bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RANKING AND BENCHMARKING OF THE ASIAN GAMES ACHIEVEMENTS BASED ON DEA: THE CASE OF GUANGZHOU 2010
Authors: WU HUAQING , CHEN BO , XIA QIONG , ZHOU HUADONG
Published: October 2013

Precedent research based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been conducted to rank and benchmark the achievements of participating nations/regions in the Olympics, while this paper contributes to the Asian Games, with further concerns on two main issues, namely the common comparison basis for ranking decision making units (DMUs) and the reference feasibility between the inefficient DMUs and their benchmark targets. This paper extends previous DEA research by introducing an improved context-dependent DEA model, in which empirical results establish a unique and fair ranking system for all participating nations/regions, implying two corresponding suggestions for rank improvement. A series of stepwise learning targets are further identified, alternatively providing a gradual performance improvement path for the inefficient participants. The above results will be helpful for strategic decision making in sport management of the Asian nations/regions.
SOME UNDERLYING MATHEMATICAL DEFINITIONS AND PRINCIPLES FOR CELLULAR MANUFACTURING
Authors: YIN YONG , LIU CHEN GUANG , KAKU IKOU
Published: October 2013

This paper uses set theory to analyze cellular manufacturing systems. We develop a structural architecture to investigate the previous literature. We divide all research problems into three types — what, why, and how. We advocate studying these three types of problems from two managerial perspectives — philosophy and science. To fully and deeply understand cellular manufacturing, both three-problems and two-perspectives are important. We use the developed architecture to review cellular manufacturing literature and point out the weakness in the previous studies. This review motivates the research of this paper. We use simple but rigorous set theory to analyze two what-problems. Underlying concepts, such as part family, machine cell, cellular manufacturing system, bottleneck machine are defined. Following these definitions, we deduce sufficient and necessary conditions for perfectly partitioned cellular manufacturing systems. Two sufficient and necessary conditions of perfect partition have been discovered — prior perfect partition theorems check the potential independent manufacturing cells within an arbitrary manufacturing system; in contrast, posterior perfect partition theorem verifies a perfectly partitioned cellular manufacturing system. To our knowledge, we are among the first to apply rigorous mathematical models to these two types of what-problems for cellular manufacturing. We try to provide mathematical vocabularies to discuss common problems inherent in the design of cellular manufacturing systems.
SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM RETURNS TO INNOVATION FROM THE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING PRACTICES
Authors: MCGRATH CHRISTOPHER , PERCIVAL JENNIFER
Published: October 2013

The intention of this paper is to investigate innovation outcomes associated with complementary sets of training practices. Our analysis is performed using a multiple linear regression model with lagged variables on several different service sectors. We lagged three training and technology factors and noted the extent of innovation within and between these factors while comparing returns to innovation in the short-term (one year) to the long-term (the following six years). We hypothesised that the complexity of technology and process of learning by doing/using would result in short-term innovation returns being far less than those experienced in the long-term. We predicted the opposite would occur for the training factors due to the obsolescence of acquired skills over time. Our results show that short-term innovation returns for training factors are consistently higher than those for technology. This lends support to our hypothesis.
Dielectric, elastic and electromechanical nonlinearity of relaxor and "nearly" relaxor KDP-ADP mixed crystals
Authors: Likhovaya D. V. , Korotkova T. N. , Korotkov L. N.
Published: October 2013

Temperature dependences of linear and nonlinear dielectric, elastic and electromechanical responses in K 1-x( NH 4)x H 2 PO 4 (x ≈ 0.19 and 0.24) single crystals have been studied within temperature range 10–300 K. It was found near linear relations between dielectric permittivity (ε33), elastic compliance (S6) and piezoelectric constant (d36). Different behavior of elastic and dielectric nonlinear responses was revealed in the crystals undergoing ferroelectric phase transitions and transition to relaxor state. Obtained temperature dependences of nonlinear permittivity and elastic compliance are discussed in the framework of Random Field model.
Molecular mechanisms that drive estradiol-dependent burst firing of Kiss1 neurons in the rostral periventricular preoptic area
Authors: Zhang Chunguang , Tonsfeldt Karen J. , Qiu Jian , Bosch Martha A. , Kobayashi Kazuto , Steiner Robert A. , Kelly Martin J. , Rønnekleiv Oline K.
Published: October 2013

