bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tocol Composition and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Lipids from Barley Pearling Flour
Authors: Temelli F. , Stobbe K. , Rezaei K. , Vasanthan T.
Published: November 2013

Samples of whole grain and 35% pearling flour of 20 different barley varieties grown in Alberta were analyzed for their lipid contents. Total lipid contents of whole grains were within 1.9% to 3.0% (w/w), whereas those of the 35% pearling flour were 4.3% to 7.9%. Lipids of 35% pearling flour fraction of Tercel barley were extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO2) at different pressures (24, 45, and 58 MPa) and temperatures (40 and 60 °C) for 3 h. Lipid recoveries of 73% to 97% were achieved using SC‐CO2 extraction under different operational conditions. Tocol contents and compositions of whole grain, 35% pearling flour, and SC‐CO2 extracts were analyzed using HPLC. Tocol content of the whole grain was 53.8 to 124.9 μg/g and that of the pearling flour was 195 to 363 μg/g of flour. The hulless barley varieties were higher in tocols, with waxy, double waxy and Tercel varieties having the highest levels (P < 0.05). The ratios of total tocotrienols to total tocopherols varied within 1.6 to 3.9 range. Tocol concentrations of SC‐CO2 extract fractions varied from 1171 to 4391 μg/g extract depending on the operational conditions. Barley oil is a good natural source of different tocol isomers rich in tocotrienols.
Differences in incidence and trends of haematological malignancies in Japan and the United States
Authors: Chihara Dai , Ito Hidemi , Matsuda Tomohiro , Shibata Akiko , Katsumi Akira , Nakamura Shigeo , Tomotaka Sobue , Morton Lindsay M. , Weisenburger Dennis D. , Matsuo Keitaro
Published: November 2013

The incidence of a malignant disease reflects the genetic and cumulative exposure to the environment of a population. Therefore, evaluation of the incidence and trends of a disease in different populations may provide insights into its aetiology and pathogenesis. To evaluate the incidence of haematological malignancies according to specific subtypes, we used population‐based registry data in Japan (N = 125 148) and the United States (US; N = 172 925) from 1993 to 2008. The age‐adjusted incidence of haematological malignancies in Japan was approximately one‐half that in the US but has been increasing significantly, whereas no significant change was seen in the US [annual percent change (95% C confidence interval): Japan, +2·4% (1·7, 3·1); US, +0·1% (−0·1, 0·2)]. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) showed the largest differences in incidence, with the most remarkable differences observed for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, HL‐nodular sclerosis, mycosis fungoides and cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. HL and NHL are increasing substantially in Japan but not in the US, suggesting that environmental exposures, such as Westernization of the life style may be causing this increase. Differences in the incidence and trends for specific subtypes also showed a marked contrast across subtypes, which, in turn, may provide significant new insights into disease aetiology in the future.
Sequential Learning, Predictability, and Optimal Portfolio Returns
Authors: JOHANNES MICHAEL , KORTEWEG ARTHUR , POLSON NICHOLAS
Published: November 2013

This paper finds statistically and economically significant out‐of‐sample portfolio benefits for an investor who uses models of return predictability when forming optimal portfolios. Investors must account for estimation risk, and incorporate an ensemble of important features, including time‐varying volatility, and time‐varying expected returns driven by payout yield measures that include share repurchase and issuance. Prior research documents a lack of benefits to return predictability, and our results suggest that this is largely due to omitting time‐varying volatility and estimation risk. We also document the sequential process of investors learning about parameters, state variables, and models as new data arrive.
How mangrove forests adjust to rising sea level
Authors: Krauss Ken W. , McKee Karen L. , Lovelock Catherine E. , Cahoon Donald R. , Saintilan Neil , Reef Ruth , Chen Luzhen
Published: November 2013

Mangroves are among the most well described and widely studied wetland communities in the world. The greatest threats to mangrove persistence are deforestation and other anthropogenic disturbances that can compromise habitat stability and resilience to sea‐level rise. To persist, mangrove ecosystems must adjust to rising sea level by building vertically or become submerged. Mangroves may directly or indirectly influence soil accretion processes through the production and accumulation of organic matter, as well as the trapping and retention of mineral sediment. In this review, we provide a general overview of research on mangrove elevation dynamics, emphasizing the role of the vegetation in maintaining soil surface elevations (i.e. position of the soil surface in the vertical plane). We summarize the primary ways in which mangroves may influence sediment accretion and vertical land development, for example, through root contributions to soil volume and upward expansion of the soil surface. We also examine how hydrological, geomorphological and climatic processes may interact with plant processes to influence mangrove capacity to keep pace with rising sea level. We draw on a variety of studies to describe the important, and often under‐appreciated, role that plants play in shaping the trajectory of an ecosystem undergoing change.

