bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The CASA Nowcasting System
Authors: Ruzanski Evan , Chandrasekar V. , Wang Yanting
Published: February 2011

Short-term prediction (nowcasting) of high-impact weather events can lead to significant improvement in warnings and advisories and is of great practical importance. Nowcasting using weather radar reflectivity data has been shown to be particularly useful and the Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) radar network provides high-resolution (0.5-km spatial and 1-min temporal resolution) reflectivity data that are amenable to producing valuable nowcasts. This paper describes the theory and implementation of a nowcasting system operating in the CASA Distributed Collaborative Adaptive Sensing network and shows that nowcasting can be reliably performed in such a distributed environment. In this context, nowcasting is used in a traditional sense to produce predictions of radar reflectivity fields up to 10 min into the future to support emergency manager decision making, and in a novel manner to support researchers and operational forecasters where 1–5-min nowcasts are used to steer the radar nodes to better observe moving precipitation systems. The high-resolution nature of CASA data and distributed system architecture necessitate the use of a fast nowcasting algorithm. A method is described that uses linear least squares estimation implemented in the Fourier domain for motion estimation with advection performed via a kernel-based method formulated in the spatial domain. Results of a performance evaluation during the CASA 2009 Integrative Project 1 experiment are presented that show that the nowcasting system significantly outperformed persistence forecasts of radar reflectivity in terms of critical success index and mean absolute error for lead times up to 10 min. Feedback from end users regarding the use of nowcasting for adaptive scanning was also unanimously positive.
Automatic Curve Extraction for Digitizing Rainfall Strip Charts
Authors: van Piggelen H. E. , Brandsma T. , Manders H. , Lichtenauer J. F.
Published: February 2011

A method has been developed that largely automates the labor-intensive extraction work for large amounts of rainfall strip charts and paper rolls. The method consists of the following five basic steps: 1) scanning the charts and rolls to high-resolution digital images, 2) manually and visually registering relevant meta information from charts and rolls and preprocessing rolls to locate day transitions, 3) applying automatic curve extraction software in a batch process to determine the coordinates of cumulative rainfall lines on the images, 4) postprocessing the curves that were not correctly determined in step 3, and 5) aggregating the cumulative rainfall in pixel coordinates to the desired time resolution. The core of the method is in step 3. Here a color detection procedure is introduced that automatically separates the background of the charts and rolls from the grid and subsequently the rainfall curve. The rainfall curve is detected by minimization of a cost function. In total, 321 station years of locations in the Netherlands have successfully been digitized and transformed to long-term rainfall time series with 5-min resolution. In about 30% of the cases, semiautomatic postprocessing of the results was needed using a purpose-built graphical interface application. This percentage, however, strongly depends on the quality of the recorded curves and the charts and rolls. Although developed for rainfall, the method can be applied to other elements as well.
Treatment of Streptococcal Pharyngitis With Once-Daily Amoxicillin Versus Intramuscular Benzathine Penicillin G in Low-Resource Settings: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Rimoin Anne W. , Hoff Nicole A. , Fischer Walker Christa L. , Hamza Hala S. , Vince Adriana , Rahman Naglaa Abdel , Andrasevic Sasa , Emam Soha , Vukelic Dubravka , Elminawi Nevine , Ghafar Hadeer Abdel , da Cunha Antonia L. A. , Qazi Shamim , Gardovska Dace , Steinhoff Mark C.
Published: February 2011

Background: Primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever is achieved by proper antibiotic treatment of group A β -hemolytic streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Methods: To assess noninferiority of oral amoxicillin to intramuscular benzathine penicillin G (IM BPG). Children (2 to 12 years) meeting enrollment criteria were randomized 1:1 to receive antibiotic treatment in 2 urban outpatient clinics in Egypt and Croatia. Results: A total of 558 children (Croatia = 166, Egypt = 392) were randomized, with 368 evaluable in an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, and 272 evaluable in the per protocol (PP) analysis. In Croatia, ITT and PP treatment success rates were comparable for IM BPG and amoxicillin (2.5% difference vs 1.1% difference, respectively). In Egypt, amoxicillin was not comparable with IM BPG in ITT analysis (15.1% difference), but was comparable in PP analysis (-9.3% difference). Conclusion: If compliance is a major issue, a single dose of IM BPG may be preferable for treatment of GAS pharyngitis.
Trace Elements and Vitamins at Diagnosis in Pediatric-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Sikora Sheena K. , Spady Donald , Prosser Connie , El-Matary Wael
Published: February 2011

