bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fecal Lactoferrin: Reliable Biomarker for Intestinal Inflammation in Pediatric IBD
Authors: Buderus Stephan , Boone James H. , Lentze Michael J.
Published: May 2015

Background. Optimal management of pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) requires early diagnosis. Aim of the study is to compare fecal lactoferrin (FL) as biomarker of intestinal inflammation to CRP in pediatric patients with new-onset IBD.Methods. FL was measured by ELISA in stool specimens collected prior to endoscopy for IBD (IBD-SCAN; TechLab, Blacksburg; normal < 7.3 µg/g feces). CRP was detected in serum (normal < 5 mg/L). Three patient groups were determined:n=21(mean age 13.2) with Crohn’s disease (CD),n=15(mean age 10.9) with ulcerative colitis (UC), andn=20(mean age 11.9) in whom IBD was ruled out. In CD patients the endoscopic severity score SES-CD was correlated with the FL levels.Results.(Mean ± SEM). CRP levels were 27.18 ± 4.2 for CD-cases, 20.8 ± 9.5 for UC, and 0.24 ± 0.06 for non-IBD patients. FL levels were 313.6 ± 46.4 in CD, 370.7 ± 46.9 in UC, and 1.3 ± 0.5 in non-IBD patients. Sensitivity of CRP to detect IBD was 75% with specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 69%. Sensitivity of FL was 100% with specificity of 95%, positive predictive value of 97.3%, and negative predictive value of 100%. In CD, FL levels correlated positively (R2=0.42) with disease severity as judged by the SES-CD.Conclusions. Elevated FL corresponds to intestinal inflammation, even in patients with normal CRP. With high probability, normal FL excludes intestinal inflammation.
Clinical Efficacy Observation of Acupuncture Treatment for Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Authors: Qin Yali , Yuan Wei , Deng Hui , Xiang Zhanmei , Yang Chao , Kou Xinyun , Yang Shufei , Wang Zhijun , Jin Ming
Published: May 2015

Objective. To determine whether acupuncture treatment impacts the clinical efficacy of degenerative damage of the optic nerve caused by nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).Methods. 69 patients (93 eyes) with NAION who had been treated by acupuncture which is performed on different acupoints related to eyes by vertical insertion or Fingernail-pressure needle insertion. The best corrected visual acuity, mean defect (MD) and mean light sensitivity (MS) of the visual field, and latency and amplitude of pattern visual evoked potential (P-VEP) were compared before and after treatment.Results. After 2, 4, and 8 weeks of treatment, the total effective rates of visual acuity improvement were 74.19%, 78.89%, and 81.71%, respectively, and the decreased MD and increased MS were both statistically significant (P< 0.01). When compared with the situation before treatment, the average latency of the P100wave was significantly reduced (P< 0.05), and the average amplitude was improved with no statistically significant difference (P> 0.05).Conclusions. Acupuncture treatment could obviously improve the visual function of patients with NAION and be used as complementary and alternative therapy in clinic.
Zielgerichtete Therapien gegen PD-1 bei malignen Erkrankungen des Lymphsystems: Biologischer Hintergrund, klinische Herausforderungen und Chancen
Authors: Kedmi Meirav , Avigdor Abraham , Nagler Arnon
Published: May 2015

Im Bereich der immunologischen Krebstherapien sind mit gezielt gegen den Tumor gerichteten Antikörpern schon große Erfolge erzielt worden, immuntherapeutische Ansätze mit T-Lymphozyten hingegen waren bisher weniger wirkungsvoll. Einige maligne Lymphome können durch eine Immunchemotherapie geheilt werden, doch bei vielen Patienten kommt es trotz maximaler Therapie zu Rezidiven oder zur Krankheitsprogression. Sowohl solide Tumoren als auch lymphoide maligne Erkrankungen entwickeln Mechanismen, mit denen sie sich der Zerstörung durch das intakte Immunsystem zu entziehen versuchen. Einer dieser Mechanismen beruht auf sogenannten Immun-Checkpoints. Das PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) wird von aktivierten T- und B-Lymphozyten, natürlichen Killerzellen sowie myeloischen Zellen exprimiert und stellt einen solchen Checkpoint dar. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit werden die Auswirkungen der Aktivierung von PD-1 im Rahmen lymphoider maligner Erkrankungen und seine Rolle als therapeutisches Zielmolekül betrachtet.
Association of Fragmented QRS with Subclinical Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Adar Adem , Kırış Abdulkadir , Bülbül Yılmaz , Bektaş Hüseyin , Acat Murat , Casim Hasan , Onalan Orhan
Published: May 2015

