bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sillimanite deformation mechanisms within a Grt-Sil-Bt gneiss: effect of pre-deformation grain orientations and characteristics on mechanism, slip-system activation and rheology
Authors: Piazolo Sandra , Jaconelli Paulina
Published: November 2013

Sillimanite-bearing metapelites are common in the middle to lower crust and play an important role in the rheology of these crustal levels. We report deformation microstructures in a metasedimentary gneiss (Greenland) produced during simple shear at
c.
700 °C and
c.
4.5 kbar. Electron backscatter diffraction analysis shows activation of the (001)[010] and (001)[100] slip systems in large grains. Additionally, (100)[001] and (010)[001] are activated in needles with their c-axes parallel to lineation. Medium-grained sillimanite aggregates mixed with biotite show a weak crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) suggesting activation of (001)[010] and (001)[100] together with grain boundary sliding (GBS). GBS is the dominant deformation mechanism in the outer parts of fine-grained clusters of sillimanite stemming from andalusite replacement. Associated features are phase mixing, clockwise dispersion of c-axis orientations and change of misorientation axes from original c-axis rotation to rotation close to the kinematic Y axis. The latter features which result in strain localization around these clusters allow their ‘preservation’. Rheologically, the medium-grained aggregates together with zones around clusters take up most of the deformation. Our study shows that deformation mechanism and slip-system activation, and CPOs are strongly dependent on the orientation relationship between stress axes and pre-deformation grain orientations and characteristics.
Normal cardiac function in mice with supraphysiological cardiac creatine levels
Authors: Santacruz Lucia , Hernandez Alejandro , Nienaber Jeffrey , Mishra Rajashree , Pinilla Miguel , Burchette James , Mao Lan , Rockman Howard A. , Jacobs Danny O.
Published: November 2013

Creatine and phosphocreatine levels are decreased in heart failure, and reductions in myocellular phosphocreatine levels predict the severity of the disease and portend adverse outcomes. Previous studies of transgenic mouse models with increased creatine content higher than two times baseline showed the development of heart failure and shortened lifespan. Given phosphocreatine's role in buffering ATP content, we tested the hypothesis whether elevated cardiac creatine content would alter cardiac function under normal physiological conditions. Here, we report the creation of transgenic mice that overexpress the human creatine transporter (CrT) in cardiac muscle under the control of the α-myosin heavy chain promoter. Cardiac transgene expression was quantified by qRT-PCR, and human CrT protein expression was documented on Western blots and immunohistochemistry using a specific anti-CrT antibody. High-energy phosphate metabolites and cardiac function were measured in transgenic animals and compared with age-matched, wild-type controls. Adult transgenic animals showed increases of 5.7- and 4.7-fold in the content of creatine and free ADP, respectively. Phosphocreatine and ATP levels were two times as high in young transgenic animals but declined to control levels by the time the animals reached 8 wk of age. Transgenic mice appeared to be healthy and had normal life spans. Cardiac morphometry, conscious echocardiography, and pressure-volume loop studies demonstrated mild hypertrophy but normal function. Based on our characterization of the human CrT protein expression, creatine and phosphocreatine content, and cardiac morphometry and function, these transgenic mice provide an in vivo model for examining the therapeutic value of elevated creatine content for cardiac pathologies.
Increased dietary salt intake enhances the exercise pressor reflex
Authors: Yamauchi Katsuya , Tsuchimochi Hirotsugu , Stone Audrey J. , Stocker Sean D. , Kaufman Marc P.
Published: November 2013

Increased dietary salt in rats has been shown to sensitize central sympathetic circuits and enhance sympathetic responses to several stressors, including hyperinsulinemia, intracerebroventricular injection of angiotensin, and electrical stimulation of sciatic nerve afferents. These findings prompted us to test the hypothesis that increased dietary salt enhanced the exercise pressor reflex. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 0.1% (low) or 4.0% (high) NaCl chow for 2 to 3 wk. On the day of the experiment, the rats were decerebrated, and the hind limb muscles were statically contracted for 30 s by electrically stimulating the cut peripheral ends of the L4 and L5 ventral roots. We found that contraction produced a significantly greater increase in mean arterial pressure of rats fed 4.0% ( n = 26) vs. 0.1% ( n = 22) NaCl (24 ± 2 vs. 15 ± 2 mmHg, respectively; P < 0.05). Baseline mean arterial pressure was not different between groups (0.1%, 77 ± 4 vs. 4.0% NaCl, 80 ± 3 mmHg). Likewise, the tension time indexes were not different between the two groups ( P = 0.42). Section of the L4 and L5 dorsal roots greatly attenuated both the pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to contraction in both groups of rats, an effect showing that the responses were reflex in origin. Finally, electrical stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain produced similar increases in mean arterial pressure and decreases in femoral arterial blood flow and conductance between rats fed 0.1% vs. 4.0% NaCl diets. We conclude that increased dietary salt enhances the exercise pressor reflex.
Cyclophilin B Supports Myc and Mutant p53-Dependent Survival of Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells
Authors: Choi Jae Won , Schroeder Mark A. , Sarkaria Jann N. , Bram Richard J.
Published: November 2013

