bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Children
Authors: Jain Rahul , Singh Archana , Mittal Medha , Talukdar Bibek
Published: January 2014

Vitamin B12 deficiency in children can rarely cause neurologic manifestations. In this series, 14 pediatric cases (median age 11 months) have been described in whom association of vitamin B12 deficiency with developmental delay or regression was observed. Severe to profound delay was present in 8 (57%) patients. All the patients were exclusively or predominantly breast-fed and 10 of 12 mothers had low serum vitamin B12 levels. Three to 6 months after treatment, a mean gain of development quotient of 38.8 points was seen in 7 follow-ups. In settings with a high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency, this association should be actively searched for.
16p13.11 Microdeletion in a Patient With Hemiconvulsion-Hemiplegia-Epilepsy Syndrome
Authors: Miteff Christina I. , Smith Robert L. , Bain Nicole L. , Subramanian Gopinath , Brown Janis E. , Kamien Ben
Published: January 2014

We describe a patient with hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome. The pathophysiology of hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome remains uncertain and there are probably multiple potential contributing factors. Our patient had a chromosomal 16p13.11 microdeletion that confers susceptibility to various types of epilepsy. This is the first report detailing an association of hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome with a 16p13.11 deletion and identifies another potential causal factor for hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome.
Career Calling as a Personal Resource Moderator Between Environmental Demands and Burnout in Australian Junior Doctors
Authors: Creed Peter A. , Rogers Mary E. , Praskova Anna , Searle Judy
Published: January 2014

We surveyed 355 junior doctors (first 4 years of post-university training; 69% female, mean age = 28 years) from multiple hospital and practice locations and used an online questionnaire to assess their training-related demands (academic stress, concern about training debt, and hours worked), academic burnout, and personal resources (operationalized as career calling). We tested whether training-related demands were associated with academic burnout and whether career calling moderated the association between the demands and burnout. The demands accounted for approximately one third of the variance in burnout, with all accounting for significant, unique variance. In the context of the demands, career calling was not a significant predictor, but it moderated the association between academic stress and burnout. The study identified additional ways that junior doctors can be assisted to manage these first few years of medical training after graduating from medical school.
Staying the Course
Authors: Schrift Rom Y. , Parker Jeffrey R.
Published: January 2014

Individuals regularly face adversity in the pursuit of goals that require ongoing commitment. Whether or not individuals persist in the face of adversity greatly affects the likelihood that they will achieve their goals. We argue that a seemingly minor change in the individual’s original choice set—specifically, the addition of a no-choice option—will increase persistence along the chosen path. Drawing on self-perception theory, we propose that choosing from a set that includes a no-choice (do nothing) option informs individuals that they both prefer the chosen path to other paths and that they consider this path alone to be worth pursuing, an inference that cannot be made in the absence of a no-choice option. This unique information strengthens individuals’ commitment to, and increases their persistence on, their chosen path. Three studies employing incentive-compatible designs supported our predictions and ruled out several rival accounts.
Religion, politics and social assistance in Turkey: The rise of religiously motivated associations
Authors: Göçmen Ipek
Published: January 2014

Religiously motivated welfare provisioning has played an increasingly important role in the Turkish social welfare arena over the previous two decades. This paper investigates the society-specific mechanisms behind the contemporary proliferation of religiously motivated associations (RMAs) in Turkey. The historical analysis of the development of the Turkish welfare regime demonstrates that the spread of RMAs cannot be attributed to retrenchments within the welfare state. In fact, the provision of social assistance by central and local state institutions has expanded over the same time period. The paper claims that the rise of RMAs is not only a response to increasing liberalization and economic deregulation, but also an outcome of the rise of religion as a principle line of cleavage within the political sphere.
On the outside looking in? Transitions out of non-employment in the United Kingdom and Germany
Authors: Biegert Thomas
Published: January 2014

This article investigates differences in the likelihood of becoming an insider in Germany and the United Kingdom. Consistent with recent literature on dualization it contends that insider protection is more pronounced in the corporatist system and conservative welfare state of Germany. In conjunction with micro-level labour market sociology, the study argues that this affects the job matching process of the labour market. Using individual level panel data in event history models, it contrasts leaving non-employment for an insider position, that is, permanent full-time employment, with staying on the outside of the core labour market, that is, remaining without employment or taking up an atypical job. Results demonstrate that insider positions are harder to attain in the German labour market as a consequence of the institutional context that makes the said posts so appealing in the first place. At the same time, the German labour market regime strengthens the mechanisms of selection in terms of gender, age and education. The insider/outsider divide thus works in two ways. First, it increases inequality between insiders and outsiders in terms of economic and positional stability. Second, a stronger divide interacts with micro-level matching processes on the labour market. By reinforcing social differences in the chance to obtain an insider position, inequality is thus even further pronounced.
Exploring Competitiveness of the Indian Health Sector
Authors: Bhardwaj Siddharatha S. , Chawla Komal
Published: January 2014

