bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lateralization of Ovarian Follicles
Authors: AlSerri Abdulrahman , Kuriya Anita , Holzer Hananel , Tulandi Togas
Published: February 2014

Background/Aim: To evaluate a possible lateralization of antral follicle count (AFC) based on the finding that endometriosis, if present, is more commonly found in the left hemipelvis. Methods: We evaluated the records of 6,617 baseline ultrasounds conducted at our Reproductive Center between 2007 and 2011 in a university teaching hospital setting. We included all ultrasounds with an AFC of 1 or greater and excluded those with incomplete documentation or with ovarian cyst, including endometriotic cysts (n = 909). The main outcome measure was the comparison of the number of antral follicles between the right and left ovary. Results: The number of antral follicles in the right ovary (median 18, range 15-22) was significantly higher than in the left ovary (median 16, range 13-20) among women with polycystic ovaries (PCO, AFC ≥24). Similarly, the number of antral follicles in the right ovary (median 8, range 6-10) was significantly higher than in the left ovary (median 7, range 5-9) in women with no PCO but normal ovarian reserve (AFC 10-23). Conclusions: In women with PCO and non-PCO with normal ovarian reserve, the right ovary contains a higher number of antral follicles than the left ovary.
The Genetic Variants of Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Protein in Children with Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Birben Esra , Sahiner Umit M. , Karaaslan Cagatay , Yavuz Tolga S. , Cosgun Erdal , Kalayci Omer , Sackesen Cansin
Published: February 2014

Background: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is expressed by airway epithelial cells and plays a key role in immunological events in asthma. Data on the genetic variants of TSLP and its association with asthma and allergic rhinitis are scarce. We aimed to investigate the effects of the genetic variants of TSLP in children with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Methods: The genetic variants of the TSLP gene were determined by sequencing 25 asthmatic and 25 healthy children. In an association study, a population of 506 asthmatics and 157 healthy controls was screened for the following single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs3806933 and rs2289276 in the promoter region; rs11466741, rs11466742, and rs2289278 in intron 2; rs10073816, rs11466749, and rs11466750 in exon 4, and rs11466754 in 3′-UTR. Results: In Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction analysis, presence of the rs11466749 AA genotype with atopy was significantly associated with a diagnosis of asthma (testing set accuracy: 0.720 and cross validation: 9/10). Two functional SNPs showed a gender-specific association with allergy, i.e. the rs3806933 CC genotype with asthma in boys (p = 0.032, nonsignificant after multiple testing) and the rs2289276 CC genotype with higher eosinophil numbers in asthmatic girls (p = 0.003). The presence of allergic rhinitis in asthmatic children strengthened the association of the rs11466749 GG genotype with asthma (p = 0.001), and rs2289276 was significantly associated with lower FEV1 levels in asthmatics without allergic rhinitis (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Variants in the gene encoding the TSLP protein may have differential effects on asthma phenotypes depending on gender, atopy, and the presence of allergic rhinitis.
Epidemiology of venous thrombosis in children with cancer
Authors: Piovesan Dana , Attard Chantal , Monagle Paul , Ignjatovic Vera
Published: February 2014

There has been an extensive body of research focusing on the epidemiology of thrombosis in adult cancer populations; however, there is significantly less knowledge about thrombosis in paediatric cancer populations. Thrombosis is diagnosed with increasing frequency in children being treated for cancer, and there is an urgent need to increase our understanding of the epidemiology of thrombosis in this population. Currently, there are no guidelines for identification of high-risk groups, prophylaxis or management of thrombotic complications in paediatric cancer patients. We reviewed the available literature regarding the epidemiology, mechanisms, risk factors, prophylaxis and outcomes of thrombosis in children with cancer and identified areas that require further research. The reported incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children with cancer ranges between 2.1% and 16%, while the incidence of asymptomatic events is approximately 40%. Approximately 30% of VTE in this population is associated with central venous lines (CVL). The most common location of VTE is upper and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (43 to 50% of events, respectively), while 50% of events in ALL patients occur in the central nervous system. Key characteristics that increase the risk of thrombosis include the type of cancer, age of the patient, the presence of a CVL, presence of pulmonary/intra thoracic disease, as well as the type of chemotherapy. Outcomes for paediatric cancer patients with VTE include post-thrombotic syndrome, pulmonary embolism, recurrent thromboembolism, destruction of upper venous system and death. Prospective studies aimed at enabling risk stratification of patients are required to facilitate development of paediatric specific recommendations related to thromboprophylaxis in this population.
Engineering D-helix of antithrombin in alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor confers antiinflammatory properties on the chimeric serpin
Authors: Yang Likui , Dinarvand Peyman , Qureshi Shabir H. , Rezaie Alireza R.
Published: February 2014

