bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Duration of Analgesia Induced by Acupuncture-Like TENS on Experimental Heat Pain
Authors: Tousignant-Laflamme Yannick , Brochu Marilyne , Dupuis-Michaud Cynthia , Pagé Catherine , Popovic Draga , Simard Marie-Eve
Published: April 2013

Background. Acupuncture-like TENS (AL-TENS) is a treatment modality that can be used to temporarily reduce pain. However, there is no clear data in the literature regarding the specific duration of analgesia induced by AL-TENS. Objectives. To describe and quantify the duration and magnitude of AL-TENS analgesia on experimental heat pain in healthy subjects and verify if the duration or magnitude of analgesia induced by the AL-TENS was influenced by the duration of the application of the AL-TENS (15 versus 30 minutes). Methods. A repeated-measures, intrasubject randomized experimental design was used, where each participant was his/her own control. 22 healthy volunteers underwent heat pain stimulations with a contact thermode before (pretest) and after (posttest) AL-TENS application (15 and 30 minutes). Outcome measures included subjective pain during AL-TENS, duration, and magnitude of AL-TENS-induced analgesia. Results. Survival analysis showed that the median duration of AL-TENS analgesia was 10 minutes following the application of either 15 or 30 minutes of AL-TENS. The magnitude of analgesia following either application was comparable at all points in time (P values > 0.05) and ranged between −20% and −36% pain reduction. Conclusion. Only half of the participants still had heat-pain analgesia induced by the AL-TENS at 15 minutes postapplication.
Synergy between Vitamin D3and Toll-Like Receptor Agonists Regulates Human Dendritic Cell Response during Maturation
Authors: Brosbøl-Ravnborg Anne , Bundgaard Bettina , Höllsberg Per
Published: April 2013

Human dendritic cells (DC) can be differentiated from blood monocytes in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 and matured by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Vitamin D3inhibits the maturation of human DC measured by changes in surface expression of HLA-DR, CD14, CD40, CD80, CD83, and CD86. We here examine the function of vitamin D3during DC maturation. One of the earliest changes to LPS-induced maturation was an increase in CD83 expression. Vitamin D3inhibited the increase in expression of HLA-DR, CD40, CD80, CD83, and CD86 and the decrease in expression of CD14, which was paralleled morphologically by vitamin D3-induced inhibition of dendritic cell differentiation. Vitamin D3acted in synergy with the TLR agonists LPS and peptidoglycan (PGN) in inducing IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, whereas vitamin D3completely inhibited LPS-induced secretion of IL-12. The synergy occurred at concentrations where neither vitamin D3nor the TLR agonists alone induced measurable cytokine secretion. Both LPS and PGN enhanced the level of the vitamin D3receptor (VDR). Taken together, these data demonstrated that vitamin D3and TLR agonists acted in synergy to alter secretion of cytokines from human DC in a direction that may provide an anti-inflammatory environment.
Eclampsia Characteristics and Outcomes: A Comparison of Two Eras
Authors: Schenone Mauro H. , Miller Dorothy , Samson Jacques E. , Mari Giancarlo
Published: April 2013

Objective. To describe the trends in incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of women with eclampsia.Methods. We reviewed and abstracted data from medical records of all women diagnosed with eclampsia in our institution from August 1998 to April 2011. In addition to overall characteristics and outcomes, the cases were stratified by onset: antenatal versus postnatal and early (<32 weeks of gestation) versus late antenatal cases (≥32 weeks of gestation). Comparisons were made using chi-square, Fisher's exact, Mann-WhitneyU, andt-tests. A two-sidedP<0.05was considered statistically significant.Results. We identified 87 eclampsia cases out of 59,388 deliveries; 62 cases were diagnosed before delivery, and 25 had a postnatal onset. Among the 62 antenatal cases, 41 were diagnosed before 32 weeks and 21 at or after 32 weeks of gestation. Antenatal cases had higher systolic (P=0.03) and diastolic (P=0.01) blood pressures, more abnormal dipstick-test proteinuria (P=0.002), and lower platelet counts (P≤0.001) than postnatal cases. Early eclampsia cases were complicated more often with HELLP syndrome than late eclampsia cases (P=0.007).Conclusion. The occurrence of eclampsia has decreased over time. The earlier the onset is, the worse the outcome appears to be.
Effects of Glucose Load and Nateglinide Intervention on Endothelial Function and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Wang Leilei , Guo Lixin , Zhang Lina , Zhou Yan , He Qinghua , Zhang Zheng , Wang Meng
Published: April 2013

