bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CCR5 Receptor Antagonists Block Metastasis to Bone of v-Src Oncogene–Transformed Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Sicoli Daniela , Jiao Xuanmao , Ju Xiaoming , Velasco-Velazquez Marco , Ertel Adam , Addya Sankar , Li Zhiping , Andò Sebastiano , Fatatis Alessandro , Paudyal Bishnuhari , Cristofanilli Massimo , Thakur Mathew L. , Lisanti Michael P. , Pestell Richard G.
Published: December 2014

Src family kinases (SFK) integrate signal transduction for multiple receptors, regulating cellular proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in human cancer. Although Src is rarely mutated in human prostate cancer, SFK activity is increased in the majority of human prostate cancers. To determine the molecular mechanisms governing prostate cancer bone metastasis, FVB murine prostate epithelium was transduced with oncogenic v-Src. The prostate cancer cell lines metastasized in FVB mice to brain and bone. Gene expression profiling of the tumors identified activation of a CCR5 signaling module when the prostate epithelial cell lines were grown in vivo versus tissue cultures. The whole body, bone, and brain metastatic prostate cancer burden was reduced by oral CCR5 antagonist. Clinical trials of CCR5 inhibitors may warrant consideration in patients with CCR5 activation in their tumors. Cancer Res; 74(23); 7103–14. ©2014 AACR.
Molecular Pathways: Exploiting Tumor-Specific Molecular Defects in DNA Repair Pathways for Precision Cancer Therapy
Authors: Dietlein Felix , Reinhardt H. Christian
Published: December 2014

Disabling mutations in genome maintenance and DNA repair pathways are frequently observed in cancer. These DNA repair defects represent genetic aberrations that are specific to cancer cells and not present in healthy tissues. It is thought that these molecular defects produce a “mutator phenotype,” which allows incipient cancer cells to accumulate additional cancer-promoting mutations. In recent years, our molecular understanding of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair mechanisms has led to the development of targeted therapeutic approaches to selectively eradicate cancer cells that display defects in homologous recombination–mediated DNA DSB repair. These regimens for the treatment of homologous recombination–defective tumors predominantly aim at pharmacologically repressing the activity of PARP1, which is crucial for base excision repair, or to inhibit the nonhomologous end joining kinase DNA-PKcs (DNA-dependent protein kinase, catalytic subunit). Normal tissue can bypass PARP1- or DNA-PKcs inhibitor–induced genotoxic lesions via homologous recombination–mediated DNA DSB repair. In contrast, homologous recombination–defective cancer cells are unable to properly repair DNA DSBs, in the presence of PARP1 or DNA-PKcs inhibitors, ultimately leading to apoptotic cancer cell death. Clin Cancer Res; 20(23); 5882–7. ©2014 AACR.
Association between Elder Abuse and Metabolic Syndromes: Findings from the Chicago Health and Aging Project
Authors: Dong XinQi , Simon Melissa
Published: December 2014

Background: Elder abuse and metabolic syndromes are both important public health issues and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to examine the associations between elder abuse and risk for metabolic syndromes. Methods: The Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) cohort is a population-based study (n = 4,586). We identified 676 participants with some form of elder abuse reported to a social services agency. The primary independent variable was elder abuse reported to a social services agency. Outcomes were metabolic syndrome as categorized by World Health Organization (WHO), American Heart Association (AHA) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between elder abuse and different definitions of metabolic syndromes. Results: In the bivariate analyses, elder abuse victims were more likely than those without elder abuse to have metabolic syndromes [22.4 vs. 10.7% (WHO), 50.7 vs. 40.0% (AHA) and 47.7 vs. 33.5% (IDF)]. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, elder abuse was associated with an increased risk for metabolic syndromes according to WHO [OR, 3.95 (2.86-5.47)], AHA [OR, 2.03 (1.56-2.64)] and IDF [OR, 2.55 (1.97-3.29)] criteria. Interaction term analyses indicate that the association between elder abuse and metabolic syndromes may be moderated by sociodemographic characteristics but not by health-related or psychosocial factors. Conclusion: Elder abuse is associated with an increased risk for metabolic syndromes. Research is needed to examine the association between elder abuse and cardiovascular disease.
Neuroanatomical Organization of the Brain Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Systems in the Frog Pelophylax esculentus
Authors: Pinelli Claudia , Jadhao Arun G. , Biswas Saikat P. , Tsutsui Kazuyoshi , D''Aniello Biagio
Published: December 2014