Glioblastoma multiforme is an aggressive, treatment-refractory type of brain tumor for which effective therapeutic targets remain important to identify. Here, we report that cyclophilin B (CypB), a prolyl isomerase residing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), provides an essential survival signal in glioblastoma multiforme cells. Analysis of gene expression databases revealed that CypB is upregulated in many cases of malignant glioma. We found that suppression of CypB reduced cell proliferation and survival in human glioblastoma multiforme cells in vitro and in vivo. We also found that treatment with small molecule inhibitors of cyclophilins, including the approved drug cyclosporine, greatly reduced the viability of glioblastoma multiforme cells. Mechanistically, depletion or pharmacologic inhibition of CypB caused hyperactivation of the oncogenic RAS–mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, induction of cellular senescence signals, and death resulting from loss of MYC, mutant p53, Chk1, and Janus-activated kinase/STAT3 signaling. Elevated reactive oxygen species, ER expansion, and abnormal unfolded protein responses in CypB-depleted glioblastoma multiforme cells indicated that CypB alleviates oxidative and ER stresses and coordinates stress adaptation responses. Enhanced cell survival and sustained expression of multiple oncogenic proteins downstream of CypB may thus contribute to the poor outcome of glioblastoma multiforme tumors. Our findings link chaperone-mediated protein folding in the ER to mechanisms underlying oncogenic transformation, and they make CypB an attractive and immediately targetable molecule for glioblastoma multiforme therapy. Cancer Res; 74(2); 484–96. ©2013 AACR.
Beyond the Cancer Cell: Progression-Level Determinants Highlight the Multiscale Nature of Carcinogenesis Risk
Authors: Hlatky Lynn , Hahnfeldt Philip
Published: November 2013

Over the last several decades, improved awareness of the prevalence of carcinogens in the environment, along with a growing appreciation of the complexity of the carcinogenesis process, has shifted policy on cancer risk from one of strict avoidance of carcinogens to one of adherence to exposure limits deemed “safe” based on quantitative risk estimation. Meanwhile, given the mutagenic nature of most carcinogens, attention has gravitated to developing a genetic rationale for measuring and comparing risks. This focus has culminated in the now well-established multistage mutational paradigm, which holds that a stepwise sequence of mutations drives cell “initiation” and the subsequent “transformation” of an initiated cell into a cancer cell, and that, once created, a cancer cell will inevitably undergo “progression” to become overt disease. Unanticipated by this paradigm is the effect progression-phase population- and tissue-level bottleneck events may have on this process. Attesting to this is the prevalence of tumor dormancy, a state of arrested growth of an otherwise fully malignant, often microscopic cancer mass, maintained by interactions among cancer cells and between cancer and host cells. The proper inclusion of such progression-modifying influences would clearly behoove risk estimation and improve our understanding of the natural history of cancer by accounting for the less-than-certain risk of eventual cancer disease even when cancer cells are present. Such an improved understanding, in turn, stands to better inform policy-making and influence such clinical practice decisions as whether to treat the increasingly smaller tumors detectable with advancing technologies. Cancer Res; 74(3); 659–64. ©2013 AACR.
Molecular Pathways: How Can BRCA-Mutated Tumors Become Resistant to PARP Inhibitors?
Authors: Bouwman Peter , Jonkers Jos
Published: November 2013

PARP inhibition is synthetic lethal with defective DNA repair via homologous recombination. Phase I and II clinical trials show that PARP inhibitors are effective at well-tolerated doses and have antitumor activity for BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated cancers. However, not all patients respond equally well and tumors may eventually become resistant. Thus far, the only resistance mechanism that has been found in human tumors is genetic reversion that corrects or bypasses the original BRCA1- or BRCA2-inactivating mutation. However, data from fundamental and preclinical research suggest that resistance to PARP inhibitors may be induced by additional mechanisms involving hypomorphic activity of mutant BRCA1 alleles, upregulation of drug efflux pumps, and rewiring of the DNA damage response. Preclinical models will be instrumental to develop methods for adequate patient stratification, as well as treatment strategies that prevent or counteract resistance to PARP inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 20(3); 540–7. ©2013 AACR.
Molecular Pathways: Targeting Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins in Cancer—From Molecular Mechanism to Therapeutic Application
Authors: Fulda Simone
Published: November 2013

Inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins play a critical role in the control of survival and cell death by regulating key signaling events such as caspase activation and NF-κB signaling. Because aberrantly high expression of IAP proteins represents a frequent oncogenic event in human cancers, therapeutic targeting of IAP proteins is considered as a promising approach. Several small-molecule pharmacologic inhibitors of IAP proteins that mimic the binding domain of the endogenous IAP antagonist second mitochondrial activator of caspases (Smac) to IAP proteins have been developed over the past few years. IAP antagonists have been shown in various preclinical cancer models to either directly initiate cell death or, alternatively, to prime cancer cells for cytotoxic therapies by lowering the threshold for cell death induction. IAP antagonists (i.e., GDC-0917/CUDC-427, LCL161, AT-406, HGS1029, and TL32711) are currently under evaluation in early clinical trials alone or in combination regimens. Thus, the concept to therapeutically target IAP proteins in human cancer has in principle been successfully transferred into a clinical setting and warrants further evaluation as a treatment approach. Clin Cancer Res; 20(2); 289–95. ©2013 AACR.
Molecular Pathways: Gene–Environment Interactions Regulating Dietary Fiber Induction of Proliferation and Apoptosis via Butyrate for Cancer Prevention
Authors: Bultman Scott J.
Published: November 2013

Gene–environment interactions are so numerous and biologically complicated that it can be challenging to understand their role in cancer. However, dietary fiber and colorectal cancer prevention may represent a tractable model system. Fiber is fermented by colonic bacteria into short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. One molecular pathway that has emerged involves butyrate having differential effects depending on its concentration and the metabolic state of the cell. Low–moderate concentrations, which are present near the base of colonic crypts, are readily metabolized in the mitochondria to stimulate cell proliferation via energetics. Higher concentrations, which are present near the lumen, exceed the metabolic capacity of the colonocyte. Unmetabolized butyrate enters the nucleus and functions as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that epigenetically regulates gene expression to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis as the colonocytes exfoliate into the lumen. Butyrate may therefore play a role in normal homeostasis by promoting turnover of the colonic epithelium. Because cancerous colonocytes undergo the Warburg effect, their preferred energy source is glucose instead of butyrate. Consequently, even moderate concentrations of butyrate accumulate in cancerous colonocytes and function as HDAC inhibitors to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. These findings implicate a bacterial metabolite with metaboloepigenetic properties in tumor suppression. Clin Cancer Res; 20(4); 799–803. ©2013 AACR.
Os estímulos para o ator
Authors: Silva Armando Sérgio da
Published: November 2013

Os estímulos para o ator.
A ator transparente: reflexões sobre o treinamento contemporâneo do ator com as mascaras do palhaço e do bufão
Authors: Jardim Juliana
Published: November 2013

A ator transparente: reflexões sobre o treinamento contemporâneo do ator com as mascaras do palhaço e do bufão.
Criação coletiva e processo colaborativo: algumas semelhanças e diferenças no trabalho dramatúrgico
Authors: Nicolete Adélia
Published: November 2013

Criação coletiva e processo colaborativo: algumas semelhanças e diferenças no trabalho dramatúrgico
Irmãs do tempo: as bruxas gênese de um espetáculo
Authors: Ornellar Rachel
Published: November 2013

Irmãs do tempo as bruxas gênese de um espetáculo.
Lançamentos
Authors: Rebouças Ana Maria
Published: November 2013

Lançamentos.
Aproximação e distanciamento - o interesse de Brecht por Stanislavski
Authors: Costa Iná Camargo
Published: November 2013

Aproximação e distanciamento o interesse de Brecht por Stanislavski.
Cartas do teatro de arte de Moscou o cotidiano de uma linda
Authors: Takeda Cristiane Layher
Published: November 2013

Cartas do teatro de arte de Moscou o cotidiano de uma linda.
Meyerhold e o corpo teatral brasileiro presença ou ausência
Authors: Cavalieri Arlete
Published: November 2013

Meyerhold e o corpo teatral brasileiro presença ou ausência.
Hamlet em Moscou: notas para uma breve alocução aos atores do teatro de arte de Moscou
Authors: Craig Gordon
Published: November 2013

Hamlet em Moscou: notas para uma breve alocução aos atores do teatro de  arte de Moscou.
A cinética do invisível
Authors: Bonfitto Matteo
Published: November 2013

A cinética do invisível.
Antonin Artaud o ator e a física dos afetos
Authors: Quilici Cassiano Sydow
Published: November 2013

Antonin Artaud o ator e a física dos afetos.
Impact of Incident Venous Thromboembolism on Risk of Arterial Thrombotic Diseases
Authors: Lind Caroline , Flinterman Linda E. , Enga Kristin F. , Severinsen Marianne T. , Kristensen Søren R. , Brækkan Sigrid K. , Mathiesen Ellisiv B. , Njølstad Inger , Cannegieter Suzanne C. , Overvad Kim , Hansen John-Bjarne
Published: November 2013

Background—

Growing evidence supports an association between venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial thrombotic diseases (ie, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke). We aimed to study the association between VTE and future arterial events and to determine the population attributable risk of arterial events by VTE in a large prospective cohort recruited from the general population.

