bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automated Perfusion Imaging for the Evaluation of Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Kleinman Jonathan T. , Zaharchuk Greg , Mlynash Michael , Ogdie Alyshia A. , Straka Matus , Lansberg Maarten G. , Schwartz Neil E. , Kemp Stephanie , Bammer Roland , Albers Gregory W. , Olivot Jean-Marc
Published: April 2012

Background and Purpose—

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is recommended for the evaluation of transient ischemic attack. Perfusion imaging can increase the yield of MRI in transient ischemic attack. We evaluated automated bolus perfusion (the time when the residue function reaches its maximum [TMax] and mean transit time [MTT]) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) sequences for the detection of ischemic lesions in patients with transient ischemic attack.

Methods—

We enrolled consecutive patients evaluated for suspicion of acute transient ischemic attack by multimodal MRI within 36 hours of symptom onset. Two independent raters assessed the presence and location of ischemic lesions blinded to the clinical presentation. The prevalence of ischemic lesions and the interrater agreement were1410 assessed.

Results—

From January 2010 to 2011, 93 patients were enrolled and 90 underwent perfusion imaging (69 bolus perfusion and 76 ASL). Overall, 25 of 93 patients (27%) were DWI-positive and 14 (15%) were perfusion-positive but DWI-negative (ASL n=9; TMax n=9; MTT n=2). MTT revealed an ischemic lesion in fewer patients than TMax (7 versus 20,
P
=0.004). Raters agreed on 89% of diffusion-weighted imaging cases, 89% of TMax, 87% o10f010 MTT, and 90% of ASL cases. The interrater agreement was good for DWI, TMax, and ASL (κ=0.73, 0.72, and 0.74, respectively) and fair for MTT (κ=0.43). Diffusion and/or perfusion were positive in 39 of 69 (57%) patients with a discharge diagnosis of possible ischemic event.

Conclusions—

Our results suggest that in patients referred for suspicion of transient ischemic attack, automated TMax is more sensitive than MTT, and both ASL and TMax increase the yield of MRI for the detection of ischemic lesions.
I Have a Hunch
Authors: McCutcheon Russell T.
Published: April 2012

Abstract

Using the same arguments that, in the 1960s, were successfully employed to establish the institutionally autonomous, non-reductive study of religion (generally understood as the public, institutionalized expression of a private experience, belief, or faith), this essay argues for the urgent need to establish a phenomenology and a hermeneutics of hunches—posited here as being among the only truly cross-cultural dispositions shared by all human beings.
The Twilight of the Doxai: Or, How to Philosophize with a Whac-A-Mole™ Mallet
Authors: Rubenstein Mary-Jane
Published: April 2012

Abstract

This article evaluates the hermeneutic value of the category of belief from the perspective of a broadly “continental” philosophy of religion. From Socrates’s dismantling of his interlocutors’doxaito Pseudo-Dionysius’s un-saying of the divine names to Kierkegaard’s noetic divestment to Derrida’s aporetic genealogies, it argues that “belief” is the target, rather than thetelos, of philosophic scrutiny. For the authors engaged here, beliefs are phantasms—uninterrogated positions that uphold a kind of routine political, psychological, or theological order—whose unraveling opens the possibility of difference, and thus of thinking itself.
Belief and/in the Law
Authors: Fernando Mayanthi L.
Published: April 2012

Abstract

This article examines how ‘belief’ has emerged as the privileged site of religion in human rights law, rendering some forms of ethical life unintelligible to secular-modern law and politics. I first analyze models of ethical personhood in which actions like veiling or praying do not only signify piety but are also integral to achieving it. I next turn to tracing how the 2004 French ban on headscarves in public schools was seen as a non-violation of religious liberty, examining the particular relationship between interiority and exteriority, mind and body, and belief and practice that underlay arguments for the ban. I then show how these distinctions produce another distinction between conscience and its manifestation, one that is institutionalized in secular legal conventions that make the freedom to believe unalienable but the freedom to manifest that belief alienable. Finally, I examine the paradox of legislating the inviolability of the freedom to believe.
Nurturing the Indwelling Protest: Max Horkheimer and the Dialectic of Religious Resistance and Betrayal
Authors: Boer Roland
Published: April 2012

