bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Models for Designing Long-Term Care Service Plans and Care Programs for Older People
Authors: Kato Shogo , Tsuru Satoko , Iizuka Yoshinori
Published: March 2013

The establishment of a system for providing appropriate long-term care services for older people is a national issue in Japan, and it will likely become a worldwide issue in the years to come. Under Japanese Long-term Care Insurance System, long-term care is provided based on long-term care programs, which were designed by care providers on the basis of long-term care service plans, which were designed by care managers. However, defined methodology for designing long-term care service plans and care programs has not been established yet. In this paper, we propose models for designing long-term care service plans and care programs for older people, both by incorporating the technical issues from previous studies and by redesigning the total methodology according to these studies. Our implementation model consists of “Function,” “Knowledge Structure,” and “Action Flow.” In addition, we developed the concrete knowledgebases based on the Knowledge Structure by visualizing, summarizing, and structuring the inherent knowledge of healthcare/welfare professionals. As the results of the workshop and retrospective verification, the adequacy of the models was suggested, while some further issues were pointed. Our models, knowledgebases, and application make it possible to ensure the quality of long-term care for older people.
Feasibility of Pulverized Oyster Shell as a Cementing Material
Authors: Liang Chou-Fu , Wang Hung-Yu
Published: March 2013

This research intends to study the cementing potential of pulverized oyster shell, rich in calcium, when mixed with fly ash and soil. Cylindrical compacted soil and cubic lime specimens with different proportions of the shells and fly ash are made to study the strength variance. Soil, which is classified as CL in the USCS system, commercialized pulverized oyster shell, F-type fly ash, and lime are mixed in different weight percentages. Five sample groups are made to study the compressive strength of soil and lime specimens, respectively. The lime cubes are made with 0.45 W/B ratio and the cylindrical soils are compacted under the standard Procter compaction process with 20% moisture content. The results show that increment of shell quantity result to lower strength on both the soil and lime specimens. In a 56-day curing, the compressive strength of the lime cubes containing fly ash increases evidently while those carrying the shell get little progress in strength. The soil specimens containing fly ash gradually gain strength as curing proceeds. It suggests that mixtures of the shell and fly ash do not process any Pozzolanic reaction nor help to raise the unconfined strength of the compacted soil through the curing.
Detection of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Stroke/Tia Patients
Authors: Khan Muhib , Miller Daniel J.
Published: March 2013

One-third of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) are cryptogenic, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) has been suggested as a possible cause for these cryptogenic strokes. Multiple studies have recently evaluated long-term cardiac rhythm monitoring with good yield for PAF. The duration of monitoring varies between studies as well as the qualifying event definition. Moreover, the clinical significance of very brief atrial fibrillation events is unclear in the literature. This paper provides an overview of current advances in the detection of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, the clinical and genetic factors predictive of arrhythmia detection, and the therapeutic dilemma concerning this approach.
Eucalyptusand Water Use in South Africa
Authors: Albaugh Janine M. , Dye Peter J. , King John S.
Published: March 2013

TheEucalyptusgenus yields high rates of productivity and can be grown across a wide range of site types and climates for products such as pulp, fuelwood, or construction lumber. In addition, many eucalypts have the ability to coppice, making this genus an ideal candidate for use as a biofuel feedstock. However, the water use ofEucalyptusis a controversial issue, and the impacts of these fast-growing trees on water resources are well documented. Regardless, the demand for wood products and water continues to rise, providing a challenge to increase the productivity of forest plantations within water constraints. This is of particular relevance for water-limited countries such as South Africa which relies on exotic plantations to meet its timber needs. Research results from water use studies in South Africa are well documented and legislation restrictions limit further afforestation. This paper outlines techniques used to quantify the water use of eucalypt plantations and provides recommendations on where to focus future research efforts. Greater insights into the water use efficiency of clonal material are needed, as certain eucalypt clones show fast growth and low water use. To better understand water use efficiency, estimates should be combined with monitoring of stand canopy structure and measurements of physiological processes.
A New Multichannel Spectral Imaging Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
Authors: Zhang Yunhai , Hu Bian , Dai Yakang , Yang Haomin , Huang Wei , Xue Xiaojun , Li Fazhi , Zhang Xin , Jiang Chenyu , Gao Fei , Chang Jian
Published: March 2013

We have developed a new multichannel spectral imaging laser scanning confocal microscope for effective detection of multiple fluorescent labeling in the research of biological tissues. In this paper, the design and key technologies of the system are introduced. Representative results on confocal imaging, 3-dimensional sectioning imaging, and spectral imaging are demonstrated. The results indicated that the system is applicable to multiple fluorescent labeling in biological experiments.
Fuzzified Data Based Neural Network Modeling for Health Assessment of Multistorey Shear Buildings
Authors: Sahoo Deepti Moyi , Chakraverty S.
Published: March 2013

