bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of rosuvastatin on cytokines after traumatic head injury
Authors: Sánchez-Aguilar Martin , Tapia-Pérez J. Humberto , Sánchez-Rodríguez José Juan , Viñas-Ríos Juan Manuel , Martínez-Pérez Patricia , de la Cruz-Mendoza Esperanza , Sánchez-Reyna Martin , Torres-Corzo Jaime Gerardo , Gordillo-Moscoso Antonio
Published: January 2013

Object

The favorable effect of statin treatment after traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been shown in animal studies and is probably true in humans as well. The objective of this study was to determine whether acute statin treatment following TBI could reduce inflammatory cytokines and improve functional outcomes in humans.

Methods

The authors performed a double-blind randomized clinical trial in patients with moderate to severe TBI. Exclusion criteria were as follows: prior severe disability; use of modifiers of statin metabolism; multisystem trauma; prior use of mannitol, barbiturates, corticosteroids, or calcium channel blockers; isolated brainstem lesions; allergy to statins; previous hepatopathy or myopathy; previous treatment at another clinic; and pregnancy. Patients were randomly selected to receive 20 mg of rosuvastatin or placebo for 10 days. The main goal was to determine the effect of rosuvastatin on plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor–α, interleukin (IL)–1β, IL-6, and IL-10 after 72 hours of TBI. Amnesia, disorientation, and disability were assessed 3 and 6 months after TBI.

Results

Thirty-six patients were analyzed according to intention-to-treat analysis; 19 patients received rosuvastatin and 17 received placebo. The best-fit mixed model showed a significant effect of rosuvastatin on the reduction of tumor necrosis factor–α levels (p = 0.004). Rosuvastatin treatment did not appear to affect the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10. The treatment was associated with a reduction in disability scores (p = 0.03), indicating a favorable functional outcome. Life-threatening adverse effects were not observed.

Conclusions

The authors' data suggest that statins may induce an antiinflammatory effect and may promote recovery after TBI. The role of statins in TBI therapy should be confirmed in larger clinical trials. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT00990028.
The ability of high field strength 7-T magnetic resonance imaging to reveal previously uncharacterized brain lesions in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Chalifoux Jason R. , Perry Nissa , Katz Joel S. , Wiggins Graham C. , Roth Jonathan , Miles Daniel , Devinsky Orrin , Weiner Howard L. , Milla Sarah S.
Published: January 2013

Object

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) brain pathology is characterized on MRI by cortical tubers, subependymal nodules, and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas. Seizures, the prominent feature of TSC, are frequently intractable to medical therapy and, in many patients, resection of tubers results in seizure control. However, in approximately 40% of patients, resection of tubers does not control seizures. This fact, as well as evidence from invasive electrophysiological recordings and experimental animal models, suggests that in patients with TSC, there may be extratuberal epileptogenic brain that does not display any apparent abnormality on conventional MRI. The authors hypothesized that high field strength MRI might uncover lesions not seen on conventional MRI in these patients.

Methods

Institutional review board approval was obtained to scan 4 patients with TSC (ages 18–26 years) in a 7-T MR unit. Optimized 7-T sequences, including T1- and T2-weighted, FLAIR, SPACE FLAIR, T2*, and MPRAGE studies, were performed. Imaging studies were compared with identical sequences performed using a conventional 1.5-T MR scanner.

Results

In all 4 patients, there was improved visualization of the findings demonstrated on conventional imaging. Importantly, new lesions were detected in all 4 patients, which were not well visualized with conventional MRI. Newly detected lesions included microtubers, radial glial signal abnormalities, subependymal nodules arising from the caudate nucleus, and caudate nucleus lesions.

Conclusions

High field strength MRI detects previously uncharacterized lesions in patients with TSC and allows better detection and delineation of subtle abnormalities. In addition, the data demonstrate a compelling relationship between intraventricular lesions and the caudate nucleus. These data support previous electrophysiological and animal-model findings that demonstrate neurological pathology beyond the conventionally detected lesions in TSC.
Phenolic Extracts from Wild Olive Leaves and Their Potential as Edible Oils Antioxidants
Authors: Lafka Theodora-Ioanna , Lazou Andriana , Sinanoglou Vassilia , Lazos Evangelos
Published: January 2013

The kinetics solid-liquid extraction of phenolics from wild olive leaves was elaborated using different mathematical models (Peleg, second order, Elovich, and power law model). As solvents, methanol, ethanol, ethanol:water 1:1, n-propanol, isopropanol and ethyl acetate were used. The second order model best described the solvent extraction process, followed by the Elovich model. The most effective solvent was ethanol with optimum phenol extraction conditions 180 min, solvent to sample ratio 5:1 v/w and pH 2. Ethanol extract exhibited the highest antiradical activity among solvent and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) extracts, which in addition showed the highest antioxidant capacity compared to synthetic and natural food antioxidants such as BHT, ascorbyl palmitate and vitamin E. Antioxidant potential of SFE extract was quite high, although its phenolic potential was not. Leaf extracts were proven to be good protectors for olive and sunflower oils at levels of 150 ppm.
A Molecular-Modeling Toolbox Aimed at Bridging the Gap between Medicinal Chemistry and Computational Sciences
Authors: Eid Sameh , Zalewski Adam , Smieško Martin , Ernst Beat , Vedani Angelo
Published: January 2013