Kisspeptin (Kiss1) neurons in the rostral periventricular area of the third ventricle (RP3V) provide excitatory drive to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons to control fertility. Using whole cell patch clamp recording and single-cell (sc)RT-PCR techniques targeting Kiss1-CreGFP or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-EGFP neurons, we characterized the biophysical properties of these neurons and identified the critical intrinsic properties required for burst firing in 17β-estradiol (E2)-treated, ovariectomized female mice. One-fourth of the RP3V Kiss1 neurons exhibited spontaneous burst firing. RP3V Kiss1 neurons expressed a hyperpolarization-activated h-current ( Ih) and a T-type calcium current ( IT), which supported hyperpolarization-induced rebound burst firing. Under voltage clamp conditions, all Kiss1 neurons expressed a kinetically fast Ihthat was augmented 3.4-fold by high (LH surge-producing)-E2treatment. scPCR analysis of Kiss1 neurons revealed abundant expression of the HCN1 channel transcripts. Kiss1 neurons also expressed a Ni2+- and TTA-P2-sensitive ITthat was augmented sixfold with high-E2treatment. CaV3.1 mRNA was also highly expressed in these cells. Current clamp analysis revealed that rebound burst firing was induced in RP3V Kiss1 neurons in high-E2-treated animals, and the majority of Kiss1 neurons had a hyperpolarization threshold of −84.7 mV, which corresponded to the V½for ITde-inactivation. Finally, Kiss1 neurons in the RP3V were hyperpolarized by μ- and κ-opioid and GABABreceptor agonists, suggesting that these pathways also contribute to rebound burst firing. Therefore, Kiss1 neurons in the RP3V express the critical channels and receptors that permit E2-dependent rebound burst firing and provide the biophysical substrate that drives the preovulatory surge of GnRH.
Acute Depletion of Endothelial β3-Integrin Transiently Inhibits Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis in Mice
Authors: Steri Veronica , Ellison Tim S. , Gontarczyk Aleksander Maksym , Weilbaecher Katherine , Schneider Jochen G. , Edwards Dylan , Fruttiger Marcus , Hodivala-Dilke Kairbaan M. , Robinson Stephen Douglas
Published: October 2013

Rationale:

The dramatic upregulation of αvβ3-integrin that occurs in the vasculature during tumor growth has long suggested that the endothelial expression of this molecule is an ideal target for antiangiogenic therapy to treat cancer. This discovery led to the development of small-molecule inhibitors directed against αvβ3-integrin that are currently in clinical trials. In 2002, we reported that β3-integrin−knockout mice exhibit enhanced tumor growth and angiogenesis. However, as β3-integrin is expressed by a wide variety of cells, endothelial cell–specific contributions to tumor angiogenesis are muddied by the use of a global knockout of β3-integrin function.

Objective:

Our aim was to examine the endothelial-specific contribution β3-integrin makes to tumor growth and angiogenesis.

Methods and Results:

We have crossed β3-integrin–floxed (β3-floxed) mice to 2 endothelial-specific Cre models and examined angiogenic responses in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro. We show that acute depletion of endothelial β3-integrin inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis preventatively, but not in already established tumors. However, the effects are transient, and long-term depletion of the molecule is ineffective. Furthermore, long-term depletion of the molecule correlates with many molecular changes, such as reduced levels of focal adhesion kinase expression and a misbalance in focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation, which may lead to a release from the inhibitory effects of decreased endothelial β3-integrin expression.

Conclusions:

Our findings imply that timing and length of inhibition are critical factors that need to be considered when targeting the endothelial expression of β3-integrin to inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis.
Impact of Emergency Medical Services Stroke Routing Protocols on Primary Stroke Center Certification in California
Authors: Schuberg Sam , Song Sarah , Saver Jeffrey L. , Mack William J. , Cen Steven Y. , Sanossian Nerses
Published: October 2013

Background and Purpose—

Organized stroke systems of care include Primary Stroke Center (PSC) certification and preferential emergency medical services (EMS) routing of suspected patients with stroke to designated PSCs. Stroke EMS routing is not nationally governed; in California, routing is determined by county. EMS routing policies might provide an incentive for PSC accreditation. We evaluated the relationship between independent adoption of EMS routing protocols and PSC designation acquisition in California.

Methods—

Dates of PSC certification were obtained through The Joint Commissions Website and confirmatory calls to stroke coordinators. Starting date of county EMS PSC routing policies was obtained from county EMS agencies. We provide descriptive analysis of number of hospitals achieving PSC designation relative to implementation of EMS routing policies for all counties with PSCs.

Results—

By June 2012, there were 131 California PSCs in 27 counties, and 22 of 58 counties had implemented EMS routing policies. The greatest number of PSCs was in Los Angeles (30) followed by San Diego (11), Orange (9), and Santa Clara (9) counties. Achievement of PSC designation occurred more frequently immediately before and after EMS routing: 51 PSCs (39%) within 1 year; 85 PSCs (65%) within 2 years. The yearly rate of eligible hospital conversion to PSC designation accelerated concurrent with EMS diversion policy adoption from 3.8% before to 16.2% during and decelerated afterward to 7.6%.