The present study intends to propose identification methodologies for multistorey shear buildings using the powerful technique of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models which can handle fuzzified data. Identification with crisp data is known, and also neural network method has already been used by various researchers for this case. Here, the input and output data may be in fuzzified form. This is because in general we may not get the corresponding input and output values exactly (in crisp form), but we have only the uncertain information of the data. This uncertain data is assumed in terms of fuzzy number, and the corresponding problem of system identification is investigated.
Enhanced Angiotensin Receptor-Associated Protein in Renal Tubule Suppresses Angiotensin-Dependent Hypertension
Authors: Wakui Hiromichi , Tamura Kouichi , Masuda Shin-ichiro , Tsurumi-Ikeya Yuko , Fujita Megumi , Maeda Akinobu , Ohsawa Masato , Azushima Kengo , Uneda Kazushi , Matsuda Miyuki , Kitamura Kenichiro , Uchida Shinichi , Toya Yoshiyuki , Kobori Hiroyuki , Nagahama Kiyotaka , Yamashita Akio , Umemura Satoshi
Published: March 2013

We have previously shown that angiotensin II type 1 receptor-associated protein (ATRAP/
Agtrap
) interacts with the angiotensin II type 1 receptor and promotes constitutive internalization of the receptor so as to inhibit the pathological activation of its downstream signaling but preserve baseline physiological signaling activity. The present study was designed to investigate the role of renal ATRAP in angiotensin II–dependent hypertension. We generated transgenic mice dominantly expressing ATRAP in the renal tubules, including renal distal tubules. The renal ATRAP transgenic mice exhibited no significant change in blood pressure at baseline on normal salt diet. However, in the renal ATRAP transgenic mice compared with wild-type mice, the following took place: (1) the development of high blood pressure in response to angiotensin II infusion was significantly suppressed based on radiotelemetry, (2) the extent of daily positive sodium balance was significantly reduced during angiotensin II infusion in metabolic cage analysis, and (3) the renal Na
+
-Cl
−
cotransporter activation and α-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel induction by angiotensin II infusion were inhibited. Furthermore, adenoviral overexpression of ATRAP suppressed the angiotensin II–mediated increase in the expression of α-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel in mouse distal convoluted tubule cells. These results indicate that renal tubule–dominant ATRAP activation provokes no evident effects on blood pressure at baseline but exerts an inhibitory effect on the pathological elevation of blood pressure in response to angiotensin II stimulation, thereby suggesting that ATRAP is a potential target of interest in blood pressure modulation under pathological conditions.
Seven-Year Increase in Exercise Systolic Blood Pressure at Moderate Workload Predicts Long-Term Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Mortality in Healthy Middle-Aged Men
Authors: Skretteberg Per Torger , Grundvold Irene , Kjeldsen Sverre E. , Engeseth Kristian , Liestøl Knut , Erikssen Gunnar , Erikssen Jan , Gjesdal Knut , Bodegard Johan
Published: March 2013

Exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population. We tested whether changes in exercise SBP during 7 years predict CHD (including angina pectoris, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and fatal CHD) and mortality over the following 28 years. Peak SBP at 100 W workload (=5.5 METS [metabolic equivalents]; completed by all participants) was measured among 1392 apparently healthy men in 1972–75 and repeated in 1979–82. The men were divided into quartiles (Q1–Q4) of exercise SBP change. Relative risks were calculated using Cox proportional hazard regression adjusting for family history of CHD, age, smoking status, resting SBP, peak SBP at 100 W, total cholesterol at first examination (model 1), and further for physical fitness and change in physical fitness (model 2). The highest quartile, Q4, was associated with a 1.55-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.17–2.03) adjusted (model 1) risk of CHD and a 1.93-fold (1.24–3.02) risk of coronary heart death compared with the lowest, Q1. Q4 had a 1.40-fold (1.06–1.85) risk of CHD and a 1.70-fold (1.08–2.68) risk of coronary heart death using model 2. Q4 was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death and all-cause death compared with Q1 in model 1, but not in model 2. Our results indicate that an increase in exercise SBP at 100 W over 7 years is independently associated with increased long-term risk of CHD and substantiate our previous finding that high exercise SBP is an important risk factor for CHD in healthy men.
Amygdala Functional Connectivity with Medial Prefrontal Cortex at Rest Predicts the Positivity Effect in Older Adults' Memory
Authors: Sakaki Michiko , Nga Lin , Mather Mara
Published: March 2013

