bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Oscillators Using Limit Variables and NAM Expansion
Authors: Soliman Ahmed M.
Published: June 2011

A systematic synthesis procedure for generating second-order grounded passive element canonic oscillators is given. The synthesis procedure is based on using nodal admittance matrix (NAM) expansion with the bracket method as well as using the infinity parameters. The resulting derived oscillators include circuits using various types of current conveyors. Two classes of oscillators are considered in this paper, and they have the advantages of having independent control on the condition of oscillation and on the frequency of oscillation by varying two different grounded resistors. The two classes of oscillators considered can be easily compensated for the parasitic element effects introduced by the current conveyors. This paper is considered to be continuation to the recently published paper on oscillators using NAM expansion D. G. Haigh et al. (2006). This is the first paper in the literature which uses limit-variables called infinity-variables D. G. Haigh et al. (2005) in the synthesis of oscillator circuits. Simulation results demonstrating the practicality of some of the generated circuits are included.
A Novel Image-Guided, Automatic, High-Intensity Neurostimulation Device for the Treatment of Nonspecific Low Back Pain
Authors: Gorenberg Miguel , Schiff Elad , Schwartz Kobi , Eizenberg Elon
Published: June 2011

Purpose. The current pilot study investigates the effectiveness of a novel device in the management of chronic low back pain (LBP). This device is able to automatically measure skin impedance in a selected body area and, immediately afterwards, to stimulate multiple points that are targeted according to differentiation in their electrical properties (peripheral nerve ends—milinated A δ fibers) with high-intensity electrical stimulation. Materials and Methods. Nineteen outpatients were included in the study, 15 females (79%) and 4 men (21%), mean age 52.1±10.8 years, all diagnosed with nonspecific chronic LBP. The protocol consisted of 6 treatment sessions, 2–4 days apart. Each session included a <1 minute automatic impedance screening, followed by a 20-minute treatment of lowest impedance points according to proprietary algorithms. Outcome Measures. The primary outcome measure consisted of changes in pain intensity as measured on a 100 mm pain visual analogue scale (VAS) obtained at enrollment, before and 2 hours after each treatment. Secondary outcome measures were the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and lumbar flexion range of motion (ROM) obtained at baseline and each week during treatment. Results. The mean±SD baseline VAS score for all participants was 61±14. There were no significant changes in VAS scores between enrollment and before the first treatment (55±16; P=.102). During treatment, VAS scores decreased significantly compared with baseline scores by 39±17 mm (P<.001). Notably, VAS scores of all the patients, except for one, decreased by more than 20 mm after the fourth treatment, thus showing marked improvement in 95% of enrolled patients. ODI decreased throughout the entire treatment period, with significant changes from baseline already at the first week (P=.001). Lumbar flexion ROM showed a mean increase of 2.1 cm during treatment, but was not statistically significant. Conclusion. The results of the current pilot study show that treatment with this novel device produced a clinically significant reduction in back pain in 95% of patients after four treatment sessions. The decrease both in pain and perceived disability, combined with the improvement in ROM, support further investigation of the use of this therapy in the treatment of LBP.
Functional Imaging of Pheochromocytoma with68Ga-DOTATOC and68C-HED in a Genetically Defined Rat Model of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia
Authors: Miederer Matthias , Molatore Sara , Marinoni Ilaria , Perren Aurel , Spitzweg Christine , Reder Sybille , Wester Hans-Jürgen , Buck Andreas K. , Schwaiger Markus , Pellegata Natalia S.
Published: June 2011

Rats affected by the MENX multitumor syndrome develop pheochromocytoma (100%). Pheochromocytomas are uncommon tumors and animal models are scarce, hence the interest in MENX rats to identify and preclinically evaluate novel targeted therapies. A prerequisite for such studies is a sensitive and noninvasive detection of MENXassociated pheochromocytoma. We performed positron emission tomography (PET) to determine whether rat pheochromocytomas are detected by tracers used in clinical practice, such as 68Ga-DOTATOC (somatostatin analogue) or11C-Hydroxyephedrine (HED), a norepinephrine analogue. We analyzed four affected and three unaffected rats. The PET scan findings were correlated to histopathology and immunophenotype of the tumors, their proliferative index, and the expression of genes coding for somatostatin receptors or the norepinephrine transporter. We observed that mean 68Ga-DOTATOC standard uptake value (SUV) in adrenals of affected animals was 23.3 ± 3.9, significantly higher than in control rats (15.4 ± 7.9;P=.03). The increase in mean tumor-to-liver ratio of11C-HED in the MENX-affected animals (1.6 ± 0.5) compared to controls (0.7 ± 0.1) was even more significant (P=.0016). In a unique animal model, functional imaging depicting two pathways important in pheochromocytoma biology discriminated affected animals from controls, thus providing the basis for future preclinical work with MENX rats.
Rotordynamic Analysis for a Turbo‐Machine with Fluid‐Solid Interaction and Rotation Effects
Authors: Wang Rui , Wang Yuefang , Guo Xinglin
Published: June 2011