Conclusions—

Implementation of EMS routing policies may be an important factor driving PSC certification. National adoption of stroke routing policies may lead to more PSCs, positively impacting patient care.
Preliminary Issues Posed by the Doctrine of Forum Prorogatum and the Case of Djibouti v. France
Authors: Tassinis Orfeas Chasapis
Published: October 2013

Abstract

Being the first case ever where the International Court of Justice decided on the merits of a dispute brought before it by an application based on Article 38(5) of the Rules of Court, the relatively recent judgment of the Court in the case of Djibouti v. France warrants some careful analysis for its method of ascertaining the extent of consent to the Court’s jurisdiction, as well as for its wider impact on the doctrine of forum prorogatum. This article will first trace the evolution of forum prorogatum in international jurisprudence as a rather liberal way of establishing consent to jurisdiction and document the current state of the doctrine’s acceptance in contemporary international judicial mechanisms. Second, this article shall examine the particularities of forum prorogatum in Article 38(5) of the Rules of Court and shall try to shed some light to the very interesting judgment of the Court in Djibouti v. France.
Chauliodites niedzwiedzkii sp. n. (Grylloblattida: Chaulioditidae) from Triassic sediments of Poland
Authors: ARISTOV DANIL S. , ŻYŁA DAGMARA , WEGIEREK PIOTR
Published: October 2013

A new representative of the family Chaulioditidae (Insecta, Grylloblattida), Chauliodites niedzwiedzkii sp. n., is described from the Upper Olenekian-Lower Anisian sediments of Pałęgi  in Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. This is the first formal description of any fossil insect from Pałęgi area.
A new species of Tyrannomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Sri Lanka
Authors: ALPERT GARY D.
Published: October 2013

Tyrannomyrmex legatus sp. nov. is described based on a single worker collected from leaf litter in dipterocarp forest in southern Sri Lanka. A key is presented to separate the three known species of Tyrannomyrmex. A probable male specimen of the genus from the Philippines is noted. Tyrannomyrmex is placed within the tribe Solenopsidini and close to the genus Monomorium.
Letters of Blood and Other Works in English
Authors: Printz-Påhlson Göran
Published: October 2013

This collection brings together for the first time select works in English by the major Swedish modernist poet and critic Göran Printz-Påhlson. It was Printz-Påhlson who introduced poetic modernism to Scandinavia, and his essays and poems delve deeply into English, American, and continental modernist traditions. As well as Letters of Blood, the collection includes the full text of "The Words of the Tribe", a major statement on modern poetics, in which Printz-Påhlson explores the significance of primitivism in Romanticism and Modernism, and the nature of metaphor and literary materialism. The collection also includes essays on style, irony, realism, and the relationship between historical drama and historical fiction, as well as studies of American poetry. Printz-Påhlson’s poetry in English continues to explore these themes by different, often surprisingly innovative, means.
Wind Tunnel Experiment for Predicting a Visible Plume Region from a Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Tower
Authors: Guo Dong-Peng , Yao Ren-Tai , Fan Dan
Published: October 2013

This paper introduces a wind tunnel experiment to study the effect of the cooling tower of a nuclear power plant on the flow and the characteristics of visible plume regions. The relevant characteristics of the flow field near the cooling tower, such as the plume rise and the visible plume region, are compared with the results of previous experimental data from Électricité de France (EDF) and the Briggs formulas. The results show that the wind tunnel experiment can simulate the top backflow of the cooling tower and the rear cavity regions among others. In the near-wake region, including the recirculation cavity, mean velocity decreases and turbulence intensity increases significantly. The maximum turbulence intensity observed is 0.5. In addition, the disturbed flow extent of the cooling tower top reaches 1.5 times the cooling tower height. Analysis of the visible plume region shows that the wind tunnel experiment can simulate the variation of a visible plume region. The results are consistent with the wind tunnel experiment of EDF. Moreover, the plume rise analysis shows that the wind tunnel experiment data are in agreement with the Briggs formulas for 50–200 m. As a whole, the proposed wind tunnel experiment can simulate the flow field variation of the visible plume region and the plume rise around the buildings with reasonable accuracy.
Seasonal Influence of Insolation on Fine-Resolved Air Temperature Variation and Snowmelt
Authors: Vercauteren Nikki , Lyon Steve W. , Destouni Georgia
Published: October 2013

This study uses GIS-based modeling of incoming solar radiation to quantify fine-resolved spatiotemporal responses of year-round monthly average temperature within a field study area located on the eastern coast of Sweden. A network of temperature sensors measures surface and near-surface air temperatures during a year from June 2011 to June 2012. Strong relationships between solar radiation and temperature exhibited during the growing season (supporting previous work) break down in snow cover and snowmelt periods. Surface temperature measurements are here used to estimate snow cover duration, relating the timing of snowmelt to low performance of an existing linear model developed for the investigated site. This study demonstrates that linearity between insolation and temperature 1) may only be valid for solar radiation levels above a certain threshold and 2) is affected by the consumption of incoming radiation during snowmelt.
Wave Breaking Dissipation in a Young Wind Sea
Authors: Schwendeman Michael , Thomson Jim , Gemmrich Johannes R.
Published: October 2013

