bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel MAC Protocol and Middleware Designs for Wearable Sensor-Based Systems for Health Monitoring
Authors: Hur Kyeong , Sohn Won-Sung , Kim Jae-Kyung , Lee YangSun
Published: April 2013

We propose a middleware platform built on wireless USB (WUSB) over wireless body area networks (WBAN) hierarchical protocol for wearable health-monitoring systems (WHMS). The proposed middleware platform is composed of time-synchronization and localization solutions. It is executed on the basis of WUSB over WBAN protocol at each wearable sensor node comprising the WHMS. In the platform, firstly, the time-synchronization middleware is executed. After that, a WHMS host calculates the location of a receiving sensor node by using the difference between the times at which the sensor node received different WBAN beacon frames sent from the WHMS host. The WHMS host interprets the status and motion of the wearable body-sensor objects.
Bernstein Series Solution of a Class of Lane-Emden Type Equations
Authors: Isik Osman Rasit , Sezer Mehmet
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this study is to present an approximate solution that depends on collocation points and Bernstein polynomials for a class of Lane-Emden type equations with mixed conditions. The method is given with some priori error estimate. Even the exact solution is unknown, an upper bound based on the regularity of the exact solution will be obtained. By using the residual correction procedure, the absolute error can be estimated. Also, one can specify the optimal truncation limitnwhich gives a better result in any norm. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is illustrated by some numerical experiments. Numerical results are consistent with the theoretical results.
Flexible, Transparent, and Conductive Film Based on Random Networks of Ag Nanowires
Authors: Wang Shunhua , Zhang Xu , Zhao Weiwei
Published: April 2013

Flexible, transparent, and conductive films based on random networks of Ag nanowires were prepared by vacuum‐filtrating method. The size of Ag nanowires prepared by hydrothermal method is uniform, with a relatively smaller diameter and a longer length, thereby achieving a high aspect ratio (>1000). The films fabricated by Ag nanowires exhibit the excellent transparency with a 92% optical transmittance and a low surface resistivity of 11 Ωsq−1. Importantly, both the transmittance and sheet resistance decrease with the increasing of the Ag nanowires contents. When the contents of Ag nanowires are up to 200 mg/m2 especially, the surface resistivity quickly falls below 5 Ωsq−1. Also, these films are robust, which have almost no change in sheet resistance after the repeating bends over 200 cycles. These encouraging results may have a potential application in flexible and transparent electronics and other heating systems.
Microscopic Colitis with Macroscopic Endoscopic Findings
Authors: Saleem Atif , Brahmbhatt Parag A. , Khan Sarah , Young Mark , LeSage Gene D.
Published: April 2013

Microscopic Colitis (MC) is characterized by chronic watery diarrhea, grossly normal appearing colonic mucosa during conventional white light endoscopy, and biopsy showing microscopic inflammation. We report a case of collagenous colitis with gross endoscopic findings.
Gd-EOB-DTPA-Enhanced MRI for Detection of Liver Metastases from Colorectal Cancer: A Surgeon’s Perspective!
Authors: Lafaro Kelly J. , Roumanis Panayota , Demirjian Aram N. , Lall Chandana , Imagawa David K.
Published: April 2013

Colorectal cancer affects over one million people worldwide annually, with the liver being the most common site of metastatic spread. Adequate resection of hepatic metastases is the only chance for a cure in a subset of patients, and five-year survival increases to 35% with complete resection. Traditionally, computed tomographic imaging (CT) was utilized for staging and to evaluate metastases in the liver. Recently, the introduction of hepatobiliary contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents including gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Eovist in the United States, Primovist in Europe, or Gd-EOB-DTPA) has proved to be a sensitive method for detection of hepatic metastases. Accurate detection of liver metastases is critical for staging of colorectal cancer as well as preoperative planning.
Early Neural Cell Death Is an Extensive, Dynamic Process in the Embryonic Chick and Mouse Retina
Authors: Chavarría Teresa , Baleriola Jimena , Mayordomo Raquel , de Pablo Flora , de la Rosa Enrique J.
Published: April 2013

Orchestrated proliferation, differentiation, and cell death contribute to the generation of the complex cytoarchitecture of the central nervous system, including that of the neuroretina. However, few studies have comprehensively compared the spatiotemporal patterns of these 3 processes, or their relative magnitudes. We performed a parallel study in embryonic chick and mouse retinas, focusing on the period during which the first neurons, the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), are generated. The combination of in vivo BrdU incorporation, immunolabeling of retinal whole mounts for BrdU and for the neuronal markers Islet1/2 and βIII‐tubulin, and TUNEL allowed for precise cell scoring and determination the spatiotemporal patterns of cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. As predicted, proliferation preceded differentiation. Cell death and differentiation overlapped to a considerable extent, although the magnitude of cell death exceeded that of neuronal differentiation. Precise quantification of the population of recently born RGCs, identified by BrdU and βIII‐tubulin double labeling, combined with cell death inhibition using a pan‐caspase inhibitor, revealed that apoptosis decreased this population by half shortly after birth. Taken together, our findings provide important insight into the relevance of cell death in neurogenesis.
The Newest Member of the Family of Chloralose: Synthesis of β‐Ribochloralose and Some Derivatives
Authors: Ay Kadir , Halay Erkan
Published: April 2013

