bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Victim's Decision to Report Offences to the Police in France: Stating Losses or Expressing Attitudes
Authors: Robert Philippe , Zauberman Renée , Miceli Lisa , Névanen Sophie , Didier Emmanuel
Published: November 2011

Drawing upon several sets of victimisation surveys in France, this article examines for the first time for this country the variables associated with victims' reporting behaviour on the one hand, with their decision to file a formal complaint on the other. The seriousness of the effects of the offence — material or physical — is a determining variable which largely confirms previous internationally established knowledge. However, the specific contribution of this study is to highlight the role, a minority role to be sure but one that is clearly distinguishable, of certain attitudes such as punitiveness (among those who file formal complaints) and scepticism with regard to public institutions (among non reporting victims). In this sense, the study of reporting also informs us about the more or less confident relationship between the population and the institutions that bear the responsibility for its security. In order to consider these types of results it is necessary for surveys to include not only questions about the factual elements of victimisation but also to delve into the respondents' opinions, so as to allow the piecing together of attitudes and types of social representation.
Compassion and Scepticism in Child Sexual Abuse; Some Historical Aspects and Explanations
Authors: Baartman H.E.M.
Published: November 2011

The sexual abuse of children is the subject of heated social debate. The general outrage with which this theme was placed on the public agenda in the 1970s has, to a considerable extent, made room for doubts about the reliability of children as witnesses and of professionals as their informants. History shows a parallel to this pendular movement in late nineteenth-century France; initial anxiety concerning the magnitude and seriousness of the sexual abuse of children, first expressed by Tardieu in the mid-19th century, turned later into scepticism. This article describes some of the aspects that play a role in the difficulty which society has in taking child sexual abuse seriously: the isolation of sexuality, ambivalences in the societal image of children, the status of parents and that of professionals.
Victim-Offender Negotiations: An Exploratory Study on Different Damage Types and Compensation
Authors: Carrière R.M. , Malsch M. , Vermunt R. , De Keijser J.W.
Published: November 2011

The article will discuss the results of an exploratory scenario study on victim satisfaction with victim-accused negotiations in a sample of 242 Dutch university students. The data were collected at the University of Leiden. The main purpose of the research was to investigate the impact of different types of damage on victim-accused negotiations. It was our hypothesis that reaching a restorative agreement and satisfaction with that agreement would be the most difficult for subjects with a high degree of psychological injury. Results confirm this hypothesis. Furthermore the results show that subjects with high material damage were more satisfied with a restorative agreement than subjects with little material damage. Some implications for further research will be discussed.
Marital Violence in Great Britain and its Relationship to Marital and Non-Marital Rape
Authors: Painter Kate , Farrington David P.
Published: November 2011

The National Survey of Wives in Great Britain was carried out to estimate the prevalence of violence by husbands against wives and the prevalence of rape of wives inside and outside marriage. A quota sample of 1,007 wives, drawn from each of the 10 standard regions of Great Britain, were interviewed. The results showed that 28% of wives had been hit by their husband, while 13% had sexual intercourse with their husband against their will. Lower class wives, and separated or divorced wives, were particularly likely to have been assaulted. The assaulted wives were disproportionally likely also to have been raped. Also, 13% of wives had been forced to have sex by someone other than their husband, and altogether 22% had been raped inside or outside marriage.
The Victimisation of Business: Indicators of Risk and the Direction of Future Research
Authors: Gill Martin
Published: November 2011

There has been comparatively little research on crime against businesses, although there is a growing amount of evidence that businesses are much more likely to suffer certain types of crime than households. This paper incorporates a review of recent surveys and reports on findings of a study of 2,618 businesses. The paper begins by discussing some ethodological issues and then discusses the findings on the levels of crime reported by business, and seeks to identify those finns most at risk. Overall, the paper concludes that crime against business is relatively high and that some businesses are disproportionately likely to suffer victimisation, not least those in the transport and retail sectors. Moreover, the survey findings suggest that the smallest businesses are common victims. Precisely because risk of crime differs, and the risk of victimisation from different offences varies, so there is a need to match type of crime prevention measures to type of risk. The findings suggest a need for much more focused research on how, where and why crime is concentrated on a few repeat victims.
Violence Against Women in the Yugoslav war as told by Women-Refugees
Authors: Stevanović Ivana
Published: November 2011