As people get older, they tend to remember more positive than negative information. This age-by-valence interaction has been called “positivity effect.” The current study addressed the hypotheses that baseline functional connectivity at rest is predictive of older adults' brain activity when learning emotional information and their positivity effect in memory. Using fMRI, we examined the relationship among resting-state functional connectivity, subsequent brain activity when learning emotional faces, and individual differences in the positivity effect (the relative tendency to remember faces expressing positive vs. negative emotions). Consistent with our hypothesis, older adults with a stronger positivity effect had increased functional coupling between amygdala and medial PFC (MPFC) during rest. In contrast, younger adults did not show the association between resting connectivity and memory positivity. A similar age-by-memory positivity interaction was also found when learning emotional faces. That is, memory positivity in older adults was associated with (a) enhanced MPFC activity when learning emotional faces and (b) increased negative functional coupling between amygdala and MPFC when learning negative faces. In contrast, memory positivity in younger adults was related to neither enhanced MPFC activity to emotional faces, nor MPFC–amygdala connectivity to negative faces. Furthermore, stronger MPFC–amygdala connectivity during rest was predictive of subsequent greater MPFC activity when learning emotional faces. Thus, emotion–memory interaction in older adults depends not only on the task-related brain activity but also on the baseline functional connectivity.
Negative BOLD Response in the Hippocampus during Short-term Spatial Memory Retrieval
Authors: Nilsson Jonna , Ferrier I. Nicol , Coventry Kenny , Bester Andre , Finkelmeyer Andreas
Published: March 2013

A parieto-medial temporal pathway is thought to underlie spatial navigation in humans. fMRI was used to assess the role of this pathway, including the hippocampus, in the cognitive processes likely to underlie navigation based on environmental cues. Participants completed a short-term spatial memory task in virtual space, which required no navigation but involved the recognition of a target location from a foil location based on environmental landmarks. The results showed that spatial memory retrieval based on environmental landmarks was indeed associated with increased signal in regions of the parieto-medial temporal pathway, including the superior parietal cortex, the retrosplenial cortex, and the lingual gyrus. However, the hippocampus demonstrated a signal decrease below the fixation baseline during landmark-based retrieval, whereas there was no signal change from baseline during retrieval based on viewer position. In a discussion of the origins of such negative BOLD response in the hippocampus, we consider both a suppression of default activity and an increase in activity without a corresponding boost in CBF as possible mechanisms.
Phenotypic studies on terrestrial stigonematacean Cyanobacteria from the Atlantic Rainforest, São Paulo State, Brazil
Authors: SANT’ANNA CÉLIA L. , KAŠTOVSKÝ JAN , HENTSCHKE GUILHERME S. , KOMÁREK JIŘÍ
Published: March 2013

The terrestrial cyanobacterial microflora of the Atlantic Rainforest is very rich and particular, occurring among numerous epiphytic plant communities, but also growing on mosses, tree barks, various wooden substrates, rocks, and on soil (mainly lateritic). The diversity of terrestrial populations from the genera Fischerella (2 species) and Stigonema (7 species), collected in different tropical and subtropical zones of the Atlantic Rainforest is described in this article. One of the Fischerella morphotypes was not recognizable according to the available literature, and it was described as a new species (Fischerella clavata). Several Stigonema taxa are morphologically characterized and further data on their variability and diversity are provided. Three new species are described for the genus Stigonema (S. fremyi, S. corticola, and S. parallelum), and one is raised to species level (S. crassivaginatum).
Hamodactylus macrophthalmus spec. nov., a new coral-associated pontoniine shrimp (Decapoda, Caridea, Palaemonidae) from Indonesia
Authors: FRANSEN CHARLES H.J.M. , RAUCH CESSA
Published: March 2013

A new coral-associated species of the genus Hamodactylus is described fromLembeh Strait,NESulawesi,Indonesia. The three other known species in the genus have been recorded in association with octocorals. The single ovigerous female specimen of the new species was collected from a scleractinian host. It can be easily separated from its congeners by the very long eyestalks and the chela of the second pereiopods having blunt tips of the fingers with tufts of long simple setae giving it an atyid-like appearance.
Apartheid, Crime, and Interracial Violence in Black Boy
Authors: Makombe Rodwell
Published: March 2013

This article critically interrogates the interplay of compatibility among crime, violence, and racial discrimination in Wright’s biographical novel Black Boy ( BB). It exploits parallels between selected postcolonial and criminological theories to conceptualize crime and violence as a way of negotiating and translating hegemony in the third space of cultural enunciation. The objective of every oppressive system is to have an absolute monopoly on all structures of power, to make sure it has “total” control. This is evident in the American South where laws were enacted to exclude African Americans from the social, political, and economic spheres of life. However, that same system that was designed to silence and marginalize African Americans also, inadvertently, created spaces that led to the emergence of subcultures of resistance. This article focuses on criminal subcultures of resistance that emerged as a result of and in direct response to institutionalized racism/apartheid.
Pitting Market Economy Against Planned Economy
Authors: Masaka Dennis
Published: March 2013

Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has swung between state-dominated and free-market development strategies. Both have proved problematic, because policy is influenced by regional and global factors and cannot be implemented in isolation. The external impacts of, first, apartheid destabilization, then World Bank neoliberalism, and now sanctions have combined with counterproductive political and economic decisions taken by government to create serious economic problems.
Prediction of failure envelopes and stress–strain curves of fiber composite laminates under triaxial loads: Comparison with experimental results
Authors: Zhang Daxu , Xu Lihua , Ye Jianqiao
Published: March 2013