In the current era of high-throughput drug discovery and development, molecular modeling has become an indispensable tool for identifying, optimizing and prioritizing small-molecule drug candidates. The required background in computational chemistry and the knowledge of how to handle the complex underlying protocols, however, might keep medicinal chemists from routinely using in silico technologies. Our objective is to encourage those researchers to exploit existing modeling technologies more frequently through easy-to-use graphical user interfaces. In this account, we present two innovative tools (which we are prepared to share with academic institutions) facilitating computational tasks commonly utilized in drug discovery and development: (1) the VirtualDesignLab estimates the binding affinity of small molecules by simulating and quantifying their binding to the three-dimensional structure of a target protein; and (2) the MD Client launches molecular dynamics simulations aimed at exploring the time-dependent stability of ligand–protein complexes and provides residue-based interaction energies. This allows medicinal chemists to identify sites of potential improvement in their candidate molecule. As a case study, we present the application of our tools towards the design of novel antagonists for the FimH adhesin.
The Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1 (AtVDAC1) Negatively Regulates Plant Cold Responses during Germination and Seedling Development in Arabidopsis and Interacts with Calcium Sensor CBL1
Authors: Li Zhi-Yong , Xu Zhao-Shi , He Guang-Yuan , Yang Guang-Xiao , Chen Ming , Li Lian-Cheng , Ma Youzhi
Published: January 2013

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), a highly conserved major mitochondrial outer membrane protein, plays crucial roles in energy metabolism and metabolite transport. However, knowledge about the roles of the VDAC family in plants is limited. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of VDAC1 in Arabidopsis and found that cold stress promoted the accumulation of VDAC1 transcripts in imbibed seeds and mature plants. Overexpression of VDAC1 reduced tolerance to cold stress in Arabidopsis. Phenotype analysis of VDAC1 T-DNA insertion mutant plants indicated that a vdac1 mutant line had faster germination kinetics under cold treatment and showed enhanced tolerance to freezing. The yeast two-hybrid system revealed that VDAC1 interacts with CBL1, a calcium sensor in plants. Like the vdac1, a cbl1 mutant also exhibited a higher seed germination rate. We conclude that both VDAC1 and CBL1 regulate cold stress responses during seed germination and plant development.
Molecular Eigensolution Symmetry Analysis and Fine Structure
Authors: Harter William , Mitchell Justin
Published: January 2013

Spectra of high-symmetry molecules contain fine and superfine level cluster structure related to J-tunneling between hills and valleys on rovibronic energy surfaces (RES). Such graphic visualizations help disentangle multi-level dynamics, selection rules, and state mixing effects including widespread violation of nuclear spin symmetry species. A review of RES analysis compares it to that of potential energy surfaces (PES) used in Born-Oppenheimer approximations. Both take advantage of adiabatic coupling in order to visualize Hamiltonian eigensolutions. RES of symmetric and D2 asymmetric top rank-2-tensor Hamiltonians are compared with Oh spherical top rank-4-tensor fine-structure clusters of 6-fold and 8-fold tunneling multiplets. Then extreme 12-fold and 24-fold multiplets are analyzed by RES plots of higher rank tensor Hamiltonians. Such extreme clustering is rare in fundamental bands but prevalent in hot bands, and analysis of its superfine structure requires more efficient labeling and a more powerful group theory. This is introduced using elementary examples involving two groups of order-6 (C6 and D3~C3v), then applied to families of Oh clusters in SF6 spectra and to extreme clusters.
Mathematics—An Open Access Journal
Authors: Suslov Sergei
Published: January 2013

As is widely known, mathematics plays a unique role in all natural sciences as a refined scientific language and powerful research tool. Indeed, most of the fundamental laws of nature are written in mathematical terms and we study their consequences by numerous mathematical methods (and vice versa, any essential progress in a natural science has been accompanied by fruitful developments in mathematics). In addition, the mathematical modeling in various interdisciplinary problems and logical development of mathematics on its own should be taken into account. [...]
Synthesis and Characterization of NanocrystallineMg-7.4%Al Powders Produced by Mechanical Alloying
Authors: Chaubey Anil , Scudino Sergio , Khoshkhoo Mohsen , Prashanth Konda , Mukhopadhyay Nilay , Mishra Barada , Eckert Jürgen
Published: January 2013