Growing evidence suggests that gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) may play a key role in mediating vertebrate reproduction. GnIH inhibits gonadotropin synthesis and release by decreasing the activity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons as well as by directly regulating gonadotropin secretion from the pituitary. Whereas the presence of GnIH has been widely investigated in various classes of vertebrates, there are very few immunohistochemical reports focusing on GnIH in amphibians. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and neuroanatomical distribution of GnIH-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the anuran amphibian Pelophylax (Rana) esculentus (esculenta) and to explore any potential anatomical relationship with mammalian GnRH-immunoreactive (mGnRH-ir) elements. The GnIH-like immunoreactive (GnIH-ir) system constitutes two distinct subpopulations in the telencephalon and diencephalon, with the highest number of immunoreactive cells located in the preoptic and suprachiasmatic areas. GnIH-ir neurons were also observed in the medial septum, the anterior commissure, the dorsal hypothalamus, the periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and the posterior tuberculum. Scattered GnIH-ir fibers were present in all major subdivisions of the brain but only occasionally in the median eminence. mGnRH-ir neurons were distributed in the mediobasal telencephalon, the medial septal area, and the anterior preoptic area. Double-label immunohistochemistry revealed that the GnRH and GnIH systems coexist and have overlapping distributions at the level of the anterior preoptic area. Some GnIH-ir fibers were in close proximity to mGnRH-ir cell bodies. Our results suggest that both the neuroanatomy and the functional regulation of GnRH release are conserved properties of the hypothalamic GnIH-ir system among vertebrate species.
Reconstructing the Classics
Authors: Goldstein Warren S.
Published: December 2014

Max Weber and Ernst Troeltsch constructed their theoretical frameworks in debate with historical materialism. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels provided Weber and Troeltsch with the tools of base/superstructure and class analysis that they employed in their analysis of religion. The article places Weber and Troeltsch in the historical context of the rise of the Social Democratic Party and its splintering during World War I. It compares the writing on religion by Engels, Eduard Bernstein and Karl Kautsky with those of Weber and Troeltsch. It focuses on Ancient Judaism, the origins of Christianity, Christian heretical sects, the Reformation, the German Peasant Wars, and the Puritan Revolution. Some points in common are the origins of communism in Judaism and Christianity and the association between Protestantism and capitalism. This article shows how Weber and Troeltsch critically appropriated from historical materialism and uses this with the intent of constructing a critical sociology of religion.
The Next ‘Spring’ is Certain to Come – and Certain to be Missed
Authors: Mucha Witold
Published: December 2014

The Arab Spring took policymakers and academics by surprise. The starting point, the scope, nor the impact had been seen coming. This was primarily because of academics’ irrevocable belief in the stabilising power of authoritarian regimes. In light of this failing, the article will critically discuss the production of crisis knowledge on the basis of four major early warning tools. These are World Bank’s greed/grievance model, the predictive model by the Political Instability Task Force, the risk and capacity approach applied by the Failed States Index, and the International Crisis Group. The article will add to the debate in two ways. First, the analysis will show that prevention research can be biased in ways that crucially influence policymakers’ assessment of states at risk. Second, the article will argue in favour of a complementary perspective that includes the analysis of conflicts that do not erupt into large-scale violence against all odds (so-called ‘negative cases’).
На Материалах «Писем во Власть»
Authors: Попова Анна Дмитриевна
Published: December 2014

“The Process of Reform during the Era of Perestroika and the Social Consciousness of Russian Society, from ‘Letters to the Authority’ Materials,” by Anna Dmitrievna Popova (Ryazan State University named for S. A. Yesenin): This article analyzes the transformation of Soviet public consciousness during the era of perestroika (restructuring). The authors examined letters which were sent by Soviet citizens to then President of the Russian Soviet Republic and future Russian Federation President Boris N. Yeltsin. In these letters, citizens stated their opinions about the transformation of the Soviet political and economic system during this period. The authors’ analysis of these letters reveals that the mentality of the Soviet populace was strongly influenced by its assessment of perestroika. In this public consciousness, citizens placed a large emphasis on the traditional Soviet values of equality, justice, and labor, which defined public opinions about the transformation of Soviet society during perestroika. Soviet citizens demanded that the state deal with the problem of wide-ranging privileges afforded to officials of the Communist Party, while citizens negatively estimated the freedoms in spiritual life accorded to them by the state.
Soviet Society after Stalin
Authors: Hornsby Rob
Published: December 2014

This article looks at four of the latest works on the post-Stalin Soviet Union. Drawing upon new volumes on consumerism and housing, as well as an edited volume on Soviet society, it offers a number of pointers in regard to the on-going evolution of scholarship on the period and outlines several prevalent themes in the current literature.
RATIONAL AUTONOMY AND AUTONOMOUS RATIONALITY: Dooyeweerd, Kant and Fichte on Subjectivity, Objectivity and Normativity
Authors: DeMoor Michael J.
Published: December 2014