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether fragmented QRS (fQRS) is associated with subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Subjects and Methods: A total of 141 patients with OSA who had normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were included in the study. The fQRS was defined as the presence of an additional R wave, notching of R or S wave or the presence of fragmentation in 2 contiguous electrocardiography (ECG) leads. Subclinical LV dysfunction was defined as the presence of a tissue Doppler-derived Tei index of ≥0.5 in the absence of impaired LVEF (<50%) as assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. Results: Of the 141 patients, 71 (50.4%) had subclinical LV dysfunction. Overall, the prevalence of the fQRS was 61% (86/141). Patients with fQRS had significantly higher Tei indices than those without fQRS [median 0.66, interquartile range (IQR) 0.39 vs. median 0.40, IQR 0.15, p < 0.001]. The presence of fQRS on ECG predicted subclinical LV dysfunction in univariate logistic regression analysis [odds ratio (OR) 6.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.10-14.43]. The association remained significant after adjusting for all potential confounders (OR 4.59, 95% CI 1.94-10.87). Conclusion: fQRS on ECG was an independent predictor of subclinical LV dysfunction in patients with OSA. This simple tool might help to identify OSA patients who could be at risk for developing overt cardiac dysfunction.
Optimization-Based Explanations
Authors: Kuechle Graciela , Rios Diego
Published: May 2015

This article argues that evolutionary models based on selection validate, under appropriate conditions, the relevance of optimality as an explanatory mechanism in rational choice theory. The reason is that these frameworks share the mechanism that drives the results, namely, optimization, even if they situate it at different levels. The consequences of our argument are twofold. First, it resolves the tension between those predictions of rational choice theory that are accurate and the evidence showing that individuals seldom optimize. Second, it relativizes the explanatory import of rationality without diminishing the role of optimization as a mechanism.
Global migration: The need for culturally competent school psychologists
Authors: Vega Desireé , Lasser Jon , Plotts Cynthia
Published: May 2015

Never before have more children lived away from their home countries. Given the unique social, emotional, and academic needs of children who have migrated, school psychologists must be well prepared to meet these growing demands. Consequently, school psychology training programs must invest in the preparation of culturally competent future school psychologists. In this article, we review relevant literature regarding children, migration, and school psychology and then describe a model training program that was developed to prepare school psychologists in Texas, where there are a significant number of migrant children from Mexico and South America. Broader implications for training school psychologist in the areas of cultural and linguistic diversity are discussed.
Persistent Patterns in Stock Returns, Stock Volumes, and Accounting Data in the U.S. Capital Markets
Authors: Nigrini Mark J.
Published: May 2015

Benford’s Law gives the expected frequencies of the digits in tabulated data. The expected frequencies show a large bias toward the low digits. An analysis of the Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) data shows that the daily returns have a near-perfect fit to Benford’s Law. The daily volumes also have a close fit to Benford’s Law but there are deviations due to round lot trading and the fact that some of the data are rounded to the nearest hundred. An analysis of Compustat data also shows a close fit to Benford’s Law with some explainable deviations. The expected returns and the abnormal returns used in event studies over an extended period showed that these numbers also conformed to Benford’s Law. Recent studies have divided a population into subsets and then tested the subsets for conformity to Benford’s Law. The conclusions are that the subsets with the weakest fit to Benford were fraudulent. The problems with this approach are discussed, and these include statistical considerations, issues with using Compustat data, other plausible explanations for a lack of conformity, and the fact that there is no clear link between a change in the leading digit of a number and the materiality of the dollar value of the change.
Where do hybrids come from? Entrepreneurial team heterogeneity as an avenue for the emergence of hybrid organizations
Authors: Dufays Frédéric , Huybrechts Benjamin
Published: May 2015

This conceptual article aims to respond to the poorly addressed question of the emergence of hybrid organizations; that is, organizations that embrace several institutional logics. It does so by developing a model and a set of propositions focusing on the heterogeneity of the entrepreneurial team as a possible driver for hybridity throughout the entrepreneurial process and up to the emergence of a hybrid organization. Contributing to the literatures on (collective) entrepreneurship, imprinting and hybrid organizations, we advance several avenues and conditions under which the heterogeneity of the entrepreneurial team may imprint the entrepreneurial process and lead to the creation of hybrid organizations. Our propositions connect the individual, team and organizational levels and thus, advance our understanding of how institutional logics can be combined across different levels of analysis and throughout the stages of an entrepreneurial process.
The little death: Rigoni-Stern and the problem of sex and cancer in 20th-century biomedical research
Authors: Aviles Natalie B
Published: May 2015

Approaches to the organization and conduct of cancer research changed dramatically throughout the 20th century. Despite marked differences between the epidemiological approaches of the first half of the century and molecular techniques that gained dominance in the 1980s, prominent 20th-century researchers investigating the link between sexual activity and anogenital cancers continuously invoked the same 1842 treatise by Italian surgeon Domenico Rigoni-Stern, who is said to originate the problem of establishing a causal link between sex and cancer. In this article, I investigate 20th-century references to Rigoni-Stern as a case of a broader phenomenon: scientists situating their work through narratives of venerated ancestors, or originators. By explaining shifting versions of originator narratives in light of their authors’ cultural context and research practices, we can reimagine as meaningful cultural symbols the references that previous scholars have treated as specious rhetorical maneuvers. In this case, references to Rigoni-Stern provide an interpretive anchor for American scientists to construct continuity between their work and a diverse historical legacy of cancer research.
Stiffness prediction of multilayer-connected biaxial weft-knitted fabric-reinforced composites
Authors: Qi Yexiong , Li Jialu , Liu Liangsen
Published: May 2015

