bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sovereignty and “Civilization”
Authors: Lai Junnan
Published: January 2014

In nineteenth-century positivist international law, the language of “civilization,” deployed for the purpose of both excluding and including members of international society, was to a great extent vague. “Civilization” in turn became an ideological window dressing for power politics. The lack of a clear standard of “civilization” did not prevent Japan from making full use of this vague language in its struggle for full membership in international society. China, by contrast, was relatively unaware of the essence of international politics at the time, and did not realize the important role of “civilization” in international relations. During and after the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), Japanese intellectual and political elites wielded international law as a weapon to brand China as a “barbarous” nation that violated almost every rule of the law of war and to characterize Japan as a “law-abiding” and “civilized” state. As a result, Japan obtained full membership in international society shortly after the war, whereas China remained a “barbarous” country and was unable to abolish consular jurisdiction in its territory until 1943.
Robust flow controller design and analysis for a chemical process
Authors: Komari Alaei Hesam , Yazdizadeh Alireza
Published: January 2014

A large number of applications in industrial domains are concerned to slow processes, including flow, pressure, temperature and level control. Synthesis and control of such applications in the presence of uncertainty have been studied by many authors in recent decades. In this paper, a robust flow controller has been designed using H∞ techniques to define and regulate the flow of pipe. The most robust method is synthesized using a state-space approach by taking into account the structured (parametric) perturbations in the plant coefficients. The proposed approach ensures internal stability, satisfying both frequency and time domain requirements, and obtaining minimal performance H∞-norm of the closed-loop system. The simulations are carried out using MATLAB and the results are compared with the classical PID, linear–quadratic–Gaussian and H2 methods, and they indicate that the overall system output performance can be improved using the proposed H∞ robust controller.
Criminal justice? Using a social capital theory to evaluate probation-managed drug policy
Authors: Wilson Helen Beckett
Published: January 2014

Policy must be theoretically informed and appropriately targeted if it is to be effective (Kerr et al., 2011). In probation-managed drug policy, this demands an appropriate theory framework within which the multi-dimensional nature of problematic drug use can be understood. To engender genuine justice in such policy, theory must give ‘proper weight to both structure and agency, in continuous interaction’ (Bottoms, 2004) (agency refers to the ability of individuals to act of their own free will and structure refers to the social, legal and economic institutions, arrangements and practices which can facilitate, or indeed constrain, the agents’ capacity to do so). This article responds to these challenges by presenting a theory of ‘social capital portfolios’ which was developed from the social capital; substance misuse and desistance literatures and refined through an 18-month longitudinal study of probation-managed drug interventions. The theory is used here to critically evaluate contemporary probation drug policy and developments and to make recommendations on what constitutes criminal and social justice.
Exploring Valued Patterns of Stance in Upper-Level Student Writing in the Disciplines
Authors: Lancaster Zak
Published: January 2014

Drawing on the appraisal framework from systemic functional linguistics (SFL), this article examines patterns of stance in a corpus of 92 high- and low-graded argumentative papers written in the context of an upper-level course in economics. It interprets differential patterns of stance in students’ texts in light of interview commentaries from the instructors, exploring how their judgments of students’ levels of “critical reasoning” and “analytic rigor,” among other qualities, may be influenced by recurring configurations of stance. As a methodological contribution, the article demonstrates how appraisal analysis of student writing, when used alongside instructor interviews, can reveal types of stances that are tacitly valued in the specific context. Results suggest the need for greater awareness among faculty in the disciplines of what is “going on” when they are reading student work and how they can make their expectations and judgments more explicit to students when assigning and evaluating writing.
Social Struggle and the Political Economy of Natural Resource Extraction in Peru
Authors: Lust Jan
Published: January 2014

In the period 2002–12, the Peruvian economy almost doubled in size. This growth was mainly the consequence of the commodity boom in these years. The importance of the mining sector for the Peruvian Treasury is politically translated in the immense difficulties Peruvian Governments have in closing the doors to transnational mining corporations. The government of Ollanta Humala actually inserted the fiscal contribution of extractive industries into the cornerstone of its social policies. In Peru, a growing body of literature is emerging regarding mining issues. However, it lacks an analysis of the development of the mining sector in relation to the general workings of capitalism. In this article we analyze the development of mining in Peru from a critical political economy perspective as this enables us to identify the forces that are advancing the capitalist development process as well as the forces of resistance to this development.
Entrepreneurship and Competitive Strategy: An Integrative Approach
Authors: Dhliwayo Shepherd
Published: January 2014

