bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Cerebral Autoregulation in Pregnancy and the Risk of Preeclampsia
Authors: Janzarik Wibke G. , Ehlers Elena , Ehmann Renata , Gerds Thomas A. , Schork Joscha , Mayer Sebastian , Gabriel Boris , Weiller Cornelius , Prömpeler Heinrich , Reinhard Matthias
Published: October 2013

Preeclampsia may affect severely the cerebral circulation leading to impairment of cerebral autoregulation, edema, and ischemia. It is not known whether impaired autoregulation occurs before the clinical onset of preeclampsia, and whether this can predict the occurrence of preeclampsia. Seventy-two women at 25 to 28 weeks of gestation were studied. Control values were derived from 26 nonpregnant women. Dynamic properties of cerebral autoregulation (DCA) were measured in the middle and posterior cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler and transfer function analysis (phase and gain) of respiratory-induced 0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations. Uterine artery ultrasound was performed to search for a notch sign as an early marker of general endothelial dysfunction. All women were followed up until 6 weeks after delivery for the occurrence of preeclampsia. The autoregulation parameter gain did not differ between pregnant and nonpregnant women. Phase was slightly but significantly higher in pregnant women, indicating better DCA. Women with a notch sign did not show altered DCA. A history of preeclampsia during a previous pregnancy was associated with lower phase in middle cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery (
P
<0.05 each). During follow-up, 9 women developed preeclampsia. None of the DCA parameters were associated with the occurrence of preeclampsia. In conclusion, DCA is well preserved during late midterm pregnancy, even in women with disturbed uterine blood flow. Yet, pregnant women with preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy seem to have poorer DCA. Although limited in statistical power, this study does not support DCA as a strong early risk marker of preeclampsia.
Dietary and Urinary Metabonomic Factors Possibly Accounting for Higher Blood Pressure of Black Compared With White Americans
Authors: Stamler Jeremiah , Brown Ian J. , Yap Ivan K.S. , Chan Queenie , Wijeyesekera Anisha , Garcia-Perez Isabel , Chadeau-Hyam Marc , Ebbels Timothy M.D. , De Iorio Maria , Posma Joram , Daviglus Martha L. , Carnethon Mercedes , Holmes Elaine , Nicholson Jeremy K. , Elliott Paul
Published: October 2013

Black compared with non-Hispanic white Americans have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure and rates of prehypertension/hypertension. Reasons for these adverse findings remain obscure. Analyses here focused on relations of foods/nutrients/urinary metabolites and higher black blood pressure for 369 black compared with 1190 non-Hispanic white Americans aged 40 to 59 years from 8 population samples. Multiple linear regression, standardized data from four 24-hour dietary recalls per person, two 24-hour urine collections, and 8 blood pressure measurements were used to quantitate the role of foods, nutrients, and metabolites in higher black blood pressure. Compared with non-Hispanic white Americans, blacks’ average systolic/diastolic pressure was higher by 4.7/3.4 mm Hg (men) and 9.0/4.8 mm Hg (women). Control for higher body mass index of black women reduced excess black systolic/diastolic pressure to 6.8/3.8 mm Hg. Lesser intake of vegetables, fruits, grains, vegetable protein, glutamic acid, starch, fiber, minerals, and potassium, and higher intake of processed meats, pork, eggs, and sugar-sweetened beverages, along with higher cholesterol and higher Na/K ratio, related to in higher black blood pressure. Control for 11 nutrient and 10 non-nutrient correlates reduced higher black systolic/diastolic pressure to 2.3/2.3 mm Hg (52% and 33% reduction in men) and to 5.3/2.8 mm Hg (21% and 27% reduction in women). Control for foods/urinary metabolites had little further influence on higher black blood pressure. Less favorable multiple nutrient intake by blacks than non-Hispanic white Americans accounted, at least in part, for higher black blood pressure. Improved dietary patterns can contribute to prevention/control of more adverse black blood pressure levels.
Novel Role of the Renin–Angiotensin System in Preeclampsia Superimposed on Chronic Hypertension and the Effects of Exercise in a Mouse Model
Authors: Genest Dominique S. , Falcao Stéphanie , Michel Catherine , Kajla Sonia , Germano Mark F. , Lacasse Andrée-Anne , Vaillancourt Cathy , Gutkowska Jolanta , Lavoie Julie L.
Published: October 2013

