bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Representations of the Collective Memory of Brazil’s Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra
Authors: Straubhaar Rolf
Published: February 2015

A textual analysis of editorials in the Revista Sem Terra, an official publication of the Brazilian Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (Landless Rural Workers’ Movement—MST), shows that the movement leadership uses collective memory making—retellings of past violence and repression—to emphasize the harsh consequences of neoliberal economic policy and appeal to the emotions of activists and allies. These retellings help the movement to further the cause of resistance to neoliberalism and build a national coalition that can promote economic alternatives and social equity.

Uma analise textual dos editoriais da Revista Sem Terra, publicação oficial do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais sem Terra (MST) do Brasil, nos demostra que a liderança desse movimento utiliza a capacidade coletiva de construir a sua memória na forma de recontarem narrações da violença e repressão do passado, o que enfatizariam as consequências brutais da política econômia do neoliberalismo, e que apelariam às emoções dos militantes e dos aliados. Tais recontos ajudam ao movimento promover a causa de resistância ao neoliberalismo e construir uma coalição nacional que possa fomentar alternativos econômicos e a igualdade social.
Comparison of direct navigation mode and indirect navigation mode for integrated SINS/GPS
Authors: Li Kailong , Hu Baiqing , Chang Lubin , Li Yang
Published: February 2015

The integrated strapdown inertial navigation system/global position system (SINS/GPS) is a widely used procedure for position, velocity and attitude determination. There are two options for the state estimation procedure by a filtering system model and the integration filter, namely direct navigation mode that estimates the navigation parameters and indirect navigation mode that estimates the error of navigation parameters with a feedback calculation process. To a certain extent, they both have their own advantages. However, determining which one of the two navigation modes will be more celebrated than the other under different conditions is a beneficial but thus far less seriously treated issue. In this study, two navigation modes are systematically studied in terms of the filtering system model, filtering algorithm and application issues. The simulation test and car-mounted experiments for low-precision and high-precision SINS are carried out to compare the performance of two navigation modes under different conditions. The results prove that direct navigation mode outperforms indirect navigation mode in terms of estimation accuracy and stability for poor conditions, but for good conditions, the advantages of direct navigation mode are compromised due to the large computational burden. Therefore, this study is also expected to facilitate the selection of the appropriate navigation model in practice under different conditions.
Social network websites as information channels for the US Social Forum
Authors: Gervais Elizabeth Anne
Published: February 2015

In this article, I examine the use of social network website (SNS) as an influential factor for offline protest activities and organizational memberships. The properties of SNSs may help encourage interpersonal interaction, broaden social ties, and provide valuable information about how to become civically and politically involved. I test these hypotheses using data from a survey of attendees fielded at the US Social Forum (USSF) and control for individual factors as well as alternative mobilizing channels. The empirical evidence suggests that attendees who learned of the meeting through SNSs were more likely to engage in offline protest activity and have a broader array of organizational memberships than were those who learned of the USSF through alternative information channels. I conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for social movement mobilization and persistence.
Collective Action Without Organization: The Material Constitution of Bike Commuters as Collective
Authors: Wilhoit Elizabeth D. , Kisselburgh Lorraine G.
Published: February 2015

This study uses a novel situation of organizing, bicycle commuting, to develop an argument regarding the requirements for collective action and increased autonomy for the material in constituting organizations. We found that through individual material and spatial practices, bike commuters constitute themselves as a collective, making their presence known and creating possibility for change. However, bike commuters’ discourses indicate that they do not experience a collective identity or sense of community of practice. We use this study to extend two areas of theory. First, we suggest that collective action can take place without organization or organizing: individual activities can aggregate to have an effect even if they are not officially coordinated or members do not acknowledge membership in a collective. Second, we suggest that this example moves beyond previous work on the communicative constitution of organizations to suggest that the material can constitute a collective, even without human, discursive recognition of it.
How is New Organizational Knowledge Created in a Virtual Context? An Ethnographic Study
Authors: Baralou Evangelia , Tsoukas Haridimos
Published: February 2015

Seeking to enhance our understanding of organizational knowledge creation in multimodal polysynchronous contexts, this paper empirically explores a project team, within a UK-based international company, concerned with the development of new software. Our aim is to extend current dialogical approaches to organizational knowledge creation, largely developed in the context of face-to-face communication, into virtual contexts of communication. Through close analysis of the ICT-mediated dialogical interactions between the members of a project team and the occasional face-to-face interactions between certain members of the project team and other organizational members, we show how knowledge creation emerges via three core dialogical processes: dialogues with real others, quasi-dialogues with invisible others, and quasi-dialogues with virtual artifacts. Exploring these processes in more depth, we further argue that the dialogical processes at hand are crucially shaped by team members actively working with the materiality of technology used, which enables them to: (a) mobilize multiple task-related voices when simultaneously interacting in multiple contexts; (b) alter the boundaries of communication to suit the demands of the task at hand; and (c) textualize the ongoing experience of interaction with others and artifacts.
A Theory of Imagination for Organization Studies Using the Work of Cornelius Castoriadis
Authors: Komporozos-Athanasiou Aris , Fotaki Marianna
Published: February 2015