The rotordynamics and fluid dynamics of a turbo‐machine considering the effect of fluid‐solid interaction (FSI) are numerically investigated using finite element software ADINA. The iterative method is adopted in computation of coupled fields of displacement and fluid. What distinguishes the present study from previous ones is the use of ADINA′s rotational meshes and the FSI interface that separates the rotor surface from its surrounding fluid. The rotor′s center orbit and frequency response as well as the transient fluid dynamics are obtained with various axial flow speeds. By including real rotating motion of the rotor, this paper presents a better way to solve complicated rotordynamic problems of turbo‐machines that are operated in FSI circumstances.
Depression Care Management: Can Employers Purchase Improved Outcomes?
Authors: Rost Kathryn , Marshall Donna , Shearer Benjamin , Dietrich Allen J.
Published: June 2011

Fourteen vendors are currently selling depression care management products to US employers after randomized trials demonstrate improved work outcomes. The research team interviewed 10 (71.4%) of these vendors to compare their products to four key components of interventions demonstrated to improve work outcomes. Five of 10 depression products incorporate all four key components, three of which are sold by health maintenance organizations (HMOs); however, HMOs did not deliver these components at the recommended intensity and/or duration. Only one product delivered by a disease management company delivered all four components of care at the recommended intensity and duration. This “voltage drop,” which we anticipate will increase with product implementation, suggests that every delivery system should carefully evaluate the design of its depression product before implementation for its capacity to deliver evidence-based care, repeating these evaluations as new evidence emerges.
GCR‐Lightlike Product of Indefinite Sasakian Manifolds
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Jain Varun , Nagaich R. K.
Published: June 2011

We study mixed geodesic GCR‐lightlike submanifolds of indefinite Sasakian manifolds and obtain some necessary and sufficient conditions for a GCR‐lightlike submanifold to be a GCR‐lightlike product.
Host Plant and Leaf-Age Preference ofLuprops tristis(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae: Lupropini): A Home Invading Nuisance Pest in Rubber Plantation Belts
Authors: Thomas Sabu K. , Greeshma Mohandas , Aswathi P.
Published: June 2011

Massive seasonal invasion by the litter-dwelling beetleLuprops tristis, into residential buildings prior to monsoon rains, and their prolonged state of dormancy render them a very serious nuisance pest in rubber plantations in the Western Ghats in southern India. Feeding preferences ofL. trististowards leaf litter of seven trees co-occurring in rubber plantations, cashew (Anacardium occidentale), mango (Mangifera indica), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), wild jack (Artocarpus hirsutus), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), cassia (Cassia fistula), sapota (Manilkara zapota) and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) were analyzed with no-choice and multiple-choice leaf disc tests. Results showed thatL. tristisis a generalist feeder with a defined pattern of preference, with the leaf litter of rubber being the most preferred followed by those of jackfruit and cocoa. Tender leaves were preferred over mature leaves except for cocoa and sapota. Equal preference towards tender and mature cocoa leaves, presence of patches of cocoa plantations and the scarce distribution of other host plants in rubber plantation belts leads to the proposal that in the absence of tender and mature rubber leaves, cocoa becomes the major host plant ofL. tristis.
Short Communication:In VitroEfficacy Testing of Praziquantel, Ivermectin, and Oxfendazole againstTaenia SoliumCysts
Authors: Cederberg S. , Sikasunge C. S. , Andersson Å. , Johansen M. V.
Published: June 2011

Oxfendazole is recommended as the drug of choice for treating porcine cysticercosis. The drug does not kill brain cysts and is not registered for use in pigs. Latest its safety in the recommended dose has been questioned. The aim of this study was to investigate two alternative anthelminthics. The efficacy of praziquantel and ivermectin was compared to oxfendazoleIn VitroonTaenia solium. Cysts ofT. soliumwere isolated from infected pork and incubated in culture media together with the drugs. The degree of evagination was used as effect measurement and determined after 6 hours. Praziquantel had a half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of value 0.006 ± 0.001 μg/mL. Ivermectin did not show any impact on the evagination in concentrations from 0.001 to 30 μg/mL and neither did oxfendazole in concentrations from 0.001 to 50 μg/mL.
ABCB5 Identifies a Therapy-Refractory Tumor Cell Population in Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Wilson Brian J. , Schatton Tobias , Zhan Qian , Gasser Martin , Ma Jie , Saab Karim R. , Schanche Robin , Waaga-Gasser Ana-Maria , Gold Jason S. , Huang Qin , Murphy George F. , Frank Markus H. , Frank Natasha Y.
Published: June 2011

