bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Extent of Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury in Mice Partly Depends on Duration of Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Hegeman Maria A. , Hemmes Sabrine N. T. , Kuipers Maria T. , Bos Lieuwe D. J. , Jongsma Geartsje , Roelofs Joris J. T. H. , van der Sluijs Koenraad F. , Juffermans Nicole P. , Vroom Margreeth B. , Schultz Marcus J.
Published: April 2013

Background. Mechanical ventilation (MV) has the potential to initiate ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). The pathogenesis of VILI has been primarily studied in animal models using more or less injurious ventilator settings. However, we speculate that duration of MV also influences severity and character of VILI.Methods. Sixty-four healthy C57Bl/6 mice were mechanically ventilated for 5 or 12 hours, using lower tidal volumes with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) or higher tidal volumes without PEEP. Fifteen nonventilated mice served as controls.Results. All animals remained hemodynamically stable and survived MV protocols. In both MV groups, PaO2to FiO2ratios were lower and alveolar cell counts were higher after 12 hours of MV compared to 5 hours. Alveolar-capillary permeability was increased after 12 hours compared to 5 hours, although differences did not reach statistical significance. Lung levels of inflammatory mediators did not further increase over time. Only in mice ventilated with increased strain, lung compliance declined and wet to dry ratio increased after 12 hours of MV compared to 5 hours.Conclusions. Deleterious effects of MV are partly dependent on its duration. Even lower tidal volumes with PEEP may initiate aspects of VILI after 12 hours of MV.
Existence Results for a Coupled System of Nonlinear Singular Fractional Differential Equations with Impulse Effects
Authors: Liu Yuji , Nieto Juan J. , Otero-Zarraquiños Óscar
Published: April 2013

A boundary value problem for the singular fractional differential system with impulse effects is presented. By applying Schauder's fixed point theorem in a suitably Banach space, we obtain the existence of at least one solution for this problem. Two examples are presented to illustrate the main theorem.
Obesity and Inflammation: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Markers of Inflammation
Authors: Rodríguez-Hernández Heriberto , Simental-Mendía Luis E. , Rodríguez-Ramírez Gabriela , Reyes-Romero Miguel A.
Published: April 2013

Obesity is a public health problem that has reached epidemic proportions with an increasing worldwide prevalence. The global emergence of obesity increases the risk of developing chronic metabolic disorders. Thus, it is an economic issue that increased the costs of the comorbidities associated. Moreover, in recent years, it has been demonstrated that obesity is associated with chronic systemic inflammation, this status is conditioned by the innate immune system activation in adipose tissue that promotes an increase in the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that contribute to the triggering of the systemic acute-phase response which is characterized by elevation of acute-phase protein levels. On this regard, low-grade chronic inflammation is a characteristic of various chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and some cancers, among others, which are also characterized by obesity condition. Thus, a growing body of evidence supports the important role that is played by the inflammatory response in obesity condition and the pathogenesis of chronic diseases related.
Metal Dyshomeostasis and Inflammation in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases: Possible Impact of Environmental Exposures
Authors: Myhre Oddvar , Utkilen Hans , Duale Nur , Brunborg Gunnar , Hofer Tim
Published: April 2013

A dysregulated metal homeostasis is associated with both Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) diseases; AD patients have decreased cortex and elevated serum copper levels along with extracellular amyloid-beta plaques containing copper, iron, and zinc. For AD, a putative hepcidin-mediated lowering of cortex copper mechanism is suggested. An age-related mild chronic inflammation and/or elevated intracellular iron can trigger hepcidin production followed by its binding to ferroportin which is the only neuronal iron exporter, thereby subjecting it to lysosomal degradation. Subsequently raised neuronal iron levels can induce translation of the ferroportin assisting and copper binding amyloid precursor protein (APP); constitutive APP transmembrane passage lowers the copper pool which is important for many enzymes. Usingin silicogene expression analyses, we here show significantly decreased expression of copper-dependent enzymes in AD brain and metallothioneins were upregulated in both diseases. Although few AD exposure risk factors are known, AD-related tauopathies can result from cyanobacterial microcystin andβ-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) intake. Several environmental exposures may represent risk factors for PD; for this disease neurodegeneration is likely to involve mitochondrial dysfunction, microglial activation, and neuroinflammation. Administration of metal chelators and anti-inflammatory agents could affect disease outcomes.
Stability and Permanence of a Pest Management Model with Impulsive Releasing and Harvesting
Authors: Yang Jiangtao , Yang Zhichun
Published: April 2013