Aim. To compare serum vitamin and mineral levels at diagnosis in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) versus a control group without. Methods. In a retrospective cohort study, serum levels of iron, zinc, folate, selenium, vitamin B 12, vitamin A, and vitamin E in children with IBD at diagnosis were compared with gender- and age-matched controls. Results. A total of 154 patients with IBD (mean age 11.27 ± 3.74 years, 83 boys, 80 with Crohn’s disease) were recruited. The mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 5.4 ± 3.2 months for patients with Crohn’s disease and 4.6 ± 2.9 months for patients with ulcerative colitis. A control group of 64 children was recruited. The mean serum zinc levels were 11.33 ± 4.16 µmol/L for ulcerative colitis, 8.74 ± 2.08 µmol/L for Crohn’s disease and 11.49 ± 1.63 µmol/L for controls ( P < .001). Conclusions. In newly diagnosed children with IBD, serum zinc levels are significantly lower compared with children without IBD.
The Influence of Childhood
Authors: Asah Stanley T. , Bengston David N. , Westphal Lynne M.
Published: February 2011

A conceptual and operational model examined relationships among childhood participation in nature-based activities, motivations, constraints, mitigation of constraints, and adult visits to Minnesota State Parks. The results support a model in which (a) higher childhood participation in nature-based activities increased motivation and mitigation strategies, (b) constraints decreased state park visitation and also triggered the use of mitigation strategies that in turn increased state park visits, and (c) higher levels of motivation improved efforts to negotiate constraints and visit more. Consistent with the main hypothesis, the more nature-based activities people participate in during childhood, the more they desire such activities and are able to mitigate constraints to participation, and consequently, the higher the level of participation, as an adult. The results suggest a rather indirect association between childhood participation in nature-based activities and adulthood participation in such activities.
Organizational Justice and Police Misconduct
Authors: Wolfe Scott E. , Piquero Alex R.
Published: February 2011

Although police misconduct has interested policing scholars for many years, extant research has been largely atheoretical and has ignored the role of organizational justice in understanding the behavior. This study uses survey data from a random sample of 483 police officers employed in the Philadelphia Police Department to explore the role of organizational justice in police misconduct. Results indicate that officers who view their agency as fair and just in managerial practices are less likely to adhere to the code of silence or believe that police corruption in pursuit of a noble cause is justified. Furthermore, perceptions of organizational justice are associated with lower levels of engagement in several forms of police misconduct. The results suggest that organizational justice is a promising framework to understand police misconduct and may help guide police administrators in the implementation of effective management strategies to reduce the incidence of the behavior.
Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein Reduced After Relocation Pharyngoplasty
Authors: Lee Li‐Ang , Huang Chung‐Guei , Chen Ning‐Hung , Wang Chun‐Li , Fang Tuan‐Jen , Li Hsueh‐Yu
Published: February 2011

Objectives

To report improvement of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and changes of high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) concentrations after relocation pharyngoplasty (RP), a high variant of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

Study Design

Prospective comparative study.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Thirty consecutive OSAS patients without a preexisting diagnosis of cardiovascular disease who underwent RP were assessed for body mass index (BMI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), sleep apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI), and serum levels of hs‐CRP at baseline and 6 months postoperatively.

Results

Of the subjects, the mean values of age, BMI, ESS, AHI, and hs‐CRP were 39.5 ± 7.0 years, 27.5 ± 4.5 kg/m2, 10.8 ± 4.2, 46.2 ± 22.9 events/hour, and 2.06 ± 1.78 mg/L, respectively. After 6 months postoperatively, RP reduced the ESS (Δ = −4.3 ± 4.5, P <. 001) and AHI (Δ = −28.3 ± 21.1, P <. 001) and levels of hs‐CRP (Δ = −0.67 ± 1.36, P =. 012) significantly, whereas BMI measurements were indifferent (Δ = −0.42 ± 1.28, P =. 073). Moreover, the changes of AHI and hs‐CRP were particularly remarkable in patients with very severe OSAS (AHI ≥60).

Conclusion

Although many OSAS patients remain in the mild‐moderate category, equivalent improvements in excessive daytime sleepiness and reductions of hs‐CRP concentrations indicate that reduction of AHI is not all that matters after RP.
A Multi‐wavelength Fiber‐Optic Temperature‐Controlled Laser Soldering System for Upper Aerodigestive Tract Reconstruction
Authors: Abergel Avraham , Gabay Ilan , Fliss Dan M. , Katzir Abraham , Gil Ziv
Published: February 2011

Objective

Laser soldering of a thick multilayer organ using conventional CO2 lasers is ineffective. The purpose of this work was to develop a method for bonding the multilayer tissue of the upper aerodigestive tracts (UADT) without the need of sutures or stapling.

Study Design

Animal model.

Setting

Academic research laboratory.

Subjects and Methods

The authors developed a multi‐wavelength laser system, based on 2 fiber‐optic lasers applied simultaneously. A highly absorbable CO2 laser interacts with the muscular layer, and a nonabsorbable GaAs laser interacts with indocyanine‐green solid albumin, placed between the mucosa and the muscular layer. The authors used an ex vivo porcine model to examine the capability of this system to effectively correct esophageal tears.

Results

The soldered esophagi burst pressure was >175 cm H2O (98% success rate) in 88 of the 90 experiments. A conventional CO2 laser soldering resulted in insufficient bonding (mean burst pressure of 40 ± 7 cm H2O, n = 5), while the multi‐wavelength laser system provided an ~9‐fold tighter seal (359 ± 75.4 cm H2O, P <. 0001, n = 15). Burst pressures after conventional suturing of the defect was significantly lower (106 ± 65.8 cm H2O, P <. 001) than in the multi‐wavelength laser system.