This paper represents the authors’ contribution to Part B of the second world wide failure exercise, in which the failure predictions and stress–strain curves of 12 test cases are compared with experimental data. The paper briefly reviews the methodology presented in second world wide failure exercise Part A, which includes a semi-analytical stress analysis model and Christensen’s failure criteria. A further development in this paper is to introduce a new failure criterion developed also by Christensen and the application of the criterion in conjunction with the stress model. These failure criteria have no adjustable parameters and only depend upon a minimal number of measurable failure properties. Comparisons between the theoretical predictions using different criteria and the experimental results provided by the second World-Wide Failure Exercise organizers are shown in diagrams. It appears that Christensen’s failure criteria for anisotropic fiber composite materials predict the failure strength satisfactorily in most of the test cases. Christensen’s Polynomial invariants theory compares also well with the experimental results. However, the layup-dependent strength properties required in the criterion are sometimes very difficult to evaluate without performing experimental tests.
Maturity of 3D failure criteria for fibre-reinforced composites: Comparison between theories and experiments: Part B of WWFE-II
Authors: Kaddour AS , Hinton MJ
Published: March 2013

This article draws to a conclusion the results from the co-ordinated study known as the Second World-Wide Failure Exercise (WWFE-II). It contains an objective assessment of the performance of 12 leading failure criteria for predicting the response of fibre-reinforced polymer composites when subjected to 3D states of stress. Twelve challenging test problems (Test Cases) were defined by the organisers of WWFE-II, encompassing a range of materials (polymer, glass/epoxy, carbon/epoxy), lay-ups (unidirectional, angle ply, cross ply and quasi-isotropic laminates) and various 3D stress states (various triaxial strength envelopes, through-thickness and shear loading, and stress–strain curves). A systematic comparison has then been conducted between ‘blind’ predictions (i.e. without access to the experimental results beforehand) made for each Test Case by the originators of each theory and previously obtained experimental results for each Test Case. In-depth quantitative and qualitative ranking procedures have been employed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each theory, and the overall effectiveness of each theory as a potential design tool. The theories are grouped according to their degree of maturity and ability to predict accurately the 3D behaviour of composites. The results from this study provide unique information to the community, the intent being that it will form a guide for the selection of the most appropriate failure theory for use in a given design situation.
Implications of an Exemplar-Theoretic Model of Phoneme Genesis: A Velar Palatalization Case Study
Authors: Morley Rebecca L
Published: March 2013

Diachronic velar palatalization is taken as the case study for modeling the emergence of a new phoneme category. The spread of a palatalized variant through the lexicon is treated as a stochastic classification task for the listener/learner. The model combines two measures of similarity to determine classification within an exemplar-theoretic framework: acoustic distance and phonotactic expectation. There are three model outcomes: contrast, allophony, or contextual neutralization between the plain and palatalized velars. It is shown, through a series of simulations, that these can be predicted from the distribution of sounds within the pre-change lexicons, namely, the ratio of the /k-vowel/ sequences containing naturally palatalizing vowels (i, ɪ, e), to those containing non-palatalizers. “Unnatural” phonotactic associations can arise in individual lexicons, but are sharply limited due to the large size of the lexicon and the local nature of the phoneme changes. “Anti-natural” distributions, which categorically violate the proposed implicational relationship between palatalization and frontness/height, are absent. This work provides an explicit and restrictive model of phoneme change. The results also serve as an existence proof for an outcome-blind mechanism of avoiding over-generation.
The politics of religious dualism: Naim Frashëri and his elective affinity to religion in the course of 19th-century Albanian activism
Authors: Doja Albert
Published: March 2013

In standard Albanian studies and Western scholarship, including both the work of religious and political activists and that of less ‘interested’ lay people, historical and textual fact-finding efforts have only confirmed and indeed perpetuated the myth that the thinking of Naim Frashëri was formed and dominated by Bektashism and that his ‘Albanianism’ had a Bektashi foundation. The author intends to scrutinize and disprove this analysis, arguing that while Frashëri’s thinking did indeed have a religious cast, it went far beyond Bektashism in its heterodoxy, being a kind of liberation theology and pantheism, which generated an all-inclusive attitude to Albanian identity, not one limited in any particular way to Bektashism. Methodologically, such a picture must arise if we submit the available empirical evidence to critical analysis from the perspective of social theoretical approaches to religion developed in sociology and anthropology.
Religion and socioeconomic status in developing nations: A comparative approach
Authors: Heaton Tim B
Published: March 2013

The author shows that religious affiliation is associated with socioeconomic status, but it is not clear how this relationship varies by national context. He examines religious group differences in education and wealth, comparing major religious groups in various countries. Some differences are large but not systematic. For example, Protestants and Catholics differ in wealth, but the differences favor Catholics in some countries and Protestants in others. Other differences are more systematic. For example, Muslim women have less education than other women in a variety of contexts. Those who hold traditional beliefs are also at an educational disadvantage. Findings indicate that religion does matter, but national context often shapes the nature of the relationship between religion and socioeconomic status.
Expressive individualism and religion in the Netherlands
Authors: Zondag Hessel J
Published: March 2013