Identification and reversal of treatment resistance mechanisms of clinically refractory tumor cells is critical for successful cancer therapy. Here we show that ATP-binding cassette member B5 (ABCB5) identifies therapy-refractory tumor cells in colorectal cancer patients following fluorouracil (5-FU)–based chemoradiation therapy and provide evidence for a functional role of ABCB5 in colorectal cancer 5-FU resistance. Examination of human colon and colorectal cancer specimens revealed ABCB5 to be expressed only on rare cells within healthy intestinal tissue, whereas clinical colorectal cancers exhibited substantially increased levels of ABCB5 expression. Analysis of successive, patient-matched biopsy specimens obtained prior to and following neoadjuvant 5-FU–based chemoradiation therapy in a series of colorectal cancer patients revealed markedly enhanced abundance of ABCB5-positive tumor cells when residual disease was detected. Consistent with this finding, the ABCB5-expressing tumor cell population was also treatment refractory and exhibited resistance to 5-FU–induced apoptosis in a colorectal cancer xenograft model of 5-FU monotherapy. Mechanistically, short hairpin RNA–mediated ABCB5 knockdown significantly inhibited tumorigenic xenograft growth and sensitized colorectal cancer cells to 5-FU–induced cell killing. Our results identify ABCB5 as a novel molecular marker of therapy-refractory tumor cells in colorectal cancer patients and point to a need for consistent eradication of ABCB5-positive resistant tumor cell populations for more effective colorectal cancer therapy. Cancer Res; 71(15); 5307–16. ©2011 AACR.
MicroRNA-10b Expression Correlates with Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy and Survival in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Preis Meir , Gardner Timothy B. , Gordon Stuart R. , Pipas J. Marc , Mackenzie Todd A. , Klein Erin E. , Longnecker Daniel S. , Gutmann Edward J. , Sempere Lorenzo F. , Korc Murray
Published: June 2011

Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy. Diagnosis and management of PDAC are hampered by the absence of sensitive and specific disease biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are noncoding regulatory RNAs involved in initiation and progression of human cancers. In this study, we sought to determine whether miR-10b could serve as a biomarker for PDAC.

Experimental Design: miRNA expression was characterized by fluorescence-based in situ hybridization using locked nucleic acid–modified DNA probes against miR-10b, miR-21, miR-155, miR-196a, and miR-210, followed by codetection of proteins by immunohistochemistry on the same tissue sections. miRNA expression in surgically resected PDAC tissues and in endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspirate (EUS-FNA) samples was analyzed in cytokeratin 19 (CK19)–positive epithelial cells using optical intensity analysis.

Results: In 10 resected PDAC samples, miR-10b was the most frequently and consistently overexpressed miRNA among characterized miRNAs, exhibiting a four-fold increase in the cancer cells (P = 0.012). Given this preferential overexpression of miR-10b, we sought to determine whether miR-10b expression was clinically relevant. Accordingly, miR-10b expression was examined in 106 EUS-FNA samples obtained from pancreatic lesions. miR-10b expression was increased in cancer cells compared with CK19-positive epithelial cells in benign lesions (P = 0.0001). In patients with PDACs, lower levels of miR-10b were associated with improved response to multimodality neoadjuvant therapy, likelihood of surgical resection, delayed time to metastasis, and increased survival.

Conclusion: miR-10b is a novel diagnostic biomarker for PDACs when assessing pancreatic lesions. Expression of miR-10b is predictive of response to neoadjuvant therapy and outcome in this disease. Clin Cancer Res; 17(17); 5812–21. ©2011 AACR.
A Sensitized RNA Interference Screen Identifies a Novel Role for the PI3K p110γ Isoform in Medulloblastoma Cell Proliferation and Chemoresistance
Authors: Guerreiro Ana S. , Fattet Sarah , Kulesza Dorota W. , Atamer Abdullah , Elsing Alexandra N. , Shalaby Tarek , Jackson Shaun P. , Schoenwaelder Simone M. , Grotzer Michael A. , Delattre Olivier , Arcaro Alexandre
Published: June 2011

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children and is associated with a poor outcome. We were interested in gaining further insight into the potential of targeting the human kinome as a novel approach to sensitize medulloblastoma to chemotherapeutic agents. A library of small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to downregulate the known human protein and lipid kinases in medulloblastoma cell lines. The analysis of cell proliferation, in the presence or absence of a low dose of cisplatin after siRNA transfection, identified new protein and lipid kinases involved in medulloblastoma chemoresistance. PLK1 (polo-like kinase 1) was identified as a kinase involved in proliferation in medulloblastoma cell lines. Moreover, a set of 6 genes comprising ATR, LYK5, MPP2, PIK3CG, PIK4CA, and WNK4 were identified as contributing to both cell proliferation and resistance to cisplatin treatment in medulloblastoma cells. An analysis of the expression of the 6 target genes in primary medulloblastoma tumor samples and cell lines revealed overexpression of LYK5 and PIK3CG. The results of the siRNA screen were validated by target inhibition with specific pharmacological inhibitors. A pharmacological inhibitor of p110γ (encoded by PIK3CG) impaired cell proliferation in medulloblastoma cell lines and sensitized the cells to cisplatin treatment. Together, our data show that the p110γ phosphoinositide 3-kinase isoform is a novel target for combinatorial therapies in medulloblastoma. Mol Cancer Res; 9(7); 925–35. ©2011 AACR.
The Association of Mode of Delivery and Common Childhood Illnesses
Authors: Merenstein Daniel J. , Gatti Margaret E. , Mays Darren M.
Published: June 2011