At a time when organizations are asked to imagine themselves anew in order to survive, organizational treatments of ‘imagination’ lack engagement with its profound political and generative nature. To address this gap, the paper draws on the works of Cornelius Castoriadis (1922–1997) and proposes a politically situated theory of imagination for organization studies. We build on Castoriadis’s core ideas of representation, signification and affect to develop a radical proposition: imagination is ‘where it all begins’, an inexhaustible psychosocial force driving organizations and organizing, and setting the institutionalization process in motion. To illustrate the great potential contributions of this proposition for organization studies, we discuss how three key persisting dualisms in organizational thinking, those between ‘representational’ and ‘non-representational’ inquiry, ‘body’ and ‘mind’, and between the ‘private’ and ‘public’, begin to dissolve when considered under our suggested framework. We then draw some important implications of Castoriadian imagination for charting alternative futures at times of economic and social crises, and identify some directions for future research.
Effect of Sodium Arsenite on Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis
Authors: Palmieri Mónica A. , Molinari Beatriz L.
Published: February 2015

Arsenic is carcinogenic in human beings, and environmental exposure to arsenic is a public health issue that affects large populations worldwide. Thus, studies are needed to determine the mode of action of arsenic and prevent harmful effects arising from arsenic intake. The present study assessed the influence of sodium arsenite (As3+) on potentially carcinogenic processes that are either pre-existing or concomitant with chronic intake of water containing As3+. Experiments using SenCar mice were designed to evaluate the effect of chronic administration of As3+ (2, 20, or 200 mg of As3+/L) in drinking water that overlapped to varying degrees with a 2-stage carcinogenesis protocol carried out over 9 months. The results showed a time-dependent pattern. During early stages of carcinogenesis (6–12 weeks), animals exposed to As3+ and the carcinogenesis protocol showed increased numbers of tumors compared to control animals. During late carcinogenesis (16–30 weeks), the number of tumors stabilized to below control values, but the tumors showed increased malignancy. These findings indicate that the outcomes of the 2-stage skin carcinogenesis protocol are modified by the presence of arsenite in drinking water, which increases the rate of carcinoma development.
Practical Applications of in Vivo and ex Vivo MRI in Toxicologic Pathology Using a Novel High-performance Compact MRI System
Authors: Tempel-Brami Catherine , Schiffenbauer Yael S. , Nyska Abraham , Ezov Nati , Spector Itai , Abramovitch Rinat , Maronpot Robert R.
Published: February 2015

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used in preclinical research and drug development and is a powerful noninvasive method for assessment of phenotypes and therapeutic efficacy in murine models of disease. In vivo MRI provides an opportunity for longitudinal evaluation of tissue changes and phenotypic expression in experimental animal models. Ex vivo MRI of fixed samples permits a thorough examination of multiple digital slices while leaving the specimen intact for subsequent conventional hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histology. With the advent of new compact MRI systems that are designed to operate in most conventional labs without the cost, complexity, and infrastructure needs of conventional MRI systems, the possibility of MRI becoming a practical modality is now viable. The purpose of this study was to investigate the capabilities of a new compact, high-performance MRI platform (M2™; Aspect Imaging, Israel) as it relates to preclinical toxicology studies. This overview will provide examples of major organ system pathologies with an emphasis on how compact MRI can serve as an important adjunct to conventional pathology by nondestructively providing 3-dimensional (3-D) digital data sets, detailed morphological insights, and quantitative information. Comparative data using compact MRI for both in vivo and ex vivo are provided as well as validation using conventional H&E.
Beyond Hammers Versus Hugs
Authors: Woodland Rebecca H. , Mazur Rebecca
Published: February 2015

Educational evaluation (Ed Eval) and professional learning communities (PLCs) are two of the nation’s most predominant approaches to widespread instructional improvement. Yet key attributes of these reform initiatives are too often experienced by teachers as burdensome, or even detrimental, rather than helpful. The authors of this article contend that school leaders will be more successful in their school improvement efforts when they integrate the most promising elements of PLCs (disciplined collaboration, deprivatization of practice, and classroom-based assessment) and Ed Eval (use of professional performance standards, observation and feedback, and a focus on results) into a tiered system of job-embedded professional development. The authors articulate the promises and pitfalls of Ed Eval and PLCs and reenvision how they could be integrated into a system through which subpar teaching is systemically addressed, acceptable teaching is improved upon, and outstanding teaching is sustained and replicated. The authors showcase elements of integrated system using vignettes based on the experiences of an actual high school-level English language arts teacher team.
Symptom Representation and Treatment-Seeking Prior to Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: McCabe Pamela J. , Chamberlain Alanna M. , Rhudy Lori , DeVon Holli A.
Published: February 2015