Treatment of D‐ribose with chloral in the presence of acid catalyst gives 1,2‐O‐(S)‐trichloroethylidene‐α‐D‐ribofuranose (1) (β‐ribochloralose). Some derivatives of this product (1) were synthesized to be used as an intermediate in carbohydrate chemistry. Tricyclic orthoester structure (3, 77%) was obtained from the reaction of 1 with potassium t‐butoxide. This novel orthoester is expected to be useful as a glycosyl donor in the formations of new ribofuranoside units. 3‐O‐Methyl‐ribochloralose (5) was synthesized in 75% yield via the methylation of 1. 5‐O‐Tosyl‐ribochloralose (6, 61%) was prepared with monotosylation reaction of 1. Treatment of 6 with NaN3 in DMF gives a 5‐azido‐5‐deoxy‐ribochloralose (7) in 77% yield. The azidosugar (7) was reduced to 5‐amino‐5‐deoxy‐ribochloralose (8, 72%) with triphenylphosphine according to Staudinger’s reduction procedure.
Calculation of Lightning Transient Responses on Wind Turbine Towers
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqing , Zhang Yongzheng
Published: April 2013

An efficient method is proposed in this paper for calculating lightning transient responses on wind turbine towers. In the proposed method, the actual tower body is simplified as a multiconductor grid in the shape of cylinder. A set of formulas are given for evaluating the circuit parameters of the branches in the multiconductor grid. On the basis of the circuit parameters, the multiconductor grid is further converted into an equivalent circuit. The circuit equation is built in frequency-domain to take into account the effect of the frequency-dependent characteristic of the resistances and inductances on lightning transients. The lightning transient responses can be obtained by using the discrete Fourier transform with exponential sampling to take the inverse transform of the frequency-domain solution of the circuit equation. A numerical example has been given for examining the applicability of the proposed method.
Unstructured Grid Solutions for Incompressible Laminar Flow over a Circular Cylinder Using a Particular Finite Volume-Finite Element Method
Authors: Yousefifard Mahdi , Ghadimi Parviz , Zamanian Rahim
Published: April 2013

A numerical modeling of a 2D Navier-Stokes equation by a particular vertex centered control volume framework on an unstructured grid is presented in this paper. Triangular elements are applied with an effective high performance fully coupled algorithm, to simulate incompressible laminar flow over a circular cylinder. The cell face velocities in the discretization of the continuity and momentum equations are calculated by a combined linear and momentum interpolation scheme, respectively, and their performances are compared. Flow analyses have been conducted based on various Reynolds numbers up to 200 for the steady and unsteady flows using structured and unstructured grids. The robustness and accuracy of the scheme in the unstructured mesh are proved using the benchmark problems of incompressible laminar flow over a circular cylinder at low and medium Reynolds numbers. Results have been compared with the structured grid results, both cases with equal cell numbers and same strategy for the mesh refinement. Current results display good agreement with the experimental values. Overall, it is shown that, using the suggested method for the current problem, unstructured grids are highly competitive with the structured grids.
A New Type of Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Cement as a Gentamicin Carrier for Osteomyelitis
Authors: Su Wen-Yu , Chen Yu-Chun , Lin Feng-Huei
Published: April 2013

Osteomyelitis therapy is a long-term and inconvenient procedure for a patient. Antibiotic-loaded bone cements are both a complementary and alternative treatment option to intravenous antibiotic therapy for the treatment of osteomyelitis. In the current study, the biphasic calcium phosphate cement (CPC), calledα-TCP/HAP (α-tricalcium phosphate/hydroxyapatite) biphasic cement, was prepared as an antibiotics carrier for osteomyelitis. The developed biphasic cement with a microstructure ofα-TCP surrounding the HAP has a fast setting time which will fulfill the clinical demand. The X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry analyses showed the final phase to be HAP, the basic bone mineral, after setting for a period of time. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a porous structure with particle sizes of a few micrometers. The addition of gentamicin inα-TCP/HAP would delay the transition ofα-TCP but would not change the final-phase HAP. The gentamicin-loadedα-TCP/HAP supplies high doses of the antibiotic during the initial 24 hours when they are soaked in phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Thereafter, a slower drug release is produced, supplying minimum inhibitory concentration until the end of the experiment (30 days). Studies of growth inhibition ofStaphylococcus aureusandPseudomonas aeruginosain culture indicated that gentamicin released after 30 days fromα-TCP/HAP biphasic cement retained antibacterial activity.
The Role of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Aggressive Histological Subtypes of Thyroid Cancer: An Overview
Authors: Treglia Giorgio , Annunziata Salvatore , Muoio Barbara , Salvatori Massimo , Ceriani Luca , Giovanella Luca
Published: April 2013

