bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Dependence of QPF on the Choice of Microphysical Parameterization for Lake-Effect Snowstorms
Authors: Reeves Heather Dawn , Dawson Daniel T.
Published: August 2012

Several lake-effect-snow forecasts are compared to assess how the choice of microphysical parameterization affects quantitative precipitation forecasting (QPF). Eight different schemes, with different numbers of moments and categories of hydrometeors, are considered. Half of the schemes are in the steady regime (so named because the precipitation rates are nearly constant with time), and the remaining experiments are in the unsteady regime, which has a high temporal variation in precipitation. The steady-regime members have broader precipitation shields and 24-h accumulations that range from 43 to 50 mm. In the unsteady regime, the precipitation shields are narrower, leading to higher accumulations (ranging from 55 to 94 mm). These differences are the result of lower terminal velocities υt in the steady regime, which allows for relofting or suspension of hydrometeors (assuming the vertical velocity is sufficiently large) and, hence, a longer in-cloud residence time and stronger downstream transport. In the six-category experiments, low υt values in the steady regime occur in conjunction with a lower production of graupel, which is primarily due to less accretion of rain by snow. In the five-category experiments, differences are due to the way υt is functionally dependent on environmental temperature and the degree of riming, with the steady regime having a more conservative relation. The steady regime compares better to available observations, although both have notable forecast errors.
Influence of Land Cover Change on Regional Water Cycles in Eastern Siberia
Authors: Yoshida Ryuhei , Sawada Masahiro , Yamazaki Takeshi , Ohta Takeshi , Hiyama Tetsuya
Published: August 2012

This study evaluated the effect of recent eastern Siberian land surface changes, such as water surface expansion, on water-energy fluxes and precipitation and focused on land surface parameters using a three-dimensional atmospheric model [the Japan Meteorological Agency Nonhydrostatic model (JMA-NHM)]. Five parameters were set (viz., surface albedo, evaporative efficiency, roughness length, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity), and a response of evaporation and precipitation was evaluated. Increased precipitation corresponded to 75% of the increased evaporation on interparameter average, indicating strong land–atmosphere coupling. Water-energy flux and precipitation responses to water surface expansion were evaluated by two methods: JMA-NHM and the parameter sensitivity method. The latter method used a linear combination of parameter sensitivity on the fluxes and precipitation and parameter changes with land surface change. JMA-NHM demonstrated an increase in evaporation and precipitation and a decrease in downward shortwave radiation with low-level cloud increases. The parameter sensitivity method gave the same order as JMA-NHM in the estimation. This method has minimal calculation cost; thus, water-energy flux and precipitation response with further water surface expansion and decreases in forest area were simulated, producing various land surface data. The enhancement of the precipitation response to evaporation was weak for further water surface expansion in the largely expanded water surface area; however, the ratio increased dramatically for the small water surface expanding area, indicating intense water cycle enhancement at the beginning of water surface expansion. Although grassland formation from forest has minimal impact, if incoming downward shortwave radiation were to increase because of the disappearance of the forest shading effect and the water surface formed by permafrost melting, the water cycle would be enhanced intensely.
Wind-Driven Cross-Equatorial Flow in the Indian Ocean
Authors: Pérez-Hernández M. Dolores , Hernández-Guerra Alonso , Joyce Terrence M. , Vélez-Belchí Pedro
Published: August 2012

Meridional velocity, mass, and heat transport in the equatorial oceans are difficult to estimate because of the nonapplicability of the geostrophic balance. For this purpose a steady-state model is utilized in the equatorial Indian Ocean using NCEP wind stress and temperature and salinity data from the World Ocean Atlas 2005 (WOA05) and Argo. The results show a Somali Current flowing to the south during the winter monsoon carrying −11.5 ± 1.3 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) and −12.3 ± 0.3 Sv from WOA05 and Argo, respectively. In the summer monsoon the Somali Current reverses to the north transporting 16.8 ± 1.2 Sv and 19.8 ± 0.6 Sv in the WOA05 and Argo results. Transitional periods are considered together and in consequence, there is not a clear Somali Current present in this period. Model results fit with in situ measurements made around the region, although Argo data results are quite more realistic than WOA05 data results.
Production of polystyrene-nanoclay nanocomposite foam and effect of nanoclay particles on foam cell size
Authors: Saraeian P , Tavakoli HR , Ghassemi A
Published: August 2012