Gestational hypertensive disorders, such as preeclampsia, affect 6% to 8% of all pregnancies in North America, and they are the leading cause of maternal mortality in industrialized countries, accounting for 16% of deaths. Women with hypertension have an increased risk (15% to 25%) of developing preeclampsia. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms implicated in preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension and in the protective effects of exercise in a mouse model. Female mice overexpressing human angiotensinogen and human renin were used as a model of preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension. In the trained group, mothers were placed in cages with access to a wheel before mating, and they remained within these throughout gestation. Blood pressure was measured by telemetry. We found that angiotensin II type I receptor was increased, whereas the Mas receptor was decreased in the placenta and the aorta of pregnant sedentary transgenic mice. This would produce a decrease in angiotensin-(1–7) effects in favor of angiotensin II. Supporting the functional contribution of this modulation, we found that the prevention of most pathological features in trained transgenic mice was associated with a normalization of placental angiotensin II type 1 and Mas receptors and an increase in aortic Mas receptor. We also found reduced circulating and placental soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 in trained transgenic mice compared with sedentary mice. This study demonstrates that modulation of the renin–angiotensin system is a key mechanism in the development of preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension, which can be altered by exercise training to prevent disease features in an animal model.
Neural Representation of Spatial Topology in the Rodent Hippocampus
Authors: Chen Zhe , Gomperts Stephen N. , Yamamoto Jun , Wilson Matthew A.
Published: October 2013

Pyramidal cells in the rodent hippocampus often exhibit clear spatial tuning in navigation. Although it has been long suggested that pyramidal cell activity may underlie a topological code rather than a topographic code, it remains unclear whether an abstract spatial topology can be encoded in the ensemble spiking activity of hippocampal place cells. Using a statistical approach developed previously, we investigate this question and related issues in greater detail. We recorded ensembles of hippocampal neurons as rodents freely foraged in one- and two-dimensional spatial environments and used a “decode-to-uncover” strategy to examine the temporally structured patterns embedded in the ensemble spiking activity in the absence of observed spatial correlates during periods of rodent navigation or awake immobility. Specifically, the spatial environment was represented by a finite discrete state space. Trajectories across spatial locations (“states”) were associated with consistent hippocampal ensemble spiking patterns, which were characterized by a state transition matrix. From this state transition matrix, we inferred a topology graph that defined the connectivity in the state space. In both one- and two-dimensional environments, the extracted behavior patterns from the rodent hippocampal population codes were compared against randomly shuffled spike data. In contrast to a topographic code, our results support the efficiency of topological coding in the presence of sparse sample size and fuzzy space mapping. This computational approach allows us to quantify the variability of ensemble spiking activity, examine hippocampal population codes during off-line states, and quantify the topological complexity of the environment.
Critical Thinking in General Education in China
Authors: Jiang Joseph
Published: October 2013

In the last two decades or so, educating students with critical thinking, creativity and innovative skills has become a primary concern for many teachers, policy makers, university administrators, and even parents in China. This paper explores the development of cultivating students with critical thinking and its challenges. Current education reform in China indicates that policymakers and university administrators show serious concern, but under the pressure of exam-oriented education, memorization, and lecture pedagogy, faculty, university administrators and policy makers have not embraced it whole-heartedly. This research also found that general education is valued in Chinese higher education institutions, and will be more effective as politics, economy and society more developed in China.
A molecular and morphological characterization of Oliver’s parrot snake, Leptophis coeruleodorsus (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae) with the description of a new species from Tobago
Authors: MURPHY JOHN C. , CHARLES STEVLAND P. , LEHTINEN RICHARD M. , KOELLER KRISTA L.
Published: October 2013

Currently, two snake species of the genus Leptophis occur in Trinidad and Tobago. One, L. stimsoni, is endemic to Trinidad’s Northern Range and known from relatively few specimens. The second is the diurnal, arboreal, brightly colored parrot snake Leptophis coeruleodorsus Oliver. It was originally described based on 23 specimens from Trinidad, Tobago, and four locations in northern Venezuela but remains poorly known. It was later assigned as a subspecies of Leptophis ahaetulla; a widespread, polytypic species. Here we compare 11 specimens of the L. ahaetulla Group using DNA sequences from two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and 16S, 1,383 bp total) from island and mainland populations, report on the variation in the morphology of 54 museum specimens of Leptophis a. coeruleodorsus; describe the previously undescribed holotype of L. coeruleodorsus Oliver, and restrict its type locality. Additionally, we describe a new species of Leptophis from the island of Tobago that can be distinguished from L. coeruleodorsus on the basis of snout shape, upper labial architecture, elongated prefrontal scales, and ventral scale counts. The new Leptophis raises the number of endemic Tobago amphibians and reptiles to 11 taxa.
A Direct Link between Feature Tracking and Height Assignment of Operational EUMETSAT Atmospheric Motion Vectors
Authors: Borde Régis , Doutriaux-Boucher Marie , Dew Greg , Carranza Manuel
Published: October 2013

Height assignment (HA) is currently the most challenging task in the operational atmospheric motion vectors’ (AMV) extraction scheme. Several sources of error are associated with the height assignment step, including the sensitivity of the HA methods to several atmospheric parameters. However, one of the main difficulties is to identify, for the HA calculation, the most significant image pixels used in the feature-tracking process. The most widely used method selects the coldest pixels in a representative target box (e.g., coldest 25%) to infer the height of the detected feature, irrespective of what was tracked. This paper presents a method based on a closer link between the pixels used for tracking and their HA. The individual contribution to the overall tracking cross-correlation coefficient is used to identify the most significant pixels contributing to the tracking. This approach has been implemented operationally at European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) to derive AMVs since September 2012. This paper details the method, gives specific examples, and provides a first glance at its performances and benefits for the operational AMV production.
Conservation of Mass and Preservation of Positivity with Ensemble-Type Kalman Filter Algorithms
Authors: Janjić Tijana , McLaughlin Dennis , Cohn Stephen E. , Verlaan Martin
Published: October 2013