We analysed endothelial function and oxidative stress in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism, the effect of glucose load, and the impact of nateglinide. 109 participants were grouped into newly diagnosed diabetes, prediabetes, and control. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and glycated albumin (GA) varied significantly among the study groups (P<0.01). Nitric oxide (NO) and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IRI) levels were markedly different between the newly diagnosed diabetes and the control (P<0.01). Glucose loading lowered flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation (FMEDD), NO, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P<0.01). Fasting and glucose loading FMEDD, FPG, PPG,HbA1c, and GA were negatively correlated (r=-0.4573, −0.4602, −0.3895, −0.3897, andr=-0.4594, −0.4803, −0.4494, −0.3885;P<0.01), whereas NO, SOD, and HOMA-βwere positively correlated (r=0.2983, 0.3211, 0.311, andr=0.1954, 0.361, 0.2569;P<0.05). After the treatment with nateglinide, significant decreases in FPG, PPG, GA, HbA1C, endothelin-1(ET-1), malondialdehyde (MDA), and HOMA-IRI were observed, whereas FMEDD, NO, and SOD increased (P<0.01). Thus, the study demonstrated the adverse effect of glucose load on endothelial function and oxidative stress. Nateglinide lowers blood glucose, reduces insulin resistance and oxidative stress, and improves endothelial function in newly diagnosed diabetes.
Primary Osteosarcoma of the Breast: A Case Report
Authors: Rizzi Anna , Soregaroli Alberto , Zambelli Claudia , Zorzi Fausto , Mutti Stefano , Codignola Claudio , Bertocchi Paola , Zaniboni Alberto
Published: April 2013

Introduction. Primary osteosarcoma of the breast is a rare soft-tissue form of osteosarcoma without involvement of the skeletal system. Due to the rarity of the disease, its clinical features and optimal treatment remain unclear.Case Presentation. This case report deals with a 62-year-old woman with pure osteosarcoma of the breast.Conclusions. The prognosis of primary osteosarcoma of the breast is poor. Recurrence is frequent, and it is often associated with haematogenous spread of the disease to the lung. Treatment follows the model of sarcomas affecting other locations and must be planned in a multidisciplinary fashion. Adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered for patients with tumors showing aggressive features.
Melatonin Suppresses the Expression of 45S Preribosomal RNA and Upstream Binding Factor and Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Puromycin in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Jung Ji Hoon , Sohn Eun Jung , Shin Eun Ah , Lee Duckgue , Kim Bonglee , Jung Deok-Beom , Kim Ji-Hyun , Yun Miyong , Lee Hyo-Jeong , Park Yong Koo , Kim Sung-Hoon
Published: April 2013

Since the dysregulation of ribosome biogenesis is closely associated with tumor progression, in the current study, the critical role of ribosome biogenesis related signaling was investigated in melatonin and/or puromycin induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Despite its weak cytotoxicity, melatonin from 3 mM attenuated the expression of 45S pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA), UBF as a nucleolar transcription factor, and fibrillarin at mRNA level and consistently downregulated nucleolar proteins such as UBF and fibrillarin at protein level in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, immunofluorescence assay revealed that UBF was also degraded by melatonin in MDA-MB-231 cells. In contrast, melatonin attenuated the expression of survival genes such as Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, cyclinD1, and cyclin E, suppressed the phosphorylation of AKT, mTOR, and STAT3, and cleaved PARP and activated caspase 3 only at a high concentration of 12 mM. However, combined treatment of melatonin (3 mM) and puromycin (1 μM) synergistically inhibited viability, attenuated the expression of 45S pre-rRNA and UBF, and consistently downregulated UBF, XPO1 and IPO7, procaspase 3, and Bcl-xL in MDA-MB 231 cells. Overall, these findings suggest that melatonin can be a cancer preventive agent by combination with puromycin via the inhibition of 45S pre-rRNA and UBF in MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells.
Darboux Transforms of a Harmonic Inverse Mean Curvature Surface
Authors: Moriya Katsuhiro
Published: April 2013

The notion of a generalized harmonic inverse mean curvature surface in the Euclidean four-space is introduced. A backward Bäcklund transform of a generalized harmonic inverse mean curvature surface is defined. A Darboux transform of a generalized harmonic inverse mean curvature surface is constructed by a backward Bäcklund transform. For a given isothermic harmonic inverse mean curvature surface, its classical Darboux transform is a harmonic inverse mean curvature surface. Then a transform of a solution to the Painlevé III equation in trigonometric form is defined by a classical Darboux transform of a harmonic inverse mean curvature surface of revolution.
A Review of Mobile Robotic Telepresence
Authors: Kristoffersson Annica , Coradeschi Silvia , Loutfi Amy
Published: April 2013

Mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) systems incorporate video conferencing equipment onto mobile robot devices which can be steered from remote locations. These systems, which are primarily used in the context of promoting social interaction between people, are becoming increasingly popular within certain application domains such as health care environments, independent living for the elderly, and office environments. In this paper, an overview of the various systems, application areas, and challenges found in the literature concerning mobile robotic telepresence is provided. The survey also proposes a set terminology for the field as there is currently a lack of standard terms for the different concepts related to MRP systems. Further, this paper provides an outlook on the various research directions for developing and enhancing mobile robotic telepresence systems per se, as well as evaluating the interaction in laboratory and field settings. Finally, the survey outlines a number of design implications for the future of mobile robotic telepresence systems for social interaction.
Cell Based Autologous Immune Enhancement Therapy (AIET) after Radiotherapy in a Locally Advanced Carcinoma of the Cervix
Authors: Premkumar Sumana , Dedeepiya Vidyasagar Devaprasad , Terunuma Hiroshi , Senthilkumar Rajappa , Srinivasan Thangavelu , Reena Helen C. , Preethy Senthilkumar , Abraham Samuel J. K.
Published: April 2013

