bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric Rivers and Flooding over the Central United States
Authors: Lavers David A. , Villarini Gabriele
Published: August 2013

This paper undertakes a hydrometeorological analysis of flood events in the central United States. Vertically integrated horizontal water vapor transport over 1979–2011 is calculated in the ECMWF Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) and used in an algorithm to identify episodes of high moisture transport, or atmospheric rivers (ARs), over the central United States. The AR events are almost evenly divided among the seasons (143 during the winter, 144 during the spring, and 124 during the fall), with a minimum (40) during the summer. The annual maxima (AM) floods from 1105 basins over the period 1980–2011 are used as a measure of the hydrologic impact of the AR events. Of these basins, 470 (or 42.5%) had more than 50% of their AM floods linked to ARs. Furthermore, 660 of the 1105 basins (59.7%) had 5 or more of their top 10 AM floods related to ARs, indicating that ARs control the upper tail of the flood peak distribution over large portions of the study area. The seasonal composite average of mean sea level pressure anomalies associated with the ARs shows a trough located over the central United States and a ridge over the U.S. East Coast, leading to southerly winds and the advection of moisture over the study region. Based on the findings of this study, ARs are a major flood agent over the central United States.
Development of a Mesoscale Ensemble Data Assimilation System at the Naval Research Laboratory
Authors: Zhao Qingyun , Zhang Fuqing , Holt Teddy , Bishop Craig H. , Xu Qin
Published: August 2013

An ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been adopted and implemented at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for mesoscale and storm-scale data assimilation to study the impact of ensemble assimilation of high-resolution observations, including those from Doppler radars, on storm prediction. The system has been improved during its implementation at NRL to further enhance its capability of assimilating various types of meteorological data. A parallel algorithm was also developed to increase the system’s computational efficiency on multiprocessor computers. The EnKF has been integrated into the NRL mesoscale data assimilation system and extensively tested to ensure that the system works appropriately with new observational data stream and forecast systems. An innovative procedure was developed to evaluate the impact of assimilated observations on ensemble analyses with no need to exclude any observations for independent validation (as required by the conventional evaluation based on data-denying experiments). The procedure was employed in this study to examine the impacts of ensemble size and localization on data assimilation and the results reveal a very interesting relationship between the ensemble size and the localization length scale. All the tests conducted in this study demonstrate the capabilities of the EnKF as a research tool for mesoscale and storm-scale data assimilation with potential operational applications.
Enactment and the Emergence of New Relational Organization
Authors:   The Boston Change Process Study Group
Published: August 2013

Enactments are investigated from the process-oriented focus of our therapeutic approach. By embedding their occurrence within the on-going flow of nonlinear dyadic process, we focus on the subtle back-and-forth between patient and analyst, as well as the importance of what we call now moments. An alternative to the dissociative self-state model is offered that emphasizes implicit memory processes in bodily comportment and style of relating with others. We suggest that change occurs through the emergence of new relational (i.e., procedural) skills within a therapeutic relationship that is self-organizing at more inclusive levels. Treating enactment as an emergent property of the dyad means not concentrating on the level of the individual components of a system. Rather, it means regarding enactment as a property of the entire system, without which there would be no emergent property. Going forward, we suggest use of the term relational apprehension in referring to the complex process of grasping a gestalt of relational meaning as an integration of perceptions, feelings, images and imaginings, sensations, fantasies, thoughts, and intuitions. Two brief case vignettes from the literature are discussed in order to illustrate this view.
Synthesis and characterization of boron-doped bismuth oxide-erbium oxide fiber derived nanocomposite precursor
Authors: Aytimur Arda , Koçyiğit Serhat , Uslu İbrahim , Durmuşoğlu Şenol , Akdemir Ahmet
Published: August 2013

In this study, boron doped and undoped Bi2O3-Er2O3 nanocomposite fibers were produced via electrospinning technique. Obtained fibers were turned into ceramics via calcination process. Obtained nanocomposite fibers and ceramics were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. X-ray diffraction results show that boron undoped Bi2O3-Er2O3 ceramic consisted of face-centered cubic Bi2O3-Er2O3 phase. However, boron doped Bi2O3-Er2O3 ceramic consisted of orthorhombic phase. Crystallite sizes of the ceramics were evaluated using Scherrer’s equation. Crystallite sizes of boron doped and undoped ceramics were calculated as 50 and 17 nm, respectively. The average fiber diameters for boron doped and undoped poly vinyl alcohol/Bi-Er acetate nanofibers were calculated as 79 nm and 96 nm, respectively. The Brunauer Emmett teller results show that boron undoped and doped Bi2O3-Er2O3 nanocrystalline powder ceramic structures sintered at 800℃ have surface area of 20.44 and 12.93 m2/g, respectively.
Specifying the Sources of Misperceptions of Peer Deviance
Authors: Boman John H. , Young Jacob T. N. , Baldwin Julie Marie , Meldrum Ryan C.
Published: August 2013