Purpose

The Indian health care industry, on account of its cost advantage, is fast emerging as the first choice of patients throughout the globe. The modern day Indian health care industry, as a matter of fact, has a dual role to play. First, coming up to the expectations of global and elite Indian patients. Second, fulfilling its social obligations by catering to the needs of a huge lower-middle class of people suffering from various ailments. The litmus test for the Indian health care industry is the way in which strikes a balance in between its commercial and social obligations. The best way under the prevailing situation is to keep patients’ faith intact by rendering quality services without bothering too much about the profit. Service quality, in fact, is dependent upon the service performance and how far it is able to satisfy customers. The present study makes an endeavour to gauge the service quality in selected multi-specialty hospitals of India by garnering the views of the patients/observers pertaining to their expectations and actual perception about the services being rendered to them. The study assumes a greater importance as the players chosen for the study represent both public as well as private sector.

Research Type

Empirical

Findings

There exists a difference in the perception and expectations of the patients/observers as far as their evaluation of the hospitals on various dimensions of service quality is concerned. Both the selected hospitals have been found to be struggling on the service quality dimensions such as accessibility, promptness and timeliness. The public hospital enjoys an edge over its private counterpart on the security, accuracy and reliability aspects. The private hospital, meanwhile, has a better rating on the impressiveness front. Both hospitals have done reasonably well on the competence, customization and ambience fronts.

Practical Implications

The administrative wing of the hospitals may start viewing service quality from the clients’ perspective and make necessary changes in their service quality endeavours.

Research Limitations

Technicalities involved in understanding of the concept of service quality might have acted as a handicap for the patients/observers in giving prompt and accurate answers to the questions in hand.
Self-Esteem, Job Satisfaction and Burnout between General and Psychiatric Nursing Staff
Authors: Mathew Jubin , Ram Daya , Bhattacharjee Dipanjan , Sharma Avinash
Published: January 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare self-esteem, job-satisfaction and burnout between psychiatric and general nurses as well as to determine how these three elements are interrelated to each other. Like other professionals, nurses are also at risk of developing problems like professional burnout and a sense of dissatisfaction regarding their jobs. Causal factors of burnout among professionals are multi-factorial, starting from socio-demographic and occupational background to one’s personality characteristics. In this study, 30 psychiatric nurses and 30 general nurses were selected through a purposive sampling method. This was a one-time cross-sectional hospital-based study, data was collected during the period September, 2008 to November, 2008 and written consent was taken from the subjects. Statistical measures like descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, t-test and Pearson’s correlation-coefficient were used to analyze the data. In this study psychiatric nurses had been found to have higher level of self-esteem than general nurses. Nurses working in a general hospital had been observed to have a higher level of burnout and lower job satisfaction than psychiatric nurses.
Harvesting energy via electromagnetic damper: Application to bridge stay cables
Authors: Shen Wenai , Zhu Songye
Published: January 2014

Energy harvesting from ambient vibration is an emerging and promising solution to the power supply problem associated with autonomous sensors. This article proposes a novel strategy of harvesting damping energy from vibration control devices. A novel system, termed electromagnetic damper cum energy harvester, is employed to fulfill both vibration damping and energy harvesting functions. Electromagnetic damper cum energy harvester is essentially an electromagnetic device connected to a specially designed energy harvesting circuit, which is a buck–boost converter operating in a discontinuous conduction mode. The energy harvesting circuit can achieve satisfactory efficiency without any feedback loop. The effectiveness of the dual-function electromagnetic damper cum energy harvester is demonstrated through a numerical case study of bridge stay cables under wind excitations, in which the major parameters of electromagnetic damper cum energy harvester are determined through a simple design approach. Simulation results project average output power ranging from 82.5 to 2396.8 mW at a wind speed of 9–15 m/s, corresponding to an overall efficiency of 42.3%. The dual-function electromagnetic damper cum energy harvester also exhibits vibration control performance comparable to an optimally designed viscous fluid damper.
‘Zombies ahead!’ A study of how hacked digital road signs destabilize the physical space of roadways
Authors: Olofsson Jennie
Published: January 2014

This article explores some of the ways in which hacked Changeable Message Signs (CMSs) destabilize the physical space of motor transport spaces and jeopardize the institutionalized function of travel. While CMSs draw attention to the correlation between motorists’ current positions, possible inconveniences ahead and their final destination, hacked CMSs and the subsequent projection of unsanctioned messages destabilize this correlation. Hence, the seemingly straightforward relationship between motor transport spaces and the activities of motorists, pedestrians and passers-by is in fact fashioned by the particular kind of message that is displayed at any given moment. Focusing on the spatial effects of hacked CMSs and how the dissemination of unsanctioned information points to the social stratifications of motor transport spaces, hacking is understood as a means of combating the disciplinary regimes of roadways.
Rhetoric after the Fall: sin and punishment in Christian visual culture
Authors: Mason Julia
Published: January 2014