This paper considers the incorporation of constraints to enforce physically based conservation laws in the ensemble Kalman filter. In particular, constraints are used to ensure that the ensemble members and the ensemble mean conserve mass and remain nonnegative through measurement updates. In certain situations filtering algorithms such as the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and ensemble transform Kalman filter (ETKF) yield updated ensembles that conserve mass but are negative, even though the actual states must be nonnegative. In such situations if negative values are set to zero, or a log transform is introduced, the total mass will not be conserved. In this study, mass and positivity are both preserved by formulating the filter update as a set of quadratic programming problems that incorporate nonnegativity constraints. Simple numerical experiments indicate that this approach can have a significant positive impact on the posterior ensemble distribution, giving results that are more physically plausible both for individual ensemble members and for the ensemble mean. In two examples, an update that includes a nonnegativity constraint is able to properly describe the transport of a sharp feature (e.g., a triangle or cone). A number of implementation questions still need to be addressed, particularly the need to develop a computationally efficient quadratic programming update for large ensemble.
Le dialogue interculturel et le choc de la sécularisation
Authors: Bürgi Stéphane
Published: October 2013

Face aux défis du dialogue interculturel, le Pape Benoît XVI soutient que la privatisation de la religion et l’exclusion de Dieu de la sphère publique ne sont pas des solutions : « Les tenants de cette exclusion positiviste du divin du domaine de la raison universelle ne font pas que nier ce qui est une des convictions les plus profondes des croyants, ils font obstacle au vrai dialogue des cultures qu’ils appellent pourtant de leurs vœux ». Si le Pape interpelle les croyants pour qu’ils se comportent comme des « minorités créatives », il rappelle également aux États modernes qu’une neutralité religieuse absolue est une voie sans issue.
Low Visual-Perceptive Ability Cognitive Profile Places Urban Greek Kindergarten Children “At Risk” For Dyslexic Learning Difficulties
Authors: Bonti Eleni , Tzouriadou Maria
Published: October 2013

A low visual-perceptive cognitive profile may predispose Greek kindergarten-aged children in urban areas to develop subsequent learning difficulties. The aim of the current study was, through the use of static and nonstatic diagnostic tools and early diagnostic procedures and a special intervention program, to equalize the big declinations in the children’s performances, among the different cognitive areas, to reduce the cognitive risk factor and, possibly, to avoid the appearance of learning difficulties at a later age. The Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude–2 (DTLA-2) was used to assess 60 children aged between 6.0 and 6.3 years, and a 20-session educational intervention program was implemented. One-year follow-up (35 children) shows a better balance in their cognitive profile was achieved compared with the control group. These results underline the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate intervention in children with specific cognitive profiles, who are “at risk” of developing subsequent learning difficulties.
High School Psychology
Authors: Keith Kenneth D. , Hammer Elizabeth Yost , Blair-Broeker Charles T. , Ernst Randal M.
Published: October 2013

Although institutional recognition of high school psychology is fairly recent, psychology and psychological subject matters have a history dating to at least the 1830s. By the middle of the twentieth century, high school psychology courses existed in nearly all U.S. states, and enrollments grew throughout the second half of the century. However, courses were usually elective, and most teachers lacked degrees in psychology. Studies in the latter half of the twentieth century suggested that high school psychology courses did little to prepare students for college-level psychology, probably because the high school classes often did not include core subject matters of psychological science. However, the 1990s brought several landmark developments for high school psychology, including establishment of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPPS), a number of university-sponsored institutes providing professional development for teachers, and inauguration of the Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology program. Today, high school psychology teachers enjoy increased recognition within the American Psychological Association (APA), availability of significant teaching resources, and national standards to guide course development. A million students annually take high school psychology, with about a quarter million taking the AP Psychology exam. The course is now recognized as an important first exposure to psychological science.
Performance improvement of ammonia/absorbent air source absorption heat pump in cold regions
Authors: Wu W , Wang BL , Shi WX , Li XT
Published: October 2013

Air source absorption heat pump is promising in energy saving and emission reduction of heating and domestic hot water, but performs badly or even cannot work in cold climate. The ammonia/absorbent air source absorption heat pump with low-pressure boosting is proposed to solve the problem. The hybrid air source absorption heat pump + compressor system is modeled and the compression ratio is optimized to obtain maximum primary energy efficiency. The integrated system is simulated with air temperature ranging from −30℃ to 10℃ and hot water temperature from 30℃ to 60℃. Comparative simulations on three working fluids reveal that NH3–LiNO3 system has the lowest compression ratio and the highest primary energy efficiency value. By pressure boosting, the air source absorption heat pump can operate under air temperatures as low as −30℃. Primary energy efficiency of the hybrid system is about 15–50% higher than that of coal boiler, showing great potential for heat supply in cold regions.