“Peer deviance” is normally measured through one’s perceptions of the deviant behavior of friends. However, recent research suggests that peer deviance perceptions may be inaccurate and unreflective of a peer’s actual deviance. Using dyadic data, the current study addresses the potential for three distinct sources of misperceptions of peer deviance stemming from (a) the actor who generates the perception, (b) the friend about whose deviance is perceived, and (c) the friendship between the actor and the friend. Using multilevel regression alongside analyses of variance (ANOVAs), results demonstrate that misperceptions, overperceptions, and underperceptions of peer deviance occur frequently and systematically covary with the deviant behavior of the perceiver, the friend, and the total amount of deviance within the friendship.
Attenuation of Sepsis‐Induced Organ Injury in Mice by Vitamin C
Authors: Fisher Bernard J. , Kraskauskas Donatas , Martin Erika J. , Farkas Daniela , Puri Puneet , Massey H. Davis , Idowu Michael O. , Brophy Donald F. , Voelkel Norbert F. , Fowler Alpha A. , Natarajan Ramesh
Published: August 2013

Background: Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is the principal cause of death in patients with sepsis. Recent work supports the notion that parenteral vitamin C (VitC) is protective in sepsis through pleiotropic mechanisms. Whether suboptimal levels of circulating VitC increase susceptibility to sepsis‐induced MODS is unknown. Materials and Methods: Unlike mice, humans lack the ability to synthesize VitC because of loss of L‐gulono‐γ‐lactone oxidase (Gulo), the final enzyme in the biosynthesis of VitC. To examine whether physiological levels of VitC are required for defense against a catastrophic infection, we induced sepsis in VitC sufficient and VitC deficient Gulo−/− mice by intraperitoneal infusion of a fecal stem solution (FIP). Some VitC deficient Gulo−/− mice received a parenteral infusion of ascorbic acid (AscA, 200 mg/kg) 30 minutes after induction of FIP. We used molecular, histological, and biochemical analyses to assess for MODS as well as abnormalities in the coagulation system and circulating blood cells. Results: FIP produced injury to lungs, kidneys and liver (MODS) in VitC deficient Gulo−/− mice. MODS was not evident in FIP‐exposed VitC sufficient Gulo−/− mice and attenuated in VitC deficient Gulo−/− mice infused with AscA. Septic VitC deficient Gulo−/− mice developed significant abnormalities in the coagulation system and circulating blood cells. These were attenuated by VitC sufficiency/infusion in septic Gulo−/− mice. Conclusions: VitC deficient Gulo−/− mice were more susceptible to sepsis‐induced MODS. VitC sufficiency or parenteral infusion of VitC, following induction of sepsis, normalized physiological functions that attenuated the development of MODS in sepsis.
Alliance Portfolio Configurations and Competitive Action Frequency
Authors: Andrevski Goce , Brass Daniel J. , Ferrier Walter J.
Published: August 2013

We advance competitive dynamics research by introducing alliance portfolio configuration as an important antecedent of competitive action frequency. We propose and test a model for developing effective alliance portfolio configurations that enhance a firm’s ability to discover, conceptualize, and carry out new competitive actions. Our model consists of three overlapping components: (a) opportunity recognition capacity as evidenced by the portfolio attribute of structural holes, (b) opportunity development capacity as indicated by R&D alliance scope, and (c) action execution capacity as exhibited by equity alliances with trusted partners. We hypothesize and find a multiplicative effect of the configuration of all three alliance portfolio attributes on the frequency of competitive actions carried out by 12 large global automobile manufacturing firms with 1,471 unique partners and 37,520 alliances formed over a 16-year period (1988 to 2003). The three-way configuration of portfolio attributes was stronger for more complex competitive actions requiring more time, expertise, and resources to develop and execute.
Institutions and Maintenance: The Repair Work of Italian Professions
Authors: Micelotta Evelyn R. , Washington Marvin
Published: August 2013

This paper contributes to extending institutional theory by theorizing institutional maintenance as a process of repair and empirically examining repair work in a professional setting. Our in-depth, longitudinal case study illustrates how Italian professions—led by two professional associations—rebuffed the decisive intervention of the Italian Government to coercively reform the professional service sector and reconstituted institutional arrangements that had been severely disrupted. The paper advances theory on the resilience of institutions by showing that maintenance repair work enables powerful incumbents to reverse change and re-establish the status quo.
Records surveys in support of a framework for managing public records in Zimbabwe
Authors: Chaterera Forget , Ngulube Patrick , Rodrigues Antonio
Published: August 2013