The author presents a study of the relationship between expressive individualism and religiosity. Data were collected from participants in internet forums concerned with New Age and Christian religiosity (N=422). Through factor analysis, four dimensions of expressive individualism were identified: autonomy, setting oneself apart from others, personal development, and expression of emotions. The relationship between expressive individualism and religion was found to be ambivalent and negatively dominated by autonomy. After eliminating the effect of autonomy, two patterns remained visible, both characterized by a positive connection to religiosity. Setting oneself apart from others is associated with more traditional and institutional religiosity, and personal development with a more private mode of religiosity. The explanation of this concealed longing for religion is sought in the pressure resulting from expressive individualism as a way of life.
Computational modeling and experimental validation of the air permeability of woven structures on the basis of simulation of jet systems
Authors: Angelova Radostina A , Stankov Peter , Simova Iskra , Kyosov Miroslav
Published: March 2013

The paper presents computational fluid dynamics-based numerical simulation of the through-thickness air permeability of woven structures, applying the theory of jet systems. The flow through the interstices between the warp and weft threads is modeled as an “in-corridor”-ordered jet system, formed by nine jets, issuing from nine pores of the woven structure. Fifteen cases were simulated and three different turbulence models were applied in the simulation: k-ɛ, k-ω and Reynolds stress model. The five simulated woven structures were manufactured and their air permeability was measured experimentally. The performed validation of the numerical results with the experimental values of the air permeability showed very good correlation with the experimental results. The analysis and the verification showed that the method can be applied for further investigation not only of the woven fabrics’ air permeability, but also for investigation of the flow after a textile barrier of a woven type.
Discharge characteristics of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) textile batteries; comparison of silver coated yarn electrode devices and pure stainless steel filament yarn electrode devices
Authors: Odhiambo Sheilla Atieno , De Mey Gilbert , Hertleer Carla , Schwarz Anne , Van Langenhove Lieva
Published: March 2013

This paper investigates textile-based energy storage devices fabricated with poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as an electro-active polymer and conductive yarns as the electrodes. The conductive yarns are sewn into a textile substrate and then coated with PEDOT:PSS systematically. Two different sets of devices were made. A comparison of the devices made with silver coated polybenzoxazol filament yarns and the devices made with pure stainless steel filament yarns is performed. The devices were charged and their self-discharge was measured by voltage decay. A study of the influence of charging time on the decay and the effect brought by various load resistors on the voltage decay is also performed. In this research, the devices with electrodes of pure stainless steel filaments yarns performed better than the devices with silver coated yarns; this outcome has been reported as standard by various researchers.
Antimicrobial activity of poly(l-lactide acid)/silver nanocomposite fibers
Authors: Erem A Dural , Ozcan G , Erem HH , Skrifvars M
Published: March 2013

Silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NP) and poly(lactide acid) (PLA) granules were microcompounded to form a nanocomposite. A series of PLA nanocomposite fibers containing, respectively, 0, 0.5, 1, 3 or 5 wt% Ag were produced and their antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria evaluated. It was found that the PLA/Ag nanocomposite fibers exhibited increased antimicrobial activity, depending on the filler content. On the other hand, mechanical and thermal characterization tests, including thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and tensile testing, showed that increasing concentrations of Ag hindered the mechanical properties of Nanocomposites due to partial agglomeration, leading to the generation of flaws. The crystallinity of the fibers was found to decrease by about 23% if the Ag content was increased to 5%. This could be attributed to a more rapid cooling rate resulting from the high thermal conductivity of the Ag particles.
Dawkins and Badiou: Two atheist approaches to the Bible
Authors: Brett Mark G.
Published: March 2013

This essay begins by contrasting the contributions of two leading atheists. Richard Dawkins dismisses the Bible as a disordered and chaotic anthology. Alain Badiou, in contrast, engages it (specifically the writings of Paul) as material that creatively maintains fidelity to revolutionary events. Badiou’s insight is taken here as a prompt to explore the diverse biblical witnesses to creation, which, as in the case of the resurrection, resists conceptual control. The Jewish and Christian traditions of creation theology can thereby offer an opportunity to explore, in the company of atheists, the ambiguities of the biblical canons and the capillaries of their socially formative effects.
An Empirical Operationalization of Countries’ Destination Competitiveness Using Partial Least Squares Modeling
Authors: Assaker Guy , Hallak Rob , Vinzi Vincenzo Esposito , O’Connor Peter
Published: March 2013