Practical application: Heating and domestic hot water consumes a large amount of energy every year. Air source absorption heat pump can be a potential alternative to the traditional boiler systems in the point view of primary energy efficiency. However, air source absorption heat pump performs badly or cannot work when the air temperature is low. This paper presents a hybrid air source absorption heat pump with pressure boosting to improve the performance of the air source absorption heat pump heating system, making it operate under lower outdoor air temperatures with higher primary energy efficiency. The novel heat supply system is expected to make contributions to building energy saving as well as pollution reduction.
The ‘killer’ CV
Authors: Harper Ray
Published: October 2013

This article discusses the use, value and relevance of the curriculum vitae (CV) for information professionals. CVs can be valuable in seeking jobs through ‘hidden approaches’ and networking, and clearly meet the needs of private sector job applications. They can also enable professional agility through regular skills assessments, and the CV format lends itself well to conveying a professional’s personality. On the downside, CVs are not relevant to public sector roles, can omit much key information, and can engender subjective responses from recruiters. The conciseness and self-promotion intrinsic to the CV format also conflict with core values within the information profession. The article concludes that CVs are a useful tool on a variety of levels, raising self-awareness, conveying personality and addressing individual and organizational needs.
Effects of Ureaplasma urealyticum lipid-associated membrane proteins on rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts
Authors: Fu Min , Chen Li Hui , Xia Guangtao , Zhang Yuanchao
Published: October 2013

Objectives

As an infectious agent might play a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development, this study investigated effects of Ureaplasma urealyticum lipid-associated membrane proteins (UuLAMPs) on RA synovial fibroblast (RASF) proliferation, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β production by THP-1 macrophages. Possible immunogenic proteins in UuLAMPs were identified.

Methods

RASFs were cultured from synovial tissue from donors with RA. Serum samples from donors with/without RA and with/without U. urealyticum infection were used for immunogenicity analyses. THP-1 macrophages served as a model for synovial macrophages. TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA levels were assessed using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction; protein levels were estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. UuLAMPs underwent separation and Western blot analyses.

Results

UuLAMPs (0.025–0.4 µg/ml) stimulated RASF proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and increased TNF-α and IL-1β levels in THP-1 macrophages. Several immunogenic UuLAMPs were identified, but antibodies to a 25 kDa protein were only found in RA patients with U. urealyticum infection.

Conclusions

UuLAMPs might induce RASF proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine secretion in synovium from RA patients. A 25 kDa U. urealyticum protein might act as a cross-reactive antigen.
Genetically-engineered mesenchymal stem cells transfected with human HCN1 gene to create cardiac pacemaker cells
Authors: Zhou Ya-Feng , Yang Xiang-Jun , Li Hong-Xia , Han Lian-Huan , Jiang Wen-Ping
Published: October 2013

Objective

To test the proof-of-principle that genetically-engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfected with the human hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 1 ( hHCN1) gene can be modified to become cardiac pacemaker cells.

Methods

MSCs were transfected with the hHCN1 gene using lentiviral-based transfection. The expressed pacemaker current ( If) in hHCN1-transfected MSCs was recorded using whole-cell patch-clamp analysis. The effect of the hHCN1-transfected MSCs on cardiomyocyte excitability was determined by coculturing the MSCs with neonatal rabbit ventricular myocytes (NRVM). The spontaneous action potentials of the NRVM were recorded by whole-cell current-clamp analysis.

Results

A high level time- and voltage-dependent inward hyperpolarization current that was inhibited by 4 mM caesium chloride was detected in hHCN1-transfected MSCs, suggesting that the HCN1 proteins acted as If channels in MSCs. The mean ± SE beating frequency in NRVMs cocultured with control MSCs transfected with the pcDNA3 plasmid control was 82 ± 8 beats/min ( n = 5) compared with 129 ± 11 beats/min ( n = 5) in NRVMs cocultured with hHCN1-transfected MSCs.

Conclusions

Genetically-engineered MSCs transfected with the hHCN1 gene can be modified to become cardiac pacemaker cells.
Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome in the Backyard Chicken
Authors: Trott K. A. , Giannitti F. , Rimoldi G. , Hill A. , Woods L. , Barr B. , Anderson M. , Mete A.
Published: October 2013