Aggressive histological subtypes of thyroid cancer are rare and have a poor prognosis. The most important aggressive subtypes of thyroid cancer are Hürthle cell carcinoma (HCTC) and anaplastic and poorly differentiated carcinoma (ATC and PDTC). The American Thyroid Association recently published guidelines for the management of patients with ATC, but no specific guidelines have been done about HCTC. We performed an overview of the literature about the role of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography or positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET or PET/CT) in aggressive histological subtypes of thyroid cancer. Only few original studies about the role of FDG-PET or PET/CT in HCTC, PDTC, and ATC have been published in the literature. FDG-PET or PET/CT seems to be useful in staging or followup of invasive and metastatic HCTC. FDG-PET or PET/CT should be used in patients with ATC in initial staging and in the followup after surgery to evaluate metastatic disease. Some authors suggest the use of FDG-PET/CT in staging of PDTC, but more studies are needed to define the diagnostic use of FDG-PET/CT in this setting. Limited experience suggests the usefulness of FDG-PET or PET/CT in patients with more aggressive histological subtypes of DTC. However, DTC presenting as radioiodine refractory and FDG-PET positive should be considered aggressive tumours with poor prognosis.
The Factors Affecting the Refusal of Reporting on Medication Errors from the Nurses' Viewpoints: A Case Study in a Hospital in Iran
Authors: Bahadori Mohammadkarim , Ravangard Ramin , Aghili Amin , Sadeghifar Jamil , Gharsi Manshadi Mahdi , Smaeilnejad Javad
Published: April 2013

Objective. Medication errors are the most common types of medical errors which considerably endanger the patient safety. This survey aimed to study the factors influencing not reporting on medication errors from the nurses’ viewpoints in Abbasi Hospital of Miandoab, Iran. Methods. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted in 2012 in which all nurses () working in different inpatient units were studied using a consensus method. Required data were collected using a questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed through some statistical tests including Independent -test, ANOVA, and chi-square. Results. According to the results, the most important reasons for not reporting on medication errors were related to the managerial factors (), factors related to the process of reporting (), and fear of the consequences of reporting (), respectively. Also, there was a significant relationship between employment status and fear of the Consequences of reporting on medication errors ().
Conclusion. This study results showed that managerial factors had the greatest role in the refusal of reporting on medication errors. Therefore, for example, establishing a mechanism to improve quality rather than focus only on finding the culprits and blaming them can result in improving the patient safety.
A Compact Microstrip Spiral Antenna Embedded in Water Bolus for Hyperthermia Applications
Authors: Korkmaz Erdal , Isik Omer , Nassor Mohammed Ahmed
Published: April 2013

This paper presents the design, simulation, fabrication, and measurement of a circular spiral microstrip antenna embedded in distilled water bolus. The antenna is mainly designed to operate at 434 MHz ISM band to be used for a hyperthermia applicator. The performance of the antenna is compared to a conventional patch antenna also embedded in water bolus. The results show that spiral antenna has significant narrower radiation pattern and is capable to operate at multiple frequencies as well. Narrow beam of the antenna is desired to design a multiantenna arrangement with less coupling and a better focusing resolution which can be crucial for deep regional hyperthermia applications. The option of other frequencies is desirable to have a better control over the penetration depth versus focusing depending on the application region.
A Validated New Gradient Stability-Indicating LC Method for the Analysis of Doripenem in Bulk and Injection Formulation
Authors: Kathirvel Singaram , Devalarao Garikapati
Published: April 2013

A sensitive, precise, specific, linear, and stability-indicating gradient HPLC method was developed for the estimation of doripenem in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and in injectable preparations. Chromatographic separation was achieved on C18 stationary phase with a mobile phase gradient consisting of acetonitrile, methanol, and pH 5.2 phosphate buffer. The mobile phase flow rate was 0.8 mL/min, and the eluted compounds were monitored at 210 nm. The method is linear over the range of 0.335 to 76.129 µg/mL. The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.999. The numbers of theoretical plates and tailing factor for doripenem were 53021 and 0.9, respectively. Doripenem was subjected to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) prescribed hydrolytic (acid, base, and neutral), oxidative, photolytic, and thermal stress conditions. Among all the above-mentioned conditions, the drug was found to be stable under photolytic degradation. Peak homogeneity data for doripenem in the chromatograms from the stressed samples obtained by use of the photodiode array detector demonstrated the specificity of the method for analysis of doripenem in presence of the degradation products. The performance of the method was validated according to the present ICH guidelines for specificity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, linearity, accuracy, precision, and robustness.
A Qualitative Study of Technology Integration into Culture and Sustainability in Schools
Authors: Mundy Marie-Anne , Kupczynski Lori
Published: April 2013

Despite overall increased access to technology both in and out of the classroom, technology is often still not being used to support learning and instruction in a meaningful manner. Teachers need to be helped to change the way they teach rather than just how to use computers. The TeachUp! Program was designed by Digital Opportunity Trust to improve the use of technology in day-to-day teaching activities through the use of interns who are present in the schools as a continuous support system and who provide an informal professional development. Interns examine types of technology available and how it can be utilized as a part of the design and implementation of the curriculum to extend the existing student knowledge and learning. Purposive samples from two school districts in southern Mississippi were selected to be interviewed on their perceptions of the integration of TeachUp! technology empowerment into the ongoing culture and operation of the schools, long-term systematic change, and improvement in education outcomes. According to the respondents, the TeachUp! Program has had a major sustaining effect on the respective school systems in these areas. The climate of the learning environment has evolved into a true 21st century learning organization with an increase in the use of technology.
T Cells Expressing Chimeric Antigen Receptors Can Cause Anaphylaxis in Humans
Authors: Maus Marcela V. , Haas Andrew R. , Beatty Gregory L. , Albelda Steven M. , Levine Bruce L. , Liu Xiaojun , Zhao Yangbing , Kalos Michael , June Carl H.
Published: April 2013