In the first part of the paper the author discusses and interprets the results of research carried out in 1994, on the basis of interviews with 70 women refugees from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, presently situated in Serbia and Montenegro. Also, the first part of the paper was written as a result of the interviews which the group of authors conducted with 54 women refugees from Krajina in the period between 1 January 1995 and 15 March 1996 in Serbia, about their own definition of violence in war, which means that their subjective definition was given priority over the objective definition. This research was aimed at the analysis of women's experience of violence in the war conflict in our close vicinity, whose largest number of victims, as ever, were children and women. We tried to help the women to articulate their own experiences, in such a manner to avoid them being hurt in the process, but rather to relieve their burdens of piled up fears and emotions. In the second part of the paper the author evaluates the present situation in this area, especially the process of social adaptation.
Exploring the Impact of Financial Crime: A Study Looking into the Effects of the Maxwell Scandal upon the Maxwell Pensioners
Authors: Spalek Basia
Published: November 2011

The following article documents the human impact of a particular form of ‘white-collar crime’ — that of pension fraud. Interviews with individuals whose pension money was stolen by Robert Maxwell are used, and the effect of this on their lives is examined. Results reveal that, similar to victims of physical and sexual violence and property crime, the Maxwell pensioners experienced a psychological, emotional, physical, financial and behavioural impact as a result of being victimised. It seems that financial crime and mismanagement can wreak a substantial toll upon investors.
Victims of Severe Violence Meet the Offender: Restorative Justice Through Dialogue
Authors: Umbreit Mark S. , Bradshaw William , Coates Robert B.
Published: November 2011

Both restorative justice in general and victim offender mediation specifically continue to be identified with primarily, if not exclusively, addressing non-violent property crimes, and perhaps even minor assaults. This article will challenge such assumptions by providing empirical evidence that suggests that many of the principles of restorative justice can be applied in crimes of severe violence, including murder. Some would even suggest that the deepest healing impact of restorative justice is to be found in addressing and responding to such violent crime. An increasing number of victims of sexual assault, attempted homicide, and survivors of murder victims, in Canada and the United States, are requesting the opportunity to meet the offender to express the full impact of the crime upon their life, to get answers to many questions they have and to gain a greater sense of closure so that they can move on with their lives. In most cases this occurs many years after the crime occurred and the actual mediation/dialogue session is typically held in a secure institution where the offender is located. This article addresses four topics. First, the case development process of victim sensitive offender dialogue (VSOD) in crimes of severe violence is described, with an emphasis of how the process is far more intensive in such cases. Second, the specific type of victim sensitive mediation employed in such cases is briefly presented. Humanistic mediation is ‘dialogue driven’ rather than ‘settlement driven’ and is essential to the application of restorative justice principles in cases of severe violence. Third, a review of the few current studies of such an intervention is offered, including preliminary data that is emerging from a two state multi-year study by the author. Fourth, two specific case studies related to the above research are presented with an emphasis upon implications for practitioners. Finally, several conclusions are offered, including a number of unanswered questions and the need for further research.
What Is the Future of Family Outcomes and Family-Centered Services?
Authors: Bailey Donald B. , Raspa Melissa , Fox Leslie C.
Published: November 2011

The central role of family support in programs serving young children with disabilities was emphasized in Public Law 99-457. In the ensuing 25 years, much work has been done to describe the principles and practices that characterize effective family support. Less clear is whether and how programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers promote family outcomes. This article describes the components of family-centered practice and summarizes the data in support of the use of such practices. The authors show that early intervention and preschool programs are not held accountable for family outcomes; instead, they are limited only to showing that families are satisfied with services. The authors predict that family outcomes will not be part of any national accountability effort in the near future until research clearly shows that such outcomes ultimately will benefit children, and they suggest several lines of work needed to advance the field toward making an informed policy decision about documenting family benefit.
Strength of concrete columns externally wrapped with composites under compressive static loading
Authors: Bouchelaghem Hafida , Bezazi Abderrezak , Scarpa Fabrizio
Published: November 2011

This work describes the experimental results related to several series of circular cross-section concrete columns reinforced by composite materials glass/polyester. The columns have been wrapped externally with several plies, and subjected to classical static uniaxial compression loading, and a novel compressive technique consisting in repeated loading steps. The authors identify in particular two specific composite layups (bidirectional fabrics (0/90)2 and (+30/−60)2), the first providing the highest time to failure, the second showing an increase up to 70% in strengthening efficiency compared with non-reinforced columns. Six hybrid composite jacket configurations have also been investigated. The authors also provide a cost analysis of the different types of layups used to wrap the columns, showing the enhanced mechanical/cost effectiveness of the reinforcements proposed in this article.
Effect of fiber length and fiber content on mechanical properties of banana fiber/epoxy composite
Authors: Venkateshwaran N. , ElayaPerumal A. , Jagatheeshwaran M. S.
Published: November 2011