Antithrombin (AT) is a heparin-binding serpin in plasma which regulates the proteolytic activity of procoagulant proteases of the clotting cascade. In addition to being an anticoagulant, AT also exhibits antiinflammatory activities when it binds to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) on the endothelium via its basic residues of D-helix to elicit intracellular signalling responses. By contrast to AT, α1-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI) is a non-heparin-binding serpin that exhibits very slow reactivity with coagulation proteases and possesses no HSPG-dependent antiinflammatory properties. To determine whether the antiinflammatory signaling specificity of AT can be transferred to α1-PI, we replaced the D-helix of human α1-PI with the corresponding sequence of human AT and expressed the chimeric serpin α1-PI/D-helix) in a bacterial expression system. High molecular weight heparin bound to α1-PI/D-helix and accelerated the inhibition of thrombin by the serpin mutant by a template mechanism reminiscent of the cofactor effect of heparin on inhibition of thrombin by AT. Like AT, α1-PI/D-helix exhibited antiinflammatory properties in both cellular and animal models. Thus, α1-PI/D-helix inhibited the barrier-disruptive effect of proinflammatory cytokines and inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-kB transcription factor in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated endothelial cells by a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the chimeric serpin reduced lipopolysaccharide-mediated lethality, elicited a vascular protective effect and inhibited infiltration of activated leukocytes to the peritoneal cavity of mice in an HMGB1-mediated inflammatory model. These results suggest that grafting the D-helix of AT to α1-PI confers antiinflammatory properties on the serpin and that the chimeric serpin may have therapeutic utility for treating inflammatory disorders.
EphrinB-mediated reverse signalling controls junctional integrity and pro-inflammatory differentiation of endothelial cells
Authors: Liu Hui , Devraj Kavi , Möller Kerstin , Liebner Stefan , Hecker Markus , Korff Thomas
Published: February 2014

The EphB/ephrinB receptor-ligand system is pivotal for the development of the embryonic vasculature and for angiogenesis in the adult organism. We observed that (i) the expression of ephrinB2 and ephrinB1 is up-regulated in capillaries during inflammation, that (ii) these ligands are localised on the luminal endothelial surface, and that (iii) they interact with the ephrinB-receptor EphB2 on monocyte/macrophages. This study delineates the impact of ephrinB-mediated reverse signalling on the integrity and proinflammatory differentiation of the endothelium. To this end, in vitro analyses with human cultured endothelial cells reveal that knockdown of ephrinB2 or ephrinB1 impairs monocyte transmigration through the endothelium. While ephrinB2 but not ephrinB1 interacts with PECAM-1 (CD31) in this context, reverse signalling by ephrinB1 but not ephrinB2 elicits a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent up-regulation of E-selectin expression. Furthermore, treatment of endothelial cells with soluble EphB2 receptor bodies or EphB2-overexpressing mouse myeloma cells links ephrinB2 to PECAM-1 and induces its Src-dependent phosphorylation while diminishing Src homology phosphotyrosyl phosphatase-2 (SHP-2) activity and increasing endothelial cell permeability. We conclude that extravasation of EphB2 positive leukocyte populations is facilitated by lowering the integrity of endothelial cell junctions and enhancing the pro-inflammatory phenotype of the endothelium through activation of ephrinB ligands.
Complex Left Atrial Appendage Morphology and Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus Formation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Yamamoto Masayoshi , Seo Yoshihiro , Kawamatsu Naoto , Sato Kimi , Sugano Akinori , Machino-Ohtsuka Tomoko , Kawamura Ryo , Nakajima Hideki , Igarashi Miyako , Sekiguchi Yukio , Ishizu Tomoko , Aonuma Kazutaka
Published: February 2014

Background—

In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), most thrombus forms in the left atrial appendage (LAA). However, the relation of LAA morphology with LAA thrombus is unknown.

Methods and Results—

We prospectively enrolled 633 consecutive patients who were candidates for catheter ablation for symptomatic drug-resistant AF. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed to assess LAA thrombus. LAA structure was assessed by 3-dimensional TEE. LAA orifice area, depth, volume, and number of lobes were measured on reconstructed 3-dimensional images. Clinical characteristics and echocardiographic measures were compared to determine variables predicting LAA thrombus. Excluded were 69 (10.9%) patients who met the exclusion criteria. Finally, this study comprised 564 patients, of whom LAA thrombus was observed in 36 (6.4%) patients. Multivariate analysis revealed CHADS
2
(Congestive heart failure, Hypertension Age>75, Diabetes mellitus and prior Stroke or transient ischemic attack) score (
P
=0.002), left ventricular ejection fraction (
P
=0.01), degree of spontaneous echo contrast (
P
=0.02), left atrial volume (
P
=0.02), and number of LAA lobes (
P
<0.001) to be independently associated with thrombus formation. Most patients with LAA thrombus (32/34, 94.4%) had ≥3 LAA lobes, whereas LAA thrombus was observed in only 2 (0.7%) of 296 patients with 1 or 2 lobes. LAA volume significantly decreased in patients maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation (
P
=0.0009). Number of LAA lobes did not change in any patient.

