bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Game-Theoretic Response Strategy for Coordinator Attack in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Jianhua , Yue Guangxue , Shen Shigen , Shang Huiliang , Li Hongjie
Published: July 2014

The coordinator is a specific node that controls the whole network and has a significant impact on the performance in cooperative multihop ZigBee wireless sensor networks (ZWSNs). However, the malicious node attacks coordinator nodes in an effort to waste the resources and disrupt the operation of the network. Attacking leads to a failure of one round of communication between the source nodes and destination nodes. Coordinator selection is a technique that can considerably defend against attack and reduce the data delivery delay, and increase network performance of cooperative communications. In this paper, we propose an adaptive coordinator selection algorithm using game and fuzzy logic aiming at both minimizing the average number of hops and maximizing network lifetime. The proposed game model consists of two interrelated formulations: a stochastic game for dynamic defense and a best response policy using evolutionary game formulation for coordinator selection. The stable equilibrium best policy to response defense is obtained from this game model. It is shown that the proposed scheme can improve reliability and save energy during the network lifetime with respect to security.
Ground State Solutions for a Class of Fractional Differential Equations with Dirichlet Boundary Value Condition
Authors: Hu Zhigang , Liu Wenbin , Liu Jiaying
Published: July 2014

In this paper, we apply the method of the Nehari manifold to study the fractional differential equation(d/dt)((1/2) 0Dt-β(u′(t))+(1/2) tDT-β(u′(t)))=  f(t,u(t)), a.e.t∈[0,T],andu0=uT=0,where 0Dt-β, tDT-βare the left and right Riemann-Liouville fractional integrals of order0≤β<1, respectively. We prove the existence of a ground state solution of the boundary value problem.
Newton Type Iteration for Tikhonov Regularization of Nonlinear Ill-Posed Problems in Hilbert Scales
Authors: Shobha Monnanda Erappa , George Santhosh
Published: July 2014

Recently, Vasin and George (2013) considered an iterative scheme for approximately solving an ill-posed operator equationF(x)=y. In order to improve the error estimate available by Vasin and George (2013), in the present paper we extend the iterative method considered by Vasin and George (2013), in the setting of Hilbert scales. The error estimates obtained under a general source condition onx0-x^(x0is the initial guess andx^is the actual solution), using the adaptive scheme proposed by Pereverzev and Schock (2005), are of optimal order. The algorithm is applied to numerical solution of an integral equation in Numerical Example section.
Surgical Strategy for Isolated Caudate Lobectomy: Experience with 16 Cases
Authors: Tian Gendong , Chen Qiong , Guo Yuan , Teng Mujian , Li Jie
Published: July 2014

Introduction. Surgical resection is the most effective treatment for neoplasm in the caudate lobe. Isolated caudate lobectomy is still a challenge for hepatobiliary surgeons. No widely accepted surgical strategy for the procedure has been developed yet.Objective. To get a better understanding of isolated caudate lobectomy and to optimize the procedure.Materials and Methods. 16 cases of isolated caudate lobectomy were reviewed to summarize the surgical experience.Results. All the 16 cases of isolated caudate lobectomy were carried out successfully, among which left side approach was adopted in two cases (12.5%), right side approach in three cases (18.75%), and both sides approach in 11 cases (68.75%). No severe complications occurred.Conclusion. The majority of neoplasms confined to the caudate lobe can be resected safely by left and right side approach with proper anatomic surgical procedure, usually in the sequence of mobilization, outflow control, inflow control, and division of the hepatic parenchyma. Fully mobilizing the caudate lobe from the inferior vena cava (IVC) is of great importance. Division of the retrohepatic ligament and the venous ligament facilitated the procedure.
European Breast Cancer Service Screening Outcomes: A First Balance Sheet of the Benefits and Harms
Authors: Paci Eugenio , Broeders Mireille , Hofvind Solveig , Puliti Donella , Duffy Stephen William ,   the EUROSCREEN Working Group
Published: July 2014

A recent comprehensive review has been carried out to quantify the benefits and harms of the European population-based mammographic screening programs. Five literature reviews were conducted on the basis of the observational published studies evaluating breast cancer mortality reduction, breast cancer overdiagnosis, and false-positive results. On the basis of the studies reviewed, the authors present a first estimate of the benefit and harm balance sheet. For every 1,000 women screened biennially from ages 50 to 51 years until ages 68 to 69 years and followed up until age 79 years, an estimated seven to nine breast cancer deaths are avoided, four cases are overdiagnosed, 170 women have at least one recall followed by noninvasive assessment with a negative result, and 30 women have at least one recall followed by invasive procedures yielding a negative result. The chance of a breast cancer death being avoided by population-based mammography screening of appropriate quality is more than that of overdiagnosis by screening. These outcomes should be communicated to women offered service screening in Europe. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(7); 1159–63. ©2014 AACR.
Hostile, Hypoxia–A2-Adenosinergic Tumor Biology as the Next Barrier to Overcome for Tumor Immunologists
Authors: Sitkovsky Michail V. , Hatfield Stephen , Abbott Robert , Belikoff Bryan , Lukashev Dmitriy , Ohta Akio
Published: July 2014