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that records surveys are a critical function that supports a framework for managing public records. The study was motivated by the recognition that the key step in ensuring that records are properly managed on a continuing basis at each stage of the life cycle is to examine all records created and maintained by an office through, among other activities, conducting a records and information management survey. The study employed a quantitative methodology to gather data using self-administered questionnaires completed by registry supervisors working in government ministries, face-to-face interviews held with former and current National Archives of Zimbabwe archivists and records management assistants as well as content analysis of records survey reports. The findings revealed that records surveys are a strong pillar supporting the framework for managing public records in Zimbabwe. However, most public registries have not yet realized the benefits of records surveys due to the difficulties that hinder them from implementing the recommendations. The study recommends that key records management activities such as records appraisal, developing a vital records management programme and creating retention and disposal schedules may be effectively managed if the recommendations of records surveys are implemented by public registries in Zimbabwe.
Cost-Effectiveness on a Local Level
Authors: Woertman Willem H. , Van De Wetering Gijs , Adang Eddy M. M.
Published: August 2013

Cost-effectiveness analysis has become a widely accepted tool for decision making in health care. The standard textbook cost-effectiveness analysis focuses on whether to make the switch from an old or common practice technology to an innovative technology, and in doing so, it takes a global perspective. In this article, we are interested in a local perspective, and we look at the questions of whether and when the switch from old to new should be made. A new approach to cost-effectiveness from a local (e.g., a hospital) perspective, by means of a mathematical model for cost-effectiveness that explicitly incorporates time, is proposed. A decision rule is derived for establishing whether a new technology should be adopted, as well as a general rule for establishing when it pays to postpone adoption by 1 more period, and a set of decision rules that can be used to determine the optimal timing of adoption. Finally, a simple example is presented to illustrate our model and how it leads to optimal decision making in a number of cases.
Pediatric Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Bozic Molly A. , Subbarao Girish , Molleston Jean P.
Published: August 2013

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the pediatric population. Increased recognition of this form of liver disease parallels the dramatic rise in childhood and adolescent obesity over the past 2 decades. Like adults, most children with NAFLD are obese, and comorbidities include insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Unfortunately, pediatric NAFLD is not always a benign condition, with some children progressing to hepatic fibrosis and even cirrhosis in severe cases. The etiology of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is not yet fully understood; however, hepatic steatosis in the context of insulin resistance and increased oxidative stress may lead to progressive disease. Although physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and radiographic findings provide clues to the potential presence of fatty liver disease, liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Lifestyle modification, including slow and steady weight loss, improved dietary habits, and increased daily, aerobic physical activity, remains the first‐line approach in treating pediatric fatty liver disease. Antioxidant pharmacologic therapy such as use of vitamin E has shown some benefit in patients with biopsy‐proven steatohepatitis. Nutrition plays an essential role not only in the development of fatty liver disease but also potentially in the treatment and prevention of progression to more severe disease.
Examining Wedding Rituals through a Multidimensional Gender Lens
Authors: Fairchild Emily
Published: August 2013

This paper examines weddings, which are rife with gendered conventions, as a window into processes of gender (re)production. More specifically, it addresses the theoretical question of the relationships among dimensions of gender—individual, interactional, and institutional—via ethnographic data evidencing both consistency and contradiction among levels. While there is evidence that the institutional dimension is reflected in individuals’ assumptions regarding what a wedding should be, and this leads to reproduction of convention in the interactional dimension, I also find ways in which the institutional dimension is inconsistent with individuals’ understandings and their gendered relationships. I identify these inconsistencies as “visibility cues” that make assumptions evident and allow for alternative gender performances. In all, this research answers calls for a more complex understanding of gender as multidimensional and provides an analytic tool for continuing this work, while utilizing a micro-level focus that complements existing studies of the inequality inherent in the American “white wedding.”
Mingling and imitating in producing spaces for knowing and being: Insights from a Finnish study of child–matter intra-action
Authors: Rautio Pauliina
Published: August 2013

Child–matter relations are often approached teleologically: as serving a distinct purpose often related to socialization and/or development as maturation. Unless these approaches are diversified, children’s relations to their material surroundings are reduced to instrumental activity the significance of which is predetermined and known by adults. This article is based on a study with 12 Finnish children of ages four to seven, exemplifying a new materialist and post-humanist approach to child–matter relations as intra-active. Children’s engagement with ‘things’ is considered intrinsically relevant: as an end in itself. The questions asked are: How do children and their material surroundings intra-act? What is produced in this intra-action? Two characteristics of child–matter intra-action are identified as mingling and imitating. What the intra-action is seen to produce are spaces of open-ended and de-individualized knowing and being.
Performance evaluation of a new fourth-generation HIV Ag/Ab combination electrochemiluminescence immunoassay – evaluation of a new HIV assay
Authors: Wang Tingting , Li Dongdong , Yan Kening , Yuan Yu , Yang Tingfu , Du Xiaoqing , Yan Xuedan , Tao Chuanmin , Wang Lanlan
Published: August 2013

