bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Viscosity Approximation Scheme for Finding Common Solutions of Mixed Equilibrium Problems, a Finite Family of Variational Inclusions, and Fixed Point Problems in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Deng Bin-Chao , Chen Tong , Xin Baogui
Published: June 2012

We introduce an iterative method for finding a common
element of set of fixed points of nonexpansive mappings, the set of
solutions of a finite family of variational inclusion with
set‐valued maximal monotone mappings and inverse strongly monotone
mappings, and the set of solutions of a mixed equilibrium problem in
Hilbert spaces. Under suitable conditions, some strong convergence
theorems for approximating this common elements are proved. The
results presented in the paper improve and extend the main results
of Plubtemg and Sripard and many others.
Arterial Structure and Function in Ambulatory Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy Are Not Different from Healthy Controls
Authors: Martin Audra A. , Cotie Lisa M. , Timmons Brian W. , Gorter Jan Willem , MacDonald Maureen J.
Published: June 2012

Physical inactivity in youth with cerebral palsy (CP) places them at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The current study assessed indices of arterial health in adolescents with CP, classified as levels I-II of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) (n=11, age13.2±2.1 yr), in comparison to age- and sex-matched controls (n=11, age12.4±2.3 yr). Groups were similar in anthropometric measurements, resting blood pressures, and heart rates. There were no group differences in brachial flow-mediated dilation (11.1±7.8versus6.1±3.6), carotid intima-media thickness (0.42±0.04versus0.41±0.03 mm), and distensibility (0.008±0.002versus0.008±0.002 mmHg) or central (4.3±0.6versus4.1±0.9 m/s) and peripheral pulse wave velocity (7.1±1.7versus7.6±1.1 m/s); CP versus healthy controls, respectively. Vigorous intensity physical activity (PA) was lower in the CP group (CP:38±80 min versus controls:196±174 min); groups were similar in light and moderate intensity PA levels. Arterial health of ambulatory youth with CP is not different from a control group despite lower vigorous PA levels. Similar studies need to examine individuals with more pronounced mobility limitations (GMFCS level III–V).
Intron Retention and TE Exonization Events inZRANB2
Authors: Park Sang-Je , Huh Jae-Won , Kim Young-Hyun , Kim Heui-Soo , Chang Kyu-Tae
Published: June 2012

The Zinc finger, RAN-binding domain-containing protein 2 (ZRANB2), contains arginine/serine-rich (RS) domains that mediate its function in the regulation of alternative splicing. TheZRANB2gene contains 2 LINE elements (L3b, Plat_L3) between the 9th and 10th exons. We identified the exonization event of a LINE element (Plat_L3). Using genomic PCR, RT-PCR amplification, and sequencing of primate DNA and RNA samples, we analyzed the evolutionary features ofZRANB2transcripts. The results indicated that 2 of the LINE elements were integrated in human and all of the tested primate samples (hominoids: 3 species; Old World monkey: 8 species; New World monkey: 6 species; prosimian: 1 species). Human, rhesus monkey, crab-eating monkey, African-green monkey, and marmoset harbor the exon derived from LINE element (Plat_L3). RT-PCR amplification revealed the long transcripts and their differential expression patterns. Intriguingly, these long transcripts were abundantly expressed in Old World monkey lineages (rhesus, crab-eating, and African-green monkeys) and were expressed via intron retention (IR). Thus, theZRANB2gene produces 3 transcript variants in which the Cterminus varies by transposable elements (TEs) exonization and IR mechanisms. Therefore,ZRANB2is valuable for investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of TE exonization and IR during primate evolution.
Extreme Effects of Season on the Foraging Activities and Colony Productivity of a Stingless Bee (Melipona asilvaiMoure, 1971) in Northeast Brazil
Authors: do Nascimento Daniela Lima , Nascimento Fabio Santos
Published: June 2012

This study reports the influence of season on foraging activities and internal colonial parameters ofMelipona asilvaiin an Atlantic forest area of northeast Brazil. We used video cameras connected to a PC to monitor all departures and returns of foragers and the types of materials they carried. Foraging activities decreased almost 90% from dry to rainy seasons, but temperature and humidity were not the main factors influencing departures. Observed honey storage and an extreme cutback in activities during the rainy period suggest a seasonal diapause in this species.
An Efficient Clustering Algorithm in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Cooperative Communication
Authors: Zhang Shukui , Fan Jianxi , Jia Juncheng , Wang Jin
Published: June 2012

Processing the gathered information efficiently is a key functionality for wireless sensor networks. In generally, the sensor networks often use in-network data aggregation and clustering to optimize network communication. The set of aggregating nodes forms a dominating set of the network graph. Finding the weakly connected dominating set (WCDS) is a promising approach for clustering the WSN. However, finding a minimum WCDS is NP-hard problem for most graphs, and a host of approximation algorithm has been proposed. The aim of the paper is to construct a minimum WCDS as a clustering scheme for WSN. Our clustering schemes construction algorithm includes two phases. First of all, we construct a maximal data aggregation tree (DAT) of the network. The second phase of the algorithm is to choose the nodes (called connectors) to make the WCDS connected. The correctness and performance of our algorithms are confirmed through theoretical analysis and comprehensive simulations.
Reliability of Margin Assessment after Surgery for Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma: The SSG Experience
Authors: Trovik Clement S. , Skjeldal Sigmund , Bauer Henrik , Rydholm Anders , Jebsen Nina
Published: June 2012