Hypoxia-driven, A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR)–mediated (hypoxia–A2-adenosinergic), T-cell–autonomous immunosuppression was first recognized as critical and nonredundant in protecting normal tissues from inflammatory damage and autoimmunity. However, this immunosuppressive mechanism can be highjacked by bacteria and tumors to provide misguided protection for pathogens and cancerous tissues. Inhibitors of the hypoxia–A2-adenosinergic pathway represent a conceptually novel type of immunologic coadjuvants that could be combined with cancer vaccines, adoptive cell transfer, and/or blockade of negative immunologic regulators to further prolong patient survival and to minimize treatment-related side effects. In support of this approach are preclinical studies and findings that some human cancers are resistant to chemotherapies and immunotherapies due to the tumor-generated extracellular adenosine and A2AR on antitumor T and natural killer (NK) cells. Among the coadjuvants are (i) antagonists of A2AR, (ii) extracellular adenosine-degrading drugs, (iii) inhibitors of adenosine generation by CD39/CD73 ectoenzymes, and (iv) inhibitors of hypoxia–HIF-1α signaling. Combining these coadjuvants with CTLA-4 and/or PD-1 blockade is expected to have additive or even synergistic effects of targeting two different antitumor protective mechanisms. It is expected that even after multicombinatorial blockade of negative immunologic regulators, the antitumor T and NK cells would still be vulnerable to inhibition by hypoxia and A2AR. Yet to be tested is the potential capacity of coadjuvants to minimize the side effects of CTLA-4 and/or PD-1 blockade by decreasing the dose of blocking antibodies or by eliminating the need for dual blockade. Cancer Immunol Res; 2(7); 598–605. ©2014 AACR.
Bioimpedance in 7-Year-Old Children: Validation by Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry - Part 1: Assessment of Whole Body Composition
Authors: Luque Veronica , Closa-Monasterolo Ricardo , Rubio-Torrents Carmen , Zaragoza-Jordana Marta , Ferré Natalia , Gispert-Llauradó Mariona , Escribano Joaquin ,   for the European Childhood Obesity Project Group
Published: July 2014

Aim: To validate the bioimpedance analyzer (BIA) Tanita BC-418 for its clinical and epidemiological use in children compared to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was performed in 7-year-old children using anthropometry, BIA and DXA. Whole body fat and lean masses were assessed through BIA (BIAoutputs) and DXA. Fat mass index (FMI) was calculated. Predictive equations were derived from raw impedance and anthropometric measures; results obtained from these predictive equations (BIAregressions) were also compared to DXA. Results: 171 children (84 boys) were studied. BIAoutputs and DXA results revealed small differences for lean mass (1%) and moderate differences for fat mass (13%). BIAregressions results showed small differences for both body lean and fat masses (0.21 and 4.62%, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity to correctly classify children >90.8th percentile of FMI was 84.6 (64.3-94.9) and 95.9% (90.8-98.3) for BIAoutputs and 100 (98.1-100.0) and 95.9% (92.3-99.4) for BIAregressions, respectively. Conclusions: Tanita BC-418 may be valid for epidemiological studies assessing whole body composition. Its measurements may help in the diagnosis and monitoring of childhood overweight and obesity. The validation of predictive equations in specific populations may increase the precision of the technique.
Lower Urinary Tract and Sexual Dysfunction in Neurological Patients
Authors: Vodušek David B.
Published: July 2014

Background: Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) and sexual dysfunction (SD) are common in neurological patients due to a combination of lesions affecting relevant neural control, constraints imposed by sensorimotor and cognitive deficits and - particularly for SD - psychosocial consequences of chronic neurological disease. Summary: This review summarizes the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of LUTD and SD in neurological patients. Key Messages: LUTD may lead to serious health problems; both LUTD and SD significantly affect quality of life. Management of patients with spinal cord injury and dysraphism is undertaken in specialized centers according to established guidelines. Treatment of neurological patients with noncomplicated neurogenic LUTD or SD should preferentially be guided by a neurologist. Clinical Impact: For rational treatment of urinary symptoms, an accurate assessment is mandatory; the bladder and the sphincter need to be defined as normal, over- or underactive. Urodynamic testing is the gold standard for functional diagnosis; assessment of residual urine and uroflow are the minimal requirements before considering management. Dysfunction of desire, arousal and orgasm (ejaculation) may be diagnosed by medical history and are amenable to counselling and treatment, which is - in the case of erectile dysfunction - evidence based. Further high-quality studies are necessary to test the best approaches for diagnosing and managing particular types of neurogenic LUTD and SD in the different neurological patient populations.
Medication Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Trinkley Katy E. , Nahata Milap C.
Published: July 2014