A new fourth-generation HIV Ag/Ab electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for screening of HIV infection, the Elecsys® HIV Combi PT (Roche Diagnostics, Penzberg, Germany) assay, is going to be commercially available in clinical laboratories in China. This assay was evaluated and compared with two commonly used assays: Elecsys® HIV Combi assay and the Livzon anti-HIV-1/2 ELISA. Commercially available panels and 30 established HIV infection samples were tested to evaluate the sensitivity. In addition, a total of 675 routine clinical samples were collected and tested in West China Hospital to compare the specificity. Any reactive result from a screening test was retested and all reactive retested samples were confirmed with Western blot assay, Elecsys® HIV Ag test, Elecsys® HIV Ag confirmatory test or HIV-1 RNA NAT testing. According to the results of the HIV seroconversion panels, the Elecsys® HIV Combi PT could detect seroconversion at the same bleed or at least one bleed earlier compared to the other two assays. Among the 675 clinical samples, most results were consistent except for one specimen with a false-negative result using Elecsys® HIV Combi assay. In conclusion, the Elecsys® HIV Combi PT has shown satisfactory sensitivity and specificity to be a screening test for HIV infection.
The DNA methyl transferase inhibitor, 5′-aza-2-deoxycitidine, enhances the apoptotic effect of Mevastatin in human leukemia HL-60 cells
Authors: Yilmaz A , Menevse S , Konac E , Alp E
Published: August 2013

Statins induce antiproliferative effects and apoptotic response in various cancer cell types. Moreover, they also sensitize tumor cell lines from different origins to many agents. We aimed to investigate possible effects of Mevastatin (Mev) alone and sequential treatment of 5′-aza-2-deoxycitidine (DAC) and Mev on HL-60 cell line using XTT (2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) assay, lactate dehydrogenase release assay, flourescence microscopy, DNA fragmentation analysis, determination of DNA synthesis rate, and active caspase-3 assay. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of apoptotic and antiapoptotic genes were also evaluated by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for BAX, BCL2, and XIAP genes and quantitative Real-time PCR for CASP3, CASP8, and CASP9 genes. We showed that treatment with Mev alone and DAC followed by Mev resulted in apoptotic response in a time- and dose-dependent manner. We also found that pretreatment with DAC sensitized HL-60 cells to Mev and caused more apoptotic cell death than Mev-alone treatment via caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation. Moreover, sequential addition of Mev after DAC diminished DNA synthesis rate more effectively than Mev-alone treatment. Furthermore, DAC pretreatment significantly increased CASP3 and CASP9 mRNA expression even with lower doses of Mev. BAX, BCL2, and XIAP gene mRNA levels were also found to be changed in the presence of DAC and Mev. Determination of the exact molecular effects of statins and DAC would allow us to identify new molecular targets to develop more effective treatment regimens for cancer.
Does Negative Affect Always Narrow and Positive Affect Always Broaden the Mind? Considering the Influence of Motivational Intensity on Cognitive Scope
Authors: Harmon-Jones Eddie , Gable Philip A. , Price Tom F.
Published: August 2013

Research over the last 5 decades has suggested that negative affective states narrow cognitive scope, whereas positive affective states broaden cognitive scope. An examination of this past research, however, reveals that only negative affects of high motivational intensity (e.g., fear, stress) and positive affects of low motivational intensity (e.g., gratitude, amusement) may have been examined. Consequently, over the last 5 years, research has examined positive and negative affects that are low (e.g., sadness) versus high (e.g., desire) in motivational intensity. This research has found that affects of low motivational intensity broaden cognitive scope whereas affects of high motivational intensity narrow cognitive scope, regardless of the positivity or negativity of the affective state.
Retrieval Expectations Affect False Recollection: Insights From a Criterial Recollection Task
Authors: Gallo David A.
Published: August 2013

People use retrieval expectations to guide the accuracy of recollection attempts. This retrieval monitoring process minimizes illusory or false recollection, especially when the to-be-remembered events are distinctive. Our work with a criterial recollection task reveals that this monitoring process primarily depends on qualitative features of recollected information, an aspect of memory that can be dissociated from traditional measures of recollection frequency and familiarity. Neuroimaging and brain damage studies further indicate that this monitoring process relies on prefrontal regions that coordinate memory retrieval. This research helps explain why older adults are sometimes more susceptible to false recollection. More generally, this research highlights the importance of different kinds of recollected events and corresponding retrieval expectations in determining memory accuracy.
Decisions With Uncertainty: The Glass Half Full
Authors: Joslyn Susan , LeClerc Jared
Published: August 2013