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome, characterized by sudden death in overconditioned hens due to hepatic rupture and hemorrhage, is one of the leading noninfectious idiopathic causes of mortality in backyard chickens. Nutritional, genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors, or combinations of these, have been proposed yet not proven as the underlying cause. In an attempt to characterize the hepatic changes leading to the syndrome, this retrospective case study examined 76 backyard chickens that were diagnosed with fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome between January 2007 and September 2012 and presented for necropsy to the diagnostic laboratory of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System. A majority of the birds were female (99%), obese (97.5%), and in active lay (69.7%). Livers were examined histologically, and the degree of hepatocellular vacuolation (lipidosis), the reticular stromal architecture, the presence of collagenous connective tissue, and vascular wall changes were evaluated and graded using hematoxylin and eosin, Gomori’s reticulin, oil red O, Masson’s trichrome, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson stains. Interestingly, there was no correlation between lipidosis and reticulin grades; hepatocellular lipidosis was absent in 22% of the cases and mild in 26% of the cases. Additionally, there was evidence of repeated bouts of intraparenchymal hemorrhage before the acute “bleed-out” in 35.5% of the cases. These data are not supportive of the previously proposed causes and provide a framework for future studies to elucidate the pathogenesis of this condition. Furthermore, the data shown in this study support hemorrhagic liver syndrome as a more accurate name, as hepatic lipidosis is absent in a significant proportion of ruptured livers.
N-cadherin Expression in Feline Mammary Tumors Is Associated With a Reduced E-cadherin Expression and the Presence of Regional Metastasis
Authors: Buendia A. J. , Peñafiel-Verdu C. , Navarro J. A. , Vilafranca M. , Sanchez J.
Published: October 2013

The cadherin family of adhesion molecules regulates cell-cell interactions. N-cadherin is expressed by neural and fibroblast cells but not by normal epithelial cells. In human medicine, the role of N-cadherin in breast cancer remains controversial, but some studies have described the switch from E-cadherin to N-cadherin as a critical step in the malignant progression of neoplastic cells. The present study was carried out on 160 feline mammary tumors (21 adenomas and 139 carcinomas). The relationship between the immunohistochemical expression of N-cadherin in neoplastic epithelial cells and 2 established prognostic factors such as regional metastasis and tumor grade was examined. The results of the study showed a statistically significant relation between the expression of N-cadherin and the 2 prognostic factors, and also a reduced expression of E-cadherin in tumors that expressed N-cadherin.
Exploring the Dimensionality of a Brief School Readiness Screener for Use With Latino/a Children
Authors: Quirk Matthew , Rebelez Jennica , Furlong Michael
Published: October 2013

This study contributed to the school readiness literature by examining the factor structure and reliability of a revised version of the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP). Teachers rated 579 Latino/a children during the first month of kindergarten using the KSEP. Factor analysis procedures (exploratory factor analysis [EFA] and confirmatory factor analysis [CFA]) supported a two-factor solution, social-emotional (SE; α = .88), cognitive (COG; α = .81), factor loadings > .51. These results provide evidence supporting the interpretation of KSEP ratings as distinct measures of Latino/a children’s SE and COG readiness at the time of kindergarten entry. Additional implications of the findings are also discussed.
Pediatric-Onset Extracephalic Stabbing Pain
Authors: Kakisaka Yosuke , Kano Shinsuke , Hino-Fukuyo Naomi , Uematsu Mitsugu , Kure Shigeo
Published: October 2013

Idiopathic stabbing headache is a primary headache defined as “transient stabs of pain in the head that occur spontaneously in the absence of underlying organic disease.” Although its variant form, stabbing pain with extracephalic distribution, has been reported in rare adult cases, pediatric presentation is extremely rare. We report an 8-year-old boy suffering from severe stabbing pain in the left side of the chest, right side of the abdomen, and right knee lasting 2 to 3 minutes with increasing frequency. He was completely normal between attacks. The attack was not accompanied with headache initially. Investigation showed no abnormality. A diagnosis of extracephalic stabbing pain was made. The patient’s symptoms were ameliorated by administration of valproic acid. This report illustrates that extracephalic stabbing pain can occur in pediatric patients. It is important to be aware of this peculiar condition because the pain is so severe, and it can be treatable with medication.
Neuro-Behçet Disease Presenting With Acute Psychosis in an Adolescent
Authors: Patel Puja , Steinschneider Mitchell , Boneparth Alexis , Lantos George
Published: October 2013

Behçet disease is a systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology that can affect the neurologic system. Neuro-Behçet disease is not well defined in children and adolescents, and the diagnosis is difficult to make in this population as they often present with insufficient symptoms to meet diagnostic criteria. Psychiatric symptoms as the initial manifestation of neuro-Behçet disease has rarely been reported. We describe a 17-year-old boy who presented with acute psychosis and was subsequently diagnosed with neuro-Behçet disease. A rare combination of both cerebral venous thrombosis and parenchymal central nervous system involvement was identified by neuroimaging. Although treatment guidelines for neuro-Behçet disease are limited, the patient made demonstrative clinical and radiographic improvement with a combination of corticosteroids, anticoagulation, and immunosuppressants, including a tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) blocking agent.
Migraine Equivalents in Childhood
Authors: Teixeira Karine C. S. , Montenegro Maria Augusta , Guerreiro Marilisa M.
Published: October 2013