Methods and Results—

In 1994 to 1995 and 1993 to 1997, 81 687 subjects were included in the Tromsø Study and in the Diet, Cancer and Health Study and followed up to the date of incident venous and arterial events (myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke), death or migration, or to the end of the study period (2010 and 2008, respectively). There were 1208 cases of VTE and 90 subsequent arterial events during a median follow-up of 12.2 years. An association between VTE and future arterial events was found in all women and men aged <65 years but not in men aged >65 years. Women <65 years old with VTE had 3.3-fold higher risk of arterial disease (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.69–6.35) compared with women of the same age without VTE. The corresponding hazard ratio in men aged <65 years was 2.06 (95% confidence interval, 1.32–3.20). Only 0.9% of the arterial events were attributed to VTE, and the VTE explained 63.8% of the risk of arterial events among VTE patients.

Conclusions—

Our findings imply that women and young men with VTE have higher risk of arterial thrombotic disease than those without VTE. However, only 1% of the arterial thrombotic events in the population are attributed to VTE.
Role for DNA Damage Signaling in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Meloche Jolyane , Pflieger Aude , Vaillancourt Mylène , Paulin Roxane , Potus François , Zervopoulos Sotirios , Graydon Colin , Courboulin Audrey , Breuils-Bonnet Sandra , Tremblay Ève , Couture Christian , Michelakis Evangelos D. , Provencher Steeve , Bonnet Sébastien
Published: November 2013

Background—

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with sustained inflammation known to promote DNA damage. Despite these unfavorable environmental conditions, PAH pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) exhibit, in contrast to healthy PASMCs, a pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic phenotype, sustained in time by the activation of miR-204, nuclear factor of activated T cells, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α. We hypothesized that PAH-PASMCs have increased the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), a critical enzyme implicated in DNA repair, allowing proliferation despite the presence of DNA-damaging insults, eventually leading to PAH.

Methods and Results—

Human PAH distal pulmonary arteries and cultured PAH-PASMCs exhibit increased DNA damage markers (53BP1 and γ-H2AX) and an overexpression of PARP-1 (immunoblot and activity assay), in comparison with healthy tissues/cells. Healthy PASMCs treated with a clinically relevant dose of tumor necrosis factor-α harbored a similar phenotype, suggesting that inflammation induces DNA damage and PARP-1 activation in PAH. We also showed that PARP-1 activation accounts for miR-204 downregulation (quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and the subsequent activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor of activated T cells and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α in PAH-PASMCs, previously shown to be critical for PAH in several models. These effects resulted in PASMC proliferation (Ki67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and WST1 assays) and resistance to apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and Annexin V assays). In vivo, the clinically available PARP inhibitor ABT-888 reversed PAH in 2 experimental rat models (Sugen/hypoxia and monocrotaline).

Conclusions—

These results show for the first time that the DNA damage/PARP-1 signaling pathway is important for PAH development and provide a new therapeutic target for this deadly disease with high translational potential.
Fibroblast growth factor 23
Authors: Smith Edward R , McMahon Lawrence P , Holt Stephen G
Published: November 2013

There is growing interest in the role of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in various diseases of disordered mineral metabolism. In chronic kidney disease (CKD), where biochemical evidence of mineral disturbances is especially common, FGF23 measurement has been advocated as an early and sensitive marker for CKD-related bone disease. In this setting, FGF23 analysis may also improve the discrimination of risk of adverse renal and cardiovascular outcomes and aid targeting of those patients that are likely to benefit from interventions. Nonetheless, while the physiological relevance of FGF23 in the control of mineral metabolism is now firmly established, relatively little attention has been paid to important preanalytical and analytical aspects of FGF23 measurement that may impact on its clinical utility. Here we review these issues and discuss the suitability of FGF23 testing strategies for routine clinical practice. The current ‘state-of-the-art’ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods for FGF23 measurement show poor agreement due to differences in FGF23 fragment detection, antibody specificity and calibration. Such analytical variability does not permit direct comparison of FGF23 measurements made with different assays and is likely to at least in part account for some of the inconsistencies noted between observational studies. From a clinical perspective, the lack of concordance has implications for the development of standardized reference intervals and clinical decision limits. Finally, the inherent assay-dependent biological variability of plasma FGF23 concentration can further complicate the interpretation of results and the design of FGF23-based testing protocols. Currently, it would be premature to consider incorporating FGF23 measurements into standard testing repertoires.
Beliefs about mental disorder treatment and prognosis: Comparison of health professionals with the Australian public
Authors: Morgan Amy J , Reavley Nicola J , Jorm Anthony F
Published: November 2013

Objective:

In the 1990s, large differences in beliefs about the helpfulness of treatments for mental disorders were observed between the Australian public and health professionals. This study evaluates whether gaps in public and professional beliefs remain by comparing beliefs of the public and health professionals on the helpfulness of interventions and likely prognosis for six mental health problems: depression, depression with suicidal thoughts, early schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, social phobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Methods:

Mental health literacy surveys based around a vignette of a person with a mental disorder were carried out in a nationally representative sample of the Australian public ( n=6019) in 2011 and samples of Australian general practitioners, psychiatrists, and psychologists ( n=1536) in 2012. Respondents were asked to rate the helpfulness of a range of interventions and the likely outcome with or without appropriate professional treatment. Differences between groups were examined with chi-square tests.