The two fields of strategic management and entrepreneurship have been viewed as inseparable twins and the relationship has been coined strategic entrepreneurship by a number of scholars. Though the integrative studies of the two areas continue, there seems to be a dearth in the study of the two areas at business (competitive) strategy level. This is a conceptual article which aims to show how business strategy can be integrated with entrepreneurship to enhance firm competitiveness. Whether one argues that strategy subsumes entrepreneurship or that entrepreneurship subsumes strategy, an apparent intersection exists. The integrated strategy is termed entrepreneurial competitive strategy and the article presents a framework for this integration. As with any other literature based model, this model can still be improved and needs to be tested for practical application.
Book Review: Handbook of Research Methods on Social Entrepreneurship
Authors: Trivedi Chitvan
Published: January 2014

Richard Seymour (Ed.), Handbook of Research Methods on Social Entrepreneurship, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012, 261 pp.
Book Review: E-Finance: The Future is Here
Authors: Dwivedi Amit Kumar
Published: January 2014

V.C. Joshi, E-Finance: The Future is Here (Second Edition), New Delhi: Response Books, 2010, 189 pp.
Book Review: Quest for Exceptional Leadership: Mirage to Reality
Authors: Mukul Kumar
Published: January 2014

Ravi Chaudhry, Quest for Exceptional Leadership: Mirage to Reality, New Delhi: Response Books, 2011, 286 pp.
Age, Gender, and Compensation
Authors: De Pater Irene E. , Judge Timothy A. , Scott Brent A.
Published: January 2014

Research on the gender-wage gap shows equivocal evidence regarding its magnitude, which likely stems from the different wage-related variables researchers include in their calculations. To examine whether pay differentials solely based on gender exist, we focused on the earnings of top performing professionals within a specific occupation to rule out productivity-related explanations for the gender-wage gap. Specifically, we investigated the interaction of gender and age on the earnings of Hollywood top movie stars. The results reveal that the average earnings per film of female movie stars increase until the age of 34 but decrease rapidly thereafter. Male movie stars’ average earnings per film reach the maximum at age 51 and remain stable after that.
Fragmentation and debris evolution modeled by a point-wise coupled reproducing kernel/finite element formulation
Authors: Wu Youcai , Magallanes Joseph M , Crawford John E
Published: January 2014

A point-wise evolutionarily coupled reproducing kernel (RK)/finite element (FE) formulation was developed to model fragmentation processes induced by blast and impact loadings. In this coupled approach, each integration point defines a coupling zone so that very localized deformations and damage can be treated. A triggering criterion, such as a damage index for concrete or a critical effective plastic strain for steel, is employed to initiate the fragmentation process, which is realized by changing the morphology of the zone where fragmentation is indicated from a FE model to a meshfree model. The evolutionary coupling, whereby the FE zones can morph into meshfree zones, provides a convenient and more accurate domain from which to track the debris mass and velocity distributions, which is of great interest in many applications. To facilitate the fragmentation modeling, a flexible-to-flexible meshfree contact algorithm was implemented so that high velocity (up to 3000 m/s) impact penetration problems can be effectively analyzed by the coupled Lagrangian RK/FE formulation. Numerical results are shown for structures subjected to quasi-static, blast, and high velocity impact loadings using this coupled formulation and employing widely accepted constitutive models for concrete and steel. The examples show that the coupled formulation can be used to model material fragmentation and the evolution of debris using damage indicators provided by any validated material constitutive model.
Psychotropic and Cognitive-Enhancing Medication Use and Its Documentation in Contemporary Long-term Care Practice
Authors: Rojas-Fernandez Carlos , Mikhail Mina , Brown Susan G.
Published: January 2014

Background: In long-term care (LTC) settings, use of psychotropic medications to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and use of cognitive enhancers are commonplace. It is important that these medications are properly used to ensure resident well-being, and thus, it is paramount to understand use of these medications in contemporary practice to develop appropriate quality improvement initiatives. Objective: To characterize psychotropic and cognition-enhancing medication use LTC residents and current trends in documentation. Methods: Cross-sectional chart review of residents aged >65 years with dementia receiving psychotropic medications and/or cognitive enhancers. Results: From 180 residents, 84 (82% female) met inclusion criteria (average age 86 years). The prevalence of psychotropic medication use was as follows: cognitive enhancers, 71%; antidepressants, 98%; antipsychotics, 61%; sedative hypnotics, 23%. Quetiapine was the most commonly used antipsychotic (48%), followed by risperidone (28%) and olanzapine (15%), all of which were dosed within accepted guidelines. The duration of therapy ranged from 2 to 5 years for antipsychotic medications and 1¼ to 3 years for antidepressants. Documentation documentation rates were hightest for psychotropics versus cognitive enhancers. There was no documentation of attempts to lower doses or discontinue psychotropic medications or cognitive enhancers. Conclusions: Many, but not all psychotropics used were acceptable choices. The duration of therapy appears to be excessive for antipsychotic medications. Documentation of ongoing need for medications varied and could be improved on to better assess residents’ medication regimens. Further research will inform efforts to enhance the care of these residents.
Vibration control for structural damage mitigation
Authors: Ashokkumar Chimpalthradi R
Published: January 2014