Contents

Summary
19

I.
Introduction
19

II.
Important characteristics of mangrove ecosystems
20

III.
Patterns of elevation change in mangroves
20

IV.
Biological influences on accretion and elevation change
21

V.
Factors affecting root contributions to vertical soil development
26

VI.
Some potential climatic and environmental feedbacks
29

VII.
Perspectives
30

Acknowledgements
31

References
31
Apelin inhibits the development of diabetic nephropathy by regulating histone acetylation in Akita mouse
Authors: Chen Hong , Li Jianshuang , Jiao Lihua , Petersen Robert B. , Li Jiong , Peng Anlin , Zheng Ling , Huang Kun
Published: November 2013

Key points

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetes, key features of which include glomerular mesangial expansion, hypertrophy, renal inflammation and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in the kidney.

Histone acetylation plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation in DN.

We found that apelin‐13, the most active member of the adipokine apelin group, decreased glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria, glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial expansion, down‐regulated histone acetylation and suppressed renal inflammation in Akita mouse, a spontaneous DN mouse model.

In mesangial cell lines, apelin‐13 treatment not only inhibited high glucose‐induced histone hyperacetylation and inflammation factors, but also up‐regulated histone deacetylase 1.

These results revealed the possible mechanisms underlying the regulation of histone acetylation in DN and provide novel approaches to explore the beneficial effects of apelin‐13 on DN.

Diabetic nephropathy is the primary cause of end‐stage renal disease. Increasing numbers of patients are suffering from this disease and therefore novel medications and therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Here, we investigated whether apelin‐13, the most active member of the adipokine apelin group, could effectively suppress the development of nephropathy in Akita mouse, a spontaneous type 1 diabetic model. Apelin‐13 treatment decreased diabetes‐induced glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria, glomerular hypertrophy, mesangial expansion and renal inflammation. The inflammatory factors, activation of NF‐κB, histone acetylation and the enzymes involved in histone acetylation were further examined in diabetic kidneys and high glucose‐ or sodium butyrate‐treated mesangial cells in the presence or absence of apelin‐13. Apelin‐13 treatment inhibited diabetes‐, high glucose‐ and NaB‐induced elevation of inflammatory factors, and histone hyperacetylation by upregulation of histone deacetylase 1. Furthermore, overexpression of apelin in mesangial cells induced histone deacetylation under high glucose condition. Thus, apelin‐13 may be a novel therapeutic candidate for treatment of diabetic nephropathy via regulation of histone acetylation.
Protein Interaction Network of the Mammalian Hippo Pathway Reveals Mechanisms of Kinase-Phosphatase Interactions
Authors: Couzens Amber L. , Knight James D. R. , Kean Michelle J. , Teo Guoci , Weiss Alexander , Dunham Wade H. , Lin Zhen-Yuan , Bagshaw Richard D. , Sicheri Frank , Pawson Tony , Wrana Jeffrey L. , Choi Hyungwon , Gingras Anne-Claude
Published: November 2013

Phosphoprotein recognition directs kinase-phosphatase interactions at multiple levels in the mammalian Hippo pathway.
Association of socioeconomic position with smoking and mortality: the contribution of early life circumstances in the 1946 birth cohort
Authors: Giesinger Ingrid , Goldblatt Peter , Howden-Chapman Philippa , Marmot Michael , Kuh Diana , Brunner Eric
Published: November 2013

Background

A large part of the socioeconomic mortality gradient can be statistically accounted for by social patterning of adult health behaviours. However, this statistical explanation does not consider the early life origins of unhealthy behaviours and increased mortality risk.

Methods

Analysis is based on 2132 members of the MRC National Survey of Health and Development with mortality follow-up and complete data. Smoking behaviour was summarised by pack-years of exposure. Socioeconomic circumstances were measured in childhood (father's social class (age 4), maternal education (age 6)) and age 26 (education attainment, home ownership, head of household social class). We estimated the direct effect of early circumstances, the indirect effect through smoking and the independent direct effect of smoking on inequality in all-cause mortality from age 26 to 66.

Results

Mortality risk was higher in those with lower socioeconomic position at age 26, with a sex-adjusted HR (relative index of inequality) of 1.97 (95% CI 1.18 to 3.28). Smoking and early life socioeconomic indicators together explained 74% of the socioeconomic gradient in mortality (the gradient). Early life circumstances explained 47% of the gradient, 23.5% directly and 23.0% indirectly through smoking. The explanatory power of smoking behaviour for the gradient was reduced from 50.8% to 28% when early life circumstances were added to the model.