This article examines the power and persuasiveness of religious imagery in representations of sin and punishment in Christian visual culture. Visions of sin and divine punishment traditionally position the viewers as spectators, asking them to identify sinful practices to discourage future transgressions. Relying on the principle of contrapasso, which states that each person must suffer in the afterlife according to the individual sins she or he committed on earth, visual representations of punishment are both individualized and naturalized for viewers. The pervasiveness, familiarity, and perceived naturalness of these images enables a viewer to not only recognize sinful behavior, but to embody the sinner, ultimately moving audience members from a position of spectatorship to one of introspection.
Automated Analysis of Background EEG and Reactivity During Therapeutic Hypothermia in Comatose Patients After Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Noirhomme Quentin , Lehembre Rémy , Lugo Zulay del Rosario , Lesenfants Damien , Luxen André , Laureys Steven , Oddo Mauro , Rossetti Andrea O.
Published: January 2014

Visual analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) background and reactivity during therapeutic hypothermia provides important outcome information, but is time-consuming and not always consistent between reviewers. Automated EEG analysis may help quantify the brain damage. Forty-six comatose patients in therapeutic hypothermia, after cardiac arrest, were included in the study. EEG background was quantified with burst-suppression ratio (BSR) and approximate entropy, both used to monitor anesthesia. Reactivity was detected through change in the power spectrum of signal before and after stimulation. Automatic results obtained almost perfect agreement (discontinuity) to substantial agreement (background reactivity) with a visual score from EEG-certified neurologists. Burst-suppression ratio was more suited to distinguish continuous EEG background from burst-suppression than approximate entropy in this specific population. Automatic EEG background and reactivity measures were significantly related to good and poor outcome. We conclude that quantitative EEG measurements can provide promising information regarding current state of the patient and clinical outcome, but further work is needed before routine application in a clinical setting.
Prediction of mechanical properties of microstructures through a nonlocal stress field theory
Authors: Li Cheng , Li Shuang , Zhu Zhongkui
Published: January 2014

The gradient type of nonlocal stress field theory has been one of the most popular theoretical approaches to study some size-dependent mechanical properties of microstructures. In this work, the nonlocal elasticity field theory is employed to investigate transverse bending vibration of the microbeams subjected to a pair of initial axial tensions, and the dynamical responses of such microstructures are determined and discussed in detail. The governing equation of motion containing a small length–scale parameter is derived according to the mechanical model constructed at microscale. Subsequently, two different methods, including the method of separation of variables and the multiple-scales analysis, are applied in the equation of motion to reveal the nonlocal elastic effects in vibrational behaviors of microstructures. It shows that the results by the two methods are in good agreement. Furthermore, the critical axial tension is also obtained, and it is observed to decrease with an increase in microscale parameter, which means an increase in nonlocal elastic effects causes the critical axial tension to decrease. By comparing with the results provided by the classical continuum vibration theory, inherent frequencies of the microbeams are lower or the bending stiffness is weakened in such a nonlocal stress model presented in this article.
Culture as backdrop in reporting international affairs
Authors: Odine Maurice
Published: January 2014

Louise Damen states that culture is mankind’s primary adaptive mechanism, and the Akha Heritage Foundation refers to culture as a people’s identity. A 2006 Associated Press report showed national pride as integral component of culture. R Linto says culture is the shared knowledge and schemes of a society whose elements are shared and transmitted by its members. Historical Wonders of Sanxingdui predicts culture’s demise without preservation by the media. Preservation of culture within globalization is the journalists’ challenge. Leaders of the United States, Britain, and France attacked Libya in 2011 to preserve home culture and national pride. Nations have adopted cyberspace measures to protect these ideals. In 2010, British prime minister, David Cameron, announced ‘A Strong Britain in an Age of Uncertainty’ measures. On the Air urges media to shirk bias because different cultures play a part in disseminating news. Sadly, journalists die while protecting cultures.
Impact of 2011 Resident Duty Hour Requirements on Neurology Residency Programs and Departments
Authors: George Benjamin P. , Probasco John C. , Dorsey E. Ray , Venkatesan Arun
Published: January 2014

Objective:

In 2011, the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) redefined resident duty hour requirements by reducing in-hospital duty hour requirements for residents in an effort to improve patient care, resident well-being, and resident education. We sought to determine the cost of adoption based on changes made by neurology residency programs and departments due to these requirements.

Methods:

We surveyed department chairs or residency program directors at 123 ACGME-accredited US adult neurology training programs on programmatic changes and resident expansion, hiring practices, and development of new computer-based resources in direct response to the 2011 ACGME duty hour requirements. Using data from publicly available resources, we estimated respondents’ financial cost of adoption.