Early treatment-seeking for symptoms of atrial fibrillation (AF) is critical to avert AF-related stroke and heart failure, but early treatment is hindered if symptoms are not accurately interpreted. The purpose of this research was to describe symptom representation and treatment-seeking responses prior to diagnosis of AF. For this descriptive study, 150 participants were surveyed to describe the type and temporality of symptoms, perceptions regarding the cause, seriousness, controllability of symptoms, and responses to symptoms prior to diagnosis. Participants’ mean age was 66.5 years, and 51% were female. Participants perceived symptoms as having nondisease-based causes, as not very serious, and as amenable to self-management. The majority took a wait and see response with 69% waiting more than 1 week after symptom onset to seek treatment. Lack of recognition of the seriousness of symptoms of AF and delayed treatment put patients at risk of poorer outcomes.
Missionary Self-Perception and Meaning-Making in Cross-Cultural Mission: A Cultural Psychological Analysis of the Narrative Identity of German Protestants
Authors: Arnold Maik
Published: February 2015

The purpose of this article is to outline the missionary self-perception that is mediated in meaningful stories about activities and experiences of Protestants while serving as missionaries abroad. Research is based on a model of narrative identity that aids for understanding the dilemmatic aspects of identity: continuity/change, sameness/difference, agency/non-agency. Findings of a cultural psychological analysis of missionaries’ autobiographical narratives are presented in form of these three types of identity dilemmas and discussed with respect to their implications for cultural psychology of religion. In utilizing qualitative research, the present study enlarges the understanding of the diversity of cross-cultural experiences in mission.
Is the Bible Value-Neutral Toward Competition?
Authors: Beed Clive , Beed Cara
Published: February 2015

Competition is pervasive in modern society, affecting work, education, and recreation. The question arises whether competition is consistent with scriptural teaching. The context for this enquiry is that Christians today disagree among themselves about whether Scripture has any normative content relating to competition. Some view competition as incompatible with Scripture, while for others it is compatible. On the basis of a given definition of competition, Christian contributions to the debate in the last decade are reviewed. Only six inputs were discovered (involving seven authors), with five arguing that Scripture takes no normative position toward competition. Most of this article is taken up with evaluating their cases that are found to be unpersuasive. A sixth paper claims that Scripture is incompatible with competition, examined in the penultimate section. From reviewing the six contributions to the debate, the conclusion is that that Scripture does not have a favorable attitude toward competition.
Morphological changes in vascular and circulating blood cells following exposure to detergent sclerosants
Authors: Cooley-Andrade O , Connor DE , Ma DDF , Weisel JW , Parsi K
Published: February 2015

Objectives

To investigate morphological changes in vascular and circulating blood cells following exposure to detergent sclerosants sodium tetradecyl sulfate and polidocanol.

Methods

Samples of whole blood, isolated leukocytes, platelets, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts were incubated with varying concentrations of sclerosants. Whole blood smears were stained with Giemsa and examined by light and bright field microscopy. Phalloidin and Hoechst stains were used to analyze cytoplasmic and nuclear morphology by fluorescence microscopy. Endothelial cell and fibroblasts were analyzed by live cell imaging.

Results

Higher concentrations of sclerosants induced cell lysis. Morphological changes in intact cells were observed at sublytic concentrations of detergents. Low concentration sodium tetradecyl sulfate induced erythrocyte acanthocytosis and macrocytosis, while polidocanol induced Rouleaux formation and increased the population of target cells and stomatocytes. Leukocytes showed swelling, blebbing, vacuolation, and nuclear degradation following exposure to sodium tetradecyl sulfate, while polidocanol induced pseudopodia formation, chromatin condensation, and fragmentation. Platelets exhibited pseudopodia with sodium tetradecyl sulfate and a “fried egg” appearance with polidocanol. Exposure to sodium tetradecyl sulfate resulted in size shrinkage in both endothelial cell and fibroblasts, while endothelial cell developed distinct spindle morphology. Polidocanol induced cytoplasmic microfilament bundles in both endothelial cell and fibroblasts. Patchy chromatin condensation was observed following exposure of fibroblasts to either agent.