Based on the representative volume element (RVE) model of single layer in multilayer-connected biaxial weft-knitted (MBWK) fabric-reinforced composites, the elastic properties of multilayer-connected biaxial weft-knitted fabric-reinforced composites have been developed and presented hereafter. The average stiffness matrix of the multilayer-connected biaxial weft-knitted fabric-reinforced composites, taking into account the contribution the final geometrical of the knitting loops, can be obtained by the volume average stiffness of the unidirectional composites with different local coordinate system, and the engineering elastic constants of this kind of composites have been figured out. Numerical predictions have compared to the results of tensile tests performed on composite samples. The percentage error of the numerical prediction results and the experimental results is less than 10%.
Mechanical and electrical properties of PANI-based conductive thermosetting composites
Authors: Kumar V , Yokozeki T , Goto T , Takahashi T
Published: May 2015

Polyaniline (PANI) is one of the most studied intrinsic electrically conductive polymer in recent years. In the present work, PANI-based conductive composites have been prepared using dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid (DBSA) as a dopant and divinylbenzene (DVB) as a cross-linking polymer to enhance the rigidity. In this mixture, DBSA acts as the dopant of PANI as well as the curing agent of DVB, and this means that doping and curing of the composite occur simultaneously. PANI–DBSA mixture has been prepared by physical mixing using centrifugal mixer. The ratio of PANI and DBSA has been kept constant in weight ratio 30:70. Furthermore, DVB content has been varied to prepare the different samples. It has been found that with the increase in DVB content, a good dispersion of PANI–DBSA/DVB solution is achieved. However, significant improvement in the electrical conductivity of the samples is observed with the increase in PANI content. Mechanical flexural test has been performed on the prepared samples using a three-point bending configuration. It has been found that the flexural modulus and brittleness of the prepared samples increase with the increase in the content of DVB in the composite. Morphology of the composite surfaces has been also studied and it has been found that low concentration of DVB results into a poor dispersion and hence agglomeration of PANI–DBSA in composite can be seen clearly in the images.
Discretionary Searches, the Impact of Passengers, and the Implications for Police–Minority Encounters
Authors: Tillyer Rob , Klahm Charles F.
Published: May 2015

Purpose:

The current study examines whether a police officer’s decision to initiate a discretionary search is impacted by the presence of passengers. It also explores whether groups of minority citizens experience more frequent discretionary searches compared with other groups. These hypotheses are built on the theoretical foundation of officer suspicion, the group hazard hypothesis, the principles of symbolic interactionism, and Black’s theory of law.

Methods:

Traffic stop data from a large, urban city are used to test these hypotheses. Multilevel, Bernoulli models are estimated to reflect the nested nature of the data. Data are analyzed in multiple ways to reflect the complex elements of police–citizen encounters.

Results:

Results indicate that discretionary searches of a citizen are more likely when a passenger is present. While some group effects are also documented, minority groups are not more likely to be searched such that the presence of passengers appears to supersede the impact of race/ethnicity.

Conclusions:

The presence of passengers during a police–citizen encounter has a substantial impact on the likelihood of a discretionary search. Race/ethnicity effects are limited to single-occupant drivers.
Assessing the Preliminary Validity of an Adaptation of the Sociocentric Egocentric Questionnaire With a Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Sample
Authors: La Roche Martin , Poplock Stephanie , Batista Cynthia , Lustig Kara , Brahms Erin
Published: May 2015

The goal of this article is to assess the validity of the Sociocentric Egocentric Questionnaire (SEQ) with Latinos ( n = 88) and non-Hispanic Whites ( n = 85) by comparing it with the Individualism and Collectivism Scale (IndCol). Both scales were designed to measure similar constructs, and it is hypothesized that high correlations between both scales would provide evidence to support the validity of the SEQ for Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites. Three different procedures assessed and found preliminary evidence to support the validity of the SEQ. First, 11 of the 12 correlations between the IndCol and the SEQ were significant in the expected direction; second, Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites’ scoring patterns were similar to those reported in national samples; and third, an exploratory factor analyses found the existence of two factors explaining the intercorrelations of the SEQ. Implications of these findings for research, clinical practice, and the amelioration of Latino health disparities are discussed.
Three-dimensional culture of mouse pancreatic islet on a liver-derived perfusion-decellularized bioscaffold for potential clinical application
Authors: Xu Tianxin , Zhu Mingyan , Guo Yibing , Wu Di , Huang Yan , Fan Xiangjun , Zhu Shajun , Lin Changchun , Li Xiaohong , Lu Jingjing , Zhu Hui , Zhou Pengcheng , Lu Yuhua , Wang Zhiwei
Published: May 2015