Results:

In all, 63 responded (51% response rate); 76% were program directors. The most common changes implemented by programs were adding night float systems (n = 31; 49%) and increasing faculty responsibility (n = 26; 41%). In direct response to the requirements, 21 programs applied to ACGME for 40 additional residents, 29 of which were fully covered by institutional funds. In direct response to the requirements, nearly half of the departments (n = 26) hired individuals for a total of 80 hires (or 64 full-time equivalents), most commonly mid-level practitioners. The total estimated cost to responding departments was US $12.7 million or US $201,000 per department annually. When projecting expenses of planned changes for the following year, costs increased to US $360,000 per department, with 5-year costs exceeding US $1 million.

Conclusions:

The most recent restriction on resident duty hours comes at substantial cost to neurology departments and residency programs.
Surgical Time of Day Does Not Affect Outcome Following Hip Fracture Fixation
Authors: Switzer Julie A. , Bennett Ryan E. , Wright David M. , Vang Sandy , Anderson Christopher P. , Vlasak Andrea J. , Gammon Steven R.
Published: January 2014

Background:

Due to the need for medical optimization and congested operating room schedules, surgical repair is often performed at night. Studies have shown that work done at night increases complications. The primary aim of our study is to compare the rates of complications and 30-day mortality between 2 surgical times of day, daytime group (DTG, 07:00-15:59) and nighttime group (NTG, 16:00-06:59).

Methods:

Retrospective chart review from 2005 through 2010.

Setting:

Level 1 Trauma Center.

Participants:

1443 patients with hip fracture, age ≥50 years with isolated injury and surgical treatment of the fracture.

Main Outcomes and Measures:

Thirty-day mortality and complications: myocardial infarction, cardiac event, stroke, central nervous system event, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, postoperative wound infection, and bleeding requiring transfusion of 3 or more red blood cell units.

Results:

A total of 859 patients met the inclusion criteria; 668 patients in the DTG and 191 patients in the NTG. The 30-day mortality was 7.8%. The complication rate was 28%. No difference was found in 30-day mortality or complication rate based on the time of day the surgery was performed ( P = 1.0 and P = .92, respectively). This remained unchanged when controlling for health status and surgical complexity. Age (odds ratio = 1.03/year), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI; odds ratio = 1.21), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA; odds ratio = 1.85) score were predictive of adverse outcomes.

Conclusion:

Surgical time of day did not affect 30-day mortality or total number of complications. Age, ASA score, and CCI were associated with adverse outcomes.
Sports Teams as Organizations
Authors: Cranmer Gregory A. , Myers Scott A.
Published: January 2014

Sport teams by definition can be considered a type of organization; yet, the incorporation of an organizational perspective has not been utilized to examine athletes’ interactions. The current study utilizes leader–member exchange theory as theoretical lens to examine the influence that athlete–coach communication has on relationships and communication with coaches and teammates. A sample of 158 former high school athletes produced results that indicate that athletes with in-group relationships with coaches report more satisfaction and symmetrical communication with coaches, and more task cohesion, social cohesion, and cooperative communication with teammates. These results highlight the importance of athlete–coach communication for influencing perceptions of relationships and communication with coaches and teammates.
The Epidemiology of Injuries in Mixed Martial Arts
Authors: Lystad Reidar P. , Gregory Kobi , Wilson Juno
Published: January 2014

Background:

Mixed martial arts (MMA) has experienced a surge in popularity since emerging in the 1990s, but the sport has also faced concomitant criticism from public, political, and medical holds. Notwithstanding the polarized discourse concerning the sport, no systematic review of the injury problems in MMA has been published to date.

Purpose:

To systematically review the epidemiologic data on injuries in MMA and to quantitatively estimate injury incidence and risk factor effect sizes.

Study Design:

Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Electronic searching of PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, AMED, and SPORTDiscus databases to identify studies reporting on the epidemiology of injuries in MMA. Random-effects models were used to obtain pooled summary estimates of the injury incidence rate per 1000 athlete-exposures (IIRAE) and rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was evaluated with the I2 statistic.

Results:

A total of 6 studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. The IIRAE summary estimate was found to be 228.7 (95% CI, 110.4-473.5). No studies reported injury severity. The most commonly injured anatomic region was the head (range, 66.8%-78.0%) followed by the wrist/hand (range, 6.0%-12.0%), while the most frequent injury types were laceration (range, 36.7%-59.4%), fracture (range, 7.4%-43.3%), and concussion (range, 3.8%-20.4%). The most notable risk factors pertained to the outcome of bouts. Losers incurred 3 times as many injuries as winners, and fighters in bouts ending with knockout or technical knockout incurred more than 2 times as many injuries as fighters in bouts ending with submission.