Conclusions

Bonding of the UADT mucosa using a multi‐wavelength, temperature‐controlled laser soldering system can support significantly higher pressures then conventional CO2 laser soldering and suture repair. The mean bonding pressure was 3.5‐fold higher than the maximal swallowing pressure. Our findings provide a basis for implementation of new surgical tools for repair of esophageal perforations.
End‐of‐Life Care among Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Shuman Andrew G. , Yang Ye , Taylor Jeremy M. G. , Prince Mark E.
Published: February 2011

Objective

This study is designed to (1) determine the perceived quality of care received by patients with head and neck cancer at the end of their lives, in order to (2) better anticipate and improve upon the experiences of future patients.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Setting

Single‐institution, academic tertiary care medical center.

Subjects and Methods

A validated survey instrument, the Family Assessment of Treatment at the End of life (FATE), was administered to families of patients who died of head and neck cancer (n = 58). The primary outcome was the overall FATE score. Independent variables included clinical characteristics, treatments received, and the care provided at the time of death.

Results

Overall FATE scores and the domains assessing management of symptoms and care at the time of death did not vary by disease status (logoregional vs distant metastasis) at the end of life (P =. 989). The location of death in the home or in hospice (vs hospital) significantly improves scores in all 3 categories (P =. 023). Involvement of a palliative care team improved the care at the time of death (P <. 001), and palliative treatments (radiation and/or chemotherapy) improved scores in managing symptoms and care at the time of death (P =. 011, P =. 017).

Conclusion

The FATE survey is a useful measure of the end‐of‐life experience of head and neck cancer patients. Palliative treatments of head and neck cancer, death outside of the hospital, and palliative care team involvement all improve the end‐of‐life experience in this population.
Evidence Missed
Authors: Curthoys Ian S. , Manzari Leonardo
Published: February 2011

Welgampola and Carey have missed evidence that shows how utricular and saccular function can be differentiated, and here the authors note that evidence and report a new result that further substantiates the differentiation.
Novel Nano-composite Multilayered Biomaterial for Osteochondral Regeneration
Authors: Kon Elizaveta , Delcogliano Marco , Filardo Giuseppe , Busacca Maurizio , Di Martino Alessandro , Marcacci Maurilio
Published: February 2011

Background: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in and awareness of the importance of subchondral bone, for its role in the pathogenesis of articular surface damage and for the care that should be taken when treating such damage.

Purpose: The objective of this pilot clinical study was to test the safety and performance of a newly developed type I collagen-hydroxyapatite nanostructured biomimetic osteochondral scaffold that aims to regenerate cartilage and subchondral bone.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: A multilayer gradient nano-composite scaffold was obtained by nucleating collagen type I fibrils with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. Thirty patients (9 female, 21 male; mean age, 29.3 years) with knee chondral or osteochondral lesions were treated with scaffold implantation. Lesion size varied from 1.5 cm2 to 6.0 cm2. Twenty-eight patients were followed for 2 years and were clinically evaluated using the International Knee Documentation Committee and Tegner scores. At final follow-up, magnetic resonance imaging evaluation was performed in 24 patients, and they were evaluated with the MOCART (Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue) score.

Results: The Tegner and International Knee Documentation Committee objective and subjective scores improved significantly from the baseline evaluation to the 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-ups. Further analysis showed a slower recovery but the same results for patients who presented with adverse events, for older patients, for patients who underwent previous surgery, and for those with patellar lesions. In contrast, a faster recovery was observed in active patients. At magnetic resonance imaging evaluation, complete filling of the cartilage and complete integration of the graft was shown in 70% of the lesions. However, the subchondral lamina and bone were considered intact in a minority of cases (7% and 47%, respectively).

Conclusion: This open 1-step procedure was used for the treatment of chondral and osteochondral knee defects. The present pilot study highlighted the safety and potential clinical benefit of the graded biomimetic osteochondral scaffold in promoting bone and cartilage tissue restoration by itself and with good clinical and magnetic resonance imaging results at the 2-year follow-up.
Natural History of Nonoperatively Treated Symptomatic Rotator Cuff Tears in Patients 60 Years Old or Younger
Authors: Safran Ori , Schroeder Joshua , Bloom Ronald , Weil Yoram , Milgrom Charles
Published: February 2011

Background: Rotator cuff tears are the most frequent tendon injury in the adult population. However, the natural history of nonoperatively treated full-thickness tears is poorly defined. Knowledge of the expected evolution in tear size is important when considering nonoperative versus surgical care, especially in relatively young, active patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the size change of nonoperatively treated full-thickness rotator cuff tears over 2 to 3 years’ follow-up.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: The authors prospectively followed patients 60 years old or younger who had a full-thickness rotator cuff tear equal to or larger than 5 mm, as diagnosed by bilateral shoulder ultrasound, and who were treated nonoperatively. At 2 to 3 years after the index ultrasound examination, a repeat ultrasound examination was performed by the same ultrasonographer. Results of the follow-up ultrasound examinations of both shoulders were compared with those of the index ultrasound examinations for change in rotator cuff tear size. The correlations were examined between these changes and age, sex, history of initial trauma, size of tear on the index ultrasound, and current shoulder symptoms.