Radiotherapy is the primary form of treatment in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma. However for residual disease in the form of the persistent lymph nodes, surgery or chemotherapy is recommended. As surgery is not acceptable by every patient and chemotherapy has associated side effects, we hereby report the positive outcome ofin vitroexpanded natural killer cell and activated T lymphocyte based autologous immune enhancement therapy (AIET) for the residual lymphadenopathy in a patient with locally advanced cervical cancer after radiation. After six transfusions of AIET, there was complete resolution of residual lymph nodes and there was no evidence of local lesion. The patient also reported improvement in quality of life. As AIET has been reported as the least toxic among the available therapies for cancer, combining AIET with conventional forms of therapy in similar patients might not only improve the outcome but may also help the patients achieve a good quality of life.
Circuit Implementation and Synchronization Control of Chaotic Horizontal Platform Systems by Wireless Sensors
Authors: Hung Meei-Ling , Yau Her-Terng
Published: April 2013

Horizontal platform system (HPS) produces a nonlinear behavior from precision machinery systems. This mechanical system is implemented mainly in offshore areas or earthquake engineering. However, elucidating or controlling this non-linear behavior of mechanical systems is extremely difficult and time consuming. Therefore, in addition to developing an electronic circuit to implement HPS, this work designs a sliding mode control (SMC) for synchronizing the state trajectories of two horizontal platform systems, subsequently allowing us to easily understand the HPS, perform more detailed analysis, and achieve further control. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the HPS by the proposed electronic circuit system. Comparing the proposed electronic circuitry designs and the HPS of computer simulation reveals that the results of the non-linear dynamic behavior correlate well with each other. Finally, based on use of the control technology, master-slave chaos synchronization with sliding mode control is achieved by wireless sensors.
Some Inequalities for Multiple Integrals on then-Dimensional Ellipsoid, Spherical Shell, and Ball
Authors: Sun Yan , Yang Hai-Tao , Qi Feng
Published: April 2013

The authors establish some new inequalities of Pólya type for multiple integrals on then-dimensional ellipsoid, spherical shell, and ball, in terms of bounds of the higher order derivatives of the integrands. These results generalize the main result in the paper by Feng Qi, Inequalities for a multiple integral,Acta Mathematica Hungarica(1999).
A Single Lung Transplant in a Patient with Fabry Disease: Causality or Far-Fetched? A Case Report
Authors: Gaggl Martina , Kain Renate , Jaksch Peter , Haider Dominik , Mundigler Gerald , Voigtländer Till , Sunder-Plassmann Raute , Rommer Paulus , Klepetko Walter , Sunder-Plassmann Gere
Published: April 2013

Introduction. Fabry disease is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, characterized by anα-galactosidase A deficiency resulting in globotriaosylceramide storage within cells. Subsequently, various organ systems are involved, clinically the most important are kidneys, the heart, and the peripheral and central nervous systems. Although obstructive lung disease is a common pathological finding in Fabry disease, pulmonary involvement is a clinically disregarded feature.Case Presentation. We report a patient with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who received a single lung transplant in 2007. Later, a kidney biopsy revealed the diagnosis of Fabry disease, which was confirmed by enzymatic and genetic testing. Ultrastructural changes in a native lung biopsy were consistent with the diagnosis. Although the association of a lung transplant and Fabry disease appears far-fetched on first sight, respiratory impairment cannot be denied in Fabry disease.Conclusion. With this case presentation, we would like to stimulate discussion about rare differential diagnoses hidden beneath widespread disease and that a correct diagnosis is the base of an optimal treatment strategy for each patient. Overall, the patient might have benefited from specific enzyme replacement therapy, especially in view of the chronic kidney disease.
Safety and Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation in the Management of Unresectable Bile Duct and Pancreatic Cancer: A Novel Palliation Technique
Authors: Figueroa-Barojas Paola , Bakhru Mihir R. , Habib Nagy A. , Ellen Kristi , Millman Jennifer , Jamal-Kabani Armeen , Gaidhane Monica , Kahaleh Michel
Published: April 2013