Conclusion:

Notwithstanding the paucity of data, the injury incidence in MMA appears to be greater than in most, if not all, other popular and commonly practiced combat sports. In general, the injury pattern in MMA is very similar to that in professional boxing but unlike that found in other combat sports such as judo and taekwondo. More epidemiologic research is urgently needed to improve the accuracy of the injury incidence estimate, to determine the injury severity, and to identify more risk factors for injury in MMA.
Solidification crack initiation and propagation in pulsed laser welding of wrought heat treatable aluminium alloy
Authors: Sheikhi M. , Malek Ghaini F. , Assadi H.
Published: January 2014

The effect of preheating on strain rate and liquid flowrate is analysed to develop a model for solidification cracking in successive laser weld spots in 2024 aluminium alloy. It is shown that the lower tendency for solidification cracking with preheating can be attributed to the lower strain rate but not the feeding rate. It is also shown there is a strong tendency for solidification crack propagation through the fusion lines between the consecutive weld spots where there is already a crack present at the fusion line. This observation can be attributed to the higher local strain rate and lower feeding rate.
Magnetic field induced precipitation behaviour of (Fe,Mo)6C alloy carbides in molybdenum alloyed steel
Authors: Hou T. P. , He G. , Wu K. M. , Li Y.
Published: January 2014

Three kinds of alloy carbides Fe6-xMoxC were precipitated during the transformation of austenite-to-bainite in molybdenum alloyed steel under the conditions of 12-T magnetic field and conventional treatment. The magnetic field induced Fe atom concentration in Fe6-xMoxC carbides was increased. The higher Fe atom content among three carbides (Fe2Mo4C, Fe3Mo3C and Fe4Mo2C) makes magnetic Gibbs free energy decreased remarkably. The measured aspect ratio of (Fe,Mo)6C carbides was ranged from 1∶1·16 to 1∶1·25, which was consistent with the calculated result according to the minimum energy principle. It was suggested that the high magnetic field had no visible influence on the morphology of (Fe,Mo)6C carbides.
Recent advances in biodegradable polymeric materials
Authors: Pillai C. K. S.
Published: January 2014

Recent advances in biodegradable polymers indicate significant developments in terms of novel design strategies and engineering to provide polymeric materials that possess critical functions of being able to be broken down and removed after they have served their function. Polymeric materials with desired physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties can now be made with precision to meet various challenges in the environment and biological systems. However, there are several inadequacies in terms of either technology or cost of production. Thus, there is a need to have a fresh look on the design, properties and functions of these polymers with a view to developing strategies for future developments. The present paper reviews the present status on biodegradable polymers and discusses the salient features of the chemistry of biodegradation, design strategies and applications of biodegradable polymeric materials.
Characterisation and properties of hybrid coatings deposited onto magnesium alloys
Authors: Tański T. , Labisz K. , Lukaszkowicz K. , Śliwa A. , Gołombek K.
Published: January 2014

This paper presents the research results of the physical vapour deposition and chemical vapour deposition surface treatment performed on samples of heat treated cast magnesium alloy as well as the modelling of properties of the obtained coatings using the finite element method. Ti/Ti(C, N)/CrN, Ti/Ti(C, N)/(Ti, Al)N, Ti/(Ti, Si)N/(Ti, Si)N, Cr/CrN/CrN, Cr/CrN/TiN and Ti/DLC/DLC coatings were investigated. Based on fractographic investigations, it was found out that the applied coatings are characteristic of mono-, di- or multilayer structure according to the applied layer system. The individual layers are deposited uniformly and adhere tightly to the substrate and to each other. The coatings reveal a dense cross-sectional morphology as well as good adhesion to the substrate. The critical load LC2 was measured within the range of 11–19 N, depending on the coating type. The results obtained from numerical analysis performed using a mathematical model have enabled full integration of material engineering knowledge and informatics tools.
Formation of titania nanotube arrays by anodisation: DOE approach
Authors: Rosa J. L. , Robin A. , Nakazato R. Z. , Ribeiro M. B. , Piassa M. P. , Silva M. B.
Published: January 2014

Self-organised TiO2 nanotubes were obtained on titanium by anodisation in Glycerol-H2O DI (50-50 v/v) electrolyte containing NH4F. A design of experiments (DOE) based on a 2k factorial design with four replicates at the center point was used in order to study the influence of voltage, anodisation time and fluoride concentration and their possible interactions on the obtainment of titania nanotubes. The statistical analysis showed that voltage is the only significant factor. The best condition according to the response surface analysis is the centre point (1%NH4F, 20 V, 2 h). Electrochemical tests performed in Ringer's solution showed that TiO2 nanotubes coated titanium is less corrosion resistant than as received titanium.
Effects of current density, coating thickness, temperature, pH and particle concentration on internal stress during Ni–MoS2 electrocodeposition
Authors: Saraloğlu Güler E. , Karakaya İshak , Konca Erkan
Published: January 2014