Conclusions—

Complex LAA morphology characterized by an increased number of LAA lobes was associated with the presence of LAA thrombus independently of clinical risk and blood stasis. This study suggests that LAA morphology might be a congenital risk factor for LAA thrombus formation in patients with AF.
Matrix Revisited
Authors: Carley Andrew N. , Taegtmeyer Heinrich , Lewandowski E. Douglas
Published: February 2014

Metabolic signaling mechanisms are increasingly recognized to mediate the cellular response to alterations in workload demand, as a consequence of physiological and pathophysiological challenges. Thus, an understanding of the metabolic mechanisms coordinating activity in the cytosol with the energy-providing pathways in the mitochondrial matrix becomes critical for deepening our insights into the pathogenic changes that occur in the stressed cardiomyocyte. Processes that exchange both metabolic intermediates and cations between the cytosol and mitochondria enable transduction of dynamic changes in contractile state to the mitochondrial compartment of the cell. Disruption of such metabolic transduction pathways has severe consequences for the energetic support of contractile function in the heart and is implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Deficiencies in metabolic reserve and impaired metabolic transduction in the cardiomyocyte can result from inherent deficiencies in metabolic phenotype or maladaptive changes in metabolic enzyme expression and regulation in the response to pathogenic stress. This review examines both current and emerging concepts of the functional linkage between the cytosol and the mitochondrial matrix with a specific focus on metabolic reserve and energetic efficiency. These principles of exchange and transport mechanisms across the mitochondrial membrane are reviewed for the failing heart from the perspectives of chronic pressure overload and diabetes mellitus.
Stroke Alters Respiratory Burst in Neutrophils and Monocytes
Authors: Ruhnau Johanna , Schulze Karsten , Gaida Bernadette , Langner Sönke , Kessler Christof , Bröker Barbara , Dressel Alexander , Vogelgesang Antje
Published: February 2014

Background and Purpose—

Stroke-induced immune alterations predispose patients to infections. Although the relationship between stroke and the adaptive immune system has been investigated in detail, to date it is unknown whether the innate immune system, which forms the first line of antibacterial defense, is also impaired in patients with stroke. Therefore, we investigated whether chemotaxis, phagocytosis, oxidative burst, degranulation of defensins, and NETosis in monocytes and in neutrophil granulocytes are altered in patients with stroke compared with controls.

Methods—

Sixty-three patients having acute ischemic stroke were recruited within 12 hours of symptom onset; blood was sampled on admission and on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Thirty-seven age-matched controls were also recruited. Cell migration, phagocytosis, and oxidative burst of phagocytes were determined in vitro. Human neutrophil peptides 1 to 3 and serum metanephrine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and NETosis was quantified by immunohistochemistry.

Results—

The key mechanisms required for bacterial killing, oxidative burst, and NETosis were significantly reduced in samples taken from patients with stroke compared with controls, whereas migration, phagocytic function, and defensin production remained unimpaired in monocytes and granulocytes from patients with stroke.

Conclusions—

Stroke-induced immune alterations include impairment of the first-line defense performed by specialized phagocytes against bacteria. The hypothesis that these changes enhance susceptibility to acquired infections is supported by our observation that on admission oxidative burst in monocytes was more impaired in patients with stroke with subsequent stroke-associated infections.
Development of a Physics-Based Target Shooting Game to Train Amputee Users of Multijoint Upper Limb Prostheses
Authors: Davoodi Rahman , Loeb Gerald E.
Published: February 2014

For upper limb amputees, learning the control of myoelectric prostheses is difficult and challenging. Introduction of newer prostheses with multiple degrees of freedom controlled by various neural commands will make such training even more difficult. To produce smooth and human-like movements, the user must learn to produce multiple neural commands with precise amplitude and timing. To aid in training of the amputee users, we have developed a realistic and motivating virtual environment (VE) consisting of a physics-based target shooting game. The users' neural commands such as EMG, cortical neural activity, or voluntary movements of the residual limbs can be used to control the movement of a simulated prosthesis to point and shoot at virtual targets. In addition to the visual, sound, and performance feedback of the resulting movement, the game provides reaction forces in contact points that can be used to drive haptic displays. The timing measurements show that the physics-based simulation and rendering can be executed in real time in readily available PC systems. The target shooting game was developed in musculoskeletal modeling software (MSMS) that has been developed in our laboratory and is freely available for development of similar virtual training applications.
Virtual Reality Grocery Shopping Simulator: Development and Usability in Neurological Rehabilitation
Authors: Laver Kate , Lim Fabian , Reynolds Karen , George Stacey , Ratcliffe Julie , Sim Sharon , Crotty Maria
Published: February 2014