We formulate a pest management model with periodically releasing infective pests, immature and mature natural enemies, and harvesting pests and crops at two different fixed moments. Sufficient conditions ensuring the locally and globally asymptotical stability of the susceptible pest-eradication period solution are found by means of Floquet theory, small amplitude perturbation techniques, and multicomparison results. Furthermore, the permanence of system is also derived. By numerical analysis, we also show that impulsive releasing and harvesting at two different fixed moments can bring obvious effects on the dynamics of system, which also corroborates our theoretical results.
Immune-Mediated Adverse Events Associated with Ipilimumab CTLA-4 Blockade Therapy: The Underlying Mechanisms and Clinical Management
Authors: Tarhini Ahmad
Published: April 2013

Immunomodulation with the anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody ipilimumab has been shown to extend overall survival (OS) in previously treated and treatment-naive patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma. Blockade of CTLA-4 signaling with ipilimumab prolongs T-cell activation and restores T-cell proliferation, thus amplifying T-cell-mediated immunity and the patient's capacity to mount an effective antitumor immune response. While this immunostimulation has unprecedented OS benefits in the melanoma setting, it can also result in immune-mediated effects on various organ systems, leading to immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Ipilimumab-associated irAEs are common and typically low grade and manageable, but can also be serious and life threatening. The skin and gastrointestinal tract are most frequently affected, while hepatic, endocrine, and neurologic events are less common. With proper management, most irAEs resolve within a relatively short time, with a predictable resolution pattern. Prompt and appropriate management of these irAEs is essential and treatment guidelines have been developed to assist oncologists and their teams. Implementation of these irAE management algorithms will help ensure that patients are able to benefit from ipilimumab therapy with adequate control of toxicities.
Proinflammatory Responses of Heme in Alveolar Macrophages: Repercussion in Lung Hemorrhagic Episodes
Authors: Simões Rafael L. , Arruda Maria Augusta , Canetti Cláudio , Serezani Carlos H. , Fierro Iolanda M. , Barja-Fidalgo Christina
Published: April 2013

Clinical and experimental observations have supported the notion that free heme released during hemorrhagic and hemolytic episodes may have a major role in lung inflammation. With alveolar macrophages (AM) being the main line of defense in lung environments, the influence of free heme on AM activity and function was investigated. We observed that heme in a concentration range found during hemolytic episodes (3–30 μM) elicits AM to present a proinflammatory profile, stimulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) generation and inducing IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 secretion. ROS production is NADPH oxidase-dependent, being inhibited by DPI and apocynin, and involves p47 subunit phosphorylation. Furthermore, heme induces NF-κB nuclear translocation, iNOS, and also HO-1 expression. Moreover, AM stimulated with free heme show enhanced phagocytic and bactericidal activities. Taken together, the data support a dual role for heme in the inflammatory response associated with lung hemorrhage, acting as a proinflammatory molecule that can either act as both an adjuvant of the innate immunity and as an amplifier of the inflammatory response, leading tissue injury. The understanding of heme effects on pulmonary inflammatory processes can lead to the development of new strategies to ameliorate tissue damage associated with hemorrhagic episodes.
Development and Validation of an Enhanced Coupled-Field Model for PZT Cantilever Bimorph Energy Harvester
Authors: Zhang Long , Williams Keith A. , Xie Zhengchao
Published: April 2013