The cutting-edge technology of three-dimensional liver decellularized bioscaffold has a potential to provide a microenvironment that is suitable for the resident cells and even develop a new functional organ. Liver decellularized bioscaffold preserved the native extracellular matrix and three-dimensional architecture in support of the cell culture. The goal of this study was to discover if three-dimensional extracellular matrix derived from mouse liver could facilitate the growth and maintenance of physiological functions of mouse isolated islets. We generated a whole organ liver decellularized bioscaffold which could successfully preserve extracellular matrix proteins and the native vascular channels using 1% Triton X-100/0.1% ammonium protocol. To evaluate the potential of decellularized liver as a scaffold for islets transplantation, the liver decellularized bioscaffold was infused with mouse primary pancreatic islets which were obtained through Collagenase P digestion protocol. Its yield, morphology, and quality were estimated by microscopic analysis, dithizone staining, insulin immunofluorescence and glucose stimulation experiments. Comparing the three-dimensional culture in liver decellularized bioscaffold with the orthodoxy two-dimensional plate culture, hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and insulin gene expression were tested. Our results demonstrated that the liver decellularized bioscaffold could support cellular culture and maintenance of cell functions. In contrast with the conventional two-dimensional culture, three-dimensional culture system could give rise to an up-regulated insulin gene expression. These findings demonstrated that the liver bioscaffold by a perfusion-decellularized technique could serve as a platform to support the survival and function of the pancreatic islets in vitro. Meanwhile three-dimensional culture system had a superior role in contrast with the two-dimensional culture. This study advanced the field of regenerative medicine towards the development of a liver decellularized bioscaffold capable of forming a neo-organ and could be used as potential clinical application.
Shift control of a dry-type two-speed dual-clutch transmission for an electric vehicle
Authors: Hong Sungwha , Son Hanho , Lee Seulgi , Park Jongyun , Kim Kyungha , Kim Hyunsoo
Published: May 2015

In this paper, a shift control algorithm to improve the shift quality was proposed for an electric vehicle with a dry-type two-speed dual-clutch transmission. To analyse the shift characteristics of the target electric vehicle, dynamic models for the two-speed dual-clutch transmission and the drivetrain were developed. Based on the dynamic models, dynamic equations for the transient shift states were derived, and a shift performance simulator was constructed. From analysis of the transient shift state, it was found that the fluctuations in the driveshaft torque, which cause the shift quality to deteriorate, occurred as a result of the inertia torque. Based on the analytical results, a control algorithm was proposed using traction motor torque control as well as shift actuator stroke control. For traction motor control, a compensation torque was applied during the inertia phase. In that phase, actuator stroke control was performed by considering the torque margin and the kissing point during the torque phase instead of the existing map-based control. To evaluate the performance of the proposed control algorithm, a test bench for the target electric vehicle was developed. From the experimental results, it was found that the variations in the driveshaft torque and in the jerk were reduced by the proposed control algorithm, which thereby provides an improved shift quality.
Linear motion control with a low-power hydraulic switching converter - Part I: Concept, test rig, simulations
Authors: Kogler Helmut , Scheidl Rudolf
Published: May 2015

Switching control can be employed for hydraulic motion control. Among the many hydraulic switching methods investigated so far, the so-called hydraulic buck converter convinces by its simplicity. It consists of two switching valves, an inertance pipe, and a hydraulic accumulator to flatten the pulsation resulting from switching. This accumulator entails significant softness and nonlinearity which, in combination with sealing friction of the hydraulic cylinder, may lead to inferior performance with simple control concepts. In this paper a sub-kilowatt hydraulic buck converter, its components, design, dimensioning, and steady-state performance characteristics are presented first. Measurements on a testrig for linear motion employing a simple P-controller show the necessity of a model-based control to achieve the desired control performance. Therefore, a dynamic model of the converter and the linear drive is derived and studied by simulations. It is shown that the model incorporates the relevant physical effects and that it is qualified for a flatness-based control, which is derived in Part II of the publication.
When the Flesh is Word Debt Economy is Not a Thing for Heaven
Authors: Isherwood Lisa
Published: May 2015

This paper examines how a radical incarnational starting point would change the way we view the economic order. It highlights the way in which the current system creates extreme poverty and suffering for the many and asks if this can be tolerated by Christians. It also examines the Christian underpinnings of such a system and suggests that other Christian roots would lead to alternate and more inclusive systems.
Starved by Society: An Examination of Judith Butler’s Gender Performance and Society’s Slender Ideal
Authors: White Emma
Published: May 2015

This article uses the work of Judith Butler as a platform upon which to unpack the consequences of women living in a patriarchy and the slender performance that I argue we are unwittingly engaged in. In this critical approach to the gender divide and the political dimensions of anorexia in the 21st century, this article aims to highlight some of the key concerns arising out of society’s stereotypes and norms for women and how the struggle to both conform and resist these are played out on their bodies. Turning to the work of Marion Woodman and the concept of a ‘ritual of transformation’, I explore Butler’s notion of re-citation (re-inscription) through the use of ritual, a rite aimed at liberation and a reconnection to our matriarchal lineage. This ritual can be found in the most mundane of tasks and through repetition we have the power to both conceive of new ways of living and strengthen our subversive possibilities. This ritual becomes an act which places critical agency back in our hands, something removed as we are shepherded by consumerism and mass-capitalism. It’s through a framework of Feminist Liberation Theology and Body Theology that this all takes place. If, as Butler says, our behaviour creates our reality then we must change our behaviour!
The Role of the Star Player in a Cohesive Group
Authors: Park Hae Sang , Shin Soo-Young
Published: May 2015