Surgery remains the mainstay of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) treatment and has been the primary treatment for the majority of patients in Scandinavia during the last 30 years although the use of adjuvant radiotherapy has increased. Patient and treatment characteristics have been recorded in the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group (SSG) Register since 1987. When the effect of new radiotherapy guidelines from 1998 was evaluated, the reliability of surgical margin assessments among different Scandinavian institutions was investigated. Margins were reevaluated by a panel of sarcoma surgeons, studying pathology and surgical reports from 117 patients, randomly selected among 470 recorded patients treated between 1998–2003. In 80% of cases, the panel agreed with the original classification. Disagreement was most frequent when addressing the distinction between marginal and wide margins. Considered the element of judgment inherent in all margin assessment, we find this reliability acceptable for using the Register for studies of local control of STS.
Primary Orbital Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Herrera Angel , Ortega Cesar , Reyes Gervith , Alvarez Miguel Angel , Tellez Daniela
Published: June 2012

Orbital mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a very uncommon lesion of the bone and extraskeletal tissue. To our knowledge, approximately 30 cases have been described. We present the case of a 52-year-old male who presented with a history of progressive proptosis and chemosis of the right eye caused by an orbital tumor. He underwent exenteration of the right orbit, and the histological examination revealed a mesenchymal orbital chondrosarcoma. This paper attempts to describe a rare entity that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of calcified orbital lesions, especially in young adults. Complete removal of the tumor is the mainstay of treatment, but adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy should be considered.
Interval Oscillation Criteria of Second Order Mixed Nonlinear Impulsive Differential Equations with Delay
Authors: Guo Zhonghai , Zhou Xiaoliang , Wang Wu-Sheng
Published: June 2012

We study the following second order mixed nonlinear impulsive differential equations with delay , where Φ*(u) = |u|*−1u, σ is a nonnegative constant, {τk} denotes the impulsive moments sequence, and τk+1 − τk > σ. Some sufficient conditions for the interval oscillation criteria of the equations are obtained. The results obtained generalize and improve earlier ones. Two examples are considered to illustrate the main results.
What Grasps and Holds 8-Month-Old Infants' Looking Attention? The Effects of Object Size and Depth Cues
Authors: Guan Yu , Corbetta Daniela
Published: June 2012

The current eye-tracking study explored the relative impact of object size and depth cues on 8-month-old infants' visual attention processes. A series of slides containing 3 objects of either different or same size were displayed on backgrounds with varying depth cues. The distribution of infants' first looks (a measure of initial attention switch) and infants' looking durations (a measure of sustained attention) at the objects were analyzed. Results revealed that the large objects captured infants' attention first, that is, most of the times infants directed their visual attention first to the largest object in the scene regardless of depth cues. For sustained attention, infants preferred maintaining their attention to the largest object also, but this occurred only when depth cues were present. These findings suggest that infants' initial attention response is driven mainly by object size, while infants' sustained attention is more the product of combined figure and background processing, where object sizes are perceived as a function of depth cues.
A Nonlinear Multiobjective Bilevel Model for Minimum Cost Network Flow Problem in a Large‐Scale Construction Project
Authors: Xu Jiuping , Tu Yan , Zeng Ziqiang
Published: June 2012

The aim of this study is to deal with a minimum cost network flow problem (MCNFP) in a large‐scale construction project using a nonlinear multiobjective bilevel model with birandom variables. The main target of the upper level is to minimize both direct and transportation time costs. The target of the lower level is to minimize transportation costs. After an analysis of the birandom variables, an expectation multiobjective bilevel programming model with chance constraints is formulated to incorporate decision makers’ preferences. To solve the identified special conditions, an equivalent crisp model is proposed with an additional multiobjective bilevel particle swarm optimization (MOBLPSO) developed to solve the model. The Shuibuya Hydropower Project is used as a real‐world example to verify the proposed approach. Results and analysis are presented to highlight the performances of the MOBLPSO, which is very effective and efficient compared to a genetic algorithm and a simulated annealing algorithm.
Formation, Contraction, and Mechanotransduction of Myofribrils in Cardiac Development: Clues from Genetics
Authors: Granados-Riveron Javier T. , Brook J. David
Published: June 2012