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex syndrome that is difficult to manage. Here we present the evidence supporting medication treatments for specific IBS symptoms, discuss evidence-based management of IBS with medications including dose regimens and adverse effects and review progress on research for new IBS treatments. Summary: Currently, there is evidence to support improvements in specific IBS symptoms following treatment with loperamide, psyllium, bran, lubiprostone, linaclotide, amitriptyline, trimipramine, desipramine, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, dicyclomine, peppermint oil, rifaximin, ketotifen, pregabalin, gabapentin and octreotide and there are many new medications being investigated for the treatment of IBS. Key Message: Of the medications with demonstrated improvements for IBS symptoms, rifaximin, lubiprostone, linaclotide, fiber supplementation and peppermint oil have the most reliable evidence supporting their use for the treatment of IBS. Onset of efficacy for the various medications has been noted to be as early as 6 days after initiation; however, the efficacy of most medications was not assessed prospectively at predefined periods. Additional studies of currently available and new medications are ongoing and are needed to better define their place in therapy and expand therapeutic options for the treatment of IBS. The most promising new medications for IBS include a variety of novel pharmacologic approaches, most notably the dual μ-opioid receptor agonist and δ-opioid antagonist, JNJ-27018966.
Tanshinone II-A Is Protective against Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Injury after Exposure to Serum from Preeclampsia Patients
Authors: Wu ChunFeng , Yuan Jing , Sui RenFang , Li ShuYuan , Sun JingXia
Published: July 2014

Background/Aims: Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the most common and dangerous complications during pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure and significant amounts of protein in the urine. Vascular endothelial cell dysfunction is the major pathology in PE. This study was designed to assay the effects of tanshinone II-A (TII-A) on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) injury after incubation with serum from PE patients and to determine the underlying mechanism. Methods: After treating HUVECs with different TII-A concentrations, cell viability, apoptosis and CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) mRNA and protein expression levels were measured. Results: Incubation of HUVECs with serum from PE patients induced morphological alterations, caused decreased cell viability and increased the rate of apoptosis. However, TII-A (5-40 μg/ml) significantly reversed these injuries. Importantly, preapplication of TII-A attenuated PE sera-induced expression of CD40 and CD40L mRNA and protein. Conclusion: TII-A has a protective effect against PE sera, likely through regulation of the CD40/CD40L signal transduction pathway.
Long-Term Outcome of IgA Nephropathy Patients with Recurrent Macroscopic Hematuria
Authors: Le WeiBo , Liang ShaoShan , Chen Hao , Wang ShaoFan , Zhang WenZhen , Wang Xia , Wang JinQuan , Zeng Cai-Hong , Liu Zhi-Hong
Published: July 2014

Background/Aims: The long-term renal outcomes of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) who present with recurrent macroscopic hematuria (RMH) have not been described in previous studies. Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven primary IgAN in Jinling Hospital were divided into three groups according to different patterns of macroscopic hematuria (MH): RMH, isolated MH (IMH), and those without a history of MH (NMH). Results: A total of 1,155 patients were enrolled in the study (158 in the RMH group, 256 in the IMH group, and 741 in the NMH group). At biopsy, patients with RMH were younger, had lower median proteinuria, a lower incidence of hypertension, and a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate than those in the NMH group. Pathologically, patients with RMH had a lower level of mesangial hypercellularity and segmental glomerulosclerosis as well as less tubular atrophy than those with NMH. The demographic and clinical features of patients with IMH fell between patients with RMH and those with NMH. During a median follow-up of 7.9 years, the 5-, 10- and 20-year cumulative renal survival after biopsy, as calculated by K-M methods, were 98, 91, and 91% in the RMH group, 95, 89, and 64% in the IMH group, and 95, 79, and 57% in the NMH group. The renal survival in patients with RMH was significantly better than patients with NMH or IMH. Conclusions: The long-term prognosis of patients who present with RMH is significantly better than patients with NMH or IMH.
Chronic Kidney Disease Results in Deficiency of ABCC6, the Novel Inhibitor of Vascular Calcification
Authors: Lau Wei Ling , Liu Shuman , Vaziri Nosratola D.
Published: July 2014

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with arterial medial calcification which plays a major role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in this population. Several factors are known to promote soft tissue and accelerated arterial calcification in CKD including systemic inflammation, altered calcium and phosphate homeostasis, hypertension, and deficiency of endogenous calcification inhibitors. The ABCC6 transporter (ATP-binding cassette subfamily C number 6), also known as multidrug resistance-associated protein 6 (MRP6), is highly expressed in the liver and kidney. Mutation of ABCC6 results in pseudoxanthoma elasticum, an inherited disorder characterized by arterial and soft tissue calcification. Given the prevalence of arterial medial calcification in CKD, the present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that CKD may lead to acquired ABCC6 deficiency. Methods: CKD was induced via 5/6 nephrectomy in male Sprague-Dawley rats and by adenine-containing diet to cause chronic interstitial nephropathy in female DBA/2J mice. Sham-operated rats and mice fed regular diet served as controls. Liver and kidney tissues were harvested and processed for ABCC6 protein and mRNA analysis. Results: ABCC6 protein levels were significantly reduced in the liver and kidney tissues from CKD rats and mice. However, ABCC6 mRNA levels were unchanged, pointing to post-transcriptional or post-translational mechanisms for the observed ABCC6 deficiency. Additionally, plasma levels of the calcification inhibitor fetuin-A were significantly decreased in CKD animals compared to controls. Conclusions: CKD results in acquired ABCC6 transporter deficiency. To our knowledge this abnormality has not been previously reported and may contribute to CKD-associated vascular and soft tissue calcification.
Baseline Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio as a Pressure-Only Estimation of Underlying Coronary Flow Reserve
Authors: Petraco Ricardo , van de Hoef Tim P. , Nijjer Sukhjinder , Sen Sayan , van Lavieren Martijn A. , Foale Rodney A. , Meuwissen Martijn , Broyd Christopher , Echavarria-Pinto Mauro , Foin Nicolas , Malik Iqbal S. , Mikhail Ghada W. , Hughes Alun D. , Francis Darrel P. , Mayet Jamil , Di Mario Carlo , Escaned Javier , Piek Jan J. , Davies Justin E.
Published: July 2014