T cells can be redirected to overcome tolerance to cancer by engineering with integrating vectors to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). In preclinical models, we have previously shown that transfection of T cells with mRNA coding for a CAR is an alternative strategy that has antitumor efficacy and the potential to evaluate the on-target off-tumor toxicity of new CAR targets safely due to transient mRNA CAR expression. Here, we report the safety observed in four patients treated with autologous T cells that had been electroporated with mRNA coding for a CAR derived from a murine antibody to human mesothelin. Because of the transient nature of CAR expression on the T cells, subjects in the clinical study were given repeated infusions of the CAR-T cells to assess their safety. One subject developed anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest within minutes of completing the third infusion. Although human anti-mouse immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies have been known to develop with CAR-transduced T cells, they have been thought to have no adverse clinical consequences. This is the first description of clinical anaphylaxis resulting from CAR-modified T cells, most likely through IgE antibodies specific to the CAR. These results indicate that the potential immunogenicity of CARs derived from murine antibodies may be a safety issue for mRNA CARs, especially when administered using an intermittent dosing schedule. Cancer Immunol Res; 1(1); 26–31. ©2013 AACR.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells with Dissociated Signaling Domains Exhibit Focused Antitumor Activity with Reduced Potential for Toxicity In Vivo
Authors: Lanitis Evripidis , Poussin Mathilde , Klattenhoff Alex W. , Song Degang , Sandaltzopoulos Raphael , June Carl H. , Powell Daniel J.
Published: April 2013

Adoptive immunotherapy using T lymphocytes genetically modified to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T) holds considerable promise for the treatment of cancer. However, CAR-based therapies may involve on-target toxicity against normal tissues expressing low amounts of the targeted tumor-associated antigen (TAA). To specify T cells for robust effector function that is selective for tumor but not normal tissue, we developed a trans-signaling CAR strategy, whereby T-cell activation signal 1 (CD3ζ) is physically dissociated from costimulatory signal 2 (CD28) in two CARs of differing antigen specificity: mesothelin and a-folate receptor (FRa). Human T cells were genetically modified to coexpress signal 1 (anti-Meso scFv-CD3ζ) and signal 2 (anti-FRa scFv-CD28) CARs in trans. Trans-signaling CAR-T cells showed weak cytokine secretion against target cells expressing only one TAA in vitro, similar to first-generation CAR-T cells bearing CD3ζ only, but showed enhanced cytokine secretion upon encountering natural or engineered tumor cells coexpressing both antigens, equivalent to that of second-generation CAR-T cells with dual signaling in cis. CAR-T cells with dual specificity also showed potent anticancer activity and persistence in vivo, which was superior to first-generation CAR-T cells and equivalent to second-generation CARs. Importantly, second-generation CAR-T cells exhibited potent activity against cells expressing mesothelin alone, recapitulating normal tissue, whereas trans-signaling CAR-T cells did not. Thus, a dual specificity, trans-signaling CAR approach can potentiate the therapeutic efficacy of CAR-T cells against cancer while minimizing parallel reactivity against normal tissues bearing single antigen. Cancer Immunol Res; 1(1); 43–53. ©2013 AACR.
Tumor Immunology: Multidisciplinary Science Driving Basic and Clinical Advances
Authors: Keenan Bridget P. , Jaffee Elizabeth M. , Armstrong Todd D.
Published: April 2013

The fourth AACR Special Conference “Tumor Immunology: Basic and Clinical Advances” was held in Miami, FL in December 2012. The overall objective of this meeting was to discuss emerging concepts in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. The key findings that emerged from this meeting included: (i) multiple immune checkpoints should be inhibited to increase effective T-cell therapy, (ii) successful adoptive T-cell therapy will rely on obtaining the proper T-cell phenotype, (iii) chimeric antigen receptors have shown promise in treating some B-cell malignancies, and (iv) multiple pathways of inflammation within the tumor microenvironment are immunotherapy targets. Cancer Immunol Res; 1(1); 16–23. ©2013 AACR.
Aging, Aortic Arch Calcification, and Multiple Brain Infarcts Are Associated with Aortogenic Brain Embolism
Authors: Shimada Yoshiaki , Ueno Yuji , Tanaka Yasutaka , Okuzumi Ayami , Miyamoto Nobukazu , Yamashiro Kazuo , Tanaka Ryota , Hattori Nobutaka , Urabe Takao
Published: April 2013