Each of us makes important decisions involving uncertainty in domains in which we are not experts, such as retirement planning, medical treatment, and precautions against severe weather. Often, reliable information about uncertainty is available to us, although how effectively we incorporate it into the decision process remains in question. Previous research suggests that people are error-prone when reasoning with probability. However, recent research in weather-related decision making is more encouraging. Unlike earlier work that compares people’s decisions with a rational standard, this research compares decisions made by people with and without uncertainty information. The results suggest that including specific numeric uncertainty estimates in weather forecasts increases trust and gives people a better idea of what to expect in terms of both the range of possible outcomes and the amount of uncertainty in the particular situation, all of which benefit precautionary decisions. However, the advantage for uncertainty estimates depends critically on how they are expressed. It is crucial that the expression is compatible with both the decision task and cognitive processes of the user.
Potential Pitfalls in PPP Policy Application: Lessons Learned from National Highway Development Programmes in India
Authors: Tsukada Shunso
Published: August 2013

Successfully implementing public–private partnerships (PPP) depend on the establishment of effective policy and institutional frameworks. While such factors play a significant role, practitioners often face obstacles posed by other less visible, and often indefinable, factors. The purpose of this article is to identify such X factors which had delayed the delivery of the National Highway Development Programmes in India, where well-defined policy and institutional frameworks are in place. This article finds that the entangled nature of inter-agency relationships and the resultant faulty selection of PPP policy options were the root causes of delay, which then invited a chain reaction that slowed down the entire process.
Ambivalence and Its Influence on Participation in Screening for Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Oster Candice , Zajac Ian , Flight Ingrid , Hart Elizabeth , Young Graeme P. , Wilson Carlene , Turnbull Deborah
Published: August 2013

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, and an ideal target for early detection and prevention through cancer screening. Unfortunately, rates of participation in screening are less than adequate. In this article we explore why people who were offered a fecal immunochemical test for CRC decided to participate or not, and for those who did participate, what influenced them to take action and complete the test. We conducted four focus groups and 30 telephone interviews with 63 people. The main reason people decided to screen was “wanting to know” their CRC status, which operated on a continuum ranging from wanting to know, through varying degrees of ambivalence, to not wanting to know. The majority of participants expressed ambivalence about CRC screening, and the main cue to action was the opportunity to screen without being too inconvenienced.
Paget Cells in Endometrial and Endocervical Curettings in a Patient With Recurrent Vulvar Paget’s Disease
Authors: Clayton Erica F. , Rubin Stephen C. , Dumoff Kimberly L.
Published: August 2013

Introduction. Paget’s disease of the vulva is a rare malignancy primarily affecting Caucasian women in their seventh to eighth decades. Most patients experience an indolent disease course and undergo surgical excision for disease control. Although progression to invasive adenocarcinoma is rare, recurrence is common because of the difficulty of achieving negative surgical margins. Case presentation. We report a case of a 73-year-old woman with a long-standing history of recurrent vulvar Paget’s disease who presented with postmenopausal bleeding. Workup revealed extensive endocervical involvement by Paget’s disease, resulting in Paget cells on endocervical curettage, as well as endometrial curettage (because of cervical contamination). Conclusion. Extensive endocervical involvement by vulvar Paget’s disease can occur despite multiple reexcisions and topical therapy. The presence of Paget cells on endometrial and endocervical curettings, particularly in patients without visible vulvar or cervical lesions, should raise suspicion of endocervical involvement and prompt further evaluation of disease extension.
Chatter detection in milling machines by neural network classification and feature selection
Authors: Lamraoui Mourad , Barakat Mustapha , Thomas Marc , Badaoui Mohamed El
Published: August 2013

In modern industry, milling is an important tool when a high material removal rate is required. Chatter detection in this situation is a crucial step for improving surface quality and reducing both noise and rapid wear of the cutting tool. This paper proposes a new methodology for the chatter detection in computer numerical control milling machines. This methodology is based on vibratory signal analysis and artificial intelligence. The methodology consists of five major steps: (1) data acquisition, (2) signal processing, (3) features generation, (4) features selection and (5) classification. As chatter components occur around system resonance frequencies, a multiband resonance filtering method is proposed at the processing step. The process is then followed by envelope analysis. This allows the signal-to-noise ratio to be increased and the sensitivity of generated features to be increased. Extracted features are then ranked based on their entropy in which only best features are selected and presented to the system for classification. At the classification step, the selected features are classified into two classes: stable and unstable utilizing neural networks. Two neural network approaches, radial basis function and multi-layer perceptrons, are tested. The developed approach is applied for chatter detection in a Huron K2X10 milling machine. This approach is tested on a milling machine at different depths of cut and various rotational speeds. Discussions are made and the results confirm the accuracy of the proposed methodology.
A Conceptual Framework for Understanding and Reducing Overuse by Primary Care Providers
Authors: Powell Adam A. , Bloomfield Hanna E. , Burgess Diana J. , Wilt Timothy J. , Partin Melissa R.
Published: August 2013