Participants enrolled in a randomized control trial (RCT) were eligible for this cross-sectional study to determine if children born via cesarean (C)-section had higher rates of common infectious diseases and change in normal daily activities due to illness than children born vaginally. The RCT collected parent-reported health information and mode of delivery was assessed during follow-up calls. Parent-reported rates of infectious sequelae and changes in daily activities were compared between C-section and vaginally delivered children. In total, 72.4% of the 522 children were delivered vaginally. After accounting for age, siblings, breast-feeding as an infant, and clustering within families, C-section delivered children had significantly higher rates of cumulative infectious diseases, lower respiratory tract infections, and cough than vaginally born children. Mode of delivery appears to have some lasting effect on child health 3 to 6 years after birth, specifically respiratory health. Further research is imperative to elucidate the causative effect of mode of delivery on child health.
Health education and interactive drama
Authors: Robinson Daniel B , Meyer Matthew
Published: June 2011

Objective: Within Canada, health education is generally taught by teachers who are subject generalists, or subject specialists within other disciplines, with little-to-no formal teacher training in health education. Without teacher training related to curriculum and instruction in health education, teachers are effectively required to adapt their developing pedagogies to unique health contexts. This article highlights findings from a recent study in which pre-service physical education (PE) teachers implemented interactive drama (ID) as a pedagogical practice to engage adolescent students (aged 13–16 years) in meaningful learning opportunities related to particular health education curricular outcomes.

Design: The study was part of a Service Learning Project (SLP) within a secondary physical education curriculum and instruction course at Atlantic Canada University. 1 During the SLP, pre-service PE teachers ( n = 21) engaged adolescent students ( n = 162) in ID presentations and discussions. After completion of the SLP, pre-service PE teachers shared their perspectives of ID as a pedagogical practice capable of meaningfully engaging themselves and their students within health education.

Setting: Atlantic Canada University has a population of approximately 5,000 students, the majority of whom come from Atlantic and Eastern Canada. The SLP occurred at Melmerby School, 2 a P-12 school with a student population of approximately 500 students.

Method: Applying case study methodology, the researchers examined pre-service PE teachers’ written responses to a post-SLP survey. These data were collected so as to gain an in-depth understanding of ID as a perceived appropriate pedagogical practice for health education.

Results: Three primary themes were identified through the data analysis. These were: enabling teachers; engaging students; and real-life connections.

Conclusion: ID can be a beneficial pedagogical practice for health education; it has the potential to benefit both pre-service PE teachers and their adolescent students.
Preparation and characterization of natural silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene and synthetic E-glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites: a comparative study
Authors: Alam A.K.M.M. , Shubhra Quazi T.H. , Al-Imran Gazi , Barai Sanjoy , Islam M.R. , Rahman M. Mahbubur
Published: June 2011

Bombyx mori silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix and E-glass fiber-reinforced PP matrix composites were fabricated using compression molding. The prepared silk/PP composite tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), and impact strength (IS) were 55.1 MPa, 56.3 MPa, and 17 kJ/m2, respectively. E-glass fiber-reinforced PP matrix composites were fabricated in the same way and TS, BS, and IS values of these composites were 128.7 MPa, 141.6 MPa, and 19 kJ/m2, respectively. Environmental degradation of the composites showed that silk/PP composites degrade faster. Other degradation studies like thermal aging and soil degradation tests also gave similar result.
The Emergence of the King James Version of the Bible, 1611
Authors: Croft Pauline
Published: June 2011

In 2011 we celebrate the four-hundredth anniversary of the publication in 1611 of the King James Version of the Bible. It is by far the best-known of all Bible translations, still used worldwide. In 1604 at the Hampton Court Conference, the more puritan wing of the Church of England pressed King James I to reform various ecclesiastical practices which they saw as abuses. He refused but agreed that there should be a new Bible translation. The article discusses this key event and traces the background, from Anglo-Saxon translations to the Reformation scholarship of men such as Tyndale and Coverdale, who used the new technology of printing to make Scripture widely available to those who knew no Latin or Greek. The process culminated in 1611 with the King James Bible, an exceptionally scholarly and readable version, at a time when expanding literacy allowed far more people to read the Scriptures for themselves.
‘Her of your name … ’: John Donne and Magdalen Herbert
Authors: Ward Frances
Published: June 2011

The portrait that the National Portrait Gallery has recently acquired of John Donne is considered in the light of some of his earlier poems, and the suggestion is made here that John Donne’s relationship with Magdalen Herbert was more significant to him than has previously been argued; that they had a passionate friendship that lasted until her death, which was formative on his religious development and his vocation to Anglican orders.
The Comparative Performance of Conditional Independence Indices
Authors: Kim Doyoung , De Ayala R. J. , Ferdous Abdullah A. , Nering Michael L.
Published: June 2011