The main factors that influence the properties of composite are fiber length and content. Hence the prediction of optimum fiber length and content becomes important, so that composite can be prepared with best mechanical properties. Experiments are carried out as per ASTM standards to find the mechanical properties namely, tensile strength and modulus, flexural strength and modulus, and impact strength. In addition to mechanical properties, water absorption capacity of the composite is also studied. Further, fractured surface of the specimen are subjected to morphological study using scanning electron microscope. The investigation revealed the suitability of banana fiber as an effective reinforcement in epoxy matrix.
On the mechanics of deformation and stability of the beam with a nanocoating
Authors: Alizada A.N. , Sofiyev A.H.
Published: November 2011

In this study, the mechanics of deformation (under the tension) and the stability of an elastic beam with a nanocoating under an axial compression are investigated. The behavior of the construction is modeled by the two-layered beam. The basic relations of the first layer, that is, an elastic beam gives in the framework of Hook’s law and the basic relations of the second layer, that is, the coating is carried out taking into account discreteness of the nanomaterial. First, the strain–stress relations of the elastic beam with nanocoating under axial tensile load are obtained. Then, stability equations of layered beam consisting of two elastic layers and elastic beam with the nanocoating subjected to a uniform axial compression are obtained, respectively. The dimensionless critical axial load parameter, that is, the ratio of the critical axial load of elastic beam with nanocoating to the critical axial load of layered beam consisting of two elastic layers is found. Finally, carrying out some computations, effects of the characteristics of a nanocoating on the values of the dimensionless critical axial load parameter have been studied.
Further Marginalization: The Link Between Incarceration Rates and State Medicaid Enrollments
Authors: Kupchik Aaron , Gifford Brian
Published: November 2011

Although the penal system and public assistance programs play significant roles in the lives of disadvantaged populations in the United States, the relationship between the two institutions is not well understood. This is particularly true of publicly financed health care coverage. In this article, the authors study how state-level incarceration rates shape the provision of publicly financed health care and health insurance (Medicaid), using two theoretical frameworks as a guide: a collateral consequences model and a punitive regime model. The authors use state-level panel data to estimate how the size of the incarcerated population is related to Medicaid enrollments across states and within them over time. These analyses suggest that incarceration rates do have a substantial and positive effect on Medicaid rates within states over time. Across states, the relationship is less clear. On average, states with higher incarceration rates had somewhat fewer Medicaid enrollments until the early 1990s. After this point, Medicaid enrollments began to increase with the size of the incarcerated population. These findings suggest that though states’ efforts to control crime and poverty may be linked, whereby states that use incarceration liberally are also stingy with Medicaid, the collateral consequences of mass incarceration undermine these efforts by producing greater demands for social welfare services.
Supply or Demand, Make or Buy
Authors: Gottlieb Paul D.
Published: November 2011

This article lays out two broad criteria for crafting a particular brain drain policy at the state level. The first, which we are calling “supply or demand,” asks whether a state experiencing brain drain is below average in high-tech labor demand or above average in high-tech labor supply (the latter concept measured by university enrollments). It is argued that the answer to this question matters a great deal to the policy response. The article then proposes a second, related framework for crafting brain drain policies, which is used widely in the world of business. This is whether a state should “make” or “buy” its own high-tech workers. Benchmarking data and a new review of state policy programs are then used to compare what states are doing with what they ought to be doing in light of their particular situations.
Investigation of the influence of EDM parameters on the overcut for AISI D3 tool steel
Authors: Belgassim O , Abusaada A
Published: November 2011

Electric discharge machining (EDM) has been proven as an alternative process for machining complex and intricate shapes from difficult-to-machine materials such as hard steels. The success of electric discharge machined components in real applications relies on the understanding of material removal mechanisms, and the relationship between the EDM parameters and the formation of surface and subsurface damage. This paper presents a detailed investigation of the EDM machining characteristics of hardened AISI D3 tool steel. The machining response is the overcut of the process (OC), and the input parameters are pulse current Ip, pulse-on time Ton, pulse-off time Toff, and the gap voltage Vg. The experimental results have provided the optimal combination of input parameters that gives the minimal overcut on the machined surface.
Changes in the axial residual stresses in AISI 1045 steel bars resulting from a combined drawing process chain
Authors: Rocha A S , Nunes R M , Hirsch T
Published: November 2011

The present paper investigates the redistribution of residual stresses resulting from manufacturing steps in the production of cold-drawn AISI 1045 steel bars. The main steps in this process chain are the pre-straightening of coiled material, shot-blasting, cold-drawing, cutting, and final straightening with crossed rolls. Drawing and final straightening parameters were changed to evaluate their influence on the residual stress distributions as measured by X-ray diffraction and hole-drilling techniques after the different manufacturing steps. It was found that, depending on the manufacturing parameters, the pre-straightened material generates non-homogeneity of residual stresses which can remain even after the last manufacturing steps. The angle between the crossed rolls in the final straightening has a high influence on the homogeneity of the surface residual stresses. Both the drawing angle and the angle between the crossed rolls significantly affect the residual stress depth distribution.
Prediction of airfoil noise induced by low-Mach-number flow
Authors: Mao Y , Qi D , Gu Y
Published: November 2011