Abstract

This article critiques and assesses Max Horkheimer’s lifelong interest in matters of religion and theology. He rehearses a theme throughout his work that strengthens in his later years: an authentic Christianity or Judaism owes its allegiance to and longing for a “totally other” and not any temporal power such as the state. Indeed, in the name of this other – understood in either ontological or temporal terms – Christians would do well to remember the trenchant criticisms of vested power and wealth and Jews would do equally well to remember the basic impulse of not being conformed to this world. In short, such a religious standpoint is one of persistent and incorruptible resistance to the world in every fibre of one’s being. The problem is that religions like Judaism and Christianity have betrayed that resistance in the name of the totally other and made deals with the world – with the state, with wealth, with influence and with the economic systems of the day. This betrayal shows up, for example, in the way Christianity has often become an established religion, in the establishment of a Jewish state and in liberal theology. I am not taken with this grand opposition, which trades on the distinction between authentic and inauthentic, the latter functioning as a betrayal of the former. Far more interesting are the moments when Horkheimer sets his dialectical skills to work on this opposition. When this happens, we find him arguing that the “betrayal” was often a necessary process for the survival of the religion in question, for any religion that followed the precepts of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels would soon have been ground into the dust.
The Priestly Body: Power-Discourse and Identity in John Chrysostom’s De Sacerdotio
Authors: de Wet Chris L.
Published: April 2012

Abstract

This paper approaches John Chrysostom’sDe Sacerdotiofrom the perspective of body/power/identity. It identifies five power-discourses active in the text. Firstly, the discourse of hierarchy is present. The office of the priest ranks with the angels. Secondly, the priest is represented as disciplinarian and psychagogue, an enforcer of state and ecclesiastical policy in the process of making docile bodies. In the third instance, much attention is given to the disruptive others – those people who complicate the life and duty of the priest. Fourthly, the notion of andronormativity and normality is discussed, since gender is an important feature inDe Sacerdotio. Finally, the relevance and effect of the priest as orator is extrapolated. The study concludes by asking how these discourses also shape the way Chrysostom thinks about himself and the sacerdotal office.
Opposition Parties and the Urban Poor in African Democracies
Authors: Resnick Danielle
Published: April 2012

Africa’s urban poor increasingly represent a key constituency for electoral mobilization. Opposition parties, which are pivotal for democratic consolidation, have nevertheless exhibited disparate success at obtaining votes from this constituency. To explain why, this study focuses on the case of Zambia and draws on interviews with political elites as well as a survey of informal sector workers in Lusaka. Instead of vote buying, ethnic alignments, or economic voting, these data show that the urban poor’s voting decisions are related to the strategies used by political parties to incorporate them into the political arena. Opposition parties that employ populist strategies are more likely to win support from the urban poor than parties reliant on alternative modes of mobilization. The advantages of a populist strategy include greater differentiation from the myriad of purely personalistic parties in Africa and greater congruence with the policy priorities of the urban poor, including service delivery and jobs.
Examining Internationalization in U.S. Counseling Psychology Training Programs
Authors: Hurley Erica J. , Gerstein Lawrence H. , Ægisdóttir Stefanía
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this study was to gather more information about the process of internationalization in U.S. counseling psychology programs. Participants included 26 training directors and 83 doctoral students, representing 32 of the 63 APA-accredited counseling psychology programs. Results suggested that the presence of international training opportunities did not increase from 2007 to 2010, with the exception that internationalism was increasingly being incorporated into the definition of multiculturalism. Results also suggested that in several areas, training directors and doctoral students differed in their knowledge of whether international training opportunities were present in their programs, and the degree to which they believed such opportunities were integrated. Finally, results suggested that respondents’ attitudes were generally favorable toward internationalization. The implications for counseling psychology training programs as well as recommendations for improving internationalization efforts are discussed.
Driving With a Partially Autonomous Forward Collision Warning System
Authors: Muhrer Elke , Reinprecht Klaus , Vollrath Mark
Published: April 2012

Objective:

The effects of a forward collision warning (FCW) and braking system (FCW+) were examined in a driving simulator study analyzing driving and gaze behavior and the engagement in a secondary task.

Background:

In-depth accident analyses indicate that a lack of appropriate expectations for possible critical situations and visual distraction may be the major causes of rear-end crashes. Studies with FCW systems have shown that a warning alone was not enough for a driver to be able to avoid the accident. Thus, an additional braking intervention by such systems could be necessary.

Method:

In a driving simulator experiment, 30 drivers took part in a car-following scenario in an urban area. It was assumed that different lead car behaviors and environmental aspects would lead to different drivers’ expectations of the future traffic situation. Driving with and without FCW+ was introduced as a between-subjects factor.

Results:

Driving with FCW+ resulted in significantly fewer accidents in critical situations. This result was achieved by the system’s earlier reaction time as compared with that of drivers. The analysis of the gaze behavior showed that driving with the system did not lead to a stronger involvement in secondary tasks.

Conclusion:

The study supports the hypotheses about the importance of missing expectations for the occurrence of accidents. These accidents can be prevented by an FCW+ that brakes autonomously.

Application:

The results indicate that an autonomous braking intervention should be implemented in FCW systems to increase the effectiveness of these assistance systems.
Estimating 3-D L5/S1 Moments During Manual Lifting Using a Video Coding System
Authors: Xu Xu , Chang Chien-Chi , Faber Gert S. , Kingma Idsart , Dennerlein Jack T.
Published: April 2012

Objective:

The aim of the study was to investigate the validity and interrater reliability of using a proposed video coding system to estimate the dynamical 3-D L5/S1 joint moment on the basis of four key frames from video clips of asymmetric lifting tasks.