Conclusion

Detergent sclerosants are biologically active at sublytic concentrations. The observed morphological changes are consistent with cell activation, apoptosis, and oncosis. The cellular response is concentration dependent, cell-specific, and sclerosant specific.
Optimizing the glutamatergic challenge model for psychosis, using S(+)-ketamine to induce psychomimetic symptoms in healthy volunteers
Authors: Kleinloog Daniël , Uit den Boogaard Anna , Dahan Albert , Mooren René , Klaassen Erica , Stevens Jasper , Freijer Jan , van Gerven Joop
Published: February 2015

The psychomimetic effects that occur after acute administration of ketamine can constitute a model of psychosis and antipsychotic drug action. However, the optimal dose/concentration has not been established and there is a large variety in outcome measures. In this study, 36 healthy volunteers (21 males and 15 females) received infusions of S(+)-ketamine or placebo to achieve pseudo-steady state concentrations of 180 and 360 ng/mL during two hours. The target of 360 ng/mL induced increasingly more intensive effects than expected, and the targets were subsequently reduced to 120 and 240 ng/mL, which were considered tolerable. There was a clear, concentration-dependent psychomimetic effect as shown on all subscales of the positive and negative syndrome scale (e.g. positive subscale +43.7%, 95%CI 34.4–53.7%, p < 0.0001 for 120 ng/mL and +70.5%, 95%CI 59.0–82.8%, p < 0.0001 for 240 ng/mL) and different visual analogue scales. The startle reflex was inhibited (prepulse inhibition) by both main target concentrations to a similar extent, suggesting a maximum effect. Ketamine was found to constitute a robust model for induction of psychomimetic symptoms and the optimal concentration range for a drug interaction study would be between 100 and 200 ng/mL.
Providing Choice in Middle Grade Classrooms
Authors: Williams Jasmine D. , Wallace Tanner LeBaron , Sung Hannah C.
Published: February 2015

Employing descriptive and interpretive analyses of classroom videos and focus group data, this study details how the provision of choice was enacted in instruction, and the subsequent messages students perceived. Participants included six teachers (fourth to eighth grade) and 114 students (age [Formula: see text] = 11.28 years, 60% African American). Survey data indicated students perceived high levels of choice in the focal classrooms (Time 1 [Formula: see text] = 3.32, SD = 0.91; Time 2 [Formula: see text] = 3.25, SD = 0.94). Results suggest five differentiating dimensions of providing choice: strategy, pace, format, topic, and mobility as well as differences in the structure of how choice was provided—a single event versus a generative sequence of autonomy-supportive adolescent-teacher interactions. Analysis of student focus group transcripts indicated the enactment of choice communicated messages around trust, respect, and worth that influenced student engagement. Overall, results suggest the provision of choice can be a context for meeting young adolescents’ developmental needs and fostering students’ motivational resources.
Creating the Cautious Consumer
Authors: Yngfalk Carl , Fyrberg Yngfalk Anna
Published: February 2015

This study examines the power and potential of marketing in the proliferation of health discourses in society. More specifically, drawing on a Foucauldian bio-political framework, it undertakes a discourse analysis of a commercial weight-loss program and the service marketing managerialism it actualizes, focusing on the interactions between service workers and consumers. The study contributes to recent discussions concerning the governmentality of marketing and its effects on consumer well-being by showing how people are invested in identity work in which the body becomes a site of collective control in consumer culture. The study reveals how service marketing is infused with bio-power, which simultaneously spurs people to lose weight and constructs them as cautious consumers that embody increased levels of self-care, control, anxiety and stress. Finally, it is argued that this continuous creation of bodily distress functions as a key mechanism of the contemporary market economy under neoliberal capitalism.
A topological approach to using cables to separate and manipulate sets of objects
Authors: Bhattacharya Subhrajit , Kim Soonkyum , Heidarsson Hordur , Sukhatme Gaurav S. , Kumar Vijay
Published: February 2015

In this paper we study the problem of manipulating and transporting multiple objects on the plane using a cable attached at each end to a mobile robot. This problem is motivated by the use of boats with booms in skimming operations for cleaning oil spills or removing debris on the surface of the water. The goal in this paper is to automate the task of separating the objects of interest from a collection of objects by manipulating them with cables that are actuated only at the ends, and then transporting them to specified destinations. Because the cable is flexible, the shape of the cable must be explicitly modeled in the problem. Further, the robots must cooperatively plan motions to achieve the required cable shape and gross position/orientation to separate the objects of interest and then transport them as specified. The theoretical foundation for the problem is derived from topological invariants, homology and homotopy. We first derive the necessary topological conditions for achieving the desired separation of objects. We then propose a distributed search-based planning technique for finding optimal robot trajectories for separation and transportation. We demonstrate the applicability of this method using a dynamic simulation platform with explicit models of the cable dynamics, the contact between the cable and one or more objects, and the surface drag on the cable and on the objects. We also demonstrate the working of the proposed algorithm on an experimental platform consisting of a system of two cooperating autonomous surface vessels and stationary/anchored objects.
Corriger les inégalités du régime d’assurance médicaments canadien
Authors: Taylor D. Wayne
Published: February 2015