Objectives. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has replaced photodynamic therapy for premalignant and malignant lesions of the esophagus. However, there is limited experience in the bile duct. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the safety and efficacy of RFA in malignant biliary strictures. Methods: Twenty patients with unresectable malignant biliary strictures underwent RFA with stenting between June 2010 and July 2012. Diameters of the stricture before and after RFA, immediate and 30 day complications and stent patency were recorded prospectively.Results. A total of 25 strictures were treated. Mean stricture length treated was 15.2 mm (SD = 8.7 mm, Range = 3.5–33 mm). Mean stricture diameter before RFA was 1.7 mm (SD = 0.9 mm, Range = 0.5–3.4 mm) while the mean diameter after RFA was 5.2 mm (SD = 2 mm, Range = 2.6–9 mm). There was a significant increase of 3.5 mm (t= 10.8, DF = 24,Pvalue = <.0001) in the bile duct diameter post RFA. Five patients presented with pain after the procedure, but only one developed mild post-ERCP pancreatitis and cholecystitis. Conclusions: Radiofrequency ablation can be a safe palliation option for unresectable malignant biliary strictures. A multicenter randomized controlled trial is required to confirm the long term benefits of RFA and stenting compared to stenting alone.
Design of the Tocilizumab in Giant Cell Arteritis Trial
Authors: Unizony Sebastian H. , Dasgupta Bhaskar , Fisheleva Elena , Rowell Lucy , Schett Georg , Spiera Robert , Zwerina Jochen , Harari Olivier , Stone John H.
Published: April 2013

Overview. The GiACTA trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study designed to test the ability of tocilizumab (TCZ), an interleukin (IL)-6 receptor antagonist, to maintain disease remission in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).Design. Approximately 100 centers will enroll 250 patients with active disease. The trial consists of a 52-week blinded treatment phase followed by 104 weeks of open-label extension. Patients will be randomized into one of four groups. Group A (TCZ 162 mg weekly plus a 6-month prednisone-taper); group B (TCZ 162 mg every other week plus a 6-month prednisone-taper); group C (placebo plus a 6-month prednisone-taper); and group D (placebo plus a 12-month prednisone taper). We hypothesize that patients assigned to TCZ in addition to a 6-month prednisone course are more likely to achieve the primary efficacy endpoint of sustained remission (SR) at 52 weeks compared with those assigned to a 6-month prednisone course alone, thus potentially minimizing the long-term adverse effects of corticosteroids.Conclusion. GiACTA will test the hypothesis that interference with IL-6 signaling exerts a beneficial effect on patients with GCA. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of the trial and address major issues related to its development.
Age-Dependent Differences in Systemic and Cell-Autonomous Immunity toL. monocytogenes
Authors: Sherrid Ashley M. , Kollmann Tobias R.
Published: April 2013

Host defense against infection can broadly be categorized into systemic immunity and cell-autonomous immunity. Systemic immunity is crucial for all multicellular organisms, increasing in importance with increasing cellular complexity of the host. The systemic immune response toListeria monocytogeneshas been studied extensively in murine models; however, the clinical applicability of these findings to the human newborn remains incompletely understood. Furthermore, the ability to control infection at the level of an individual cell, known as “cell-autonomous immunity,” appears most relevant following infection withL. monocytogenes; as the main target, the monocyte is centrally important to innate as well as adaptive systemic immunity to listeriosis. We thus suggest that the overall increased risk to suffer and die fromL. monocytogenesinfection in the newborn period is a direct consequence of age-dependent differences in cell-autonomous immunity of the monocyte toL. monocytogenes. We here review what is known about age-dependent differences in systemic innate and adaptive as well as cell-autonomous immunity to infection withListeria monocytogenes.
Resveratrol Is Not as Effective as Physical Exercise for Improving Reproductive and Metabolic Functions in Rats with Dihydrotestosterone-Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Benrick Anna , Maliqueo Manuel , Miao Sun , Villanueva Jesus A. , Feng Yi , Ohlsson Claes , Duleba Antoni J. , Stener-Victorin Elisabet
Published: April 2013

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive and metabolic disorder associated with obesity and insulin resistance that often precedes the development of type-2 diabetes. Rats continuously exposed to dihydrotestosterone from prepuberty display typical reproductive and metabolic PCOS characteristics including anovulation, polycystic ovaries, insulin resistance, and obesity. Our aim was to investigate if resveratrol improves reproductive and metabolic functions in PCOS rats. The effect was compared to exercise. Control and PCOS rats were treated with vehicle or resveratrol (400 mg · kg−1 · day−1) for 5-6 weeks. Another group of PCOS rats received vehicle treatment and exercised for 5-6 weeks. Insulin sensitivity was determined by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. The glucose infusion rate was lower in the PCOS-vehicle group compared to control-vehicle rats (P<0.05). Exercise increased insulin sensitivity compared with PCOS-vehicle rats (P<0.05), but resveratrol did not. Resveratrol treatment and exercise resulted in smaller adipocytes, upregulated estrogen-related receptorαgene expression in subcutaneous fat, and improved estrus cyclicity in the previously acyclic PCOS rats. Although resveratrol had positive effects on adiposity and cyclicity in a similar manner to exercise, resveratrol does not seem to be a good candidate for treating insulin resistance associated with PCOS because no improvement in insulin sensitivity was observed in PCOS rats on normal chow.
Diagnosing Contact Processes from their Outcomes: The Importance of Life Stages
Authors: Ross Malcolm
Published: April 2013

This paper addresses the questions, Do bilingually induced and shift-induced change have different outcomes? If they do, can these differences assist us in reconstructing the prehistoric past, specifically the linguistic prehistory of the (smallscale neolithic) societies of Melanesia.