Substantial developments have taken place in the areas of structural health monitoring, wherein, the objective is not only to detect damage but also to determine its size and location across the structure. Often, the damaged structures do not become obsolete unless the damage is severe. Thus, it is important to mitigate the growth of damage and prevent the possibilities of a structural failure. Vibration is an important source of damage growth. Therefore, it is important to control vibrations such that the damage growth is mitigated. Supposing an effect of damage in the structure is said to be mitigated when the vibration response of the damaged structure with control is the same as the vibration response of the undamaged structure, then one of the requirements is that the closed loop eigenstructure of the damaged structure needs to match with the open loop eigenstructure of the undamaged structure. In this framework, this paper uses a linear algebraic technique to assign the undamaged eigenvalues and eigenvectors for the damaged structure with a stiffness loss using a state feedback controller. Through this technique, it is shown that the vibration control using an actuator load can help to mitigate damage growth by reducing the vibration response magnitudes at the damaged structural degrees of freedom, while these magnitudes at other nodes are allowed to increase due to the actuator loads. Vibration control in this sense for structural damage mitigation is illustrated using discrete and continuous structures.
Frying stability of rapeseed Kizakinonatane (Brassica napus) oil in comparison with canola oil
Authors: Ma Jin-Kui , Zhang Han , Tsuchiya Tomohiro , Akiyama Yoshinobu , Chen Jie-Yu
Published: January 2014

This study was carried out to investigate the frying performance of Kizakinonatane ( Brassica napus) oil during deep-fat frying of frozen French fries with/without replenishment. Commercial regular canola oil was used for comparison. The frying oils were used during intermittent frying of frozen French fries at 180, 200, and 220 ℃ for 7 h daily over four consecutive days. The Kizakinonatane oil exhibited lower levels of total polar compounds, carbonyl value, and viscosity as well as comparable color (optical density) values to that of the canola oil. The monounsaturated fatty acid/polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios were lower than that of canola oil, whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratios are higher than that of canola oil after heating. Results showed that fresh Kizakinonatane oil contains higher levels of acid value, viscosity, optical density values, tocopherols, and total phenolics contents than that of canola oil. Replenishment with fresh oil had significant effects on all chemical and physical parameters, except the acid value of the Kizakinonatane oil during frying processes. Based on the results, the Kizakinonatane oil is inherently suitable for preparing deep-fried foods at high temperatures.
Maintaining and losing control during internet gambling: A qualitative study of gamblers’ experiences
Authors: Hing Nerilee , Cherney Lorraine , Gainsbury Sally M , Lubman Dan I , Wood Robert T , Blaszczynski Alex
Published: January 2014

This paper provides an in-depth exploration of the psychosocial factors and processes related to maintaining and losing control during internet gambling. It explores features of internet gambling leading to loss of control, control strategies used by internet gamblers, and the perceived utility of online responsible gambling measures. Interviews with 25 moderate risk and problem internet gamblers yielded rich first-person accounts analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The most frequently identified aspects of internet gambling leading to impaired control were use of digital money, access to credit, lack of scrutiny and ready accessibility. Participants used a range of self-limiting strategies with variable success. Most considered that more comprehensive responsible gambling measures are required of internet gambling operators. The findings provide insights into the cognitive and behavioural processes that moderate problem gambling and are highly relevant in developing effective prevention and treatment programs for this new interactive mode of gambling.
Will enclosed residential domains affect the public realm of Dutch cities? Three theoretical perspectives
Authors: Hamers David , Tennekes Joost
Published: January 2014

In recent years, enclosed residential domains have emerged in Dutch housing developments. Commentators fear that enclosed residential domains will lead to a loss of the public realm. This article considers such claims. Based on a conceptual analysis, it is argued that the question of how enclosed residential domains imply a loss of public realm should be addressed by distinguishing between three theoretical perspectives: the social perspective, the market perspective, and the civic perspective. It is also argued that the specific morphological characteristics of Dutch enclosed residential domains should be taken into account. Because of the absence of closed gates, for instance, many of the Dutch enclosed residential domains differ from gated communities abroad.
The cosmopolis and the migrant domestic worker
Authors: Yeoh Brenda S.A. , Soco Maria Andrea
Published: January 2014