Le système de santé canadien n’est pas universel. Le paiement des médicaments au Canada en est le parfait exemple. Les Canadiens qui n’en ont pas les moyens financiers n’ont pas accès aux médicaments orphelins pour soigner des maladies rares, à la chimiothérapie orale à domicile ni à de nombreux autres produits pharmaceutiques. Outre les répercussions physiques et affectives qu’ils subissent, les patients, les survivants, leur famille et les soignants doivent porter un fardeau financier de plus en plus lourd. Le présent article expose les origines de cette situation et les mesures nécessaires pour la corriger.
Complexity of the Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathies
Authors: Lupo Vincenzo , Pascual-Pascual Samuel I. , Sancho Paula , Calpena Eduardo , Gutiérrez-Molina Manuel , Mateo-Martínez Gonzalo , Espinós Carmen , Arriola-Pereda Gema
Published: February 2015

Early-onset hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies are rare diseases representing a broad clinical and genetic spectrum. Without a notable familial history, the clinical diagnosis is complicated because acquired causes of peripheral neuropathy, such as inflammatory neuropathies, neuropathies with toxic causes, and nutritional deficiencies, must be considered. We examined the clinical, electrophysiological, and pathologic manifestations of a boy with an initial diagnosis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The progression of the disease despite treatment led to a suspicion of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy. Genetic testing revealed the presence of the MPZ p.D90E mutation in heterozygosis. To clarify the pathogenicity of this mutation and achieve a conclusive diagnosis, we investigated the MPZ p.D90E mutation through in silico and cellular approaches. This study broadens the clinical phenotype of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy due to MPZ mutation and emphasises the difficulty of achieving an accurate genetic diagnosis in a sporadic patient to provide an appropriate pharmacologic treatment.
Enhanced osteoblast cells adhesion, spreading, and proliferation to surface-carboxylated poly(etheretherketone)
Authors: Zheng Yanyan , Xiong Chengdong , Wang Zhecun , Zhang Lifang
Published: February 2015

Poly(etheretherketone) is a rigid semicrystalline thermoplastic that combines excellent mechanical properties, broad chemical resistance, and bone-like stiffness, and is widely used in biomedical fields. However, the hydrophobic bio-inert surface of poly(etheretherketone) tends to hinder its biomedical applications when direct osteointegration between the implants and the host tissue is desired. In this investigation, poly(etheretherketone) surface was functionalized by a method with chemistry analogous to the formation of organosilane self-assembled monolayers on glass or silicon. First, poly(etheretherketone) surface activation with selective carbonyl reduction introduces surface hydroxylation. And then treatment of the hydroxylation-pretreated poly(etheretherketone) samples with a substituted organosilane solution forms the carboxyl (–COOH) functional surface layers. The modified surfaces were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and surface profiler. The effect of cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation on each specimen was investigated. Pre-osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1) adhesion, spreading, and proliferation were improved remarkably on surface-carboxylated poly(etheretherketone). Poly(etheretherketone) modified with –COOH on its surface has potential use in orthopedic or dental implants.
Moderating Effects of Immigrant Status on Determinants of Job Satisfaction
Authors: Ko Jungyai , Frey Jodi Jacobson , Osteen Philip , Ahn Haksoon
Published: February 2015

Despite an increased reliance on immigrants to fill important jobs within the United States, research is lacking with regard to job satisfaction among immigrant employees. Using data from the 2002 and 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce ( n = 559), the authors examined how immigrant status affects determinants of job satisfaction. Hierarchical linear regression was used to uncover whether income satisfaction, autonomy, learning opportunities, supervisor, and coworker support predict U.S.-born and immigrant workers’ job satisfaction and how immigrant status moderates the relationship between each predictor and job satisfaction. Results showed the moderating effects of immigrant status for income satisfaction and autonomy on the job. The relationship between income satisfaction and job satisfaction was stronger for immigrants and the relationship between autonomy on the job and job satisfaction was negative for immigrants who lack English proficiency. These results add to the limited knowledge about the ever growing immigrant workforce within the United States.
“One Day I’m Going to be Really Successful”: The Social Class Politics of Videos Made for the “It Gets Better” Anti-Gay Bullying Project
Authors: Meyer Doug
Published: February 2015

The author examines the “It Gets Better” (IGB) anti-gay bullying project, focusing particular attention on social class narratives in videos made for the campaign. Results, based on a content analysis of 128 videos, indicate that individuals most commonly began by describing negative experiences during adolescence before shifting to a narrative of progress, emphasizing how their life had improved since high school. In doing so, the makers of the videos drew on class-based standards of success such as traveling, attending college, and moving to a big city. At the same time, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people sometimes stigmatized the bullies in classist ways. Thus, as IGB encourages makers of the videos to underscore their financial success and to condemn the perpetrators of anti-gay bullying, the project reinforces the cultural elements of neoliberalism.
An investigation into the vertical dynamics of tracks with monoblock sleepers with a 3D finite-element model
Authors: Oregui Maider , Li Zili , Dollevoet Rolf
Published: February 2015

