bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eyes in the Aisles
Authors: Musicus Aviva , Tal Aner , Wansink Brian
Published: April 2014

To what extent do cereal spokes-characters make eye contact with children versus adults, and does their eye contact influence choice? In study 1, the shelf placement and eye positioning of 86 cereal spokes-characters were evaluated in 10 grocery stores in the Eastern United States. We calculated the average height of cereal boxes on the shelf for adult- versus children-oriented cereals (48 in. vs. 23 in.) and the inflection angle of spokes-characters’ gaze (0.4° vs. −9.6°). We found that cereal characters on child- (adult-) oriented cereals make incidental eye contact at children’s (adults’) eye level. In Study 2, we showed that eye contact with cereal spokes-characters increased feelings of trust and connection to the brand, as well as choice of the brand over competitors. Currently, many of the cereals targeted toward children are of the heavily sugared, less healthy variety. One potential application of this finding would be to use eye contact with spokes-characters to promote healthy choices and healthier food consumption.
Prediction of calibration factors of the hole-drilling method for orthotropic composites including hybrid interphase region
Authors: Safarabadi Majid
Published: April 2014

This paper investigates the effects of hybrid interphase region on the calibration factors of the hole-drilling method for orthotropic composites. For this purpose, a three-phase composite has been considered which includes fiber, matrix as well as the interphase between them. By employing the available analytical predictions for elastic properties of the interphase and based on micromechanical equations, the mechanical properties of the three-phase orthotropic composite can be obtained. These properties are applied to the available exact solution in order to determine the calibration factors for the three-phase orthotropic plate. Four different composites have been considered in order to study the interphase influences on the calibration factors matrix. Analytical results show that for carbon/epoxy composite, bonding conditions affect all of the calibration factors importantly, while for boron/epoxy, glass/epoxy, and aramid/epoxy composites, some of these factors are not sensitive to interphase thickness. Sometimes, bonding conditions change some of the calibration factors considerably between 30 and 50%. Consequently, when a central hole-drilling experiment is performed in an orthotropic layer, the precision of residual stresses measurement is identically dependent on the elastic properties and the thickness of the hybrid interphase.
Rare Bone Diseases and Their Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Manifestations
Authors: Foster B.L. , Ramnitz M.S. , Gafni R.I. , Burke A.B. , Boyce A.M. , Lee J.S. , Wright J.T. , Akintoye S.O. , Somerman M.J. , Collins M.T.
Published: April 2014

Hereditary diseases affecting the skeleton are heterogeneous in etiology and severity. Though many of these conditions are individually rare, the total number of people affected is great. These disorders often include dental-oral-craniofacial (DOC) manifestations, but the combination of the rarity and lack of in-depth reporting often limit our understanding and ability to diagnose and treat affected individuals. In this review, we focus on dental, oral, and craniofacial manifestations of rare bone diseases. Discussed are defects in 4 key physiologic processes in bone/tooth formation that serve as models for the understanding of other diseases in the skeleton and DOC complex: progenitor cell differentiation (fibrous dysplasia), extracellular matrix production (osteogenesis imperfecta), mineralization (familial tumoral calcinosis/hyperostosis hyperphosphatemia syndrome, hypophosphatemic rickets, and hypophosphatasia), and bone resorption (Gorham-Stout disease). For each condition, we highlight causative mutations (when known), etiopathology in the skeleton and DOC complex, and treatments. By understanding how these 4 foci are subverted to cause disease, we aim to improve the identification of genetic, molecular, and/or biologic causes, diagnoses, and treatment of these and other rare bone conditions that may share underlying mechanisms of disease.
Australian unions and collective bargaining in 2013
Authors: Bailey Janis , Peetz David
Published: April 2014

Union membership rose slightly, and density fell slightly, in 2013. More substantial falls were recorded in strike volumes, especially in ‘illegal’ strikes. A substantial part of some unions' time was taken up by the courts. For other unions, much time was taken up by (ultimately unsuccessful) party political campaigning. Campaigns in the service sector appeared to encounter major obstacles. Conservative governments at state levels made life very difficult for unions, some passing laws that evoked extensive opposition. A new conservative federal government looked set to follow suit, albeit subject to its own political constraints. But if unions thought that 2013 was challenging, 2014 looked set to take the challenges to a new level.
Conservative treatment of splenic infarction and intestinal obstruction caused by a wandering spleen
Authors: Ihedioha U , Syed A , Lloyd G , Scott A
Published: April 2014

The underdevelopment or absence of the splenic suspensary ligaments can lead to an uncommon condition termed the wandering spleen. It is usually asymptomatic but can present with an acute abdomen when associated with torsion. Most authors advocate surgical treatment. Herein, we report a case of torsion with infarction of the spleen and intestinal obstruction in a 36-year-old female patient which was successfully managed conservatively.
Glue granuloma following laparoscopic hernia repair
Authors: Ihedioha U , Panteleimonitis S , Mann C , Finch GJ
Published: April 2014