Few virtual reality programs have been designed to retrain performance of activities of daily living for people undergoing neurological rehabilitation. This is despite the advantages of using this type of approach, including task-specific practice of meaningful and relevant activities. This paper summarizes the development of a grocery shopping simulator which uses a novel approach to interaction between the user and the program. The shopping simulation program underwent usability testing with patients participating in neurological rehabilitation. The results indicated that patients found the program easy and enjoyable to use and felt it would be a useful part of a rehabilitation program.
Sensory Saltation and Phantom Sensation for Vibrotactile Display of Spatial and Directional Information
Authors: Yang Gi-Hun , Ryu Dongseok , Park Shinsuk , Kang Sungchul
Published: February 2014

This study proposes a novel handheld vibrotactile display (T-hive) to provide a human operator with spatial and directional information. The proposed design is composed of a spherical knob with a vibrotactile surface and a moving base that allows 6-DOF motion. To isolate vibrotactile stimuli provided by multiple actuators, the spherical knob is divided into 13 vibrotactile modules. Each vibrotactile module consists of a vibration motor, a patch of spherical surface, and a vibration isolator. By coordinating the vibrotactile modules, the vibrotactile display delivers spatial and directional information based on phantom sensation and sensory saltation. Through experiments, we evaluated the effectiveness of the spatial and directional information perceived on the palm and fingers of the operator's hand. The experimental results confirm that vibrotactile feedback is useful for object control by providing intuitive information.
Effects of Order and Sensory Modality in Stiffness Perception
Authors: Korman Maria , Teodorescu Kinneret , Cohen Adi , Reiner Miriam , Gopher Daniel
Published: February 2014

The stiffness properties of an environment are perceived during active manual manipulation primarily by processing force cues and position-based tactile, kinesthetic, and visual information. Using a two alternative forced choice (2AFC) stiffness discrimination task, we tested how the perceiver integrates stiffness-related information based on sensory feedback from one or two modalities and the origins of within-session shifts in stiffness discrimination ability. Two factors were investigated: practice and the amount of available sensory information. Subjects discriminated between the stiffness of two targets that were presented either haptically or visuohaptically in two subsequent blocks. Our results show that prior experience in a unisensory haptic stiffness discrimination block greatly improved performance when visual feedback was subsequently provided along with haptic feedback. This improvement could not be attributed to effects induced by practice or multisensory stimulus presentation. Our findings suggest that optimization integration theories of multisensory perception need to account for past sensory experience that may affect current perception of the task even within a single session.
Passing Knowledge: André Thevet’s Cosmographical Epistemology
Authors: Frisch Andrea
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This essay reconsiders whether the standard of a totalizing synthesis can take the appropriate measure of the epistemological orientation implicit in André Thevet’s cosmographic writings. By focusing attention on and contextualizing Thevet’s frequently repeated remark that he is describing something “in passing,” I argue that the hallmark of Thevet’s cosmographic discourse is its explicit provisionality: for all its authority and authenticity, such discourse is predicated on a belief in the inherent flux and impermanence of its object. I conclude that if we can construe Thevet’s non-totalizing, provisional cosmography as a legitimate form of cosmographic knowledge of the globe in the period, rather than as the last, tortured gasp of a self-destructing genre, we can perhaps reconsider both the value and the function of “passing knowledge” in the history of cosmographic discourse.
European Theories and Local Therapies: Mordexi and Galenism in the East Indies, 1500-1700
Authors: Hausse Heidi
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This article examines written accounts of the disease mordexi roughly between 1500 and 1700 to explore the conceptual frameworks and rhetorical strategies used by early modern authors to understand and present a local disease encountered in the East Indies to European readers. Europeans understood mordexi within a framework of Galenic medicine that both normalized the tropical affliction and distinguished it from other diseases. The cause and prevention of the disease were likewise explained through the effects of local flora and climate on the body. Native treatments for mordexi, however, did not fit so easily within Hippocratic-Galenic notions of restoring humoral balance and even challenged the superiority of European medical practitioners. The article concludes that the rhetorical strategies used by European authors to convey the efficacy of native healing practices point to the limitations of a Galenic framework and how writers worked around these conceptual limits.
Depression Severity and Hopelessness among Turkish University Students According to Various Aspects of Religiosity
Authors: Yapici Asim , Bilican F. Isil
Published: February 2014

This study examined the relationship between various aspects of religiosity (experiencing the existence of God, performing namaz (a specific prayer performed five times a day in Islam), fasting, praying, and abjuration) on depression severity and hopelessness in Turkish-Muslim university students. The Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Hopelessness Scale was administered to 634 students. The findings showed internal experience of the existence of God and frequency of performing namaz differentiated depression severity. As having an internal connection to God reduced depression severity, increased frequency of performing namaz was associated with higher levels of depressive symptomatology. Depression severity varied according to the fasting habits in a nonlinear fashion. Individuals who never fasted had the lowest levels of depression, whereas individuals who sometimes fasted had the highest levels of depression. Depression severity did not vary according to the frequency of prayer and abjuration. A decrease in hopelessness was observed among individuals who experienced a strong connection to God. Those who never prayed and always prayed showed comparable levels of hopelessness. Levels of hopelessness did not vary according to the frequency of performing namaz, fasting, or abjuration. The findings partially indicated that intrinsically religious individuals had lower levels of depression and hopelessness. No linear relationships were observed between depression and hopelessness and patterns of performing namaz, fasting, praying, and abjuration.
Effects of Political Orientation, Religious Identification and Religious Orientations on Attitude toward a Secular State
Authors: Hichy Zira , Santisi Giuseppe , Falvo Rosella , Dazzi Carla
Published: February 2014