To realize the benefits of item response theory (IRT), one must have model-data fit. One facet of a model-data fit investigation involves assessing the tenability of the conditional item independence (CII) assumption. In this Monte Carlo study, the comparative performance of 10 indices for identifying conditional item dependence is assessed. The relative performances of these indices are evaluated in terms of their Type I error rate, power, and false positive rate. Results show that the residual correlations approach and the Q3 statistic can be considered as offering a reasonable compromise between maximum power and minimized false positive rates.
Earnings Revisions in SEC Filings From Prior Preliminary Announcements
Authors: Hollie Dana , Livnat Joshua , Segal Benjamin
Published: June 2011

This article investigates earnings revisions that occur between preliminary earnings announcements and the immediate subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. On average, the absolute value of the revision is 2.9% of the market value of equity where earnings were revised by more than US$100,000. The authors find that earnings revisions are more likely to occur for firms that are more complex, are more financially leveraged, have greater earnings volatility, have losses, and have switched auditors. They find that investors react to the new information in the earnings revisions but find mixed evidence about whether the act of revision itself indicates lower earnings quality to investors. The authors’ findings suggest that financial analysts, investors, and regulators alike should pay close attention not only to an earnings surprise at the preliminary earnings announcement date but also at the SEC filing date to determine whether a subsequent earnings surprise occurs.
What Do Resource- and Capability-Based Theories Propose?
Authors: Leiblein Michael J.
Published: June 2011

The purpose of this editorial is to review the basic definitions, assumptions, and propositions offered by the resource-based, strategic factor market, and dynamic capability literature streams. Considering the underlying definitions and assumptions associated with these approaches leads directly to a set of refutable propositions that highlight the distinct insights offered by each of these literatures. It is hoped that accentuating these distinctions may stimulate dialogue regarding the underlying causal mechanisms associated with these approaches and foster future empirical work testing these related perspectives.
Psychopharmacology of the endocannabinoids: far beyond anandamide
Authors: Pamplona FA , Takahashi RN
Published: June 2011

The study of endocannabinoid pharmacology has proceeded from the discovery of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive compound in Cannabis sativa, to the identification of an endogenous endocannabinoid system that is essential for physiological modulation of neuronal functions. We have not yet achieved a complete understanding of the various roles of the endocannabinoids, but this is one of the fastest-growing fields in psychopharmacology. This review starts with a brief historical description of the discovery of the endocannabinoids and then focuses on recent pharmacological advances and recently discovered endocannabinoid mechanisms of action (e.g. functional selectivity, allosterism, and receptor trafficking). Finally, we will discuss the contention that the existence of evidence-based therapeutic applications for cannabinoids and the wide range of physiological functions affected by endocannabinoids suggests that the careful study of the endocannabinoid system may lead to the development of novel therapeutic drugs with higher societal acceptability and lower side effects profiles.
Epizootic Myocarditis Associated With Encephalomyocarditis Virus in a Group of Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Masek-Hammerman K. , Miller A. D. , Lin K. C. , MacKey J. , Weissenböck H. , Gierbolini L. , Burgos A. , Perez H. , Mansfield K. G.
Published: June 2011

Six cases of fatal myocarditis associated with encephalomyocarditis virus occurred over a 14-month period in a group of outdoor-housed juvenile rhesus macaques. All animals were younger than 3 years of age and died or were euthanized following acute onset of dyspnea or pulmonary effusion (3 of 6) or were found dead without premonitory signs (3 of 6). Gross findings included pulmonary congestion (6 of 6), variable degrees of pleural effusion (4 of 6), multifocal pale tan foci throughout the myocardium (3 of 6), hepatomegaly and hepatic congestion (3 of 6), and pericardial effusion (1 of 6). Histologically, affected myocardium was infiltrated multifocally by lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic inflammation admixed with necrotic and degenerate myofibers and infrequent mineralization (6 of 6). Pulmonary edema was present in all animals. Encephalomyocarditis virus was confirmed in 6 of 6 hearts by immunohistochemistry, and virus was isolated from one case by polymerase chain reaction. Sequencing of virus isolated from 1 affected animal indicated infection with a novel encephalomyocarditis virus. Encephalomyocarditis virus should be considered as a differential etiology in outbreaks of myocarditis and pulmonary edema in juvenile primates.
Pathways for climate change effects on fire: Models, data, and uncertainties
Authors: Hessl Amy E.
Published: June 2011

Fire is a global process affecting both the biosphere and the atmosphere. As a result, measuring rates of change in wildland fire and understanding the mechanisms responsible for such changes are important research goals. A large body of modeling studies projects increases in wildfire activity in future decades, but few empirical studies have documented change in modern fire regimes. Identifying generalizable pathways through which climate change may alter fire regimes is a critical next step for understanding, measuring, and modeling fire under a changing climate. In this progress report, I review recent model-, empirical-, and fire history-based studies of fire and climate change and propose three pathways along which fire regimes might respond to climate change: changes in fuel condition, fuel volume, and ignitions. Model- and empirical-based studies have largely focused on changes in fuel condition with some models projecting up to 50% increases in area burned under a 2 x CO2 climate. Fire history data derived from tree-rings, sediment charcoal, and soil charcoal have helped identify past trajectories of change in fire regimes and can point to possible future conditions. However, most fire history research has focused on changes in area burned and fire frequency. Changes in fire severity may be equally important for the earth system and require further attention. Critical research needs include next generation dynamic vegetation models (DGVMs) that consider changes in vegetation alongside changes in human activities and long fire history records from a variety of vegetation types suitable for validating these DGVMs.
A study of the relationship between process conditions and mechanical strength of mineralized red algae in the preparation of a marine-derived bone void filler
Authors: Walsh P J , Walker G M , Maggs C A , Buchanan F J
Published: June 2011