Minimal inflammation of tissues can occur following skin closure with a foreign material. This foreign body reaction can lead to granuloma formation. We report the case of a middle-aged man who, having undergone laparoscopic surgery and had the port site wounds closed with skin glue, was detected to have a non-healing wound. A crystal mass protruding from the incision site was confirmed histologically as a chronic granulomatous reaction to skin glue. A foreign body granulomatous reaction to skin glue has not been described in the literature.
Emerging spaces of neoliberal urbanism in China: Land commodification, municipal finance and local economic growth in prefecture-level cities
Authors: Lin George CS , Zhang Amy Y
Published: April 2014

This study examines the popular practices of Chinese urbanism in which commodification of urban land has been actively pursued by municipal governments as a means of revenue generation in the era of neoliberalisation. The research identifies a complex, diverse and self-conflicting internal dynamics that characterised the Chinese state, reveals the political and financial motives of local governments to engage in urbanism and maps out the emerging geography of neoliberal urbanism. Land commodification has become a main source of municipal finance accounting for over 30% of total municipal budgetary revenue and nearly 40% of the fund for urban maintenance and construction. An inverse U-shaped relationship is found between the importance of land commodification to municipal finance and the level of urban economic growth. A similar relationship is identified for land-based municipal finance and degree of openness.
Internal Efficiency and Turnover Intention
Authors: Campbell Jesse W. , Im Tobin , Jeong Jisu
Published: April 2014

All around the world, public organizations have faced strong pressures to improve performance and generally “do more with less,” particularly following the global slowdown of 2008. This article examines the effects of organizational emphasis on efficiency in local government using data from a large survey of civil servants in South Korea. Findings from a fixed effects analysis indicate that higher levels of efficiency emphasis are related to stronger employee turnover intention. However, a number of moderating factors are also uncovered, suggesting that individual levels of public service motivation as well as perceived procedural justice and innovation climate can influence this relationship, lessening the impact of efficiency emphasis on turnover intention. These individual and organizational level factors may thus act as a buffer for increased performance demands. A number of implications for public management are discussed.
Adaptive Huber-based Kalman filtering for spacecraft attitude estimation
Authors: Li Wei , Liu Meihong , Duan Dengping
Published: April 2014

An adaptive Huber-based Kalman filter (AHF) is presented to deal with model error and unknown measurement noise in this article. The adaptive method for model error is obtained using an upper bound for the predicted state error covariance matrix. The measurement noise uncertainty is tackled at each time step by minimizing a criterion function that is original from the Huber technique. A recursive algorithm is also provided to solve the criterion function. The proposed AHF algorithm has been tested in an attitude estimation problem using a gyroscope and star tracker sensors for a single spacecraft in flight simulations in the presence of both model error and non-Gaussian random measurement errors. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed filter compared with the previous filter algorithms. The main contribution of this work can be considered the new application of an existing method.
Adaptive vision-based control of robot manipulators using the interpolating polynomial
Authors: Aghaie Saeed , Khanmohammadi Sohrab , Moghadam-Fard Hamid , Samadi Farshad
Published: April 2014

This paper studies the problem of vision-based adaptive control for robot manipulators under a fixed camera configuration, when the camera intrinsic and extrinsic parameters are uncertain. An image-based controller, which requires the image Jacobian for its implementation, is conducted. The image Jacobian is inversely proportional to the depth factor. Hence it is not linearly parameterizable and the depth factor cannot be adapted with uncertain camera parameters. To cope with the inverse dependence of the image Jacobian on the depth factor, the controller employed the polynomial interpolation to parameterize the image Jacobian matrix linearly. The coefficients of the polynomial are obtained by a trained adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system. A stability analysis for the proposed method is provided by a full consideration of the non-linear dynamics of the robot manipulator. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
High-speed and accurate non-linear calibration of temperature sensors for transient aerodynamic heating experiments
Authors: Wu Dafang , Wu Shuang , Wang Yuewu , Gao Zhentong , Yang Jialing
Published: April 2014

Transient aerodynamic heating experiments with high-speed aircraft require temperature sensors that can carry out rapid and accurate electromotive force (EMF)–temperature conversions. A fast, high-precision non-linear EMF–temperature conversion method is proposed. In this method, the temperature values to be converted were pre-positioned using a non-linear mathematical model. Then, they were accurately positioned using an efficient binary search algorithm with a small scope. Thus, this method has rapid conversion speed and high calibration precision. This conversion precision is enhanced by one order of magnitude over that of the normal reference table, and the conversion time is 1% of that of the traditional piecewise linearization method. This method was employed in a transient aerodynamic heating experimental simulation system with high-speed aircraft. The experiment results show that, in the case of a high change rate of temperature and heat flux, accurate dynamic tracking can still be realized, and the experimental simulation results agree well with the pre-set environment. The developed temperature sensor calibration method is necessary for high-speed and high-precision aerodynamic heating experiments with hypersonic aircraft.
Design and implementation of heterogeneous IOT gateway based on dynamic priority scheduling algorithm
Authors: Min Dong , Xiao Zeng , Sheng Bi , Quanyong Huang , Xuwei Pan
Published: April 2014