The debate concerning the secularism of the state always returns to the regulation of certain issues, such as same-sex marriage or embryonic stem cell research. In this study, we analysed the effects of political orientation, Catholic identity, and religious orientations (extrinsic, intrinsic, and quest) on the desire to have a secular state. Participants were 209 Italians who completed a questionnaire containing measures of the investigated constructs. The results showed that secularism of the state is negatively correlated with Catholic identity, extrinsic and intrinsic orientation, and right-wing political orientation, and is positively correlated with quest orientation. Moreover, the application of dominance analysis showed that intrinsic orientation dominates all other variables.
Philosophical Pursuit and Flight: Homer and Thucydides in Plato’s Laches
Authors: Maiullo Steve
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This paper offers a new reading of Plato’sLachesthat examines the dialogue’s philosophical approach not only to courage but also to two literary texts that both formed and questioned traditional Athenian views of it: Homer and Thucydides. In the middle of Plato’sLaches, the eponymous character claims that the courageous man “should be willing to stay in formation, to defend himself against the enemy, and to refuse to run away.” Socrates responds by wondering whether a man can be courageous in retreat. He cites Homer’s description of Aeneas’ horses that “know how to pursue and flee quickly this way and that” (191b), a quotation that appears twice in theIliad: once at 5.222-3 when Aeneas refuses to retreat from the rampaging Diomedes and again at 8.106-8 when Diomedes retreats from Hector, despite their belief that to do so is cowardly. On the surface, it seems that the contexts of the Homeric line do not match Socrates’ argument. This paper will argue that Socrates’ apparent ‘miscue’ is both intentional and purposeful because it signals a correspondence between the Homeric scenes and Thucydides’ narrative of the Battle of Mantinea that invites criticism of Homer’s place in the value systems of contemporary Athens. Plato signals a philosophical reading of Homer’sIliadand of Thucydides’ description of the Battle of Mantinea, through which we are invited to evaluate not only the traditional model of Athenian education, embodied by the former, but also its application in fifth-century Athens, as revealed by the latter. This paper, therefore, demonstrates that the philosophical and literary strategies behind Plato’s decision to ‘misuse’ Homer reveal a disjunction between wisdom and manliness in the Athenian cultural tradition that philosophy aims to resolve.
Taxonomic revision of Riella subgenus Trabutiella (Riellaceae, Sphaerocarpales)
Authors: Segarra-Moragues José Gabriel , Puche Felisa , Sabovljevic Marko , Infante Marta , Heras Patxi
Published: February 2014

The genus Riella (Riellaceae, Sphaerocarpales) includes some 24 species of thalloid aquatic liverworts with unique morphological and ecological features among hepatics. These include the development of sporophytes enclosed within involucres and growing submerged in seasonal fresh or brackish water ponds. Riella subgenus Trabutiella includes species with winged involucres. Seven taxa have been described, however, four to five taxa have been recognized at a time depending on authors. In this study we have conducted a morphological revision of the species of this subgenus, based on 59 traits measured under light and Scanning Electron Microscopy analyses and that were the subject of statistical analyses. Taxonomically most informative traits were derived from female involucres and spores, whereas quantitative vegetative traits were of little relevance to taxonomy. Lectotypes are designated for subgenus Trabutiella and section Plicatae and for R. cossoniana. Our analyses support the recognition of six species, and support R. paulsenii as a synonym of R. cossoniana. A new species, R. mediterranea is described, and R. cossoniana var. echinata is raised to species rank. An identification key, detailed descriptions of the six accepted taxa, updated distribution maps, and full illustrations of four of the species, including the first for R. echinata are provided.
The genus Hylebainosoma Verhoeff, 1899 (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Haaseidae): Redescription of Hylebainosoma tatranum, description of a new troglobiont species and notes to the Hylebainosoma–Romanosoma species group
Authors: TAJOVSKÝ KAREL , MOCK ANDREJ , PAPÁČ VLADIMÍR
Published: February 2014