Bone void fillers that can enhance biological function to augment skeletal repair have significant therapeutic potential in bone replacement surgery. This work focuses on the development of a unique microporous (0.5–10 µm) marine-derived calcium phosphate bioceramic granule. It was prepared from Corallina officinalis, a mineralized red alga, using a novel manufacturing process. This involved thermal processing, followed by a low pressure-temperature chemical synthesis reaction. The study found that the ability to maintain the unique algal morphology was dependent on the thermal processing conditions. This study investigates the effect of thermal heat treatment on the physiochemical properties of the alga. Thermogravi-metric analysis was used to monitor its thermal decomposition. The resultant thermograms indicated the presence of a residual organic phase at temperatures below 500°C and an irreversible solid-state phase transition from mg-rich-calcite to calcium oxide at temperatures over 850°C. Algae and synthetic calcite were evaluated following heat treatment in an air-circulating furnace at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800°C. The highest levels of mass loss occurred between 400–500°C and 700–800°C, which were attributed to the organic and carbonate decomposition respectively. The changes in mechanical strength were quantified using a simple mechanical test, which measured the bulk compressive strength of the algae. The mechanical test used may provide a useful evaluation of the compressive properties of similar bone void fillers that are in granular form. The study concluded that soak temperatures in the range of 600 to 700°C provided the optimum physiochemical properties as a precursor to conversion to hydroxyapatite (HA). At these temperatures, a partial phase transition to calcium oxide occurred and the original skeletal morphology of the alga remained intact.
Social capital, ‘Ghent’ and workplace contexts matter: Comparing union membership in Europe
Authors: Ebbinghaus Bernhard , Göbel Claudia , Koos Sebastian
Published: June 2011

Union density still varies considerably across Europe. This cross-national diversity has inspired multiple explanations ranging from institutional to workplace or socio-demographic factors. In this comparative multilevel analysis, we combine personal, workplace and macro-institutional explanations of union membership using the European Social Survey. By controlling for individual factors, we test the cross-national effect of meso- and macro-level variables, in particular workplace representation, establishment size, Ghent unemployment insurance and a society’s social capital. We conclude that all these institutional and social contextual factors matter in explaining differences in union membership.
Models of unionism and unemployment
Authors: Checchi Daniele , Nunziata Luca
Published: June 2011

We investigate the problem of simultaneous determination of labour market institutions and outcomes in single equation multi-country estimations by presenting an empirical analysis of unemployment and union density in 20 OECD countries. When explicitly modelling potential endogeneity and heterogeneity, our results suggest that unions contribute to explaining unemployment in different ways than previously thought. In addition, the relationship between unemployment and union density is heterogeneous across countries, depending on the way in which income support for the unemployed is organized.
Emigration and labour shortages: An opportunity for trade unions in the New Member States?
Authors: Kaminska Monika Ewa , Kahancová Marta
Published: June 2011

Emigration from the post-socialist states which joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 has reduced unemployment rates and created shortages of some skills. This should provide opportunities for trade unions to improve their situation, by facilitating union organizing and strengthening their bargaining position. Have unions grasped these opportunities? We adopt an actor-centred perspective to examine their strategies and actions in the public health care sector — strongly affected by migration — in Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. We argue that variation in union strategies depends mainly on the interplay of union capacities and state strategies. Slovak unions used the established sectoral bargaining system to obtain wage increases and to consolidate the bargaining machinery. In contrast, Polish unions gained wage increases through industrial action. Hungarian health care unions mostly failed to seize migration-related opportunities.
Clinical and pathologic characteristics of T-cell lymphoma with a leukemic phase in a raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)
Authors: Perpiñán David , Costa Taiana P. , Choi William W. L. , Caponetti Gabriel , Brodersen Bruce W. , Armstrong Douglas L.
Published: June 2011

A 7.5-year-old raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides) from the Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha, Nebraska) presented to the veterinary hospital for lethargy and weight loss. On physical examination, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly were noted on palpation and were confirmed by radiographic evaluation. Radiography also demonstrated a mass in the cranial mediastinum. A complete blood cell count revealed marked leukocytosis (115,200 cells/µl), with a predominance of lymphoid cells. The animal was euthanized due to a poor prognosis. Necropsy revealed splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and a large multiloculated mass in the cranial mediastinum. The histologic and immunohistochemical diagnosis was multicentric T-cell lymphoma with a leukemic phase.
Evaluation of a SYTO9 real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to detect and identify pathogenic Leptospira species in kidney tissue and urine of New Zealand farmed deer
Authors: Subharat Supatsak , Wilson Peter R. , Heuer Cord , Collins-Emerson Julie M.
Published: June 2011