Conclusions

Early life socioeconomic circumstances contributed importantly to social inequality in adult mortality. Our life-course model focusing on smoking provides evidence that social inequalities in health will persist unless prevention strategies tackle the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage and risk.
Close Encounters of the Third Domain: The Emerging Genomic View of Archaeal Diversity and Evolution
Authors: Spang Anja , Martijn Joran , Saw Jimmy H. , Lind Anders E. , Guy Lionel , Ettema Thijs J. G.
Published: November 2013

The Archaea represent the so-called Third Domain of life, which has evolved in parallel with the Bacteria and which is implicated to have played a pivotal role in the emergence of the eukaryotic domain of life. Recent progress in genomic sequencing technologies and cultivation-independent methods has started to unearth a plethora of data of novel, uncultivated archaeal lineages. Here, we review how the availability of such genomic data has revealed several important insights into the diversity, ecological relevance, metabolic capacity, and the origin and evolution of the archaeal domain of life.
A Systematic Review of the Utility of Residual Vein Obstruction Studies in Primary and Secondary Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Janakiram Murali , Sullivan Matthew , Shcherba Marina , Guo Shuang , Billett Henny H.
Published: November 2013

Background. Residual vein obstruction (RVO), the persistence of venous thrombosis with time and often after anticoagulation, may indicate a systemic prothrombotic condition. Prior studies have shown varying efficacy in using RVO as a risk factor for future venous thromboembolic (VTE) recurrence. Methods. To assess whether positive RVO imaging predicts recurrent VTE events, we performed a meta-analysis on studies in which patients with documented VTEs, anticoagulated for a minimum of 4 weeks, had repeat sonography to assess RVO and were subsequently followed for recurrent events. Results. Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria: 3531 patient VTE events with 3474 evaluable results were analyzed. The presence of RVO was associated with recurrence in all VTE (OR 1.93; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.89) and secondary VTE (OR 2.78; 95% CI: 1.41, 5.5) but not for primary VTE (OR 1.35; 95% CI: 0.87, 2.08). When cancer patients were eliminated from the secondary VTE group, there was no longer a significant association of RVO with VTE recurrence (OR 1.73; 95% CI: 0.81, 3.67) while in the subset of cancer patients, presence of RVO was associated with an increase in VTE recurrence risk (OR 5.14; 95% CI: 1.59, 16.65, P<0.006). Conclusions. We conclude that the presence of RVO is associated with recurrence in secondary VTE but not in primary VTE and that association may be driven by the subset with cancer.
Existence of Positive Solutions for Fourth-Order Boundary Value Problems with Sign-Changing Nonlinear Terms
Authors: Feng Xingfang , Feng Hanying
Published: November 2013

the existence of positive solutions for a fourth-order boundary value problem with a sign-changing nonlinear term is investigated. By using Krasnoselskii’s fixed point theorem, sufficient conditions that guarantee the existence of at least one positive solution are obtained. An example is presented to illustrate the application of our main results.
Modeling the Impacts of Boreal Deforestation on the Near-Surface Temperature in European Russia
Authors: Li Zhihui , Deng Xiangzheng , Shi Qingling , Ke Xinli , Liu Yingcheng
Published: November 2013

Boreal deforestation plays an important role in affecting regional and global climate. In this study, the regional temperature variation induced by future boreal deforestation in European Russia boreal forest region was simulated based on future land cover change and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. This study firstly tested and validated the simulation results of the WRF model. Then the land cover datasets in different years (2000 as baseline year, 2010, and 2100) was used in the WRF model to explore the impacts of boreal deforestation on the near-surface temperature. The results indicated that the WRF model has good ability to simulate the temperature change in European Russia. The land cover change in European Russia boreal forest region, which will be characterized by the conversion from boreal forests to croplands (boreal deforestation) in the future 100 years, will lead to significant change of the near-surface temperature. The regional annual temperature will decrease by 0.58°C in the future 100 years, resulting in cooling effects to some extent and making the near-surface temperature decrease in most seasons except the spring.
Protective Role of Melatonin in Neonatal Diseases
Authors: Gitto Eloisa , Marseglia Lucia , Manti Sara , D’Angelo Gabriella , Barberi Ignazio , Salpietro Carmelo , Reiter Russel J.
Published: November 2013

Oxidative stress contributes to the severity of several newborn conditions to the extent that Saugstad coined the phrase “oxygen radical diseases of neonatology.” In order to counteract free radicals damage many strategies to augment antioxidant status in ill-term and preterm infants have been proposed and several medications have been experimented with mixed results. Several studies have tested the efficacy of melatonin to counteract oxidative damage in diseases of newborns such as chronic lung disease, perinatal brain injury, necrotizing enterocolitis, and retinopathy of prematurity, giving promising results. The peculiar perinatal susceptibility to oxidative stress indicates that prophylactic use of antioxidants as melatonin could help to prevent or at least reduce oxidative stress related diseases in newborns. However, more studies are needed to confirm these beneficial effects.
Growth Properties of Cardiac Stem Cells Are a Novel Biomarker of Patients’ Outcome After Coronary Bypass Surgery
Authors: D’Amario Domenico , Leone Antonio M. , Iaconelli Antonio , Luciani Nicola , Gaudino Mario , Kannappan Ramaswamy , Manchi Melissa , Severino Anna , Shin Sang Hun , Graziani Francesca , Biasillo Gina , Macchione Andrea , Smaldone Costantino , De Maria Giovanni Luigi , Cellini Carlo , Siracusano Andrea , Ottaviani Lara , Massetti Massimo , Goichberg Polina , Leri Annarosa , Anversa Piero , Crea Filippo
Published: November 2013