This paper seeks to study the effect of nanoclay particles on polystyrene-nanoclay nanocomposite foam cells. In this study, first using a melt method, nanocomposites were injected into a mold in proportions of 4, 5 and 6% of nanoclay with a twin-screw extruder. To determine the distribution pattern of nanoclay particles in a polystyrene basis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope tests were conducted on the samples. To produce nanocomposite foam parts using mass foam process, first the samples were placed and maintained for 40 hours in a chamber pressurized to 60 bars. Removed and weighed, the samples were placed in a hot glycerin bath heated to 85, 95, 100 and 105℃. The foam samples were tested to measure the density and grain size using a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that proportions 4% and 5% of nanoclay caused an increase in density and a decrease in grain size. However, in the nanocomposite foam sample with a proportion of 6% nanoclay, there was a decrease in density and an increase in grain size due to accumulated nanoclay layers.
Comparison between experimental and theoretical results using Cuntze’s “failure mode concept” model for composites under triaxial loadings—Part B of the second world-wide failure exercise
Authors: Cuntze RG
Published: August 2012

This paper represents a comparison between the predictions of Cuntze’s Failure Theory, referred to as ‘failure mode concept model, and experimental results provided in Part B of the second World-Wide Failure Exercise. The results covered 12 test cases, involving an isotropic matrix material, 7 UD laminas and 4 multi-directional laminates subjected to 3D states of stress. The UD lamina data, needed for the validation of the failure mode concept-based UD strength conditions, were broadly applicable, whereas the laminate data could only partly serve for model verification because some test cases show some discrepancies. Also, there was a lack of test data in some of the test cases and it is concluded that there is a need to obtain more representative test data. Nevertheless, a good mapping could be achieved by the applied strength conditions dedicated to the specific test case.
3D Rotem failure criterion for fibrous laminated composite materials: Comparison with experiments
Authors: Rotem A
Published: August 2012

Experimental test results of 12, three-dimensional loading cases, on laminated fibrous composite materials were provided by the organizers of the second world-wide failure exercise. These test results were compared with the three-dimensional Rotem failure criterion. These experimental data had been taken from different sources, some of which were from open literature. As a result, very broad strength distributions were observed. In general, adequate fitness between theory and tests data was observed. It was emphasized in the failure criterion that the strength parameters must be evaluated experimentally. Since some were missing, they were assumed, causing in some cases discrepancies. Now, as experimental data are provided, it was possible to calibrate some of the key parameters. By a selective modification of these parameters, the revised failure envelopes and stress–strain curves gave a much better fitness to the experimental results.
What’s Love Got to Do With It? Sex in a Female Maximum-Security Prison
Authors: Einat Tomer , Chen Gila
Published: August 2012

This study presents Israeli female inmates’ attitudes toward same-sex sexual relationships in prison and incentives to participation. The major findings are (a) conflict exists between the prevalence of same-sex sexual relationships among Israeli female inmates and prisoner negative attitudes toward them, (b) nearly all same-sex sexual relationships among shorter-term female inmates are based on economic exploitation and other benefits, and (c) most Jewish and Muslim female prisoners express negative attitudes toward same-sex sexual relationships in prison but, at the same time, participate in them. Unlike most female prisons in the Western world, the single women’s prison facility in Israel lacks pseudofamily networks.
Introduction to Health Promotion for People With Chronic Illness and Disability
Authors: Chan Fong , Chiu Chung-Yi , Bezyak Jill L. , Keegan John
Published: August 2012

Health promotion has received increasing attention in rehabilitation counseling research. Health promotion research contributes to theory building and provides the foundation for empirically supported interventions that can improve the health-related quality of life and employment outcomes of people with chronic illness and disability. In this article, the authors present their rationale for developing this special issue on health promotion. They highlight some of the exciting new findings reported in the articles contained in this special section as well as some recent health promotion and disability research. The goal of this special issue is to stimulate thinking and discussion about incorporating health promotion strategies in vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work interventions for people with disabilities.
Holistically evaluating agent-based social systems models: a case study
Authors: Bharathy Gnana K , Silverman Barry
Published: August 2012

The philosophical perspectives on model evaluation can be broadly classified into reductionist/logical positivist and relativist/holistic. In this paper, we outline some of our past efforts in, and challenges faced during, evaluating models of social systems with cognitively detailed agents. Owing to richness in the model, we argue that the holistic approach and consequent continuous improvement are essential to evaluating complex social system models such as these. A social system built primarily of cognitively detailed agents can provide multiple levels of correspondence, both at observable and abstract aggregated levels. Such a system can also pose several challenges, including large feature spaces, issues in information elicitation with database, experts and news feeds, counterfactuals, fragmented theoretical base, and limited funding for validation. We subscribe to the view that no model can faithfully represent reality, but detailed, descriptive models are useful in learning about the system and bringing about a qualitative jump in understanding of the system it attempts to model – provided they are properly validated. Our own approach to model evaluation is to consider the entire life cycle and assess the validity under two broad dimensions of (1) internally focused validity/quality achieved through structural, methodological, and ontological evaluations; and (2) external validity consisting of micro validity, macro validity, and qualitative, causal and narrative validity. In this paper, we also elaborate on selected validation techniques that we have employed in the past. We recommend a triangulation of multiple validation techniques, including methodological soundness, qualitative validation techniques, such as face validation by experts and narrative validation, and formal validation tests, including correspondence testing.
Embodying Risk: Managing Father–child Intimacy and the Display of Nudity in Families
Authors: Gabb Jacqui
Published: August 2012