Airfoil noise induced by low-Mach-number flow is usually computed using the hybrid method, in which usually the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are first solved to obtain the noise source and then acoustic analogy is used to predict the far-field noise. However this method is only suitable for predicting the aerodynamic noise in the long wavelength limit due to the loss of the acoustic component obtained from the incompressible flow simulation. The current paper presents an acoustic pressure correction method to predict the airfoil noise generated from low-Mach-number flow using a combination of acoustic analogy and the boundary element method. In order to validate the present method, the noise radiated from the low-Mach-number flow over an NACA0012 airfoil is predicted. Directivity patterns of the calculated noise at different frequencies have good agreement with those of the analytical solutions of Howe’s trailing-edge model.
A Quantizing Method for Determination of Controlled Damping Parameters of Magnetorheological Damper Models
Authors: Liu Yongqiang , Yang Shaopu , Liao Yingying
Published: November 2011

A quantizing method, single parameter adjustment method (SPAM), is proposed so that the selection of controlled damping parameters of the magnetorheological (MR) damper models can be well founded. By using SPAM, only one parameter is identified each time, and the controlled damping parameters are selected according to their damping controllability. The relationships between the selected parameters and applied currents are determined by curve fitting. Genetic algorithm (GA) and pattern search (PS) are used to identify parameter values of the MR damper models. A modified Bouc–Wen model is considered and its parameters are obtained using these methods. Then the experimental data with different frequencies, amplitudes, and currents are used to verify the proposed SPAM. The results show that the simulation data agree well with the measured experimental data. Compared with the traditional identification method that relies on assumption and visual inspection, errors produced by SPAM are greatly reduced. At last, Bouc–Wen model and modified Dahl model are considered and analyzed using SPAM.
Population Health and Social Governance
Authors: O’Byrne Patrick
Published: November 2011

Recently, health care workers (researchers, academics, policy writers, clinicians) have begun to view ethnography as an acceptable research methodology for informing public health work. This corresponds with a change in public health practice toward population health, wherein identifiable groups are examined to identify the group-level and contextual factors that affect their health statuses. Although population health-based methodological and outcomes-focused examinations have already occurred regarding ethnography, no extant literature scrutinizes the incorporation of ethnography into mainstream public and population health work from a sociopolitical viewpoint. Consequently, such an investigation occurs here using Foucault’s concepts of discipline and Lupton’s advancement of Foucault’s ideas about the imperative of health. The outcome of this investigation is the assertion that ethnography is a strategic method for disciplining populations that do not respect the imperative of health. In other words, ethnography helps generate the data that can be used to normalize large groups of people.
Intergenerational Differences in Food, Physical Activity, and Body Size Perceptions Among African Migrants
Authors: Renzaho André M. N. , McCabe Marita , Swinburn Boyd
Published: November 2011

We assessed intergenerational differences in food, physical activity, and body size perceptions among refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa living in Victoria, Australia. We used a qualitative design and obtained data from 48 participants (18 individual interviews; 3 semistructured focus groups). Three major themes emerged: (a) food and physical activity, (b) preference of body size and social expectations, and (c) perceived consequences of various body sizes. For parents, large body size was perceived to equate with being beautiful and wealthy; slimness was associated with chronic illness and poverty. Parents adopted strategies that promoted weight gain in children. These included tailored food practices and restricting children’s involvement in physical activity. For young people, slimness was the ideal body size endorsed by their peers, and they adopted strategies to resist parental pressure to gain weight. Obesity-prevention programs in this subpopulation need to adopt a multigenerational approach.
Youth on the Virtual Edge
Authors: McDermott Elizabeth , Roen Katrina
Published: November 2011

Research shows clear links between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth and deliberate self-harm (DSH), but there is a lack of research investigating the social context of young LGBT people’s lives and helping to explain the higher DSH risk. In this article, we report on a small-scale methodological study intended to test the feasibility of online qualitative interviews for investigating young people, sexual and gender identity, and emotional distress. There are many methodological dilemmas arising from researching such sensitive issues with marginalized groups. The study reported here was designed to examine (a) sampling diversity in terms of sexuality, gender identities, and class; and (b) the type of data produced. We found that a virtual methodology was effective in recruiting young LGBT participants who might otherwise not take part in research. Online interviewing successfully produced in-depth, “immediate” data that potentially gave access to insights that might not emerge through face-to face interviews.
Fathers’ Beliefs About Parenting and Fathers’ Clubs to Promote Child Health in Rural Haiti
Authors: Sloand Elizabeth , Gebrian Bette , Astone Nan Marie
Published: November 2011