Primary care providers frequently recommend, administer, or prescribe health care services that are unlikely to benefit their patients. Yet little is known about how to reduce provider overuse behavior. In the absence of a theoretically grounded causal framework, it is difficult to predict the contexts under which different types of interventions to reduce provider overuse will succeed and under which they will fail. In this article, we present a framework based on the theory of planned behavior that is designed to guide overuse research and intervention development. We describe categories of primary care provider beliefs that lead to the formation of intentions to assess the appropriateness of services, and propose factors that may affect whether the presence of assessment intentions results in an appropriate recommendation. Interventions that have been commonly used to address provider overuse behavior are reviewed within the context of the framework.
Variational analysis of a thermomechanically coupled quasi-steady rolling problem
Authors: Angelov TA
Published: August 2013

In this work, a thermomechanically coupled rolling problem with nonlocal contact, Coulomb’s friction and heat exchange boundary conditions, for incompressible rigid-plastic, temperature-, equivalent strain- and strain-rate-dependent materials, is considered. A coupled variational formulation, consisting of a nonlinear variational inequality for the velocity, a nonlinear variational equation for the temperature and an evolution equation for the equivalent strain, is derived. A variable stiffness parameters method is proposed, its convergence is proved and existence and uniqueness results are obtained.
Contesting urban modernity: Moral leisure in south Beirut
Authors: Harb Mona , Deeb Lara
Published: August 2013

The urban scholarship on Beirut often focuses either on the reconstruction of its downtown area controlled by the private real estate company Solidere, or on its poor southern suburbs (Dahiya) dominated by the Shi‵i Islamic political party, Hizbullah. Downtown is strongly associated with an urban ‘modern’ model that generates pride for Lebanese, while Dahiya is defamed as a less modern urban space, unworthy of consideration as part of Beirut’s urban modernity. This article explores the contested urban modernity of Beirut through an investigation of the new moral leisure sector that has spread across the southern suburb. It challenges the simplistic distinction and valuation of urban spaces in Beirut, and argues for a more complex understanding of urban modernity that encompasses spaces of the city where the features that produce urban modernity are multiple and contested.
The limitations of localization: A cross-cultural comparative study of Farmer Wants a Wife
Authors: van Keulen Jolien , Krijnen Tonny
Published: August 2013

Despite globalization, television is still bound to the nation-state in several aspects. The international television industry meets the national in the cross-border exchange of television content. Canned programming can hereby run into cultural barriers, which TV formats presumably can overcome, due to localization. Formats are translated to local versions that presumably suit national culture and identity. In globalization debates, localization is being used as an argument against cultural homogenization. However, there is little comparative work reviewing the extent to which TV formats are culturally specific. By comparing linguistic, intertextual and cultural codes in the Dutch and the Australian version of the British reality TV format Farmer wants a Wife, we will argue that localization of TV formats might be overrated as protection of cultural diversity.
Patient satisfaction with participation in a randomized exercise trial: Effects of randomization and a usual care posttrial exercise program
Authors: Courneya Kerry S , Forbes Cynthia C , Trinh Linda , Sellar Christopher M , Friedenreich Christine M , Reiman Tony
Published: August 2013

Background

Participation in an exercise trial is a major commitment for cancer survivors, but few exercise trials have evaluated patient satisfaction with trial participation.

Purpose

To examine patient satisfaction with participation in the Healthy Exercise for Lymphoma Patients (HELP) Trial and to explore possible determinants.

Methods

The HELP Trial randomized 122 lymphoma patients to 12 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise training (AET; n = 60) or to usual care (UC; n = 62), with the option of participating in a 4-week posttrial exercise program. At the 6-month follow-up assessment, participants evaluated their overall trial satisfaction.

Results

Personal satisfaction with trial participation was strongly influenced by group assignment with participants randomized to AET reporting participation to be more rewarding (p < 0.001) and personally useful (p < 0.001) than participants randomized to UC. UC participants who completed the optional 4-week posttrial exercise program reported participation to be more rewarding (p = 0.008) and personally useful (p < 0.001) than UC participants who declined the program.

Limitations

The study is limited by the lack of a validated measure of participant satisfaction, and the fact that the offer of participation in the posttrial exercise program to the UC group was not randomized.

Conclusions

Lymphoma patients randomized to UC viewed it as less rewarding and personally useful despite being offered a 4-week posttrial exercise program. UC participants who completed the 4-week program reported personal satisfaction levels similar to the AET group; however, the causal direction of this association is unknown. Researchers should continue to evaluate participant satisfaction in exercise trials.
The English North-South divide: risk factors for cardiovascular disease accounting for cross-sectional socio-economic position
Authors: Kumar Raekha , Dalton Andrew RH
Published: August 2013

Aims:

Given a North-South divide in mortality in England, we aimed to assess the extent of a North-South divide in risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), controlling for markers of socio-economic position (SEP).

Methods:

We undertook cross-sectional analyses using respondents from the 2006 Health Survey for England. We assessed mean systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, body mass index (BMI) and smoking prevalence in the two regions. We built nested regression models adding demographic factors, SEP indicators, behavioural risk factors, vascular disease status and CVD preventive medications stepwise into each model. We examined interactions between region, age and gender.