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect in humans. It is a leading infant mortality factor worldwide, caused by defective cardiac development. Mutations in transcription factors, signalling and structural molecules have been shown to contribute to the genetic component of CHD. Recently, mutations in genes encoding myofibrillar proteins expressed in the embryonic heart have also emerged as an important genetic causative factor of the disease, which implies that the contraction of the early heart primordium contributes to its morphogenesis. This notion is supported by increasing evidence suggesting that not only contraction but also formation, mechanosensing, and mechanotransduction of the cardiac myofibrillar proteins influence heart development. In this paper, we summarize the genetic clues supporting this idea.
Consistency of Probability Decision Rules and Its Inference in Probability Decision Table
Authors: Pei Zheng , Zou Li , Karimi Hamid Reza , Shi Peng
Published: June 2012

In most synthesis evaluation systems and decision‐making systems, data are represented by objects and attributes of objects with a degree of belief. Formally, these data can be abstracted by the form (objects; attributes; P), where P represents a kind degree of belief between objects and attributes, such that, P is a basic probability assignment. In the paper, we provide a kind of probability information system to describe these data and then employ rough sets theory to extract probability decision rules. By extension of Dempster‐Shafer evidence theory, we can get probabilities of antecedents and conclusion of probability decision rules. Furthermore, we analyze the consistency of probability decision rules. Based on consistency of probability decision rules, we provide an inference method to finish inference of probability decision rules, which can be used to decide the class of a new object x′. The conclusion points out that the inference method of the paper not only deals with precise information, but also imprecise
or uncertain information as well.
Synthesis and Characterization of K-Ta Mixed Oxides for Hydrogen Generation in Photocatalysis
Authors: Zielińska Beata , Mijowska Ewa , Kalenczuk Ryszard J.
Published: June 2012

K-Ta mixed oxides photocatalysts have been prepared by impregnation followed by calcination. The influence of the reaction temperature (450°C–900°C) on the phase formation, crystal morphology, and photocatalytic activity in hydrogen generation of the produced materials was investigated. The detailed analysis has revealed that all products exhibit high crystallinity and irregular structure. Moreover, two different crystal structures of potassium tantalates such as KTaO3and K2Ta4O11were obtained. It was also found that the sample composed of KTaO3and traces of unreacted Ta2O5(annealed at 600°C) exhibits the highest activity in the reaction of photocatalytic hydrogen generation. The crystallographic phases, optical and vibronic properties were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance (DR) UV-vis and resonance Raman spectroscopic methods, respectively. Morphology and chemical composition of the produced samples were studied using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) as its mode.
Different Apathy Profile in Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Quaranta Davide , Marra Camillo , Rossi Concettina , Gainotti Guido , Masullo Carlo
Published: June 2012

Apathy is one of the most common behavioral symptoms of dementia; it is one of the salient features of behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) but is also very frequent in Alzheimer's disease. This preliminary investigation was aimed at assessing the type of apathy-related symptoms in a population of bvFTD and AD subjects showing comparable apathy severity. Each patient underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment; behavioral changes were investigated by the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), using the NPI-apathy subscale to detect apathetic symptoms. At univariate analysis, bvFTD subjects showed lack of initiation (χ2=4.602,p=0.032), reduced emotional output (χ2=6.493,p=0.008), and reduced interest toward friends and family members (χ2=4.898,p=0.027), more frequently than AD subjects. BvFTD displayed higher scores than AD on NPI total score (p=0.005) and on subscales assessing agitation (p=0.004), disinhibition (p=0.007) and sleep disturbances (p=0.025); conversely, AD subjects were more impaired on memory, constructional abilities, and attention. On multivariate logistic regression, reduced emotional output was highly predictive of bvFTD (OR=18.266;p=0.008). Our preliminary findings support the hypothesis that apathy is a complex phenomenon, whose clinical expression is conditioned by the site of anatomical damage. Furthermore, apathy profile may help in differentiating bvFTD from AD.
The Primary Care Visit: What Else Could Be Happening?
Authors: Fulmer Terry , Cabrera Patricia
Published: June 2012

The Institute of Medicine Report called for a greater role for nurses within the context of oral health in two recent publications,Advancing Oral Health in America(2011) andImproving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations(2011). Nurses provide care for many vulnerable persons, including frail and functionally dependent older adults, persons with disabilities, and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These persons are the least likely to receive necessary, health-sustaining dental care (which is distinct from mouth care). The mouth, or more accurately, plaque, serves as a reservoir for bacteria and pathogens. The link between mouth care, oral health, and systemic health is well-documented; infections such as pneumonia have been linked to poor oral health. Nurses, therefore, need to reframe mouth care as oral infection control and infection control more broadly. The can provide the preventive measure that are crucial to minimizing systemic infections. Nurses in all settings can potentially provide mouth care, conduct oral health assessments, educate patients about best mouth care practices, and make dental referrals. Yet, nurses are often hesitant to do anything beyond basic oral hygiene—and even in this area, often fail to provide mouth care based on best practices.
The Use of Functional MRI to Study Appetite Control in the CNS
Authors: De Silva Akila , Salem Victoria , Matthews Paul M. , Dhillo Waljit S.
Published: June 2012