Health care providers are challenged to use culturally appropriate, low-technology approaches to improve child health in resource-poor countries. Village fathers’ clubs is one approach used in rural Haiti since 1994. Fathers meet regularly for health education and community-building activities. Our aim was to investigate parenting practices and beliefs among Haitian fathers of young children and to explore their views on fathers’ clubs. We conducted semistructured interviews with 18 fathers. Themes identified were fathers’ involvement in routine care of their children, the close partnerships of fathers and mothers in child care, fathers’ responsibilities to their communities, and fathers’ clubs as an important supportive institution for the Haitian fathers and their families. Rural Haitian fathers reported taking a very active role in the lives of their families and children. Increased involvement of fathers should be explored as a strategy to improve child health and survival in other parts of Haiti and throughout the world.
Interpersonal Problems Associated With Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Traits in Women During the Transition to Adulthood
Authors: Hopwood Christopher J. , Burt S. Alexandra , Keel Pamela K. , Neale Michael C. , Boker Steven M. , Klump Kelly L.
Published: November 2011

Personality traits are known to be associated with a host of important life outcomes, including interpersonal dysfunction. The interpersonal circumplex offers a comprehensive system for articulating the kinds of interpersonal problems associated with personality traits. In the current study, traits as measured by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire in a sample of 124 young women were correlated with interpersonal dysfunction as measured by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems–Circumplex. Results suggest that Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire traits vary in their associations with interpersonal distress and in their coverage of specific kinds of interpersonal difficulties among women undergoing the transition to adulthood.
Gemcitabine-induced posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: A case report
Authors: Cioffi Pasquale , Laudadio Lucio , Nuzzo Antonio , Belfiglio Maurizio , Petrelli Fabio , Grappasonni Iolanda
Published: November 2011

Gemcitabine is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for a variety of tumors. Although this nucleoside analog antineoplastic agent is similar in structure to cytarabine, central nervous system toxicities have rarely been attributed to gemcitabine. The posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a condition characterized by reversible neurological and radiological findings that has been associated with use of chemotherapeutic and more recently novel targeted therapies. We describe one case of a 41-year-old woman with PRES under treatment for leiomyosarcoma because of the probable association with gemcitabine. Our case, to our knowledge, represents the seventh published report of this particular toxicity. Naranjo algorithm, efficacious method for assessing the causality of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) from a case report, suggests a direct casual relationship. PRES is probably a rare complication of gemcitabine, but the oncologist should take it into careful consideration, because PRES is reversible with treatment of current hypertension or removal of the causative agent. However, failure to quickly recognize the syndrome and discontinue the offending agent may result in profound and permanent central nervous system dysfunction or death.
The Sublime Quran: The misinterpretation of Chapter 4 Verse 34
Authors: Bakhtiar Laleh
Published: November 2011

For over 14 centuries, Muslim men have misinterpreted a verse of the Quran (4:34) to allow themselves to beat their wives. The Sublime Quran, the first critical English translation of the Quran by a woman, corrects this error and shows how it has created a contradiction not inherent in the Quran itself.
Identification of wear and misalignment on journal bearings using artificial neural networks
Authors: Saridakis K M , Nikolakopoulos P G , Papadopoulos C A , Dentsoras A J
Published: November 2011

Journal bearing bushing wear and shaft misalignment are the common defects observed in rotating systems. Both defects influence their dynamic behaviour, stability and life time and their detection is a very important task. This article introduces a defect diagnosis approach that uses artificial neural networks. Reynolds equation is solved by finite element method and wear/misalignment data are provided. Then, the proposed model uses values of journal bearing performance characteristics, such as eccentricity, attitude angle and film thickness, and it trains an artificial neural network so that reliable defect identification is performed. The accuracy of the proposed model is demonstrated – for different misalignment angles, wear depths and L/ D ratios – for a worn/misaligned journal bearing. The potential use of the artificial neural networks-based model for a real-time condition monitoring system is also discussed. The outcome of this study is to obtain an efficient engineering tool that would be capable of detecting wear and misalignment of journal bearings for different operating conditions using artificial neural networks.
Influence of melted incinerator ash on durability and corrosion behaviour of reinforced concrete
Authors: Cheng T-C , Cheng A , Huang R , Hwang H , Lin W-T
Published: November 2011