Internal stress in plated deposits has been a common problem that may affect the functionality of coatings. Electrodeposition parameters and insoluble particles modify the characteristics and the level of internal stress of coatings. The influence of the electrocodeposition parameters and their interaction effects on the internal stress during the electrodeposition of Ni and Ni–MoS2 composite coatings were studied by fractional factorial design. The parameters studied and their ranges were: MoS2 particle concentration (0–10 g L−1), temperature (30–50°C), pH (2–4), current density (1·2–4·8 A dm−2), and coating thickness (25–50 μm). MoS2 addition into Watts bath resulted in the decrease in the tensile internal stress values or even changed the stress character from tensile to compressive. Moreover, low stress values were obtained when pH was 2 and coating thickness was 50 μm.
Experimental and SPH study of cold spray impact between similar and dissimilar metals
Authors: Manap A. , Nooririnah O. , Misran H. , Okabe T. , Ogawa K.
Published: January 2014

In this study, the critical, maximum and optimum velocity of a single cold sprayed (CS) particle is estimated using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method by evaluating the impact shape coefficient of restitution, as well as the rebound and deposit energy ratio. The contact surfaces of the particle and the substrate are modelled as intersurface forces using the Dugdale–Barenblatt cohesive zone model. The application of SPH allows the simulation of the CS process without the use of mesh, thereby avoiding the disadvantages of the traditional numerical method in handling large deformations and tracing moving interfaces. The impact of CS particles is simulated using various powder and substrate materials. The influence of the materials on the optimum velocity and the coating quality is discussed. The reliability of the model is verified with CS experiments.
Nanoindentation study of MAO coatings developed by dual electrolytes
Authors: Dey A. , Umarani R. , Thota H. K. , Rajendra A. , Sharma A. K. , Bandyopadhyay P. , Mukhopadhyay A. K.
Published: January 2014

The micro arc oxidation (MAO) process is one of the most industrially accepted, prospective methods to design and develop microstruturally integrated, intrinsically generated oxide/ceramic coating over Mg alloys. Here we report, the surface engineering of AZ31 Mg alloy to form MAO coatings by silicate and phosphate based electrolytes. The microstructural examinations of the MAO coatings were carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Further, the nanoindentation studies revealed that the MAO coatings had nanohardness (H) and Young's modulus (E) values as high as about 3–7 times and 1·5–2·5 times those of the as received AZ31 Mg alloy respectively. Both H and E values gradually increased from virgin Mg substrate end to the surface coating end. Further, sealing by hot water did not affect the H and E values of the MAO coatings.
Intracellular growth of Mycobacterium avium subspecies and global transcriptional responses in human macrophages after infection
Authors: Agdestein Angelika , Jones Anya , Flatberg Arnar , Johansen Tone B , Heffernan Inger Austrheim , Djønne Berit , Bosco Anthony , Olsen Ingrid
Published: January 2014

Background

Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (Maa) and M. avium subsp. hominissuis (Mah) are environmental mycobacteria and significant opportunistic pathogens. Mycobacterium avium infections in humans and pigs are mainly due to Mah. It is not known whether this is caused by a difference in virulence or difference in exposure to the two subspecies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of the M. avium subspecies to replicate intracellularly and to characterise the gene expression program triggered by infection of human primary macrophages.

Results

All isolates were able to invade and persist within human macrophages. However, intracellular replication was only evident in cells infected with the two Maa isolates. Transcriptional responses to the isolates were characterized by upregulation of genes involved in apoptosis, immune- and inflammatory response, signal transduction and NF-kB signaling, cell proliferation and T-cell activation. Although similar pathways and networks were perturbed by the different isolates, the response to the Maa subspecies was exaggerated, and there was evidence of increased activation of type I and II interferon signaling pathways.

Conclusion

Mycobacterium avium isolates of different genetic characteristics invaded monocytes and induced different degree of macrophage activation. Isolates of Maa were able to replicate intracellularly suggesting that differences in exposure, uptake or induction of adaptive immunity are more likely explanations for the difference in prevalence between M. avium subspecies.
Anatomy and transcript profiling of gynoecium development in female sterile Brassica napus mediated by one alien chromosome from Orychophragmus violaceus
Authors: Fu Wen-qin , Zhao Zhi-gang , Ge Xian-hong , Ding Li , Li Zai-yun
Published: January 2014

Background

The gynoecium is one of the most complex organs of angiosperms specialized for seed production and dispersal, but only several genes important for ovule or embryo sac development were identified by using female sterile mutants. The female sterility in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) was before found to be related with one alien chromosome from another crucifer Orychophragmus violaceus. Herein, the developmental anatomy and comparative transcript profiling (RNA-seq) for the female sterility were performed to reveal the genes and possible metabolic pathways behind the formation of the damaged gynoecium.

Results

The ovules in the female sterile Brassica napus with two copies of the alien chromosomes (S1) initiated only one short integument primordium which underwent no further development and the female gametophyte development was blocked after the tetrad stage but before megagametogenesis initiation. Using Brassica _ 95k_ unigene as the reference genome, a total of 28,065 and 27,653 unigenes were identified to be transcribed in S1 and donor B. napus (H3), respectively. Further comparison of the transcript abundance between S1 and H3 revealed that 4540 unigenes showed more than two fold expression differences. Gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis of the Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) showed that a number of important genes and metabolism pathways were involved in the development of gynoecium, embryo sac, ovule, integuments as well as the interactions between pollen and pistil.