This article is an attempt to discuss Dooyeweerd’s epistemology in the light of German Idealism. First, a characterization of the thought of Kant and Fichte is offered, focusing in particular on three themes: normativity, autonomy and reflexivity. Second, Dooyeweerd’s criticisms of Kant and Fichte are reviewed, and it is argued that, in both cases, Dooyeweerd focuses in on a central paradox that he seeks in his own thought to avoid. Third, Dooyeweerd’s epistemology is examined and it is argued that, not only does his thought exhibit the primary themes of Idealist thought discussed previously, but that it falls into the same apparent paradox as do Kant and Fichte. Finally, the paradox itself is examined and a way forward for Reformational thought is suggested, by analogy with Fichte’s inter-subjective turn.
THE EU CONSTITUTION IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE REFORM TREATY: No early funeral for the institutional innovations in the Constitutional Treaty after being rejected in France and the Netherlands
Authors: Sap John W.
Published: December 2014

At its meeting on 16 June 2005, the European Council decided to postpone its introduction of the European Constitution, originally planned to come into force on 1 November 2006. As the Treaty establishing a European Constitution could in principle only take effect if all the Member States agree, following the clear rejections in the French referendum on 29 May 2005 (55% against) and the Dutch referendum on 1 June 2005 (61.5% against), the Member States needed a period of reflection, a search for explanations and debate. The European Council did not feel that the date initially planned for a report on the ratification of the treaty was still tenable, since those countries which had not yet ratified the treaty would be unable to provide a clear reply before mid- 2007. But the process of ratification by the Member States was not abandoned. The timetable was adjusted to reflect the circumstances in the countries which had not yet ratified the treaty. This period was intended to regain the trust of the general public (see Defargues 2005, 97).
CHRISTENDOM EN NATUURWETENSCHAP IN HISTORISCH PERSPECTIEF
Authors: de Pater Kees
Published: December 2014

In brede kringen heerst de gedachte dat de natuurwetenschap voortdurend door het christendom gedwarsboomd wordt, met als gevolg een reeds eeuwen durende strijd tussen die twee. Deze ‘conflictthese’ verklaart echter ten onrechte de uitzondering tot regel. Wie de ontwikkeling van de natuurwetenschap bestudeert, stuit al snel op de positieve betekenis van de christelijke scheppingsleer. God schreef twee boeken, het boek van de schepping en het boek van de Schrift. Onderzoekers als Kepler, Boyle en Maxwell waren met vele anderen van mening dat natuuronderzoek de Schepper eert en daarom christenplicht is. Deze geloofsovertuiging was en is een stimulans tot natuuronderzoek.
ENGAGING WITH AND ENRICHING HUMANIST THOUGHT: THE CASE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Authors: BASDEN ANDREW
Published: December 2014

Those who believe that explicitly Christian thinking is possible in the scientific disciplines tend to assume that it must be antithetical to the world’s thinking. Based on some of the author’s experience, this article examines a different approach, in which Christian thinking is used to account for and enrich the world’s thinking by transplanting it from its current ground-motive (usually that of nature-freedom) into the arguably more fertile soil of the creation-fall-redemption ground-motive. The article shows how Dooyeweerd’s version of Christian thinking has been employed in two areas of thinking in information systems (selected from five with which the author has been involved): (1) thinking about the nature of computers and information, with the artificial intelligence question of whether computer is like human being (2) soft systems methodology, by which perspectives on ‘human activity systems’ are orchestrated into new learning and plans. In both areas, the original ideas are accounted for, given philosophical underpinning, reinterpreted and enriched. These two show that Dooyeweerd’s philosophy can be equally useful in thinking grounded in both positivist and interpretivist cultures.
THE TRANSCENDENTAL CRITIQUE REVISITED AND REVISED
Authors: Clouser Roy
Published: December 2014

Dooyeweerd’s account of abstraction is examined and found to be faulty. He holds that abstract thinking isolates aspects which must then be synthesized, whereas I argue that we cannot isolate any aspect from the others however so hard we try. But our very inability to isolate aspects is then turned into an alternative version of a transcendental critique of theory making. Instead of asking for a basis for synthesizing aspects we have isolated, the new version asks: what is the nature of the aspectual connectedness which is so strong that it cannot be interrupted even by abstraction? I argue that it is impossible for anyone to understand the meaning of a concept fully without taking a position on this issue, whether that is done implicitly or explicitly. Moreover, every answer to this question presupposes a divinity belief. Hence, this recasting of the critique yields a demonstration of the religious regulation of all concepts and every theory. In this way the goal of Dooyeweerd’s critique is achieved, even if not in the way he envisioned.
INTRODUCING VAN RIESSEN’S WORK IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF TECHNOLOGY
Authors: de Vries Marc J.
Published: December 2014