This study investigates the effects of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) fineness and the cooling process of molten IBA on the durability of concrete and the corrosion of rebar. Two finenesses of an original IBA, i.e. pulverized incinerator bottom ash (PIBA) powder with maximum particle sizes of 0.6 and 0.074 mm, were used to partially replace Portland cement at 20 per cent by weight. In addition, the powder was also obtained by melting the PIBA (<0.6 mm) in an electric-furnace at 1450 °C for 1 h and chilling it by quenching in water (WIBA, water-cooled melted incinerator bottom ash) and air (AIBA, air-cooled melted incinerator bottom ash). The powder was then ground in a ball mill until the particle size reached less than 0.074 mm. This study also presents the experimental results on the compressive strength, mercury intrusion porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction of concrete samples containing different types of IBA. This study uses the initial surface absorption test and rapid chloride penetration test to measure the absorption and the ability of different concrete samples to resist chloride ions. Cylindrical specimens were cast and exposed to 3.5 per cent NaCl solution under a direct current density (0.5 m A/cm2) to accelerate the corrosion process. The open circuit potential and direct current polarization resistance were obtained to evaluate the rebar corrosion. Results indicate that WIBA concrete achieved a compressive strength similar to reference specimens after 28 days of curing; WIBA and AIBA exhibited an increase in unit weight and workability when used as a replacement for cement. However, IBA can be processed by melting to regain reactive pozzolanic activity, which may be used to partially replace cement. The incorporation of WIBA and AIBA decreased the total capillary pore porosity of the mortars compared to ordinary PIBA. The large particle size of PIBA produced lower hydraulic properties than finer particles. The improved properties of WIBA and AIBA resulted from the dense structure achieved by the filling effect of the pozzolanic product. Strength activity index results, SEM, X-ray analysis, and the rate of ISA observations confirm these findings. Utilizing a proper amount of WIBA and AIBA significantly improved the chloride and corrosion resistance of rebar in concrete in this study. Therefore, WIBA and AIBA can act as cementitious materials in cement-based composites.
No association between ACE olymorphism and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Li Zhao-Hui , Pan Xin-Min , Han Bao-Wei , Han Hong-bin , Zhang Zhen , Gao Lin-Bo
Published: November 2011

Emerging evidence has shown that angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) plays pivotal roles not only in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis but also in the process of tumorigenesis. A common ACE I/D polymorphism has been found to be functional, with the D allele displaying a higher plasma ACE level and ACE activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the ACE I/D polymorphism was related to the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The study included 175 patients with NPC and 279 age- and sex-matched control subjects. The ACE I/D polymorphism was identified by a polymerase chain reaction analysis. No association was found between the ACE I/D polymorphism and risk of NPC (ID vs. II: odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51–1.17; DD vs. II: OR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.56–1.72, respectively). This finding indicates that the ACE I/D polymorphism may not play a role in susceptibility to NPC. Further studies are warranted to confirm this finding, especially in ethnically disparate populations.
Coronary artery disease is detectable by multi-slice computed tomography in most asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk
Authors: Nasti Rodolfo , Carbonara Ornella , di Santo Stefano Maria L Mangoni , Auriemma Roberta , Esposito Sabato , Picardi Giuseppe , Lascar Nadia , Pagano Antonio , Ruggiero Roberto , Torella Roberto , Sasso Ferdinando C
Published: November 2011

Objective: Non-invasive testing often does not identify coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic subjects. This study was designed in order to examine the prevalence of CAD in a cohort of asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk and negative nuclear imaging, using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) angiography.

Methods: In total, 770 type 2 diabetic patients were screened from January 2008 through July 2010. Of these, 132 Caucasians with diabetic nephropathy and asymptomatic for angina were eligible for a cross-sectional study. Patients underwent MSCT after ischaemia was excluded by myocardial Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) at rest and after dynamic exercise. When obstructive plaques were found (≥50% lumen narrowing), patients were sent to conventional coronary angiography (CCA).

Results: Six subjects were not included in the analysis because of motion artefacts. MSCT was positive for CAD in 114 patients (90%). Within patients with positive MSCT, 60 (48% of all) showed one or more obstructive plaques. CCA confirmed significant stenosis (≥50%) in 48 of these 60 patients (80%). Some 21 (35%) showed stenosis ≥75% and were submitted to the revascularisation procedure.