This article interrogates how parents manage public–private practices of father–child intimacy and how the dis/embodied male impacts on the display of nudity in families. Drawing on empirical research, it examines some of the tensions which crystallise around intimate fatherhood and the meanings and practices of family photography. Focusing on the visual and how this can shed light on different dimensions of everyday experience, it explores how parents set boundaries around notions of decency and adjudge appropriate behaviour, with particular attention to the (in)significance of children’s age and the impact of class and social context. Notwithstanding cultural changes which prize intimate fatherhood, the management of masculinity and the paternal body remain a source of anxiety. This article interrogates how gender and ideas of ‘risk management’ are shaping embodied interactions between fathers and children and thus what children are learning about men, masculinity and intimacy.
Recognising Adulthood? Young Adults’ Accomplishment of their Age Identities
Authors: King Andrew
Published: August 2012

This article seeks to extend work in the growing sociology of adulthood. It considers the debate that young people in the UK and other advanced industrial societies now face challenges to their adulthood; in particular, that they experience problems of social recognition. Using membership categorisation analysis (MCA) the article then illustrates how members of a sample of 23 young people who had taken a gap year, a break in their educational careers taken between leaving school/college and university, use talk about changes in their relationships with their parents during this period of their lives to accomplish an adult identity in their current context. The article considers the ramifications of these findings and the consequences for studying adulthood more generally.
Ambivalent Multiculturalism
Authors: Bygnes Susanne
Published: August 2012

Multiculturalism is a fiercely debated subject. This article argues that ambivalence is a central feature of people’s perspectives on societal diversity. Data are interviews with leaders from three Norwegian social movement organisations. Qualitative analysis reveals that despite leaders’ very different organisational and political vantage points, they share a common ambivalence towards multiculturalism. This perspective on political and organisational leaders’ views on diversity provides an important supplement to analyses aimed at classifying specific political preferences on multiculturalism. Considering ambivalent multiculturalism is therefore key to understanding those elements of public debate that are not ‘either/or’. In addition to showing the wider relevance of ambivalence, the concluding discussion speculates on the link between ambivalent and extreme expressions in the Norwegian case.
The Rime of the Globalised Mariner: In Six Parts (with Bonus Tracks from a Chorus of Greek Shippers)
Authors: Bloor Michael
Published: August 2012

This article borrows the form and metre of Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner to describe and analyse the social situation of the globalised mariner. The shipping industry is characterised by complex global value chains and an outsourced, casualised labour force. The paper aims to be a piece of ‘public sociology’ and (in seeking to appeal in as vivid a manner as possible) is written in a style that Wright Mills called ‘sociological poetry’, attempting a pastiche of perhaps the best known poem in English. The auditor in the poem is a late-modern consumer and the narration is shared between the mariner, an inspector of shipping and (to remind the reader and the auditor of the mariner’s partisanship) a Chorus of Greek Shippers. The narrative covers deficiencies in seafarer training, reductions in crew numbers, the consequent long hours and seafarer fatigue, and the failure of global governance of the industry.
Effect of repeated laundering on wicking and drying properties of fabrics of seamless garments
Authors: Duru Sena Cimilli , Candan Cevza
Published: August 2012

Good moisture transport and drying properties are quite important factors for garments worn next to the skin, especially sportswear, underwear, etc., and seamless technology, in comparison to circular knitting technology, may offer higher flexibility in designing such garments with optimized comfort properties. Accordingly, seamless garments were knitted at three stitch lengths (i.e. slack, medium and tight) using a plaiting technique. In doing so, Ne 40/1 yarns from cellulosic fibers (namely cotton, viscose and bamboo) were employed as face yarn whereas 33 denier 34 filament nylon, which was intermingled with 17 dtex spandex yarn, was utilized as the plaiting yarn. They were piece dyed under commercial conditions. After that, half of them were subjected to a repeated laundering process (five cycles) and then flat-dried. Liquid transporting and drying properties of the fabrics of the garments were measured and the data obtained were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) as well as independent t-tests and the results were discussed comparatively. Finally, the relative importance of liquid transfer parameters was evaluated by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method based on seamless garment requirements. Final ranking of the garments was discovered according to the relative closeness value determined by the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method in order to be able to offer the best option from all of the feasible alternatives suggested with the work.
Determination of electromagnetic shielding performance of hybrid yarn knitted fabrics with anechoic chamber method
Authors: Ortlek Huseyin Gazi , Alpyildiz Tuba , Kilic Gamze
Published: August 2012