RETRACTION

This article has been retracted:

Circulation
. 2019;139:e3. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000642
Precipitation Seasonality and Variability over the Tibetan Plateau as Resolved by the High Asia Reanalysis*
Authors: Maussion Fabien , Scherer Dieter , Mölg Thomas , Collier Emily , Curio Julia , Finkelnburg Roman
Published: November 2013

Because of the scarcity of meteorological observations, the precipitation climate on the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding regions (TP) has been insufficiently documented so far. In this study, the characteristics and basic features of precipitation on the TP during an 11-yr period (2001–11) are described on monthly-to-annual time scales. For this purpose, a new high-resolution atmospheric dataset is analyzed, the High Asia Reanalysis (HAR), generated by dynamical downscaling of global analysis data using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The HAR precipitation data at 30- and 10-km resolutions are compared with both rain gauge observations and satellite-based precipitation estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM). It is found that the HAR reproduces previously reported spatial patterns and seasonality of precipitation and that the high-resolution data add value regarding snowfall retrieval, precipitation frequency, and orographic precipitation. It is demonstrated that this process-based approach, despite some unavoidable shortcomings, can improve the understanding of the processes that lead to precipitation on the TP. Analysis focuses on precipitation amounts, type, seasonality, and interannual variability. Special attention is given to the links between the observed patterns and regional atmospheric circulation. As an example of an application of the HAR, a new classification of glaciers on the TP according to their accumulation regimes is proposed, which illustrates the strong spatial variability of precipitation seasonality. Finally, directions for future research are identified based on the HAR, which has the potential to be a useful dataset for climate, glaciological, and hydrological impact studies.
Staying out of Sight? Concentrated Policing and Local Political Action
Authors: Lerman Amy E. , Weaver Vesla
Published: November 2013

In some urban neighborhoods, encounters with police have become one of the primary points of contact between disadvantaged citizens and their government. Yet extant scholarship has only just begun to explore how criminal justice interventions help to shape the political lives of the urban poor. In this article, we ask: What are the consequences of the increased use of stop-and-frisks (Terry stops) in disadvantaged neighborhoods for communities’ engagement with the state? Relying on a novel measure of local citizen engagement (311 calls for service) and more than one million police stops, we find that it is not concentrated police surveillance per se that matters but, rather, the character of police contact. The concentration of police stops overall is associated with higher levels of community engagement, while at the same time, a high degree of stops that feature searches or the use of force, especially when they do not result in an arrest, have a chilling effect on neighborhood-level outreach to local government. Our article marks a first step toward understanding what concentrated policing means for the democratic life and political agency of American communities.
Effects of Imprisonment and Community Supervision on Neighborhood Political Participation in North Carolina
Authors: Burch Traci R.
Published: November 2013

This article considers the effect of prison, probation, and parole on neighborhood political participation in North Carolina. I analyze data from state boards of elections, departments of corrections, departments of public health, the Census Bureau, and market research firms for 2000 and 2008. Multivariate regressions reveal a complex relationship between criminal justice supervision and voter turnout. The evidence suggests that at the individual level and in the aggregate, the criminal justice system shapes neighborhood political participation.
Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Gene Mutation Analysis and Structure–Function Correlation in an Omani Arab Family With Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Al-Rasadi Khalid , Al-Waili Khalid , Al-Zidi Ward Al-Muna , Al-Abri Abdul Rahim , Al-Hinai Ali T. , Al-Sabti Hilal Ali , Al-Tobi Sheikha , Al-Zakwani Ibrahim , Al-Zadjali Fahad , Al-Hashmi Khamis , Banerjee Yajnavalka
Published: November 2013

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder typified by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels caused by mutations in the LDL receptor (LDLR), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), or proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ( PCSK9) genes. Previously, we reported a novel mutation in the exon-3 of LDLR gene, observed in a 9-year-old Omani Arab female. Here, we investigated the mode of inheritance of this mutation and confirmed that FH in this family is due to mutation only in the LDLR and not PCSK9 and ApoB genes. Further, the effect of the mutation has been appraised in silico on the tertiary structure of LDLR. A model of the mutant LDLR has been constructed using the coordinates of the wild-type LDLR extracellular domain. Based on the model, we present a mechanistic justification behind the observed detrimental effect of the mutation on LDL-C levels.
Evaluation of the elastic behavior of multiaxis 3D-woven preforms by numerical approach
Authors: Labanieh Ahmad Rashed , Legrand Xavier , Koncar Vladan , Soulat Damien
Published: November 2013