Background:

L5/S1 joint loading has been widely adopted to quantify low-back loading during lifting tasks. However, the measurement of L5/S1 joint loading usually requires a laboratory environment, which cannot be applied during field surveys.

Method:

The validity of this system was investigated by comparing the estimated L5/S1 joint moments of various simulated lifting tasks with motion tracking system-based reference L5/S1 joint moments.

Results:

The comparison showed that the video coding system yielded good estimates on peak moment ( r = .91, average absolute error [AAE] = 20.3 Nm) and cumulative moment ( r = .88, AAE = 22.5 Nm·sec) of the sagittal plane. The interrater reliability of this system was assessed among 10 raters who used this system. The intraclass correlation ranged between .51 and .89 for the moments of different planes.

Conclusion:

The results of the validity and interrater reliability analyses showed that the proposed video coding system could provide a good estimate of total L5/S1 joint loading on the basis of side-view video clips of the simulated lifting tasks.

Application:

Although it was not as accurate as a motion tracking system for L5/S1 joint loading calculations, this approach can be an alternative for back load estimation for some lifting configurations when the use of motion tracking systems is not possible.
Beyond analytical dichotomies
Authors: Prasad Ajnesh
Published: April 2012

Management researchers habitually invoke analytical categories of difference – whether they be based on gender, race, or sexual identity – in responding to issues of systemic inequalities in organizational life. Poststructuralists and other critically orientated scholars have cited the myriad of trajectories through which analytical categories of difference reinscribe dichotomous modes of thinking and, therein, ignore the idiosyncrasies in human identification and human behavior. Extending from a poststructuralist standpoint, this article uses the question of sexual identity to advocate for the astute mobilization of ‘strategic essentialism’. Strategic essentialism serves as a means by which management scholars can tentatively engage with the research and the discourse that is reliant upon identity binaries, yet without reifying ideologically bifurcated identity classes.
Teaching about Consumption
Authors: Grauerholz Liz , Bubriski-McKenzie Anne
Published: April 2012

This study presents an experiential exercise designed to heighten students’ awareness of overconsumption in the United States and allow them to see how their own consumption habits are linked to larger social factors. Students engaged in the “Not Buying It” project—which involved refraining from purchasing all but essentials for a set number of days—as part of a broader lesson on consumerism. Qualitative and quantitative data, gathered from students enrolled in three sections of Introductory Sociology, suggest that the exercise was effective in enhancing students’ sociological imaginations by helping students see how their own consumption habits are shaped by larger social forces and how they, along with most Americans, tend toward overconsumption. To a more limited extent, it may help enhance cognitive understanding of consumption. Teaching about consumption in general, and the Not Buying It project in particular, offers instructors an excellent pedagogical means by which students can acquire a sociological imagination, reinforces key sociological principles, and links to broader goals within the discipline.
Robust stability check for fractional PID-based control systems
Authors: Akbari Moornani Kamran , Haeri Mohammad
Published: April 2012

This paper considers a closed-loop system consisting of a fractional/integer order system and a fractional PID controller. Assuming that the uncertain coefficients of the fractional PID controller lie in some known intervals independently (i.e. that controller is a member of an interval family), the paper presents some easy to use theorems to investigate the robust bounded-input bounded-output stability of the resultant closed-loop system. Moreover, a finite frequency bound required in drawing the related graphs has also been provided. Finally, some numerical examples are presented to illustrate the results.
Dynamic analysis of spherical film as sensing element for detecting micro-force
Authors: Lu Yonghua , Lu Zhanhao
Published: April 2012

In order to realize the precise measurement of a micro-force in the biomedical domain and industrial fields, a type of spherical film, of about 700 nm thickness and 50 mm diameter, was used as sensing element to detect a nano-Newton (nN) level force. Distortions were observed when nN-level particles were placed on the spherical film or such level forces were applied on the spherical film. From the deformation of spherical film, we can obtain the gravity of the particle or applied force. A dynamic model of the spherical film was constructed using the ANSYS software. Adopting the orthogonal experimental method, we designed effective experimental parameters for numerical calculation and mainly focused on the relations among nN-level force, thickness and diameter of spherical film, and deformation parameters. Then a fitting formula describing the relationship between deformation, the thickness and diameter of the spherical film, and the loaded force was obtained from the experimental data using the least square algorithm. The error analysis of experimental and computational data showed that when controlling the force in the range of 20–160 nN, the detecting error was less than ±3.2%.
HRM, Communication, Satisfaction, and Perceived Performance
Authors: Den Hartog Deanne N. , Boon Corine , Verburg Robert M. , Croon Marcel A.
Published: April 2012