Conclusion: MSCT seems to better identify CAD than myocardial SPECT in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy.
Developing Approaches for Evaluating Smoke-Free Policies
Authors: Schillo Barbara A. , Babb Stephen , Juster Harlan R.
Published: November 2011

This article describes how several tobacco control organizations identified and responded to an emerging need for technical assistance on how to evaluate smoke-free policies. The authors outline the purposes of evaluating smoke-free policies and present examples of evaluation approaches and tools. Examples are provided of how evaluation has been used to advance the adoption, implementation, and defense of smoke-free policies. Opportunities for further research are identified. Finally, the authors review lessons learned and discuss their implications for evaluating policy initiatives addressing other public health issues.
Challenges and Lessons Learned From the Translation of Evidence-Based Childhood Asthma Interventions
Authors: Ohadike Yvonne U. , Malveaux Floyd J. , Lesch Julie Kennedy
Published: November 2011

The Merck Childhood Asthma Network (MCAN) used evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for children with asthma to design community-based programs in a wide variety of settings—with varying resource constraints and priorities—that were often determined by the program context. Although challenges were faced, lessons learned strongly suggest that adapting and implementing EBIs is feasible in a variety of settings using a multisite approach. Lessons learned during the MCAN initiative presented unique opportunities to refine best practices that proved to be important to translation of EBIs in community-based settings. The adopted best practices were based on experiential learning during different phases of the project cycle, including monitoring and evaluation, translational research, and implementing policies in local program environments. Throughout this discussion it is important to note the importance of program context in determining the effectiveness of the interventions, opportunities to scale them, their affordability, and the ability to sustain them. Lessons learned from this effort will be important not only to advance science-based approaches to manage childhood asthma but also to assist in closing the gap between intervention development (discovery) and program dissemination and implementation (delivery).
Stories From the Field
Authors: Caine Julie , Pokhrel Kabi
Published: November 2011

“Stories From the Field” is a series of short profiles of tobacco control programs and their leaders, showcasing promising technical assistance and training models in Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Cherokee Nation, West Virginia, the Pacific Islands, and the Virgin Islands. The series illuminates key themes of collaboration with diverse stakeholders, elimination of health disparities, building tobacco control coalitions, engaging youth to reduce commercial tobacco use, sustaining tobacco control efforts, and the use of the media to raise public awareness that are highlighted in the Health Promotion Practice Supplement Theme Issue, Training and Technical Assistance: Lessons Learned to Sustain Social Norm Changes in Tobacco Control. Common tobacco control strategies bind the stories together. Local knowledge, coalition building, community involvement, innovative partnerships, and educational outreach are at the core of all of these tobacco control projects.
Training Leaders From Priority Populations to Implement Social Norm Changes in Tobacco Control
Authors: Lew Rod , Martinez Jaime , Soto Claradina , Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes
Published: November 2011

The development of leadership in tobacco control has been crucial in the fight against the number one most preventable cause of death and disease worldwide. Yet today, little scientific evidence exists regarding its actual impact, particularly among priority populations. This article describes the impact of the Leadership and Advocacy Institute to Advance Minnesota’s Parity for Priority Populations (LAAMPP Institute), a major tobacco control leadership program for five priority populations: African/African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Chicano/Latinos, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender communities in Minnesota. The LAAMPP Institute, a year-long institute with 17 days of training, focused on the core competencies of advocacy, collaboration, cultural or community competency, facilitation, and tobacco control. A logic model helped to guide and frame the institute’s efforts. The LAAMPP Institute has been effective in increasing fellows’ capacity to do advocacy, which in turn has led to increased involvement in implementing social norm–change activities. Leadership development can provide a solid foundation for training leaders and a catalyst for mobilizing key advocates and priority population communities toward the implementation and sustainment of social norm or policy changes.
The Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium
Authors: Healton Cheryl , Curran James W.
Published: November 2011

Cheryl Healton, DrPH, President and CEO of Legacy, and James W. Curran, MD, MPH, Dean, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, look back at their collaboration in the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium and the significant contributions being made to change social norms through training and technical assistance.
Young Mothers, Delinquent Children
Authors: Barnes J. C. , Morris Robert G.
Published: November 2011

Young motherhood is a risk factor for the child’s delinquency. Few studies, however, have attempted to unpack the mediating factors that underlie this relationship. The current study assessed factors that mediate the association between maternal age at childbirth (MAC) and the child’s delinquency using nationally representative data from the United States. Findings revealed that MAC predicted the child’s delinquency in adolescence. The link between MAC and delinquency was not mediated by parenting factors, neighborhood factors, or the child’s level of self-control. Instead, the MAC effect was completely mediated by the child’s level of exposure to drug-using peers.
You Can’t Touch This
Authors: Ebert Lars C. , Hatch Gary , Ampanozi Garyfalia , Thali Michael J. , Ross Steffen
Published: November 2011