Coupled in situ and remote sensing measurements of young, strongly forced wind waves are applied to assess the role of breaking in an evolving wave field. In situ measurements of turbulent energy dissipation from wave-following Surface Wave Instrument Float with Tracking (SWIFT) drifters and a tethered acoustic Doppler sonar system are consistent with wave evolution and wind input (as estimated using the radiative transfer equation). The Phillips breaking crest distribution Λ(c) is calculated using stabilized shipboard video recordings and the Fourier-based method of Thomson and Jessup, with minor modifications. The resulting Λ(c) are unimodal distributions centered around half of the phase speed of the dominant waves, consistent with several recent studies. Breaking rates from Λ(c) increase with slope, similar to in situ dissipation. However, comparison of the breaking rate estimates from the shipboard video recordings with the SWIFT video recordings show that the breaking rate is likely underestimated in the shipboard video when wave conditions are calmer and breaking crests are small. The breaking strength parameter b is calculated by comparison of the fifth moment of Λ(c) with the measured dissipation rates. Neglecting recordings with inconsistent breaking rates, the resulting b data do not display any clear trends and are in the range of other reported values. The Λ(c) distributions are compared with the Phillips equilibrium range prediction and previous laboratory and field studies, leading to the identification of several inconsistencies.
The Ocean General Circulation near 1000-m Depth
Authors: Ollitrault Michel , Colin de Verdière Alain
Published: October 2013

The mean ocean circulation near 1000-m depth is estimated with 100-km resolution from the Argo float displacements collected before 1 January 2010. After a thorough validation, the 400 000 or so displacements found in the 950–1150 dbar layer and with parking times between 4 and 17 days allow the currents to be mapped at intermediate depths with unprecedented details. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the most prominent feature, but western boundary currents (and their recirculations) and alternating zonal jets in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific are also well defined. Eddy kinetic energy (EKE) gives the mesoscale variability (on the order of 10 cm2 s−2 in the interior), which is compared to the surface geostrophic altimetric EKE showing e-folding depths greater than 700 m in the ACC and northern subpolar regions. Assuming planetary geostrophy, the geopotential height of the 1000-dbar isobar is estimated to obtain an absolute and deep reference level worldwide. This is done by solving numerically the Poisson equation that results from taking the divergence of the geostrophic equations on the sphere, assuming Neumann boundary conditions.
The Role of Satellite Data in the Forecasting of Hurricane Sandy
Authors: McNally Tony , Bonavita Massimo , Thépaut Jean-Noël
Published: October 2013

The excellent forecasts made by ECMWF predicting the devastating landfall of Hurricane Sandy attracted a great deal of publicity and praise in the immediate aftermath of the event. The almost unprecedented and sudden “left hook” of the storm toward the coast of New Jersey was attributed to interactions with the large-scale atmospheric flow. This led to speculation that satellite observations may play an important role in the successful forecasting of this event. To investigate the role of satellite data a number of experiments have been performed at ECMWF where different satellite observations are deliberately withheld and forecasts of the hurricane rerun. Without observations from geostationary satellites the correct landfall of the storm is still reasonably well predicted albeit with a slight timing shift compared to the control forecast. On the other hand, without polar-orbiting satellites (which represent 90% of the volume of currently ingested observations) the ECMWF system would have given no useful guidance 4–5 days ahead that the storm would make landfall on the New Jersey coast. Instead the hurricane is predicted to stay well offshore in the Atlantic and hit the Maine coast 24 h later. If background errors estimated from the ECMWF Ensemble of Data Assimilations (EDA) are allowed to evolve and adapt to the depleted observing system, then some of the performance loss suffered by withholding polar satellite data can be recovered. The use of the appropriate EDA errors results in a more enhanced use of geostationary satellite observations, which partly compensates for the loss of polar satellite data.
Examining the tensions in workplace flexibility and exploring options for new directions
Authors: Putnam Linda L , Myers Karen K , Gailliard Bernadette M
Published: October 2013

Workplace flexibility initiatives as a potential remedy for work–life conflicts are the focus of a considerable number of investigations. Despite their contributions, research findings reveal tensions and contradictions in the ways that employees, managers and organizations develop, enact and respond to these flexibility initiatives. This critical review identifies three primary tensions (variable vs fixed arrangements, supportive vs unsupportive work climates and equitable vs inequitable implementation of policies) that reveal inconsistent and sometimes contradictory findings. We tie these tensions, and the management of them, to an overarching dilemma in implementing workplace flexibility, the autonomy–control paradox. To develop alternatives for handling these tensions, we recommend reframing them through changing organizational cultures, adopting a philosophy of adaptability, customizing work and making workplace flexibility an employee right. We conclude by urging organizations and society to reframe the tensions between work and life, to treat them as enriching rather than competing with each other and to transcend these opposite poles through exploring third spaces.
Foaming behavior of cellulose fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites in extrusion
Authors: Kuboki T
Published: October 2013