Background—

Coronary flow reserve has extensive validation as a prognostic marker in coronary disease. Although pressure-only fractional flow reserve (FFR) improves outcomes compared with angiography when guiding percutaneous coronary intervention, it disagrees with coronary flow reserve classification 30% of the time. We evaluated whether baseline instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) could provide an improved pressure-only estimation of underlying coronary flow reserve.

Methods and Results—

Invasive pressure and flow velocity were measured in 216 stenoses from 186 patients with coronary disease. The diagnostic relationship between pressure-only indices (iFR and FFR) and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) was compared using correlation coefficient and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. iFR showed a stronger correlation with underlying CFVR (iFR–CFVR, ρ=0.68 versus FFR–CFVR, ρ=0.50;
P
<0.001). iFR also agreed more closely with CFVR in stenosis classification (iFR area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.82 versus FFR area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.72;
P
<0.001, for a CFVR of 2). The closer relationship between iFR and CFVR was found for different CFVR cutoffs and was particularly marked in the 0.6 to 0.9 FFR range. Hyperemic FFR flow was similar to baseline iFR flow in functionally significant lesions (FFR ≤0.75; mean FFR flow, 25.8±13.7 cm/s versus mean iFR flow, 21.5±11.7 cm/s;
P
=0.13). FFR flow was higher than iFR flow in nonsignificant stenoses (FFR >0.75; mean FFR flow, 42.3±22.8 cm/s versus mean iFR flow, 26.1±15.5 cm/s;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

When compared with FFR, iFR shows stronger correlation and better agreement with CFVR. These results provide physiological evidence that iFR could potentially be used as a functional index of disease severity, independently from its agreement with FFR.
The Mercury Puzzle
Authors: Schwabl Herbert
Published: July 2014

In the last decades, Tibetan medicine has spread around the globe. From a Western point of view, Tibetan medicine is part of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (cam). In many Asian medicines, mercury sulphide is considered an important ingredient. Tibetan medicine is famous for its precious pills, many of which contain mercury sulphide in the form of an ash called tsotel (btso thal). In the Western, specifically in the European context, such ingredients are not accepted for human consumption. These legalities are discussed from the perspective of today’s pharmaceutical practice in Europe. Neither the law of medicinal products nor the food law allow such ingredients and place strict limits on residues of heavy metals. The cam community is also very cautious about any use of heavy metals. This article advocates that on the global level, the production and distribution of Tibetan medicines has to consider today’s modern pharmaceutical and biomedical environment. The formulas of Tibetan medicine based solely on herbs and certain minerals could be the foundation stone for a modern pharmacopoeia of Tibetan medicine. Tibetan medicines are always a carefully blended mixture of many ingredients. This multi-compound principle could then serve as a basic concept for a modernised Tibetan medicine. Such medicines have to be investigated in their entirety, without reducing the formula to its active ingredients. This article suggests that such a herbal mixture could be understood as a new ‘man-made herb’, where the scientific tools specifically developed to investigate individual herbal constituents would be applied to the entire formula. Tibetan medicine and its products based on pharmaceutical-grade clean herbs and minerals can offer important therapeutic options for humankind on a global level.
Leanings and Dealings: Exploring Bias and Trade Leverage in Civil War Mediation by International Organizations
Authors: Lundgren Magnus , Svensson Isak
Published: July 2014

Two characteristics of mediators – bias and leverage – are discussed intensively in the research on international mediation. However, whereas bias and leverage have been examined in mediation by states, relatively little is known about their role in mediation by international organizations (ios). This study provides new ways of conceptualizingiobias and leverage and utilizes unique data to measure the impact ofiobias and leverage on mediation outcomes. Exploring all cases of civil war mediation byios in the period 1975–2004, we find thatios where member states provide support to both sides in a conflict outperformios whose member states remain disinterested.ios with significant trade leverage also increase the likelihood of mediation success. The study demonstrates thatios rarely have a neutral relationship to civil war combatants, that mediation byios is laden with member state interests, and that such interests shape outcomes.
Negotiation, Mediation and Insurgent Victory in Counter-insurgency Wars Fought by Foreign Powers
Authors: Liebel Steven R. , Enterline Andrew J.
Published: July 2014