The power source with the limited life span has motivated the development of the energy harvesters that can scavenge the ambient environment energy and convert it into the electrical energy. With the coupled field characteristics of structure to electricity, piezoelectric energy harvesters are under consideration as a means of converting the mechanical energy to the electrical energy, with the goal of realizing completely self-powered sensor systems. In this paper, two previous models in the literatures for predicting the open-circuit and close-circuit voltages of a piezoelectric cantilever bimorph (PCB) energy harvester are first described, that is, the mechanical equivalent spring mass-damper model and the electrical equivalent circuit model. Then, the development of an enhanced coupled field model for the PCB energy harvester based on another previous model in the literature using a conservation of energy method is presented. Further, the laboratory experiments are carried out to evaluate the enhanced coupled field model and the other two previous models in the literatures. The comparison results show that the enhanced coupled field model can better predict the open-circuit and close-circuit voltages of the PCB energy harvester with a proof mass bonded at the free end of the structure in order to increase the energy-harvesting level of the system.
Oxygenation of the Newborn: A Molecular Approach
Authors: Saugstad Ola Didrik , Sejersted Yngve , Solberg Rønnaug , Wollen Embjørg J. , Bjørås Magnar
Published: April 2013

In this review oxygenation and hyperoxic injury of newborn infants are described through molecular and genetic levels. Protection and repair mechanisms that may be important for a new understanding of oxidative stress in the newborn are discussed. The research summarized in this article represents a basis for the reduced oxygen supplementation and oxidative load of newborn babies, especially since the turn of the century. The mechanisms discussed may also contribute to an understanding of why hyperoxic resuscitation of the newborn may damage DNA and affect its repair, thus increasing the risk that it may be carcinogenic. Today, term babies should be resuscitated with air rather than 100% oxygen and very and extremely low birth weight infants in need of stabilization or resuscitation at birth should be administered initially 21–30% oxygen and the level should be titrated according to the response, preferably measured by pulse oximetry. In the postnatal period the oxygen saturation should be targeted low <95%; however, saturations between 85 and 89% seem to increase mortality. The optimal oxygen saturation target for these infants postnatally is still unknown.
Knockdown of the Candidate Dyslexia Susceptibility Gene Homolog Dyx1c1 in Rodents: Effects on Auditory Processing, Visual Attention, and Cortical and Thalamic Anatomy
Authors: Szalkowski Caitlin E. , Booker Anne B. , Truong Dongnhu T. , Threlkeld Steven W. , Rosen Glenn D. , Fitch Roslyn H.
Published: April 2013

The current study investigated the behavioral and neuroanatomical effects of embryonic knockdown of the candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene (CDSG) homolog Dyx1c1 through RNA interference (RNAi) in rats. Specifically, we examined long-term effects on visual attention abilities in male rats, in addition to assessing rapid and complex auditory processing abilities in male and, for the first time, female rats. Our results replicated prior evidence of complex acoustic processing deficits in Dyx1c1 male rats and revealed new evidence of comparable deficits in Dyx1c1 female rats. Moreover, we found new evidence that knocking down Dyx1c1 produced orthogonal impairments in visual attention in the male subgroup. Stereological analyses of male brains from prior RNAi studies revealed that, despite consistent visible evidence of disruptions of neuronal migration (i.e., heterotopia), knockdown of Dyx1c1 did not significantly alter the cortical volume, hippocampal volume, or midsagittal area of the corpus callosum (measured in a separate cohort of like-treated Dyx1c1 male rats). Dyx1c1 transfection did, however, lead to significant changes in medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) anatomy, with a significant shift to smaller MGN neurons in Dyx1c1-transfected animals. Combined results provide important information about the impact of Dyx1c1 on behavioral functions that parallel domains known to be affected in language-impaired populations as well as information about widespread changes to the brain following early disruption of this CDSG.
Diachronically Unified Consciousness in Augustine and Aquinas
Authors: Cory Therese Scarpelli
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Medieval accounts of diachronically unified consciousness have been overlooked by contemporary readers, because medieval thinkers have a unique and unexpected way of setting up the problem. This paper examines the approach to diachronically unified consciousness that is found in Augustine’s and Aquinas’s treatments of memory. For Augustine, although the mind is “distended” by time, it remains resilient, stretching across disparate moments to unify past, present, and future in a single personal present. Despite deceptively different phrasing, Aquinas develops a remarkably similar view when, in order to accommodate Aristotle’s view of memory to Augustine’s, he insists that an implicit self-awareness “time-stamps” all intellectual acts. According to their shared approach, diachronic unified consciousness is the result of the curious way in which the mind is both drawn into and transcends the temporal succession of its own acts.
Regional Trade and Economic Negotiations: Introduction
Authors: Duchesne Érick , Morin Jean-Frédéric
Published: April 2013