Based on social learning theory, we explore when the most competent member in the group leads to high group performance. We argue that the most competent member in the group increases group performance in high cohesive groups where members interact more frequently and maintain closer relationships with one another. To examine this, we used multisource data collected in two waves from an organization in South Korea. The results indicate that the highest competency within the group is positively related to group performance being perceived by the group members and by the upper management in cohesive groups. Moreover, we found different patterns for the group performance rated by different sources.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid Program for Chinese People in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Daniel F. K. , Lau Ying , Kwok Sylvia , Wong Prudence , Tori Christopher
Published: May 2015

Purpose:

Chinese people generally lack knowledge of mental illness. Such phenomenon may lead to a delay in seeking psychiatric treatments. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program in improving mental health knowledge of the general public in Hong Kong.

Methods:

A quasi-experimental design was adopted whereby 138 participants received MHFA training and 139 partook in seminars on general health, respectively. All participants filled out a standardized questionnaire before, at the end, and 6-month after the training.

Results:

Findings demonstrated that MHFA training might be effective in enhancing participants’ knowledge of mental disorders, reducing stigma, and improving perceived confidence in providing help to people with mental illness. Effect size statistics revealed mostly modest to moderate improvements in major variables in the experimental group.

Conclusion:

It is recommended that culturally attuned MHFA program can be used as prevention strategy to promote good mental health in Chinese communities.
Computer-aided definition of sizing procedures and optimization problems of mechatronic systems
Authors: Reysset Aurélien , Budinger Marc , Maré Jean-Charles
Published: May 2015

This article is dedicated to the generation of sizing procedures used during the preliminary optimal design of physical parts of mechatronic systems. The knowledge necessary to such design is composed of two layers: mechatronic system layer and component layer. Such knowledge can be represented by algebraic equations directly or by the use of meta-modeling techniques. Constraint networks and graphs theory are used here to represent and order the constraints and the links between those algebraic models in order to obtain a well-posed optimization problem. The selected or developed algorithms are finally illustrated with typical problems of component selection.
The Specificity and Independent Contribution of Inhibition, Working Memory, and Reaction Time Variability in Relation to Symptoms of ADHD and ASD
Authors: Truedsson Erik , Bohlin Gunilla , Wåhlstedt Cecilia
Published: May 2015

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the specificity of inhibition, working memory (WM), and reaction time variability (RTV) in relation to symptoms of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: A community-based sample of schoolchildren aged 7 to 9 years ( N = 200) completed tasks designed to measure inhibition, WM, and RTV. Results: All neuropsychological functions were related to symptoms of both ADHD and ASD. The results from regression analyses showed that inhibition and RTV were related specifically to ADHD symptoms when controlling for symptoms of ASD. Regarding WM, no specific association with either symptom domain was evident after controlling for the other. Furthermore, independent contributions of inhibition and RTV were found in relation to ADHD symptoms after controlling for ASD symptoms. Conclusion: The present study underscores the relevance of controlling for ADHD symptoms when examining ASD symptoms in relation to neuropsychological functions.
One-IPC high-level simulation of microthreaded many-core architectures
Authors: Uddin Irfan
Published: May 2015

The microthreaded many-core architecture is comprised of multiple clusters of fine-grained multi-threaded cores. The management of concurrency is supported in the instruction set architecture of the cores and the computational work in application is asynchronously delegated to different clusters of cores, where the cluster is allocated dynamically. Computer architects are always interested in analyzing the complex interaction amongst the dynamically allocated resources. Generally a detailed simulation with a cycle-accurate simulation of the execution time is used. However, the cycle-accurate simulator for the microthreaded architecture executes at the rate of 100,000 instructions per second, divided over the number of simulated cores. This means that the evaluation of a complex application executing on a contemporary multi-core machine can be very slow. To perform efficient design space exploration we present a co-simulation environment, where the detailed execution of instructions in the pipeline of microthreaded cores and the interactions amongst the hardware components are abstracted. We present the evaluation of the high-level simulation framework against the cycle-accurate simulation framework. The results show that the high-level simulator is faster and less complicated than the cycle-accurate simulator but with the cost of losing accuracy.
Why people in Benin are reluctant to undergo amputations? A systematic inventory of motives
Authors: Zounon Ornheilia , Hans-Moevi Akué Aristote , Cohovi Quenum Gildas , Clay Sorum Paul , Mullet Etienne
Published: May 2015

We made an inventory of the reasons for inhabitants of Benin are reluctant to undergo the amputation of a limb. A robust six-factor structure of motives was found: Change in Appearance, Lack of Information, Fear of Hospitals and Medical Staff, Loss of Others’ Consideration and Affection, Denial of Necessity, and Spiritual and Religious Concerns. The first three motives were the most strongly endorsed. To improve people’s timely acceptance, it is important to attack the main emotional–motivational barriers by using artificial limbs imitating real ones, by providing complete information on post-operative care and rehabilitation, and by strengthening family support.
“I Can Defend Myself”
Authors: Cote Amanda C.
Published: May 2015