Results:

There were many significant differences in treatment beliefs, but most of these were small in size. Medium-sized differences tended to be consistent across vignettes and relate to the greater belief by the public in the helpfulness of close family or friends, a counsellor, vitamins and minerals, a special diet or avoiding certain foods, and having an occasional alcohol drink to relax. In contrast, professionals showed a greater belief in psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety, and antipsychotics for schizophrenia. Findings on prognosis showed mostly small differences in beliefs.

Conclusions:

Overall, the results indicate that the views of the public and professionals are more aligned than in the 1990s. There are now few large gaps in treatment beliefs, but there remain some areas that could be improved.
India’s Diplomatic Entrepreneurism
Authors: Thakur Vineet
Published: November 2013

The article documents India’s involvement in the Korean crisis from 1950–1952. It argues that India’s ‘diplomatic entrepreneurism’ allowed it to become the interlocutor, mediator and adjudicator, all rolled into one, helping India to create a space of manoeuvre for itself in the fast polarizing international system. Jawaharlal Nehru expectedly is the main protagonist in this tale, yet it also seeks to bring forth contributions of other Indian diplomats which have generally been buried under Nehru’s weight, in studies on Indian foreign policy. Moreover, it responds to the call for a greater engagement with Indian diplomatic history, a field that is severely understudied.
Can China Do IT? The PRC’s Software Strategy in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Saraswati Jyoti
Published: November 2013

Since the turn of the century the Chinese state has endeavoured to establish an internationally competitive, export-oriented software services industry centred on large domestic firms. However, despite concerted targeting and significant state investment, the industry’s size and capabilities have fallen further behind those in peer competitor countries, particularly India. The article assesses the progress of the industry in China and examines how this relates to the PRC’s software strategy. It does so by adopting a comparative analysis approach, evaluating the PRC’s policy agenda and the axioms underpinning it in light of emerging research on the processes and mechanisms behind the more successful development of the software services industry in India. The article concludes by arguing that the PRC needs to make several substantive changes to its software strategy if it is to achieve its objectives.
Child Trafficking in China
Authors: Jiang Quanbao , Sánchez-Barricarte Jesús J
Published: November 2013

Child trafficking is a serious problem in China. However, there has not been much research in this area. This article introduces the problem of child trafficking in China based on available data. First, the article examines the reasons for child trafficking followed by a summary description of the characteristics of the children who have been victims of trafficking. Next, the article analyzes the process of child trafficking and discusses the fate of the children involved. The article additionally provides a description of the various measures adopted by the Chinese government and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to combat child trafficking and mentions the resistance to these measures. This article will hopefully draw the attention of the government, academia and the public to this issue.
In Search of the ‘China Model’
Authors: Horesh Niv
Published: November 2013

The ‘China Model’ literature in English was until recently quite peripheral and rather ahistoric in nature. It was mainly penned by economists and other social scientist who aimed at generalising how China’s reforms worked since 1978. Historians, to the extent they tried at all to find linkages between Deng Xiaoping’s reforms and China’s pre-1978 heritage, were rather minimalistic in their approach. And since many economists reduced China’s achievements to the inflow of foreign investment in pursuit of cheap labour and tax breaks, many historians also tended to view the Special Economic Zones set up by Deng as merely reincarnations of a well-tried formula whereby Westerners were allowed to set up autonomous and bustling treaty ports along the China coast in the later part of the 19th century. In short, it was often suggested that the reforms the PRC had embarked on in 1979 were not so boldly original or ingenious as might be otherwise assumed. Yet, because PRC social scientists in their advisory capacity are more tightly linked with government than in the West, one can freely come across in the Chinese literature very sober and historicised academic accounts of the challenges the country is facing domestically and internationally, so long as the Party’s monopoly on power is not challenged directly. The following passages address an important book in that vein by prominent Tsinghua University professor, Yan Xuetong, that was recently translated into English. It is not a monograph in the strict sense of the word, but makes for a compilation of articles from various stages of the author’s career. Thus, Yan’s book offers stimulating insights on how China’s pre-modern past might inform the nature Chinese ambitions for global leadership in the future.
Austronesian Architectural Heritage and the Grand Shrines at Ise, Japan
Authors: Arbi Ezrin , Rao Sreenivasaiah Purushothama , Omar Saari
Published: November 2013

Austronesia, one of the largest language families in the world, covers a vast area from Madagascar in the extreme west to Easter Island in the far east, Taiwan in the north to New Zealand in the south. The languages are spoken by the people of insular southeast Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia in the Pacific, as well as certain parts of the Asia mainland. The vernacular architecture of the people that belong to this language family shows certain shared characteristics that seem to indicate a common origin in the distant past. The Grand Shrines at Ise, Japan pose an intriguing phenomenon because they possess striking architectural features that are reminiscent of Austronesian vernacular architecture. This paper is an attempt to investigate the phenomenon using the findings of studies by experts from other disciplines such as historians, anthropologists, linguists and others, based on the link between culture, language and architecture.1
The Toponymic Inscription Problematic in Urban Sub-Saharan Africa: From Colonial to Postcolonial Times
Authors: Bigon Liora , Njoh Ambe J
Published: November 2013