Employee perceptions of HR practices are often assumed to play an important mediating role in the relationship between HR systems and HR outcomes. In a multisource, multilevel study of 2,063 employees and 449 managers in 119 branches of a single large firm, the authors tested how managers’ perceptions of the HR practices implemented in the unit relate to employee perceptions of these HR practices. The authors’ main aim is to explore managers’ communication quality as a moderator of the relationship between manager-rated and employee-rated HR practices. They also tested whether perceived human resource management (HRM) perceptions in turn relate to perceived unit performance and satisfaction. Multilevel structural equation modeling analyses showed that HRM perceptions mediated the relationship between implemented HRM and both satisfaction and unit performance and that communication moderated the relationship between manager-rated and employee-rated HRM. These findings contribute to scholars’ understanding of how HRM affects employee-related outcomes.
Sensegiving in entrepreneurial contexts: The use of metaphors in speech and gesture to gain and sustain support for novel business ventures
Authors: Cornelissen Joep P. , Clarke Jean S. , Cienki Alan
Published: April 2012

Gaining and sustaining support for novel ventures is a vital yet difficult entrepreneurial process. Previous research on this topic has generally focused on the social competence and social capital of those creating new ventures, and their ability to align their ventures, with collective norms of novel ventures as sensible, acceptable and legitimate. We suggest that sensegiving – the ability to communicate a meaningful course for a venture – to investors and employees may also play a direct role in achieving support for a venture. Based upon a micro-ethnographic study of two individuals who were in the process of creating new ventures, we demonstrate how they give sense, to others in real time that involve not just their speech but also their gestures. Overall, we find evidence that in the early stages of the commercialization of a venture, metaphors in both speech and gesture are consistently used to emphasize agency and control and the predictability and taken-for-grantedness of a novel venture.
Do Different Methods of Modeling Statin Treatment Effectiveness Influence the Optimal Decision?
Authors: van Kempen Bob J. H. , Ferket Bart S. , Hofman Albert , Spronk Sandra , Steyerberg Ewout , Hunink M. G. Myriam
Published: April 2012

Purpose. Modeling studies that evaluate statin treatment for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) use different methods to model the effect of statins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of using different modeling methods on the optimal decision found in such studies. Methods. We used a previously developed and validated Monte Carlo–Markov model based on the Rotterdam study (RISC model). The RISC model simulates coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, cardiovascular death, and death due to other causes. Transition probabilities were based on 5-year risks predicted by Cox regression equations, including (among others) total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol as covariates. In a cost-effectiveness analysis of implementing the ATP-III guidelines, we evaluated the impact of using 3 different modeling methods of statin effectiveness: 1) through lipid level modification: statins lower total cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, which through the covariates in the Cox regression equations leads to a lower incidence of CHD and stroke events; 2) fixed risk reduction of CVD events: statins decrease the odds of CHD and stroke with an associated odds ratio that is assumed to be the same for each individual; 3) risk reduction of CVD events proportional to individual change in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: the relative risk reduction with statin therapy on the incidence of CHD and stroke was assumed to be proportional to the absolute reduction in LDL cholesterol levels for each individual. The probability that the ATP-III strategy was cost-effective, compared to usual care as observed in the Rotterdam study, was calculated for each of the 3 modeling methods for varying willingness-to-pay thresholds. Results. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the ATP-III strategy compared with the reference strategy were €56,642/quality-adjusted life year (QALY), €21,369/QALY, and €22,131/QALY for modeling methods 1, 2, and 3, respectively. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of €50,000/QALY, the probability that the ATP-III strategy was cost-effective was about 40% for modeling method 1 and more than 90% for both methods 2 and 3. Differences in results between the modeling methods were sensitive to both the time horizon modeled and age distribution of the target population. Conclusions. Modeling the effect of statins on CVD through the modification of lipid levels produced different results and associated uncertainty than modeling it directly through a risk reduction of events. This was partly attributable to the modeled effect of cholesterol on the incidence of stroke.
3D LIDAR–camera intrinsic and extrinsic calibration: Identifiability and analytical least-squares-based initialization
Authors: Mirzaei Faraz M , Kottas Dimitrios G , Roumeliotis Stergios I
Published: April 2012

In this paper we address the problem of estimating the intrinsic parameters of a 3D LIDAR while at the same time computing its extrinsic calibration with respect to a rigidly connected camera. Existing approaches to solve this nonlinear estimation problem are based on iterative minimization of nonlinear cost functions. In such cases, the accuracy of the resulting solution hinges on the availability of a precise initial estimate, which is often not available. In order to address this issue, we divide the problem into two least-squares sub-problems, and analytically solve each one to determine a precise initial estimate for the unknown parameters. We further increase the accuracy of these initial estimates by iteratively minimizing a batch nonlinear least-squares cost function. In addition, we provide the minimal identifiability conditions, under which it is possible to accurately estimate the unknown parameters. Experimental results consisting of photorealistic 3D reconstruction of indoor and outdoor scenes, as well as standard metrics of the calibration errors, are used to assess the validity of our approach.
The impact of terrorism on global equity market integration
Authors: Bilson Chris , Brailsford Tim , Hallett Aiden , Shi Jing
Published: April 2012