A SYTO9 real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. based on amplification of DNA gyrase subunit B ( gyrB) gene has been optimized and evaluated for sensitivity and specificity on kidney and urine samples of New Zealand farmed deer. The detection limit was 103 cells/ml (2–10 copies/reaction). Comparison of the assay on deer kidneys (n = 268) with culture as the gold standard revealed a sensitivity and specificity of 85% and 99.2%, respectively. For deer urine (n = 113), the assay was compared with known inoculated samples and revealed a sensitivity and specificity of 96.7% and 100%, respectively. The assay was applied for quantifying pathogenic leptospires shed naturally in deer urine and revealed a detectable concentration of 3.7 × 103 to 1.7 × 106 cells/ml. To assess the assay’s capability for identifying pathogenic Leptospira spp., 14 field isolates of L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo-bovis and L. interrogans serovar Pomona were amplified for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, purified, and sequenced. When compared with the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, sequence data matched with L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo-bovis in 13 samples and L. interrogans serovar Pomona in 1 sample, which was consistent with the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Sequence analysis of purified PCR product amplified directly from kidney and urine samples also yielded serovar-comparable MAT results. Results suggest that the assay is rapid, sensitive, and specific for detection of pathogenic leptospires in deer clinical samples. The developed assay can also be used for estimating the concentration of leptospires and identifying Leptospira spp. in combination with DNA sequencing.
3D Virtual Knowledge Space for Collaboration in New Product Development Processes
Authors: Kim Jong-Seong , Kim In-Goo , Choi Hoo-Gon
Published: June 2011

The purpose of this article is to create a virtual knowledge space, K-SPACE (Knowledge Space), that enables communication and knowledge sharing between a business level and a plant level for mutual decision-making. Another purpose of a virtual knowledge space is to enable successful collaboration that ensures better quality while reducing costs and time by checking the task progress of departments participating in new product development (NPD) under the concurrent engineering (CE) paradigm. The Croquet software development kit is utilized to develop the knowledge space, which is a small-talk based, object-oriented language. The use of K-SPACE at enterprises that adapt the CE philosophy for NPD processes is expected to reduce both time and cost through fast, accurate, efficient, and collaborative decision making for various conflicting issues.
Effects of Quick Writing Instruction for High School Students With Emotional Disturbances
Authors: Mason Linda H. , Kubina Richard M. , Hoover Theresa
Published: June 2011

High school students with emotional disturbances (ED) often struggle with classroom writing tasks. In this study, the effectiveness of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) instruction for 10 min timed persuasive quick writes with three high school students with ED was investigated. Results indicated improvement in the areas of quality, response parts, and word count. The acceptability of treatment was positive as indicated by student interviews. Implications for SRSD quick writing for high school students with ED are discussed.
Conspectus of concepts of elasticity
Authors: Rajagopal KR
Published: June 2011

The term ‘elasticity’ seems to conjure different images in different minds. After a discussion of the various interpretations of elasticity espoused by the pioneers, we discuss the notions of Cauchy elastic and Green elastic bodies, and whether Cauchy elastic bodies that are not Green elastic are reasonable from a physical standpoint. We then discuss a class of models, more general than classical Cauchy elastic bodies, and we find that such bodies need not be Green elastic. While a stored energy can be associated with these materials, the stress is not derivable from the stored energy. One can delineate conditions under which these models are thermodynamically consistent in that they meet the second law of thermodynamics; more precisely, the general class of bodies that is being described is incapable of dissipation1 in any process whatsoever. These models not only add to the repertoire of the elasticians in modeling solids that are incapable of dissipation, but also they seem to provide an opportunity for a genuinely new approach to the study of problems that result in singularities within the classical theory of linearized elasticity, such as that encountered in the rupturing and fracturing of solids. The generalized framework also provides a rational basis for developing linearized theories within which the linearized strain bears a non-linear relationship to the stress.
Bioactive Compounds and Prebiotic Activity in Thailand-Grown Red and White Guava Fruit (Psidium guajava L.)
Authors: Thuaytong W. , Anprung P.
Published: June 2011