The cosmopolitan city has been hailed a necessary response to the empirical reality of globalizing multicultural cities. We follow Shah in arguing that the ‘assumed equivalence between cosmopolitanism and global’ needs more careful attention, and suggest three ways in which the assumption may be unpicked. First, discourses on the cosmopolis tend to focus on a masculinized version of cosmopolitanism, usually equated with creativity and public civility as accompanying conditions for developing productive relations in business and enterprise. More needs to be said about whether cosmopolitan ideals and realities feature in feminized privatized spheres, including those of ‘carework’ and ‘domestic work’. Second, attention needs to be given to understanding how cosmopolitanism at work in the global city shapes political membership. This requires attention to be given not just to settled individuals but also to the mobile-but-not-free populations, such as transnational domestic workers, a category in between Bauman’s ‘tourist’ and ‘vagabond’. Third, the inner workings of cosmopolitanism deserve greater attention, and this requires focusing on the everyday and personal expressions and negotiations of cosmopolitan ideals among different groups of people. These observations prompt us to give attention to identifying provisional changes in the subjectivities of Filipino domestic workers as potential working-class cosmopolitans upon migration to Singapore. By exploring changes in consumption patterns, possibilities for cultural learning, the development of new sensibilities and the negotiation of cultural differences, we argue for the value of including migrant domestic workers in discourses on cosmopolitanism and the emancipatory hope of recovering an openness to, and respect for, humanity despite the retrogressive contours of transnational domestic work.
Swarm-based path-following for cooperative unmanned surface vehicles
Authors: Bibuli Marco , Bruzzone Gabriele , Caccia Massimo , Gasparri Andrea , Priolo Attilio , Zereik Enrica
Published: January 2014

This article proposes a swarm-based path-following guidance system for an autonomous marine multi-vehicle system. In particular, a team of unmanned surface vehicles is required to converge to and navigate along a desired reference path, while at the same time aggregating and maintaining a range-based formation configuration. First, a separate description is given for a swarm methodology, initially developed for small ground mobile robots and exploited to aggregate the robot team, and a virtual target–based path-following guidance system developed for unmanned surface vehicles, exploited to drive not the single vehicles but the robot formation as a whole. Then, the integration of the two proposed methodologies is reported and proven, in order to guarantee the feasibility and stability of the overall guidance framework. Simulative results are proposed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology and to evaluate the system performances.
An innovative Fresnel type concentrator based on a macro-parabola
Authors: Whang AJW , Chou CH , Chao SM , Chen YC , Lin CM , Jhan KC , Chang CM , Chen KY , Lai YL
Published: January 2014

In recent years, green energy has been the subject of many studies and has attracted great attention throughout the world. Many studies have focused on illumination with sunlight as a means of saving energy and creating healthy lighting. In this research, we present a novel circle-focus Fresnel type concentrator. Each part of the reflector corresponds to different angles of incident rays, the purpose being to increase the tolerance of the concentrator. This strategy is different from the conventional approach but is easy to implement.
Insulin Sensitivity Following Exercise Interventions
Authors: Conn Vicki S. , Koopman Richelle J. , Ruppar Todd M. , Phillips Lorraine J. , Mehr David R. , Hafdahl Adam R.
Published: January 2014

Objective: Although exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, no adequate synthesis exists of exercise intervention studies with regard to their effect on insulin sensitivity. This comprehensive meta-analysis synthesized the insulin sensitivity outcomes of supervised exercise interventions. Method: Extensive literature searching located published and unpublished intervention studies that measured insulin sensitivity outcomes. Eligible studies tested supervised exercise interventions among healthy adults. Primary study characteristics and results were coded. Random-effects meta-analyses of standardized mean differences included moderator analyses. Results: Data were synthesized across 2509 subjects (115 samples, 78 reports). The overall mean effect size for 2-group postintervention comparisons was 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.25-0.51, I2 = 0%) and for 2-group pre–post comparisons was 0.43 (95% CI = 0.30-0.56, I2 = 52%; higher mean insulin sensitivity for treatment than control subjects). The postintervention mean of 0.38 is consistent with treatment subjects ending studies with a mean fasting insulin of 6.8 mU/L if control participants’ mean fasting insulin were 7.9 mU/L. Exploratory moderator analyses did not document different insulin sensitivity effect sizes across intervention characteristics or sample attributes. Conclusion: This study documented that exercise is a valuable primary care and community health strategy for healthy adults to improve insulin sensitivity and lower the risk for diabetes conferred by insulin resistance.
Implementation of Quality Improvement Skills by Primary Care Teams
Authors: Watts Brook , Lawrence Renée H. , Singh Simran , Wagner Carol , Augustine Sarah , Singh Mamta K.
Published: January 2014

Background: Continuous quality improvement (QI) is important to primary care in general, and is emphasized as a key tenet of the primary care patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model. While team-based QI activities within the PCMH model are expected, concerns exist as to how successful efforts have been at implementing team-driven QI projects. Objective: To ( a) identify opportunities and challenges to QI efforts in a large primary care practice in order to ( b) develop action plans to facilitate QI work into primary care teams. Design: We obtained qualitative and quantitative information about existing primary care team QI initiatives. Participants: Eleven interdisciplinary primary care teams and 4 facilitators/coaches. Methods: We conducted unstructured interviews and gathered documentation from primary care team members about QI efforts to ( a) characterize team-based QI progress and ( b) identify barriers and facilitators. Results: In the 18 months since local leadership prioritized conducting team-based QI projects, team members described multiple exposures to QI training, coaching resources, and data/analysis support. No team developed a formal aim statement. Six of the 11 teams completed any steps beyond the initial team discussion. Four teams attempted to apply an intervention. Challenges included team time and competing demands/priorities; 3 of the 4 teams attempting to implement a project credited a data/informatics facilitator for their progress. Conclusions: In this large academic primary care clinic setting, interdisciplinary team training in QI, support for data collection, and dedicated coaching resources produced few sustainable continuous QI initiatives. Several potentially modifiable barriers to initiation, completion, and sustainability of QI initiatives by primary care teams were identified.
Reconstructing Vocational Education and Training for the 21st Century
Authors: Hyland Terry
Published: January 2014