Compared to the laminated composite made of two-dimensional preform, the three-dimensional-woven composites have been evolved as an attractive structural material. Based on the classical textile technologies such as weaving, braiding, and knitting, complex preforms have been fabricated as reinforcement for technical applications. In the recent years, many studies have been published on the development of modeling techniques to design, analyze, and understand the effect of the preform architecture on its mechanical behavior. In this paper, we propose to use these numerical approaches to evaluate the mechanical performance of multiaxis three-dimensional-woven preform. Also, comparisons of the estimated mechanical properties of this structure with that of 3D orthogonal-woven preform and that of classical laminate are conduced.
Diphtheria in a 7-year-old child in north-eastern Nigeria – management in a resource-poor setting
Authors: Goni Baba Waru , Gofama Mustapha M , Lawan Gana M , Haruna Yusuph , Bukar Bakki , Musa Kida I
Published: November 2013

We report a case of a 7-year-old unimmunized child who presented with a 2 week history of nasal quality speech, hoarseness of the voice, regurgitation of feeds, and unstable gait. He had a previous history of fever, severe sore throat and bloody nasal discharge. A throat swab was negative for Corynebacterium diphtheria; however, he had received antibiotics at a primary care clinic prior to presentation. A clinical diagnosis of diphtheria with neurologic complication was made and the child was started on oral erythromycin, nasogastric tube feeding and daily physiotherapy, following which he improved. We did not prescribe diphtheria anti-toxin because of its unavailability.
Simple and straight proofs of stability criteria for finite-dimensional linear time invariant systems
Authors: Kavitha Panneerselvam , Ramakalyan Ayyagari
Published: November 2013

In system theory and control, the stability of a given system is an important specification; often we design controllers with stability as the highest priority. A computationally faster algorithm for the Routh–Hurwitz criterion has been discussed in our previous work. This article focuses on computationally fast algorithms and simpler proofs of stability criteria for finite-dimensional linear time invariant (FDLTI) systems. Lyapunov introduced his famous stability theory for both linear and nonlinear systems. In this article, instead of solving the Lyapunov equation and checking its solution for sign-definiteness, we present a new way of testing stability. We rewrite the characteristic polynomial in state-space form, controller canonical form in particular, and check the negative-definiteness of the resulting non-symmetric system matrix A. We demonstrate that this approach provides a bridge between the classical approaches and more modern Lyapunov theory as far as FDLTI systems are concerned.
The predictors of internet addiction behaviours for Taiwanese elementary school students
Authors: Lan Chu M. , Lee Yu H.
Published: November 2013

Although there has been considerable research which has explored factors related to internet addiction, few studies have investigated elementary school students’ involvement in this behaviour pattern. Participants in the present study were 1045 children in grades 3 to 6 from elementary schools in Taiwan. Students completed surveys on their use of the internet, and an internet addiction scale as well as a depression indicator. Results showed that children’s time and frequency of using the internet, gender, and depression accounted for 39.2% of the variance in internet addiction. However, when a narrower criterion was applied to children’s internet addiction, only 10.9% of students fulfilled this criterion. For this group, grade and conduct-social problems together accounted for 17.1% of the variance in internet addiction. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.
Prevalence of school bullying among secondary students in Taiwan: Measurements with and without a specific definition of bullying
Authors: Chen Li-Ming , Cheng Ying-Yao
Published: November 2013

Estimates of bullying and bullying victimization rates vary depending on how these rates are measured. The current study used survey methods of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to investigate the prevalence of school bullying among secondary students in Taiwan. We also examined whether results differed between surveys with and without definitions of bullying. Olweus-type global items and the timeframe, response categories, and cut-off point adopted in the WHO’s Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study were used in this study. Surveys were administered to secondary students in Taiwan (grades 7–12), with 3,554 students receiving surveys with a definition of bullying and 793 receiving surveys without a definition of bullying. The following results were obtained: (1) In the survey with bullying defined, the self-reported prevalence rates of bullying, victimization, witness to bullying, and bully/victims were 10.9%, 10.7%, 29.9%, and 5.5% respectively; (2) male students were more involved in school bullying than females; (3) no significant difference in prevalence rates was found between the two survey versions. International bullying prevalence rates, gender differences, and the effects of a bullying definition are discussed.
Student and teacher responses to violence in school: The divergent views of bullies, victims, and bully-victims
Authors: Berkowitz Ruth
Published: November 2013

School bullying is a worldwide worrisome phenomenon that occurs within a broad context in which pupils and teachers can either reinforce or undermine violent behavior through interaction. Based on a nationally representative sample of students in Israel, this study examined patterns in student perceptions of student and teacher responses to school violence and differences in perceptions according to bully/victim participation (bullies, victims, bully-victims, and not involved). Student perceptions of responses to school violence, safety, not attending school due to fear of violence, and students’ sense of the severity of the violence problem in their school were examined. Findings indicated students and teachers did not actively accelerate violent episodes, but were reluctant to respond positively by intervening to stop violence. Positive responses to violence were related to positive school experiences among students. Students who were not involved in school bullying had the best perceptions of positive responses to violence. However, significant differences were not found among the three other groups (bullies, victims, and bully-victims). Findings suggested any participation in school violence involves a significant decrease in perceptions of positive responses. The importance of promoting a safe school environment and positive climate through increased awareness, involvement and supervision, and clear rules and strong norms against violence is discussed.
How do children make sense of their experiences? Children’s memories of wellbeing and distress from an attachment perspective
Authors: Messina Serena , Zavattini Giulio Cesare
Published: November 2013