In practice, IOT (Internet of things) gateways are often used between sensor networks and the Internet to provide advanced services such as device monitoring and control. Sensor networks are connected to the Internet via these gateways based on various transmission protocols. In particular, the main features of IOT gateways are reliability, high real-time, security and so on. This paper proposes a heterogeneous IOT gateway based on dynamic priority scheduling algorithm. This gateway realizes data conversion and transformation between the Internet and sensor networks as well as several kinds of communication protocol: RS485, Bluetooth, CAN, Zigbee and GSM. To ensure the data security and reliability for IOT gateway, some higher-level protocols are designed and implemented on the gateway. A dynamic priority scheduling algorithm of a real-time system is also used in the gateway to address the problem of data concurrency and improve real-time performance by efficiently scheduling tasks. Simulation results reveal that the gateway realizes the data transmission between sensor networks and the Internet using specific higher-level protocols and response within a very short delay, achieving the goal of addressing the problem of data concurrency.
Hypocaloric vs Normocaloric Nutrition in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Petros Sirak , Horbach Monika , Seidel Frank , Weidhase Lorenz
Published: April 2014

Background: Optimal nutrition of critically ill patients is still a matter of debate. This pilot trial aimed to compare the impact of normocaloric vs hypocaloric feeding in critically ill patients in the first 7 days in the intensive care unit (ICU). The primary end point was the rate of nosocomial infections during the ICU stay. Methods: Critically ill patients requiring artificial nutrition for at least 72 hours were included within 24 hours of ICU admission and randomized into a normocaloric group (receiving 100% of their daily energy expenditure) and a hypocaloric group (receiving 50% of their daily energy expenditure). Results: One hundred patients were included (54 in the normocaloric group and 46 in the hypocaloric group). There were 66 male and 34 female patients with a mean age of 65.8 ± 11.6 years. The mean daily caloric supply was 19.7 ± 5.7 kcal/kg for the normocaloric group and 11.3 ± 3.1 kcal/kg for the hypocaloric group (P = .0001). Insulin demand was significantly higher and gastrointestinal intolerance more frequent in the normocaloric group than in the hypocaloric group. Nosocomial infections were detected more frequently in the hypocaloric group than in the normocaloric group (26.1% vs 11.1%, respectively). The ICU mortality rate was 22.2% in the normocaloric group and 21.7% in the hypocaloric group (not significant). The hospital mortality rate was 31.5% in the normocaloric group and 37.0% in the hypocaloric group (P = .67). Conclusion: Hypocaloric feeding in the first 7 days in critically ill patients was associated with more nosocomial infections but less insulin demand and less gastrointestinal intolerance compared with normocaloric feeding. Trial registration number: DRKS00000104 (German Clinical Trials Register).
Open Access, Library and Publisher Competition, and the Evolution of General Commerce
Authors: Odlyzko Andrew M.
Published: April 2014

Discussions of the economics of scholarly communication are usually devoted to Open Access, rising journal prices, publisher profits, and boycotts. That ignores what seems a much more important development in this market. Publishers, through the oft-reviled Big Deal packages, are providing much greater and more egalitarian access to the journal literature, an approximation to true Open Access. In the process, they are also marginalizing libraries and obtaining a greater share of the resources going into scholarly communication. This is enabling a continuation of publisher profits as well as of what for decades has been called “unsustainable journal price escalation.” It is also inhibiting the spread of Open Access and potentially leading to an oligopoly of publishers controlling distribution through large-scale licensing. The Big Deal practices are worth studying for several general reasons. The degree to which publishers succeed in diminishing the role of libraries may be an indicator of the degree and speed at which universities transform themselves. More importantly, these Big Deals appear to point the way to the future of the whole economy, where progress is characterized by declining privacy, increasing price discrimination, increasing opaqueness in pricing, increasing reliance on low-paid or unpaid work of others for profits, and business models that depend on customer inertia.
Feasibility of Utilizing Ethnic Beauty Salons for Cervical Cancer Screening Education
Authors: Lee Jongwon , Carvallo Mauricio , Lee Eunice
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using ethnic beauty salons to reach out to Vietnamese and Korean American women for cervical cancer screening education. Participants ( N = 62) were conveniently recruited from ethnic beauty salons located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Two feasibility questionnaires were separately administered to cosmetologists and their customers. Findings support the view that ethnic beauty salons can be used as a gateway to reach out to these populations, and cosmetologists have the potential to operate as community lay health workers to deliver cervical cancer screening education aimed at reducing disparities in cervical cancer and screening to their ethnic customers.
The Patterns of Corruption in Christian Churches of Cameroon: The Case of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon
Authors: Lang Michael Kpughe
Published: April 2014