The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) of various weft-knitted fabrics made of hybrid yarns is investigated by considering the anisotropy of the structures, which has not been analyzed in previous studies. The anechoic chamber with aperture method at different polarizations of electromagnetic waves within the frequency range of 30 MHz and 9.93 GHz is used to determine the SE of knitted fabrics manufactured on a circular weft knitting machine from siro-spun and siro core-spun yarns without and with a metal core. The results show that SE depends on the orientation of the fibers within the structure regarding the direction of the electrical field in addition to parameters such as metal content, loop length and frequency; these results can be used to outline the basic points in determining a knit structure with desired SE.
World City Typologies and National City System Deterritorialisation: USA, China and Japan
Authors: Ma Xiulian , Timberlake Michael
Published: August 2012

The research constitutes the first effort to test the claim found in the world city theoretical literature that, as world cities strengthen ties with each other, their linkages with their countries’ hinterlands and national urban systems will weaken. This research offers a more nuanced exploration of this hypothesis by taking into account variation in the nature of the state across countries in which world cities are located as well as the source of global capital in the world cities. Specifically, the research reported here suggests that three types of world cities—market-centred bourgeois world cities (MWC), state-centred political bureaucratic world cities (SWC) and dual-role world cities (DWC)—entail different deterritorialisation outcomes. Three countries that have prototypical global cities—Japan (SWC), China (DWC) and the US (MWC) are compared, applying longitudinal network modelling to relational data on national city networks. From 1993 to 2007, more globally connected MWCs weakened their national ties. In contrast, higher global status has no significant effect on the integration of SWCs or DWCs with their national urban systems. This indicates that the type of state, but not the source of capital, conditions whether the world city will deterritorialise vis-à-vis its national city system.
A cross-cultural comparison of teacher ratings of child adjustment and behavioral problems
Authors: Rowe Ellen W. , Rivers Lanee , Kamphaus Randy W.
Published: August 2012

This study examines similarities and differences in teacher ratings of behavioral problems and adaptive skills between a sample of 320 students from Anguilla, BWI and 315 children from the United States of America using the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992 ). The study also compared teacher ratings of boys and girls in the Caribbean sample. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) revealed that Anguillian teachers rated their students as having higher mean school problems, while the mean score for adaptive skills was higher for US students. Effect sizes were small, though, indicating that little of the variance in ratings was attributable to cultural group. Boys in the Caribbean sample had significantly higher mean scores on externalizing and school problems. Girls were rated at having more adaptive skills. Again, effect sizes for the differences were small. Scientific and practice implications are offered.
“One Can Learn From Other People’s Experiences”
Authors: Baig Arshiya A. , Locklin Cara A. , Wilkes Abigail E. , Oborski Donna Dempsey , Acevedo John C. , Gorawara-Bhat Rita , Quinn Michael T. , Burnet Deborah L. , Chin Marshall H.
Published: August 2012

Purpose

To assess Latino adults’ preferences for peer-based diabetes self-management interventions and the acceptability of the church setting for these interventions.

Methods

The authors partnered with 2 predominantly Mexican American churches in Chicago and conducted 6 focus groups with 37 adults who had diabetes or had a family member with diabetes. They assessed participant preferences regarding group education and telephone-based one-to-one peer diabetes self-management interventions. Systematic qualitative methods were used to identify the types of programming preferred by participants in the church setting.

Results

Participants had a mean (SD) age of 53 (11) years. All participants were Latino, and more than half were born in Mexico (60%). Most participants were female (78%), had finished high school (65%), and had health insurance (57%). Sixty-five percent reported having a diagnosis of diabetes. Many participants believed the group-based and telephone-based one-to-one peer support programs could provide opportunities to share diabetes knowledge. Yet, the majority stated the group education model would offer more opportunity for social interaction and access to people with a range of diabetes experience. Participants noted many concerns regarding the one-to-one intervention, mostly involving the impersonal nature of telephone calls and the inability to form a trusting bond with the telephone partner. However, the telephone-based intervention could be a supplement to the group educational sessions. Participants also stated the church would be a familiar and trusted setting for peer-based diabetes interventions.

Conclusions

Church-based Latinos with diabetes and their family members were interested in peer-based diabetes self-management interventions; however, they preferred group-based to telephone-based one-to-one peer programs.
Idiosyncratic Deals and Voice Behavior
Authors: Ng Thomas W. H. , Feldman Daniel C.
Published: August 2012

Informed by social exchange theory, this study examines whether and how employees reciprocate to their organizations for the idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) they receive. Specifically, the authors examined whether i-deals (in scheduling flexibility and professional development) are related to employees’ flexible work role orientation, social networking behavior, and organizational trust over time. In turn, they hypothesized that these mediating variables would be positively related to employees’ use of constructive voice. Data were collected from 466 managers and professionals in the United States and China at three points in time over a 10-month period. The data analyses revealed that flexible work role orientation, social networking behavior, and organizational trust all mediated the relationship between i-deals and voice behavior. Furthermore, the mediating effects were generally stronger for professional development i-deals than for scheduling flexibility i-deals and were generally stronger in the China sample than in the U.S. sample. The article concludes with a discussion of the utility of social exchange theory as a framework for future research on i-deals and for guiding the implementation of i-deals in organizational settings.
Caveolae-mediated Endocytosis of Intratracheally Instilled Gold Colloid Nanoparticles at the Air–Blood Barrier in Mice
Authors: Naota Misaki , Shimada Akinori , Morita Takehito , Yamamoto Yuko , Inoue Kenichiro , Takano Hirohisa
Published: August 2012