In this issue that is dedicated to Hendrik van Riessen, it seems appropriate to start with an introduction to his work. I will show how he served as one of the first Dutch philosophers of technology and worked on themes that only much later would appear on the research agenda of the international philosophy of technology community. This gives him a rather unique position in the history of the philosophy of technology. I will start by showing how his background qualified Van Riessen to become one of the few philosophers of technology in his time who were able to analyze the nature of technology, based on an ‘insiders’ engineer’s perspective. Then I will discuss the main themes in his analytical philosophy of technology. Not only did he contribute to the analytical philosophy of technology, but also to the critique on the role of technology in culture and society. Finally, I will show how his work is relevant for contemporary research in the philosophy of technology, both for his successors in the reformational philosophy of technology and outside that philosophical stream.
TECHNOLOGY AND MONOTHEISM: A DIALOGUE WITH NEO-CALVINIST PHILOSOPHY
Authors: Szerszynski Bronislaw
Published: December 2014

In Nature, Technology and the Sacred (2005) I argued that the modern project of the technological mastery of nature remains profoundly shaped by its religious roots. In this paper I explore connections and tensions between this analysis and the neo-Calvinist critiques of modernity and modern technology advanced by Herman Dooyeweerd and Hendrik van Riessen. I explore the relationship between Dooyeweerd’s analysis of Western culture as a sequence of religious ‘ground motives’ and my own in terms of the series of ‘orderings of the sacred’ which together constitute the ‘long arc of monotheism’. I relate van Riessen’s analysis of the internal structure of technology to my argument that this structure has been shaped by transformations in the sacred since the Protestant reformation. I conclude with some observations, prompted by the divergences between the two accounts, concerning the relationship between technology, monotheism, history and politics.
Alvin Plantinga and Michael Tooley, Knowledge of God. Malden, MA / Oxford 2008: Blackwell. x + 270 pages. ISBN 9780631193647.
Authors: de Ridder Jeroen
Published: December 2014

Book Reviews Jacob Klapwijk, Purpose in the living world? (R. Clouser) Bradley Monton, Seeking God in Science: An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design (J. de Ridder) Alvin Plantinga and Michael Tooley, Knowledge of God (J. de Ridder) Nicholas Wolterstorff, Justice: Rights and Wrongs (A. Soeteman)
CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. A REFORMATION PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Glas Gerrit
Published: December 2014

No question seems more intensely bound up with the search for the ultimate meaning and significance of existence than the question of man. In the rush of daily life people are inclined to by-pass the question — until illness or accident befalls them or the suffering of others becomes inescapable fact. It is not without reason that the question of man, of who he is, arises in situations where, in one way or another, evil is manifest. That’s how it was when history began, when the first human couple hid, revealing awareness of themselves — naked and vulnerable for each other and towards the Creator. That’s how it still is today, when people find that ‘ordinary folk’ are capable of hating and killing one another.
GUM AND WIRE, A TIME FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. From Kuyperian Root to Dooyeweerdian Fruit and Back
Authors: Henderson Roger D.
Published: December 2014

The value of Abraham Kuyper’s thought is presently being discovered by a growing body of readers. Herman Dooyeweerd’s thought is appreciated by a smaller number. Yet he was trained in the Kuyperian tradition and conceived many of his most characteristic insights by building on Kuyper’s. What did he learn from Abraham and what can be learned by reflecting on their shared ideas? A view of the coherence, the gum and wire holding society and the cosmos together is the first of their common themes, considered in this essay. The second is religion and its root, namely, the human heart in its encounter with the Eternal. This involves a discussion of time and whether human existence can be said to extend beyond time in some respect. Observations are made and questions are raised about the contrasting and comparative accessibility of the two authors’ thoughts and writings. The second half of the essay focuses on the earliest statements of Dooyeweerd’s germinating philosophy — in relationship to Kuyper’s thought. At the most fundamental level these two thinkers share basic principles, and in light of these they developed their most distinctive ideas. An implicit reassessment of this intellectual tradition is offered here with the hope of finding hints and motivation to open new vistas on some key insights and principles.
ECONOMICS FROM A TRINITARIAN PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Bovenberg Lans
Published: December 2014

This essay is an attempt to look at economics from a Christian perspective in this time of crisis. This exploration is of great personal interest to me because I am a Christian and an economist. During my entire adult life, I have been trying to connect these two parts of who I am: my Christian faith and my vocation in economics. In the beginning of my career I focused more on the dialectic tension between economics and faith. As I have grown older I have moved more towards a synthesis of economics and faith.
THE REFORMATION OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT DUTCH CALVINIST ECONOMICS, 1880–1948
Authors: Hengstmengel Joost W.
Published: December 2014