Cameroon’s post-independence era has so far been marked by an upsurge in the number of Christian churches. This proliferation of Catholic, Protestant, and Pentecostal churches is probably the product of the heightened desire for spirituality. These churches, according to public opinion, are expected to be epicenters of good moral values and Christian behavior. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case. The present article seeks to point out that the establishment and growth of some indigenous denominations has been impacted by corruption. The Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) is a case in point. This article draws extensively from archival and oral sources and seeks to examine the causes and manifestations of corruption in the PCC. It also examines the effects of corruption on the Church and provides some recommendations to address this. The article concludes that Church elections, Church property, Church management, and integrity in leadership are crucial issues within the PCC around which corruption rotates. Hence, it suggests a multidimensional anti-corruption approach as the way out.
Thromboembolic complications of endovenous thermal ablation and foam sclerotherapy in the treatment of great saphenous vein insufficiency
Authors: Dermody Meghan , Schul Marlin W , O’Donnell Thomas F
Published: April 2014

Objective

Portions of these data were presented in a poster at the XVII World Meeting of the International Union of Phlebology, 8–13 September 2013, Boston, MA, USA. We assessed the incidence of venous thromboembolism following treatment of great saphenous insufficiency by endovenous thermal ablation or foam sclerotherapy using meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials and case series.

Methods

Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Clinical Trials Registry databases were searched from January 2000 through January 2013 for randomized controlled trials and large case series employing endovenous thermal ablation or foam sclerotherapy as a single modality for the treatment of great saphenous insufficiency, with concomitant postoperative duplex scanning. Pooled (stratified) incidence of venous thromboembolism with 95% confidence intervals was estimated using the DerSimonian–Laird procedure for random effects meta-analysis. A bootstrap analysis was performed to examine between-modality differences.

Results

Twelve randomized controlled trials and 19 case series investigating endovenous thermal ablation (radiofrequency ablation with VNUS/Covidien ClosureFAST™ catheter only, endovenous laser ablation, or both) were included. Data from 12 randomized controlled trials and 6 case series investigating nonproprietary foam preparations were analyzed. Estimated incidence of venous thromboembolism was low (mostly <1%) and similar across treatment modalities and study types.

Conclusions

Treatment of great saphenous insufficiency by endovenous thermal ablation or foam sclerotherapy is a common vascular intervention. The stratified incidence of venous thromboembolism appears to be low as reported in both randomized controlled trials and case series investigating these modalities. Although duplex scans were obtained postoperatively, a minority of studies specified protocols for venous thromboembolism detection.
Evaluation of antidepressant properties of the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor losmapimod (GW856553) in Major Depressive Disorder: Results from two randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre studies using a Bayesian approach
Authors: Inamdar Amir , Merlo-Pich Emilio , Gee Michelle , Makumi Clare , Mistry Prafull , Robertson Jon , Steinberg Erik , Zamuner Stefano , Learned Susan , Alexander Robert , Ratti Emiliangelo
Published: April 2014

Pro-inflammatory cytokines (PICs) may play important pathophysiological roles in some forms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The p38 MAPK inhibitor losmapimod (GW856553) attenuates the pro-inflammatory response in humans by reducing PIC production. Losmapimod (7.5 mg BD) was administered for 6 weeks in two randomised, placebo-controlled trials in subjects with MDD enriched with symptoms of loss of energy/interest and psychomotor retardation (Studies 574 and 009). Primary efficacy endpoints were the Bech 6-item depression subscale of the HAMD-17 (the ‘Bech,’) for Study 009; and the Bech, Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C), HAMD-17, and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (self-rated) (QIDS-SR) for Study 574. Key cytokine biomarker levels were also measured. Study 574 ( n=24) was terminated prematurely in light of emerging data from an internal study in rheumatoid arthritis. Efficacy results available at termination favoured losmapimod (Bech, 6 weeks: endpoint drug vs. placebo difference = −4.10; 95% CI, −7.36, −0.83; p=0.017). A subsequent study, Study 009 ( n=128), designed using a Bayesian approach based on a prior derived from Study 574, showed no advantage for losmapimod (Bech, 6 weeks: endpoint drug vs. placebo difference = 1.11; 95% credible interval, −0.22, 2.50). Biomarker data showed no significant changes. In conclusion 7.5 mg BID losmapimod was not effective in MDD.
Effects of lithium and valproic acid on BDNF protein and gene expression in an in vitro human neuron-like model of degeneration
Authors: Croce Nicoletta , Mathé Aleksander A , Gelfo Francesca , Caltagirone Carlo , Bernardini Sergio , Angelucci Francesco
Published: April 2014