A revision of the taxonomy, distribution and ecology of the millipedes of the genus Hylebainosoma Verhoeff, 1899 in the Carpathians is presented. Based on the study of numerous specimens, we consider the subspecies of the species                 Hylebainosoma tatranum Verhoeff, 1899 described in the past as overrated, reflecting simply intrapopulational variation attributable to the rather extended area of species distribution, different habitats of its occurrence (surface and cave habitats, soil, litter and stony debris) and wide altitudinal range from the forest zone in foothills to the alpine zone above timberline. Besides the redescription of males, the morphology of female vulvae is presented for the first time. Hylebainosoma tatranum is endemic to the extensive area of the Western and Eastern Carpathians, involving Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and highly probably Ukraine. A new troglobiont species from the karst area near the Tisovec Town (Muránska planina Mts., Central Slovakia), Hylebainosoma gulickai n. sp. is described, and is considered as stenoendemic for this small karstic region, with occurrence in few nearby caves. Hylebainosoma gulickai represents the first troglobiont chordeumatid millipede found in the northern territories of the Carpathians and the northernmost troglobiont in Central Europe in general. Morphological characteristics of both males and females are presented.Taxonomic relationships between the closely related genera Hylebainosoma and Romanosoma Ceuca, 1967 are discussed and replacement of the species Hylebainosoma cavernicola (Ceuca, 1967) n. comb., Hylebainosoma oltenica (Ceuca, 1967) n. comb. and Hylebainosoma odici (Ceuca, 1979) n. comb. into the genus Hylebainosoma is proposed. The fourth species described as Romanosoma (?) birtei Ceuca, 1967 we consider as invalid taxon. Romanosoma becomes a junior subjective synonym of the genus Hylebainosoma.
Future Australian Severe Thunderstorm Environments. Part II: The Influence of a Strongly Warming Climate on Convective Environments
Authors: Allen John T. , Karoly David J. , Walsh Kevin J.
Published: February 2014

The influence of a warming climate on the occurrence of severe thunderstorm environments in Australia was explored using two global climate models: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Mark, version 3.6 (CSIRO Mk3.6), and the Cubic-Conformal Atmospheric Model (CCAM). These models have previously been evaluated and found to be capable of reproducing a useful climatology for the twentieth-century period (1980–2000). Analyzing the changes between the historical period and high warming climate scenarios for the period 2079–99 has allowed estimation of the potential convective future for the continent. Based on these simulations, significant increases to the frequency of severe thunderstorm environments will likely occur for northern and eastern Australia in a warmed climate. This change is a response to increasing convective available potential energy from higher continental moisture, particularly in proximity to warm sea surface temperatures. Despite decreases to the frequency of environments with high vertical wind shear, it appears unlikely that this will offset increases to thermodynamic energy. The change is most pronounced during the peak of the convective season, increasing its length and the frequency of severe thunderstorm environments therein, particularly over the eastern parts of the continent. The implications of this potential increase are significant, with the overall frequency of potential severe thunderstorm days per year likely to rise over the major population centers of the east coast by 14% for Brisbane, 22% for Melbourne, and 30% for Sydney. The limitations of this approach are then discussed in the context of ways to increase the confidence of predictions of future severe convection.
Impact of Terrain Altitude and Cloud Height on Ozone Remote Sensing from Satellite
Authors: Bai Wenguang , Wu Chunqiang , Li Jun , Wang Weihe
Published: February 2014

Terrain and cloud height heavily impact ozone information despite ozone being concentrated in the stratosphere. The ozone weighting function (OWF) provides important information towards understanding the capabilities and limitations of a given channel. The factors that impact the OWF can be analyzed using radiative transfer theory and modeling. At the 9.6-μm infrared spectral region, both the OWF values and peaks are related to the surface temperature, terrain altitude, and cloud height. Warmer surface temperatures, lower terrain altitude, or lower cloud levels will give larger weighting function values, and the peak of the weighting function slightly increases with the increase in surface temperature, terrain altitude, or cloud height. For longer UV bands such as 306 and 318 nm, OWF shows smaller values for higher terrains, while showing larger values when clouds are present. However, in the shorter UV bands such as 274 and 288 nm, OWF has almost no relationship with the surface and clouds. Therefore, with satellite-based infrared ozone remote sensing, high terrain and cloud presence will reduce ozone sensitivity and information content. In addition, for UV bands, the effect is spectrally dependent: lower terrain altitude and the presence of clouds will increase the zone information content in the longer UV band, but they have no effect in the short UV band. A simulation of an ozone retrieval in the infrared band shows that higher terrain results in lower precision for colder emitting surface temperatures and less ozone absorption signal.
The Importance of Being Green
Authors: Lacasse Katherine
Published: February 2014

Two studies investigated whether performing green behaviors may influence people’s political attitudes regarding climate change. A survey study revealed that self-reported green behaviors indirectly predicted American participants’ political attitudes regarding climate change, and that this relationship was mediated by their green self-perceptions. This relationship was relatively stronger for conservatives than for liberals. An experimental study included two conditions: one which led people to perceive that they often performed green behaviors and another that led them to perceive that they failed to perform green behaviors. Political-orientation was found to moderate the effect of green behavior perceptions on ratings of the importance of climate-related issues and on support for emissions-reducing policies. Liberals reported greater importance and greater policy support when perceiving that they failed to act green, while conservatives did not. Implications for green behavior campaigns and their political spillover effects are discussed.
Gifted Native American Students
Authors: Gentry Marcia , Fugate C. Matthew , Wu Jiaxi , Castellano Jaime A.
Published: February 2014