The first decades of the twentieth century saw the emergence of Calvinist economics in the Netherlands. This clearly normative approach to economics was inspired by Abraham Kuyper and was criticized by mainstream economists from the outset. It would eventually disappear under pressure of positive economics, but survived until at least the middle of the century. Calvinist economics itself was highly critical of classical economics and, unlike the neo-classical school, strove after an entire reformation of economic thought. Calvinists writers like T. de Vries, P. A. Diepenhorst, J. A. Nederbragt and J. Ridder did not constitute a school of economic thought, but nevertheless shared some fundamental ideas such as the influence of world views on economics, the existence of divine ordinances for the economic domain, and the central place of man in God’s plan for the economy. In this article, I describe the rise, sources of inspiration, fundamentals, aim and methodology of Calvinist economics. Although the perspective of this article is historical, this episode from the history of economic thought may inform us about the relationship between Christianity and the science of economics as well as that between economics and the economic crisis.
THE NEOLIBERAL DELUSION A RELIGIOUS-PHILOSOPHICAL CRITIQUE
Authors: Zijlstra Arthur
Published: December 2014

Since the outburst of the financial-economic crisis in 2008, there has been quite some public discussion about the failure of neoliberal policies since the 1980s. Much less attention has been paid to its ideological character. Meanwhile, neoliberalism is still there, guiding the course of societies, organizations and individuals. We can observe the ‘strange non-death of neoliberalism’ (Crouch). In this article two questions are explored: (1) which key philosophical elements characterize neoliberalism, and (2) why has it got an ideological character? First, three statements on neoliberalism are formulated. Next, its anthropological and social-philosophical development is considered, taking advantage of Taylor’s grand narrative of modernity. Finally, the potential of a new architectonic critique of society is considered.
A Checklist of the Gyrinidae (Coleoptera: Adephaga) of Brazil
Authors: COLPANI DANIARA , BENETTI CESAR JOÃO , HAMADA NEUSA
Published: December 2014

A checklist of all known species of the water beetle family Gyrinidae (whirligig beetles) recorded from Brazil is assembled. This checklist is based on literature published prior to 2012. A total of 206 species and subspecies are cited for Brazil, distributed among three genera (Enhydrus Laporte, 1834, Gyrinus Geoffroy, 1762 and Gyretes Brullé, 1835). For each species we also include a complete account of its nomenclature including synonyms and historical combinations. The geographical distribution of each species both inside and outside of Brazil is provided.
A New Contrast-Enhancing Feature for Cloud Detection in Ground-Based Sky Images
Authors: Jayadevan Vijai T. , Rodriguez Jeffrey J. , Cronin Alexander D.
Published: December 2014

For this study a ground-based sky imaging system was developed that, unlike most other such systems, consists of a low-cost sun-tracking camera fitted with a fish-eye lens. The application of interest is short-term solar power forecasting, so cloud detection is an important step. The hybrid thresholding algorithm proposed by Li et al. for cloud detection is employed. Most cloud detection algorithms make use of the red and blue components in a color image. Though these features perform well for many images, they do not produce good results for the images in this study due to the insufficient contrast between cloud and sky pixels when using ratios between red and blue. To overcome this issue, a new feature, the normalized saturation/value (NSV) ratio, is proposed that is computed in the hue–saturation–value (HSV) color space. This study shows that the NSV ratio produces good contrast between cloud and sky pixels not only for the images in this study but also for general sky images acquired using different camera systems. The reasoning behind the choice of the new ratio is described, and quantitative and qualitative results are presented.
State Regulation, Family Breakdown, and Lone Motherhood
Authors: Hughes Annmarie , Meek Jeff
Published: December 2014

Using a range of parish records, records from the Registrar General of Scotland, charity organizations, and media reports, this article contributes to the historiography which evaluates the effects of World War I in Britain as well as the history of lone mothers and their children. It highlights how during the war, women, especially lone mothers, made significant gains through the welfare system, changing approaches to illegitimacy and the plentiful nature of women’s work but also how in doing so this brought them under greater surveillance by the state, local parishes, and charity organizations. Moreover, as this article will demonstrate, many of the gains made by women were short-lived and in fact the war contributed to high levels of family breakdown and gendered and intergenerational poverty endured by lone mothers and their children.
Scaffolding one Thai youth’s drawing toward resilience
Authors: Cameron Catherine Ann , Pinto Giuliana , Tapanya Sombat
Published: December 2014