One of the common effects of lithium (Li) and valproic acid (VPA) is their ability to protect against excitotoxic insults. Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases may be also associated with altered trophic support of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the most widely distributed neurotrophin in the central nervous system. However, despite these evidences, the effect of Li–VPA combination on BDNF after excitoxic insult has been inadequately investigated. We address this issue by exposing a human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) to neurotoxic concentration of L-glutamate and exploring whether the neuroprotective action of Li–VPA on these cells is associated with changes in BDNF protein and mRNA levels. The results showed that pre-incubation of Li–VPA abolished the toxic effect of glutamate on SH-SY5Y cell survival and this neuroprotective effect was associated with increased synthesis and mRNA expression of BDNF after 24 and 48 h of incubation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the neuroprotective effects of Li-VPA against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells is associated with increased synthesis and mRNA expression of BDNF. These data further support the idea that these two drugs can be used for prevention and/or treatment of glutamate-related neurodegenerative disorders.
College Women Miss the Mark When Estimating the Impact of Full-Time Maternal Employment on Children’s Achievement and Behavior
Authors: Goldberg Wendy A. , Lucas-Thompson Rachel G.
Published: April 2014

The goals of the current study were to apply the construct of stereotype accuracy to the domain of college women’s perceptions of the effects of full-time maternal employment on children. Both accuracy/inaccuracy and positive/negative direction were examined. Participants were 1,259 college women who provided stereotyped projections about the effects of full-time employment on children’s IQ scores, formal achievement tests, school grades, and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Their stereotype effect sizes were compared to meta-analytic effect sizes used to estimate the “actual” effects of maternal employment on children. Individual differences in these stereotypes were also examined. Results indicate that, on average, college women overestimated the negative effects of full-time maternal employment on child outcomes, especially behavior problems. Significant variability in the direction and accuracy of the stereotypes was explained by individual characteristics such as gender ideology, extrinsic work values, and beliefs about the costs of maternal employment. Concerns are that college-educated young women may retreat from the labor force due to stereotypes about the effects of their future employment on children. Efforts by researchers, practitioners, and policy makers should be directed toward disseminating accurate information and dispelling myths about the likely impact of maternal employment on children’s development.
Experimental study on the performance of transition metal ions modified zeolite particles in suppressing methane/air coflowing flame on cup burner
Authors: Ni Xiaomin , Wang Xishi , Zhang Shaogang , Zhao Mei
Published: April 2014

This study investigated the performance of three kinds of transition metal ions (Mn2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+) modified zeolite 4A particles in suppressing methane/air coflowing flames on cup burner. Ion-exchange method was employed to incorporate different amount of transition metal ions into parent zeolite 4A. Fire suppression effectiveness of zeolites containing varied molar percentage of metal ions was tested by cup-burner method. Results showed that transition metal ions modified zeolites outperformed the parent zeolite 4A with a ranking order of Mn2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+. Performance of the zeolite particles was affected by the percentage of transition ions loaded, which dominated the number of active sites and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of the particles. Increasing molar percentage of metal ions loading increased the capacity to scavenge flame radicals, but decreased Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of the particles. There existed an optimized molar percentage of transition metal ions loading where the best fire-suppressing effectiveness was exhibited.
The Relative Frequency of Lysosomal Storage Disorders
Authors: Kadali Srilatha , Kolusu Anusha , Gummadi Maheshwar Reddy , Undamatla Jayanthi
Published: April 2014

Lysosomal storage disorders are a group of rare, genetically inherited metabolic disorders. Because the literature on epidemiologic data is scanty from India, we attempted to determine their relative frequency and regional distribution. Our retrospective study included 1558 patients with clinical suspicion of various lysosomal storage disorders referred to Sandor Lifesciences Pvt Ltd during 2007 to 2012. About 30% of the cases were tested positive, with sphingolipidoses as the most common subgroup, followed by mucopolysaccharidoses, and Gaucher disease as the most frequently occurring individual lysosomal storage disorder. Our data indicates that lysosomal storage disorders are more common in males than females and infants comprise the most common age group followed by juvenile. The burden of these disorders is predicted to be high in India because of the large population, coupled with the practice of consanguineous marriages. This study emphasizes the importance of epidemiologic studies in order to implement appropriate preventive measures.
Blindness, Dancing Extremities, and Corpus Callosum and Brain Stem Involvement
Authors: Singhi Pratibha , Saini Arushi Gahlot , Sankhyan Naveen , Gupta Pankaj , Vyas Sameer
Published: April 2014