The unfavorable comparisons between English and European vocational education and training (VET) systems made in the Wolf Report—and indeed in many national reviews of VET in Britain since the Royal Commission on Technical Education reported in 1884—point toward the low status of vocational pursuits in the United Kingdom compared with that in Continental Europe and elsewhere. In the light of these cultural differences, it is unlikely that structural, funding, or curriculum reforms alone will succeed in enhancing VET provision without corresponding changes in the value foundation of vocational studies. The reconstruction of VET requires a re-orientation of its foundational values if the reforms proposed by Wolf and others are to have any chance of lasting success. By the same token—although European and other national systems have their own peculiar problems—the global policy agenda concerned only with cognitive outcomes expressed as behaviorist skills and competences is, arguably, unlikely to meet the key challenges. A reconstructed model of VET needs to foreground the values, craft, and aesthetic features of vocationalism if the perennial problems are to be dealt with adequately. A reconstruction plan is suggested below, informed and inspired by the concept of “mindfulness”—non-judgmental, present-moment attention, and awareness—drawn from Buddhist contemplative traditions. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in areas such as psychology, psychotherapy, medical science, and education have grown exponentially over the last decade or so, and interesting work is now emerging in relation to the value of mindfulness in workplace training.
Thermal and electrical conductivity of Mg–Zn–Al alloys
Authors: Pan H. , Pan F. , Yang R. , Peng J. , Tang A. , Huang Q. , Song K. , Gao Z.
Published: January 2014

In the present work, thermal and electrical conductivity measurement was conducted on the cast Mg–Zn–Al alloys (ZA alloys) in the wide composition range (1–6 wt-Zn, 1–10 wt-Al). For alloys with the same content of Zn, the thermal/electrical conductivity of ZA alloys decreased exponentially with Al composition without exception. For alloys with same Al content, variation of thermal/electrical conductivity showed a similar trend for most of the alloys except the case for 6 wt-Al, which followed ZA26>ZA36>ZA16>ZA56>ZA66. The microstructures of the selected alloy systems were investigated in detail, and the mechanism of thermal/electrical conductivity variation was thus proposed. The phase transformation with composition and the different effects of Zn and Al on the thermal/electrical conductivity of Mg alloys were believed as two controlling factors.
Evaluation of a target region capture sequencing platform using monogenic diabetes as a study-model
Authors: Gao Rui , Liu Yanxia , Gjesing Anette Prior , Hollensted Mette , Wan Xianzi , He Shuwen , Pedersen Oluf , Yi Xin , Wang Jun , Hansen Torben
Published: January 2014

Background

Monogenic diabetes is a genetic disease often caused by mutations in genes involved in beta-cell function. Correct sub-categorization of the disease is a prerequisite for appropriate treatment and genetic counseling. Target-region capture sequencing is a combination of genomic region enrichment and next generation sequencing which might be used as an efficient way to diagnose various genetic disorders. We aimed to develop a target-region capture sequencing platform to screen 117 selected candidate genes involved in metabolism for mutations and to evaluate its performance using monogenic diabetes as a study-model.

Results

The performance of the assay was evaluated in 70 patients carrying known disease causing mutations previously identified in HNF4A, GCK, HNF1A, HNF1B, INS, or KCNJ11. Target regions with a less than 20-fold sequencing depth were either introns or UTRs. When only considering translated regions, the coverage was 100% with a 50-fold minimum depth. Among the 70 analyzed samples, 63 small size single nucleotide polymorphisms and indels as well as 7 large deletions and duplications were identified as being the pathogenic variants. The mutations identified by the present technique were identical with those previously identified through Sanger sequencing and Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification.

Conclusions

We hereby demonstrated that the established platform as an accurate and high-throughput gene testing method which might be useful in the clinical diagnosis of monogenic diabetes.
SHEAR: sample heterogeneity estimation and assembly by reference
Authors: Landman Sean R , Hwang Tae Hyun , Silverstein Kevin AT , Li Yingming , Dehm Scott M , Steinbach Michael , Kumar Vipin
Published: January 2014

Background

Personal genome assembly is a critical process when studying tumor genomes and other highly divergent sequences. The accuracy of downstream analyses, such as RNA-seq and ChIP-seq, can be greatly enhanced by using personal genomic sequences rather than standard references. Unfortunately, reads sequenced from these types of samples often have a heterogeneous mix of various subpopulations with different variants, making assembly extremely difficult using existing assembly tools. To address these challenges, we developed SHEAR (Sample Heterogeneity Estimation and Assembly by Reference;http://vk.cs.umn.edu/SHEAR), a tool that predicts SVs, accounts for heterogeneous variants by estimating their representative percentages, and generates personal genomic sequences to be used for downstream analysis.