In this paper we investigate the short-term contagion and long-term integration effects of terrorist activity on national stock markets. Using the partially integrated model of Bekaert et al. (Bekaert G, Harvey C and Ng A (2005) Market integration and contagion. Journal of Business 78: 39–69), we examine whether changes in cross-border relationships surrounding recent terrorist events are caused by changes in exposure to common risk factors and investigate whether these findings are similar across both developed and emerging market securities. Our research concludes that terrorism induces substantial contagion and market integration effects on national equity markets. Specifically, we provide strong evidence that major terrorist attacks induce substantial contagion consequences, particularly for developed nation equity markets. In terms of longer-term integration effects, a strong increase in cross-market correlation is observed from the pre to post-9/11 period. However, we find little evidence of an increase in the risk exposures of national markets to common risk factors, suggesting that this heightened correlation is driven by an increase in global risk factor uncertainty. This finding is consistent with the argument that an increase in the risk aversion of market participants is associated with terrorist attacks.
Observations on the Smith–Glasser index for self-heating of bituminous coal
Authors: Sipilä Juha , Auerkari Pertti , Holmström Stefan , Itkonen Jyrki , Aaltonen Kalevi
Published: April 2012

Self-heating of coal depends partly on intrinsic, coal-related factors. This article aims to discuss the Smith–Glasser index as a potential indicator of the self-heating propensity of a large set of bituminous coals with similar heating value but different origins. For this purpose, recorded properties and experience were reviewed for 7.5 million tonnes of coal delivered to the same power plant operator. The results suggest that the propensity to self-heat can be conveniently indicated by Smith–Glasser index that only involves routinely measured moisture and volatile contents of coal. The results appear consistent with the observed incidences of self-heating in storage.
Generalized direct method for pyrolysis kinetic parameter estimation and comparison to existing methods
Authors: Matala Anna , Lautenberger Chris , Hostikka Simo
Published: April 2012

Solid-phase pyrolysis is often modelled using the Arrhenius degradation equation with three unknown parameters: reaction order, activation energy and pre-exponential factor. Since the parameters are model dependent and not directly measurable, several estimation methods have been developed over the years for extracting them from the experimental small-scale data. Lately, the most commonly used methods have been based on optimization and curve fitting. These methods are very efficient for complex problems with multiple reactions but may require significant computational time. Direct (analytic) methods are simpler and faster but often have more restrictions and limited accuracy. This article presents a new, generalized direct method and its performance evaluated along with other commonly used estimation methods. The real usability of the methods is tested also in the presence of small noise.
Phase-Shifting the Fruit Fly Clock without Cryptochrome
Authors: Kistenpfennig Christa , Hirsh Jay , Yoshii Taishi , Helfrich-Förster Charlotte
Published: April 2012

The blue light photopigment cryptochrome (CRY) is thought to be the main circadian photoreceptor of Drosophila melanogaster. Nevertheless, entrainment to light-dark cycles is possible without functional CRY. Here, we monitored phase response curves of cry01 mutants and control flies to 1-hour 1000-lux light pulses. We found that cry01 mutants phase-shift their activity rhythm in the subjective early morning and late evening, although with reduced magnitude. This phase-shifting capability is sufficient for the slowed entrainment of the mutants, indicating that the eyes contribute to the clock’s light sensitivity around dawn and dusk. With longer light pulses (3 hours and 6 hours), wild-type flies show greatly enhanced magnitude of phase shift, but CRY-less flies seem impaired in the ability to integrate duration of the light pulse in a wild-type manner: Only 6-hour light pulses at circadian time 21 significantly increased the magnitude of phase advances in cry01 mutants. At circadian time 15, the mutants exhibited phase advances instead of the expected delays. These complex results are discussed.
Metamorphosis Induces a Light-Dependent Switch in Senegalese Sole (Solea senegalensis) from Diurnal to Nocturnal Behavior
Authors: Blanco-Vives B. , Aliaga-Guerrero M. , Cañavate J.P. , García-Mateos G. , Martín-Robles A.J. , Herrera-Pérez P. , Muñoz-Cueto J.A. , Sánchez-Vázquez F.J.
Published: April 2012