Migraine equivalents are a group of periodic and paroxysmal neurologic diseases. Because headache is not a prominent symptom, the diagnosis might be challenging. The objective of the study was to evaluate the frequency and outcome of migraine equivalents. This was a retrospective study. We included benign paroxysmal torticollis of infancy, benign paroxysmal vertigo of infancy, abdominal migraine, cyclic vomiting, aura without migraine, and confusional migraine. We evaluated the frequency of events, treatment, and outcome. Out of 674 children with headache, 38 (5.6%) presented with migraine equivalents. Twenty-one were boys and the mean age was 6.1 years. Fifteen had abdominal migraine, 12 benign paroxysmal vertigo, 5 confusional migraine, 3 aura without migraine, 2 paroxysmal torticollis, and 1 cyclic vomiting. Prophylactic treatment was introduced in 23 patients; 4 lost follow-up and 19 had significant improvement. We conclude that the correct diagnosis of migraine equivalents enables an effective treatment with an excellent outcome.
Investigation of rheological behavior of polyamide 6/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene/nanoclay in transient shear flow
Authors: Mojarrad Azim , Ramazani SA Ahmad , Ghasemi Ismaeel , Vaziri Ali
Published: October 2013

Linear and nonlinear (in both steady and transient shear flows) rheological properties of polyamide 6/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (PA6/ABS) nanocomposite blends have been investigated. Characterization of nanocomposite samples morphology by scanning electron microscopy revealed that with increasing nanoclay loading, size of dispersing phase droplets decreases significantly and their uniformity improved considerably. Transmission electron microscopy observations clearly display a coexistence of intercalate and exfoliate structure for nanoclay in the polymer-blend nanocomposite. On the other hand, we see that the tactoids are collected of a few silicate layers and possibly also of a single silicate. In other words, the results on rheological properties indicated that overshoots were observed for the start-up tests after different shear rates and delay times. Also, the results showed that the height of these overshoots increased with the applied shear rate and delay time. In addition, the overshoots are highly dependent on the network structure of the blends, and the magnitude of the overshoots increases with increasing nanoclay content. Hence, at very short delay time, the transient shear viscosity does not display any overshoot, while with increment in the delay time, the overshoot appears and increases as the delay time increases. Presented results revealed that increment in the preshearing rate decreases elastic and increases viscose behavior of nanocomposite samples.
The extent of cognitivism
Authors: Arponen V. P. J.
Published: October 2013

In this article, cognitivism is understood as the view that the engine of human (individual and collective) action is the intentional, dispositional, or other mental capacities of the brain or the mind. Cognitivism has been criticized for considering the essence of human action to reside in its alleged source in mental processes at the expense of the social surroundings of the action, criticism that has often been inspired by Ludwig Wittgenstein's later philosophy. This article explores the logical extent of the critique of cognitivism, arguing that by positing collectively shared knowledge of criteria as the engine of human action many such critiques themselves display latent cognitivism.
The untamed archive
Authors: Jeurgens Charles
Published: October 2013

Interest in the history of colonized areas has always been existent. For utilitarian purposes colonizers wanted to know more about the past of the areas they started to trade with and where they settled themselves. This article is confined to the use of the sources for the writing of history in the Dutch East Indies in the 19th century. On a limited scale and for diverse purposes, colonial civil servants, scholars and amateur historians started to investigate the history of the colony. This article scrutinizes whether in the 19th-century Dutch East Indies the European tendency to base history writing on a systematic use of archival sources became in vogue. This question, however, raises immediately some epistemological and practical problems that will be discussed in this article. Was there a similar European concept of archives in the Dutch East Indies? How were indigenous archival sources valued and used? What infrastructure was available to study historical archives? This explorative case study shows how historical interest within a 19th-century colony got stuck into an almost obsessive collecting of historical archives and other source material as a prerequisite for historical research.
A force equalization controller for active/active redundant actuation system involving servo-hydraulic and electro-mechanical technologies
Authors: Wang Lijian , Maré Jean-Charles
Published: October 2013

The force equalization of a hybrid actuation system combining one servo-hydraulic actuator and one electro-mechanical actuator operated in position control and in active/active mode is addressed for safety critical applications such as primary flight controls. In a first step, an accurate virtual test bench is built to facilitate the analysis of force fighting and the assessment of the performance and robustness of the proposed force equalization strategies. It is validated from real experiments performed for the aileron actuator of a single-aisle commercial aircraft. Static force equalization is achieved first by adding equalization offsets in the position control loops as a function of the integral of the force difference between actuators. In order to keep a high level of segregation, the authority for this action is limited to 4% of the total actuator stroke. The dynamic force equalization is performed by forcing the two actuators to follow the same path. Thus, a trajectory generator is introduced to output the required position, velocity and acceleration from the position set point with realistic reproduction of the actuator power limits. Feedforward actions are used to compensate the major and invariant effects such as servo-hydraulic actuators functional flow and electro-mechanical actuator inertial torque. In this way, the pursuit errors are significantly reduced without decreasing robustness. Then, the accurate virtual test bench is used to assess the robustness of the force equalization strategy by analyzing the sensitivity of performance indicators to parameters and operating conditions. It is shown that the proposed force equalization scheme meets all the requirements, including segregation, robustness and simplicity.
Active vibration control of flexible manipulator using auto disturbance rejection and input shaping
Authors: Luo Bo , Huang Hai , Shan Jinjun , Nishimura Hidekazu
Published: October 2013