Although video game audiences have greatly diversified over recent years, players who are not the stereotypical straight, White, male “gamer” are still frequently viewed as outsiders to online gaming and face harassment because of this status. However, many choose to play games despite this and have developed specific coping strategies they employ to avoid or respond to harassment. Using grounded theory and in-depth interviews with female gamers, this gender-based case study explores women’s strategies for coping with online game-related harassment. It shows that women are first and foremost an active audience, carefully managing their media environment to help ensure positive experiences. At the same time, their strategies come with limitations, such as hiding their contributions to gaming or provoking further harassment. Although women are capable media managers, their continued status as “outsiders” deeply affects their gaming experiences and demonstrates a need for cultural change in online environments.
Socioeconomic Determinants of Inequality in Smoking Stages: A Distributive Analysis on a Sample of Male High School Students
Authors: Ayubi Erfan , Sani Mohadeseh , Safiri Saeid , Khedmati Morasae Esmaeil , Almasi-Hashiani Amir , Nazarzadeh Milad
Published: May 2015

The effect of socioeconomic status on adolescent smoking behaviors is unclear, and sparse studies are available about the potential association. The present study aimed to measure and explain socioeconomic inequality in smoking behavior among a sample of Iranian adolescents. In a cross-sectional survey, a multistage sample of adolescents ( n = 1,064) was recruited from high school students in Zanjan city, northwest of Iran. Principal component analysis was used to measure economic status of adolescents. Concentration index was used to measure socioeconomic inequality in smoking behavior, and then it was decomposed to reveal inequality contributors. Concentration index and its 95% confidence interval for never, experimental, and regular smoking behaviors were 0.004 [−0.03, 0.04], 0.05 [0.02, 0.11], and −0.10 [−0.04, −0.19], respectively. The contribution of economic status to measured inequality in experimental and regular smoking was 80.0% and 68.8%, respectively. Household economic status could be targeted as one of the relevant factors in the unequal distribution of smoking behavior among adolescents.
Physiotherapy assessment of shoulder stiffness and how it influences management
Authors: Walton Julia , Russell Sarah
Published: May 2015

Common causes of shoulder stiffness include osteoarthritis, trauma, rheumatological conditions and stiffness secondary to soft tissue adaptation. Physiotherapy assessment of the stiff shoulder aims to ascertain the key causative factors of stiffness to inform effective management planning. Identification of whether a patient presents with pain or stiffness as their predominant symptom further guides treatment selection. The current evidence base underpins a management algorithm which has been developed to guide the assessment and management of patients presenting with shoulder stiffness.
Optical characterization of In-flushed InAs/GaAs quantum dots emitting a broadband spectrum with multiple peaks at ~1 μm
Authors: Kitamura Shigehiro , Senshu Masaya , Katsuyama Toshio , Hino Yuji , Ozaki Nobuhiko , Ohkouchi Shunsuke , Sugimoto Yoshimasa , Hogg Richard A
Published: May 2015

We investigated optical properties of In-flushed InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on a GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. By using the In-flush technique for setting the height of self-assembled InAs QDs, we have tuned the emission wavelength of InAs QDs to the ~1 μm regime, which can be utilized as a non-invasive and deeply penetrative probe for biological and medical imaging systems. The controlled emission exhibited a broadband spectrum comprising multiple peaks with an interval of approximately 30 meV. We examined the origin of the multiple peaks using spectral and time-resolved photoluminescence, and concluded that it is attributed to monolayer step fluctuations in the height of the In-flushed QDs. This feature can be advantageous for realizing a broadband light source centered at the ~1 μm regime, which is especially suitable for the non-invasive cross-sectional biological and medical imaging system known as optical coherence tomography.
Novel Expression Pattern of Neuropeptide Y Immunoreactivity in the Peripheral Nervous System in a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Magnussen Claire , Hung Shih-Ping , Ribeiro-da-Silva Alfredo
Published: May 2015

Background

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been implicated in the modulation of pain. Under normal conditions, NPY is found in interneurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and in sympathetic postganglionic neurons but is absent from the cell bodies of sensory neurons. Following peripheral nerve injury NPY is dramatically upregulated in the sensory ganglia. How NPY expression is altered in the peripheral nervous system, distal to a site of nerve lesion, remains unknown. To address this question, NPY expression was investigated using immunohistochemistry at the level of the trigeminal ganglion, the mental nerve and in the skin of the lower lip in relation to markers of sensory and sympathetic fibers in a rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Results

At 2 and 6 weeks after chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the mental nerve, de novo expression of NPY was seen in the trigeminal ganglia, in axons in the mental nerve, and in fibers in the upper dermis of the skin. In lesioned animals, NPY immunoreactivity was expressed primarily by large diameter mental nerve sensory neurons retrogradely labelled with Fluorogold. Many axons transported this de novo NPY to the periphery as NPY-immunoreactive (IR) fibers were seen in the mental nerve both proximal and distal to the CCI. Some of these NPY-IR axons co-expressed Neurofilament 200 (NF200), a marker for myelinated sensory fibers, and occasionally colocalization was seen in their terminals in the skin. Peptidergic and non-peptidergic C fibers expressing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or binding isolectin B4 (IB4), respectively, never expressed NPY. CCI caused a significant de novo sprouting of sympathetic fibers into the upper dermis of the skin, and most, but not all of these fibers, expressed NPY.