How do negotiation and mediation affect the likelihood of insurgent victory in counterinsurgency (coin) wars? We develop expectations regarding the incentives of the combatants to negotiate and accept mediation while acoinwar is under way, and the evolution of these incentives as a war progresses. Thirty nine civil wars are examined in which a foreign power intervenes to defend a central government against an insurgency during the period 1945–2009. We identify the subset ofcoinwars in which negotiations and mediation were attempted or took place, as well as their timing. The study examines whether the resort to these two instruments affects the subsequent duration and outcome ofcoinwars. We find that the resort to negotiations and mediation accelerates the time to insurgent victory, and explore reasons why political leaders in foreign powers would pursue such a path given the consequences of such action.
The Development of the Study of War in Greece Since 1989
Authors: Fotakis Zisis
Published: July 2014

This report focuses on the study of the – other than Naval – War History in Greece since 1989. It presents the corresponding work of the Greek Ministry of Defense and its associated bodies and that of the Greek academia and non-professionals, whose quantity has been overwhelming. It also points out the strengths and limitations of the corresponding Greek historiography, its utility for national and practical purposes and the neccessity for its thematical and chronological broadening. It concludes that the study of War in Greece is set to develop further, if only because of the many, chronic security challenges that this country is facing.
A new American species of the spider genus Pimoa (Araneae, Pimoidae)
Authors: HORMIGA GUSTAVO , LEW STEPHEN
Published: July 2014

The family Pimoidae is a small lineage of araneoid spiders distributed in Western North America, Southern Europe and Asia. Currently four genera and 37 extant species have been described (Platnick 2014). Pimoidae are represented in North America by 14 species classified in the genera, Pimoa Chamberlin & Ivie, 1943, and Nanoa Hormiga, Buckle & Scharff, 2005. The latter genus is monotypic and was recently described based on very few specimens collected in California and Oregon. With the exception of Nanoa enana Hormiga, Buckle & Scharff, 2005, no other pimoid has been described from North America since publication of the family monograph of Hormiga (1994). Since the revision of Pimoa in the family monograph, five new species of Pimoa have been described from China (Griswold et al. 1999, Xu & Li 2007) and one from India (Trotta 2009). In addition, other Asian pimoid species have been recently described in the genera Weintrauboa Hormiga, 2003 and Putaoa Hormiga & Tu, 2008 (Hormiga 2003, Hormiga 2008, Hormiga & Tu 2008, Xu & Li 2009, Yang et al. 2006). In this paper we describe a new species of the genus Pimoa from California.
Esophageal Wishbone Extraction
Authors: Mondin Robert M. , Fandiño Marcela , Carpes Luthiana F. , Tang Judy , Ogilvie Lauren N. , Kozak Frederick K.
Published: July 2014

Objective:

Ingestion of foreign bodies in the pediatric population is common and in the majority of cases involves spontaneous passage through the esophagus; however, they can become lodged in spaces of anatomical narrowing. Sharp foreign bodies are of particular concern due to a higher chance of perforation and other complications. The goal of this case report is to describe the safe removal of a chicken wishbone and 3 alternate options in the event that the initial choice was unsuccessful.

Methods:

We report the case of a 2-year-old boy who presented to our pediatric tertiary center after unsuccessful endoscopic removal of a chicken wishbone from the esophagus.

Results:

Radiologically, the wishbone was oriented with the tines pointing up. Endoscopic examination revealed the tips of both tines to be embedded deeply into the lateral walls of the esophageal mucosa. Esophagoscopy and protecting the sharp points of the wishbone were used to successfully extract the intact wishbone.

Conclusion:

Previous techniques have involved cutting the bone; however, in this case, tension was so high that it was felt that cutting the bone would result in perforation. Proper management of such cases requires planning and often multiple strategies.
Relative Capacity and the Spread of Rebellion
Authors: Holtermann Helge
Published: July 2014

This article explores how insurgencies emerge and spread within a country over time through an analysis of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. It argues that important processes underpinning the spread of insurgency are likely to change with shifts in the relative military capacity of belligerents. Importantly, insurgents can to a greater extent spread the insurgency by using coercion, material incentives, and movement of forces when they are militarily strong than when they are weak. This in turn leads to changes in the local conditions favorable to insurgency. I hypothesize that inaccessible terrains, preexisting rebel networks, and proximity to insurgent areas are likely to be important determinants of local insurgency onset during rebel weakness, but should decline in importance as the rebels gain strength. I find support for these arguments in a mixed-methods analysis of Nepal’s insurgency that combines a qualitative narrative and a quantitative event history analysis.
Designing foreign policy
Authors: McLean Elena V , Whang Taehee
Published: July 2014