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has provided the opportunity to safely investigate the workings of the human brain. This paper focuses on its use in the field of human appetitive behaviour and its impact in obesity research. In the present absence of any safe or effective centrally acting appetite suppressants, a better understanding of how appetite is controlled is vital for the development of new antiobesity pharmacotherapies. Early functional imaging techniques revealed an attenuation of brain reward area activity in response to visual food stimuli when humans are fed—in other words, the physiological state of hunger somehow increases the appeal value of food. Later studies have investigated the action of appetite modulating hormones on the fMRI signal, showing how the attenuation of brain reward region activity that follows feeding can be recreated in the fasted state by the administration of anorectic gut hormones. Furthermore, differences in brain activity between obese and lean individuals have provided clues about the possible aetiology of overeating. The hypothalamus acts as a central gateway modulating homeostatic and nonhomeostatic drives to eat. As fMRI techniques constantly improve, functional data regarding the role of this small but hugely important structure in appetite control is emerging.
The Structure of Disjoint Groups of Continuous Functions
Authors: Farzadfard Hojjat , Khani Robati B.
Published: June 2012

Let I be an open interval. We describe the general structure of groups of continuous self functions on I which are disjoint, that is, the graphs of any two distinct elements of them do not intersect. Initially the class of all disjoint groups of continuous functions is divided in three subclasses: cyclic groups, groups the limit points of their orbits are Cantor‐like sets, and finally those the limit points of their orbits are the whole interval I. We will show that (1) each group of the second type is conjugate, via a specific homeomorphism, to a piecewise linear group of the same type; (2) each group of the third type is a subgroup of a continuous disjoint iteration group. We conclude the Zdun′s result on the structure of disjoint iteration groups of continuous functions as special case of our results.
αSynuclein and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Pathogenic Partnership in Parkinson’s Disease?
Authors: Protter David , Lang Charmaine , Cooper Antony A.
Published: June 2012

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a complex, chronic, progressive, and debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. Neither a cure nor effective long-term therapy exist and the lack of knowledge of the molecular mechanisms responsible for PD development is a major impediment to therapeutic advances. The protein αSynuclein is a central component in PD pathogenesis yet its cellular targets and mechanism of toxicity remains unknown. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also a common theme in PD patients and this review explores the strong possibility that αSynuclein and mitochondrial dysfunction have an inter-relationship responsible for underlying the disease pathology. Amplifying cycles of mitochondrial dysfunction and αSynuclein toxicity can be envisaged, with either being the disease-initiating factor yet acting together during disease progression. Multiple potential mechanisms exist in which mitochondrial dysfunction and αSynuclein could interact to exacerbate their neurodegenerative properties. Candidates discussed within this review include autophagy, mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics/fusion/fission, oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species, endoplasmic reticulum stress, calcium, nitrosative stress and αSynuclein Oligomerization.
Role of Prostaglandins in Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Lima Isabel Vieira de Assis , Bastos Leandro Francisco Silva , Limborço-Filho Marcelo , Fiebich Bernd L. , de Oliveira Antonio Carlos Pinheiro
Published: June 2012

Increasing data demonstrates that inflammation participates in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Among the different inflammatory mediators involved, prostaglandins play an important role. The effects induced by prostaglandins might be mediated by activation of their known receptors or by nonclassical mechanisms. In the present paper, we discuss the evidences that link prostaglandins, as well as the enzymes that produce them, to some neurological diseases.
Specific Conditions for Resveratrol Neuroprotection against Ethanol-Induced Toxicity
Authors: Gonthier Brigitte , Allibe Nathalie , Cottet-Rousselle Cécile , Lamarche Frédéric , Nuiry Laurence , Barret Luc
Published: June 2012

Aims. 3,5,4′-Trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, a natural polyphenolic compound present in wine and grapes and better known as resveratrol, has free radical scavenging properties and is a potent protector against oxidative stress induced by alcohol metabolism. Today, the mechanism by which ethanol exerts its toxicity is still not well understood, but it is generally considered that free radical generation plays an important role in the appearance of structural and functional alterations in cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective action of resveratrol against ethanol-induced brain cell injury.Methods. Primary cultures of rat astrocytes were exposed to ethanol, with or without a pretreatment with resveratrol. We examined the dose-dependent effects of this resveratrol pretreatment on cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by ethanol. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT reduction test. Genotoxicity was evidenced using single cell gel electrophoresis. In addition, DNA staining with fluorescent dyes allowed visualization of nuclear damage using confocal microscopy.Results. Cell pretreatment with low concentrations oftrans-resveratrol (0.1–10 μM) slowed down cell death and DNA damage induced by ethanol exposure, while higher concentrations (50–100 μM) enhanced these same effects. No protection bycis-resveratrol was observed.Conclusion. Protection offered bytrans-resveratrol against ethanol-induced neurotoxicity was only effective for low concentrations of this polyphenol.
Health-Related Quality of Life among Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Post-Treatment Follow-Up Study in Iran
Authors: Tofighi Shahram , Ahmad Kiadaliri Aliasghar , Sadeghifar Jamil , Raadabadi Mehdi , Mamikhani Jahanara
Published: June 2012