Nanocrystalline Mg-7.4%Al powder was prepared by mechanical alloying using a high-energy mill. The evolution of the various phases and their microstructure, including size and morphology of the powder particles in the course of milling and during subsequent annealing, were investigated in detail. Room temperature milling leads to a rather heterogeneous microstructure consisting of two distinct regions: Al-free Mg cores and Mg-Al intermixed areas. As a result, the material is mechanically heterogeneous with the Mg cores displaying low hardness (40–50 HV) and the Mg-Al intermixed regions showing high hardness of about 170 HV. The Mg cores disappear and the microstructure becomes (also mechanically) homogeneous after subsequent cryo-milling. Rietveld structure refinement reveals that the crystallite size of the milled powders decreases with increasing the milling time reaching a minimum value of about 30 nm. This is corroborated by transmission electron microscopy confirming an average grain size of ~25 nm.
Comparative Evaluation of Different Co-Antioxidants on the Photochemical- and Functional-Stability of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate in Topical Creams Exposed to Simulated Sunlight
Authors: Scalia Santo , Marchetti Nicola , Bianchi Anna
Published: January 2013

The catechin (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) exhibits high antioxidant activity and it has been reported to provide protection of the skin against damage induced by solar UV radiation. However, EGCG is highly unstable under sunlight. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the co-antioxidant agents vitamin E, butylated hydroxytoluene, vitamin C and a-lipoic acid for their potential to protect the catechin from photochemical degradation. Model creams (oil-in-water emulsions) containing EGCG (1%, w/w) alone or combined with equimolar concentrations of co-antioxidant were exposed to a solar simulator at an irradiance corresponding to natural sunlight. Photodegradation was evaluated by HPLC-UV and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Addition of the co-antioxidants vitamin C and a-lipoic acid to the formulation significantly reduced the light-induced decomposition of EGCG from 76.9 ± 4.6% to 20.4 ± 2.7% and 12.6 ± 1.6%, respectively. Conversely, butylated hydroxytoluene had no effect (EGCG loss, 78.1 ± 4.6%) and vitamin E enhanced the EGCG photolysis to 84.5 ± 3.4%. The functional stability of the catechin in the creams exposed to the solar simulator was also evaluated by measuring the in vitro antioxidant activity. Following irradiation, the reduction of the EGCG formulation antioxidant power was lower (21.8%) than the extent of degradation (76.9%), suggesting the formation of photoproducts with antioxidant properties. The influence of the examined co-antioxidants on the functional stability of the catechin under simulated sunlight paralleled that measured for the EGCG photodecomposition, a-lipoic acid exerting the greatest stabilising effect (antioxidant activity decrease, 1.4%). These results demonstrated that a-lipoic acid is an effective co-antioxidant agent for the stabilization of EGCG in dermatological products for skin photoprotection.
The Combination of Mitragynine and Morphine Prevents the Development of Morphine Tolerance in Mice
Authors: Fakurazi Sharida , Rahman Shamima , Hidayat Mohamad , Ithnin Hairuszah , Moklas Mohamad , Arulselvan Palanisamy
Published: January 2013

Mitragynine (MG) is the major active alkaloid found in Mitragyna speciosa Korth. In the present study, we investigated the enhancement of analgesic action of MG when combined with morphine and the effect of the combination on the development of tolerance towards morphine. Mice were administered intraperitoneally with a dose of MG (15 and 25 mg/kg b.wt) combined with morphine (5 mg/kg b.wt) respectively for 9 days. The antinociceptive effect was evaluated by a hot plate test. The protein expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cAMP response element binding (CREB) was analyzed by immunoblot. Toxicological parameters especially liver and kidney function tests were assessed after the combination treatment with MG and morphine. The concurrent administration of MG and morphine showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in latency time when compared to morphine alone group and the outstanding analgesic effects in the combination regimens were maintained until day 9. For the protein expression, there was a significant increment of cAMP and CREB levels (p < 0.05) in group treated with 5 mg/kg morphine but there was no significant change of these protein expressions when MG was combined with morphine. There was a significant changes in toxicological parameters of various treated groups. The combination treatment of MG and morphine effectively reduce the tolerance due to the chronic administration of morphine.
Diterpenoids with Anti-Inflammatory Activity from the Wood of Cunninghamia konishii
Authors: Chen Yu-Chang , Li Yen-Cheng , You Bang-Jau , Chang Wen-Te , Chao Louis , Lo Lee-Chiang , Wang Sheng-Yang , Huang Guan-Jhong , Kuo Yueh-Hsiung
Published: January 2013

Two new diterpenoids, konishone (1) and 3b-hydroxy-5,6-dehydrosugiol (2), along with three known diterpenoids—hinokiol (3), sugiol (4), and 12-hydroxy-6,7-secoabieta-8,11,13-triene-6,7-dial (5)—were isolated from the wood of Cunninghamia konishii. Compound 1 is a novel skeleton of the 7,20-dinorabietane-type diterpene. In addition, when RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with different concentrations of compounds 1, 3, and 5 together with LPS, a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of NO production was detected. The IC50 values for inhibition of nitrite production of compounds 1, 3, and 5 were about 9.8 ± 0.7, 7.9 ± 0.9, and 9.3 ± 1.3 μg/mL, respectively. This study presents the potential utilization of compounds 1, 3, and 5, as lead compounds for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.
An Operational Scheme for Deriving Standardised Surface Reflectance from Landsat TM/ETM+ and SPOT HRG Imagery for Eastern Australia
Authors: Flood Neil , Danaher Tim , Gill Tony , Gillingham Sam
Published: January 2013