A national research agenda focused on gifted/creative/talented Native American students is needed, as this population remains one of the least researched, most overlooked, and most underserved in the field. Literature-based assumptions surrounding Native American students’ talent development, culture and traditions, cognitive styles and learning preferences, and communication were generated and then reviewed by educators and tribal members for relevance and accurace. This article has three purposes. The first is to analyze the literature-based assumptions concerning gifted education in three Native American communities—Diné, Lakota, and Ojibwe. The second is to call on gifted education researchers to include Native American students in their research. The third is to suggest a research agenda based on data gathered within these communities
Compressional resilience of the kapok fibrous assembly
Authors: Yan Jinjiang , Wang Fumei , Xu Bugao
Published: February 2014

Kapok fiber is light, buoyant, and excellent in thermal insulation because of its high degree of hollowness. However, it is difficult to preserve the lumen structure of kapok fiber under repetitive compression in the course of manufacturing and utilization, and then the fiber may lose its unique features quickly. Thus, it is critical to know the resilience of kapok under repeated compression and how it can be affected by environmental factors. In this paper, we studied the compressional resilience of fibrous assemblies made of slightly carded kapok fibers by using an Instron compression tester. The nonlinear compressional behavior of the assemblies was observed in the repeated transverse compressing cycles with a constant compressional strain, and three characteristic stages of the entire compressing cycles—linear elastic, metamorphosis, and densification—were identified. The plastic and the visco-elasto-plastic compressional deformations were characterized from the compressional stress–strain curve. It was found that the conditioning humidity and the number of compressing cycles could affect the compressional resilience of the kapok fibrous assembly, and that the dry-treated kapok fibrous assemblies possessed better resilience and higher strains than the wet-treated ones.
Intensity and Attachment
Authors: Crosta Peter M.
Published: February 2014

This study examines the relationship between community college enrollment patterns and student outcomes—credential completion and transfer to a 4-year institution—introducing a new way of visualizing the various attendance patterns of community college students. Patterns of enrollment intensity (full- or part-time status) and continuity (enrolling in consecutive terms or skipping one or more terms) are graphed and then clustered according to their salient features. Using data on cohorts of first-time community college students at five colleges in a single state, the study finds astounding variation in student enrollment patterns. Clustering these patterns reveals two relationships: the first is a positive association between enrollment continuity and earning a community college credential, and the second is a positive association between enrollment intensity and likelihood of transfer.
Examining the Association Between Co-Occurring Disorders and Seriousness of Misconduct by Female Prison Inmates
Authors: Houser Kimberly A. , Welsh Wayne
Published: February 2014

Although studies have consistently demonstrated mentally ill offenders to be disproportionately involved in misconduct within correctional facilities, research is limited on the potential exacerbating effects of co-occurring disorders (CODs) on inmate behavior. With the vast number of offenders who have comorbid psychiatric and substance use disorders, it is essential that we understand whether the clinically interactive nature of CODs may present increased security and management challenges for correctional administrators. Using data from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC), we compared the institutional misconduct experiences of female inmates with CODs to those for inmates with singular disorders or no disorders. The findings of our study support prior research showing mental illness as a risk factor for prison misconduct. The results further suggest that the presence of both a substance use disorder and a mental illness exacerbates the risk of negative behaviors beyond the singular disorder of mental illness.
“I Kept Coming for the Love”
Authors: Raffel Katie E. , Goddu Anna P. , Peek Monica E.
Published: February 2014

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to investigate how retention strategies employed by the Diabetes Empowerment Program (DEP) contributed to retention.

Methods

An experienced moderator conducted in-depth interviews (n = 7) and 4 focus groups (n = 29) with former DEP participants. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using iteratively modified coding guidelines. Results were analyzed using Atlas.ti 4.2 software.

Results

Participants were African American and predominantly female, low income, and with more than 1 diabetes complication. Key retention themes included: (1) educator characteristics and interpersonal skills (“The warmth of the staff . . . kept me coming back for more.”), (2) accessible information (“I didn’t know anything about diabetes [before]. I was just given the medicine.”), (3) social support (“I realized I wasn’t the only one who has diabetes.”), (4) the use of narrative (“It’s enlightening to talk about [my diabetes].”), and (5) the African American helping tradition (“I went not just for myself but for my husband.”).