Growth in tourism has resulted in escalating competition among destinations. Understanding destination competitiveness and its determinant factors is thus critical to tourism researchers and policy makers. Using partial least squares path modeling (PLSPM) on a cross-sectional sample of 154 countries, this study examines relationships among destination competitiveness and its predictors, including the economy, natural environment, and infrastructure. Results indicate that the economy has a positive, indirect impact on tourism competitiveness mediated through the infrastructure and the environment; moreover, infrastructure and environment have a direct, positive impact on tourism competitiveness. PLSPM was also used to compute composite scores for overall destination competitiveness, thus assigning rankings to the 154 countries assessed. This study contributes to extant theories on destination competitiveness, presenting important implications for policymakers on how to strengthen destination competitiveness, and providing an empirically based tool to help benchmark a country’s competitiveness in relation to other destinations.
The Influence of Culture on Climate Change Adaptation Strategies
Authors: Landauer Mia , Haider Wolfgang , Pröbstl-Haider Ulrike
Published: March 2013

This study investigates cultural differences in tourist preferences for climate change adaptation strategies of cross-country skiers in Austria and Finland. We used the value orientation approach to empirically test whether this concept is sensitive to skiers’ climate change adaptation preferences in the two respective countries. The comparisons between the two countries were made even more specific with three identical motivation-based segments that accounted for heterogeneity within the respective samples. All comparisons were based on either regular survey questions or on the results of a choice experiment. The results reveal significant differences between skiers for the overall national samples, as well as for numerous comparisons between specific segments. Thus, we conclude that adaptation strategy planning should consider cultural differences and that the transferability of strategies even within the western cultures of Europe is limited.
Providing psychological services and counselling in Pacific Rim countries: Where is school psychology in Asia?
Authors: Schalkwyk Gertina J. van , D’Amato Rik Carl
Published: March 2013

School psychology services and the functions of school psychologists providing assessment, consultation, and intervention for children and their families are still greatly underdeveloped in the Pacific Rim countries, particularly those with a Chinese heritage culture. For the most part, school psychology services are provided by educational psychologists, school counsellors, and/or teacher-counsellors with varying levels of training and expertise, while the development of school psychology as a profession has been slow in coming. Nonetheless, Asian countries are gradually accepting the notion that children should be in school and there are efforts to provide psychological services within schools to prevent and solve mental health problems unique to these countries. With an obvious need for systematic mental health services, particularly for children and youth and their families, there is also a critical need to develop programmes that would lead to graduate level training in school psychology while simultaneously acknowledging the diversity of these Asian cultures in the Pacific Rim countries. Given the large populations of these countries, it is essential that we work to develop school psychology programmes in the very near future. If the Asian countries were to develop to their fullest potential, school psychologists would be needed as a critical component in all school systems.
‘External conditions affecting a harmonious family’: Lessons learned from a school-based parent education programme in Hong Kong
Authors: Luk-Fong Pattie Yuk Yee
Published: March 2013

This article documents a parent education presentation on ‘External conditions affecting a harmonious family’ within a school-based parent education programme in Hong Kong. The presentation adopted an eco-systems approach for understanding families and argued for the need to include the external conditions for a harmonious family as an important element for a school-based parent education programme. External conditions affecting a family included the impact of globalization on the family, such as: (1) Consumerism on parenting and conceptions of marriage; (2) neo-capitalism creating new issues of family-work balance; and (3) outsourcing of family functions. Parents’ feedback to these concepts is discussed, and a conceptual framework of a healthy family is proposed. Implications for school counselling professionals and family practitioners are also discussed.
Providing psychological services for children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs): A challenge for school psychologists in the Philippines
Authors: Tarroja Maria Caridad H. , Fernando Katrina C.
Published: March 2013

In the last 30 years, there has been a rapid increase of Filipino parents leaving the country and their families for better job opportunities abroad. Existing literature points out the impact of migration on the families and on the well-being, academic performance, and school behaviours, family and peer relationships of the children left behind, and the need for interventions to address these concerns. A review of the literature and a survey on the current practices in schools reveals a lack of structured and programmatic interventions in school, which mental health professionals in schools recognize to be essential to help OFW children adjust better. Considering the gaps in the current practice, we recommend that more purposive school-based and family-focused psychological services are implemented to help the children and families left behind by OFW parents.
How Do We Want Others to Decide?
Authors: Burgoon Erin M. , Henderson Marlone D. , Wakslak Cheryl J.
Published: March 2013

People who decide on behalf of others can be located at various geographical distances from their clients and constituents. Across five experiments, we examined the role distance plays in evaluations of these decision makers. Specifically, drawing on construal level theory, we examined how the type of information (aggregate or case-specific) that closer and more distant decision makers cited as the basis for their decisions influenced how they were evaluated. We found that people expressed more anger toward (Experiment 1) and were less enthusiastic about (Experiments 2 and 4) more distant decision makers who relied on case-specific (vs. aggregate) information. In addition, we found that people were less enthusiastic about decision makers who relied on case-specific (vs. aggregate) information when evaluators were in a higher-level (vs. lower-level) construal mind-set (Experiments 3 and 5). Implications for how decision makers can manage impressions are discussed.
Dietary fat intake, body composition and blood lipids of university men and women
Authors: Neville Marita M , Geppert J , Min Y , Grimble G , Crawford Michael A , Ghebremeskel K
Published: March 2013

Background:

Cardiovascular disease rates are high in the UK, particular in men, and are related to dietary fat intake. We conducted a pilot study to investigate relationships between saturated and unsaturated dietary fat intakes, body composition and blood lipid parameters in Caucasian men and women at university.