Operational monitoring of vegetation and land surface change over large areas can make good use of satellite sensors that measure radiance reflected from the Earth’s surface. Monitoring programs use multiple images for complete spatial coverage over time. Accurate retrievals of vegetation cover and vegetation change estimates can be hampered by variation, in both space and time, in the measured radiance, caused by atmospheric conditions, topography, sensor location, and sun elevation. In order to obtain estimates of cover that are comparable between images, and to retrieve accurate estimates of change, these sources of variation must be removed. In this paper we present a preprocessing scheme for minimising atmospheric, topographic and bi-directional reflectance effects on Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM+ and SPOT-5 HRG imagery. The approach involves atmospheric correction to compute surface-leaving radiance, and bi-directional reflectance modelling to remove the effects of topography and angular variation in reflectance. The bi-directional reflectance model has been parameterised for eastern Australia, but the general approach is more widely applicable. The result is surface reflectance standardised to a fixed viewing and illumination geometry. The method can be applied to the entire record for these instruments, without intervention, which is of increasing importance with the increased availability of long term image archives. Validation shows that the corrections improve the estimation of reflectance at any given angular configuration, thus allowing the removal from the reflectance signal of much variation due to factors independent of the land surface. The method has been used to process over 45,000 Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-7 ETM+ scenes and 2,500 SPOT-5 scenes, over eastern Australia, and is now in use in operational monitoring programs.
Snow Cover Maps from MODIS Images at 250 m Resolution, Part 1: Algorithm Description
Authors: Notarnicola Claudia , Duguay Martial , Moelg Nico , Schellenberger Thomas , Tetzlaff Anke , Monsorno Roberto , Costa Armin , Steurer Christian , Zebisch Marc
Published: January 2013

A new algorithm for snow cover monitoring at 250 m resolution based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images is presented. In contrast to the 500 m resolution MODIS snow products of NASA (MOD10 and MYD10), the main goal was to maintain the resolution as high as possible to allow for a more accurate detection of snow covered area (SCA). This is especially important in mountainous regions characterized by extreme landscape heterogeneity, where maps at a resolution of 500 m could not provide the desired amount of spatial details. Therefore, the algorithm exploits only the 250 m resolution bands of MODIS in the red (B1) and infrared (B2) spectrum, as well as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for snow detection, while clouds are classified using also bands at 500 m and 1 km resolution. The algorithm is tailored to process MODIS data received in real-time through the EURAC receiving station close to Bolzano, Italy, but also standard MODIS products are supported. It is divided into three steps: first the data is preprocessed, including reprojection, calculation of physical reflectance values and masking of water bodies. In a second step, the actual classification of snow, snow in forested areas, and clouds takes place based on MODIS images both from Terra and Aqua satellites. In the third step, snow cover maps derived from images of both sensors of the same day are combined to reduce cloud coverage in the final SCA product. Four different quality indices are calculated to verify the reliability of input data, snow classification, cloud detection and viewing geometry. Using the data received through their own station, EURAC can provide SCA maps of central Europe to end users in near real-time. Validation of the algorithm is outlined in a companion paper and indicates good performance with accuracies ranging from 94% to around 82% compared to in situ snow depth measurements, and around 93% compared to SCA derived from Landsat ETM+ images.
Design of an Oximeter Based on LED-LED Configuration and FPGA Technology
Authors: Stojanovic Radovan , Karadaglic Dejan
Published: January 2013

A fully digital photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensor and actuator has been developed. The sensing circuit uses one Light Emitting Diode (LED) for emitting light into human tissue and one LED for detecting the reflectance light from human tissue. A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is used to control the LEDs and determine the PPG and Blood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2). The configurations with two LEDs and four LEDs are developed for measuring PPG signal and Blood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2). N-LEDs configuration is proposed for multichannel SpO2 measurements. The approach resulted in better spectral sensitivity, increased and adjustable resolution, reduced noise, small size, low cost and low power consumption.
Development of a Radial Pulse Tonometric (RPT) Sensor with a Temperature Compensation Mechanism
Authors: Yoo Seong-Ki , Shin Ki-Young , Lee Tae-Bum , Jin Seung-Oh , Kim Jaeuk
Published: January 2013

Several RPT sensors have been developed to acquire objective and quantitative pulse waves. These sensors offer improved performance with respect to pressure calibration, size and sensor deployment, but not temperature. Since most pressure sensors are sensitive to temperature, various temperature compensation techniques have been developed, but these techniques are largely inapplicable to RPT sensors due to the size restrictions of the sensor, and incompatibility between the compensation techniques and the RPT sensor. Consequently, in this paper a new RPT sensor comprising six piezoresistive pressure sensors and one thermistor has been developed through finite element analysis and then a suitable temperature compensation technique has been proposed. This technique compensates for temperature variations by using the thermistor and simple compensation equations. As verification of the proposed compensation technique, pulse waves of all types were successfully compensated for temperature changes.
Improving Packet Delivery Performance of Publish/Subscribe Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Davis Ernesto , Calveras Anna , Demirkol Ilker
Published: January 2013