Background: Mobile or ulcerated aortic plaques (MUAPs) on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can cause aortogenic brain embolism. Aortic arch calcification (AoAC) on chest X-ray represents systemic atherosclerosis. This study focused on AoAC on chest X-ray and its link with atheromatous aortic plaques (AAPs) on TEE in stroke patients. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between AoAC and AAPs in unexplained stroke patients. Methods: A total of 178 patients (mean age: 64 ± 15 years; 115 males) with ischemic stroke who underwent TEE were enrolled. The patients were classified based on TEE findings: (1) AAPs <4 mm; (2) AAPs ≥4 mm, and (3) MUAPs. The extent of AoAC on chest X-ray was divided into 4 grades (0-3). Clinical characteristics including AoAC were compared among the 3 groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent factors associated with MUAPs. An original diagnostic criterion was defined as a potential indicator of MUAPs in unexplained stroke patients. Results: 104 (58%) patients had AAPs <4 mm, 46 (26%) had AAPs ≥4 mm, and 28 (16%) had MUAPs. Older age (OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.06-1.24; p = 0.001), AoAC (OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.30-4.24; p = 0.005), and multiple infarctions in multiple vascular territories (VTs) demonstrated on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) (OR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.35-4.92; p = 0.004) were independently associated with MUAPs. The CAM score was defined as consisting of the degree of AoAC (0-3 points), age (≥70 years: 1 point), and DWI findings (multiple infarctions in 1 VT: 1 point; 2 VTs: 2 points; more than 3 VTs: 3 points). The prevalence of MUAPs was substantially increased in patients with medium risk (CAM score 3-4, OR: 7.68; 95% CI: 2.89-20.44; p < 0.001) and high risk (CAM score 5-7, OR: 20.63; 95% CI: 5.12-83.06; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Older age, advanced AoAC, and multiple infarctions in multiple VTs are associated with aortogenic brain embolism. The CAM score can be useful for the diagnosis of aortogenic brain embolism.
Effects of Low and Standard Fluoride Toothpastes on Caries and Fluorosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Santos A.P.P. , Oliveira B.H. , Nadanovsky P.
Published: April 2013

Although the anti-caries effects of standard fluoride (F) toothpastes are well established, their use by preschoolers (2- to 5-year-olds) has given rise to concerns regarding the development of dental fluorosis. Thus, a widespread support of low F toothpastes has been observed. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of low (<600 ppm) and standard (1,000-1,500 ppm) F toothpastes on the prevention of caries in the primary dentition and aesthetically objectionable (moderate to severe) fluorosis in the permanent dentition. A systematic review of clinical trials and meta-analyses were carried out. Two examiners independently screened 1,932 records and read 159 potentially eligible full-text articles. Data regarding characteristics of participants, interventions, outcomes, length of follow-up and potential of bias were independently extracted by two examiners and disagreements were solved by consensus after consulting a third examiner. In order to assess the effects of low and standard F toothpastes on the proportion of children developing caries and fluorosis, pooled relative risks (RR) and associated 95% confidence intervals were estimated using a fixed and a random-effects model, respectively. Five clinical trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Low F toothpastes significantly increased the risk of caries in primary teeth [RR = 1.13 (1.07-1.20); 4,634 participants in three studies] and did not significantly decrease the risk of aesthetically objectionable fluorosis in the upper anterior permanent teeth [RR = 0.32 (0.03-2.97); 1,968 participants in two studies]. There is no evidence to support the use of low F toothpastes by preschoolers regarding caries and fluorosis prevention.
Food Expenditures, Cariogenic Dietary Practices and Childhood Dental Caries in Southern Brazil
Authors: Feldens C.A. , Rodrigues P.H. , Rauber F. , Chaffee B.W. , Vitolo M.R.
Published: April 2013

Family expenditures on food for children may represent an important barrier to the adoption of healthy feeding practices in populations of low socioeconomic status. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cariogenic feeding practices, expenditures on food for children and dental caries. This cross-sectional study included 329 four-year-old children from São Leopoldo in southern Brazil. Cariogenic dietary practices were assessed at 4 years of age using two 24-hour recalls conducted with the children's mothers. Expenditures on food for children were estimated based on all reported food items and the respective amounts ingested. Early childhood caries and severe early childhood caries were assessed by clinical examination at 4 years of age. Cariogenic dietary habits were not associated with lower food expenditures. On the contrary, in multivariable regression analysis, the intake of chocolate (p = 0.007), soft drinks (p = 0.027) and a higher number of meals and snacks per day (p < 0.001) was associated with greater expenditures on food for children. No statistically significant differences were observed in food expenditures or in the proportion of household income spent on feeding children between caries-free children, those with early childhood caries and those with severe early childhood caries. In conclusion, keeping children free of dental caries does not necessarily increase food expenditures or the proportion of household income spent on feeding children in low-socioeconomic status populations. Some cariogenic dietary practices were associated with greater expenditures on child feeding.
Metabolic Control by Target of Rapamycin and Autophagy during Ageing - A Mini-Review
Authors: Markaki Maria , Tavernarakis Nektarios
Published: April 2013