This paper presents a vibration control strategy for a flexible manipulator with a collocated piezoelectric sensor/actuator pair. A hybrid vibration controller is proposed by combining the input shaping technique with auto disturbance rejection controller. The parameters of the closed-loop system can be adjusted to the known values by disturbance compensation and linear feedback using the auto disturbance rejection controller. This way, input shaper can be designed without accurate parameters of the flexible manipulator. Both simulation and experiments are conducted to validate the proposed control algorithm. The results verified the effectiveness of the proposed controller in vibration suppression of flexible manipulator.
Controlling Intentions
Authors: Bugg Julie M. , Scullin Michael K.
Published: October 2013

Decades of cognitive-control research have highlighted the difficulty of controlling a prepotent response. We examined whether having prepotent prospective-memory intentions similarly heightens the difficulty associated with stopping an intention once a prospective-memory task is finished. In three experiments, participants encoded a prospective-memory intention (e.g., press Q in response to the targets corn and dancer) and subsequently encountered either four targets or zero targets. Instructions then indicated that the prospective-memory task was finished. In a follow-up task, the targets appeared, and commission errors were recorded. Surprisingly, it was easier for participants to stop the intention when it had been fulfilled (four-target condition) than when it had gone unfulfilled (zero-target condition; Experiments 1 and 2). This was true even after intention cancellation (Experiment 2). Although repeatedly performing an intention strengthens target-action links, it appears to enable deactivation of the intention, a process that is largely target specific (Experiment 3). We relate these findings to the Zeigarnik effect, target-action deactivation, and reconsolidation theories.
Theoretical analysis of the energy performance of three low global warming potential hydro-fluorocarbon refrigerants as R134a alternatives in refrigeration systems
Authors: Bolaji BO
Published: October 2013

In this study, the energy performances of low global warming potential R152a, R161 and R1234yf refrigerants were investigated theoretically as alternatives to R134a in vapour compression refrigeration system. The results obtained showed that the saturation vapour pressures for R152a and R1234yf are very close to the pressure of R134a, which indicates similar properties, while that of R161, between the temperatures range of −30℃ and 40℃, deviated significantly by being 49.2% higher than that of R134a. R152a emerged as the most energy efficient of the investigated refrigerants with average power per ton of refrigeration being 30.5% less than that of R134a. R152a and R161 exhibited higher volumetric refrigerating capacity and coefficient of performance than did R134a. The highest coefficient of performance was obtained using R152a in the system, with average value being 43.5% higher than that of R134a, while the average coefficient of performances for R161 and R1234yf are 4.8% higher and 7.1% lower, respectively. Generally, R152a performed better than other two alternatives, except that it is mildly flammable refrigerant. Major system redesign will be required before R161 can be employed as substitute for R134a. Also, R1234yf showed slightly low energy performance in terms of power per ton of refrigeration, volumetric refrigerating capacity and coefficient of performance.
The development of genome-wide association studies and their application to complex diseases, including lupus
Authors: Bentham J , Vyse TJ
Published: October 2013

In this review, we explain the motivation for carrying out genome-wide association studies (GWAS), contrasting the achievements of linkage-based experiments for Mendelian traits with the difficulties found when applying that type of experiment to complex diseases. We explain the technical and organizational developments that were required to make GWAS feasible, as well as some of the theoretical concerns that were raised during the design of these studies.

We describe the impressive achievements of GWAS in lupus, and compare them with the experiences in three other genetically complex disorders: rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and coronary heart disease. GWAS have been successful in identifying many new susceptibility loci for these four diseases, and have provided the motivation for novel immunological work.

We conclude by describing preliminary steps that have been taken towards translating the results of GWAS into improvements in patient care, explaining some of the difficulties involved, as well as successes that have already been achieved.
Transient ischemic attack and stroke in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Timlin H , Petri M
Published: October 2013

Ischemic stroke is increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The differential diagnosis of stroke in SLE is complex. Transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke share pathophysiologic mechanisms, but prognosis may vary depending on severity and cause, and definitions are dependent on the timing and extent of the diagnostic evaluation. In SLE patients with a history of transient ischemic attacks, stroke occurred in 57%. Cerebrovascular events account for 20% to 30% of deaths in patients with SLE. In SLE, both disease-specific and traditional stroke risk factors are important.
‘Girls are to be seen, not to be heard’: Understanding the Social Trauma of Kutchi Girls in Post-earthquake Gujarat
Authors: Kumar Manasi
Published: October 2013