MQTT-S and CoAP are two protocols able to use the publish/subscribe model in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The high scalability provided by the publish/subscribe model may incur a high packet loss and therefore requires an efficient reliability mechanism to cope with this situation. The reliability mechanism of MQTT-S and CoAP employs a method which defines a fixed value for the retransmission timeout (RTO). This article argues that this method is not efficient for deploying publish/subscribe in WSN, because it may be unable to recover a packet, therefore resulting in a lower packet delivery ratio (PDR) at the subscriber nodes. This article proposes and evaluates an adaptive RTO method, which consists in using a Smooth Round-trip Time and multiplying it by a constant parameter (K). Thanks to this method, the reliability mechanism of MQTT-S and CoAP would be able to react properly to packet loss and would also be lightweight in terms of energy, memory and computing for sensor nodes where these resources are critical. We present a detailed evaluation of the effects of the K value on the calculation of the adaptive RTO method. We also establish the setting for obtaining the highest PDR on the subscriber nodes for single-hop and multi-hop scenarios. The results for single-hop scenario show that use of the appropriate K value for the adaptive RTO method increases the PDR up to 76% for MQTT-S and up to 38% for CoAP when compared with the use of fixed RTO method for both protocols, respectively. Meanwhile the same comparison for multi-hop scenario, the adaptive RTO method increases the PDR up to 36% for MQTT-S and up to 14% for CoAP.
Following Hegel’s Sovereign Beast: An Excursus on the Right of Heroes
Authors: Nichols Joshua
Published: January 2013

In The Beast and the Sovereign, Derrida addresses an association that is as paradoxical as it is common. On the one hand, it seems as if the sovereign is, or at least should be, the furthest from the beast. And yet, as soon as we consult the various archives of political mythology––myth, theology, philosophy, art, etc.––we find them together, inseparable despite their distance. The seminar itself is a continuation of his previous explorations of the host concepts and figures that populate the political and philosophical history of sovereignty. The course takes him through a series of texts that stretches from Plato, Machiavelli, Hobbes and Rousseau, to Freud, Heidegger, Lacan and Schmitt, among others, but his engagement with Hegel is limited. The few times that Hegel’s name does appear, it is almost exclusively a reference or aside within other more substantial engagements (Lacan and Heidegger, in particular). This absence is at least somewhat curious given the extent of Derrida’s previous engagements with Hegel’s corpus. I am not suggesting that this absence constitutes some essential oversight; rather, it is an opportunity to set out on an excursion from the course of The Beast and the Sovereign without leaving its territory. After all, Hegel also has an account of the origins of law. He, too, has a character that is set apart by his (almost) animal quality. This figure arrives on stage before history begins. His role––and indeed his “right”––is to found the most basic elements of the state. We are told that his “right” is absolute. He is no Lord. He is not driven by a desire for the recognition of the other. However, who confers this “absolute” right? If his actions are not bound by any measure or proportion, how do we distinguish between the hero and the criminal?
‘As Nobody I was Sovereign’: Reading Derrida Reading Blanchot
Authors: Hanafin Patrick
Published: January 2013

In Session 7 (26 February 2003) of The Beast and the Sovereign, Volume II, Jacques Derrida engages again with Maurice Blanchot, two days after the latter’s cremation. This intervention also appears as a post-face to Derrida’s 2003 edition of Parages, his collection of essays devoted to the work of Blanchot. In this article, I examine Derrida’s affinity to the work of Blanchot, as the one whose work ‘stood watch over and around what matters to me, for a long time behind me and forever still before me’ [The Beast and the Sovereign, Volume II, p. 176]. In doing so I look at the manner in which Derrida engaged with Blanchot in his work and how in examining this engagement another reading of sovereignty emerges, one which is not tethered to liberal models of sovereign will but one which eludes biopolitical ordering and may be seen as a form of disappearance. Through a reading of Derrida’s readings of Blanchot’s The Madness of the Day I emphasize the link of this alternative sovereignty to both writing and literature in order to demonstrate how a more radical thinking of sovereignty can be discovered in Derrida’s thought.
Tensions Between Firm Size and Sustainability Goals: Fair Trade Coffee in the United States
Authors: Howard Philip , Jaffee Daniel
Published: January 2013

Sustainability marketing trends have typically been led by smaller, more mission-driven firms, but are increasingly attracting larger, more profit-driven firms. Studying the strategies of firms that are moving away from these two poles (i.e., mission-driven but larger firms, and profit-driven firms that are more committed to sustainability) may help us to better understand the potential to resolve tensions between firm size and sustainability goals. We used this approach to analyze a case study of the U.S. fair trade coffee industry, employing the methods of data visualization and media content analysis. We identified three firms that account for the highest proportion of U.S. fair trade coffee purchases (Equal Exchange, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Starbucks) and analyzed their strategies, including reactions to recent changes in U.S. fair trade standards. We found an inverse relationship between firm size and demonstrated commitment to sustainability ideals, and the two larger firms were much less likely to acknowledge conflicts between size and sustainability in their public discourse. We conclude that similar efforts to increase sustainability marketing for other products and services should be more skeptical of approaches that rely on primarily on the participation of large, profit-driven firms.
Resilience of Outdoor Spaces in an Era of Climate Change: The Problem of Developing Countries
Authors: Hatuka Tali , Saaroni Hadas
Published: January 2013