Results

By making use of structural variant detection algorithms, SHEAR offers improved performance in the form of a stronger ability to handle difficult structural variant types and better computational efficiency. We compare against the lead competing approach using a variety of simulated scenarios as well as real tumor cell line data with known heterogeneous variants. SHEAR is shown to successfully estimate heterogeneity percentages in both cases, and demonstrates an improved efficiency and better ability to handle tandem duplications.

Conclusion

SHEAR allows for accurate and efficient SV detection and personal genomic sequence generation. It is also able to account for heterogeneous sequencing samples, such as from tumor tissue, by estimating the subpopulation percentage for each heterogeneous variant.
A claims data-based comparison of comorbidity in individuals with and without dementia
Authors: Bauer Kathrin , Schwarzkopf Larissa , Graessel Elmar , Holle Rolf
Published: January 2014

Background

Multimorbidity is common in advanced age, and is usually associated with negative – yet to some extent preventable – health outcomes. Detecting comorbid conditions is especially difficult in individuals with dementia, as they might not always be able to sufficiently express discomfort. This study compares relevant comorbidity complexes in elderly people with and without dementia, with a particular look at gender- and living environment-specific differences. Moreover, associations between selected comorbid conditions and dementia are reviewed more closely.

Methods

Using 2006 claims data from a large German Statutory Health Insurance fund, 9,139 individuals with dementia and 28,614 age- and gender-matched control subjects aged 65 years and older were identified. A total of 30 comorbidity complexes were defined based on ICD-10 codes. Corresponding prevalence rates were calculated, and the association between a distinct condition and dementia was evaluated via logistic regression in the overall sample as well as in analyses stratified by gender and living environment.

Results

Individuals with dementia were more likely to be diagnosed with 15 comorbidity complexes, including Parkinson’s, stroke, diabetes, atherosclerosis (supposed dementia risk factors) or fluids and electrolyte disorders, insomnia, incontinence, pneumonia, fractures and injuries (supposed sequelae). In contrast, they were less likely to be diagnosed with 11 other conditions, which included vision and hearing problems, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, lipoprotein disorders and hypertension. In a gender-stratified analysis, the patterns remained largely the same, but a bigger comorbidity gap between cases and control subjects emerged in the male population. Restricting the analysis to community-living individuals did not lead to any substantial changes.

Conclusion

Besides strengthening the evidence on accepted dementia risk factors and sequelae, the analyses point to particular conditions that are likely to remain untreated or even undiagnosed. This issue seems to affect male and female individuals with dementia to varying degrees. Raising awareness of these conditions is important to possibly preventing comorbidity-associated complications and disease progression in dementia patients. To more comprehensively understand the mutual interactions between dementia and comorbidity, further research on diagnostic and treatment attitudes regarding comorbidity in dementia patients and on their gender-specific health-seeking behaviour seems to be required.
Real-time automatic hospital-wide surveillance of nosocomial infections and outbreaks in a large Chinese tertiary hospital
Authors: Du Mingmei , Xing Yubin , Suo Jijiang , Liu Bowei , Jia Na , Huo Rui , Chen Chunping , Liu Yunxi
Published: January 2014

Background

We aimed to develop a real-time nosocomial infection surveillance system (RT-NISS) to monitor all nosocomial infections (NIs) and outbreaks in a Chinese comprehensive hospital to better prevent and control NIs.

Methods

The screening algorithm used in RT-NISS included microbiological reports, antibiotic usage, serological and molecular testing, imaging reports, and fever history. The system could, in real-time, identify new NIs, record data, and produce time-series reports to align NI cases.

Results

Compared with a manual survey of NIs (the gold standard), the sensitivity and specificity of RT-NISS was 98.8% (84/85) and 93.0% (827/889), with time-saving efficiencies of about 200 times. RT-NISS obtained the highest hospital-wide monthly NI rate of 2.62%, while physician and medical record reviews reported rates of 1.52% and 2.35% respectively. It took about two hours for one infection control practitioner (ICP) to deal with 70 new suspicious NI cases; there were 3,500 inpatients each day in the study hospital. The system could also provide various updated data (i.e. the daily NI rate, surgical site infection (SSI) rate) for each ward, or the entire hospital. Within 3 years of implementing RT-NISS, the ICPs monitored and successfully controlled about 30 NI clusters and 4 outbreaks at the study hospital.