Attachment’s role in children’s memories of wellbeing and distress was evaluated through the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task in 30 Italian children, aged 6 years (15 secure and 15 insecure). Their mothers’ coherence of discourse was determined using the Adult Attachment Interview. A mediation model examining whether children’s attachment mediated the relation between mothers’ ability to talk coherently about their past and children’s memories was tested. Children’s attachment was associated with their ability to describe memories of wellbeing and distress and mediated the influence of maternal coherence on the same ability. A regression model was estimated to further evaluate the association between children’s attachment and ability to describe memories. Results suggest that attachment influences how children understand and recollect emotional experiences.
Blocks, Ovals, or People? Icon Type Affects Risk Perceptions and Recall of Pictographs
Authors: Zikmund-Fisher Brian J. , Witteman Holly O. , Dickson Mark , Fuhrel-Forbis Andrea , Kahn Valerie C. , Exe Nicole L. , Valerio Melissa , Holtzman Lisa G. , Scherer Laura D. , Fagerlin Angela
Published: November 2013

Background. Research has demonstrated that icon arrays (also called “pictographs”) are an effective method of communicating risk statistics and appear particularly useful to less numerate and less graphically literate people. Yet research is very limited regarding whether icon type affects how people interpret and remember these graphs. Methods. 1502 people age 35–75 from a demographically diverse online panel completed a cardiovascular risk calculator based on Framingham data using their actual age, weight, and other health data. Participants received their risk estimate in an icon array graphic that used 1 of 6 types of icons: rectangular blocks, filled ovals, smile/frown faces, an outline of a person’s head and shoulders, male/female “restroom” person icons (gender matched), or actual head-and-shoulder photographs of people of varied races (gender matched). In each icon array, blue icons represented cardiovascular events and gray icons represented those who would not experience an event. We measured perceived risk magnitude, approximate recall, and opinions about the icon arrays, as well as subjective numeracy and an abbreviated measure of graphical literacy. Results. Risk recall was significantly higher with more anthropomorphic icons (restroom icons, head outlines, and photos) than with other icon types, and participants rated restroom icons as most preferred. However, while restroom icons resulted in the highest correlations between perceived and actual risk among more numerate/graphically literate participants, they performed no better than other icon types among less numerate/graphically literate participants. Conclusions. Icon type influences both risk perceptions and risk recall, with restroom icons in particular resulting in improved outcomes. However, optimal icon types may depend on numeracy and/or graphical literacy skills.
Socioeconomic Status, Neighborhood Characteristics, and Walking Within the Neighborhood Among Older Hong Kong Chinese
Authors: Cerin Ester , Mellecker Robin , Macfarlane Duncan J. , Barnett Anthony , Cheung Man-chin , Sit Cindy H. P. , Chan Wai-man
Published: November 2013

Objective: We examined the associations of educational attainment and area socioeconomic status (SES) with total within-neighborhood walking patterns and percentage of walking undertaken for recreation purposes in Hong Kong elders. Environmental mediators of these associations were also examined. Method: Chinese-speaking elders ( N = 484), cognitively unimpaired and able to walk unassisted, were recruited from 32 street blocks stratified by SES and walkability. Interviewer-administered surveys were conducted to collect data on walking and sociodemographics. Neighborhood environments were audited. Results: Educational attainment was positively related to walking outcomes, while area SES was only positively related to percentage of walking allocated to recreational purposes. While no mediators of area SES-walking associations were identified, several environmental attributes explained the associations of educational attainment with walking. Discussion: Educational attainment rather than area SES is a key determinant of walking in Hong Kong elders; these effects are mostly attributable to social and individual rather than environmental factors.
Sporting mythscapes, neoliberal histories, and post-colonial amnesia in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Authors: Falcous Mark , Newman Joshua I
Published: November 2013

Andrews (1999) has argued that under conditions of market-based liberalization, the sporting past has increasingly been put to use for the purposes of accumulation. This selectively rendered “sporting historicism,” he argues, results in “a pseudo-authentic historical sensibility, as opposed to a genuinely historically grounded understanding of the past, or indeed the present by rendering history a vast, yet random, archive of events, styles, and icons” (2006). Under such conditions, power-laden and selective “mythscapes” emerge. In this paper, we carry Andrews’ contention forward by arguing that critical sport scholars should further problematize the uses of the sporting mythscape—particularly by calling into question those re-historicizations that emerge in public discourse and excavating whose interests they serve. Here we interrogate the politics of how sporting pasts are mobilized in contemporary Aotearoa/New Zealand; in particular at the conjuncture of a globalized “free-market” economy and fluctuating (post-)colonial identity politics. We point to various cases that help reveal how specters of sporting pasts circulate within national mythologies in selective and politicized ways.
Transactions in the Supply Chain of Oil Palm Fruits and Their Relevance for Land Conversion in Smallholdings in Indonesia
Authors: Anggraini Eva , Grundmann Philipp
Published: November 2013