This paper recommends expanding research on the interrelations between climate change, cities, culture and the way climate change influences participants’ thermal, emotional and perceptual well-being in public spaces as a key step in developing contextual design codes for outdoor public spaces. Proposing a general framework to address climate challenges in developing countries, the paper advocates focusing on the developing world, where outdoor spaces are extremely vulnerable and available studies are scarce.
Renouveler la gestion du risque par l’ouverture à un système de vigilance ?
Authors: Fallon Catherine , Piet Grégory , Thiry Étienne , Pozzo Fabiana Dal , Zwetkoff Catherine
Published: January 2013

Cet article rédigé par un groupe multidisciplinaire de vétérinaires et de politologues propose une analyse contextualisée des transformations à l’œuvre dans le réseau de surveillance des maladies animales face aux menaces nouvelles dites « émergentes » suite aux changements globaux, en l’inscrivant dans le cadre de la gestion des risques. Le travail se base sur une présentation d’une émergence récente, celle de la fièvre catarrhale ovine due au Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) en 2006 en Belgique. Celle-ci permet de mettre en contexte les enseignements d’une enquête récente de type Delphi organisée auprès des responsables administratifs et des scientifiques concernés, qui a montré que la plupart des moyens proposés par les autorités reposent sur une logique de gestion des risques connus. On observe néanmoins des tentatives de renouvellement et d’ouverture, par la mise en place de nouveaux instruments de vigilance : s’appuyant sur une double logique de prévention et d’anticipation de la catastrophe, ils tentent d’adapter les structures de surveillance et d’alerte pour améliorer leur réactivité face aux évènements non prévus. Une double remise en cause se dessine, qui pousse à admettre la permanence d’une incertitude irréductible et à reconnaître le nécessaire décloisonnement des savoirs experts.
INTELLIGENT BREAST TUMOR DETECTION SYSTEM WITH TEXTURE AND CONTRAST FEATURES
Authors: Wu Szu-Yin , Chin Chiun-Li , Cho Yu-Shun , Chang Yen-Ching , Hsu Li-Pin
Published: January 2013

According to a research report by the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, while the mortality rate of breast cancer of females over 40 years old is extremely high. If detected early, it can be treated early, and the mortality rate of breast cancer can be reduced. Meanwhile, the image processing and pattern recognition technology has been adopted to select suspicious regions, provides alerts to assist in doctors' diagnosis, and reduces misdiagnosis rates due to fatigue of doctors, and improves diagnostic accuracy. Hence, this paper proposed an intelligent breast tumor detection system with texture and contrast features. This system consists of three parts: preprocessing, feature extraction, and learning algorithm. The goal of preprocessing is to obtain a good image quality and a real breast area. In the feature extraction, we extract the two features to describe the breast tumor. These features include Laws' Mask features which are the representation of the texture and modification average distance (MAD) feature which is the representation of the contrast. Each region of interest (ROI) image block will be extracted by these two features. And we will extract useful feature from all extracted features. We hope that a small quantity of feature can be used in our proposed system. Next, we use neural network as learning algorithm to detect the tumor with extracted features. Finally, in the experimental results, we use three databases to verify our proposed system, and two radiologists participated in that process and designed final verification study. Thus, we understand from the experimental results that a detection rate as high as 98% can be achieved by using only a few features and the simplest artificial neural network rather than a large number of features and a complex classifier. The success of the system will improve the accuracy of the existing detection methods, assist medical diagnosis, and decrease the time of the judgment effective by doctors.
Environmental and engineering applications of the Surficial geology of the Fraser Lowland, British Columbia
Authors: Armstrong J E ,   Geological Survey of Canada
Published: January 2013