Conclusions

Just like the “ICPs’ eyes”, RT-NISS was an essential and efficient tool for the day-to-day monitoring of all NIs and outbreak within the hospital; a task that would not have been accomplished through manual process.
Hydrogen induced redox mechanism in amorphous carbon resistive random access memory
Authors: Chen Yi-Jiun , Chen Hsin-Lu , Young Tai-Fa , Chang Ting-Chang , Tsai Tsung-Ming , Chang Kuan-Chang , Zhang Rui , Chen Kai-Huang , Lou Jen-Chung , Chu Tian-Jian , Chen Jung-Hui , Bao Ding-Hua , Sze Simon M
Published: January 2014

We investigated the bipolar resistive switching characteristics of the resistive random access memory (RRAM) device with amorphous carbon layer. Applying a forming voltage, the amorphous carbon layer was carbonized to form a conjugation double bond conductive filament. We proposed a hydrogen redox model to clarify the resistive switch mechanism of high/low resistance states (HRS/LRS) in carbon RRAM. The electrical conduction mechanism of LRS is attributed to conductive sp2 carbon filament with conjugation double bonds by dehydrogenation, while the electrical conduction of HRS resulted from the formation of insulating sp3-type carbon filament through hydrogenation process.
CD80+ and CD86+B cells as biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and multiple sclerosis
Authors: Menezes Soraya Maria , Decanine Daniele , Brassat David , Khouri Ricardo , Schnitman Saul V , Kruschewsky Ramon , López Giovanni , Alvarez Carolina , Talledo Michael , Gotuzzo Eduardo , Vandamme Anne-Mieke , Galvão-Castro Bernardo , Liblau Roland , Weyenbergh Johan Van
Published: January 2014

Background

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of the incapacitating, neuroinflammatory disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Currently, there are no disease-modifying therapies with long-term clinical benefits or validated biomarkers for clinical follow-up in HAM/TSP. Although CD80 and CD86 costimulatory molecules play prominent roles in immune regulation and reflect disease status in multiple sclerosis (MS), data in HAM/TSP are lacking.

Methods

Using flow cytometry, we quantifiedex vivoandin vitroexpression of CD80 and CD86 in PBMCs of healthy controls, HTLV-1-infected individuals with and without HAM/TSP, and MS patients. We hypothesizedex vivoCD80 and CD86 expressions and theirin vitroregulation by interferon (IFN)-α/β mirror similarities between HAM/TSP and MS and hence might reveal clinically useful biomarkers in HAM/TSP.

Results

Ex vivoexpression of CD80 and CD86 in T and B cells increased in all HTLV-1 infected individuals, but with a selective defect for B cell CD86 upregulation in HAM/TSP. Despite decreased total B cells with increasing disease duration (p = 0.0003,r = −0.72), CD80+B cells positively correlated with disease severity (p = 0.0017,r = 0.69) in HAM/TSP. B cell CD80 expression was higher in women with HAM/TSP, underscoring that immune markers can reflect the female predominance observed in most autoimmune diseases. In contrast to MS patients, CD80+(p = 0.0001) and CD86+(p = 0.0054) lymphocytes expanded uponin vitroculture in HAM/TSP patients. The expansion of CD80+and CD86+T cells but not B cells was associated with increased proliferation in HTLV-1 infection.In vitrotreatment with IFN-β but not IFN-α resulted in a pronounced increase of B cell CD86 expression in healthy controls, as well as in patients with neuroinflammatory disease (HAM/TSP and MS), similar toin vivotreatment in MS.

Conclusions

We propose two novel biomarkers,ex vivoCD80+B cells positively correlating to disease severity and CD86+B cells preferentially induced by IFN-β, which restores defective upregulation in HAM/TSP. This study suggests a role for B cells in HAM/TSP pathogenesis and opens avenues to B cell targeting (with proven clinical benefit in MS) in HAM/TSP but also CD80-directed immunotherapy, unprecedented in both HAM/TSP and MS.
Effects of cyclic equibiaxial mechanical stretch on α-BK and TRPV4 expression in equine chondrocytes
Authors: Hdud Ismail M , Mobasheri Ali , Loughna Paul T
Published: January 2014

Background

Chondrocytes are regularly exposed to load-induced stimuli and have the capability to sense and respond to applied mechanical stress. However, the mechanisms involved in chondrocyte mechanotransduction are not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of cyclic equibiaxial mechanical stretch on the expression of α-BK and TRPV4 channels.

Findings

Freshly isolated equine articular chondrocytes were subjected to mechanical stress (8% elongation at frequency of 0.5 Hz for 8 h). Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of BKCa and TRPV4 channel proteins. Mechanical stretch increased the expression of BKCa channels by 1.8 fold but TRPV4 expression was not affected.