Objective.To examine the changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in terms of age, gender, and treatment strategy in Iran.Methods and Materials.Forty-nine patients responded to the Iranian version of the 36-item short form (SF-36) questionnaire to evaluate the HRQoL at first and third year after treatment. The paired and independent Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for within and between comparisons, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the predictors of changes at HRQoL.Results.In general, during followup, the mental component summary scale improved, and the physical component summary scale declined. The results of multiple regression showed that the score at the first year post-treatment was the main predictor of HRQoL at follow up. Moreover, after adjusting for other covariates, receiving PTCA and being at older age were related to lower scores at followup, but these were not statistically significant in most cases.Conclusion.The HRQoL significantly changed from one to three years after treatment in patients with CAD. While, the physical health deteriorated during two-year follow up, mental health improved at the same time period. Generally, there were no significant differences at changes of HRQoL in terms of treatment, age, and gender.
Nitrite Regulates Hypoxic Vasodilation via Myoglobin-Dependent Nitric Oxide Generation
Authors: Totzeck Matthias , Hendgen-Cotta Ulrike B. , Luedike Peter , Berenbrink Michael , Klare Johann P. , Steinhoff Heinz-Juergen , Semmler Dominik , Shiva Sruti , Williams Daryl , Kipar Anja , Gladwin Mark T. , Schrader Juergen , Kelm Malte , Cossins Andrew R. , Rassaf Tienush
Published: June 2012

Background—

Hypoxic vasodilation is a physiological response to low oxygen tension that increases blood supply to match metabolic demands. Although this response has been characterized for >100 years, the underlying hypoxic sensing and effector signaling mechanisms remain uncertain. We have shown that deoxygenated myoglobin in the heart can reduce nitrite to nitric oxide (NO·) and thereby contribute to cardiomyocyte NO· signaling during ischemia. On the basis of recent observations that myoglobin is expressed in the vasculature of hypoxia-tolerant fish, we hypothesized that endogenous nitrite may contribute to physiological hypoxic vasodilation via reactions with vascular myoglobin to form NO·.

Methods and Results—

We show in the present study that myoglobin is expressed in vascular smooth muscle and contributes significantly to nitrite-dependent hypoxic vasodilation in vivo and ex vivo. The generation of NO· from nitrite reduction by deoxygenated myoglobin activates canonical soluble guanylate cyclase/cGMP signaling pathways. In vivo and ex vivo vasodilation responses, the reduction of nitrite to NO·, and the subsequent signal transduction mechanisms were all significantly impaired in mice without myoglobin. Hypoxic vasodilation studies in myoglobin and endothelial and inducible NO synthase knockout models suggest that only myoglobin contributes to systemic hypoxic vasodilatory responses in mice.

Conclusions—

Endogenous nitrite is a physiological effector of hypoxic vasodilation. Its reduction to NO· via the heme globin myoglobin enhances blood flow and matches O
2
supply to increased metabolic demands under hypoxic conditions.
Songs of Healing and Regeneration: Pentecostal Gospel Music in Zimbabwe
Authors: MapurangaChitando TapiwaEzra
Published: June 2012

This study examines the texts of Zimbabwean gospel music to illustrate images of hope, healing, and regeneration. By analysing songs that were recorded between the late 1990s and 2005, the study highlights the importance of the social context to religious music performance. The study provides a description of the socio-economic context in which gospel music in Zimbabwe has been performed. The message of hope found in selected gospel songs is outlined, the theme of healing in gospel music is examined and the theme of Africa's renewal in Zimbabwean gospel music is highlighted. The study also describes how artists look forward to a new era of Africa's prosperity and progress. Throughout, reference is made to specific biblical passages that have inspired the different songs.
Unveiling Nature: Wonder and Deception in Eighteenth-Century London Shows and Exhibitions
Authors: Maddaluno Lavinia
Published: June 2012

This paper examines six exhibitions of machines, clocks, and automata which were performed in the squares, salons and coffee-houses of late eighteenth-century London. It does not take into account those natural philosophers whose enquiries were acknowledged by institutional science, rather focusing on those mechanicks, illusionists, and circus owners (Gulielmo Pittachio, John Joseph Merlin, Benjamin Rackstrow, Henry Breslaw, Philip Astley and James Cox), often collocated in the category of charlatans. By taking into account original advertisements, catalogues and pamphlets, it argues that these shows, with their moments of veiling and unveiling, their dissimilar “methods” to astonish and induce credulity in the beholders, and their separation from institutional venues, were still conceived as places to enlighten and edify the mind, and conveyed concepts such as wonder, deception, curiosity and philosophical understanding to the public.
Strategy and imagination in a Mughal Sufi story of creation
Authors: Alam Muzaffar
Published: June 2012