The expansion of oil palm plantation by smallholders in Indonesia is taking place mainly by conversion of forest and arable land. This article aims to understand how institutional arrangements in the supply chain of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) affect decisions of smallholders to convert more land for oil palm cultivation instead of increasing productivity. Based on an analysis of in-depth interviews with involved actors we find that institutions meant to regulate land conversion are superseded by the structures that govern the transactions in the supply chain of FFB and that this reinforces decisions of smallholders to convert more land. Strategies designed to regulate land conversion need to look carefully at the interactions with the institutions ruling the supply chain of FFB. Institutional innovations such as establishing integrated governance structure from land use to market may induce farmers to focus on increasing productivity.
Transformative mobile game culture: A sociocultural analysis of Korean mobile gaming in the era of smartphones
Authors: Jin Dal Yong , Chee Florence , Kim Seah
Published: November 2013

This article analyzes how mobile gaming has taken shape within the context of Korea’s particular online gaming culture. It explores some of the sociocultural factors contributing to the growth of mobile gaming on smartphone platforms in Korea. It discusses how the emergence of smartphone usage has further shaped the development of Korea’s mobile games, compared with what one might find in other use cultures and national contexts. It explores the manner in which the transfer to, from, and between online gaming culture and mobile gaming culture is occurring in a specific subset of Korean youth in a highly networked, urban setting.
Friendship network characteristics and psychological well-being in late adolescence: Exploring differences by gender and gender composition
Authors: Almquist Ylva B , Östberg Viveca , Rostila Mikael , Edling Christofer , Rydgren Jens
Published: November 2013

Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between friendship networks and psychological well-being among 19-year-olds. Methods: The data used was a random sample of Swedish individuals born in 1990 who answered a questionnaire in 2009–2010. Friendship networks were considered in terms of three measures of emotional support. Six statements about the individual’s emotional state were used to create a summary measure of psychological well-being. Gender and gender composition were included as potentially moderating factors. The association between friendship networks and psychological well-being was analysed by means of linear regression analysis ( n = 1289). Results: The results indicate that males’ and females’ friendship networks were similar with regard to quality and trust, whereas males’ networks were characterized by less self-disclosure and a stronger preference for same-gender friendships. Gender composition did not matter for the support levels. Emotional support was associated with psychological well-being but there were gender differences: females seemed to benefit more health-wise from having high-quality (and trusting) networks. Moreover, whereas self-disclosure among males was positively linked to well-being, this was not the case among females. None of these associations were moderated by gender composition. Conclusions: In sum, friendship networks are beneficial for the psychological well-being among late adolescents, but there are some important differences according to gender.
Application of solar-induced ventilation prototype in small and medium enterprise building
Authors: Yusoff Wardah Fatimah Mohammad , Sapian Abdul Razak , Salleh Elias , Adam Nor Mariah , Johar Suhana
Published: November 2013

This paper discusses the application of a solar-induced ventilation strategy in a small and medium enterprise (SME) building, which is a single-storey shophouse. The aim of the study was to examine the performance of the proposed strategy to enhance the indoor environment of the selected building. The poposed strategy comprises two parts, namely roof solar collector and vertical stack. The research method employed a simulation modelling, which was validated against field measurement. The findings indicated that the proposed strategy was able to reduce the indoor air temperature, as well as increase the indoor air flow rate and air exchange rate of the SME building. The highest indoor air temperature reduction was 1.8℃, while the highest indoor air flow rate and air exchange rate enhancement were 0.08 m3/s and 16 ACH, respectively. In summary, the findings highlighted the potential application of the proposed strategy in enhancing the indoor environment of an SME building. The combination of roof solar collector and vertical stack was demonstrated to enable enhancement of the stack ventilation, to provide high ventilation rates especially for buildings with deep plan layout, by increasing the temperature difference between the inside and outside air, as well as the vertical difference between the inlet and outlet.
In the shadow of the ivory tower: An ethnographic study of neighborhood relations
Authors: Powell Kathleen H
Published: November 2013