Conclusions

DEGs for the ovule development were detected to function in the metabolism pathways regulating brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis, adaxial/abaxial axis specification, auxin transport and signaling. A model was proposed to show the possible roles and interactions of these pathways for the sterile gynoecium development. The results provided new information for the molecular mechanisms behind the gynoecium development at early stage in B. napus.
Clustering of developmental delays in Bavarian preschool children – a repeated cross-sectional survey over a period of 12 years
Authors: Stich Heribert L , Krämer Alexander , Mikolajczyk Rafael T
Published: January 2014

Background

While most children display a normal development, some children experience developmental delays compared to age specific development milestones assessed during school entry examination. Data exist on prevalence of delays in single areas, but there is lack of knowledge regarding the clustering patterns of developmental delays and their determinants.

Methods

During the observation period 1997-2008, 12 399 preschool children (5-7 years of age) in one district of Bavaria, Germany, were assessed in twelve schooling-relevant development areas. The co-occurrence of developmental delays was studied by means of Pearson’s correlation. Subsequently, a two-step cluster algorithm was applied to identify patterns of developmental delays, and multinomial logistic regression was conducted to identify variables associated with the specific patterns.

Results

Fourteen percent of preschool children displayed developmental delays in one and 19% in two or more of the studied areas. Among those with at least two developmental delays, most common was the combination of delays in "fine motor skills" + "grapho-motor coordination" (in 9.1% of all children), followed by "memory/concentration" + "endurance" (5.8%) and "abstraction" + "visual perception" (2.1%). In the cluster analysis, five distinct patterns of delays were identified, which displayed different associations with male gender and younger age.

Conclusions

While developmental delays can affect single areas, clustering of multiple developmental delays is common. Such clustering should be taken into account when developing diagnostic tests, in pediatric practice and considering interventions to reduce delays.
Smoking- and alcohol habits in relation to the clinical picture of women with microscopic colitis compared to controls
Authors: Roth Bodil , Gustafsson Rita J , Jeppsson Bengt , Manjer Jonas , Ohlsson Bodil
Published: January 2014

Background

Microscopic colitis (MC) induces gastrointestinal symptoms, which are partly overlapping with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), predominately in middle-aged and elderly women. The etiology is unknown, but association with smoking has been found. The aim of this study was to examine whether the increased risk for smokers to develop MC is a true association, or rather the result of confounding factors. Therefore, patients suffering from MC and population-based controls from the same geographic area were studied regarding smoking- and alcohol habits, and other simultaneous, lifestyle factors, concerning the clinical expression of the disease.

Methods

Women at the age of 73 years or younger, who had been treated for biopsy-verified MC at any of the Departments of Gastroenterology in Skåne, between 2002 and 2010, were invited to the study (240 patients). Women (737) from the population-based prospective cohort study, Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS), served as controls. A self-administered questionnaire about lifestyle factors, gastrointestinal symptoms, medical conditions and medication at the time for the study was sent by post.

Results

Altogether, 131 women with MC could be included after age-matching with controls (median age 56 years) and exclusion of secondary MC. Patients were divided into persistent MC (MC1) and transient MC (MC2). Past smoking was associated with increased risk to develop MC2 (OR = 2.67, 95 CI = 1.15–6.23), whereas current smoking was associated with increased risk to develop MC1 (OR = 3.18, 95 CI = 1.57–6.42). Concomitant symptoms of IBS were associated with smoking (OR = 4.24, 95 CI = 1.92–9.32). Alcohol drinking had no association with MC or IBS.

Conclusions

The results suggest that past smoking is associated with transient MC, whereas current smoking is associated with persistent MC. Smoking is associated with MC patients with concomitant IBS-like symptoms.
Adrenal cortical neoplasms: a study of clinicopathological features related to epidermal growth factor receptor gene status
Authors: Zhang Jing , Wang Cuiping , Gao Jie , Sun Jian , Zeng Xuan , Wu Shafei , Liang Zhiyong
Published: January 2014

Background

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare but highly malignant neoplasm with limited treatment options.

Methods

In this study, the clinicopathological features of 22 ACCs and 22 adrenocortical adenomas (ACA) were analyzed, and the EGFR protein expression, EGFR gene mutation status and EGFR gene copy number alteration of all tumors were examined using immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and the Scorpion Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS), respectively.

Results

EGFR protein expression was detected in 63.6% of the ACC samples, and EGFR FISH was positive in 50% of the ACC samples (all were high polysomy on chromosome 7). In contrast, 27.3% of the ACA samples demonstrated EGFR expression, and none of the ACA samples tested positive by FISH. There were significant differences between the ACC and ACA in terms of protein expression (P = 0.035) and gene copy number alterations (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

EGFR protein expression and high polysomy on chromosome 7 are frequent abnormalities in ACC than in ACA.