We examine a variety of problems relating to toponymic inscription processes in urban sub-Saharan Africa. The objective is to promote understanding of: the origins, evolution, nature, extent and social implications of these problems in an era of globalization; the vocabularies of built space; and the navigation techniques of inhabitants of supposedly nondescript built space in this region. We employed primary data based on in situ experiences and secondary data from published and unpublished documents. We found that the region’s toponymic inscription problem, its built space, and urban vocabularies are deeply embedded in its European colonial legacy. Furthermore, we found that urban residents in this region have devised functional means to navigate their seemingly nondescript space. These revelations promise to fill some historiographic gaps in the literature on toponymic inscription in Africa in particular and urban history and planning in general.
Water Aging Reverses Residual Stresses in Hydrophilic Dental Composites
Authors: Park J.W. , Ferracane J.L.
Published: November 2013

Dental composites develop residual stresses during polymerization due to shrinkage. These stresses may change with time because of relaxation and water sorption in the oral environment. This phenomenon is likely dependent on the composition of the materials, specifically their hydrophilic characteristics, and could result in deleterious stresses on restorative materials and tooth structure. The purpose of this experiment was to use the thin ring-slitting method to compare the residual stress generated within composite materials of varying hydrophilicity when aged in wet and dry conditions after polymerization. Water sorption, solubility, elastic modulus, and residual stresses were measured in 6 commercial composites/cements aged in water and dry conditions. The self-adhesive resin cement showed the highest water sorption and solubility. All composites showed initial residual contraction stresses, which were maintained when aged dry. Residual stresses in 2 of the self-adhesive cements and the polyacid-modified composite aged in wet conditions resulted in a net expansion. This experiment verified that residual shrinkage stresses in dental composites can be reversed during aging in water, resulting in a net expansion, with the effect directly related to their hydrophilic properties.
“There Needs to be a Place in Society for Madness”
Authors: Adame Alexandra L.
Published: November 2013

The psychiatric survivor movement is an international coalition of grassroots organizations that work for human rights in the mental health system. Previous research has examined how the survivor movement has critiqued and envisioned alternatives to traditional mental health services. The current study focused on a unique group of individuals who identify as both psychiatric survivors and work as therapists in the mental health system. I interviewed several people with this dual-identity to better understand their approaches toward activism and psychotherapy. This article focuses on one of the survivor-therapist’s experiences, and I explore the broader clinical implications for both survivors and mental health professionals and next steps for developing viable alternatives to the traditional system.
Formal and Informal Mentoring
Authors: Desimone Laura M. , Hochberg Eric D. , Porter Andrew C. , Polikoff Morgan S. , Schwartz Robert , Johnson L. Joy
Published: November 2013

Informal mentors likely play a substantial role in novice teacher learning, yet we know little about them, especially in relation to formal mentoring, which is the cornerstone to most induction programs. This study analyzes survey and interview data from 57 first-year mathematics teachers from 11 districts to investigate differences in the characteristics of formal and informal mentoring that can inform improvements in mentoring policy. Our findings suggest that informal and formal mentors sometimes serve similar functions but often provide compensatory and complementary support. Based on these findings, we identify a set of policy recommendations to improve new teacher supports.
Combined design of VSC-HVDC and PSS controllers for LFO damping enhancement
Authors: Farhang Peyman , Tirtashi M Reza Safari , Noroozian Reza , Gharehpetian GB
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel combined design of the voltage source converter–high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) and the power system stabilizer (PSS) controllers to obtain a better dynamical response. The proposed technique is applied to enhance the damping of the power system low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) and results are compared with traditional design. A fuzzy logic controller is designed for PSS (FPSS). Then, a chaotic optimization algorithm, which has a strong ability for finding the most optimistic results, is employed, in presence of FPSS, to search for optimal VSC-HVDC output feedback controller parameters. Moreover, a singular value decomposition method is utilized to select the most effective damping control signal of the VSC-HVDC output feedback controllers. The novel proposed controllers are evaluated on an AC/DC power system. The simulation results demonstrate that the combined controllers have an excellent capability for damping power system LFOs and greatly enhance the dynamic stability of the power system. Also, the system performance analysis under different operating conditions and some performance indices show the effectiveness of the proposed controllers. The benefit of the suggested procedure is greatly improving the dynamic response of the system. In addition, the overshoots, undershoots and the settling times are dramatically reduced by applying the proposed method.
Solving the system of linear operator equations over generalized bisymmetric matrices
Authors: Hajarian Masoud
Published: November 2013

This paper proposes an iterative method based on the conjugate gradient method on the normal equations for finding the generalized bisymmetric solution [Formula: see text] to the system of linear operator equations