This paper investigates the effect of polypropylene type and cellulose content on the foaming behavior of cellulose fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites in extrusion. Two types of polypropylene (linear and branched structures) were used as a polymer matrix. The thermal properties of the composites were characterized by a differential scanning calorimeter, and the viscosity of the composites was evaluated by a rotational rheometer. The foaming behavior of the composites was examined using an extrusion foaming system, in which carbon dioxide was used as a physical blowing agent for foams. The results suggested that the cell density increased with the increase of cellulose content. On the other hand, the void fraction decreased with the addition of cellulose, but the void fraction at the 40 wt% cellulose was higher than that at the 20 wt% cellulose. The results also indicated that the two types of polypropylene had a minimal effect on the foaming behaviors of the cellulose fiber composites.
Sandworlds, storymaking, and letter writing: the Therapeutic Sandstory Method
Authors: Knoetze Jan
Published: October 2013

This article describes a new method of sandtray therapy, the Therapeutic Sandstory Method, as a therapeutic journey for children and adolescents. Three main theoretical tenets to the Therapeutic Sandstory Method are described. These are sandtray therapy, storymaking in therapy, and narrative letter writing. The article provides a stage-wise description of the method and concludes with a brief case study by means of illustration. It is proposed that the Therapeutic Sandstory Method provides an effective short- to medium-term therapeutic engagement which can be used in a range of settings outside the confines of the consulting room and in under-resourced settings. It is ideally suited for therapeutic work in a postmodern constructionist orientation and seeks to empower children and adolescents, affirming alternative identities and exceptional life stories.
Social Support or Biosocial Support?
Authors: Beaver Kevin M. , Boutwell Brian B. , Barnes J. C.
Published: October 2013

There is growing interest in examining whether the findings generated from biosocial studies of crime can be integrated into existing criminological theories. To this point, however, not much empirical research has focused on this possibility. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by examining the nexus between biosocial criminology and the social support perspective as it relates to levels of self-control. To do so, a sample of twin pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) was analyzed using quantitative genetic analyses. The analyses revealed three key findings. First, genetic factors account for about 50% of the variance in measures of social support. Second, the covariance between social support and self-control is largely due to a common genetic pathway. Third, even after holding genetic influences constant, social support has a significant effect on levels of self-control.
Descending necrotizing mediastinitis below the tracheal carina
Authors: Dajer-Fadel Walid L , Ibarra-Pérez Carlos , Sánchez-Velázquez Luis D , Borrego-Borrego Rafael , Navarro-Reynoso Francisco P , Argüero-Sánchez Rubén
Published: October 2013

Background

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a dreadful disease with a high mortality rate, particularly when below the tracheal carina. This study describes the epidemiologic, clinical, and paraclinical features of patients treated for this condition.

Methods

We performed a single-center retrospective descriptive review of 60 patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis below the tracheal carina, who were treated during a 7-year period, the largest study in the last 50 years. Demographic, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic variables were analyzed.

Results

43 (71.7%) patients were male. The mean age was 41.2 ± 14.7 years. Mean hospital length of stay was 25.0 ± 19.8 days. Comorbidities were present in 46.7% of patients, diabetes mellitus being the most common. Odontogenic infections (45%) were the most frequent source of descending necrotizing mediastinitis. Cultures showed Gram-negative bacilli in 68.3%, Gram-positive cocci in 38.3%, and fungi in 6.7%. Mortality was 35% (21 patients); risk factors for mortality were age (>35 years), diabetes mellitus among other comorbidities, and associated complications.

Conclusions

In this low socioeconomic status patient population, descending necrotizing mediastinitis below the carina causes high morbidity and mortality, the latter particularly associated with age, complications, diabetes mellitus and other comorbidities.
Health-Related Quality of Life in HIV-Infected and At-Risk Women
Authors: Aden Brandon , Nosyk Bohdan , Wittenberg Eve , Schackman Bruce R.
Published: October 2013

Purpose. To assess the impact of illicit drug use and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with HIV or at risk for HIV infection. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Women’s Interagency Health Study (WIHS) of women with HIV ( n = 2508) and at high risk of HIV infection ( n = 889) in the US. A Short-Form-6D (SF-6D) HRQoL measure derived from the Medical Outcomes Study–HIV (MOS-HIV) questionnaire, HIV infection status, CD4 cell count (a measure of immune status), antiretroviral treatment, current illicit drug use (heroin and/or cocaine), and HCV status were assessed at a recent study visit. We developed multivariate linear regression models adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, and testing for interactions. Results. HIV-infected women with ≤200 CD4 cells/µL had lower mean HRQoL scores (0.69) than either HIV-infected women with >200 CD4 cells/µL (0.78) or HIV-uninfected women (0.80) ( P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, illicit drug use, chronic HCV, and low CD4 count were independently associated with lower HRQoL. There was a differential effect of HCV and illicit drug use for HIV-infected women depending on CD4 cell count: HIV-infected women with >200 CD4 cells/µL had a significantly greater reduction in HRQoL associated with illicit drug use (−0.063) and chronic HCV (−0.036) than women with ≤200 CD4 cells/µL (−0.017, −0.005 respectively). Conclusions. Poorly controlled HIV, illicit drug use, and chronic HCV are associated with lower HRQoL. Illicit drug use and chronic HCV have greater HRQoL impacts for HIV-infected women with well-controlled HIV versus those with poorly controlled HIV, which may affect clinical and policy priorities.
Towards a cultural-developmental psychology of music in adolescence
Authors: Miranda Dave , Blais-Rochette Camille , Vaugon Karole , Osman Muna , Arias-Valenzuela Melisa
Published: October 2013