Results: Fifty-one patients with 61 rotator cuff tears were evaluated. At a follow-up of 25 to 39 months (mean, 29), 49% of the tears (30 tears) increased in size, 43% (26 tears) had not changed, and 8% (5 tears) decreased in size. For 25% (10 shoulders ) of initially intact shoulders (41 shoulders), a new full-thickness rotator cuff tear was diagnosed. No correlation was found between the change in tear size and age of the patient ( P = .85), sex ( P = .93), existence of a prior trauma ( P = .63), size of tear at index ultrasound ( P = .62), and bilateral tears ( P = 1.00). There was a correlation between the existence of considerable pain at the time of the follow-up ultrasound and a clinically significant increase in tear size ( P = .002).

Conclusion: Full-thickness rotator cuff tears tend to increase in size in about half of patients aged 60 years or younger. Surgery should be initially considered in these patients to prevent a probable increase in size tear. Patients treated nonoperatively should be routinely monitored for tear size increase, especially if they remain symptomatic.
On the behavior of flame expansion in pool fire extinguishment with steam jet
Authors: Xiao X.K. , Cong B.H. , Wang X.S. , Kuang K.Q. , Yuen Richard K.K. , Liao G.X.
Published: February 2011

Theoretical analysis and quantitative methodology are proposed to predict the behavior of flame expansion in pool fire extinguishment with an impinging steam jet. The theoretical analysis contains the following three standpoints: (1) a fuel vapor-rich core exists in the base of the pool fire while oxygen is lacking. The existence of a fuel vapor-rich core is the prerequisite for flame expansion phenomenon. (2) The root cause responsible for the flame expansion is the fuel vapor convection by the impinging steam jet. An expanded fire ball is formed due to the burning of the convected fuel vapor, resulting in flame expansion phenomenon. (3) The flame expansion phenomenon could be divided to three typical stages: the flame height-decreasing stage, the fire-expanding stage, and the burn-out stage. The flame height-decreasing stage is the stage in which the steam jet impacts the flame and reaches the fuel vapor-rich core. The fire-expanding stage is the stage in which the fuel vapor is convected and burnt as a fire ball after the steam impacts the fuel vapor-rich core. The fire is then suppressed in the burn-out stage. Three quantitative features of the flame expansion phenomenon, the expansion ratio of the flame width ϕl, the expansion ratio of the flame volume ϕv, and the expansion ratio of the flame radiation ϕr, are defined to characterize the level of the expansion. A series of extinguishment tests using medium-size pool fires with an impinging steam jet were conducted to validate the theoretical analysis. The experimental results reveal that the theoretical analysis describes the flame expansion phenomenon quite well. Based on the experimental data, the height of the fuel vapor-rich core was calculated for each test case, and it was found that the height of the fuel vapor-rich core was about 0.2 times the visible flame height. The durations of the three stages and the flame shapes calculated using the proposed theoretical analysis compare favorably with the experimental measurements. The calculation shows that the expansion ratio of the flame width is about 2.0 in each test case of the medium size pool fire; the expansion ratio of the flame volume approximately matches the calculated value, and the calculated values of the expansion ratio of the flame radiation are close to the experimental values.
Prenatal and perinatal acrylamide disrupts the development of cerebellum in rat: Biochemical and morphological studies
Authors: Allam A. , El-Ghareeb AA , Abdul-Hamid M. , Baikry A. , Sabri MI
Published: February 2011

Acrylamide is known to cause neurotoxicity in the experimental animals and humans. The literature on its neurotoxic effect in the adult animals is huge, but the effect of acrylamide on the embryonic and postnatal development is relatively less understood. The present study examined its effects on the development of external features and cerebellum in albino rats. Acrylamide was orally administered to non-anesthetized pregnant females by gastric intubation 10 mg/kg/day. The animals were divided into three groups as follows. (1) Group A, newborn from control animals; (2) Group B; newborns from mothers treated with acrylamide from day 7 (D7) of gestation till birth (prenatal intoxicated group); (3) Group C; newborns from mothers treated with acrylamide from D7 of gestation till D28 after birth (perinatally intoxicated group). Acrylamide administered either prenatally or perinatally has been shown to induce significant retardation in the newborns’ body weights development, increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidative stress (significant reductions in glutathione reduced [GSH], total thiols, superoxide dismutase [SOD] and peroxidase activities) in the developing cerebellum. Acrylamide treatment delayed the proliferation in the granular layer and delayed both cell migration and differentiation. Purkinje cell loss was also seen in acrylamide-treated animals. Ultrastructural studies of Purkinje cells in the perinatal group showed microvacuolations and cell loss. The results of this study show that prenatal and perinatal acrylamide or its metabolites disrupts the biochemical machinery, cause oxidative stress and induce structural changes in the developing rat cerebellum.
Effect of exposure to high temperatures during early pregnancy on hippocampal-dependent learning and memory integrity in neonatal rats
Authors: Dou Chang  , Shuling Wang  , Jinliang Zhang  , Sheng Wang
Published: February 2011