Social workers have a historic commitment to neighborhood organizing and community planning. One place where social work expertise is needed are neighborhoods adjacent to a college or university campus. These neighborhoods are home to diverse groups of residents who share a common place, but not the same degree of attachment to that place or the same sense of community. Despite the increased interest in university-community relations, there is relatively little empirical research on intergroup relations in campus-adjacent neighborhoods. This year-long ethnographic study centered on a campus-adjacent neighborhood in a small Appalachian college town in the US that is home to a mid-size public university. The study included members of five stakeholder groups in order to understand intergroup neighborhood relations and their relationship to larger institutional dynamics. The research design included semi-structured interviews, a series of focus groups, and a small Photovoice project. Textual data were analyzed in a two-step process, first using a modified holistic method, followed by a more in-depth analysis using tabular, graphic and other tools. Findings clustered in three areas: the dynamics of intergroup relations, ghettoization and studentification (a term used in the UK) and collective efficacy. The study’s findings illustrate the importance of understanding the larger community context to make sense of intergroup relations in residential neighborhoods, particularly those dominated by large institutions. In addition, the study helps to reaffirm social work’s historic commitment to neighborhood organizing and community planning as a means of resolving neighborhood tensions.
Classification of environmental zones in the Czech Republic
Authors: Novák T , Závada P , Sokanský K
Published: November 2013

Nowadays obtrusive light is discussed quite often and so this term has become well-known not only to professionals in the field of lighting but also to the public, designers and administrators. Quantification of obtrusive light depends on many factors. The biggest factor is the amount of the luminous flux directly emitted into the upper hemisphere. Other factors include the reflection qualities of illuminated surfaces and finally conditions in the atmosphere. Based on knowledge of the amount of luminous flux directly emitted into the upper hemisphere, depending on the surroundings (size of the agglomeration, protected landscape areas – national preserves, observatory, etc.), we can classify obtrusive light into several classes according to the standards EN 12464-2 and EN 12 193. These standards use only four environmental zones. For any outdoor lighting system it is possible to calculate the amount of luminous flux emitted into the upper hemisphere and determine if this potential source of obtrusive light is appropriate for the environmental zone. These calculations can also show if the lighting system is a significant contributor to the amount of obtrusive light. This paper tries to describe problems over larger areas where different environmental zones can exist side by side. Adjacent environmental zones should not differ by more than one level (for example E1 to E2 only). The aim of this paper is to establish methodologies for classifying environmental zones. A specific example of classification relates to a 420 kV outdoor electricity distribution substation, which is located in a selected area of the Czech Republic.
From one school to many
Authors: Chapman Christopher
Published: November 2013

School-to-school collaboration has been central to many improvement efforts over recent decades. In an attempt to promote both improvement and equity current developments in England have included changing formal governance arrangements to promote collaboration for improvement through ‘federations’ and ‘chains’ of schools. However, federations and school chains remain a relatively under-explored area and there is a noticeable absence of research exploring the impact of such arrangements on student outcomes. This paper draws on a programme of research including the national evaluation of federations, the first quantitative study of the impact of federations on student outcomes and a longitudinal qualitative study of the development of federations to consider two key questions: What is a federation? And do federations make a difference? In order to achieve this, the paper provides an overview of the key characteristics of federations and considers their contribution to improvement efforts. In conclusion the paper reflects on a number of issues and implications associated with developing a federated school system.
Integrated importance of multi-state fault tree based on multi-state multi-valued decision diagram
Authors: Li Shumin , Si Shubin , Xing Liudong , Sun Shudong
Published: November 2013

Integrated importance measures have been developed to study the effect of component state probabilities and state transition rates on the multi-state system performance, identifying the weakest component to facilitate the system maintenance and optimization activities. This article proposes an analytical method based on multi-state multi-valued decision diagram for computing the integrated importance measure values. Following a discussion of decomposition and physical meaning of integrated importance measures, the modeling method of multi-state multi-valued decision diagram based on multi-state fault tree analysis is introduced. A five-step integrated importance measure analysis approach based on multi-state multi-valued decision diagram is then proposed. Two case studies are implemented to demonstrate the presented methods. Complexity analysis shows that the multi-state multi-valued decision diagram–based method is more computationally efficient than the existing method using Markov–Bayesian networks.
A case of pneumoperitoneum and retropneumoperitoneum without bowel perforation due to extensive intestinal necrosis as a complication to chemotherapy: CT evaluation
Authors: Antonopoulos Petros , Siaperas Petros , Troumboukis Nikos , Demonakou Maria , Alexiou Kostas , Economou Nikos
Published: November 2013

Acute intestinal ischemia continues to be a challenging diagnostic problem with high mortality. We describe a rare case of acute intestinal necrosis, due to vasculitis, related with chemotherapy.

A patient was examined in our emergency department, presenting with abdominal pain. Three months before he had undergone an operation for lung carcinoma (lobectomy) and received chemotherapy.

CT of the abdomen demonstrated free air in 10 different locations: hepatic part of the portal vein, branches of mesenteric veins, femoral and iliac veins, the bowel wall, peritoneal cavity and retroperitoneal space, abdominal muscles, inguinal canals, meso-sigmoid space, and in the para-rectal space. Moreover, pathological findings revealed that the free air in the peritoneum and retropneumoperitoneum occurred without intestinal perforation, but with transudation through the necrotic bowel wall. This is a rare complication of chemotherapy. This case refers to the unusual CT findings which appeared in this patient. The key to a better outcome is early diagnosis of this condition and the CT examination of the abdomen plays an important role.