Music is a fundamental cultural product with which adolescents are finely attuned within and across sociocultural contexts. However, very little is known about the intricate interplay among music, psychology, and culture in adolescence. The purpose of this literature review is twofold: (1) to define, ground, and situate a new perspective towards a cultural developmental psychology of music in adolescence; and (2) to find and organize the extant literature pertaining to the cultural and developmental roles of music in adolescence. The rationale is organized in two sections. The first section defines the meaning of a cultural-developmental psychology of music in adolescence. It also explains how this perspective can be grounded in principles of cultural psychology, notably the mutual constitution between culture and the person. It then situates this perspective within established cultural research on music (evolutionary psychology, music perception, and ethnomusicology). The second section presents a critical outlook on the slowly growing but fragmented literature pertaining to culture, psychology, and music in adolescence (music preferences; music motivation and functions; dance; language; social network and multitasking; ethnicity and cultural diversity; and cultural competence in music-based interventions). In conclusion, theoretical and methodological directions are suggested for future cultural research on music in adolescence.
Micro–macro wear–fatigue of modular hip implant taper-lock coupling
Authors: Zhang Teng , Harrison Noel M , McDonnell Pat F , McHugh Peter E , Leen Sean B
Published: October 2013

A multiscale methodology for fretting wear–fatigue analysis of a prosthetic hip implant taper-lock assembly is presented. On a macroscopic scale, the stem and cap surfaces are smooth. However, on a microscopic scale, surface roughness undulations are employed to accentuate the frictional contact for an enhanced mechanical locking effect. Macroscopic (global) modelling for fretting wear–fatigue prediction of two head/stem material combinations, namely, Co-28Cr-6Mo against direct metal laser sintering Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) and forged Ti-6Al-4V, is investigated. The significance of fretting wear and fatigue in a hip joint for 10 years of service in a normal-weight male for moderately intense exercise is predicted for both material combinations. A micro-scale fretting wear–fatigue model of the surface undulation submodel is developed to predict wear and fatigue micro-cracking. A key aspect is the development of a multiscale wear–fatigue algorithm using adaptive meshing. Both material combination joints are shown to have sufficient wear resistance with direct metal laser sintering Ti64 performing better in terms of both fretting wear and fatigue.
Accumulation and time: Marx’s historiography from the Grundrisse to Capital
Authors: Tomba Massimiliano
Published: October 2013

This article investigates the way in which Marx combines different historiographical approaches in order to draft the possibility for both new forms of social relationship and a new anthropology. The classic unilinear and historicist paradigm and its idea of pre-modern, pre-capitalist and pre-political social forms does not help in understanding the interaction of different temporalities and the combination of formal and real subsumptions. The representation of ongoing accumulation requires different temporalities, which conflict and intertwine with one another.
Peer production and Marxian communism: Contours of a new emerging mode of production
Authors: Rigi Jakob
Published: October 2013

This article argues that communism is currently emerging as a new mode of production, namely, peer production (PP), which produces commons instead of commodity. In PP, producers produce commons through voluntary participation in distributed network-based communities of production. Each volunteer chooses the tasks she performs, the amount of time she devotes to the collective production, and the place and time of her productive activity. In terms of distribution, the digital commons are available for free on the net. The rights to relatively scarce commons are still emerging, but they might be relatively restrictive compared with rights to digital commons. Analysing this new mode of production, the article attempts to show why and how it can replace capitalism.
Social Antecedents and Consequences of Gender-Sport Stereotypes During Adolescence
Authors: Boiché Julie , Plaza Mélissa , Chalabaev Aïna , Guillet-Descas Emma , Sarrazin Philippe
Published: October 2013

Eccles et al.’s Expectancy-Value Model posits that the stereotypes endorsed by parents may influence their children’s participation in leisure-time activities. This influence is presumed to occur through the mediating role of children’s perceived competence and value given to the activity, predicting in turn drop out. Previous research is scarce relative to (a) the parent–child transmission of gender stereotypes and (b) the relationships among stereotypes, self-perceptions, and decision to drop out from an activity. We present three studies that examined gender stereotypes in the sport context to test these underexplored aspects of the model. Study 1 revealed significant links among perceived gender stereotypes in the social environment (i.e., general and parental beliefs), personal endorsement of stereotypes, and dropout behavior among 347 adolescents. Study 2 revealed no bound between stereotypes assessed among parents and 104 adolescent athletes. It further indicated that self-perceptions may mediate the relationship between 155 adolescents’ gender stereotypes and intentions to drop out from sport. Study 3 involved 23 parent–adolescent dyads and revealed that parents’ and adolescents’ endorsement of gender stereotypes were not significantly related when assessed with explicit measures, but significantly correlated when assessed through an implicit test. Taken as a whole, the results of this set of studies suggest that gender sport stereotypes are conveyed from social environment to adolescents and that they can lead to drop out. The implications for parents and practitioners are discussed.
Influence of fiber–matrix interface on abrasive wear performance of polymer composites
Authors: Tiwari S , Bijwe J
Published: October 2013