A key to better interpreting differences in the outputs of contact-induced change is to understand how such change in smallscale societies actually occurs. I argue that it is important to know the life-stage loci of change. I suggest that language shift has two life-stage loci, one in early childhood, where evidence of shift, if any, is restricted to specialist lexicon, and one in adulthood. Adult language shift appears to have been rare in Melanesia. I also suggest that bilingually induced change, which entails the syntactic restructuring of one’s heritage language on the model of a second language, takes place among preadolescent children–a claim which is supported by various kinds of evidence.

This understanding helps us in turn to interpret the outcomes of contact-induced change and to infer prehistoric events, since adult second-language learning typically leads to simplification, whilst childhood language learning may lead to an increase in complexity.
Aspectual Para in Paraguayan Spanish Directive Clauses
Authors: Velázquez-Castillo Maura , Henderson Mary Hudgens
Published: April 2013

Colloquial Paraguayan Spanish exhibits an innovative use of the preposition para in directive constructions that is related to the Guaraní prospective complementizer haguã. Through a process of grammatical replication (Heine and Kuteva, 2005), para has acquired an aspectual function not evident in Normative Spanish. This semantic and grammatical shift is motivated by the intersecting semantic components of the forward projection of para and the prospectivity of haguã, whereby two new use patterns [para + infinitive] and [para que + subjunctive verb] employ the syntactic rules of Spanish to replicate the prospectivity of the Guaraní source, resulting in the abandonment of the prepositive function of para in certain contexts in favor of an overt aspectual role. This study analyzes internal and external forces that make this grammaticalization process possible in the context of extensive contact between Spanish and Guaraní in Paraguay.
Results and Prospects in the Study of Semantic Change: A Review of From Polysemy to Semantic Change (2008)
Authors: McConvell Patrick , Ponsonnet Maïa
Published: April 2013

The topic of this review article is a volume addressing the relationship between polysemy and semantic change, a relationship which has been important in discussions of semantic theory and method particularly in recent years, and which has the potential to unite synchronic and diachronic approaches. The first part of this article consists of thorough reviews of the fourteen chapters in the volume, entitled From Polysemy to Semantic Change, edited by Martine Vanhove (2008). We review each of them in turn, providing a brief summary of the content of each chapter, as well as comments on the impact of the contribution to the study of polysemy and semantic change, and/or on its limits. The second part of the article presents a general evaluation of the volume, and reflects upon the achievements, limits and perspectives of the study of polysemy and semantic change. Some of the chapters demonstrate that a degree of generalization can be reached on these questions, and provide new and potentially productive ways forward in theory and method; others either do not have such aims, or struggle to provide a useful general framework. We consider why this may be the case, and suggest hypothetical solutions. In particular, we examine the difficulty met with drawing conclusions across semantic domains, and the lack of a framework taking language contact and diffusion into account in the study of semantic change.
Simplicity and Complexity in Creoles and Pidgins: What’s the Metric?
Authors: Mufwene Salikoko S.
Published: April 2013

This review article is a response to the way the editors of and contributors to Simplicity and Complexity in Creoles and Pidgins respond to McWhorter’s (2001) claim that creoles have the world’s simplest grammars. Although I agree with the contributors that creoles are not as simple as they may look to some, I express several concerns about the ways they (fail to) raise and/or address some fundamental issues regarding the subject matter. These include discussing what the notions simplicity and complexity really mean as they are applied to languages and whether linguistics has yet developed the necessary metric(s) for assessing complexity without biasing the issues in favor of or against particular types of languages. My arguments are intended to prompt linguists to think harder over how we can contribute to the scholarship on complexity as related to emergence, thinking of languages as emergent multi-modular phenomena, internally and externally interactive, always in the state of flux, and in search of (transient) equilibrium.
Ukrainian in the Language Map of Central Europe: Questions of Areal-Typological Profiling
Authors: Danylenko Andrii
Published: April 2013

The paper deals with the areal-typological profiling of Ukrainian among languages of Europe, constituting Standard Average European (SAE) and especially Central European (CE). Placed recently in the context of the ‘areal typology’ and the ‘dynamic taxonomy’, Ukrainian together with Russian and Belarusian appear to be mere replica languages. Such languages are capable of only borrowing surface structures migrating all over the Europe unie or imitating deep structures on the model of SAE or CE.