Drawings have been used extensively to explore the psychosocial development of children and youth. Focusing on the drawings of one thriving migrant Thai adolescent, this case study employs multiple sources of data from this youth to ground an integrated interpretation of his resilient processes in ecological context. Our participant, ‘Pond’, had recently relocated to northern Thailand with his father. Employing reflective interviews with the teenager about his experiences, his sketchbooks and a filmed ‘ day in his life,’ we identified ‘promotive’ factors contributing to his well-being in the context of strong familial support. During his filmed day, we observed him drawing for one uninterrupted hour, the products of which he proudly shared with his artist father as well as the researchers. His sketchbook graphic endeavors included traditional Thai representations, pop-cultural sketches and cartooning, bridging the worlds he navigates as he adapts to his new domicile. Pond’s drawing activities and reflections on them confirm his sense of responsibility, self-confidence, positive affect in familial connection and his striving for social inclusion. His use of pictorial language reveals his cultural values and their potential for enhanced thriving. Pond affirmed that his artistic transactions are sources of strength to him in his migratory transition.
The mountain of cultural psychology and the mouse of empirical studies. Methodological considerations for birth control
Authors: Salvatore Sergio
Published: December 2014

Cultural psychology has built up a powerful theoretical edifice, but it has not yet consolidated its own methodology of analysis. Thus, cultural psychologists adopt models of empirical investigation borrowed from other social science domains, taking it for granted that the latter are consistent with their theoretical framework. As a result, the mountain of powerful theory ends up giving birth to the mouse of empirical analyses which runs the risk of being just the translation into the language of psychology of what is already stated by the normative canons of common sense. This paper is divided into two parts. In the first, I provide arguments in support of my criticisms, focusing on the problematic role played by the interpreting empirical investigation in terms of inductive generalization. In the second part of the paper, I propose abductive generalization as an alternative ground for the empirical investigation of psychological phenomena, providing arguments highlighting why and how it may sustain a valid methodology for cultural psychology. In particular, attention is paid to the form of generalization (abstractive generalization) that abduction leads to, as well as to the search of boundary variability as a basic strategy of investigation.
Perceptions of Australian public relations education, 1985–1999
Authors: Fitch Kate
Published: December 2014

This article investigates perceptions of Australian public relations education during a period of significant growth. It analyses in-depth interviews with 14 practitioners and educators in conjunction with Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) archives. Four themes emerged from the analysis: education, professionalisation and gender; theory and practice; developing academic legitimacy and practitioner perspectives in the curriculum. Participants understood education within a professional narrative, that is, as offering a way of establishing Australian public relations as a distinct field of expertise and confirming its professional status. The findings offer new insights into the development of Australian public relations education as it became established as a popular course of study and the role of PRIA in the constitution and transmission of public relations knowledge.
Managing impressions during institutional change – The role of organisational accounts in legitimation
Authors: Le Jenny , Bartlett Jennifer L
Published: December 2014

Public relations literature has only recently drawn on institutional theory to provide insights into legitimacy that go beyond strategic organisational level processes. Many of the existing crisis management studies are approached from a strategic perspective, which have limitations in terms of how organizations manage their legitimacy in relation to broader and often changing social agendas. This study focuses on how impression management is used to deal with legitimacy gaps between organizations and public expectations that draw on an institutional theory perspective. This qualitative study examines the use of organizational accounts through a lens that marries institutional theory and impression management in order to understand how organizations manage their legitimacy. This study of accounts around legitimacy concerns of corporate social responsibility matters shows that organizations relied on their own tangible technical attributes rather than shared norms of what is considered responsible when there are no hard or institutionalised laws and regulations in place around corporate social responsibility concerns. This study offers insights into public relations concerns around impression management during institutional change and in doing so extends existing public relations approaches to crisis management.
Do Exchange Rates Affect Exports in India?
Authors: Bhattacharyya Ranajoy , Mukherjee Jaydeep
Published: December 2014

It is shown that the 36 country real effective exchange rate (REER) of India, which is I(1), becomes stationary once a single exogenous shock (corresponding to the implementation of the liberalization policy by the government of India) is separated from its stochastic component and modelled as a break in the deterministic trend. The implication of this for the export supply function is enormous. While without the break real export has a long-run relationship with REER and gross domestic product, with the break the relationship no more exists.

JEL Classification: F31, C32, F41
Is India’s Public Debt Sustainable?
Authors: Pradhan Krishanu
Published: December 2014

The article assesses the sustainability of public debt in India based on historical time series data on non-monetized liabilities/gross domestic product (GDP), revenue/GDP and expenditure/GDP of the combined central and state governments. The assessment based on unit root analysis of non-monetized liabilities/GDP, and co-integration analysis of expenditure/GDP and revenue/GDP shows the sustainability of public debt, mainly on account of accelerating GDP growth, lower cost of government borrowing, favourable currency composition and longer maturity profile of debt.

JEL Classification: H62, H63, C22, C32, C51
Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension: treatment options and the bridge to transplantation
Authors: Corris Paul , Degano Bruno
Published: December 2014

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease leading to right heart failure and death. Prognosis remains poor, particularly for patients with severe disease,i.e.World Health Organization functional class IV. There have been significant improvements in treatment options. Several agents are available that target the three main established PAH disease pathways, and can be combined sequentially or upfront. Strong scientific evidence supports the use of intravenous epoprostenol in severe PAH; however, despite recommendations, many patients do not receive parenteral prostanoids and there is a lack of evidence from randomised clinical trials supporting the value of other PAH medications alone in severe PAH.