* Present address: MED, Shri G S Institute of Technology & Science, 23, Park Road, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452003, India. Surface treatment of carbon fibers (CFs) is an excellent way to enhance the fiber–matrix adhesion. However, this is generally at a cost of deterioration in the strength of a fiber. The two effects in opposite directions control the net strength of a composite. The weightage of each factor depends on the selected method and dose. Authors have recently reported on three fiber-treatment techniques (using various doses) such as that with nano-YbF3 (new method); cold remote nitrogen–oxygen plasma (newer one) and γ rays apart from one traditional method of acid oxidation of a fiber. In the present paper, comparative aspects (benefits and limitations) of all these four methods are discussed to enable a right selection of a surface treatment technique of CF to design the composite with a right combination of strength and wear resistance in abrasive wear mode. The composites with these surface treated fabrics and polyetherimide matrix were developed and evaluated for various properties including abrasive wear performance. Specific wear rate of HNO3 treated composite was lowest among these composites while plasma treated composites showed least improvement. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of worn surfaces showed mechanisms responsible for improved performance of treated composites and high wear rate of untreated composites.
Oral nanoparticulate curcumin combating arsenic-induced oxidative damage in kidney and brain of rats
Authors: Sankar Palanisamy , Telang Avinash Gopal , Kalaivanan Ramya , Karunakaran Vijayakaran , Suresh Subramaniyam , Kesavan Manickam
Published: October 2013

Arsenic exposure through drinking water causes oxidative stress and tissue damage in the kidney and brain. Curcumin (CUR) is a good antioxidant with limited clinical application because of its hydrophobic nature and limited bioavailability, which can be overcome by the encapsulation of CUR with nanoparticles (NPs). The present study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of free CUR and NP-encapsulated CUR (CUR-NP) against sodium arsenite-induced renal and neuronal oxidative damage in rat. The CUR-NP prepared by emulsion technique and particle size ranged between 120 and 140 nm, with the mean particle size being 130.8 nm. Rats were divided into five groups (groups 1–5) with six animals in each group. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 rats were exposed to sodium arsenite (25 ppm) daily through drinking water for 42 days. Groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with arsenic as in Group 2; however, these animals were also administered with empty NPs, CUR (100 mg/kg body weight), and CUR-NP (100 mg/kg), respectively, by oral gavage during the last 14 days of arsenic exposure. Arsenic exposure significantly increased serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. Arsenic increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione content and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were depleted significantly in both kidney and brain. Treatment with free CUR and CUR-NP decreased the LPO and increased the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant system in kidney and brain. Histopathological examination showed that kidney and brain injury mediated by arsenic was ameliorated by treatment. However, the amelioration percentage indicates that CUR-NP had marked therapeutic effect on arsenic-induced oxidative damage in kidney and brain tissues.
Comparative in vitro study and biomechanical testing of two different magnesium alloys
Authors: Weizbauer Andreas , Modrejewski Christian , Behrens Sabine , Klein Helmut , Helmecke Patrick , Seitz Jan-Marten , Windhagen Henning , Möhwald Kai , Reifenrath Janin , Waizy Hazibullah
Published: October 2013

In this in vitro study, magnesium plates of ZEK100 and MgCa0.8 alloy similar to common titanium alloy osteosynthesis plates were investigated as degradable biomedical materials with a focus on primary stability. Immersion tests were performed in Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution at 37℃. The bending strength of the samples was determined using the four-point bending test according to ISO 9585:1990. The initial strength of the noncorroded ZEK100 plate was 11% greater than that of the MgCa0.8 plate; both were approximately 65% weaker than a titanium plate. The bending strength was determined after 48 and 96 h of immersion in Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution; both magnesium alloys decreased by approximately 7% after immersion for 96 h. The degradation rate and the Mg2+ release of ZEK100 were lower than those of MgCa0.8. Strong pitting and filiform corrosion were observed in the MgCa0.8 samples after 96 h of immersion. The surface of the ZEK100 plates exhibited only small areas of filiform corrosion. The results of this in vitro study indicate that the ZEK100 alloy may be more suitable for biomedical applications.
The HVTN503/Phambili HIV vaccine trial: a comparison of younger and older participants
Authors: Volk Jonathan E , Hessol Nancy A , Gray Glenda E , Kublin James G , Churchyard Gavin J , Mlisana Koleka , Nchabeleng Maphoshane , Buchbinder Susan P , Bekker Linda-Gail
Published: October 2013