In order to elaborate on an alternative profiling of Ukrainian among languages of (Central) Europe, the author concentrates on both phonological and morphosyntactic features treated commonly as CE Sprachbund-forming (the spirantization of *g, the dispalatalization of the palatalized consonants, the existence of medial l, the umlauting, the three-tense system, including a simple preterit from the perfect, and the periphrastic ‘ingressive’ future). As a result, the author advances another vector of areal classification, thus positioning Russian in the core of ‘Standard Average Indo-European’ and (Southwest) Ukrainian as an intermediate language between Russian and the rest of (Central) European languages.
Quantitative Approaches to Italian / Dialect Family Interactions: Considerations of Methodology and Language Transmission in a Contact Situation
Authors: Ghimenton Anna
Published: April 2013

We present a case study of a child’s language development by analyzing production in both input and output. Our corpus comprises 35-hour tapings (90 000 tokens) of dyadic and multiparty interactions between Francesco, his parents and his extended family members who are from Veneto (Italy), while Francesco was 17-30 months old. In this region, two genetically related languages – Veneto dialect and Italian are spoken along a continuum and there are numerous zones of overlapping, blurring the borders of the languages in contact. We draw from a psycholinguistic approach to study the child’s development and from a sociolinguistic approach to include the observed contact phenomena in our research design. The aim of this study is two-fold. Firstly, we aim to understand how Francesco acquires his language(s) from a variable environment. Secondly, we aim to present a new methodological approach to quantitative studies conducted in contact situations. We discuss how the interplay of similarities (given the presence of cognates) and contrasts (the juxtaposition of Italian and Veneto in utterances) in the input may contribute to the maintenance of multilingualism in the younger generations’ repertoires.
Preaspiration in Shetland Norn
Authors: Knooihuizen Remco
Published: April 2013

The Shetland dialect of Scots does not contain preaspiration, a phonetic areal feature that is otherwise prevalent in languages around the North Atlantic Ocean. While it is understood that Shetland’s pre-language shift Scandinavian variety, Norn, did contain preaspiration, an analysis of phonetic transcriptions from Jakob Jakobsen’s An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland, collected in the 1890s, shows a more complicated picture: preaspiration occurs in only 11% of relevant vowel-stop sequences, but in 92% of relevant sonorant-stop and sonorant-fricative sequences.

This article provides a contact-based explanation of the gradual disappearance of preaspiration from Shetland. The proposed trajectory of change is made up of a series of language and dialect contact-induced sub-changes and reflects the influence of Norn as well as of successive waves of immigration from the Scottish mainland. In the first stage, during language shift, preaspiration in vowel-stop sequences disappeared as it (co-)signaled a phonemic contrast in Norn not necessary for Scots, but (non-phonemic) preaspiration in sonorant-stop/fricative sequences was retained. In a later stage, dialect contact after renewed immigration from the Scottish mainland caused voiceless stops to be unaspirated, removing the phonetic basis for preaspiration also in the remaining contexts.

The study highlights the different susceptibility of phonetic and phonemic features in contact-induced change and calls for further integration of second-language acquisition study and variationist sociolinguistics into historical linguistics.
‘Fascism… but with an open mind.’ Reflections on the Contemporary Far Right in (Western) Europe
Authors: Copsey Nigel
Published: April 2013

The political science community would have us believe that since the 1980s something entirely detached from historical or neo-fascism has emerged in (Western) Europe - a populist radicalization of mainstream concerns - a novel form of ‘radical right-wing populism.’ Yet the concept of ‘radical right-wing populism’ is deeply problematic because it suggests that (Western) Europe’s contemporary far right has become essentially different from forms of right-wing extremism that preceded it, and from forms of right-wing extremism that continue to exist alongside it. Such an approach, as this First Lecture on Fascism argues, fails to appreciate the critical role that neo-fascism has played, and still plays, in adapting Europe’s contemporary far right to the norms and realities of multi-ethnic, liberal-democratic society. Political scientists should fixate less on novelty and the quest for neat typologies, and instead engage far more seriously with (neo) fascism studies.
Dutch Face-ism. Portrait Photography and Völkisch Nationalism in the Netherlands
Authors: Ensel Remco
Published: April 2013

This article takes its cue from an essay by Gerhard Richter on Walter Benjamin and the fascist aestheticization of politics. It examines the portrait photography of Dutch photographer W.F. Van Heemskerck Düker, who was a true believer in the ideology of a Greater Germany. He published a number of illustrated books on the Dutch Heimat and worked together with German photographers Erna Lendvai-Dircksen and Erich Retzlaff. When considering what type of photography was best suited to capture the photographic aesthetics of the fascist nation, the article argues that within the paradigm of the Greater German Heimat we find not so much a form of anthropometric photography, as exemplified by the work of Hans F.K. Günther, as a genre of Heimat portraits that was better equipped to satisfy the need to unify two crucial structural oppositions in fascist ideology, namely mass versus individuality, and physical appearance versus inner soul.
Separatist Currents in Moravian Fascism and National Socialism
Authors: Mareš Miroslav
Published: April 2013