Lung transplantation is an important option in patients with severe PAH who have not responded sufficiently to therapy, or who have worsened despite maximal treatment. Bridging techniques are available for patients who worsen while awaiting transplantation. The type of bridging technique used depends on various factors including patient illness severity, physician experience and the anticipated waiting time for transplantation. With the aim to facilitate the treatment decision-making process, herein we review the medical treatment options available for patients with severe PAH, and the bridging techniques that may be used to sustain patients awaiting transplantation.
The changing landscape of pulmonary arterial hypertension and implications for patient care
Authors: Hoeper Marius M. , Simon R. Gibbs J.
Published: December 2014

Registries have provided a wealth of information on the clinical and disease characteristics of patients living with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) since the 1980s. Certain PAH demographics, such as the prevalence of various PAH subgroups and preponderance of female patients, appear to have remained stable over time. Contemporary registry data indicate that the average age of patients diagnosed with PAH has increased, at least in the Western world. Older patients with PAH are more likely to be diagnosed with a more advanced stage of the disease, have lower exercise capacity and present with multiple comorbidities. They also have worse survival compared with younger patients. Within the PAH population, there is also a subset of patients with a lower diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide who are generally older and display more severe disease characteristics. This review discusses the implications that the increased age of the PAH population at diagnosis has on the treatment and management of the disease, as well as the need for earlier and improved diagnosis in these patients.
How functional genomics will impact fruit fly pest control: the example of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata
Authors: Scolari Francesca , Gomulski Ludvik M , Gabrieli Paolo , Manni Mosè , Savini Grazia , Gasperi Giuliano , Malacrida Anna R
Published: December 2014

The highly invasive agricultural insect pestCeratitis capitata(Diptera: Tephritidae) is the most thoroughly studied tephritid fruit fly at the genetic and molecular levels. It has become a model for the analysis of fruit fly invasions and for the development of area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes based on the environmentally-friendly Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Extensive transcriptome resources and the recently released genome sequence are making it possible to unravel several aspects of the medfly reproductive biology and behaviour, opening new opportunities for comparative genomics and barcoding for species identification. New genes, promotors and regulatory sequences are becoming available for the development/improvement of highly competitive sexing strains, for the monitoring of sterile males released in the field and for determining the mating status of wild females. The tools developed in this species have been transferred to other tephritids that are also the subject of SIT programmes.
Asian apparel brands’ Internationalization: the application of theories to the cases of Giordano and Uniqlo
Authors: Woo Hongjoo , Jin Byoungho
Published: December 2014

How did Asian apparel brands internationalize in the competitive global apparel market? Although Asian brands are becoming global, most of previous research on internationalization was limited to the cases of the brands having Western-origins. This study aimed to explore the internationalization patterns of two leading Asian apparel brands, Giordano and Uniqlo, applying existing internationalization theories. For analysis, a case study approach was adopted by analyzing the secondary data from company reports, websites, and trade publications, following the previous case studies.

Today Giordano and Uniqlo are operating more than 2,000 stores worldwide. They internationalized to the geographically close markets first, and then extended the businesses to far distance countries following the Uppsala model. Both brands are focusing on Asian developing countries recently. The two brands’ integrated supply chains and the positioning concept as basic, quality apparel at low price contributed to facilitating their internationalization. The findings confirm the existing internationalization theories and add the empirical cases of Asian brands to literature. This study also provides a managerial implication for the other brands seeking internationalization opportunities, especially for the brands with Western-origins, that need to compete with growing Asian competitors in global marketplaces.
Textile piezoelectric sensors – melt spun bi-component poly(vinylidene fluoride) fibres with conductive cores and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) coating as the outer electrode
Authors: Åkerfeldt Maria , Nilsson Erik , Gillgard Philip , Walkenström Pernilla
Published: December 2014