Conclusions

This is the first study to provide a comprehensive description of changes in NPY expression in the periphery after nerve injury. Novel expression of NPY in the skin comes mostly from sprouted sympathetic fibers. This information is fundamental in order to understand where endogenous NPY is expressed, and how it might be acting to modulate pain in the periphery.
On the feasibility of inversion of single-well microseismic data for full moment tensor
Authors: Grechka Vladimir
Published: May 2015

The existing paradigm, widely accepted in the microseismic community, asserts the impossibility of unambiguous estimation of full seismic moment tensor from three-component data recorded in a single straight borehole. The statement of inversion nonuniqueness, related to the lack of illumination of the off-plane moment component in the zero solid-angle ray apertures, tacitly assumes the slowness vectors, normal to the relevant wave fronts, to be confined to the plane containing the ray trajectories. Although such arrangements of the rays and slownesses do take place for vertical wells drilled in horizontally layered isotropic and VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) formations, azimuthal anisotropy commonly expected for hydraulically fractured, hydrocarbon bearing shales makes the slowness vectors deviate from a plane, arrange themselves into nonzero solid-angle apertures, and yield theoretically unique inverse problems for seismic moment tensors. This paper examines those problems for the anisotropy parameters characterizing fractured shales and siltstones in the Bakken. Their strong azimuthal anisotropy entails not only formally unique but, importantly for practical applications, well-posed inverse problems, resulting in robust estimates of the complete moment tensors from single-borehole data.
Langston Hughes's “Moscow Movie”: Reclaiming a Lost Minority Avant-Garde
Authors: Lee Steven S.
Published: May 2015

In June 1932, Langston Hughes and twenty-one other African Americans traveled to Moscow to make a movie. Set in the contemporary U.S. South, Black and White was to have exposed Jim Crow to the world, but soon after Hughes and his companions arrived the project was cancelled — due, officially, to technical difficulties and script defects. This essay revolves around a puzzle: Hughes's much-cited account of these defects (from his 1956 autobiography) is almost a complete distortion. I provide the first in-depth discussion of the original Russian-language script to argue that Black and White would have been a fascinating film, advancing a cross-racial International committed both to left revolutionary politics and modernist experimentation. I then explain Hughes's dubious account by arguing that it enabled him to distance himself from the Soviet-oriented left on his own terms, preserving the USSR as a beacon of hope.
Designs of Functional π-Electron Materials based on the Characteristic Features of Boron
Authors: Wakamiya Atsushi , Yamaguchi Shigehiro
Published: May 2015

Boron, a group 13 element, has several characteristic structural and electronic features: 1) trivalent boron compounds usually adopt a trigonal planar geometry; 2) due to the presence of a vacant p-orbital, effective orbital interaction with π-conjugated compounds is possible; 3) the presence of a vacant p-orbital is furthermore responsible for high Lewis acidity; 4) the boryl group acts as a π-electron-accepting group particularly in the excited state. The consequent exploitation of these characteristic features of boron in the molecular design enables us to produce sophisticated π-functional materials with attractive photophysical and electronic properties. This account article illustrates our systematic studies on the molecular design and the development of functional π-electron materials using boron as a key element.
Dynamics of Ebola epidemics in West Africa 2014
Authors: Evans Robin J. , Mammadov Musa
Published: May 2015

This paper investigates the dynamics of Ebola virus transmission in West Africa during 2014. The reproduction numbers for the total period of epidemic and for different consequent time intervals are estimated based on a simple linear model. It contains one major parameter - the average infectious period that defines the dynamics of epidemics.

Numerical implementations are carried out on data collected from three countries Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as the total data collected worldwide. Predictions are provided by considering different scenarios involving the average times of infectiousness for the next few months and the end of the current epidemic is estimated according to each scenario.
Application of Bismuth Nanoparticles for Textile Materials Protection Against Microwave Radiation
Authors: Губин  , Gubin Sergey , Буслаева  , Buslaeva Elena , Сафонов  , Safonov Valentin , Торшин  , Torshin Anton
Published: May 2015