The article deals with separatism within Moravian fascism and National Socialism. It identifies fundamental links between ethnic nationalism and fascism, and describes the development of the ‘Moravian question’ within the context of Central European history. The separatist tendencies of Moravian fascism and National Socialism are examined in the context of the interwar history, the period of occupation of the Czech lands, and postwar developments, including contemporary tendencies. It also identifies similarities with and differences from some other ethno-national fascisms in Europe. The author concludes that although marginal, Moravian fascism and National Socialism have enjoyed a long existence.
The Spectacle of Security in the Case of Hungarian Far-Right Paramilitary Groups
Authors: Mireanu Manuel
Published: April 2013

This paper takes up the emergence of far-right patrols in Hungary in 2011 and provides an interpretation that is centered on security as a need, a practice, and a discourse. The argument is that these patrols used a logic of spectacle in order to legitimize their security agenda, an agenda that was driven by both symbolic and explicit violence. The patrols emerged in the context of a steady growth in and acceptance of far-right ideas and practices in Hungary. These practices and ideas were focused mostly on the ‘Gypsy problem,’ which in Hungary has been articulated as a threat posed by Roma communities. This is a perceived threat to the safety and national and cultural integrity of the Hungarian population, and as such, the far-right groups chose to tackle this threat through security measures. The patrols emerged in the Hungarian countryside as a way to increase the security of the ‘Hungarian’ population vis-à-vis the ‘Gypsy crime’ problem. This paper argues that the violence that these patrols used in their security struggles received a great deal of legitimacy through a combination of security and spectacle. Thus, the patrols were more than thugs and militias: They were reiterating an idealized glorious past, with which every Hungarian could identify. In addressing and illustrating these issues, the paper uses the ‘security-scape’ of Gyöngyöspata, the village where most of the patrols were conducted.
On the ‘right’ side? The Radical Right in the Post-Yugoslav Area and the Serbian Case
Authors: Tomić Đorđe
Published: April 2013

The political transformation in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s was marked by the establishment of a nationalist political mainstream. As a consequence of the Yugoslav wars, nationalism gained broad acceptance in most post-Yugoslav societies. This led to the emergence of many radical right groups, the majority of which support the nationalist policies of the Yugoslav successor states. Since the regime changes in most post-Yugoslav states around the year 2000, the nationalist paradigm has shifted towards a new mainstream, combining the promise of EU accession with neoliberal economic reforms, and slowly abandoning nationalism as a means of political mobilization/demobilization. The radical right groups in the post-Yugoslav area were generally on the right side during the 1990s, but they now face marginalization and even prosecution by state authorities. When pushed to the edge of the political field, however, these groups reorganize themselves. At the same time, several developments are fostering their existence and activities, namely the discursive normalization of nationalism, an unchallenged nationalist revisionism of history, and the reluctance of large parts of society to deal critically with the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. Finally, due to the lack of strong left-wing parties and organizations, the radical right groups represent the only political alternative to the new pro-European mainstream. This article looks at the formation and development of radical right groups in the post-Yugoslav area, and situates this in the political context of the last two decades.
Meeting information literacy outcomes:
Authors: Hoffmann Debra Anne , LaBonte Kristen
Published: April 2013

This paper outlines the attempt by librarians at California State University Channel Islands (CI) to authentically assess the information literacy levels of first-year and third-year students, their partnership with faculty from CI’s writing and rhetoric programme in receiving a grant for this endeavour, the creation of a rubric and specialised assignment to facilitate the assessment process and the initial assessment data that came from the three-year grant period. Information gathered during our pilot study suggests that student information literacy proficiency levels can been determined by assessing student writing assignments, and that a targeted rubric is an effective authentic assessment measure in this endeavour. This study is of use to practising librarians as it highlights the efforts of the authors to partner with faculty, not only in assessing student papers, but also in creating a rubric and specialised bibliography assignment that can be used by librarians and faculty at their institutions. This article is based on a paper presented at LILAC 2011.
Assessing students’ information literacy skills in two secondary schools in Singapore
Authors: Chang Yun-ke , Zhang Xue , Azura Mokhtar Intan , Foo Schubert , Majid Shaheen , Luyt Brendan , Theng Yin-leng
Published: April 2013

Appropriately measuring information literacy skills is essential to understand their educational impact as well as exploring pedagogies to improve teaching of these skills. This paper reports findings of a baseline study to understand the information literacy level of secondary school students in Singapore. A comprehensive instrument encompassing a new dimension of ethical usage of information as well as major IL principles and guidelines was developed for data collection. A total of 298 responses were gathered through the online survey. The findings indicate that overall there was a scope to improve students’ IL skills. That stated, higher order IL skills (such as information use, synthesis, and evaluation) demand more attention, as comparatively lower levels of proficiency were observed in this study.
Mobile information literacy:
Authors: Walsh Andrew
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this paper is to examine the idea that information searching and use may vary with the widespread use of internet capable mobile devices. It highlights areas of existing literature that report variation in information searching and use on mobile devices, in addition to reporting on the results of a small set of semi-structured interviews. This was a small qualitative study, interviewing five experienced and confident users of mobile devices, which will not show the full range of mobile behaviour in seeking for and using information on the move. It gives a starting point to consider how information behaviour may change between fixed and mobile environments.
Poster presentations as an assessment tool in a third/college-level Information Literacy course:
Authors: Kinikin JaNae , Hench Keith
Published: April 2013