Results:

Controlling for demographic variables, we found a northern excess in systolic blood pressure (+1.95mmHg (SE = 0.40)), BMI (0.40kgm-2 (SE = 0.12)) and smoking prevalence (5.6% (SE = 1.1)). The difference in smoking prevalence was entirely abolished by markers of SEP. Systolic blood pressure and BMI differences were attenuated by SEP, behavioural and disease indicators, but remained (+1.63mmHg (SE = 0.41) and 0.25kgm-2 (SE = 0.12), respectively). However, they were lost after adjustment for preventive medication. The North-South divide in systolic blood pressure was attributed to differences in men and younger-to-middle-aged groups. Northern respondents were more physically active, especially younger men.

Conclusions:

English North-South differences in smoking can be explained through adverse, cross-sectional SEP. Northern excesses in blood pressure and BMI may be associated with differential clinical management. Risk factor differences may, in part, explain a previously found North-South divide in mortality. Further exploration of geographic inequalities, concentrating on the impact of healthcare, may be warranted.
Tapping Mindfulness to Shape Hotel Guests’ Sustainable Behavior
Authors: Barber Nelson A. , Deale Cynthia
Published: August 2013

The characteristic of mindfulness is ascribed to people who have a relatively greater awareness of their surroundings and of other people. This study finds that assessing guests’ mindfulness helps hoteliers make those guests aware of and responsive to hotels’ sustainability practices. This process invokes specific elements of mindfulness, including guests’ concern for society and others, their preferences for mindful information services, the benefits they seek from a hotel experience, and their demographic characteristics. This study indicated that highly mindful individuals were more concerned for others and society as a whole and search for products and services that have high emotional and environmental benefits. By understanding guests’ mindfulness, hotel managers may help guests to respond to hotels’ careful stewardship of the environment by engaging in sustainable consumerism.
Measures of Implicit Attitudes May Conceal Differences in Implicit Associations
Authors: Gonsalkorale Karen , Sherman Jeffrey W. , Klauer Karl Christoph
Published: August 2013

Performance on implicit attitude measures is influenced both by the nature of activated evaluative associations and by people’s ability to regulate those associations as they respond. One consequence is that identical implicit attitude scores may conceal different underlying processes. This study demonstrated this phenomenon and also shed light on the nature of age differences in antiaging bias on implicit attitude measures. Although younger and older participants demonstrated equivalent levels of antiaging bias on an Implicit Association Test (IAT), application of the Quad model showed that antiold associations were less activated among older than younger adults, but that older adults were less able to overcome these associations in performing the task. Thus, the lack of age differences in IAT performance concealed differences in both underlying evaluative associations and the ability to control those associations. These findings have important implications for the measurement and interpretation of implicit attitudes.
Salvaging the Pullout Strength of Stripped Screws in Osteoporotic Bone
Authors: Pechon Pierre H. M. , Mears Simon C. , Langdale Evan R. , Belkoff Stephen M.
Published: August 2013

Our goal was to determine whether the pullout strength of stripped screw holes in osteoporotic bone could be increased with readily available materials from the operating room. We inserted 3.5-mm stainless steel nonlocking self-tapping cortical screws bicortically into 5 osteoporotic humeri. Each screw was first stripped by rotating it 1 full turn past maximum torque. In the control group, the screw was pulled out using an MTS machine (858; MTS Inc, Eden Prairie, Minnesota). In the treatment groups, the screw was removed, the hole was augmented with 1 of the 3 materials (stainless steel wire, polysorb suture, or polyethylene terephthalate glycol plastic sheet), and the screws were replaced and then pulled out. The effect of material on pullout strength was checked for significance ( P < .05) using a general linearized latent and mixed model (Stata10; StataCorp, College Station, Texas). The mean (95% confidence interval) pullout strength for the unaugmented hole was 138 N (range 88-189), whereas the holes augmented with plastic, suture, or wire had mean pullout strengths of 255 N (range 177-333), 228 N (range 149-308), and 396 N (range 244-548), respectively. Although wire augmentation resulted in pullout strength that was significantly greater than that of the unaugmented screw, it was still below that of the intact construct.
Involuntary Memories and Dissociative Amnesia
Authors: Berntsen Dorthe , Rubin David C.
Published: August 2013