This research involves the comparison of bioactive compounds, volatile compounds and prebiotic activity of white guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Pansithong and red guava cv. Samsi. The antioxidant activity values determined by 2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays were 10.28 µg fresh weight (fw)/µg DPPH and 78.56 µg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g fw for white guava and 7.82 µg/µg DPPH, fw and 111.06 µg TE/g fw for red guava. Ascorbic acid contents were 130 and 112mg/100g fw total phenolics contents 145.52 and 163.36 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g fw and total flavonoids contents 19.06 and 35.85 mg catechin equivalents (CE)/100 g fw, in white and red guava, respectively. Volatile compounds in guava were analyzed by the solid-phase microextraction (SPME)/gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS) method. The major constituents identified in white and red guavas were cinnamyl alcohol, ethyl benzoate, ß-caryophyllene, (E)-3-hexenyl acetate and α-bisabolene. Prebiotic activity scores for Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 were 0.12 and 0.28 in white guava, respectively, and 0.13 and 0.29 in red guava, respectively.
Antioxidant Activity, Color, Carotenoids Composition, Minerals, Vitamin C and Sensory Quality of Organic and Conventional Mandarin Juice, cv. Orogrande
Authors: Navarro P. , Pérez-López A.J. , Mercader M.T. , Carbonell-Barrachina A.A. , Gabaldon J.A.
Published: June 2011

The effects of organic farming on antioxidant activity, CIE L*a*b* color, carotenoids composition, minerals contents, vitamin C and sensory quality of Orogrande mandarin juices were studied. Independent of the farming type, mandarin juices can be considered as good source of some important nutrients, such as potassium and antioxidant chemicals, for example, β-cryptoxanthin. Organic farming of mandarins resulted in juices with higher antioxidant activity, total carotenoids concentrations, minerals (Ca, K and Fe) contents, vitamin C content, more appealing and intense orange color and better sensory quality. For instance, organic Orogrande juice contained significantly (p < 0.001) higher total carotenoids content (22.7 ± 0.3 mg/L) than conventional juice (15.7 ± 0.4 mg/L); a similar pattern was observed for the antioxidant activity, with values being 0.076±0.004 and 0.053 ± 0.003 mM Trolox m/L in organic and convectional juices, respectively. A trained panel stated that organic Orogrande juices had higher intensities of orange color, fresh mandarin and floral aromas than conventional juices.
The Effects of Prompting Appropriate Behavior on the Off-Task Behavior of Two Middle School Students
Authors: Faul Aimee , Stepensky Karoline , Simonsen Brandi
Published: June 2011

Prompting is a simple strategy that has been demonstrated to increase appropriate (and decrease inappropriate) behavior when used (a) as a stand-alone strategy with preschool students and individuals with disabilities and (b) in combination with other strategies (e.g., active supervision) with K-12 students in general education settings. Until now, no studies have specifically investigated the effectiveness of prompting as a stand-alone strategy in a general education setting. This study used a single-subject alternating treatment design, with a baseline phase, to explore the relationship between the presence (or absence) of prompting and off-task behavior of two male middle school students in general education. Study results document a decrease in off-task behavior with prompting. Results and implications are discussed in light of limitations.
Cosmopolitanization and social location: Generational differences within the Turkish audience of the BBC World Service
Authors: Nohl Arnd-Michael
Published: June 2011

In this article the concept of ‘cosmopolitanization’ (Beck) is used in order to investigate empirically the cosmopolitical transformation of everyday life which itself is embedded in social locations (Mannheim). After a brief discussion of cosmopolitanism, the analysis of embedded cosmopolitanization begins with a succinct account of Turkey’s recent history, against the background of which interviews conducted among the Turkish audience of the BBC World Service are interpreted. Along other aspects of their social location, this audience is divided into two different generations: the senior listeners whose attitude toward media is characterized by a search for objectivity and neutrality, and who esteem the global media for purposes of detachment. By contrast, the juniors, as members of the ‘digital generation’, take multi-perspectivity as self-evident and are used to compare different media news sources. In so doing, they adopt an attitude affine to the main features of cosmopolitanization.
Materializing ideas: A socio-material perspective on the organizing of cultural production
Authors: Malou Strandvad Sara
Published: June 2011

Based on a qualitative study of development processes in the Danish film industry, this article sketches a socio-material perspective for analysing the production of culture. Whereas previous studies of cultural production have identified social factors in cultural production, this article sets out to investigate how the evolving object may form an active part in the collaborative process of its making. The article identifies three moments when the evolving object becomes decisive for the collaboration: the idea has to be detached to enable collaboration; attachments between collaborators are made via the evolving object; and closure of the product is postponed to enhance creative development. Thus, the article suggests that cultural objects and the processes of their making are co-produced, evolve simultaneously and are mutually constitutive. In this way, the object may have effects even while it is becoming materialized.
Mapping, memory and the city: Archives, databases and film historiography
Authors: Hallam Julia , Roberts Les
Published: June 2011

This article critically assesses the role and broader applications of a place-based moving image database and online catalogue in researching film and cities. Unlike the sprawling metropolises of Berlin, London or New York (the archetypical ‘cinematic cities’), a medium-sized provincial city such as Liverpool offers a more localized urban landscape conducive to place-based studies of film. The form and structure of the database plays a crucial role in the mapping of historical film and urban geography, allowing for relational forms of spatial analysis. This prompts a wider set of questions: in what ways can the database inform and structure specific spatial narratives of the city over time? What, by extension, are the cultural and historiographical implications for research into film, place and space? Finally, to what extent might a database model of the ‘city in film’ be extended beyond local and regional boundaries to reshape national discourses of film historiography?