A knowledge of the natural environment of the Fraser Lowland, which is bounded by mountain ranges on two sides and the ocean on the third, is essential in land use planning. The geology of the area has evolved over millions of years in the case of the bedrock and
hundreds of thousands of years in the case of the unconsolidated sediments. Bedrock is at or within 10 m of the surf ace in less than 5% of the Fraser Lowland, consequently the geology of most concern is that of the remaining area where unconsolidated (Quaternary) sediments between 10 and 300 m
thick overlie bedrock. During the Quaternary the lowland was subjected to repeated glaciations separated by nonglacial intervals. Each major glaciation in the lowland went through three main stages: 1) an advance stage, characterized by coalescing piedmont glaciers probably terminating in the sea;
2) a maximum stage when ice attained a thickness of 1800 m or more and overrode all the Fraser Lowland and much of the adjoining mountainous areas; 3) a retreat or deglaciation stage when ice mainly occupied the valleys and arms of the sea once again. As a result of this complex Quaternary history,
deposits of widely diversified origin were laid down and moulded into a succession of landscapes that were eroded and or buried, ending in our present landscape. The geological materials, climate, and physical features (including drainage) all have important roles in the engineering and agricultural
development of the area. Some geological materials form very poor bases for foundations because of low bearing capacity and/or poor drainage; others are good because of their excellent bearing capacities and/or good drainage. The most troublesome materials in the Fraser Lowland on which to support
foundations are 'sensitive' marine and glaciomarine silty clays, organic sediments, and loosely compacted sand and silt. The two commonest natural hazards in the Lowland are floods and landslides. Marine erosion is a problem at Point Grey. The Fraser Lowland lies in an earthquake zone and the
National Building Code has incorporated the earthquake hazard potential in the regulations. Construction materials are plentiful but much of them may be lost as a result of rapid urban growth and zoning regulations. In all agricultured soil mapping the geological materials from which the 'soil'
develops is a major controlling factor as to the class of topsoil. Management of the soil, including drainage and levelling, may be unsuccessful if the subsurf ace geology is not taken into account. Groundwater supplies, which are plentiful in much of the Fraser Lowland, vary according to the
precipitation and the drainage of the geological materials. They may become polluted if proper disposal of sewage and wastes is not undertaken.
A Contact SPH Method with High-Order Limiters for Simulation of Inviscid Compressible Flows
Authors: Zhang Xueying , Tian Haiyan , Kuo Leihsin , Chen Wen
Published: January 2013

In this paper, we study a class of contact smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) by introducing Riemann solvers and using high-order limiters. In particular, a promising concept of WENO interpolation as limiter is presented in the reconstruction process. The physical values relating interactional particles used as the initial values of the Riemann problem can be reconstructed by the Taylor series expansion. The contact solvers of the Riemann problem at contact points are incorporated in SPH approximations. In order to keep the fluid density at the wall rows to be consistent with that of the inner fluid wall boundaries, several lines of dummy particles are placed outside of the solid walls, which are assigned according to the initial configuration. At last, the method is applied to compressible flows with sharp discontinuities such as the collision of two strong shocks and the interaction of two blast waves and so on. The numerical results indicate that the method is capable of handling sharp discontinuity and efficiently reducing unphysical oscillations.
Restaurant Volatility and the Iowa City, Iowa, Smoke-Free Restaurant Ordinance
Authors: Sheffer Megan A. , Squier Christopher A. , Gilmore Gary D.
Published: January 2013

Purpose.

To determine the economic impact of the Iowa City, Iowa, smoke-free restaurant ordinance (IC-SFRO) using an immediate and novel approach.

Design.

In this retrospective study, food permit licensure served as the measure to assess the IC-SFRO impact. The Iowa City experience provided an excellent experimental setting, as the ordinance was enacted March 1, 2002, and repealed May 7, 2003, because of preemption.

Setting.

The city of Coralville served as a natural control, as it is contiguous to Iowa City, has similar population demographics, and has never enacted a smoke-free restaurant ordinance.

Measures.

Food permit licensure data for all Iowa City and Coralville restaurants were obtained from the Johnson County Health Department.

Analysis.

Differences in restaurant volatility were assessed using Fisher's exact probability test.

Results.

The number of restaurants increased in both Iowa City and Coralville throughout the ordinance period. The ratio of the total number of restaurants in Iowa City to the total number of restaurants in the Iowa City–Coralville metropolitan area remained stable. The proportion of restaurants for each city did not differ significantly during the preordinance, ordinance, and postordinance periods.

Conclusion.

The IC-SFRO did not adversely impact the restaurant industry in terms of restaurant closures. The Iowa legislature was urged to draft evidence-based legislation, such as amending preemption of the IC-SFRO, to protect and promote the health of its communities.
Promoting Health: Media Advocacy Opportunities in English- and Spanish-Language Masthead Editorials
Authors: Lingas Elena O.
Published: January 2013

Purpose.

This study examines two newspapers' editorial coverage of issues related to the Healthy People 2010 focus areas and compares the two newspapers.

Design.

A qualitative study.

Setting.

Two Los Angeles, California, newspapers.

Subjects.

The masthead editorials of the Los Angeles Times and La Opinión in the year following the release of Healthy People 2010.

Measures.

A structured data abstraction instrument was used for descriptive coding. Correspondence to 1 of the 28 Healthy People 2010 focus areas determined whether domestic editorials were about health.

Analysis.

An ethnographic content analysis.

Results.

There were 1075 editorials from the Los Angeles Times and 361 from La Opinión; 17% were focused on domestic health issues. Three Healthy People 2010 focus areas dominated: Environmental Health, Injury and Violence Prevention, and Access to Quality Health Services. Ten focus areas did not receive a single mention in the Los Angeles Times, and 19 focus areas lacked editorials in La Opinión.

Conclusion.