Methods:

Volunteers (52 men and 52 women; age range 20–50 years) were recruited from staff and students of London Metropolitan University. Dietary intake, body composition, blood pressure and fasting blood glucose and lipids were assessed. Gender differences between the measured variables and their relationships were assessed by Mann–Whitney U-test, and by multi-linear (stepwise) regression, respectively.

Results:

Men consumed more saturated fat (29.5 vs 20.5 g/day, p < 0.001), and had elevated levels of glucose (5.34 + 0.74 vs 4.85 + 0.49 mmol/l, p < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (2.99 + 1.5 vs 2.62+ 0.74 mmol/l, p < 0.05), systolic blood pressure (126.4 + 11.0 vs 112.6 + 17.2 mm/Hg, p < 0.001), and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (1.41 ± 0.34 vs 1.83 ± 0.43, p < 0.001). Saturated fat was positively associated with total body fat (  p < 0.05), trunk fat (  p < 0.001), HDL cholesterol (  p < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (  p < 0.001) in women, while in men docosahexaenoic acid and total cholesterol (  p < 0.05), total omega-3 fatty acids and LDL cholesterol (  p < 0.001), total omega-3 fatty acids and triglycerides (  p < 0.01) were positively related. Similar n-3 fatty acid intakes were reported in nutritionally aware students and other university subjects.

Conclusions:

The data of this study indicate gender-related differences in response to dietary fat, and widespread low compliance with n-3 fatty acid recommendations. Although the men are highly health conscious and physically active, their blood lipid levels are indicative of a risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to enhanced nutritional education to increase seafood intakes in this age group of men and women, customised dietary and lifestyle advice may be required in the men.
Food habits and preferences as a factor in the choice of meals by students in the University of Cape Coast
Authors: Offei–Ansah Christina
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate food habits and preferences against menu planning for heterogeneous groups in institutions and to determine to what extent these results on food habits and preferences can be applied to practical recommendations in menu planning for heterogeneous groups. This study used data from a sample of students to determine whether food habits and preferences influence students’ own menu planning and that of other eating outlets. A sample of 60 students within the University of Cape Coast campus was considered for this study. Findings from the study revealed that a greater number of students have altered their food habits over the years. This was attributed greatly to health factors, change of environment and education. The recommendations made in this study include encouraging cooking competitions among young people to expose them to traditional meals/dishes, which show culinary prowess, and also holding food fairs and encouraging teaching cooking methods for traditional dishes to children.
Treating the passive in children with specific language impairment: A usage-based approach
Authors: Riches Nick G.
Published: March 2013

This study taught the passive to two children with specific language impairment (aged 8;1 and 8;2). It employed usage-based principles including ‘constructional grounding’; using short structures as the basis for acquiring long structures, and ‘construction conspiracy’; encouraging analogies between partially overlapping constructions. Significant improvements in production and comprehension were observed, though generalizability is limited by factors including experimental design and control over treatment fidelity. It is suggested that interventions modelled on usage-based approaches could prove effective for treating complex structures.
The Innate Immune System of the Perinatal Lung and Responses to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Authors: Derscheid R. J. , Ackermann M. R.
Published: March 2013

The response of the preterm and newborn lung to airborne pathogens, particles, and other insults is initially dependent on innate immune responses since adaptive responses may not fully mature and require weeks for sufficient responses to antigenic stimuli. Foreign material and microbial agents trigger soluble, cell surface, and cytoplasmic receptors that activate signaling cascades that invoke release of surfactant proteins, defensins, interferons, lactoferrin, oxidative products, and other innate immune substances that have antimicrobial activity, which can also influence adaptive responses. For viral infections such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the pulmonary innate immune responses has an essential role in defense as there are no fully effective vaccines or therapies for RSV infections of humans and reinfections are common. Understanding the innate immune response by the preterm and newborn lung may lead to preventive strategies and more effective therapeutic regimens.
Expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in Benign Canine Rostrotentorial Meningiomas Is Not Correlated to the Extent of Peritumoral Edema
Authors: Beltran E. , Matiasek K. , Risio L. De , Stefani A. de , Feliu-Pascual A. Lujan , Matiasek L. A.
Published: March 2013