Endocytosis is the primary mechanism by which nanoparticles are translocated over the alveolar epithelium. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the association between endocytosis and the translocation of nanoparticles at the air–blood barrier (ABB). Gold colloid particles (diameter, 20 nm) were intratracheally instilled into male ICR mice. Fifteen minutes after instillation, localized accumulation of agglomerated gold particles was observed in the cytoplasm of macrophages, on the surface of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs), and in alveoli. Electron microscopy revealed particles in the vesicles of macrophages, on the surface of AECs, and in caveolae-like vesicles in type 1 AECs. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive immunolabeling for caveolin-1 in the ABB of untreated lungs as well as lungs treated with gold particles. Double immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy revealed the presence of caveolin-1 in AECs in the untreated lungs. These results suggest that instilled gold colloid particles are internalized into the alveolar epithelium at the ABB by caveolae-mediated endocytosis, which is regarded as a physiological function of AECs.
Evaluation of the new generation dual-lumen catheter for neonatal ECMO
Authors: Said MM , Rivera O , Mikesell GT , Rais-Bahrami K
Published: August 2012

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to compare the newly designed dual-lumen venovenous catheter (VR13, OriGen Biomedical, Austin, TX) with the current dual-lumen catheter (VV12, OriGen Biomedical).

Methods:

Five newborn lambs, 1 to 5 days old and weighing 4.2 ± 0.5 kg, were cannulated with the VV13 OriGen catheter and placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO flows were increased from 200 to 600 ml/min, with measurements taken after the changes. The experiment was then repeated using the VV12 catheter.

Results:

Recirculation values were equal for both catheters. The pressure drop at the reinfusion port was equal for both catheters at 200 ml/min, increasing to 275 mmHg at 500 ml/min for the VR13 vs. 240 mmHg for the VV12 catheter.

Conclusion:

These findings indicate that the VR13 catheter resulted in levels of recirculation equal to the VV12. Based on resistance measurements, we do not recommend the use of this new catheter beyond 400 ml/min until minor design changes are made.
Sustainable travel behaviour and the widespread impacts on the local economy
Authors: Howarth Candice C , Polyviou Polyvios
Published: August 2012

Statistics show that unsustainable travel behaviour and global greenhouse gas emissions are growing and due to the perceived indispensable nature of personal travel, shifts to more sustainable modes remain a challenge. Automobility supports sustained local economic growth but also raises issues around safety, health, road fatalities, traffic and congestion, and detrimental environmental impacts. This article addresses the issue of sustainable mobility by investigating how to increase sustainable travel choices and, where this is not possible, ensure existing travel choices and patterns are as environmentally friendly as possible. Existing soft initiatives aimed at increasing sustainable travel behaviour fail to fully acknowledge that travel decisions are made at the individual level and that tailored strategies would be more effective at targeting distinct behavioural patterns. Influencing changes in travel behaviour at the local level demonstrates significant potential where individual behaviour can be influenced if appropriate support at the system level is in place and complies with the needs of individuals. This article demonstrates that, in doing so, this will simultaneously address other areas, such as accessibility, employability, health and sustainable growth, crucial to the establishment and survival of automobility by both supporting local economic growth and achieving reductions in carbon emissions.
The role of roles: Physical cooperation between humans and robots
Authors: Mörtl Alexander , Lawitzky Martin , Kucukyilmaz Ayse , Sezgin Metin , Basdogan Cagatay , Hirche Sandra
Published: August 2012

Since the strict separation of working spaces of humans and robots has experienced a softening due to recent robotics research achievements, close interaction of humans and robots comes rapidly into reach. In this context, physical human–robot interaction raises a number of questions regarding a desired intuitive robot behavior. The continuous bilateral information and energy exchange requires an appropriate continuous robot feedback. Investigating a cooperative manipulation task, the desired behavior is a combination of an urge to fulfill the task, a smooth instant reactive behavior to human force inputs and an assignment of the task effort to the cooperating agents. In this paper, a formal analysis of human–robot cooperative load transport is presented. Three different possibilities for the assignment of task effort are proposed. Two proposed dynamic role exchange mechanisms adjust the robot’s urge to complete the task based on the human feedback. For comparison, a static role allocation strategy not relying on the human agreement feedback is investigated as well. All three role allocation mechanisms are evaluated in a user study that involves large-scale kinesthetic interaction and full-body human motion. Results show tradeoffs between subjective and objective performance measures stating a clear objective advantage of the proposed dynamic role allocation scheme.
A Longitudinal Examination of Sleep Quality and Physical Activity in Older Adults
Authors: Holfeld Brett , Ruthig Joelle C.
Published: August 2012