Conclusions

Upregulation of BKCa channel may be the result of direct membrane stretch or elevated intracellular Ca2+.
Separated representations of 3D elastic solutions in shell geometries
Authors: Bognet Brice , Leygue Adrien , Chinesta Francisco
Published: January 2014

Background

The solution of 3D models in degenerated geometries in which some characteristic dimensions are much lower than the other ones -e.g. beams, plates, shells,...- is a tricky issue when using standard mesh-based discretization techniques.

Methods

Separated representations allow decoupling the meshes used for approximating the solution along each coordinate. Thus, in plate or shell geometries 3D solutions can be obtained from a sequence of 2D and 1D problems allowing fine and accurate representation of the solution evolution along the thickness coordinate while keeping the computational complexity characteristic of 2D simulations. In a former work this technique was considered for addressing the 3D solution of thermoelastic problems defined in plate geometries. In this work, the technique is extended for addressing the solution of 3D elastic problems defined in shell geometries.

Results

The capabilities of the proposed approach are illustrated by considering some numerical examples involving different degrees of complexity, from simple shells to composite laminates involving stiffeners.

Conclusions

The analyzed examples prove the potentiality and efficiency of the proposed strategy, where the computational complexity was found evolving as reported in our former works, proving that 3D solutions can be computed at a 2D cost.
Effect of honey in diabetes mellitus: matters arising
Authors: Erejuwa Omotayo O
Published: January 2014

Diabetes mellitus remains an incurable disorder in spite of intense research. As result of limitations and unmet goals associated with the use of anti-diabetic drugs, an increased number of diabetic populations globally now resort to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such as herbs and other natural products. There has been a renewed interest in the use of honey in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, partly due to an increase in the availability of evidence-based data demonstrating its benefits in diabetic rodents and patients. This commentary aims to underscore some of the research implications, issues and questions raised from these studies which show the beneficial effects of honey in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Some of the issues highlighted in this article include: considering honey is sweet and rich in sugars, how could it be beneficial in the management of diabetes mellitus? Are the observed effects of honey or combined with anti-diabetic drugs exclusive to certain honey such as tualang honey? Could these beneficial effects be reproduced with other honey samples? Anti-diabetic drugs in combination with honey improve glycemic control, enhance antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative damage. These effects are believed to be mediated partly via antioxidant mechanism of honey. This raises another question. Could similar data be obtained if anti-diabetic drugs are co-administered with other potent antioxidants such as vitamin C or E? As the evidence has revealed, the prospect of managing diabetes mellitus with honey or antioxidants (such as vitamin C or E) as an adjunct to conventional diabetes therapy is vast. However, more well-designed, rigorously conducted randomized controlled studies are necessary to further validate these findings.
Nonhypoxic regulation and role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 in aromatase inhibitor resistant breast cancer
Authors: Kazi Armina A , Gilani Rabia A , Schech Amanda J , Chumsri Saranya , Sabnis Gauri , Shah Preeti , Goloubeva Olga , Kronsberg Shari , Brodie Angela H
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Although aromatase inhibitors (AIs; for example, letrozole) are highly effective in treating estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, a significant percentage of patients either do not respond to AIs or become resistant to them. Previous studies suggest that acquired resistance to AIs involves a switch from dependence on ER signaling to dependence on growth factor-mediated pathways, such as human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). However, the role of HER2, and the identity of other relevant factors that may be used as biomarkers or therapeutic targets remain unknown. This study investigated the potential role of transcription factor hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) in acquired AI resistance, and its regulation by HER2.

Methods

In vitro studies using AI (letrozole or exemestane)-resistant and AI-sensitive cells were conducted to investigate the regulation and role of HIF-1 in AI resistance. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses were conducted to compare protein and mRNA expression, respectively, of ERα, HER2, and HIF-1α (inducible HIF-1 subunit) in AI-resistant versus AI-sensitive cells. Similar expression analyses were also done, along with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), to identify previously known HIF-1 target genes, such as breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), that may also play a role in AI resistance. Letrozole-resistant cells were treated with inhibitors to HER2, kinase pathways, and ERα to elucidate the regulation of HIF-1 and BCRP. Lastly, cells were treated with inhibitors or inducers of HIF-1α to determine its importance.

Results

Basal HIF-1α protein and BCRP mRNA and protein are higher in AI-resistant and HER2-transfected cells than in AI-sensitive, HER2- parental cells under nonhypoxic conditions. HIF-1α expression in AI-resistant cells is likely regulated by HER2 activated-phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase/Akt-protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway, as its expression was inhibited by HER2 inhibitors and kinase pathway inhibitors. Inhibition or upregulation of HIF-1α affects breast cancer cell expression of BCRP; AI responsiveness; and expression of cancer stem cell characteristics, partially through BCRP.

Conclusions

One of the mechanisms of AI resistance may be through regulation of nonhypoxic HIF-1 target genes, such as BCRP, implicated in chemoresistance. Thus, HIF-1 should be explored further for its potential as a biomarker of and therapeutic target.