To explore the influence of short-term (0, 30 and 60 min) exposure to high temperatures on the integrity of hippocampal-dependent learning and memory in neonatal rats. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to observe neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampi of neonatal rats. In situ hybridization was conducted for the detection of hippocampal c-fos messenger RNA (mRNA) expression, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to test the expression of NR1 (an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor [NR] subunit) gene in the hippocampus. Finally, the Morris water maze (MWM) was used to evaluate hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. The number of c-fos mRNA-positive cells in the hippocampus was positively correlated with increasing heat exposure times. NR1 mRNA expression in the hippocampal CA1 area was positively correlated with the proportion of dead and apoptotic cells. In addition, neonatal rats exposed to high temperatures had significantly reduced platform crossings in the MWM compared to controls. The duration of heat exposure during early pregnancy was correlated with severe deficits in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory in neonatal rats.
Planning in the Real-Time City: The Future of Mobile Technology
Authors: Evans-Cowley Jennifer
Published: February 2011

The mobile phone has transformed life in the city. Using them, individuals can both receive information about their surroundings through location-based services and contribute to the city as a system. They can participate by sharing location, text, photos, or video about the conditions of the city. This article explores the literature surrounding mobile phone technology in urban planning and city life. Specifically, it explores the potential of mobile phones in sensing, documenting, and exploring the city. This article draws on literature from a wide variety of fields to create a overview of the issues surrounding mobile phones in the city. This article review what we know and what has been speculated about the influence of mobile phones and similar devices on urban life. There is evidence that they alter our sense of individuality, our mobility, our interactions with others, our capacity to participate in and document public life, and our senses of privacy and publicness. The implications and meanings for planning are open, as they were when the mails, the telegraph, and the telephone were first introduced.
Calling the Doctor
Authors: Stoller Eleanor Palo , Grzywacz Joseph G. , Quandt Sara A. , Bell Ronny A. , Chapman Christine , Altizer Kathryn P. , Arcury Thomas A.
Published: February 2011

Objectives: Guided by Leventhal’s self-regulatory model and Cockerham’s theory of health lifestyles, we explore two questions regarding physician consultation among elderly rural adults: What symptom characteristics prompt patient-initiated physician consultation? Do participants’ accounts of responses to symptoms, including the decision to consult a physician, incorporate descriptions of change over time? Method: We analyze data from semistructured in-depth interviews with 62 older rural adults. Results: Accounts of decisions to initiate contact with physicians support prior research. Some symptoms encouraged immediate consultation; others prompted periods of monitoring and lay management. Physicians were most often contacted if changes were new, unusually severe, persisted or worsened, or failed to respond to lay treatment. Discussion: We characterize participants’ responses to symptoms as bricolages to highlight their construction from available materials. Incorporating the integrating concept of bricolage and Cockerham’s emphasis on both general dispositions and symptom-specific responses represents an important extension of Leventhal’s conceptualization of illness behavior, including patient-initiated physician consultation.
Drinking Patterns and the Development of Functional Limitations in Older Adults
Authors: Lin James C. , Guerrieri Joy Gioia , Moore Alison A.
Published: February 2011

Objective: To examine whether consistent low-risk drinking is associated with lower risk of developing functional limitations among older adults. Method: Data were obtained from five waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Function was assessed by questions measuring four physical abilities and five instrumental activities of daily living. Five different drinking patterns were determined using data over two consecutive survey periods. Results: Over the follow-up periods, 38.6% of older adults developed functional limitations. Consistent low-risk drinkers had lower odds of developing functional limitations compared with consistent abstainers, and the effect of consistent low-risk drinking was greater among those aged 50 to 64 years compared with those aged ≥65 years. Other drinking patterns were not associated with lower odds of incident functional limitation. Discussion: Consistent low-risk drinking was associated with lower odds of developing functional limitations, and this association was greater among older middle-aged adults aged 50 to 64 years.
Who am I? Big or small—shallow or deep?
Authors: Bamberg Michael
Published: February 2011