The conserved target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway integrates signals from nutrient and energy availability, growth factors and stress to regulate cell growth and proliferation, development and metabolism. Growing evidence suggests that TOR signalling controls the rate at which cells and tissues age, thereby contributing to whole-organism ageing. Although significant progress has been made in the last decades towards understanding fundamental aspects of the ageing process, the precise mechanisms underlying the age-related effects of TOR are still not fully understood. TOR interfaces with several cellular processes, such as DNA transcription, mRNA translation, protein turnover and autophagy, among others. Interestingly, TOR regulates various aspects of metabolism including mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism. Inhibition of TOR activity stimulates autophagy, a conserved lysosomal catabolic pathway that controls the degradation and turnover of macromolecules and organelles. Autophagy also has an important role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis at both the cellular and whole-organism level. Ageing in diverse organisms ranging from yeast to mammals appears to be associated with insufficient autophagy. Here, we summarize recent developments that outline how TOR and autophagy modulate the ageing process, with special emphasis on their role in the regulation of metabolism. A better understanding of the complex interplay between TOR, autophagy and ageing will pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat age-related pathologies.
Cinacalcet Upregulates Calcium-Sensing Receptors of Parathyroid Glands in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Sumida Keiichi , Nakamura Michio , Ubara Yoshifumi , Marui Yuji , Tanaka Kiho , Takaichi Kenmei , Tomikawa Shinji , Inoshita Naoko , Ohashi Kenichi
Published: April 2013

Background: Cinacalcet hydrochloride (cinacalcet), a calcimimetic, has been shown to upregulate calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) expression in parathyroid glands of rats with chronic renal insufficiency. However, the effect of cinacalcet on the reduced CaSR expression in human parathyroid glands remains to be elucidated. Methods: Four normal parathyroid glands and 71 hyperplastic parathyroid glands from 18 hemodialysis patients with refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) treated with (n = 10; cinacalcet group) or without (n = 8; conventional group) cinacalcet were examined immunohistochemically with a specific antibody against CaSR. The expression level of CaSR was analyzed semiquantitatively. Results: Compared with normal glands, the immunohistochemical expression of CaSR was decreased significantly in both the cinacalcet and conventional groups. In the cinacalcet group, the expression of CaSR was increased significantly compared with that in the conventional group (1.83 ± 0.14 vs. 0.87 ± 0.15, p < 0.001), even though the proportion of patients using vitamin D sterols and the mean administered dose of calcitriol equivalents were not significantly different between the two groups. The expression of CaSR was significantly decreased in the larger glands (>500 mg) compared with that in the smaller glands (<500 mg) in both groups; furthermore, it was markedly decreased in areas of nodular hyperplasia compared with diffuse hyperplasia in the cinacalcet group. Conclusions: Our results indicate that cinacalcet upregulates the depressed expression of CaSR in hemodialysis patients with SHPT, and that insufficient expression of CaSR, especially in larger glands with advanced nodular hyperplasia, underlies the pathogenesis of SHPT in patients who are resistant to cinacalcet.
Hobbes, Descartes and the Deus deceptor
Authors: Camellone Mauro Farnesi
Published: April 2013

This article is a contribution to the question of the impact of Descartes on Hobbes’s philosophy. The focus is put on the radicalization that Hobbes had made of the Cartesian argument of the Deus deceptor. To introduce the question we analyze the critique of miracles led by Hobbes. The aim of the article is to underline the close connection subsisting between foundation of science, critique of religion and political science in the thought of the English philosopher.
Rediscovery of Sinopla humeralis Signoret, 1864 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Acanthosomatidae)
Authors: CARVAJAL MÁRIOM A. , FAÚNDEZ EDUARDO I.
Published: April 2013

Sinopla humeralis Signoret, 1864 is revalidated and removed from the synonymy of Sniploa obsoletus Signoret, 1864. The first formal records from it original description and first data about its biology are provided. The type species of the genus Sinopla is discussed and the concept of the genus is expanded. The association of Sinopla humeralis with the south-ern beech Nothofagus Blume and it distribution from Maule Region to Magallanes Region in Chile, are inncluded.
The morphology and SSU rRNA gene sequence analysis of a poorly-known brackish water ciliate, Pinacocoleps tesselatus (Kahl, 1930) (Ciliophora, Colepidae) from Hangzhou Bay, China
Authors: LU BORONG , HUANG JIE , CHEN XIANGRUI
Published: April 2013

The morphology and infraciliature of a poorly-known colepid ciliate, Pinacocoleps tesselatus (Kahl, 1930) Foissner et al., 2008, collected from brackish-water biotope (salinity 12 ‰) in Hangzhou Bay, China, were investigated using live obser-vations and silver impregnations. This species is characterized by its length of 60–85 μm in vivo, ovular shape, two ante-rior and three posterior spines, 21–25 longitudinal and 11 transverse ciliary rows on average, a macro and micro nucleus, and one terminal contractile vacuole. The key to all known seven Pinacocoleps species is updated. Additionally, we char-acterized the taxon P. tesselatus via small subunit rRNA gene data. Our phylogenetic analyses performed using both max-imum-likelihood and Bayesian methods indicate that P. tesselatus falls into the core assemblage of the family Colepidae.
New species of the Neotropical spider genus Celaetycheus Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Ctenidae)
Authors: POLOTOW DANIELE , BRESCOVIT ANTONIO D.
Published: April 2013