This article examines a seventeenth-century text that attempts to reconcile Hindu and Muslim accounts of human genesis and cosmogony. The text, Mir’āt al-Makhlūqāt (‘Mirror of Creation’), written by a noted Mughal Sufi author Shaikh ‘Abd al-Rahman Chishti, purportedly a translation of a Sanskrit text, adopts rhetorical strategies and mythological elements of the Purāna tradition in order to argue that evidence of the Muslim prophets was available in ancient Hindu scriptures. Chishti thus accepts the reality of ancient Hindu gods and sages and notes the truth in their message. In doing so Chishti adopts elements of an older argument within the Islamic tradition that posits thousands of cycles of creation and multiple instances of Adam, the father of humans. He argues however that the Hindu gods and sages belonged to a different order of creation and time, and were not in fact human. The text bears some generic resemblance to Bhavishyottarapurāna materials. Chishti combines aspects of polemics with a deft use of politics. He addresses, on the one hand, Hindu intellectuals who claimed the prestige of an older religion, while he also engages, on the other hand, with Muslim theologians and Sufis like the Naqshbandi Mujaddidis who for their part refrained from engaging with Hindu traditions at all.
A CUSUM to Detect Person Misfit
Authors: Tendeiro Jorge N. , Meijer Rob R.
Published: June 2012

This article extends the work by Armstrong and Shi on CUmulative SUM (CUSUM) person-fit methodology. The authors present new theoretical considerations concerning the use of CUSUM person-fit statistics based on likelihood ratios for the purpose of detecting cheating and random guessing by individual test takers. According to the Neyman–Pearson Lemma, the optimality of such statistics relies on how accurately normal and aberrant behaviors are modeled. General and specific models for cheating and random guessing are investigated. The detection rates of several statistics are compared using simulated data. Results showed that the likelihood-based CUSUM statistics that use the proposed models for aberrant behavior performed better than some of the more commonly used statistics, especially for cheating behavior.
Fish Commoditization
Authors: Lam Mimi E. , Pitcher Tony J.
Published: June 2012

The impacts of early fishing on aquatic ecosystems were minimal, as primitive technologies were used to harvest fish primarily for food. As fishing technology grew more sophisticated and human populations dispersed and expanded, local economies transitioned from subsistence to barter and trade. Expanded trade networks and mercantilization led to surplus catches becoming tradable commodities. Today, global export fish commodities, including fresh, frozen, cured, and canned fish, are valued at over US$ 100 billion, but commoditization loses the ecological imperative, with overfishing the result. To sustain global fisheries, human and ecosystem relationships with living fish need to be valued, as fish landed for both food and profit. Toward this end, we propose two decommoditization strategies: (a) valuing cultural property, the intergenerational relationships of people to places, in environmental policy and (b) instituting social subsidies that reward or enable local communities to cooperate in sustaining aquatic living resources, such as with marine protected areas.
Nummular headache with and without exacerbations: Comparative characteristics in a series of 72 patients*
Authors: Guerrero Ángel L , Cortijo Elisa , Herrero-Velázquez Sonia , Mulero Patricia , Miranda Sara , Peñas María Luz , Pedraza María Isabel , Fernández Rosa
Published: June 2012

Objectives: Apart from the characteristic chronic head pain in a coin-shaped circumscribed area, superimposed exacerbations have been described from early reports of nummular headache (NH). In a prospective series, we aim to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics between cases of exacerbations (ENH) and non-exacerbations (NENH) in NH.

Methods and results: Seventy-two NH patients (44 female, 28 male) attending a headache outpatient office. As eight patients presented with bifocal NH we analysed 80 painful areas; 47 (58.8%) presented in situ exacerbations. Mean intensity of exacerbations was 7.5 ± 1.6 and they lasted 5.7 ± 11.6 minutes. Exacerbation quality was mostly stabbing. We found no differences between ENH and NEHN groups in age at onset, baseline pain intensity, size of painful area, allodynia or other sensory symptoms, or baseline pain quality. There were no differences between populations with respect to relief with symptomatic therapy, requirement of preventative therapy and its response to preventatives.

Conclusion: In situ exacerbations superimposed on baseline pain are frequent in NH and might be included in diagnostic criteria. No statistically significant differences were found between ENH and NENH cases in demographic and nosological characteristics, or needing or response to therapy, but these sample sizes are small.
China’s futures and the world’s future: An introduction
Authors: Callahan William A.
Published: June 2012

China’s growing economic, political, and cultural power is an important global issue; Chinese people are increasingly interested in thinking about their country’s future as a world power. This article introduces the special issue ‘China’s futures – and the world’s future’ by discussing how futurology works in China. It argues that Chinese futures studies exhibit two general trends: (1) a shift from locating the future outside China to see China itself as the future, and (2) a shift from officials centrally planning the future to many different people dreaming about many different futures. The battle for the future thus is not necessarily between China and the West, but also takes place within the People’s Republic of China amongst different groups of Chinese intellectuals. This Introduction examines themes that unite the special issue’s diverse set of articles, especially the interplay between technical and cultural innovation. Studying the future here is important not because the forecasts are ‘true’; more importantly, Chinese discussions of the future can tell us about how people in the PRC interact with their own past-present-future, and how they interact with people in other countries in the present.
The Big Society, values and co-operation
Authors: Wilson Fiona , MacLean Donald
Published: June 2012