Autobiographical memories of trauma victims often are described as disturbed in two ways. First, the trauma frequently is reexperienced in the form of involuntary, intrusive recollections. Second, the trauma is difficult to recall voluntarily (strategically); important parts may be totally or partially inaccessible—a feature known as dissociative amnesia. These characteristics often are mentioned by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) researchers and are included as PTSD symptoms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-IV-TR as well as DSM-5). In contrast, we have shown that both involuntary recall and voluntary recall are enhanced by emotional stress during encoding. We also have shown that the PTSD symptom in the diagnosis addressing dissociative amnesia—trouble remembering important aspects of the trauma—is less well correlated with the remaining PTSD symptoms than the conceptual reversal of having trouble forgetting important aspects of the trauma. Our findings contradict key assumptions that have shaped PTSD research during the past 40 years.
Childhood Adversity and Cumulative Life Stress
Authors: Bower Julienne E. , Crosswell Alexandra D. , Slavich George M.
Published: August 2013

Fatigue is a common symptom in healthy and clinical populations, including cancer survivors. However, risk factors for cancer-related fatigue have not been identified. On the basis of research linking stress with other fatigue-related disorders, we tested the hypothesis that stress exposure during childhood and throughout the life span would be associated with fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Stress exposure was assessed using the Stress and Adversity Inventory, a novel computer-based instrument that assesses for 96 types of acute and chronic stressors that may affect health. Results showed that breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue reported significantly higher levels of cumulative lifetime stress exposure, including more stressful experiences in childhood and in adulthood, compared to a control group of nonfatigued survivors. These findings identify a novel risk factor for fatigue in the growing population of cancer survivors and suggest targets for treatment.
Newly developed TGF-β2 knock down transgenic mouse lines express TGF-β2 differently and its distribution in multiple tissues varies
Authors: XiYang Yan-Bin , Wang Fang , Qian Bao-Jiang , You Ling , Lu Bing-Tuan , Zhang Wei , Quan Xiong-Zhi , Ge Wen-Ping , Liu Su , Zhang Lian-Feng , Wang Ting-Hua
Published: August 2013

Background

Transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-βs), including beta2 (TGF-β2), constitute a superfamily of multifunctional cytokines with important implications in morphogenesis, cell differentiation and tissue remodeling. TGF-β2 is thought to play important roles in multiple developmental processes and neuron survival. However, before we carried out these investigations, a TGF-β2 gene down-regulated transgenic animal model was needed. In the present study, expressional silencing TGF-β2 was achieved by select predesigning interference short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting mouse TGF-β2 genes.

Results

Four homozygous transgenic offspring were generated by genetic manipulation and the protein expressions of TGF-β2 were detected in different tissues of these mice. The transgenic mice were designated as Founder 66, Founder 16, Founder 53 and Founder 41. The rates of TGF-β2 down-expression in different transgenic mice were evaluated. The present study showed that different TGF-β2 expressions were detected in multiple tissues and protein levels of TGF-β2 decreased at different rates relative to that of wild type mice. The expressions of TGF-β2 proteins in transgenic mice (Founder 66) reduced most by 52%.

Conclusions

The present study generated transgenic mice with TGF-β2 down-regulated, which established mice model for systemic exploring the possible roles of TGF-β2 in vivo in different pathology conditions.
ERK-associated changes in E2F4 phosphorylation, localization and transcriptional activity during mitogenic stimulation in human intestinal epithelial crypt cells
Authors: Paquin Marie-Christine , Cagnol Sébastien , Carrier Julie C , Leblanc Caroline , Rivard Nathalie
Published: August 2013

Background

The transcription factor E2F4 controls proliferation of normal and cancerous intestinal epithelial cells. E2F4 localization in normal human intestinal epithelial cells (HIEC) is cell cycle-dependent, being cytoplasmic in quiescent differentiated cells but nuclear in proliferative cells. However, the intracellular signaling mechanisms regulating such E2F4 localization remain unknown.

Results

Treatment of quiescent HIEC with serum induced ERK1/2 activation, E2F4 phosphorylation, E2F4 nuclear translocation and G1/S phase transition while inhibition of MEK/ERK signaling by U0126 prevented these events. Stimulation of HIEC with epidermal growth factor (EGF) also led to the activation of ERK1/2 but, in contrast to serum or lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), EGF failed to induce E2F4 phosphorylation, E2F4 nuclear translocation and G1/S phase transition. Furthermore, Akt and GSK3β phosphorylation levels were markedly enhanced in serum- or LPA-stimulated HIEC but not by EGF. Importantly, E2F4 phosphorylation, E2F4 nuclear translocation and G1/S phase transition were all observed in response to EGF when GSK3 activity was concomitantly inhibited by SB216763. Finally, E2F4 was found to be overexpressed, phosphorylated and nuclear localized in epithelial cells from human colorectal adenomas exhibiting mutations in APC and KRAS or BRAF genes, known to deregulate GSK3/β-catenin and MEK/ERK signaling, respectively.

Conclusions

The present results indicate that MEK/ERK activation and GSK3 inhibition are both required for E2F4 phosphorylation as well as its nuclear translocation and S phase entry in HIEC. This finding suggests that dysregulated E2F4 nuclear localization may be an instigating event leading to hyperproliferation and hence, of tumor initiation and promotion in the colon and rectum.