This paper investigates the vertical dynamic behavior of railway tracks with monoblock sleepers. Whole- and half-track finite element (FE) models are presented in which the rails and sleepers are represented with their nominal 3D geometry using solid elements. The railpad encompasses the rail seat area modeled as multiple spring–damper pairs. The 3D FE models are employed for three purposes. First, the stiffness and the damping of the railpad and ballast are derived by fitting the simulations to a set of field hammer test measurements. Second, the origins of six of the seven main characteristics are identified. Third, the influence of the railpad representation on the track’s dynamic response is studied. The results show that, in contrast to the 3D FE half-track model, the 3D FE whole-track model reproduces six of the seven main vertical track characteristics with a maximum deviation of 10% from the measured frequencies. The seventh characteristic is reproduced at approximately the measured frequency when the frequency-dependent stiffness of the railpad is considered. This model can be used to derive track parameters that will aid in the study of track degradation.
Theoretical and experimental analyses on stabilization of hunting motion by utilizing the traction motor as a passive gyroscopic damper
Authors: Yoshino Hayato , Hosoya Takumi , Yabuno Hiroshi , Lin Shihpin , Suda Yoshihiro
Published: February 2015

The wheelset on a railway vehicle experiences the problem of hunting motion, the onset of which occurs when travelling above the associated critical speed. This is known as a flutter-type self-excited oscillation resulting from non-conservative contact forces acting between the wheels and rails. Traditional methods for preventing hunting motion while running on a straight rail include using bolsters, yaw dampers, or stiffer supports. However, these methods decrease the running performance on a curved rail. To enhance the running performance on both straight and curved rails, we propose using a gyroscopic damper. Until now, a gyroscopic damper has been theoretically and experimentally shown to increase the critical speed for hunting motion. This control method does not need state feedback control, but is not a passive control method, because the gyroscope is rotated by an additional actuator provided separately from the traction motor. In practice, the weight increase from the additional actuator has been a problem in applying this control method. In this study, using the traction motor itself as a passive gyroscopic damper, a new stabilization control mechanism is proposed that eliminates the need for an additional actuator to rotate the gyroscope. An analytical model of a single railway vehicle wheelset was introduced at a scale corresponding to the experimental equipment. From the eigenvalue analysis, it was found that the critical speed increased with an increase in the rotor speed of the gyroscopic damper. Experiments were conducted using a simple apparatus consisting of a roller rig and a two-degree-of-freedom wheelset with a gyroscopic damper that has a mechanism equivalent to what is proposed. The results experimentally validate the proposed passive gyroscopic damper for the stabilization of hunting motion.
Neuroimaging of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: comparison of magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with and without immune reconstitution
Authors: Katchanov Juri , Branding Gordian , Jefferys Laura , Arastéh Keikawus , Stocker Hartmut , Siebert Eberhard
Published: February 2015

To determine the frequency, imaging characteristics, neuroanatomical distribution and dynamics of magnetic resonance imaging findings in HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompromised patients we compared patients without antiretroviral therapy with patients undergoing immune reconstitution. Neuroimaging and clinical data of 21 consecutive patients presenting to a German HIV centre in a 10-year period between 2005 and 2014 were reviewed. We identified eight patients with magnetic resonance imaging findings related to cryptococcal disease: five patients without antiretroviral therapy and three patients receiving effective antiretroviral therapy resulting in immune reconstitution. The pattern of magnetic resonance imaging manifestations was different in the two groups. In patients not on antiretroviral therapy, pseudocysts (n = 3) and lacunar ischaemic lesions (n = 2) were detected. Contrast-enhancing focal leptomeningeal and/or parenchymal lesions were found in all patients under immune reconstitution (n = 3). Magnetic resonance imaging lesions suggestive of leptomeningitis or meningoencephalitis were detected in all patients with a recurrence of cryptococcal meningitis under immune reconstitution, which differs from the classical magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients without antiretroviral therapy. In antiretroviral therapy-treated patients with past medical history of cryptococcal meningitis, detection of contrast-enhancing focal meningeal and/or parenchymal lesions should prompt further investigations for a recurrence of cryptococcal meningitis under immune reconstitution.
Extrauterine Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumor Arising in the Ovary With Multiple Metastases
Authors: Arafah Maria A. , Tulbah Asma M. , Al-Husaini Hamed , Al-Sabban Mohannad , Al-Shankiti Hanan , Al-Badawi Ismail A.
Published: February 2015