Virtual slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here:http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2068470757103500.
Exploring metabolism flexibility in complex organisms through quantitative study of precursor sets for system outputs
Authors: Abdou-Arbi Oumarou , Lemosquet Sophie , Milgen Jaap Van , Siegel Anne , Bourdon Jérémie
Published: January 2014

Background

When studying metabolism at the organ level, a major challenge is to understand the matter exchanges between the input and output components of the system. For example, in nutrition, biochemical models have been developed to study the metabolism of the mammary gland in relation to the synthesis of milk components. These models were designed to account for the quantitative constraints observed on inputs and outputs of the system. In these models, a compatible flux distribution is first selected. Alternatively, an infinite family of compatible set of flux rates may have to be studied when the constraints raised by observations are insufficient to identify a single flux distribution. The precursors of output nutrients are traced back with analyses similar to the computation of yield rates. However, the computation of the quantitative contributions of precursors may lack precision, mainly because some precursors are involved in the composition of several nutrients and because some metabolites are cycled in loops.

Results

We formally modeled the quantitative allocation of input nutrients among the branches of the metabolic network (AIO). It corresponds to yield information which, if standardized across all the outputs of the system, allows a precise quantitative understanding of their precursors. By solving nonlinear optimization problems, we introduced a method to study the variability of AIO coefficients when parsing the space of flux distributions that are compatible with both model stoichiometry and experimental data. Applied to a model of the metabolism of the mammary gland, our method made it possible to distinguish the effects of different nutritional treatments, although it cannot be proved that the mammary gland optimizes a specific linear combination of flux variables, including those based on energy. Altogether, our study indicated that the mammary gland possesses considerable metabolic flexibility.

Conclusion

Our method enables to study the variability of a metabolic network with respect to efficiency (i.e. yield rates). It allows a quantitative comparison of the respective contributions of precursors to the production of a set of nutrients by a metabolic network, regardless of the choice of the flux distribution within the different branches of the network.
Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF) Suppresses IL-1β-Mediated c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase (JNK) Activation to Improve Hepatocyte Insulin Signaling
Authors: Gattu Arijeet K. , Birkenfeld Andreas L. , Iwakiri Yasuko , Jay Steven , Saltzman Mark , Doll Jennifer , Protiva Petr , Samuel Varman T. , Crawford Susan E. , Chung Chuhan
Published: January 2014

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an antiinflammatory protein that circulates at high levels in the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic studies of PEDF knockout (KO) mice were conducted to investigate the relationship between PEDF, inflammatory markers, and metabolic homeostasis. Male PEDF KO mice demonstrated a phenotype consisting of increased adiposity, glucose intolerance, and elevated serum levels of metabolites associated with the metabolic syndrome. Genome expression analysis revealed an increase in IL-1β signaling in the livers of PEDF KO mice that was accompanied by impaired IRS and Akt signaling. In human hepatocytes, PEDF blocked the effects of an IL-1β challenge by suppressing activation of the inflammatory mediator c-Jun N-terminal kinase while restoring Akt signaling. RNA interference of PEDF in human hepatocytes was permissive for c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation and decreased Akt signaling. A metabolomics profile identified elevated circulating levels of tricarboxyclic acid cycle intermediates including succinate, an inducer of IL-1β, in PEDF KO mice. Succinate-dependent IL-1β expression was blocked by PEDF in PEDF KO, but not wild-type hepatocytes. In vivo, PEDF restoration reduced hyperglycemia and improved hepatic insulin signaling in PEDF KO mice. These findings identify elevated PEDF as a homeostatic mechanism in the human metabolic syndrome.
The value-semantic aspect in a personality of a comprehensive school teacher under the public education ongoing reformation
Authors: Василюта  , Vasilyuta A.
Published: January 2014

Current reforms in the sphere of public education and

substantial changes in socio-economic conditions would indeed affect

schoolteachers’ personality, particularly in the value-semantic aspect.

To stay professionally efficient and to achieve ambitious goal of further

development and improvement of the comprehensive education system.

Thus of paramount importance is the alignment of the teaching staff’

personal and professional values and the main predestination of a

Teacher’s work.
Didactic Communicative Impact of a Teacher in the Course of Play Education
Authors: Каряка  , Karyaka Anna
Published: January 2014

The paper shoes how the culture of teacher’s didactic

communicative impact helps provide the best conditions for successful

facilitative play education.
The Social Ideal of Freedom and its Utopian Side
Authors: Кальней  , Kalney Marina
Published: January 2014

The article is about social ideal of Freedom and its Utopian

Side. Conservatism and liberalism are compared as two systems of

views. In the article is given analysis of one-sided freedom interpretation

and negative consequences of such interpretation as well as risks of

transformation unrestricted freedom into its opposite.
Russian international academy for tourism
Authors: Беседин  , Besedin D.
Published: January 2014

This article introduces the concept of a studio-school of

research expeditions in tourism as a modern solution to the problem of

sustainable development of destinations in Russia on the regional level.