The focus on children in the context of everyday life under vulnerable conditions offers great promise for enriching our understanding of how disputations over culture and forms of belongingness are enacted repeatedly and undramatically: here culture takes a living form rather than a fixed one. The proposed paper is part of a larger project that examines psychological and social trauma of child survivors of the 2001–02 Gujarat earthquake and riots. Interactions with Kutchi girls from villages of Lodai, Khengarpur, Khavda and outskirts of Bhuj enabled the researcher to explore the diverse ways in which gender structures the notions of childhood, household work and domesticity defines their identity, ‘inhibition’, ‘absence’ and ‘invisibility’ of a certain kind were emblematic of their personalities. Keeping these thematics in mind, a critical commentary, Child Attachment Interviews (CAIs) narratives, with girl-survivors of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake is offered. Attachment ( anaclisis, in Greek, meaning dependence/leaning on; in Freudian oeuvre often linked with the problematic of need versus drives) is understood as a basic human survival need, embedded within a dialectical intra-psychic/inter-subjective matrix that pervades culture and socialisation. Girls’ impoverished responses during the interviews were marked by long pauses, absent glances, occasional smiles; with mainly monosyllables spoken about their own self though maintaining adultomorphic views of work, their duties and family’s expectations. Each interview was more or less a carbon copy of the other. At one level the interviews try to tap into the nature of ties between child and their families, on another level these act as testimonies where differentiating narrative modes of thought from narrative discourse (Bruner, 2004) allowing an exploration into the psychic vicissitudes of this language of absence and everyday existence marked by painful endurance. The paper develops these observations further to argue that trauma in the case of these girls is a continual disenfranchisement of their voices, needs and desires. Attachment trauma in these young girls is this inability and failure of their families to adequately nurture (psychological and social) capabilities (Robeyns, 2003; Sen, 1982) in the (girl) child and this ‘lack’/trauma has an intergenerational transmission and import (Grubich-Simitis, 1984; Felman & Laub, 1992). The paper illuminates the symptom these girls have become (being mute, stoic [multiple/ongoing] trauma survivors) and behind this symptom lies social depravities such as gender discrimination and child-rights violation where the mother (and remaining family) is not only implicated but caught in the same rigmarole—of patriarchal hubris.
The viva voce as an authentic assessment for clinical psychology students
Authors: Beccaria Gavin
Published: October 2013

Mental health consumers in Australia have a basic right of access to high-quality mental health assessment and treatment. Given that universities are the entry point to the training process, they have a responsibility to train high-quality clinicians. Clinical psychology is the sub-discipline of psychology with specialist training in mental health assessment, diagnosis and treatment. There has been a call for clinical psychology programs to assessment away from a largely theoretical base to one that integrates theory with practice. In 2008, the University of Southern Queensland developed a viva voce for a course on adult psychopathology. The viva voce is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination, modeled closely on the one used by the Royal College of Australian and New Zealand Psychiatrists. This paper outlines the development of this innovation to assessment and gives directions for future research and evaluation.
Addressing mental health and reemployment for unemployed Australians through psychological interventions: An applied study
Authors: Henderson Kylie A , Muller Juanita J , Helmes Edward
Published: October 2013

Few studies have examined the effectiveness of interventions to improve mental health in the unemployed. Current evidence points to interventions improving mental health but having little, if any, impact on reemployment. In the Australian context, psychological services continue to be delivered yet little is known about their effectiveness. This study examined the effectiveness of psychological services for 783 unemployed individuals. It was hypothesized that psychological intervention would improve the symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and general psychological distress; that individual one-on-one interventions would be more effective than other interventions; and that improvements in mental health would be associated with reemployment. Results highlighted that psychological intervention was effective at improving mental health; that tailored individual interventions were not significantly more effective than other types of interventions and that improvements in depression, anxiety and stress were associated with reemployment.
Elevating Adult Civic Science Literacy Through a Renewed Citizen Science Paradigm
Authors: Cronin David P. , Messemer Jonathan E.
Published: October 2013

America’s adult populace has failed to keep pace with the rapid inundation of science-centric knowledge affecting nearly every facet of personal, familial, and communal life. With three out of every four American adults considered scientifically illiterate, adult civic science literacy (CSL) has reached alarmingly low levels. The purpose of this research is to determine if the CSL of adults can be elevated through a renewed citizen science paradigm (RCSP)—incorporating nonformal outdoor adult education and structured experiential learning—in which volunteers conduct scientific research in an unfamiliar domain while maintaining the basic tenet of data collection in citizen science programming. From 67 program volunteers, 23 adults were purposively selected on the basis of their complete participation throughout the program. Data were collected through a repeated measures design, self-report surveys ( n = 23) and quantitatively analyzed. The results revealed the RCSP statistically significantly elevated the CSL—science vocabulary knowledge ( p < .001) and science process understanding ( p < .001)—of participating adults while collecting more than 30,000 pieces of scientific data for the supporting agency that funded the program.