In a context of government promotion of co-operatives, a growth in the co-operative economy, and in times when use of the term ‘co-operative’ appears to have broadened to include any form of employee ownership, this article sets out a research agenda for exploring producer co-operatives, focusing on what co-operation means to those who work in them. Based on exploratory research in three producer co-operatives, the article argues that the values and principles are being used so liberally that co-operatives have a very wide appeal, making co-operation attractive to a wide spectrum of political ideals and values – perhaps surprisingly, those associated with individualism alongside those of co-operation.
Black “Censor,” White Liberties: Civil Rights and Illinois’s 1917 Film Law
Authors: Scott Ellen C.
Published: June 2012

Most accounts of censorship follow a predictable narrative: an innocent author creates a work, only to have menacing censors obstruct free expression. However, Illinois’s first state censorship law challenges this narrative: its sponsor, the black legislator Robert Jackson, attempted to hone censorship into a tool for black freedom. Exploring the legislative and social history of the law’s creation and enforcement, I examine how Jackson’s unusual quest for liberty through censorship produced a resonant plea for cinematic racial equality that the U.S. Supreme Court would ultimately affirm, and I evaluate what this episode teaches us about the complex relationship between freedom and repression.
Taxonomies of Feeling: The Epistemology of Sentimentalism in Late-Nineteenth-Century Racial and Sexual Science
Authors: Schuller Kyla
Published: June 2012

Despite scholarly assumptions that the scientific is opposed to the sentimental, sentimentalism shaped racial and sexual science. I argue that the once-prominent American School of Evolution translated the sensationist epistemology, in which all knowledge derives from the senses, into an explanation of species and race formation. In this view, species originated in sense-based experience and civilization originated in sentiment, granting individuals and especially the civilized control over their own evolution. As sensibility and sentiment denoted a susceptibility to both progress and degeneration, I show how these scientists’ concept of sex differentiation attempted to work out some of the contradictions of the sentimental body. Overall, the essay suggests how the discourse of feeling shaped the modern logic of biological difference.
Guardians of Morality: Librarians and American Girls’ Series Fiction, 1890–1950
Authors: Hamilton-Honey Emily
Published: June 2012

This article examines the contentious relationship between the first few generations of librarians and series fiction for girls. Librarians and library boards had mixed responses to twentieth-century series books; they favored earlier postbellum series that taught girls traditional religious behavior and caretaking, by authors such as Louisa May Alcott and Martha Finley. While such series could certainly offer empowering kinds of agency, they left out a great many options that were opening up to women, including higher education, new professions, and individualized consumption. Keeping more contemporary series off library shelves also meant that librarians were boycotting most of the work of publishing syndicates, particularly the work of Edward Stratemeyer. Syndicate volumes were often viewed as immoral and dangerously influential by the newly professionalized arbiters of reading.
Seeing the World from Main Street: Early Twentieth-Century Juvenile Collections about Life in Other Lands
Authors: Kimball Melanie A.
Published: June 2012

By the late nineteenth century, the United States had emerged as a major industrial nation and an increasingly important force in world politics. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, books set in countries outside the United States proliferated. In particular, books as part of a series, both fiction and nonfiction, were selected for inclusion in public library collections. It is not surprising that large urban libraries with diverse populations like St. Louis and Buffalo would acquire children’s fiction and nonfiction on themes related to life in other lands, but what did library collections in smaller, less diverse communities include? The view from small-town Main Street was similar to the view from large cities—children’s librarians acted on their belief that their patrons needed to have access to materials that discussed the world outside the borders of their town, state, and country. An analysis of titles held by five small midwestern libraries, book lists of the St. Louis Public Library, and lists of books included in the classroom collections from the Buffalo Public Library in the early twentieth century shows an increasing number of books that described life in other countries. This suggests that there was widespread agreement about the importance for children’s reading about life outside the borders of the United States.
The Risks Associated With Stimulant Medication Use in Child and Adolescent Populations Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Stolzer Jeanne M.
Published: June 2012

Throughout human history, psychiatric dysfunction in child and adolescent populations has been rare. However, over the last 2 decades, psychiatric diagnoses have reached epidemic proportions—particularly in the United States. Currently, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric illness in child and adolescent populations with an estimated 10–12 million children diagnosed in the United States. Over the last 2 decades, behavior patterns that were once perceived as typical, normative developmental stages have been systematically redefined by those promoting the mass labeling and drugging of children as a “chemical imbalance of the brain.” Grounded in bioevolutionary theory, this article will challenge the existing medical model and will explore in-depth the risks associated with the ADHD label and the use of stimulant medication in pediatric populations. In addition, this article will examine the cultural, physical, neurological, psychological, and social correlates as they relate to the diagnosis of ADHD in America.
“Less Feminine and Less a Woman”:The Impact of Unplanned Postpartum Hysterectomy on Women
Authors: Elmir Rakime , Jackson Debra , Schmied Virginia , Wilkes Lesley
Published: June 2012

AIM: This article is a report of the women’s experiences of unplanned emergency hysterectomy following severe postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

BACKGROUND: Every year, thousands of women worldwide undergo hysterectomies for either gynecological issues or following childbirth to save their life from severe PPH. Little attention has been given to the experiences of women with secondary infertility, despite many of these women being of childbearing age. Some of the issues concerning this group of women are related to their feminine identity, sexuality, sense of being, and womanhood.