The relationship between sleep quality and physical activity is bidirectional, yet prior research on older adults has mainly focused on investigating whether increasing levels of physical activity leads to improvements in sleep quality. The current longitudinal study examined both directional relationships by assessing sleep quality and physical activity twice over a two-year period among 426 community-dwelling older adults (ages 61-100). A cross-lagged panel analysis that included age, gender, perceived stress, functional ability, and severity of chronic health conditions as covariates, revealed that better initial sleep quality predicted higher levels of later physical activity beyond the effects of prior physical activity; whereas initial physical activity did not predict later sleep quality after accounting for prior sleep quality. These findings highlight sleep quality as an important contributor to a physically active lifestyle among older adults.
Neurocognitive effects in welders exposed to aluminium
Authors: Giorgianni Concetto Mario , D’Arrigo Graziella , Brecciaroli Renato , Abbate Adriana , Spatari Giovanna , Tringali Maria Antonietta , Gangemi Silvia , Luca Annamaria De
Published: August 2012

Objectives:

Various authors who studied the effects of aluminium (Al) exposure on the neurocognitive system in the last 30 years have reached different and often contradictory conclusions. The aim of this study is to help clarify the effects that the metal causes on cognitive ability in a group of naval welders exposed to Al.

Methods:

The study was performed on a sample of 86 male Al welders in a shipyard in Messina. The average value of environmental Al, recorded in the workplace, was 19.5 mg/m3. The blood levels of Al, zinc, manganese, lead and chromium were monitored in all the subjects. The reagents used for the neuropsychic study were the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), the Colour Word Test or Stroop Test and the Test of Attention Matrixes. The results were compared with those obtained in a similar control group not exposed to Al and with an Al-b value of 6.93 g/l.

Results:

For all the mental reagents used, the reply is obtained in the sample of exposed subjects showed decreased cognitive response with regard to attention and memory performance. The comparison between the individual tests showed greater sensitivity of performance studied using the WMS and the Stroop Test compared with the Test of Attention Matrixes. The alterations encountered in the cognitive functions studied increased proportionally to time of exposure and quantity of metal absorbed.

Conclusion:

The study confirmed that occupational exposure to Al causes alteration in cognitive responses that are more evident in complex functions.
Effect of Pleurotus florida lectin (PFL) on arsenic-induced activities of splenoctyes in rat
Authors: Rana Tanmoy , Bera Asit Kumar , Bhattacharya Debasis , Das Subhashree , Pan Diganta , Das Subrata Kumar
Published: August 2012

The present study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect of Pleurotus florida lectin (PFL) against arsenic-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative damages in freshly isolated splenocytes of rodents. Our finding indicated that arsenic caused reduction in cell adhesion, morphological alterations, cell proliferation, nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) index, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity and relative mRNA expression of SOD2 in relation to housekeeping gene glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( GAPDH) and increased production of nitric oxide (NO), protein carbonyl (PC) and lipid peroxidation levels (LPO) assembled to play key factors for cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. PFL normalized cellular damages and enhanced SOD production pathway relating to gene expression. Further studies are needed to address effective phytochemicals of the edible mushroom and their mechanism.
Genotoxicity evaluation of 4-carboxyl- 2,6-dinitrophenylazohydroxynaphthalenes in mice
Authors: Adegoke Olajire Aremu , Ghosh Manosij , Manivannan J , Sinha Sonali , Mukherjee Anita
Published: August 2012

A short-term in vivo genotoxicity evaluation of 4-carboxyl-2,6-dinitrophenylazohydronaphthalenes (AZ-01 to AZ-04) has been carried out in mice. Aqueous colloidal solutions of the dyes were administered to mice on each day for 5 successive days using gastric gavages. Two end point assessments of the genotoxicity potentials of the dyes were assessed using comet assay and chromosomal aberration studies using the mice bone marrow cells. The dyes were well tolerated at the doses investigated, as there were no deaths or any adverse pharmacotoxic events. Dose-dependent DNA damage (in terms of percentage of tail DNA and Olive tail moment) occurred with AZ-01 and AZ-02, although the effects were significant only with the highest doses. AZ-03 gave similar patterns with those of AZ-01 and AZ-02, while replacement with butanone in AZ-04 altered the observed pattern. Minimal chromosomal damages were obtained for the four dyes, with AZ-01 and AZ-02 giving nonsignificant damages, while the highest dose of AZ-03 produced significant aberrations in terms of breaks. Some minor isochromatid breaks and gaps were also noticed in the dye-treated mice. Mitotic indices in all cases were not significantly different from concomitantly administered vehicle control showing lack of cytotoxicity of the monoazo dyes at these doses. The monoazo dyes show the potential of being utilized as colorants, pending further required tests.
Investigation of metal–polyelectrolyte complex toxicity
Authors: Karahan Mesut , Mustafaeva Zeynep , Koç Rabia Çakır , Bağırova Melahat , Allahverdiyev Adil M
Published: August 2012