A 4-year-old girl presented with acute visual loss followed 2 weeks later with loss of speech and audition, fulminant neuroregression, and choreo-athetoid movements of extremities. Fundus showed bilateral chorioretinitis. Electroencephalography showed periodic complexes. Measles antibody titers were elevated in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid, consistent with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Neuroimaging showed discontiguous involvement of splenium of the corpus callosum and ventral pons with sparing of cortical white matter. Our case highlights the atypical clinical and radiologic presentations of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Pediatricians need to be aware that necrotizing chorioretinitis in a child and/or atypical brain stem changes could be the heralding feature of this condition in endemic countries.
Hypothalamic Dysfunction Without Hamartomas Causing Gelastic Seizures in Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
Authors: Fink Cassandra , Borchert Mark , Simon Carrie Zaslow , Saper Clifford
Published: April 2014

This report describes gelastic seizures in patients with optic nerve hypoplasia and hypothalamic dysfunction without hypothalamic hamartoma. All participants (n = 4) from the optic nerve hypoplasia registry study at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles presenting with gelastic seizures were included. The clinical and pathology characteristics include hypothalamic dysgenesis and dysfunction, but no hamartomas. Optic nerve hypoplasia is the only reported condition with gelastic seizures without hypothalamic hamartomas, suggesting that hypothalamic disorganization alone can cause gelastic seizures.
Current Applications of Metabolic Monitoring in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Mehta Nilesh M. , Smallwood Craig D. , Graham Robert J.
Published: April 2014

Delivery of adequate nutrients during illness to counteract the metabolic stress response and facilitate healing and tissue repair is an important goal in the care of critically ill children. With recent advances in technology, accurate minute‐to‐minute gas exchange and energy expenditure measurements are now available in intensive care units. The bedside availability of these devices may allow a titrated approach to energy delivery for patients, ushering in a new era of individualized nutrition therapy. Basic concepts, available monitoring devices, indications, pitfalls, and bedside application of metabolic monitoring are discussed in this article.
Total Body Sodium Depletion and Poor Weight Gain in Children and Young Adults With an Ileostomy
Authors: O'Neil Megan , Teitelbaum Daniel H. , Harris Mary Beth
Published: April 2014

Patients with high‐output small bowel ostomies are at risk for total body sodium depletion (TBSD), defined as a urine sodium level <10 mmol/L. Failure to thrive (FTT) as a consequence of TBSD has been reported in neonates with ileostomies; however, this has not been well described in older children. The records of all children beyond the age of infancy with a small bowel ostomy cared for in our Children's Intestinal Rehabilitation Program from 2010–2012 were reviewed. Four patients between the ages of 18 months and 19 years were identified as having TBSD. All 4 patients experienced unintentional weight loss, despite adequate energy intake based on calculated needs, which was associated with a urine sodium level ≤10 mmol/L. With the supplementation of sodium, either enteral or intravenous, all patients demonstrated improved weight gain and correction of TBSD. The following cases suggest that the relationship between TBSD and FTT may extend well beyond the neonatal period and possibly into adulthood. We advise that patients of all ages with high stoma output have routine urine sodium levels checked, particularly in the setting of weight loss or poor gain. Furthermore, instances of TBSD should be treated with sodium supplementation. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between TBSD and FTT and to establish intervention guidelines.
Abridged Scale for the Screening Anosognosia in Patients With Dementia
Authors: Turró-Garriga Oriol , Garre-Olmo Josep , López-Pousa Secundino , Vilalta-Franch Joan , Reñé-Ramírez Ramón , Conde-Sala Josep Lluís
Published: April 2014

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to validate an abridged version of the Anosognosia Questionnaire—Dementia (AQ-D) for screening anosognosia in daily practice. The authors reduce the AQ-D from 30 items to 9, with a large sample (n = 352) of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). The Cronbach α was .793 and an area under the receiver–operating characteristic curve was 0.946. The κ index between new abridged AQ-D (AAQ) and original AQ-D was .800. The AAQ presents good validity and reliability indicators and kept concordance with the original scale. It is quick and easy to administer and it can simplify the clinical screening of anosognosia in patients with AD.
Development of a simple two-dimensional optical measurement system for linear guideways
Authors: Hsieh Tung-Hsien , Huang Hsueh-Liang , Jywe Wen-Yuh , Chen Shang-Liang
Published: April 2014

In this study, a simple two-dimensional measurement system based on optical design was developed to measure the motion errors of the linear guideway. Compared with the transitional methods about the linear guideway for measuring the motion errors, our proposed two-dimensional optical measurement system can simultaneously measure horizontal and vertical running straightness errors for the linear guideway. Calibration results showed that the residual error of the two-dimensional optical measurement system is less than 0.5 µm. Measurement results showed that the three tests for the motion errors of the linear guideway are almost coincident with the laser interferometer within 1000 mm. The standard deviations of the horizontal and vertical straightness measurement systems are 0.9 and 1.2 µm.
Study of a ball-burnishing vibration-assisted process
Authors: Gómez-Gras Giovanni , Travieso-Rodríguez J Antonio , González-Rojas Hernán A , Nápoles-Alberro Amelia , Carrillo Francisco J , Dessein Gilles
Published: April 2014