This paper examines the impact that poster presentations have had in increasing student knowledge, engagement and interest in learning and understanding library research skills in a college-level, general education information literacy class. Many general education library classes use an annotated bibliography as a summative assessment of students’ learning in the course; however, this type of assessment does not provide a good method to evaluate students’ knowledge of research skills. In place of this bibliography a poster session was used to evaluate and assess student understanding of library research skills. The poster presentations allow the instructor to evaluate how the students applied their library research skills to locate information to answer research questions. Additionally, the presentations provide the students with the opportunity to share what they have learned with their classmates and invited guests and to learn more about each other’s topics. More than 100 students have had the opportunity to present a poster and to share what they have learned. The poster consists of a summary of what was learned about the research question, reasons why the question was chosen and three citations. Students have commented that they have enjoyed the experience of learning more about their selected research topics and sharing what they have learned with their classmates. Researching a topic of interest to the student results in greater understanding and more interest in learning and using library research skills. The poster presentation helps students make a stronger connection between the skills required to find the information and their ability to communicate what they have learned about their research question. When designing information literacy programs, poster presentations showcasing the students’ research process should be considered as an alternative form of assessment that can be used to evaluate student learning in a general education library skills class. Additionally, a poster presentation assessment addresses Standards 1 through 5 of the ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries) Information literacy competency standards for higher education and demonstrates the students’ ability to meet the course learning objectives. This article is based on a paper presented at LILAC 2012.
Digital fluency':
Authors: Miller Carl , Bartlett Jamie
Published: April 2013

The rise of the internet as the greatest source of information for people living in the UK today poses an acute challenge to the information literacy (IL) community. The amount and type of material available a mouse click away is both liberating and asphyxiating. There are more e-books, trustworthy journalism, niche expertise and accurate facts at our fingertips than ever before, but also mistakes, half-truths, propaganda and misinformation. This article presents research on how well young people are being equipped to meet the challenge of sorting good information from bad. It reviews current literature on the subject, and presents a new poll of over 500 teachers. With analysis supplemented by additional correspondence from librarians and other IL professionals, it argues that there is strong evidence that the web is fundamental to pupils’ learning and lives, but that many are not careful, discerning users of the internet. They are unable to find the information they are looking for, or they trust the first thing they see. This makes them vulnerable to the pitfalls of ignorance, falsehoods, cons and scams. The article proposes the appropriate response to be to embed ‘digital fluency’ – a tripartite concept constituting critical thinking, net savviness and diversity – at the heart of learning, in order to create a pedagogical framework fit for the information consumption habits of the digital age. It should be noted that both authors recognise the importance of non-teaching information literacy professionals in these debates. They recognise that the poll’s focus on teachers was too narrow, and have endeavoured, subsequent to the poll, to consult more widely in their research.
Social media, authentic learning and embedded librarianship:
Authors: Miller Rebecca
Published: April 2013

Recent studies and reports indicate that social media tools have changed the way that people access and disseminate information. Social information, or information that is communicated and made accessible through social media networks and tools, represents a growing collection of information used by consumers, researchers and even healthcare practitioners. Undergraduate students preparing to enter the healthcare field need to understand how to use social information to reach consumers and share scholarship with other healthcare professionals. Using the dietetics curriculum at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, as a case study, this paper describes how a liaison librarian highlighted particular areas of the curriculum that she could support through information literacy instruction and embedded librarianship. By collaborating with a faculty member and using objectives from both the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology and the Accreditation Council of Education in Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2008 Foundation Knowledge and Competencies-Dietitian Education, she developed an authentic learning experience for students in the programme. Formal and informal assessments indicated that the entire project met a significant need in the dietetics curriculum and successfully engaged students by having them negotiate the social web in an authentic learning environment. This article is based on a paper presented at LILAC 2012.
Indicators of adult information literacy
Authors: Catts Ralph
Published: April 2013

Information literacy (IL), defined as the capacity to locate, evaluate and use information to create new knowledge, is a core adult life skill and an extension of the notion of functional literacy. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has identified information literacy as an essential capacity for participation in the knowledge economy and has included this construct as a strategic priority in the Information for All Programme (IFAP).To support this initiative UNESCO has commissioned research to consider whether a household survey could be used to identify the extent to which people in member states are information literate in all aspects of their life, including work and lifelong learning, and in relation to their personal well-being, and in their participation in civil society. United Nations agencies use surveys to provide indications of the extent to which various agreed objectives are being achieved. These include international surveys of education and of health and well-being. This paper reports on an investigation aimed at determining whether indicators of IL could be identified by secondary analysis of existing data collected in other household surveys.It was concluded that IL has unique elements that are not encompassed in the surveys that were examined.