Water-soluble binary and ternary copper complexes of polyelectrolytes were synthesized, and the toxicity of these complexes was tested in mouse fibroblast cell line (L929) in vitro. Both the binary and ternary complexes were prepared at the ratio of 0.4 mole copper(II) ions per monomer of acrylic acid and 0.5 mole copper(II) ions per monomer of methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride, furthermore at the ratio of 1 and 2 mole bovine serum albumin per mole of polyacrylic acid and poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride), respectively. Compared to binary copper(II)–polyelectrolyte complexes, these ternary complexes have been determined to be of least toxicity.
Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Bigi Sandra , Banwell Brenda
Published: August 2012

Pediatric multiple sclerosis has been increasingly recognized in the past 10 to 15 years; 3% to 5% of all multiple sclerosis patients experience their first attack in childhood. Childhood multiple sclerosis has a relapsing-remitting disease course. The first attack, or “acquired demyelinating syndrome,” consists of optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and monofocal or polyfocal neurological deficits. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis necessitates the clinical or magnetic resonance imaging confirmation of dissemination in space and time and exclusion of other disorders. The morbidity of childhood multiple sclerosis is significant; within the first 2 years from onset, 30% of children have significant cognitive impairment, 50% show signs of depression, and 75% are fatigued. The relapse rate in children with multiple sclerosis is higher than in adult-onset disease. Following acute treatment, recovery after the first attacks is usually excellent, but patients with childhood-onset multiple sclerosis reach permanent disability or enter the secondary progressive disease course 10 years younger than patients with adult-onset multiple sclerosis.
The Management of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Yeh E. Ann , Weinstock-Guttman Bianca
Published: August 2012

Prevention of disability through disease-modifying therapies has been a source of significant attention among clinicians treating children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (MS). In this article, we will review currently available literature on therapies and the management of pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis, with specific discussion of therapies for acute exacerbations and disease-modifying therapies that may prevent relapses and slow disease progression, and will include a brief discussion of future directions in symptomatic interventions for cognitive decline, fatigue, and depression in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis. Our article will focus specifically on children and adolescents with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, as 99% of cases of pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis are relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Transient Tonic Upgaze Deviation
Authors: Lankford Jeremy , Butler Ian J.
Published: August 2012

Acute cerebellitis in children is an inflammatory syndrome with symptoms of cerebellar dysfunction. We describe a 3-year-old boy with acute cerebellitis who had cerebellar tonsillar herniation, hydrocephalus, and transient tonic bilateral upward gaze deviation. Although no etiology for his acute cerebellitis was determined, he fully recovered with high-dose corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and antimicrobial therapy. We propose that there was tonic irritation of the upward gaze generator cells in the superior colliculus as an explanation for temporary disturbance of his ocular gaze.
The Role of Visual Electrophysiology in Mucopolysaccharidoses
Authors: Suppiej Agnese , Rampazzo Angelica , Cappellari Ambra , Traverso Annalisa , Tormene Alma Patrizia , Pinello Luisa , Scarpa Maurizio
Published: August 2012

Visual electrophysiological techniques represent excellent means for assessing retinal, optic pathways and visual cortex function. Electroretinograms, visual evoked potentials, and clinical records of 17 patients with mucopolysaccharidosis registered in the neurophysiological database of our institution were reviewed retrospectively. Ten patients were on enzyme replacement therapy, 2 underwent bone marrow transplantation, one also keratoplasty. Changes in the electroretinogram pointed to the diagnosis of retinal dystrophy type rod-cone in 8 patients. In patients in whom severe corneal clouding precluded fundus oculi inspection and at an early stage before typical fundus appearance diagnosis was possible only using the electroretinogram. Visual evoked potentials were useful to confirm the loss of visual function in patients difficult to test clinically. The authors suggest the use of electroretinogram and visual evoked potentials primarily as research tools to describe the natural history and ophthalmologic outcome in mucopolysaccharidoses, although they may have clinical utility in very selected cases.
Infantile Spasms Are Associated With Abnormal Copy Number Variations
Authors: Tiwari Vijay N. , Sundaram Senthil K. , Chugani Harry T. , Huq A.H.M. M.
Published: August 2012