This study refers to the study of the ball-burnishing process assisted by vibration. This study begins by considering that this vibration helps to make the development of this finishing process easier because it helps to deform the workpiece material more easily. Because a similar tool is not available in the market, a tool that can perform the study needed to be designed, characterised and manufactured to conduct the study by considering the critical components that are involved in the design and the physical model that characterises the operation. For these criteria, the tool operation is also characterised by evaluating the surface roughness that remains after the process occurs. Workpieces of aluminium and steel were used for the experimental validation. These results were compared to those obtained using the same tool without vibration. The roughness results obtained using the ball-burnishing vibration-assisted process improve compared to those obtained using the process without assistance for both materials tested.
African urban fantasies: past lessons and emerging realities
Authors: Cain Allan
Published: April 2014

This paper responds to Vanessa Watson’s article on the inappropriate urban development plans that are increasingly common in sub-Saharan Africa as governments seek to make their cities “world class”. It describes how the government of Angola has been able to use financing from Chinese credit facilities to build prestige projects that include support for the public-privately developed Kilamba city with 20,000 apartments. The apartments were initially too expensive for most of the population, and the state has had to draw further funds from its housing budget for a subsidized rent-to-purchase scheme to make the units affordable for middle-level civil servants. The author argues that an opportunity is being missed to use today’s income from high-priced natural resources and the current easy access to Chinese credit lines and technical expertise to address the very large backlogs in urban upgrading of basic service infrastructure and housing for the poor. The paper also reflects on a previous post-independence period when a number of African new cities were built, leaving some countries with decades of debt and stagnant development. Can errors from the past offer lessons for future African urban development?
Use of rapid HIV testing in a low threshold centre in Antwerp, Belgium, 2007–2012
Authors: Wouters Kristien , Fransen Katrien , Beelaert Greet , Kenyon Chris , Platteau Tom , Van Ghyseghem Chris , Collier Ilse , Buyze Jozefien , Florence Eric
Published: April 2014

The Antwerp Helpcenter is a low threshold screening centre for HIV and STI testing focused on high-risk groups. The aim of this work is to describe our experience with the use of rapid HIV tests including the analysis of the characteristics of new cases of HIV infection. We performed a retrospective analysis of all rapid tests routinely performed at the Helpcenter in the period June 2007 to December 2012. The Determine®HIV-1/2 (3rd generation) was used until May 2009 and thereafter the Determine Combo®HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab (Alere) test (4th generation) on venous blood. All reactive tests were confirmed using a standard confirmation algorithm with ELISAs and a confirmation test (INNO-LIA HIVI/II Score®). In all, 5025 rapid tests were performed on blood specimens of 3881 clients including 1173 men having sex with men and 454 migrants from sub-Sahara Africa. The overall prevalence of HIV infection was 1.5% and higher among the risk groups: 4.0% of men having sex with men and 2.2% of migrants from sub-Sahara Africa. The availability of a rapid test was an important reason to present at the Helpcenter. The rapid test was successfully introduced into an outpatient testing centre. Client satisfaction with RT was high and most clients were successfully linked to care.
The relationship between body composition and knee structure in patients with human immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Fillipas S , Tanamas SK , Davies-Tuck ML , Wluka AE , Wang Y , Holland AE , Cherry CL , Cicuttini F
Published: April 2014

Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Antiretroviral therapy (ART)–treated HIV-infected patients are frequently affected by overweight and obesity, and may be at increased risk of osteoarthritis. BMI however is a measure which does not discriminate adipose from non-adipose body mass, or fat distribution, which may have different effects. This study aimed to examine relationships between body composition and knee cartilage volume, as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in HIV infection. 35 ART-treated HIV-infected men aged 51.7 years (mean) 7.9 (SD) and 18 healthy men aged 49.5 years (mean) 6.4 (SD) participated. Cartilage volume was measured on magnetic resonance imaging of the dominant knee using validated methods. Body composition was measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry. HIV-infected participants had less total body and gynoid fat (kg) ( p = 0.04 and p = 0.007, respectively) and more percent android fat mass and percent trunk fat mass ( p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) than controls. In HIV-infected participants there was an inverse association between total body fat mass and average tibial cartilage volume ( R = −8.01, 95% CI −15.66, −0.36). Also, in HIV-infected participants there was an inverse association between android fat mass and average cartilage volume ( R = −90.91, 95% CI −158.66, −23.16). This preliminary study found that both total body and android fat mass were inversely related to average knee cartilage volume in ambulant, ART–treated HIV-infected adults. These findings are features of early knee osteoarthritis and this may be of future significance in HIV.
On the Precipice of a “Majority-Minority” America
Authors: Craig Maureen A. , Richeson Jennifer A.
Published: April 2014