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor is a neoplasm of the chorionic-type intermediate trophoblasts. It is considered a rare gestational trophoblastic disease and is frequently misdiagnosed as carcinoma. Extrauterine epithelioid trophoblastic tumor has been reported in multiple anatomical sites. We report a case of a 50-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain and distension. Her initial β-human chorionic gonatotropin level was 806.7 IU/L. Imaging showed a large complex ovarian mass with peritoneal and subcapsular hepatic deposits as well as pulmonary nodules. Morphological features of the tumor and its immunohistochemical reactivity to CK8/18, CK7, p63, and CD10 were consistent with the diagnosis of an extrauterine epithelioid trophoblastic tumor arising from the ovary. The differential diagnoses, including other ovarian tumors, were ruled out on the basis of morphology and negative immunostaining to a relatively extended panel of antibodies. A prolonged follow up of these cases and the recognition of such rare tumors in unusual sites are crucial to the diagnosing pathologist and treating physician.
Serum Apelin 13 Levels in Patients With Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Selimoglu Şen Hadice , Kaplan Ibrahim , Abakay Özlem , Sezgi Cengizhan , Yilmaz Süreyya , Taylan Mahsuk , Abakay Abdurrahman , Tanrikulu Abdullah Çetin
Published: February 2015

Introduction and Aim:

Expression and peptide immunoreactivity of apelin messenger RNA have been described in a variety of tissues, including gastrointestinal tract, adipose tissue, brain, kidney, liver, cardiovascular system, and lungs. This study aimed to investigate the possible involvement of the endogenous apelin in the pathophysiological events that occur in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE).

Materials and Methods:

In total, 53 patients with PE and 35 healthy volunteers were included the study. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital and among patients diagnosed as having PE. The control group consisted of healthy volunteers who applied to hospital for a routine checkup examination. Serum apelin 13 levels were measured in both the groups and their results were compared.

Results:

The median ages were 57 and 53 years, and female–male ratios were 30/23 and 20/15, in the PE and control groups, respectively. The mean serum apelin 13 levels were found to be significantly higher in the PE group (76.94 ± 10.70 ng/mL) than in the control group (50.01 ± 7.13 ng/mL; P < .001).

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that apelin 13 levels are elevated in patients with PE. These results suggest that apelin may be a novel biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in patients with acute PE in the future.
On a generalized fractional-order LTI compensator: exact formulas for compensation at two different frequencies
Authors: Sayyaf Negin , Tavazoei Mohammad Saleh
Published: February 2015

Nowadays, design and tuning of controllers with predefined structures are among the most popular topics in control system theory. During the last decade, many studies have focused on designing fixed-structure fractional-order compensators. This paper presents a generalized version of fractional-order compensators to achieve the required magnitudes and phases at two given frequencies (for example, to achieve desired phase and gain margins with adjustable cross frequencies). In this generalization, at first some basic analysis of the phase behaviour of this introduced type of fractional-order compensators is presented. Also, exact formulas are found for designing this family of compensators in order to provide the aforementioned control objective. Finally, a numerical example is presented to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed design method in control systems.
Is There One Measure-of-Fit That Fits All? A Taxonomy and Review of Measures-of-Fit for Risk-Equalization Models
Authors: van Veen S.H.C.M. , van Kleef R.C. , van de Ven W.P.M.M. , van Vliet R.C.J.A
Published: February 2015

This study provides a taxonomy of measures-of-fit that have been used for evaluating risk-equalization models since 2000 and discusses important properties of these measures, including variations in analytic method. It is important to consider the properties of measures-of-fit and variations in analytic method, because they influence the outcomes of evaluations that eventually serve as a basis for policymaking. Analysis of 81 eligible studies resulted in the identification of 71 unique measures that were divided into 3 categories based on treatment of the prediction error: measured based on squared errors, untransformed errors, and absolute errors. We conclude that no single measure-of-fit is best across situations. The choice of a measure depends on preferences about the treatment of the prediction error and the analytic method. If the objective is measuring financial incentives for risk selection, the only adequate evaluation method is to assess the predictive performance for non-random groups.
Multiple myeloma: Updates for pharmacists in the treatment of relapsed and refractory disease
Authors: Ashjian Emily , Redic Kimberly
Published: February 2015

There have been a number of recent advances in the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. However, despite additional FDA-approved therapies including carfilzomib and pomalidomide as well as clinical trials investigating new combinations of existing treatments, multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease. New therapies currently in the drug development pipeline for relapsed and refractory disease include additional proteasome inhibitors (oprozomib, marizomib, ixazomib), histone deacetylase inhibitors (panobinostat, ricolinostat, quisinostat), monoclonal antibodies (daratumumab, elotuzumab, SAR650984), Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ibrutinib), a selective inhibitor of nuclear export, and others. This review will focus on these newly developing therapies as well as the ever expanding role of the pharmacist in supportive care for patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.
Ipilimumab may increase the severity of cutenaous toxicity related to radiotherapy
Authors: Eryılmaz Melek Karakurt , Mutlu Hasan , Salim Derya Kıvrak , Musri Fatma Yalçın , Tural Deniz , Başsorgun Ibrahim , Coşkun Hasan Şenol
Published: February 2015

