and April 2009. Based on GPS recordings, the distance of the trips between home and school were calculated. In addition, the mode of transport (i.e., walking, cycling, motorized transport) was determined using the average and maximum speed of the GPS tracks. Then, proportion of walking and cycling trips to school was determined in relation to the distance between home and school.

Results

Out of all school trips that were recorded (n = 812), 79.2% were classified as active transport. On average, active commuting trips were of a distance of 422 meters with an average speed of 5.2 km/hour. The proportion of walking trips declined significantly at increased school trip distance, whereas the proportion of cycling trips (β = 1.23, p < 0.01) and motorized transport (β = 3.61, p < 0.01) increased. Almost all GPS tracks less than 300 meters were actively commuted, while of the tracks above 900 meters, more than half was passively commuted.

Conclusions

In the current research setting, active transport between home and school was the most frequently used mode of travel. Increasing distance seems to be associated with higher levels of passive transport. These results are relevant for those involved in decisions on where to site schools and residences, as it may affect healthy behavior among children.
Electroacupuncture-like stimulation at Baihui and Dazhui acupoints exerts neuroprotective effects through activation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-mediated MEK1/2/ERK1/2/p90RSK/bad signaling pathway in mild transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats
Authors: Cheng Chin Yi , Lin Jaung Geng , Su Shan Yu , Tang Nou Ying , Kao Shung Te , Hsieh Ching Liang
Published: March 2014

Background

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture-like stimulation at Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) acupoints (EA at acupoints) following mild cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Furthermore, we investigated whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-mediated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 signaling pathway is involved in the neuroprotection induced by EA at acupoints.

Methods

Rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) for 15 min followed by reperfusion for 3 d. EA at acupoints was applied 1 d postreperfusion then once daily for 2 consecutive days.

Results

Following the application of EA at acupoints, initiated 1 d postreperfusion, we observed significant reductions in the cerebral infarct area, neurological deficit scores, active caspase-3 protein expression, and apoptosis in the ischemic cortex after 3 d of reperfusion. We also observed markedly upregulated BDNF, phospho-Raf-1 (pRaf-1), phospho-MEK1/2 (pMEK1/2), phospho-ERK1/2 (pERK1/2), phospho-90 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (pp90RSK), and phospho-Bad (pBad) expression, and restored neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) expression. Pretreatment with the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 abrogated the effects of EA at acupoints on cerebral infarct size, neurological deficits, active caspase-3 protein, and apoptosis in the ischemic cortex after 3 d of reperfusion. Pretreatment with U0126 also abrogated the effects of EA at acupoints on pMEK1/2, pERK1/2, pp90RSK, pBad, and NeuN expression, but did not influence BDNF and pRaf-1 expression.

Conclusion

Overall, our study results indicated that EA at acupoints, initiated 1 d postreperfusion, upregulates BDNF expression to provide BDNF-mediated neuroprotection against caspase-3-dependent neuronal apoptosis through activation of the Raf-1/MEK1/2/ERK1/2/p90RSK/Bad signaling cascade after 3 d of reperfusion in mild MCAo.
Provision of smoking cessation support for pregnant women in England: results from an online survey of NHS stop smoking services for pregnant women
Authors: Fahy Samantha J , Cooper Sue , Coleman Tim , Naughton Felix , Bauld Linda
Published: March 2014

Background

Smoking during pregnancy is a major public health concern and an NHS priority. In 2010, 26% of UK women smoked immediately before or during their pregnancy and 12% smoked continuously. Smoking cessation support is provided through free at the point of use Stop Smoking Services for Pregnant women (SSSP). However, to date, little is known of how these services provide support across England. The aim of this study was to describe the key elements of support provided through English SSSP.

Methods

SSSP managers were invited to participate in this survey by email. Data were then collected via an online questionnaire; one survey was completed for each SSSP. Up to four reminder emails were sent over a two month period.

Results

86% (121 of 141) of services completed the survey. Responding services were, on average, larger than non-responding services in terms of the number of pregnant women setting quit dates and successfully quitting (p < 0.01). In line with the 2010 NICE guidelines, Stop Smoking in Pregnancy and following Childbirth, one in five SSSP identified pregnant smokers using carbon monoxide (CO) testing and refer via an opt-out pathway. All services offered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to pregnant women and 87% of services also offered dual therapy NRT, i.e. combination of a patch and short acting NRT product.. The 2010 NICE guidelines note that services should be flexible and client-centred. Consistent with this, SSSP offer pregnant women a range of support types (median 4) including couple/family, group (open or closed) or one-to-one. These are available in a number of locations (median 5), including in community venues, clinics and women’s homes.

Conclusions

English Stop Smoking Services offer behavioural support and pharmacotherapy to pregnant women motivated to quit smoking. Interventions provided are generally evidence-based and delivered in a variety of both social and health care settings.