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that racial minority groups will make up a majority of the U.S. national population in 2042, effectively creating a so-called majority-minority nation. In four experiments, we explored how salience of such racial demographic shifts affects White Americans’ political-party leanings and expressed political ideology. Study 1 revealed that making California’s majority-minority shift salient led politically unaffiliated White Americans to lean more toward the Republican Party and express greater political conservatism. Studies 2, 3a, and 3b revealed that making the changing national racial demographics salient led White Americans (regardless of political affiliation) to endorse conservative policy positions more strongly. Moreover, the results implicate group-status threat as the mechanism underlying these effects. Taken together, this work suggests that the increasing diversity of the nation may engender a widening partisan divide.
Analysis of silt abrasion and blade shape optimization in a centrifugal pump
Authors: Qian Zhongdong , Wang Zhiyuan , Zhang Kai , Wu Yuan , Wu Yulin
Published: April 2014

Water flow and silt movement in a double-suction centrifugal pump were simulated using an Euler–Lagrange multiphase flow model. Blade erosion rates were predicted using a particle erosion model and the influence of inlet and outlet shapes on silt abrasion was analyzed. The results show: the inlet relative velocity is larger on the suction side than on the pressure side; the blade inlet and outlet are severely silt abraded and the average erosion rate is always larger on the suction side than on the pressure side; the inlet relative velocity and the impact angle are two important influencing factors, and can be controlled by changing the inlet and outlet shapes to reduce erosion rate and increase pump efficiency. In this simulation, two effective means of reducing erosion rates are decreasing the hydraulic loss and increasing pump head and pump efficiency.
Robust adaptive approximate backstepping control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle with input constraint and uncertainty
Authors: Zong Qun , Wang Fang , Tian Bailing , Su Rui
Published: April 2014

This article shows the controller design problem of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle in the presence of input constraint and aerodynamic uncertainty. A control-oriented model, derived from curve-fitted model, is reasonably decomposed into subsystems that include velocity subsystem, altitude and flight path angle subsystem and angle of attack and pitch rate subsystem. Then, dynamic inversion and robust adaptive control are integrated with approximate backstepping control philosophy to design the control scheme, in which the upper bounds of uncertainties are not to be known in advance and estimated by adaptive law. To tackle input constraints, auxiliary systems are constructed and the states of them are used for controller design and stability analysis. Moreover, a detailed stability analysis of the resulting rigid body system is carried out within the framework of Lyapunov theory. Finally, simulation results illustrate the property of the designed control strategy in handling input constraint and aerodynamic uncertainty.
How far does ‘societal security’ travel? Securitization in South African immigration policies
Authors: Ilgit Asli , Klotz Audie
Published: April 2014

Responding to political developments in Europe during the 1990s, the Copenhagen School drew on speech act theory to argue that state leaders represent certain issues, including immigration, as existential threats to society. Two decades of friendly amendments and vociferous critiques have raised questions about how well the Copenhagen School’s core concept of ‘societal security’ travels outside Europe. To assess the scope of this ‘securitization’ framework more systematically, we examine South Africa, a democracy that recently liberalized its immigration policies despite ethno-nationalist and racist traditions. Specifically, we test four claims: (1) that official discourses will target certain foreigners as an existential threat to collective identity; (2) that bureaucracies will consistently institutionalize these discourses; (3) that identity-oriented groups will be crucial to any societal contestation over these discourses; and (4) that successful securitization produces regionalization. These securitization claims hold up well, even though the nature of threats to societal security shift over time. Keeping in mind that no theory is without weaknesses, we recommend wider integration of the societal security concept into comparative studies of immigration policy, especially in democracies outside Europe.
The mercenary moniker: Condemnations, contradictions and the politics of definition
Authors: Ettinger Aaron
Published: April 2014

Despite considerable efforts, the concept of the ‘mercenary’ remains ill-defined within the scholarly literature on non-state combatants. In common usage, ‘mercenary’ is intended to function as a descriptive category of combatant, denoting certain unique or transhistorical properties. Instead, however, it is a highly subjective, imprecise and politicized term. This article critically analyses historical, legal and philosophical definitions of ‘mercenary’, and asks whether it is worth retaining the term as an analytical category at all. In short, the answer is no. The article’s exposition of the ‘mercenary moniker’ uncovers the statist political ethic that anchors different interpretations of the mercenary concept. It shows that conceptions of the mercenary are deeply rooted in a Westphalian political ethic of war and conflict that upholds the instrumentality of the state to notions of political community, morality and identity. Accordingly, it argues that ‘mercenary’ should be jettisoned from the academic conceptual vocabulary of non-state combatants, and proposes ‘freelance militant’ as an alternative. Properly contextualized, this alternative could make possible a conceptual vocabulary that is able to clearly distinguish between such freelance militants and other non-state combatants.