Nine species of the Neotropical spider genus Celaetycheus Simon, 1897 are newly described. All the species are endemic to the State of Bahia, northeast of Brazil: Celaetycheus abara sp. nov., C. aberem sp. nov., C. acaraje sp. nov., C. beiju sp. nov., C. bobo sp. nov., C. caruru sp. nov., C. moqueca sp. nov., C. mungunza sp. nov. and C. vatapa sp. nov. A new generic diagnosis, species diagnoses and distributional maps are provided.
Why we travel: picturing global mobility in user-generated travel journalism
Authors: Good Katie Day
Published: April 2013

Travel journalism provides unique insights into changing notions of culture, media, and mobility. This study examines ‘Why we travel,’ a New York Times collection of over 2000 reader-submitted photos and captions about travel. To locate trends within this multi-authored text, the author refers to the theories of tourism scholars MacCannell and Urry to distinguish between enduring and emergent travel representations. The former include unequal distributions of certain subject matter across regions, emphasis on ‘authentic’ touristic experiences, and visual methods for minimizing signs of western culture. Within the same collection, however, emergent representations feature ‘new’ tourisms, highly reflexive portraits of tourists, and conscious confrontation of interconnectivity. In conclusion, the study considers some of the cultural messages communicated by ‘Why we travel’ as it coheres under the New York Times’ authoritative aesthetic. More than a travel feature, the collection can be read as a guide to global mobility in the 21st century.
From brand congruence to the ‘virtuous circle’: branding and the commercialization of public service broadcasting
Authors: Johnson Catherine
Published: April 2013

In debates about the commercialization of public service broadcasting little attention has been paid to the ways in which the public might experience the commercial and public service activities of public service broadcasters and the impact that this may have on the reputations of public service broadcasters. This is despite the fact that public service broadcasters increasingly depend on public support for their continued survival. Using the case study of the BBC, this article examines the ways in which the corporation has adopted strategic brand management to negotiate the relationship between its commercial and public service activities. Focusing on specific examples of the BBC’s commercial and public services, the article reveals a tension between the corporation’s attempts to ensure that all activities support its public purposes and its need to ensure separation between public and commercial work. The article argues that rather than seeing commercial activity and public service broadcasting as inherently contradictory, we should be looking at the ways in which public service broadcasters can better communicate the relationship between their commercial and public service activities while continuing to argue for the social and cultural value of publicly funded broadcasting.
Racist comments at online news sites: a methodological dilemma for discourse analysis
Authors: Hughey Matthew W. , Daniels Jessie
Published: April 2013

In 2004, awash with the hope for a public sphere reinvigorated by the popular internet, the online arms of many U.S. newspapers opened their websites for comments. Now, nine years into this experiment, many newspapers have abandoned the practice of allowing comments. Online news sites have adopted a variety of strategies to deal with offensive comments, including turning “comments off,” not archiving comments, and adopting aggressive comment moderation policies. These strategies present researchers who wish to understand how racism operates in the new public sphere of mainstream news sites with a set of methodological dilemmas. In this article we (1) lay out the methodological pitfalls for the systematic investigation of the prevalent pattern of racism in online comments in the public sphere and (2) suggest steps by which scholars may deal with these methodological intricacies. We conclude by pointing to the broader implications of online content moderation.
The archaeological aesthetic in ancient world documentary
Authors: Hobden Fiona
Published: April 2013

This article investigates the role of archaeology in the visual and discursive economies of ancient world documentary with reference to recent output from the BBC. By identifying and examining four primary modes – archaeology ‘as evidence’, ‘in performance’, ‘in action’ and ‘dramatized’ – it demonstrates how the on-screen presentation of ancient sites, monuments and artefacts, and the practices of archaeological investigation and excavation generate historical knowledge, and authorize it. Fundamental to this is the resonance between documentary representations of the past and viewers’ experiences of antiquity through archaeology in other television programmes and alternative media and contexts: for example tourism and film. Knowledge gleaned through one cultural encounter with the ancient world encourages or conditions the viewer to accept the historical facts presented on screen. By analysing the rhetorics of a distinctive and understudied strand of history programming, this study demonstrates its place within the construction of historical knowledge in contemporary society. This allows a fresh consideration of the merits of historical documentary on television.
Forms of Intervention in Public Sector Organizations: Generic Traits in Public Sector Reforms
Authors: Bejerot Eva , Hasselbladh Hans
Published: April 2013