Light plays a key role in the development of biological rhythms in fish. Recent research in Senegal sole has revealed that spawning and hatching rhythms, larval development, and growth performance are strongly influenced by lighting conditions. However, the effect of light on the daily patterns of behavior remains unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different photoperiod regimes and white, blue, and red light on the activity rhythms and foraging behavior of Solea senegalensis larvae up to 40 days posthatching (DPH). To this end, eggs were collected immediately after spawning during the night and exposed to continuous white light (LL), continuous darkness (DD), or light-dark (LD) 12L:12D cycles of white (LDW), blue (LDB, λpeak = 463 nm), or red light (LDR, λpeak = 685 nm). A filming scenario was designed to video record activity rhythms during day and night times using infrared lights. The results revealed that activity rhythms in LDB and LDW changed from diurnal to nocturnal on days 9 to 10 DPH, coinciding with the onset of metamorphosis. In LDR, sole larvae remained nocturnal throughout the experimental period, while under LL and DD, larvae failed to show any rhythm. In addition, larvae exposed to LDB and LDW had the highest prey capture success rate (LDB = 82.6% ± 2.0%; LDW = 75.1% ± 1.3%) and attack rate (LDB = 54.3% ± 1.9%; LDW = 46.9% ± 3.0%) during the light phase (ML) until 9 DPH. During metamorphosis, the attack and capture success rates in these light conditions were higher during the dark phase (MD), when they showed the same nocturnal behavioral pattern as under LDR conditions. These results revealed that the development of sole larvae is tightly controlled by light characteristics, underlining the importance of the natural underwater photoenvironment (LD cycles of blue wavelengths) for the normal onset of the rhythmic behavior of fish larvae during early ontogenesis.
Circadian Regulation of Bird Song, Call, and Locomotor Behavior by Pineal Melatonin in the Zebra Finch
Authors: Wang Gang , Harpole Clifford E. , Trivedi Amit K. , Cassone Vincent M.
Published: April 2012

As both a photoreceptor and pacemaker in the avian circadian clock system, the pineal gland is crucial for maintaining and synchronizing overt circadian rhythms in processes such as locomotor activity and body temperature through its circadian secretion of the pineal hormone melatonin. In addition to receptor presence in circadian and visual system structures, high-affinity melatonin binding and receptor mRNA are present in the song control system of male oscine passeriform birds. The present study explores the role of pineal melatonin in circadian organization of singing and calling behavior in comparison to locomotor activity under different lighting conditions. Similar to locomotor activity, both singing and calling behavior were regulated on a circadian basis by the central clock system through pineal melatonin, since these behaviors free-ran with a circadian period and since pinealectomy abolished them in constant environmental conditions. Further, rhythmic melatonin administration restored their rhythmicity. However, the rates by which these behaviors became arrhythmic and the rates of their entrainment to rhythmic melatonin administration differed among locomotor activity, singing and calling under constant dim light and constant bright light. Overall, the study demonstrates a role for pineal melatonin in regulating circadian oscillations of avian vocalizations in addition to locomotor activity. It is suggested that these behaviors might be controlled by separable circadian clockworks and that pineal melatonin entrains them all through a circadian clock.
Enhanced repair of segmental bone defects of rats with hVEGF-165 gene-modified endothelial progenitor cells seeded in nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(l-lactic acid) scaffolds
Authors: Wu Dong-Jin , Liu Shu-Ling , Hao Ai-Hua , Zhou Dong-Sheng , Liu Jun-Li , Zhao Jing-Jie , Cui Fu-Zhai , Zhou Cheng-Jun , Wang Xiu-Wen , Ma Sheng-Zhong , Zhang Cheng , Gao Chun-Zheng
Published: April 2012

A new type of tissue-engineered bone was constructed by seeding hVEGF165 gene-modified endothelial progenitor cells into the nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid) scaffolds. These were implanted into the segmental femoral defects of rats to explore the promotion of angiogenesis and osteogenesis. The bone marrow of Sprague Dawley rats was cultured and proliferated, and the endothelial progenitor cells were transfected with Ad5–hVEGF165–EGFP. The gene-modified endothelial progenitor cells were seeded into the nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid) scaffolds; the growth was observed by scanning electron microscope, and the proliferation was evaluated by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. In vivo, 80 Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into four groups; segmental femoral defects (5 mm) were made and allografted: group A with hVEGF165/endothelial progenitor cells–nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid), group B with mock endothelial progenitor cells–nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid), group C with endothelial progenitor cells–nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid), and group D with scaffolds only. Radiographic, histological, and microvessel density tests were performed to evaluate the angiogenic and osteogenic ability. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot results showed that the target gene was expressed by endothelial progenitor cells. The scanning electron microscope findings and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay revealed that endothelial progenitor cells were attached and proliferated within the nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid) scaffolds. The average radiographic score and capillary density were the highest in group A, and those in groups B and C were higher than that of group D. The histology showed osteogenesis and scaffold degradation in group A, with less in groups B and C and little in group D. The hVEGF165 gene-modified endothelial progenitor cells, which promoted angiogenesis and osteogenesis in bone-defected areas and the hVEGF165/endothelial progenitor cells–nanohydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid) composites, may have potential application in repair of segmental bone defects.
Asking Probing Questions in Web Surveys
Authors: Behr Dorothée , Kaczmirek Lars , Bandilla Wolfgang , Braun Michael
Published: April 2012