Conclusions

While many interventions focus on costly logistics and incentives to retain at-risk participants, study findings suggest that utilizing culturally tailored curricula and emphasizing interpersonal skills and social support may be more effective strategies to retain low-income African Americans in diabetes education programs.
Cultural Bases for Self-Evaluation
Authors: Becker Maja , Vignoles Vivian L. , Owe Ellinor , Easterbrook Matthew J. , Brown Rupert , Smith Peter B. , Bond Michael Harris , Regalia Camillo , Manzi Claudia , Brambilla Maria , Aldhafri Said , González Roberto , Carrasco Diego , Paz Cadena Maria , Lay Siugmin , Schweiger Gallo Inge , Torres Ana , Camino Leoncio , Özgen Emre , Güner Ülkü E. , Yamakoğlu Nil , Silveira Lemos Flávia Cristina , Trujillo Elvia Vargas , Balanta Paola , Macapagal Ma. Elizabeth J. , Cristina Ferreira M. , Herman Ginette , de Sauvage Isabelle , Bourguignon David , Wang Qian , Fülöp Márta , Harb Charles , Chybicka Aneta , Mekonnen Kassahun Habtamu , Martin Mariana , Nizharadze George , Gavreliuc Alin , Buitendach Johanna , Valk Aune , Koller Silvia H.
Published: February 2014

Several theories propose that self-esteem, or positive self-regard, results from fulfilling the value priorities of one’s surrounding culture. Yet, surprisingly little evidence exists for this assertion, and theories differ about whether individuals must personally endorse the value priorities involved. We compared the influence of four bases for self-evaluation (controlling one’s life, doing one’s duty, benefitting others, achieving social status) among 4,852 adolescents across 20 cultural samples, using an implicit, within-person measurement technique to avoid cultural response biases. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses showed that participants generally derived feelings of self-esteem from all four bases, but especially from those that were most consistent with the value priorities of others in their cultural context. Multilevel analyses confirmed that the bases of positive self-regard are sustained collectively: They are predictably moderated by culturally normative values but show little systematic variation with personally endorsed values.
The Invisible World of Professional Practical Knowledge of a Teacher of the Gifted
Authors: Coleman Laurence J.
Published: February 2014

Most of our information on how teachers of the gifted and talented think while they plan and implement instruction is from the perspective of the researcher, not from the teacher’s perspective. One expert teacher was studied in great detail using ethnographic and phenomenological techniques. More specifically, a teacher was studied as he planned and taught two philosophy courses. After extensive observation and interviewing, the teacher’s thoughts were categorized into planning thoughts and action thoughts. The author argues that the way in which the teacher’s thoughts are linked to his practice cannot be adequately understood unless one gains access to the invisible, tacit knowledge of the teacher. The teacher’s hidden world is described in relation to how the researcher discovered it. The concept of professional practical knowledge is discussed in terms of further research and teacher training.
The Power of Specialized Educational Environments in the Development of Giftedness
Authors: Coleman Laurence J.
Published: February 2014

The paper argues that educators of the gifted have overlooked important evidence on the power of special environments because of our habit of considering cognitive outcomes and an outsider view of evidence as the standard for judging the benefits of special environments. The author proposes that social context be used as a construct to help rethink how to study the benefits of special environments.
A political economy of press self-regulation: the case of South Africa
Authors: Duncan Jane
Published: February 2014

In 2011, the Press Freedom Commission (PFC) was established to recommend the most appropriate regulatory form for South Africa’s press, in the wake of the ruling African National Congress’s (ANC) criticism of the existing system of self-regulation as toothless and self-serving. The ANC has argued for the establishment of a statutory Media Appeals Tribunal. South Africa is not the only country having these debates. In the wake of the phone hacking scandal in Britain, an enquiry chaired by Lord Justice Leveson also considered alternative regulatory forms to self-regulation, given the failure of the Press Complaints Commission to stem the ethical excesses of the tabloid press. Several Southern African governments either have instituted or are considering instituting statutory regulation, and politicians are wasting no time in capitalizing on developments in Britain to drive a press control agenda. This article considers the merits of arguments for and against press self-regulation in South Africa, and options for the future. Using a political economy analysis, it argues that while the system has proved to be very effective in monitoring and adjudicating ethical breaches, it has been implicitly designed to cause minimal offence to the industry, and recent reforms have only partly addressed the problem.
Ways of worldmaking in Wikipedia: reality, legitimacy and collaborative knowledge making
Authors: Fullerton Lindsay , Ettema James
Published: February 2014

The on-going social construction of reality, according to Berger and Luckmann’s classic treatise, entails both an explanation of the social order which ascribes “cognitive validity to its objectivated meanings” and a justification of that order which provides “a normative dignity to its practical imperatives.” The implication is that our knowledge of social reality integrates cognitive facts and normative values to continuously legitimize that reality. We explore this integration of fact and value in an unexpected setting: the “talk pages” of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia in which discussions of article creation are recorded. Our analysis of these discussions draws on Nelson Goodman’s Ways of Worldmaking, another classic on the social construction of reality, which catalogues strategies for producing a worldview. We utilize Goodman’s theories in four cases of Wikipedia article creation – two histories, “Iraq War” and “Afghanistan War,” and two biographies, “George W. Bush” and “Barack Obama” – all of which reveal how knowledge products are created.