By comparing younger to older participants enrolled in a HIV vaccine efficacy trial, we aimed to gain insights into the inclusion of adolescents in future trials. This was a sub-analysis of a multisite HIV vaccine randomized clinical trial in South Africa, conducted January–September 2007. Motivations for trial enrolment, social harms, adverse events and loss to follow-up were compared between younger (18–20 years old) and older participants (21–35 years old). Both younger (n = 238) and older participants (n = 563) were equally likely to report enrolling for altruistic reasons. Younger females were less likely than older participants to join for trial reimbursement (p = 0.005), while younger males were more likely to enrol because the vaccine may provide protection from HIV-acquisition (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the number of social harms reported. Compared to males over 20 years old, 18–20-year-old females were less likely to experience adverse events (OR = 0.1, CI 0.01–0.80) and no more likely to be lost to follow-up (OR = 0.7, CI 0.39–1.25), while 18–20-year-old males were no more likely to experience adverse events (OR = 1.3, CI 0.58–2.83) or loss to follow-up (OR = 0.8, CI 0.51–1.41). Our data support the inclusion of younger participants who are at risk for HIV in future HIV vaccine efficacy trials.
Turning Body and Self Inside Out
Authors: Aspell Jane Elizabeth , Heydrich Lukas , Marillier Guillaume , Lavanchy Tom , Herbelin Bruno , Blanke Olaf
Published: October 2013

Prominent theories highlight the importance of bodily perception for self-consciousness, but it is currently not known whether bodily perception is based on interoceptive or exteroceptive signals or on integrated signals from these anatomically distinct systems. In the research reported here, we combined both types of signals by surreptitiously providing participants with visual exteroceptive information about their heartbeat: A real-time video image of a periodically illuminated silhouette outlined participants’ (projected, “virtual”) bodies and flashed in synchrony with their heartbeats. We investigated whether these “cardio-visual” signals could modulate bodily self-consciousness and tactile perception. We report two main findings. First, synchronous cardio-visual signals increased self-identification with and self-location toward the virtual body, and second, they altered the perception of tactile stimuli applied to participants’ backs so that touch was mislocalized toward the virtual body. We argue that the integration of signals from the inside and the outside of the human body is a fundamental neurobiological process underlying self-consciousness.
The meta-geography of the Middle East and North Africa in Turkey’s new geopolitical imagination
Authors: Güney Aylin , Mandacı Nazif
Published: October 2013

This article critically analyses Turkish security discourses connected to the meta-geography of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) before and after the developments of the Arab Spring. A critical geopolitics approach and critical security theories in international relations provide the theoretical framework, as security discourses are considered to be a product of geopolitical imaginations and codes that, in turn, shape the making of foreign and security policies. First, the article examines the invention of BMENA as a meta-geography within Turkey’s new geopolitical imagination, as well as the new geopolitical codes underlying the new security discourses. Then, the article assesses the impact of the Arab Spring, which led to major changes in Turkey’s newly established geopolitical codes, formulated in the pre-Arab Spring period, and analyses the ruptures and continuities in Turkey’s security discourses in the light of those developments. Finally, the article concludes that the Arab Spring, especially the Syrian crisis, shifted the focus of Turkey’s foreign policy in BMENA from cooperation to conflict. This has led to a resecuritization of Turkey’s geopolitical codes, discourses and security practices in the region, revealing the limitation of Turkey’s current geopolitical imagination.
Energy securitization and desecuritization in the New Middle East
Authors: Christou Odysseas , Adamides Constantinos
Published: October 2013

This article uses the theoretical framework of securitization in order to analyse the concurrent developments of, on the one hand, the Arab Spring and the resulting ascendance of a New Middle East and North Africa and, on the other, the discovery of natural gas resources by a number of states in the region. Furthermore, we use these developments as tests of the theory, in the process highlighting a number of criticisms that have been levelled against securitization and that are exemplified by these recent empirical events. We examine the outcomes of the Arab Spring as a process of contestation and as an avenue for the promotion of alternative discourses through the emergence of new political actors, institutions and state relations in the region. At the same time, we identify the underexploration of energy securitization in the literature and the need for a cross-sectoral approach for the referent object of energy in the widened security agenda. Ultimately, the article presents the argument that each of the two sets of developments affects the other, thereby transforming the environment within which securitization and desecuritization may result.
Medication and participation
Authors: Lorem Geir F , Frafjord Jartrud S , Steffensen Marie , Wang Catharina EA
Published: October 2013

Patient autonomy is recognised within mental healthcare, although the capacity to participate in one’s own treatment planning is often reduced during a psychotic crisis. The patient may not be sufficiently competent to give consent or express preferences at the time treatment decisions are made. Nine participants were interviewed shortly after a crisis. We discussed participation in the treatment planning and recovery process with particular emphasis on interactions with professionals and understanding treatment. The participants recognised the need for drugs and mental healthcare but emphasised the need for better cooperation and communication. To facilitate the development of patient autonomy, we recommend an increased emphasis on providing information and participating in a dialogue about drug treatment options. This could counteract many of the negative experiences reported. The use of debriefing during hospitalisation and following coercion can be a practical tool for clarifying patient preferences and mutual understanding.