Cognitive interviewing is a well-established method for evaluating and improving a questionnaire prior to fielding. However, its present implementation brings with it some challenges, notably in terms of small sample sizes or the possibility of interviewer effects. In this study, the authors test web surveys through nonprobability online panels as a supplemental means to implement cognitive interviewing techniques. The overall goal is to tackle the above-mentioned challenges. The focus in this article is on methodological features that pave the way for an eventual successful implementation of category-selection probing in web surveys. The study reports on the results of 1,023 respondents from Germany. In order to identify implementation features that lead to a high number of meaningful answers, the authors explore the effects of (1) different panels, (2) different probing variants, and (3) different numbers of preceding probes on answer quality. The overall results suggest that category-selection probing can indeed be implemented in web surveys. Using data from two panels—a community panel where members can actively get involved, for example, by creating their own polls, and a “conventional” panel where answering surveys is the members' only activity—the authors find that high community involvement does not increase the likelihood to answer probes or produce longer statements. Testing three probing variants that differ in wording and provided context, the authors find that presenting the context of the probe (i.e., the probed item and the respondent’s answer) produces a higher number of meaningful answers. Finally, the likelihood to answer a probe decreases with the number of preceding probes. However, the word count of those who eventually answer the probes slightly increases with an increasing number of probes.
Aircraft used as a sensor for atmospheric behaviour determination. Practical case: pressure estimation using automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast
Authors: Alarcón José F Alonso , Nieto Francisco J Sáez , Carretero Javier García-Heras
Published: April 2012

Knowledge of the characteristics of the atmosphere will benefit future air traffic management systems, particularly the so-called ‘four-dimensional trajectory management’. Trajectory prediction should incorporate variables such as air pressure ( p), wind velocity ( w) and temperature ( T), as well as clouds/visibility, gusts/microbursts and the concentration of particles or other elements that can affect aircraft travel through the atmosphere. Today’s commercial aircraft normally carry equipment that contains automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast system which broadcast usable information that can be used for different purposes. This article explores the characteristics of the information supplied by automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, not for surveillance purposes, but for the provision of valuable atmospheric information that could support four-dimensional trajectory management. It also provides information on the strengths and weaknesses of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast for supporting atmospheric status estimation and on the main differences between the regulatory framework and the information that is currently available from aircraft. Based on data obtained from an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast receiver, the study investigates the possibility to determine the actual atmospheric pressure at different points and then uses a mathematical model to estimate the atmospheric pressure at any desired altitude at any time. It goes on further to assess the accuracy of the international standard atmosphere model based on the recorded data. During the data processing it was realised that not all of the data transmitted from the aircraft referred to the same reference surface, that is either the mean sea level or the height above ellipsoid were used. This ambiguity in the reference surface complicated the data processing, especially when the geoid ondulation value was close to the deviation value of the data.
Reminders of Secular Authority Reduce Believers’ Distrust of Atheists
Authors: Gervais Will M. , Norenzayan Ara
Published: April 2012

Atheists have long been distrusted, in part because they do not believe that a watchful, judging god monitors their behavior. However, in many parts of the world, secular institutions such as police, judges, and courts are also potent sources of social monitoring that encourage prosocial behavior. Reminders of such secular authority could therefore reduce believers’ distrust of atheists. In our experiments, participants who watched a video about police effectiveness (Experiment 1) or were subtly primed with secular-authority concepts (Experiments 2–3) expressed less distrust of atheists than did participants who watched a control video or were not primed, respectively. We tested three distinct alternative explanations for these findings. Compared with control participants, participants primed with secular-authority concepts did not exhibit reduced general prejudice against out-groups (Experiment 1), prejudice reactions associated with functional threats that particular out-groups are perceived to pose (specifically, viewing gays with disgust; Experiment 2), or general distrust of out-groups (Experiment 3). These findings contribute to theory regarding both the psychological bases of prejudices and the psychological functions served by gods and governments.
Future Feminist Theologies
Authors: Clay Megan
Published: April 2012

This article looks briefly at the theological history and contemporary issues surrounding children regarding sexuality and gender and explores what the future of feminist theologies has to offer them as autonomous subjects. Within this I suggest that the cross pollination of ideas from art, quantum theology and the new cosmology can enrich the future of feminist theologies by opening up the theological debate to new ways of thinking, doing and living more justly. The inclusion of children’s embodied lives in the bigger theological cosmological picture allows us to engage with their subjectivity; it also challenges existing patriarchal values that dominate and affect the future flourishing of our radical human equality, the equality of all life and the planet Earth itself.
Recognizing the Full Spectrum of Gender? Transgender, Intersex and the Futures of Feminist Theology
Authors: Cornwall Susannah
Published: April 2012