[Formula: see text]

where [Formula: see text] are linear operators. By the iterative method, the solvability of this system over the generalized bisymmetric matrix [Formula: see text] can be determined automatically. When the system of linear operator equations is consistent over the generalized bisymmetric matrix [Formula: see text], the iterative method with any generalized bisymmetric initial iterative matrix [Formula: see text] can compute the generalized bisymmetric solution within a finite number of iterations in the absence of roundoff errors. In addition, by the proposed iterative method, the least Frobenius norm generalized bisymmetric solution can be derived when a special initial generalized bisymmetric matrix is chosen. Finally, two numerical examples are presented to support the theoretical results of this paper.
Pre-Session Satiation as a Treatment for Stereotypy During Group Activities
Authors: Rispoli Mandy , Camargo Síglia Hoher , Neely Leslie , Gerow Stephanie , Lang Russell , Goodwyn Fara , Ninci Jennifer
Published: November 2013

Individuals with developmental disabilities may engage in automatically reinforced behaviors that may interfere with learning opportunities. Manipulation of motivating operations has been shown to reduce automatically maintained behavior in some individuals. Considering behavioral indicators of satiation may assist in identifying the point at which an abolishing operation has begun to effect behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of pre-session satiation of automatic reinforcement on subsequent levels of stereotypy and activity engagement during group activities for three males ages 5 to 13 years with developmental disabilities. Following functional analyses with analogue conditions, an alternating treatment design compared a pre-session access to stereotypy condition with a no-pre-session access condition prior to group activity sessions. Results indicated that pre-session satiation of the putative reinforcer produced by stereotypy was effective in decreasing stereotypy and increasing activity engagement during subsequent group activities for all participants. These findings add to the literature supporting the effectiveness of abolishing operations to decrease automatically maintained stereotypy.
Organizational culture in knowledge creation, creativity and innovation: Towards the Freiraum model
Authors: Auernhammer Jan , Hall Hazel
Published: November 2013

This paper draws on findings from an in-depth case study of practices related to the meeting of organizational goals pertinent to knowledge creation, creativity and innovation performance. Overall a mixed methods approach that used both quantitative and qualitative data was adopted in empirical research conducted within a large German manufacturing firm. A quantitative analysis of survey data highlighted factors necessary to nurture an environment conducive to knowledge creation, creativity and innovation. The organization should: be open to change; encourage and value free communication and new and/or unusual ideas; tolerate mistakes; and nurture intrinsically motivated staff. It should be supported by leaders who promote these characteristics as shared values, while challenging and empowering their staff to generate new ideas in a drive to further innovation. Further analysis of focus group and interview data in the same case study identified three main determinants that underpin knowledge creation and creativity: (1) structured ‘space’ that creates expertise and experience of individuals while working in routine; (2) willingness to innovate – individuals’ propensity to experiment with ideas, even at risk of failure; and (3) authorized and dedicated ‘space’ designated specifically for individuals to explore new ideas (‘Freiraum’). These findings have contributed to the development of a new articulation of the organization of creativity and innovation. It draws on established concepts from the domain of knowledge and creativity management, and extends these to deepen our understanding of how aspects of organizational culture, including leadership and social conditions, influence organizational performance in terms of (1) improving knowledge creation processes related to creativity, and (2) fostering innovation.
Helping hand or heavy hand? Foreign aid, regime type and domestic unrest
Authors: Kono Daniel Yuichi , Montinola Gabriella R. , Verbon Nicholas
Published: November 2013

Does foreign aid affect domestic political unrest? ‘Selectorate’ models of political survival predict that foreign aid should lead autocratic governments, but not democratic ones, to restrict civil liberties. This requires investment in repressive capacity, which should in turn deter unrest. We thus argue that foreign aid should reduce unrest in autocracies but not in democracies. We find strong support for this hypothesis in a sample of 84 countries from 1970 through 2007, as well as evidence for our causal mechanism. Our results add to the mounting evidence that foreign aid has more desirable effects when targeted at democratic regimes.
Rhetoric and Reality
Authors: Sagi Rottem , Bolzendahl Catherine
Published: November 2013

Despite evidence of the political salience of family issues, little work has been done to understand how Americans link family issues to their support of various parties and politicians. This study examines whether respondents think party/politician views on family issues are important and asks respondents to provide examples of relevant family issues. Using data from the 2003 Constructing the Family telephone survey conducted at the Indiana University Center for Survey Research, we find that most respondents claim that a party’s/politician’s views on family issues are important to them. Further analysis reveals that, among people who believe family issues are important, the belief is explained differently, with the sample split between a focus on the characteristics of policymakers as compared to the policy itself. The authors conclude that these differing approaches to family issues may stem from the patchwork system of legislation for families in the United States.
Patriarchy and Singlehood Among Women in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ntoimo Lorretta F. C. , Isiugo-Abanihe Uche
Published: November 2013