The literature on economic sanctions has long studied sender countries’ policymaking as a simple choice between imposing sanctions to extract concessions from the targeted country and doing nothing. We depart from this simplifying assumption and analyze sanctions as a multifaceted foreign policy instrument. We argue that senders design sanction policies in response to policy preferences of two domestic constituencies. Voters expect a response to an international dispute in the form of some policy, such as economic sanctions; hence, the sender’s policymakers seek to demonstrate their competence in foreign affairs by imposing sanctions. Once the policymakers announce the use of sanctions, special interest groups that stand to experience economic losses when this foreign policy is implemented pressure the policymakers to choose sanction measures limiting such losses. As a result, the policymakers design sanction policies to include measures that will be less detrimental to special interest groups. We test our theoretical argument using the Threat and Imposition of Sanctions data and show that, while pressures from public opinion increase the likelihood of sanctions, special interest groups that benefit from the relationship with the target country are associated with a lower probability of the use of sanction measures that would impose substantial costs on domestic interest groups.
Delinquency in Adolescent Girls
Authors: Henneberger Angela K. , Tolan Patrick H. , Hipwell Alison E. , Keenan Kate
Published: July 2014

Determining the interdependence of family and peer influences on the development of delinquency is critical to defining and implementing effective interventions. This study explored the longitudinal relationship among harsh punishment, positive parenting, peer delinquency, and adolescent delinquency using data from a sub-sample of the Pittsburgh Girls Study. Participants were 622 adolescent girls (42% European American, 53% African American); families living in low-income neighborhoods were oversampled. After controlling for the effects of race, living in a single parent household, and receipt of public assistance, harsh punishment and peer delinquency in early adolescence were positively related to delinquency in mid-adolescence. No significant main effects of positive parenting or interaction effects between parenting and peer delinquency were observed. Thus, the effects of harsh parenting and peer delinquency are independent and perhaps additive, rather than interdependent. Results indicate the continued importance of targeting both parenting and peer relationships to prevent delinquency in adolescent girls.
Making Do, Making Home
Authors: Quintana Isabela Seong Leong
Published: July 2014

The racialized and gendered regulations of national borders through the industrialization of neighborhood geographies had a tremendous impact on daily work, home architecture, and social relationships in the Chinatown and Sonoratown neighborhoods of Los Angeles during the early twentieth century. Using space and gender as analytic lenses, this article examines the built environments of house courts in Sonoratown and Chinatown as windows into the everyday lives of Mexican and Chinese Angelenos. Women’s ordering of domestic space and intimate labor in and around the home spaces—in particular, their use of common spaces like courtyards and alleyways—blurred the categories that city and state agents designated for family, home, and nation, as they shaped conceptions of community that exceeded the logic of the nation-state.
Attitudinal and Non-Attitudinal Components of IAT Performance
Authors: Calanchini Jimmy , Sherman Jeffrey W. , Klauer Karl Christoph , Lai Calvin K.
Published: July 2014

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was designed to measure automatically activated attitudinal associations, free of the influence of processes that affect their expression. Subsequent research has shown that IAT performance also is influenced by non-associative processes, but the extent to which these non-associative processes are content-specific or if they operate similarly regardless of the attitude being measured has largely gone unexamined. In the current research, participants completed pairs of IATs that varied in conceptual overlap: Tests shared a high, moderate, or low degree of overlap in the measured attitudes. The Quad model was applied to estimate the contributions of four processes to IAT performance. Evidence was found for two relatively general, non-attitudinal processes and two relatively attitude-specific processes. Implications are discussed for interpretation of IAT scores, individual differences in IAT scores, and IAT score malleability.
Defects of Mitochondrial DNA Replication
Authors: Copeland William C.
Published: July 2014

Mitochondrial DNA is replicated by DNA polymerase γ in concert with accessory proteins such as the mitochondrial DNA helicase, single-stranded DNA binding protein, topoisomerase, and initiating factors. Defects in mitochondrial DNA replication or nucleotide metabolism can cause mitochondrial genetic diseases due to mitochondrial DNA deletions, point mutations, or depletion, which ultimately cause loss of oxidative phosphorylation. These genetic diseases include mitochondrial DNA depletion syndromes such as Alpers or early infantile hepatocerebral syndromes, and mitochondrial DNA deletion disorders, such as progressive external ophthalmoplegia, ataxia-neuropathy, or mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy. This review focuses on our current knowledge of genetic defects of mitochondrial DNA replication ( POLG, POLG2, C10orf2, and MGME1) that cause instability of mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial disease.
Treatment of Mitochondrial Disorders
Authors: Enns Gregory M.
Published: July 2014

Although mitochondrial disorders are among the most common inherited conditions that cause neurologic impairment, there are currently no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications designed to treat primary mitochondrial disease. This is in part related to the lack of biomarkers to monitor disease status or response to treatment and the paucity of randomized, controlled clinical trials focused on mitochondrial disease therapies. Despite this discouraging historical precedent, a number of new approaches to mitochondrial disease therapy are on the horizon. By studying metabolites central to redox chemistry, investigators are gaining new insights into potential noninvasive biomarkers. Controlled clinical trials designed to study the effects of novel redox-modulating therapies, such as EPI-743, in patients with inherited mitochondrial disease are also underway. Furthermore, several new compounds with potential effects on inner mitochondrial membrane function and mitochondrial biogenesis are in development. Such advances are providing the foundation for a new era in mitochondrial disease therapeutics.
Understanding the Role of Pension Obligation Bonds
Authors: Kilgour John G.
Published: July 2014