Synthesis of metal nanoparticles which consisted in chemical restoration of solution of bismuth nitrate is carried out. Optimum parameters of bismuth restoration to a zero-valent metal state and its drawing on fabric are developed. Parameters are calculated and the design of the equipment for impact on the metallized textile materials microwave ovens by radiation is developed for the operating laboratory semi-plant. Processing of samples of natural textile fabrics is carried out by bismuth nanoparticles and researches of distribution of nanoparticles in volume of fabric, forms of particles, their size, a way of fixing in volume of material are conducted. Impact on a sample was carried out by the microwave oven in the camera with a standing wave of modular conveyor installation. It is shown that the modified fabric subjected to radiation allows to lower a radiation dose. After the microwave influence strength properties of cellulose materials were defined. Fabrics were exposed to washings by domestic laundry powder after which such physicomechanical properties as change of the linear sizes after wet processings, the explosive and tearing apart loading, rigidity were defined at a bend, air permeability, hygroscopicity, electric resistance, coefficient of weakening of electromagnetic radiation. Material can be used in radio protective clothes with the strengthened partial protection which includes overalls, a helmet, gloves and boot covers made from the radio reflecting materials.
‘When you are ill, everything normal is taken away from you’
Authors: Quartermaine Becky
Published: May 2015

In 2013, Becky Quartermaine had a kidney transplant after receiving an organ from her dad Chris. She was born with sacral agenesis and subsequently underwent a series of operations as a child. In this patient story, Becky, her sister Lucy and their dad reflect on their life-changing experience.
MECHANICAL DISINTEGRATION OF WHEAT STRAW BY ROLLER-PLATE GRIND SYSTEM WITH SHARP-EDGED SEGMENTS
Authors: Kratky Lukas , Jirout Tomáš
Published: May 2015

Colloid mills and extruders are widely used for disintegrating wet fibrous biomass. However, their main disadvantages are a high energy requirement in the range of hundreds or thousands of kWh per ton of material, and the fact that they grind in process cycles. Efforts have therefore been made to design a new type of continuously operated grinder. Its disintegration principle uses a roller-plate grinding system with sharp-edged segments, where the compressive and shear forces combine to comminute the particles. Test experiments verified that the grinder disintegrates wet untreated straw to particles below 10mm in an effective manner in a single pass, with an energy requirement of 50 kWht−1 TS. A 23% increase in biogas yield was achieved, leading to a net gain in electric energy of310 kWht−1 TS.
Medienkonkurrenzen um 2000
Authors: Urbani Nadja
Published: May 2015

Was haben Charlotte Roches Romane mit Elfriede Jelineks Werk oder mit Hermann Nitschs Orgien-Mysterien-Theater gemeinsam? Können Finanzkrisenromane gesellschaftspolitisch etwas leisten, was ein Film wie »Wall Street« nicht kann? Was hat die Filmheldin Lara Croft gegen Kleists Bühnen-Penthesilea und gegen ihre amazonischen Schwestern im Roman aufzubieten? Nadja Urbani beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, wie sich die traditionellen Künste Roman, Film und Theater in der heutigen Medienlandschaft gegeneinander behaupten können. Anhand dreier Dimensionen - des Ekelaffekts, der Finanzkrise und der Amazonenfiguren - präsentiert sie eine Medienkonkurrenzanalyse der »ernsten« und »unterhaltenden« Kunst. Dabei wird deutlich: Die Blätter des Romans, die Bilder des Films und die Bretter des Theaters bringen ein jeweils unterschiedliches und zugleich intermediales Kunsterleben hervor - ekelhaft, krisengeschüttelt und sagenhaft zugleich.
Nationalsozialistische Machtdurchsetzung in Kleinstädten
Authors: Peters Christian
Published: May 2015

Die nationalsozialistische Machtdurchsetzung gehört zu den zentralen Aspekten deutscher Erinnerungskultur. Christian Peters verleiht dem abstrakten Phänomen ein konkretes Gesicht, indem er die Entwicklung der nationalsozialistischen Machtdurchsetzung in den Städten Quakenbrück und Heide nachzeichnet. Er zeigt, welche Bedeutung prominente Politiker wie Hitler und Göring auf die lokale Entwicklung hatten, welche politischen Mechanismen und Funktionseliten die Ausweitung des Nationalsozialismus begünstigten, welche Auswirkungen das Presseklima besaß und wie sich die Milieus und ihre Mitglieder gegenüber den Nationalsozialisten verhielten.
Occupation Bedbug: Or, the Urgency and Agency of Professional Pragmatism
Authors: Carr E. Summerson
Published: May 2015

This essay draws on fieldwork with American social workers, whose primary charge is to engage what they view as particularly recalcitrant human problems and populations. All the while, these workers find themselves in intensive engagements with bedbugs, which have recently infested the American imaginary, as well as the destitute sites of American social work. As every professional effort at elimination is met with bedbugs’ seeming multiplication, eradicating bedbugs comes to be understood as both professional responsibility and practical impossibility—yet another example that themagnitude of the problems with which social workers are charged exceeds their abilities to resolve them. And yet these professionals neither succumb to burnout nor suffer a sustained sense of futility. Rather, bedbugs help them cultivate a sustaining occupational ethic, one that resonates with American systems theories and American Pragmatism. More specifically, human-bedbug engagements inspire a working formulation of agency that acknowledges the efficacies of non-human actors, understands human intention as the framing of, rather than fuel for what actually happens, and privileges the means over the ends of (professional) labor. With a focus on how human-bedbug engagements contribute to the development of folk theories of agency, this article demonstrates the fluidity with which social actors think about the possibilities for effective, meaningful (re)action and thereby contributes to the anthropology of agency.