Mark Freeman’s and Elli Schachter’s commentaries on my target article “ Who am I? Narration and its contribution to self and identity” open up opportunities to clarify. In this response I differentiate more clearly between biographic approaches to narrative and my proposal to approach identity and self as dilemmatic spaces that are navigated by way of narrative practices. While Freeman and Schachter suggest an approach to identity by highlighting narrating as first-person (mental) operations of a solitary (self-) intending and (self-) reflecting individual, and identity research as inquiry into individuals’ reflections and intentions, I clarify my alternative: narrating as an interactive practice— an approach which accentuates narrative practices taking place as situated and contextualized second-person encounters within which identities and a sense of self emerge as navigations of three dilemmatic identity spaces. In addition, in this response to Freeman’s and Schachter’s commentaries I once more attempt to underscore the merits of a practice-based approach to narrating activities for empirical identity research.
Narrative identity construction as a goal-oriented endeavor: Reframing the issue of “big vs. small” story research
Authors: Schachter Elli P.
Published: February 2011

In this paper I propose reframing the study of all narrative construction—big or small—as a goal-oriented value-laden intentional process. Narrative construction of identity serves various purposes at different times. Both situational and trans-situational factors present a host of competing viable alternatives, attractive possibilities, and multiple constraints with regards to identity construction. The individual must navigate these and exercise choice in order to construct a particular manifestation of identity with narrative means. While Bamberg’s suggestion to focus research on identity performance in interaction with the help of micro-analytic study can contribute to identity research in valuable ways, I alternatively argue that research in this field would benefit more by focusing on uncovering narrators’ explicit and implicit intentions in constructing identities through stories, revealing the goals, constraints, and values guiding identity construction.
Asian Regulatory Responses to the Global Financial Crisis
Authors: Arner Douglas W. , Schou-Zibell Lotte
Published: February 2011

The global financial and economic crisis marks an important turning point for finance and the Asian growth model. Regional consensus is now supporting economic rebalancing away from the dominant focus on exports to developed markets toward more and more balanced economic structure supported by domestic and regional financial development. In relation to finance, the crisis highlights the neces-sity of addressing a range of issues across the region. First, Asian approaches to financial liberalization, prudential regulation, and financial innovation are likely to be closely considered around the world. At the same time, while the region has not been at the center of the global crisis—in contrast to the Asian financial crisis of 1997–98—it nonetheless provides an important opportunity to strengthen domestic and regional financial regulations. Second, beyond the postcrisis issues, and the prevention of systemic risk in particular, finance must continue to play a central role in supporting economic development and poverty reduction across the region. While the global crisis has highlighted once again the risks of finance, a central objective, across Asia, must be financial sector development to support economic growth and development. Third, in addition to domestic reform, the crisis provides an opportunity to enhance the international financial architecture, not only to improve its efficacy, but also to enhance the role of empowered Asian economies in global fora and institutions. At the same time, weaknesses in the international financial architecture suggest the need for Asian regional alternatives to address liquidity, liberalization, regulation, and exchange rate volatility.
Moving on: Researching, Surviving, and Thriving in the Evidence-Saturated World of Health Care
Authors: Cheek Julianne
Published: February 2011

In the worlds inhabited by qualitative inquirers working in health-related areas, health care, evidence, qualitative research, and qualitative researchers are four areas of potential tension and, at times, collision. These areas, or at least aspects of them, are constantly reinvented and realigned as the effects of such encounters are navigated. This article is about some of these close encounters, what we might learn from them, and how we might use this to “survive” as qualitative inquirers in an evidence-based world of health care and health care delivery.
A Spider in the Web
Authors: Schaepe Christiane , Campbell Ann-Mari , Bolmsjö Ingrid
Published: February 2011

Background: Palliative care is not a priority in developing countries. Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), where nurses complete a course in clinical palliative care, is considered a model for other African countries. Aim: To explore the role of the palliative care nurse specialist (PCNS) in Uganda. Methods: This ethnographic field study uses observations, interviews, and group interviews. Participants: In total, 20 participants are included in this study. Result: The role of the palliative care nurse specialist is multifaceted. Beyond prescribing drugs, their role is to deliver holistic care. They encounter numerous challenges in their work, but they also have the possibility to improve the quality of the patient’s life.
When to Say “Yes” and When to Say “No”
Authors: Claxton-Oldfield Stephen , Gibbon Laura , Schmidt-Chamberlain Kirsten
Published: February 2011

A total of 79 hospice palliative care volunteers from 2 community-based hospice programs responded to a 27-item Boundary Issues Questionnaire that was specifically developed for this study. Volunteers were asked to indicate whether or not they considered each item (eg, “Lend personal belongings to a patient or family,” “Agree to be a patient’s power of attorney,” “Attend/go into a patient’s medical appointment”) to be something they should not do and to indicate whether or not they have ever done it. On the basis of the volunteers' responses, the authors distinguished between “definite boundary issues” (things volunteers should never do, for example, “Accept money from a patient or family”), “potential boundary issues” (things volunteers should stop and think twice about doing, for example, “Accept a gift from a patient or family”), and “questionable boundary issues” (things volunteers should be aware of doing, for example, “Give your home phone number to a patient or family”). The implications of these findings for training volunteers are discussed and the need for clear and unambiguous organizational policies and procedures to preserve boundaries is stressed. Without clear policies, etc, community-based hospice programs may be putting themselves at legal risk.
Hispanic Victims and Homicide Clearance by Arrest
Authors: Roberts Aki , Lyons Christopher J.
Published: February 2011