Singleness for women beyond the age considered conventional for marriage is regarded as a misnomer in Nigeria. Such women are pitied and blamed for their status. Often the blame is based on assumed personal character defect of the women. Nevertheless, empirical research by some sociologists and other women scholars has linked singlehood to demographic, economic, religious, and personal causative factors. Building on these past studies, this article employed aspects of Silvia Walby’s “theorising patriarchy” to examine patriarchy, a structural determinant of singlehood that has not received much attention in the study of singlehood in Nigeria. Twenty-nine involuntary, childless, never-married women aged 30 to 48 years were interviewed in urban Lagos, Nigeria. The women’s narratives revealed the limiting effects of the six patriarchal structures identified by Walby in their opportunities to marry. This study provides relevant information for attainment of Nigeria’s gender policy and contributes to intercultural understanding of singlehood.
AlloDerm with Split‐Thickness Skin Graft for Coverage of the Forearm Free Flap Donor Site
Authors: Wester Jacob L. , Pittman Amy L. , Lindau Robert H. , Wax Mark K.
Published: November 2013

Objective

Major causes of donor site morbidity after free flap harvest are lack of split‐thickness skin graft (STSG) take and tendon exposure. Long‐term cosmesis remains poor. AlloDerm has shown cosmetically better donor site healing, albeit prolonged healing. We sought to evaluate the use of STSG with AlloDerm compared with STSG alone.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Academic tertiary care medical center.

Methods and Subjects

Institutional review board–approved study. Microvascular database queried from 2002 to 2012. Subjects with forearm free flaps and either AlloDerm + STSG or STSG alone for donor site reconstruction were included. Morbidity outcomes were compared.

Results

Eighty patients (50 male, 30 female) received AlloDerm + STSG at the donor site. Major and minor donor site complications were 15.0% and 18.8% in the AlloDerm + STSG group compared with 10.2% and 16.9% in the STSG‐only group (P =. 30 and P =. 72), respectively. Complete STSG loss (5.0% vs 3.0%, P =. 48), tendon exposure (5.0% vs 5.4%, P = 1.0), functional impairment (2.5% vs 1.8%, P =. 66), infection (8.8% vs 9.6%, P = 1.0), hematoma/seroma (5.0% vs 3.6%, P =. 73), and paresthesia (1.3% vs 3.6%, P =. 43) were not significant. No patients required a second STSG after loss in the AlloDerm + STSG group compared with 60% (P =. 17). Cosmetic results were superior in the AlloDerm + STSG group as rated by the surgeon (3.5 vs 2.6, P =. 03) and patients (3.7 vs 2.9, P =. 05) on a scale of 1 to 5.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the use of AlloDerm with STSG can provide thicker coverage of the forearm defect, with minimal donor site morbidity and superior cosmetic results compared with STSG alone.
Postsplenectomy left lower lobe bronchiectasis
Authors: Sersar Sameh I
Published: November 2013

Background

Bronchiectasis has decreased significantly. I describe a new underestimated clinicopathological entity of postsplenectomy left lower lobe bronchiectasis.

Methods

This is a retrospective study on 24 patients who had a left lower lobectomy for left lower lobe bronchiectasis after splenectomy. The mean age was 34.6 years (range 18 to 63 years); there were 19 men and 5 women. The available data included history, radiological investigations (ultrasonography and computed tomography of the chest and abdomen), operative data, postoperative complications, and follow-up data.

Results

All patients had a history of splenectomy and 10 had undergone subphrenic collection drainage either percutaneously or through open drainage a few years prior to the left lower lobectomy. Fourteen patients were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up in 10 patients was 5.8 years (range 2 to 13 years).

Conclusions

Postsplenectomy left lower lobe bronchiectasis is an underestimated clinicopathological entity of bronchiectasis. It can be managed by a left lower lobectomy, with acceptable results.
Primary tetralogy of Fallot repair: Predictors of intensive care unit morbidity
Authors: Egbe Alexander C , Uppu Santosh C , Mittnacht Alexander JC , Joashi Umesh , Ho Deborah , Nguyen Khanh , Srivastava Shubhika
Published: November 2013

Background

Primary repair of tetralogy of Fallot has low surgical mortality, but some patients still experience significant postoperative morbidity. Our objectives were to review our institutional experience with primary tetralogy of Fallot repair, and identify predictors of intensive care unit morbidity.

Methods

We reviewed all patients with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent primary repair in infancy from 2001 to 2012. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative demographic and morphologic data were analyzed. Intensive care unit morbidity was defined as prolonged intensive care unit stay (≥7 days) and/or prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation (≥48 h).

Results

97 patients who underwent primary surgical repair during the study period were included in the study. The median age was 4.9 months (range 1–9 months) and the median weight was 5.3 kg (range 3.1–9.8 kg). There was no early surgical mortality. The incidence of junctional ectopic tachycardia and persistent complete heart block was 2% and 1%, respectively. The median intensive care unit stay was 6 days (range 2–21 days) and the median duration of mechanical ventilation was 19 h (range 0–136 h). Age and weight were independent predictors of intensive care unit stay, while surgical era predicted the duration of mechanical ventilation.

Conclusion

Primary tetralogy of Fallot repair is a safe procedure with low mortality and morbidity in a medium-sized program with outcomes comparable to national standards. Age and weight at the time of surgery were significant predictors of morbidity.