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes involved with extracellular matrix degradation. They have been considered to be important for tumor growth and development of peritumoral edema. This retrospective study investigated the expression of MMP subtypes 9 and 2 in canine intracranial meningiomas and their association with peritumoral edema. Twenty-two cases of histologically confirmed grade I meningiomas based on human World Health Organization classification were enrolled. Tumor volume and peritumoral edema were measured by magnetic resonance imaging volumetry. The intratumoral MMP expression was semiquantitatively assessed by immunoreactivity scores and compared with the imaging data. MMP-9 was expressed in all the samples (22/22), whereas proMMP-2 was expressed in 21 of 22 meningiomas, and a/proMMP-2 was expressed in 9 of 22. The immunoreactivity scores were not statistically linked to the severity of peritumoral edema. None of the evaluated MMP expression parameters were statistically linked to the edema index. Although both edema index and MMP-9 expression were highest in meningiomas of the olfactory and frontal region, only the latter mounted up to statistical significance ( P = .002) if compared with parafalx and convexity meningiomas of the parietal lobe. In summary, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression by tumor cells, evaluated through immunohistochemistry, is not predictive of the formation of peritumoral edema in canine rostrotentorial meningiomas.
A Retrospective Study of Disease in Elasmobranchs
Authors: Garner M. M.
Published: March 2013

This report reviews diseases of 1546 elasmobranchs representing at least 60 species submitted to Northwest ZooPath from 1994 to 2010. Cownose rays ( Rhinoptera bonasus) (78), southern rays ( Dasyatis americana) (75), dusky smooth-hounds ( Mustelus canis) (74), bonnethead sharks ( Sphyrna tiburo) (66), and bamboo sharks (Hemiscylliidae) (56) were the most commonly submitted species. Infectious/inflammatory disease was most common (33.5%) followed by nutritional (11.9%, mostly emaciation), traumatic (11.3%), cardiovascular (5.5%, mostly shock), and toxin-associated disease (3.7%). Bacterial infections (518/1546, 15%) included sepsis (136/518, 26%), dermatitis (7%), branchitis (6%), and enteritis (4%). Fungal infections (10/1546, 0.6%) included dermatitis (30%), hepatitis (30%), and branchitis (20%). Viral or suspected viral infections or disease processes (15/1546, 1%) included papillomatosis (47%), herpesvirus (20%), and adenovirus (7%). Parasitic infections (137/1546, 9%) included nematodiasis (36/137, 26%), ciliate infections (23%), trematodiasis (20%), coccidiosis (6%), myxozoanosis (5%), amoebiasis (4%), cestodiasis (1%), and flagellate infections (1%). Inflammation of unknown cause (401/1546, 26%) included enteritis (55/401, 14%), branchitis (9%), encephalitis (9%), and dermatitis (7%). Traumatic diseases (174/1546, 11.3%) included skin trauma (103/174, 60%), stress/maladaptation (9%), and gut trauma (7%). Toxicoses (57/1546, 4%) included toxic gill disease (16/57, 26%), gas bubble disease (19%), fenbendazole (7%), ammonia (7%), chlorine (5%), and chloramine (3%). Species trends included visceral nematodiasis in black-nosed sharks ( Carcharhinus acronotus) (55%); sepsis in dusky smooth-hounds (41%), blue-spotted stingrays (36%), southern rays (36%), and wobeggong sharks ( Orectolobus spp) (69%); emaciation in bamboo (33%) and bonnethead (32%) sharks and freshwater stingrays ( Potamotrygon motoro) (32%); and trauma in bonnethead sharks (30%).
Comparative study on flame, thermal, and mechanical properties of HDPE/clay nanocomposites with MPP or APP
Authors: Szustakiewicz Konrad , Cichy Barbara , Gazińska Małgorzata , Pigłowski Jacek
Published: March 2013

The article reports on flammability, thermal, and mechanical properties of bimodal high-density polyethylene/clay nanocomposites modified with ammonium polyphosphate or melamine polyphosphate (MPP) flame retardants. Two types of clays were used as fillers for the composites—the first one was standard montmorillonite modified with quaternary ammonium salt (ZR2), and the second one was montmorillonite modified with aluminium hydrogen sulfate (ZG1). As a compatibilizer, maleic grafted polyethylene (Plb) was used. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the layer structure of clays in the composites. The limiting oxygen index tests showed synergistic effect between both clays and MPP. Flammability was also examined using cone calorimetry technique. The influence of all the fillers on thermal stability (thermogravimetric analysis), crystallinity (differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X-ray scattering techniques), and mechanical properties was also studied.
Mechanical testing of technical woven fabrics
Authors: Ambroziak Andrzej , Kłosowski Paweł
Published: March 2013

This article presents a review of technical fabrics testing methods used by the authors on the basis of their experience with research on properties of polytetrefluoroethylene-coated fabrics used for Forest Opera in Sopot (Poland). First, the different types of testing methods used for description of mechanical properties (uniaxial tensile tests, biaxial tensile tests and shear tests) of technical woven fabrics are described. The authors present the collection of test methods and discuss the results of these tests for different fabrics. Finally, the effects of temperature on mechanical properties are studied.