The work presented here addresses the outer electroding of a fully textile piezoelectric strain sensor, consisting of bi-component fibre yarns of β-crystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) sheath and conductive high density polyethylene (HDPE)/carbon black (CB) core as insertions in a woven textile, with conductive poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) coatings developed for textile applications. Two coatings, one with a polyurethane binder and one without, were compared for the application and evaluated as electrode material in piezoelectric testing, as well as tested for surface resistivity, tear strength, abrasion resistance and shear flexing. Both coatings served their function as the outer electrodes in the system and no difference in this regard was detected between them. Omission of the binder resulted in a surface resistivity one order of magnitude less, of 12.3 Ω/square, but the surface resistivity of these samples increased more upon abrasion than the samples coated with binder. The tear strength of the textile coated with binder decreased with one third compared to the uncoated substrate, whereas the tear strength of the coated textile without binder increased with the same amount. Surface resistivity measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the samples subjected to shear flexing showed that the coatings without the binder did not withstand this treatment, and that the samples with the binder managed this to a greater extent. In summary, both of the PEDOT:PSS coatings could be used as outer electrodes of the piezoelectric fibres, but inclusion of binder was found necessary for the durability of the coating.
Properties of ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites - a review
Authors: Das Dipti Kanta , Mishra Purna Chandra , Singh Saranjit , Thakur Ratish Kumar
Published: December 2014

A review of various properties of ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites is presented in this paper. The properties discussed include microstructural, optical, physical and mechanical behaviour of ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites and effects of reinforcement fraction, particle size, heat treatment and extrusion process on these properties. The results obtained by many researchers indicated the uniform distribution of reinforced particles with localized agglomeration at some places, when the metal matrix composite was processed through stir casting method. The density, hardness, compressive strength and toughness increased with increasing reinforcement fraction; however, these properties may reduce in the presence of porosity in the composite material. The particle size of reinforcements affected the hardness adversely. Tensile strength and flexural strength were observed to be increased up to a certain reinforcement fraction in the composites, beyond which these were reduced. The mechanical properties of the composite materials were improved by either thermal treatment or extrusion process. Initiation and growth of fine microcracks leading to macroscopic failure, ductile failure of the aluminium matrix, combination of particle fracture and particle pull-out, overload failure under tension and brittle fracture were the failure mode and mechanisms, as observed by previous researchers, during fractography analysis of tensile specimens of ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites.
Using Small-Scale Randomized Controlled Trials to Evaluate the Efficacy of New Curricular Materials
Authors: Drits-Esser Dina , Bass Kristin M. , Stark Louisa A.
Published: December 2014

How can researchers in K–12 contexts stay true to the principles of rigorous evaluation designs within the constraints of classroom settings and limited funding? This paper explores this question by presenting a small-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to test the efficacy of curricular supplemental materials on epigenetics. The researchers asked whether the curricular materials improved students’ understanding of the content more than an alternative set of activities. The field test was conducted in a diverse public high school setting with 145 students who were randomly assigned to a treatment or comparison condition. Findings indicate that students in the treatment condition scored significantly higher on the posttest than did students in the comparison group (effect size: Cohen's d = 0.40). The paper discusses the strengths and limitations of the RCT, the contextual factors that influenced its enactment, and recommendations for others wishing to conduct small-scale rigorous evaluations in educational settings. Our intention is for this paper to serve as a case study for university science faculty members who wish to employ scientifically rigorous evaluations in K–12 settings while limiting the scope and budget of their work.
High School Students’ Learning and Perceptions of Phylogenetics of Flowering Plants
Authors: Bokor Julie R. , Landis Jacob B. , Crippen Kent J.
Published: December 2014

Basic phylogenetics and associated “tree thinking” are often minimized or excluded in formal school curricula. Informal settings provide an opportunity to extend the K–12 school curriculum, introducing learners to new ideas, piquing interest in science, and fostering scientific literacy. Similarly, university researchers participating in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach activities increase awareness of college and career options and highlight interdisciplinary fields of science research and augment the science curriculum. To aid in this effort, we designed a 6-h module in which students utilized 12 flowering plant species to generate morphological and molecular phylogenies using biological techniques and bioinformatics tools. The phylogenetics module was implemented with 83 high school students during a weeklong university STEM immersion program and aimed to increase student understanding of phylogenetics and coevolution of plants and pollinators. Student response reflected positive engagement and learning gains as evidenced through content assessments, program evaluation surveys, and program artifacts. We present the results of the first year of implementation and discuss modifications for future use in our immersion programs as well as in multiple course settings at the high school and undergraduate levels.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of UK military veterans attending a psychological therapies service
Authors: Giebel Clarissa M. , Clarkson Paul , Challis David
Published: December 2014

Aims and method

To investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of subgroups of UK veterans attending a dedicated psychological therapies service following the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) treatment model. Veterans accessing a newly established service in the north-west were categorised into three groups: early service leavers, those with a physical disability, and substance and/or alcohol misusers. Anxiety, depression and social functioning were measured pre- and post-treatment.

Results

Veterans vary in their demographic and clinical characteristics as well as in treatment efficacy, as measured by the post-treatment scores on probable depression and anxiety. Therapy appears to be most effective in early service leavers, whereas veterans with a physical disability or a substance or alcohol misuse problem tend not to do as well in terms of symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Clinical implications

This study highlights the importance of targeting different veteran subgroups for dedicated psychological therapy.