Keyboards, mice, and touch screens are a potential source of infection or contamination in operating rooms, intensive care units, and autopsy suites. The authors present a low-cost prototype of a system, which allows for touch-free control of a medical image viewer. This touch-free navigation system consists of a computer system (IMac, OS X 10.6 Apple, USA) with a medical image viewer (OsiriX, OsiriX foundation, Switzerland) and a depth camera (Kinect, Microsoft, USA). They implemented software that translates the data delivered by the camera and a voice recognition software into keyboard and mouse commands, which are then passed to OsiriX. In this feasibility study, the authors introduced 10 medical professionals to the system and asked them to re-create 12 images from a CT data set. They evaluated response times and usability of the system compared with standard mouse/keyboard control. Users felt comfortable with the system after approximately 10 minutes. Response time was 120 ms. Users required 1.4 times more time to re-create an image with gesture control. Users with OsiriX experience were significantly faster using the mouse/keyboard and faster than users without prior experience. They rated the system 3.4 out of 5 for ease of use in comparison to the mouse/keyboard. The touch-free, gesture-controlled system performs favorably and removes a potential vector for infection, protecting both patients and staff. Because the camera can be quickly and easily integrated into existing systems, requires no calibration, and is low cost, the barriers to using this technology are low.
The cell cycle regulator CDC25A is a target for JAK2V617F oncogene
Authors: Gautier Emilie-Fleur , Picard Muriel , Laurent Camille , Marty Caroline , Villeval Jean-Luc , Demur Cécile , Delhommeau François , Hexner Elizabeth , Giraudier Stéphane , Bonnevialle Nicolas , Ducommun Bernard , Récher Christian , Laurent Guy , Manenti Stéphane , Mansat-De Mas Véronique
Published: November 2011

The JAK2V617F mutation is present in the majority of patients with polycythemia vera and one-half of those with essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis. JAK2V617F is a gain-of-function mutation resulting in constitutive JAK2 signaling involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. JAK2V617F has been shown to promote S-phase entry. Here, we demonstrate that the CDC25A phosphatase, a key regulator of the G1/S cell-cycle transition, is constitutively overexpressed in JAK2V617F-positive cell lines, JAK2-mutated patient CD36+ progenitors, and in vitro–differentiated proerythroblasts. Accordingly, CDC25A is overexpressed in BM and spleen of Jak2V617F knock-in mice compared with wild-type littermates. By using murine FDC-P1–EPOR and human HEL and SET-2 cell lines, we found that JAK2V617F-induced CDC25A up-regulation was caused neither by increased CDC25A transcription or stability nor by the involvement of its upstream regulators Akt and MAPK. Instead, our results suggest that CDC25A is regulated at the translational level through STAT5 and the translational initiation factor eIF2α. CDC25A inhibition reduces the clonogenic and proliferative potential of JAK2V617F-expressing cell lines and erythroid progenitors while moderately affecting normal erythroid differentiation. These results suggest that CDC25A deregulation may be involved in hematopoietic cells expansion in JAK2V617F patients, making this protein an attracting potential therapeutic target.
VIP and endothelin receptor antagonist: An effective combination against experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Hamidi Sayyed A , Lin Richard Z , Szema Anthony M , Lyubsky Sergey , Jiang Ya Ping , Said Sami I
Published: November 2011

Background

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) remains a therapeutic challenge, and the search continues for more effective drugs and drug combinations. We recently reported that deletion of the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) gene caused the spontaneous expression of a PH phenotype that was fully corrected by VIP. The objectives of this investigation were to answer the questions: 1) Can VIP protect against PH in other experimental models? and 2) Does combining VIP with an endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist bosentan enhance its efficacy?

Methods

Within 3 weeks of a single injection of monocrotaline (MCT, s.c.) in Sprague Dawley rats, PAH developed, manifested by pulmonary vascular remodeling, lung inflammation, RV hypertrophy, and death within the next 2 weeks. MCT-injected animals were either untreated, treated with bosentan (p.o.) alone, with VIP (i.p.) alone, or with both together. We selected this particular combination upon finding that VIP down-regulates endothelin receptor expression which is further suppressed by bosentan. Therapeutic outcomes were compared as to hemodynamics, pulmonary vascular pathology, and survival.

Results

Treatment with VIP, every other day for 3 weeks, begun on the same day as MCT, almost totally prevented PAH pathology, and eliminated mortality for 45 days. Begun 3 weeks after MCT, however, VIP only partially reversed PAH pathology, though more effectively than bosentan. Combined therapy with both drugs fully reversed the pathology, while preventing mortality for at least 45 days.

Conclusions

1) VIP completely prevented and significantly reversed MCT-induced PAH; 2) VIP was more effective than bosentan, probably because it targets a wider range of pro-remodeling pathways; and 3) combination therapy with VIP plus bosentan was more effective than either drug alone, probably because both drugs synergistically suppressed ET-ET receptor pathway.