Taxable pension obligation bonds (POBs) emerged in 1993 and have been issued extensively by a number of state and local governments. POBs are almost always general obligation bonds (GOBs or GO bonds). They convert “soft” unfunded pension liabilities on the pension plans balance sheet into “hard” bond debt on the governmental employer’s balance sheet. California has been one of the big issuers of POBs. Due to a court decision requiring voter approval, the State of California has not issued POBs as have some states. However, a judicially created loophole allows county, municipal and other local governments to issue such pension bonds without voter approval and without regard to state constitutional debt limits. Many have done so. Bond issues are usually insured by one of a handful of Wall Street bond insurers. There have been a number of Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcies in California including that of the City of Stockton. The combination of POBs, bond insurers and Chapter 9 proceedings can result in an outcome that allows a government to transfer a large amount of unfunded pension debt to a bond insurer. That’s what happened in Stockton. There may be others.
Hegemony and Silence
Authors: Sue Christina A.
Published: July 2014

State-sponsored silences cloak topics, such as inequality, that are of considerable social significance. However, hegemonic processes protecting current power structures drive these subjects underground, making them resilient and resistant to exposure. This poses both methodological and epistemological dilemmas. The social forces that perpetuate these silences do not yield easily to researchers; scholars thus know little about the complex hegemonic mechanisms underlying these powerful social forces. In this article, based on my experience conducting ethnographic fieldwork in the context of Mexico’s state-sponsored silence on racism, I illustrate how silence and silencing discourses function as mechanisms to reproduce hegemonic social relations. I detail the numerous barriers I faced when attempting to penetrate the silence on racism, and how these seemingly unproductive encounters ironically resulted in exposing various silencing mechanisms. I address the bigger question of why the Mexican populace goes to great lengths to keep racism hidden: in maintaining the invisibility of racism, they reaffirm their national and moral identities. I conclude by sharing my “methodological toolkit” for studying state-sponsored silences.
Savaging civilization: Michel-Rolph Trouillot and the anthropology of the West
Authors: Neptune Harvey R
Published: July 2014

Given the risk of a diminishing interpretation of the accomplishment and ambition of Michel-Rolph Trouillot, his scholarly project can be profitably framed as a subversively ironic “Anthropology of the West.” Formal affiliation with Caribbean studies aside, Trouillot increasingly directed his versatile and formidable intellectual talents toward challenging the universal conceits of the “North Atlantic.” Especially in the publications that appeared in the wake of the Cold War (namely, Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History, and Global Transformations: Anthropology and the Modern World), he undertook a knowing interrogation of the narratives, concepts, and knowledge-making procedures that have legitimated the worldly power of this geopolitical province. A potently witty and learned critic of the tales that the West has told the world (and itself) about itself, Trouillot undertook the near “unthinkable”: conceiving of North Atlantic centers of “civilization” as fields—however powerful—inhabited by “natives” of a kind, he intellectually savaged Western “civilization.”
Ti Dife Boule sou Istwa Ayiti as Haitian civic education
Authors: Pierre Nathalie
Published: July 2014

Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s scholarship examines the world economy in relation to structural alliances between state leaders and commodity traders. His work suggests that the majority of formerly enslaved agricultural producers in the Caribbean became a politically marginalized “reconstituted peasantry.” In Ti Dife Boule sou Istwa Ayiti, Trouillot employs narrative tools characteristic of oral storytelling and magical realism to analyze such relationships during the Haitian Revolution. The text, written in Haitian Creole, interjects on debates about the relationship between colonial economies and metropolitan governments, the historicity of uneven development, and the foundational rupture between the Haitian state and nation. This article argues that Trouillot selects Grenn Pwomennen, a true product of syncretism, an erudite scholar clothed in the uniform of Haiti’s ubiquitous peasant working class, to artfully demonstrate that the solution to Haiti’s challenges remains with its peasant classes. Published in 1977, within the context of his immigration and personal sense of responsibility for the Haiti he left behind, Ti Dife Boule sou Istwa Ayiti reveals itself to be an ideal text for civic education and politicization among Haitians who only understand Creole.
Thomas N Bonner (1923–2003), medical historian
Authors: Bickel Marcel H
Published: July 2014

Thomas Bonner made a long academic career, teaching medical history and higher education at several American universities and presiding over three of these. He engaged in politics for 2 years. As a historian of medicine, he published important books on topics including Midwestern medicine, medical education in the United States and in European countries, the entry of women into medicine in the 19th century and on the educator Abraham Flexner. His works were based on exhaustive research, penetrating analysis, language skills and the ability to explain complex information in understandable terms. Bonner lived a passionate life of commitment and devotion to various worthwhile causes.
Design, modeling and experimental evaluation of a minimally invasive cage for spinal fusion surgery utilizing superelastic Nitinol hinges
Authors: Taheri Andani Masood , Anderson Walter , Elahinia Mohammad
Published: July 2014