Editorial writers regularly tackled issues related to a Healthy People 2010 focus area. Public health practitioners can meet with their local newspaper editorial board and discuss the nation's health objectives as manifested by Healthy People 2020 and the National Prevention Strategy, thereby promoting policies that support individual and population health.
Assessment of the Impact of Adjunctive Proactive Telephone Counseling to Promote Smoking Cessation among Lung Cancer Patients' Social Networks
Authors: Bastian Lori A. , Fish Laura J. , Peterson Bercedis L. , Biddle Andrea K. , Garst Jennifer , Lyna Pauline , Molner Stephanie , Bepler Gerold , Kelley Mike , Keefe Francis J. , McBride Colleen M.
Published: January 2013

Purpose.

When a patient is diagnosed with lung cancer, members of his/her social network may be more likely to engage in smoking cessation efforts. Proactive telephone counseling combined with a tailored self-directed intervention may be more effective at promoting smoking cessation than a tailored self-directed intervention alone.

Design.

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting.

Four clinical sites.

Subjects.

Current smokers who are family members and close friends of patients with lung cancer.

Intervention.

Six counselor-initiated counseling calls using motivational interviewing techniques and focusing on teaching adaptive coping skills based on the transactional model of stress and coping along with tailored self-directed materials (including nicotine patches, if not contraindicated) (n = 245) vs. tailored self-directed materials (including nicotine patches, if not contraindicated) (n = 251).

Measures.

Participants were surveyed at baseline and at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postintervention. The outcome was 7-day point prevalent abstinence.

Analysis.

The objective of this study was to test for arm differences in smoking cessation rates at 2 weeks and 6 months postintervention (primary) and at 12 months postintervention (secondary).

Results.

We found no overall effect of the proactive intervention on cessation rates. Among younger participants (age <50), the cessation rate in the intervention group was higher than in the control group at 2 weeks postintervention (16% vs. 4%, p = .046). For older participants (age >50), there were no group differences.

Conclusion.

Proactive telephone counseling focusing on adaptive coping skills was difficult to implement among smokers in lung cancer patients' social network. Although this study did not demonstrate any added benefit to cessation rates, this null finding may be a result of an intervention that was weaker than intended, owing to difficulties in completing the counseling phone calls. We discuss lessons learned and areas for future research in this special population.
Assessing and Comparing the Short-Term Effects of TPB Only and TPB plus Implementation Intentions Interventions on Snacking Behavior in Iranian Adolescent Girls: A Cluster Randomized Trial
Authors: Karimi-Shahanjarini Akram , Rashidian Arash , Omidvar Nasrin , Majdzadeh Reza
Published: January 2013

Purpose.

The evidence for the effectiveness of theory of planned behavior (TPB)–based interventions is mixed. There is also mixed evidence on the effectiveness of adding implementation intentions to TPB-based interventions. In this study we assessed and compared the short-term effects of TPB-only intervention and TPB plus implementation intentions intervention on snacking behavior and intention to consume unhealthy snacks in Iranian adolescent girls.

Design.

Three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial.

Setting.

Ten middle schools in Tehran (Iran).

Subjects.

A total of 29 classes included 739 female adolescents (age range: 12–15 years).

Intervention.

Two brief interventions including TPB-only intervention and TPB plus implementation intentions intervention.

Measures.

Food frequency questionnaire and intentions at baseline, 10 days, and 3 months measuring snacking behavior and cognitions about unhealthy snack consumption, respectively.

Analysis.

Hierarchical linear modeling to assess the interventions' effects.

Results.

Both interventions successfully decreased intention to consume and consumption of unhealthy snacks at postintervention. Calculation of the effect sizes revealed that the TPB plus implementation intentions intervention was more effective than the TPB-only intervention. The effects remained significant at 3-month follow-up in the TPB plus implementation intentions intervention group only, although the effect size decreased.

Conclusion.

Overall, the study suggests that adding implementation intentions on top of TPB-based persuasive messages improves effectiveness and sustainability of desirable changes.
Effectiveness of Weight Loss Interventions for Obese Older Adults
Authors: Felix Holly C. , West Delia S.
Published: January 2013

Objective.

The consequences of obesity among older adults are significant, yet few obesity interventions target this group. Unfamiliarity with weight loss intervention effectiveness and concerns that weight loss negatively affects older adults may be inhibiting targeting this group. This paper reviews the evidence on intentional weight loss and effective weight loss interventions for obese older adults to help dispel concerns and guide health promotion practice.

Data Source.

PubMed articles.

Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria.

Randomized controlled trials examining behavioral and pharmaceutical weight loss strategies with 1-year follow-up targeting obese (body mass index ≥30) older adults (mean age ≥60 years), and studies with quasi-experimental designs examining surgical weight loss strategies targeting older adults were examined.

Data Extraction.

Abstracts were reviewed for study objective relevancy, with relevant articles extracted and reviewed.

Data Synthesis.

Data were inserted into an analysis matrix.

Results.

Evidence indicates behavioral strategies are effective in producing significant (all p < .05) weight loss without significant risk to obese older adults, but effectiveness evidence for surgical and pharmaceutical strategies for obese older adults is lacking, primarily because this group has not been targeted in trials or analyses did not isolate this group.

Conclusion.

These findings support the promotion of intentional weight loss among obese older adults and provide guidance to health promotion practitioners on effective weight loss interventions to use with this group.