The present paper argues that recent research on public sector reforms offers few contributions to the body of knowledge on this topic because it adds little to the conclusions drawn during the first generation of research in this area. Although these later studies have often been context-specific and have explored the details of the process of change in some depth, it is rather difficult to compare their results or to make reasoned judgements of the comprehensiveness and centrality of the analysed change. Although most public sector reforms that affect hospitals, schools or social services are initiated and designed by national governments, individual case studies of local administrations often fail to capture the generic traits of nationwide reforms. However, public sector change cannot be approached as if it comprises collections of nominally independent local events. The present paper argues for two new approaches to the study of public sector change: (i) the systematic categorization of the different forms of governmental intervention under study and (ii) analysis of the ways in which these forms of intervention are linked and interact. Based on extensive empirical research, this paper suggests a generic classification of these forms of intervention that can be used in empirical research on comprehensive public sector change. Consequently, five interventions in public sector organizations are suggested, namely political intervention, intervention by laws and regulations, intervention by audit and inspection, intervention by management and intervention by rationalizing professional practice. The model is particularly well suited to the longitudinal analysis of complex public sector reforms. This approach provides a conceptual tool to distinguish between interventions based on different forms of knowledge and to investigate how they are linked to each other vertically and horizontally. We demonstrate the usefulness of the model by analysing two empirical examples of reforms in which a variety of interventions were imposed at the local level, through legislation as well as a spectrum of voluntary measures proposed by government agencies, by national associations for local and regional councils and by other national or regional actors.
Uncrossed bridges
Authors: Barlas Asma
Published: April 2013

In this article I review two contrasting approaches to Muslim women’s rights: those that want Muslims to secularize the Qur’an as the precondition for getting rights and those that emphasize the importance of a liberatory Qur’anic hermeneutics to Muslim women’s struggles for rights and equality. As examples of the former, I take the works of Nasr Abu Zayd and Raja Rhouni and, of the latter, my own. In addition to joining the debates on Muslim women’s rights, this exercise is meant to illustrate that secular attempts to undermine Islam also undermine the prospects for rights and democracy in Muslim societies. In fact, I see the secular project in Muslim societies as a form of self-harm. Lastly, I revisit Antonio Gramsci’s critique of democracy as a way to query the title of the İstanbul Seminars, ‘The Promises of Democracy’.
Fabrication of flexible microlens array film using roll-to-roll process
Authors: Wang Min-Wen , Lin Wei-Chuang , Lee Ming-Hsiao
Published: April 2013

Microlens arrays are a vital part of today’s optical systems, and advances in fabrication technology have broadened microlens array applications. The roll-to-roll fabrication process has an advantage in its fast and mass replication of microstructures, and it is a good fit for fabricating devices based on flexible substrates. To investigate the roll-to-roll process in the making of microlens arrays of different radii in the same process, this study designs microlens arrays with radii ranging from 55 to 240 µm and with a height of 15 µm. The material for the lens is an ultraviolet curable resin with a refractive index of 1.5. The lens pattern is first transferred to an 80-µm-thick stainless steel sheet through an etching process. The patterned sheet is then wrapped around a stainless steel roller for roll-to-roll fabrication of the microlens array film. The substrate for the microlens array is a polyethylene terephthalate film 188 µm in thickness. When operating with a substrate forward speed of 0.251 m/min (1 r/min) and imprinting pressure of 0.6 MPa, the replication rates achieved for both the radius and the height of the microlens arrays are about 97%. Single-peak filling patterns are found with the small radii lenses, while dual-peak patterns are found in lenses with bigger radii. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of roll-to-roll in three-dimensional pattern fabrications and its application in microlens array optical film fabrication.
‘I couldn’t even dress the way I wanted..’ Young women talk of ‘ownership’ by boyfriends: An opportunity for the prevention of domestic violence?
Authors: Towns Alison J , Scott Hazel
Published: April 2013

In this paper, we document and theorise ‘ownership’ practices in young people’s intimate relationships and discuss the parallels with domestic violence. Ten young New Zealand women engaged in focus group discussions about their heterosexual partner’s ‘ownership’ practices or jealous, possessive and controlling behaviours. Using discourse analysis informed by feminist poststructuralism and critical realism, we identified three proprietary ‘ownership’ practices experienced by these young women: ‘ownership’ entitlement, surveillance and identity ‘ownership’. We discuss the parallels between these practices and those experienced by women subjected to men’s domestic violence, the possibility that such practices may be precursors to the development of domestic violence and the implications for prevention.
Towards a Europeanization of wage bargaining? Evidence from the metal sector
Authors: Glassner Vera , Pusch Toralf
Published: April 2013

European trade unions have attempted to coordinate their bargaining strategies transnationally in order to counter downward pressures on wages. Such coordination is most feasible in broadly integrated and exposed sectors that have to face common competitive constraints on wages. This article investigates collectively negotiated wage increases in the metal sector in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. We assume a specific logic of transnational pattern bargaining, with Germany as the ‘anchor’ country. We investigate the emergence of a transnational wage coordination effect before and after institutions for the coordination of wage bargaining were established. Finally, we draw conclusions on prospects for wage bargaining coordination with further integration of Economic and Monetary Union.
The role of productivity coalitions in building a ‘high road’ competitive strategy: The case of Denmark and Ireland
Authors: McLaughlin Colm
Published: April 2013

This article draws on the concept of ‘productivity coalitions’ to assess the micro-foundations of Danish and Irish social partnership, and the extent to which they have facilitated a sustainable, ‘high road’ national competitive strategy. It focuses on continuous training to analyse the conditions necessary for effective collaboration between employers and unions. Four key variables that underpin strong productivity coalitions are identified: non-market coordination mechanisms, union ‘embeddedness’, ideological concordance and institutional constraints. The implications are pessimistic for effective collaboration in liberal market economies.