When applied to homicide clearance by arrest, the victim-devaluing perspective posits that police favor higher—social status victims by allocating greater investigative effort to their cases. Previous studies have measured social status via a dichotomous race variable (White vs. Black, White vs. non-White, or non-Hispanic White vs. racial/ ethnic minority). As the Hispanic population grows in the United States, it is increasingly important to extend homicide clearance research beyond the traditional questions of dichotomous racial/ethnic differences. Using 2000-2007 homicide data from agencies that report victim’s ethnicity to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the current study examines the impact of victim’s race/ethnicity on homicide clearance by arrest via a trichomotous measure (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or Hispanic). Event history analysis found that, controlling for other incident characteristics, homicides with Hispanic victims had a lower risk of clearance by arrest than those with non-Hispanic White or non-Hispanic Black v ictims.
Citizen Willingness to Participate in Police-Community Partnerships: Exploring the Influence of Race and Neighborhood Context
Authors: Wehrman Michael M. , De Angelis Joseph
Published: February 2011

Since community policing emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, it has been common for police departments to use police—community partnerships as a strategy for improving public satisfaction with the police. Yet very little is known about what predicts citizen willingness to participate in these types of community policing initiatives. In this study, the authors use the results of an anonymous mailed survey ( n = 16,193) conducted in a large Western city to examine individual and community-level relationships between race/ethnicity and willingness to work with the police in a community anticrime initiative. Contrary to previous research, but consistent with Blumer’s group position thesis, African Americans who responded to the survey report a greater willingness to work with the police than do White respondents. Neighborhood-level variables show mixed results, with concentrated disadvantage having a minor statistical effect on increasing citizen willingness to participate in partnership initiatives. The discussion considers the theoretical, methodological, and policy implications of these observed differences.
Pedagogical Urbanism: Creating Citizen Space in Bogota, Colombia
Authors: Berney Rachel
Published: February 2011

In this article I examine the rise of public space as a planning ideal in Bogota, Colombia, where public space was viewed as a totalizing solution uniquely suited to Bogota’s complex set of problems. Bogota’s public space represents a crucible of hopes and desires for transforming the city and citizenship. I call this process pedagogical urbanism, a mode of planning focused on education and reform. Pedagogical urbanism merges social and spatial planning traditions to produce new social and cultural norms leading, in Bogota’s case, to the (re)formation of civil society through an expansion of the right to the city while creating the conditions for the reproduction of citizens. Citizen monitoring and behavior modification in public space, however, constrain this expansion. This article explores the paradox of expanding the right to the city while creating programs to scrutinize and direct citizens’ actions in public space.
Kabul cosmopolitan: Geopolitical empire from the planner’s viewpoint
Authors: Calogero Pietro
Published: February 2011

This article uses cosmopolitanism as a theoretical lens to explore both the urbanism and the ethics of planning in Kabul. The Cosmopolis arguments of Sandercock is synthesized with the political argument of Mouffe to articulate a concept of agonistic cosmopolitanism in contrast to a concept of globalizing cosmopolitanism. The practices that shape urban life in Kabul resemble what Simone describes as worlding processes in cities of sub-Saharan Africa. Under such adverse conditions, Kabulis demonstrate vital aspects of agonistic pluralism. Conversely, a transnational community in Kabul embodies a less critical, presumptively global cosmopolitanism through the production of a Global Village that encourages socially disruptive land speculation. The value of a more critical, agonistic understanding is then demonstrated through the analysis of an unexpected discrepancy in planning ideals between the national and local planning agencies in Kabul. This analysis suggests a new ethical task for urban planners: to challenge geopolitical empire through a cosmopolitan ethic that embraces the substantive conflicts which come with actual recognition and political inclusion of the Other.
Mutational analysis of human NOD1 and NOD2 NACHT domains reveals different modes of activation
Authors: Zurek Birte , Proell Martina , Wagner Roland N , Schwarzenbacher Robert , Kufer Thomas A
Published: February 2011

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein (NOD)1 and NOD2 are intracellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing (NLR) gene family involved in innate immune responses. Their centrally located NACHT domain displays ATPase activity and is necessary for activation and oligomerization leading to inflammatory signaling responses. Mutations affecting key residues of the ATPase domain of NOD2 are linked to severe auto-inflammatory diseases, such as Blau syndrome and early-onset sarcoidosis. By mutational dissection of the ATPase domain function, we show that the NLR-specific extended Walker B box (DGhDE) can functionally replace the canonical Walker B sequence (DDhWD) found in other ATPases. A requirement for an intact Walker A box and the magnesium-co-ordinating aspartate of the classical Walker B box suggest that an initial ATP hydrolysis step is necessary for activation of both NOD1 and NOD2. In contrast, a Blau-syndrome associated mutation located in the extended Walker B box of NOD2 that results in higher autoactivation and ligand-induced signaling does not affect NOD1 function. Moreover, mutation of a conserved histidine in the NACHT domain also has contrasting effects on NOD1 and NOD2 mediated NF-κB activation. We conclude that these two NLRs employ different modes of activation and propose distinct models for activation of NOD1 and NOD2.
When Your Smile Fades Away
Authors: Ishii Keiko , Miyamoto Yuri , Mayama Kotomi , Niedenthal Paula M.
Published: February 2011