The authors tested the hypothesis that de novo copy number variations (CNVs) implicated in known genomic disorders (“pathogenic CNVs”) are significant predisposing factors of infantile spasms. The authors performed a genome-wide analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping microarray data to identify the role of de novo/known pathogenic large CNVs in 13 trios of children affected by infantile spasms. A rare, large (4.8 Mb) de novo duplication was detected in the 15q11-13 region of 1 patient. In addition, 3 known pathogenic CNVs (present in the patient as well as 1 of the parents) were detected in total. In 1 patient, a known pathogenic deletion was detected in the region of 2q32.3. Similarly, in 1 other patient, 2 known pathogenic deletions in the regions of 16p11.2 and Xp22.13 (containing CDKL5) were detected. These findings suggest that some specific pathogenic CNVs predispose to infantile spasms and may be associated with different phenotypes.
Unilateral Rhythmic Hand Tapping in Rett Syndrome
Authors: Nissenkorn A. , Ben-Zeev B.
Published: August 2012

Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, with hand stereotypies as a hallmark of the disease. Epilepsy is a frequent comorbidity and is accompanied by centrotemporal spikes on electroencephalogram, but stereotypic movements should not have epileptiform correlates. During routine video-electroencephalographic investigation in 5 Rett syndrome patients, we identified a peculiar type of unilateral, highly rhythmic hand tapping accompanied by contralateral synchronous centrotemporal spikes on electroencephalography. This phenomenon is not consistent with either reflex seizures or hand stereotypies and does not respond to antiepileptic drugs. The electroencephalographic activity probably represents evoked potentials, either somatosensory or motor, whereas the rhythmic activity raises the possibility of a subcortical pacemaker for a stereotypy variant. The phenomenon could be caused by abnormal circuitry among the hyperexcitable somatosensory cortex, motor cortex, and subcortical areas in Rett syndrome. Clinicians should be aware of the nonepileptic nature of this motor behavior and should not attempt to treat it.
Gaucher’s Disease
Authors: Shrestha Bikash , Devgan Amit , Sharma Mukti
Published: August 2012

Gaucher’s disease is a rare lysosymal storage disorder characterized by deposition of glucocerebroside in cells of the macrophage monocyte system. Gaucher’s disease has 3 types—non-neuronopathic (type I), acute neuronopathic (type II), and chronic neuronopathic (type III). It generally presents with delayed milestones, seizures, bony deformities, or massive organomegaly. The acute neuronoapthic variety is the rarer type that predominantly presents with neurological features. The authors present a case of the acute neuronopathic variety of Gaucher’s disease where the child presented with only abnormal head position.
The Current Evaluation and Treatment of Infantile Spasms Among Members of the Child Neurology Society
Authors: Mytinger John R. , Joshi Sucheta
Published: August 2012

The optimal evaluation and treatment of children with infantile spasms is unknown. To aid in the development of a standardized approach to infantile spasms, members of the Child Neurology Society were surveyed to determine common practice. The survey had 222 responders with a responder rate of 18.5%. We found that the diagnostic evaluation and the use of first-line treatments varied among responders. For example, although adrenocorticotropic hormone continues to be the most commonly used first-line treatment for infantile spasms not due to tuberous sclerosis, some clinicians use corticosteroids, vigabatrin, and topiramate as first-line treatments for this group. Seventy percent of our responders reported seeing fewer than 10 new-onset cases of infantile spasms per year. Thus, future clinical trials will require multicenter collaboration. An important first step in such collaboration is to standardize the evaluation and treatment of infantile spasms within and between participating centers.
Surface modification of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene by argon plasma
Authors: Zhang Jianguo
Published: August 2012

The generation of wear particles from the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) counter-face of metal sliding pair is relatively high. These polyethylene wear particles lead to osteolysis and that result in the failure of the implant made with the sliding pair. Hence, an investigation has been carried out to enhance the wear resistance of UHMWPE by argon plasma surface modification of UHMWPE. Results show the argon plasma-treated UHMWPE gains high crosslink, which provides less adhesive force interactions between the materials. Thus, a lower value of steady state coefficient of friction can be obtained.
Physicians’ Discussions About Body Weight, Healthy Diet, and Physical Activity With Overweight or Obese Elderly Patients
Authors: Ahn SangNam , Smith Matthew Lee , Ory Marcia G.
Published: August 2012

Objective: To investigate the correlates of physician–patient discussions about body weight, healthy diet, and physical activity. Method: Subjects were 635 adults (≥65 years; mean 72.8 years) who had an increased body mass index (BMI≥25kg/m2) and participated in a self-administered community survey. Logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: While approximately half of study participants reported having discussed healthy diets (51%) and physical activity (52%) with their physician, only 42% of those who were overweight or obese reported being recognized as such by their physician. Being moderately or severely obese, more chronic conditions, and more frequent physician visits increased the likelihood of being recognized as overweight or obese and reporting lifestyle discussions. Discussion: The health care provider is important in recognizing older patient’s weight problems and discussing practical lifestyle changes. Tools for more proactive screening and implementation of follow-up behavioral counseling can help the health care providers better address obesity prevention in clinical practice.