Spinal fusion surgery is performed to alleviate low back pain, and a cage implant is a spacer that sits in between two vertebrae to allow for bone growth and fusion, all while relieving compression of the spinal cord. This paper presents the design, modeling, and experimental evaluation of a minimally invasive cage which utilizes superelastic Nitinol elliptical shaped hinges. The actuation mechanism is presented and the employed additive manufacturing technique is discussed. The modeling approach is also introduced and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the model.
Facilitating Emotional Awareness in a Career Counseling Context
Authors: Puffer Keith A.
Published: July 2014

Significant research on emotion and career development has transpired in the past few decades. Regrettably, certain aspects of emotional functioning germane to the career decision-making process remain ambiguous. Specifically, kinds and frequency of affective reactions to career options along with helpful ways to assimilate this emotional information in the counseling experience are unclarified. In contrast, this study operationalized an intervention designed to facilitate emotional awareness and tested it with a sample of 451 undergraduates exploring career information. Using a descriptive research design, a frequency distribution of 40,207 affective responses revealed six noticeable recurring emotions resulted from participants’ reflections on career possibilities. This pattern, consistent over a 3-year interval, comprised the majority (59%) of total elicited affect. Moreover, a statistically significant higher percentage of positive emotional responses emerged with college students’ self-assigned occupations relative to computer-generated careers. Practical applications of the affective information for career counseling purposes are also discussed.
The Career Indecision Profile
Authors: Abrams Matthew D. , Lee In Heok , Brown Steven D. , Carr Andrea
Published: July 2014

This study tested for the measurement equivalence of a four-factor measure of career indecision (Career Indecision Profile-65; CIP-65) in U.S. and South Korean samples. The study was conducted in three phases. In the first phase, we tested the measurement equivalence of the CIP-65 with samples of participants from the United States ( n = 488) and South Korea ( n = 574). Finding a lack of evidence for configural invariance, we randomly split the South Korean sample to establish a version of the CIP-65 that would better fit the South Korean data. First, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis on data collected from 200 participants. A five-factor model of career indecision emerged that contrasted with our four-factor model. Second, we tested the five-factor structure by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis on data collected from 374 participants. The results revealed that the five-factor model fit the data well. Implications from these findings for counseling and future research are discussed.
Pharmacologic Therapy for Reducing Myocardial Infarct Size in Clinical Trials
Authors: Sattur Sudhakar , Brener Sorin J. , Stone Gregg W.
Published: July 2014

In patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, early, successful, and durable reperfusion therapy optimizes the likelihood of favorable outcomes. Fibrinolysis and primary percutaneous coronary intervention improve survival compared to no reperfusion therapy in large part by reducing infarct size (IS) and preserving left ventricular ejection fraction. There is direct correlation between IS and clinical outcomes. In this article, we will review some of the more promising pharmacological agents geared toward reduction in IS, discuss the major pathways that can lead to this desirable outcome, and evaluate the results of clinical trials performed with these and other compounds.
Participant Adherence Indicators Predict Changes in Blood Pressure, Anthropometric Measures, and Self-Reported Physical Activity in a Lifestyle Intervention
Authors: Thomson Jessica L. , Landry Alicia S. , Zoellner Jamie M. , Connell Carol , Madson Michael B. , Molaison Elaine Fontenot , Yadrick Kathy
Published: July 2014

The objective of this secondary analysis was to evaluate the utility of several participant adherence indicators for predicting changes in clinical, anthropometric, dietary, fitness, and physical activity (PA) outcomes in a lifestyle intervention, HUB City Steps, conducted in a southern, African American cohort in 2010. HUB City Steps was a 6-month, community-engaged, multicomponent, noncontrolled intervention targeting hypertension risk factors. Descriptive indicators were constructed using two participant adherence measures, education session attendance (ESA) and weekly steps/day pedometer diary submission (PDS), separately and in combination. Analyses, based on data from 269 primarily African American adult participants, included bivariate tests of association and multivariable linear regression to determine significant relationships between seven adherence indicators and health outcome changes, including clinical, anthropometric, dietary, fitness, and PA measures. ESA indicators were significantly correlated with four health outcomes: body mass index (BMI), fat mass, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and PA (–.29 ≤ r ≤ .23, p < .05). PDS indicators were significantly correlated with PA ( r = .27, p < .001). Combination ESA/PDS indicators were significantly correlated with five health outcomes: BMI, percentage body fat (%BF), fat mass, LDL, and PA ( r = −.26 to .29, p < .05). Results from the multivariate models indicated that the combination ESA/PDS indicators were the most significant predictors of changes for five outcomes—%BF, fat mass, LDL diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and PA—while ESA performed best for BMI only. For DBP, a one-unit increase in the continuous-categorical ESA/PDS indicator resulted in 0.3 mm Hg decrease. Implications for assessing participant adherence in community-based, multicomponent lifestyle intervention research are discussed.