The high sensitivity and need to adjust to others' expectations may make Japanese, compared to Americans, more anxious in interpersonal contexts and especially more vigilant to signs of disapproval (such as the disappearance of happiness from another’s face) but not to other signs (such as the disappearance of sadness). By using a morph movie paradigm, the authors investigated the cultural differences in sensitivity to the disappearance of facial expressions. Participants watched happy to neutral movies and sad to neutral movies and judged the point at which the emotional expressions had disappeared. As predicted, Japanese judged the offset of happiness faster than did Americans, whereas no cultural difference was found in the judgment for the offset of sadness. Moreover, attachment-related anxiety, which was higher in Japanese than Americans, predicted the disappearance of happiness.
Effects of Clarinet Embouchure on Band Director Tone Quality Preferences: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Enloe Loraine D.
Published: February 2011

Woodwind methods classes are where most teachers learn the basics of woodwind embouchure and tone production. Woodwind methods texts and beginning band methods disagree on clarinet embouchure. One cannot readily reduce any embouchure to one or two attributes; however, clarinet teachers and band directors often disagree about whether the corners of the mouth are pulled back into a smile or come in toward the mouthpiece, as if saying the letter “Q.” The purpose of this study was to determine if the abovementioned embouchure differences affect clarinet tone quality to a degree that band and orchestra directors would prefer either the “Smile” or the “Q” embouchure sound.Two graduate clarinet majors, one taught using the “Smile” embouchure and the other taught using the “Q” embouchure, recorded a series of sustained tones, scales, clarinet solo literature, and band repertoire to provide examples for timbre analysis and to provide tone quality survey items sent to randomly selected U.S. band directors. Although the response rate was low, results of the survey showed that band directors who responded preferred the tone quality generated by the player with the “Q” embouchure.
Regulation of S100A10 by the PML-RAR-α oncoprotein
Authors: O'Connell Paul A. , Madureira Patricia A. , Berman Jason N. , Liwski Robert S. , Waisman David M.
Published: February 2011

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia that results from the expression of the promyelocytic leukemia–retinoic acid receptor α (PML-RAR-α) oncoprotein. It is characterized by severe hemorrhagic complications due in part to excessive fibrinolysis, resulting from the excessive generation of the fibrinolytic enzyme, plasmin, at the cell surface of the PML cells. The treatment of patients with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) effectively ameliorates the disease by promoting the destruction of the PML-RAR-α oncoprotein. In the present study we show for the first time that the plasminogen receptor, S100A10, is present on the extracellular surface of APL cells and is rapidly down-regulated in response to all-trans retinoic acid. The loss of S100A10 is concomitant with a loss in fibrinolytic activity. Furthermore, the induced expression of the PML-RAR-α oncoprotein increased the expression of cell surface S100A10 and also caused a dramatic increase in fibrinolytic activity. Depletion of S100A10 by RNA interference effectively blocked the enhanced fibrinolytic activity observed after induction of the PML-RAR-α oncoprotein. These experiments show that S100A10 plays a crucial role in the generation of plasmin leading to fibrinolysis, thus providing a link to the clinical hemorrhagic phenotype of APL.
Negative regulation of mTOR activation by diacylglycerol kinases
Authors: Gorentla Balachandra K. , Wan Chi-Keung , Zhong Xiao-Ping
Published: February 2011

The engagement of TCR induces T-cell activation, which initiates multiple characteristic changes such as increase in cell size, cell division, and the production of cytokines and other effector molecules. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates protein synthesis, transcription, cell survival, and autophagy. Critical roles of mTOR in T-cell activation and effector/memory differentiation have been revealed using chemical inhibitors or by genetic ablation of mTOR in T cells. However, the connection between mTOR signaling and other signaling cascades downstream of TCR is unclear. We demonstrate that diacylglycerol (DAG) and TCR engagement activate signaling in both mTOR complexes 1 and 2 through the activation of the Ras–mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 (Mek1/2)–extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2)–activator protein 1 (AP-1), known collectively as the Ras-Mek1/2-Erk1/2-AP-1 pathway. Deficiency of RasGRP1 or inhibition of Mek1/2 activity drastically decreases TCR-induced mTOR activation, whereas constitutively active Ras or Mek1 promotes mTOR activation. Although constitutively active Akt promotes TCR-induced mTOR activation, such activation is attenuated by Mek1/2 inhibition. We demonstrated further that DAG kinases (DGKs) α and ζ, which terminate DAG-mediated signaling, synergistically inhibit TCR-induced mTOR activation by inhibiting the Ras-Mek1/2-Erk/12 pathway. These observations provide novel insights into the regulation of mTOR activation.