Ipilimumab, monoclonal antibody against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 and, radiotherapy are commonly used to treat unresectable and metastatic melanoma. As a result of upregulation of immune system with ipilimumab, many immune-related adverse effects, such as dermatitis, colitis, hepatitis, and hypophysitis, have been previously reported in literature. Typically, these effects are treated with high-dose steroids and mostly heal up. Here, we report a case who was receiving radiotherapy due to metastatic malignant melanoma with atypical generalized rash, which was enlarged with concurrent ipilimumab treatment.
Examining Queer Elements and Ideologies in LGBT-Themed Literature
Authors: Blackburn Mollie V. , Clark Caroline T. , Nemeth Emily A.
Published: February 2015

This paper retrospectively examines a collection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* (LGBT)-themed books discussed by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) and ally students and teachers across 3 years of an out-of-school reading group. Through a textual content analysis of a sub-set of these books, we examine what queer literature looks like, identifying qualities it shares, and considering particular resources and possibilities it offers readers that are distinct from the broader category of LGBT-themed literature.
Combined effect of pressure-dependent viscosity and couple stress on squeeze-film lubrication between circular step plates
Authors: Hanumagowda BN
Published: February 2015

This paper reports the couple stresses squeeze film lubrication of circular stepped plates with pressure-dependent viscosity (PDV). The modified Reynolds equation accounting for the viscosity variation of couplestress fluid is mathematically derived. From the results, it has been found that the non-dimensional pressure, non-dimensional load-carrying capacity, and the non-dimensional squeeze film time increases as compared with iso-viscous lubricant case. Further, the present results are in good agreement with the earlier works in the limiting conditions of iso-viscous lubricant case.
Confronting as autonomy promotion: Speaking up against discrimination and psychological well-being in racial minorities
Authors: Sanchez Diana T , Himmelstein Mary S , Young Danielle M , Albuja Analia F , Garcia Julie A
Published: February 2015

Few studies have considered confrontation in the context of coping with discriminatory experiences. These studies test for the first time whether confronting racial discrimination is associated with greater psychological well-being and physical health through the promotion of autonomy. In two separate samples of racial minorities who had experienced racial discrimination, confrontation was associated with greater psychological well-being, and this relationship was mediated by autonomy promotion. These findings did not extend to physical health symptoms. These studies provide preliminary evidence that confrontation may aid in the process of regaining autonomy after experiencing discrimination and therefore promote well-being.
The role of narcissism in health-risk and health-protective behaviors
Authors: Hill Erin M
Published: February 2015

This study examined the role of narcissism in health-risk and health-protective behaviors in a sample of 365 undergraduate students. Regression analyses were used to test the influence of narcissism on health behaviors. Narcissism was positively predictive of alcohol use, marijuana use, and risky driving behaviors, and it was associated with an increased likelihood of consistently having a healthy eating pattern. Narcissism was also positively predictive of physical activity. Results are discussed with reference to the potential short-term and long-term health implications and the need for future research on the factors involved in the relationship between narcissism and health behaviors.
Effects of task repetition on learners’ attention orientation in L2 oral production
Authors: Fukuta Junya
Published: February 2015

Task repetition facilitates learners’ performance, at least temporarily: Since learners are already familiar with the content of the task at the initial enactment, they are capable of focusing their attention on linguistic form during the following enactment. However, the analysis in previous studies treated various aspects of ‘form’ as one package. This study examined learners’ attention shifts during repeated task engagement by methodological triangulation. The experiment required 28 Japanese learners of English to perform narrative tasks twice. Learners’ performance was analysed, and the protocol data elicited by stimulated recall were coded along their attention orientations. The result partially supported the form-focused effects of task repetition: learners focused more on the syntactic encoding process and less on the conceptualizing process at the second task enactment when they engaged in the same task twice. Possible theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.
Plugged in: Electronics use in youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: MacMullin Jennifer A , Lunsky Yona , Weiss Jonathan A
Published: February 2015

Although electronic technology currently plays an integral role for most youth, there are growing concerns of its excessive and compulsive use. This study documents patterns and impact of electronics use in individuals with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing peers. Participants included 172 parents of typically developing individuals and 139 parents of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, ranging in age from 6 to 21 years. Parents completed an online survey of demographics and the frequency, duration, and problematic patterns of electronics use in their youth and young adults. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder were reported to use certain electronics more often in the last month and on an average day, and had greater compulsive Internet and video game use than individuals without autism spectrum disorder. Across both samples, males used video games more often than females. Compared to parents of individuals without autism spectrum disorder, parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder were significantly more likely to report that electronics use was currently having a negative impact. The implications of problematic electronics use for individuals with autism spectrum disorder are discussed.