The recognition that female embodiment and feminine experience are legitimate and specific sites of the revelation of God’s love has been one of the most significant developments in theology in the last hundred years. However, an over-emphasis on feminine experience as supervening on female embodiment risks erasing unusual sex-gender body-stories and perpetuating the idea that only some bodies can mediate the divine. Feminist Theology’s future must involve a re-examination and re-negotiation of what it is to be feminist theologians without fixed gender essences. Does Feminist Theology have space to hear from and nurture the voices of those whose gender experiences (especially as transgender, ‘third’ or otherwise) challenge a binary, either-or model? Can Feminist Theology, in contrast to much secular feminist theory, give space at the table to those whose sex-gender life stories undermine the notion that there is such a thing as a common or biologically-contingent feminine experience in the first place?
It All Began with Miriam… Feminist Theology’s Journey from Liberation to Reconciliation
Authors: Grey Mary
Published: April 2012

This article combines my journey in Feminist Theology from Liberation to Reconciliation, with a deep appreciation of the late Catherine Halkes, a great influence in my life and a European foremother for Feminist Theology. The emergence of Feminist Theology globally was based on the contextual struggle for justice in society and religion. This evoked new awareness, academic disciplines, culture and spirituality, and in an eccesial dimension inspired the Woman Church movement. Evaluating progress and acknowledging tensions, it is time to take new directions – including visions of liberation that aim for peace with justice, flourishing and ecological wellbeing – contained appropriately by the concept ‘praxis of reconciliation’.
The Development of Feminist Theology: Becoming Increasingly Global and Interfaith
Authors: Ruether Rosemary Radford
Published: April 2012

Feminist Theology is not just a western phenomenon. It has roots in many traditions. After its development in the United States in the 1970s, it quickly expanded to include black, Latina and Asian women in the US. At the same time third world women in Africa, Asia and Latin America were developing Feminist Theology and it was finding expression in Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Today Feminist Theology is both global and interreligious.
The Future is Female: Revisioning Feminism For/With the Next Generation
Authors: Clack Beverley
Published: April 2012

This article begins with personal reflections on becoming a feminist. I reflect on the way my feminism has shaped my work as an academic and writer. Particular attention is paid to the importance of restating feminist principles for a turbulent age where the gains of the women’s movement are under threat. If these reflections aim to restate feminist claims for the present and future, the reflections that follow from a number of young women suggest ways in which the Next Generation are also thinking again – or perhaps for the first time – about the claims of feminism and the relevance to their lives.
Buying In, Edging Out: Perspectives on Contemporary Global Health Financing among Thailand’s Malaria Community
Authors: Buergi Birgit R.
Published: April 2012

The first signs of an unprecedented form of drug resistance, identified along the Thai–Cambodia border, have reawakened scientific interest in the discovery of new anti-malarial treatments. Innovation in malaria financing policy geared to promote wider access to effective and safe malaria drugs through coordinated investment practices of large global health donors has significantly contributed to invigorate international product research and development (R&D). This article seeks to explore the elementary question of what the increment in global funding for malaria control and elimination has done, not for, but to the Thai malaria policy and research community. Drawing on ethnographic research, it first examines how public–private partnership arrangements in this bioscientific and biomedical field have helped close the product innovation cycle of a non-profit-based drug developer. Second, it asks in what ways the successful resolution of an earlier disjunction between drug safety and efficacy studies and drug discovery has impinged on the working relationships between two local communities of practice. I set out my notion of ‘disconnected connectivities’ to analyze this dynamic between the global and the local to elucidate how the global inclusivity that collaborative financing instruments and mechanisms provide spurs unanticipated forms of exclusion within the international malaria science enterprise.
Similarities and Differences of Self-Care Behaviors Between Korean Americans and Caucasian Americans With Heart Failure
Authors: Jang Yeonsoo , Toth Jean , Yoo Hyera
Published: April 2012

Purpose:

To compare the differences of self-care behaviors between Korean Americans with heart failure (HF) and Caucasian Americans with HF.

Method:

Ninety ( N = 90) participants (45 Korean Americans and 45 Caucasian Americans) were recruited for this study. A two-group, comparative, descriptive design using the Revised Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale was used to assess self-care behaviors.

Results:

Self-care behavior was not significantly different between the two groups ( p > .05). However, culture-specific self-care behaviors were evident between two racial groups.

Discussion:

Implementation of culturally congruent education programs could be useful in preventing and managing HF. Further studies comparing self-care behaviors should be conducted in diverse racial populations.