METHOD: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 Australian women between the ages of 24 and 57 years. The data were collected between May and October 2009. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

FINDINGS: One major theme; loss of normality, and four subthemes emerged, “being incomplete: half a woman,” “not myself: a changed body,” “being alone: isolation and disconnectedness,” and “fearing intimacy: insecure and wary.”

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that irrespective of the number of children women have, they may continue to experience significant emotional distress following their hysterectomy after childbirth. The distress these women experience is not only during the immediate postsurgical period but continues long term, and affects social, familial, and interpersonal relationships. Health professionals, particularly those providing community-based child and family health services, are in a position to provide ongoing professional support to women who experience an emergency hysterectomy following childbirth.
Adjunctive Antimicrobial Photodynamic Treatment of Experimentally Induced Periodontitis in Rats With Ovariectomy
Authors: Garcia Valdir Gouveia , Gualberto Júnior Erivan Clementino , Fernandes Leandro Araújo , Bosco Alvaro Francisco , Hitomi Nagata Maria José , Casatti Cláudio Aparecido , Ervolino Edilson , Theodoro Letícia Helena
Published: June 2012

Background:The aim of this study is to compare antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as an adjunctive therapy to scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of experimentally induced periodontitis in rats with ovariectomy (OVX) that are or are not treated with estrogen replacement.

Methods:A total of 270 female rats were divided into three groups: 1) normal rats; 2) rats with OVX; and 3) rats with OVX with estrogen replacement. Periodontal disease was induced through the introduction of a cotton thread around the mandibular left first molar. After 7 days, the ligature was removed, and the rats were randomly divided into the following treatment groups: 1) SRP plus saline solution; 2) SRP plus low‐level laser therapy (LLLT); and 3) SRP plus toluidine blue O irrigation followed by LLLT. Ten rats from each group were euthanized at days 7, 15, and 30 after dental treatment. Bone loss (BL) in the furcation region was evaluated using histometric and immunohistochemical analyses.

Results:aPDT treatment resulted in reduced BL compared with SRP treatment at all time points. Additionally, rats treated with aPDT exhibited reduced numbers of tartrate‐resistant acid‐phosphatase–positive cells and more proliferating cell nuclear antigen–positive cells in all treatment groups regardless of estrogen status. Whereas rats treated with aPDT showed weak immunoreactivity to the receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κ B ligand at day 7 post‐treatment, strong osteoprotegerin immunoreactivity was observed at day 15 post‐treatment.

Conclusion:aPDT is an effective adjunctive therapy for the treatment of periodontitis in rats with OVX that are or are not given estrogen replacement therapy.
Toll‐Like Receptor 2 Knockdown Modulates Interleukin (IL)‐6 and IL‐8 but not Stromal Derived Factor‐1 (SDF‐1/CXCL12) in Human Periodontal Ligament and Gingival Fibroblasts
Authors: Morandini Ana Carolina F. , Chaves Souza Pedro Paulo , Ramos‐Junior Erivan Schnaider , Brozoski Daniel Thomas , Sipert Carla Renata , Souza Costa Carlos Alberto , Santos Carlos Ferreira
Published: June 2012

Background: Fibroblasts are now seen as active components of the immune response because these cells express Toll‐like receptors (TLRs), recognize pathogen‐associated molecular patterns, and mediate the production of cytokines and chemokines during inflammation. The innate host response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis is unusual inasmuch as different studies have reported that it can be an agonist for Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) and an antagonist or agonist for Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4). This study investigates and compares whether signaling through TLR2 or TLR4 could affect the secretion of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, and stromal derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1/CXCL12) in both human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLF).

Methods: After small interfering RNA‐mediated silencing of TLR2 and TLR4, HGF and HPDLF from the same donors were stimulated with P. gingivalis LPS or with two synthetic ligands of TLR2, Pam2CSK4 and Pam3CSK4, for 6 hours. IL‐6, IL‐8, and CXCL12 mRNA expression and protein secretion were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.

Results: TLR2 mRNA expression was upregulated in HGF but not in HPDLF by all the stimuli applied. Knockdown of TLR2 decreased IL‐6 and IL‐8 in response to P. gingivalis LPS, or Pam2CSK4 and Pam3CSK4, in a similar manner in both fibroblasts subpopulations. Conversely, CXCL12 remained unchanged by TLR2 or TLR4 silencing.

Conclusion: These results suggest that signaling through TLR2 by gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts can control the secretion of IL‐6 and IL‐8, which contribute to periodontal pathogenesis, but do not interfere with CXCL12 levels, an important chemokine in the repair process.