Abstract

This special issue investigates the new landscape of regional trade and economic negotiations. Contributors to this issue propose innovative theories and models to tackle an increasingly intricate web of trade-related issues that confront modern-day negotiators. In particular, they explore the structure, process and regional-international nexus of international trade and economic negotiations.
Revisiting Structural Variables of Trade Negotiations: The Case of the Canada-EU Agreement
Authors: Duchesne Érick , Morin Jean-Frédéric
Published: April 2013

Abstract

This article offers a conceptual analysis of the negotiation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union. It argues that traditional accounts of the structure of trade negotiations must be tailored for their novel nature, especially their wider scope on various regulatory issues and the relative economic weight of trading partners. To build our argument, we revisit traditional structural factors such as economic interdependence, non-agreement alternatives (NAA), institutional constraints, outcome valuations, and domestic support. We conclude that current and future bilateral trade negotiations will likely last longer, deadlocks will likely become more frequent, and that variations in scope will likely increase.
U.S. Free Trade Agreements and Linkages
Authors: Aggarwal Vinod K.
Published: April 2013

Abstract

This article examines the driving factors that account for patterns of linkages to broader economic, labor, environmental, and security issues in U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Rather than only emphasizing trade benefits or security considerations as in much recent work on FTAs, this analysis provides a richer empirical picture by focusing on the full universe of U.S. FTAs. It conceptually differentiates among different issues that might be linked to FTAs and categorizes different patterns of U.S. FTAs based on the key issues that drove negotiations. The article then examines these negotiations from a theoretical standpoint, focusing on three elements. First, it examines the degree to which linkages in the U.S. domestic policymaking process are top-down or bottom-up. Second, it considers linkages types in terms of the underlying basis for issue connections – either power or knowledge. Third, it more briefly examines the bargaining process. The conceptual and theoretical analysis is buttressed through an examination of various illustrative cases of U.S. FTA negotiations to demonstrate the utility of this approach to illuminate the variety of ‘linkage packages’ that have driven U.S. FTAs. We conclude with the broader implications of linkages politics in FTAs.
The valid generic names for the fish species usually placed in Cyclocheilichthys (Pisces: Cyprinidae)
Authors: KOTTELAT MAURICE
Published: April 2013

Cyclocheilichthys is the valid name for the genus that includes Barbus apogon Valenciennes. Cyclocheilichthys has precedence over Anematichthys, which is a simultaneous objective synonym. If C. enoplos is considered not to be congeneric with C. apogon, the valid name for a genus that includes it is Cyclocheilos.
Three new species of the Merodon nigritarsis group (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Middle East
Authors: VUJIĆ ANTE , RADENKOVIĆ SNEŽANA , LIKOV LAURA , TRIFUNOV SONJA , NIKOLIĆ TIJANA
Published: April 2013

Descriptions are given of three new species of Merodon Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the nigritarsis species group from the Middle East: Merodon angustus Vujić et Radenković n. sp., Merodon hakkariensis Vujić et Radenković n. sp. and Merodon quadraticus Vujić et Radenković n. sp. In addition, diagnostic characters are given for the nigritarsis group and distribution maps are presented for the new species and closely related taxa.
Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layers and Diurnal Cycles: Challenges for Weather and Climate Models
Authors: Holtslag A. A. M. , Svensson G. , Baas P. , Basu S. , Beare B. , Beljaars A. C. M. , Bosveld F. C. , Cuxart J. , Lindvall J. , Steeneveld G. J. , Tjernström M. , Van De Wiel B. J. H.
Published: April 2013

The representation of the atmospheric boundary layer is an important part of weather and climate models and impacts many applications such as air quality and wind energy. Over the years, the performance in modeling 2-m temperature and 10-m wind speed has improved but errors are still significant. This is in particular the case under clear skies and low wind speed conditions at night as well as during winter in stably stratified conditions over land and ice. In this paper, the authors review these issues and provide an overview of the current understanding and model performance. Results from weather forecast and climate models are used to illustrate the state of the art as well as findings and recommendations from three intercomparison studies held within the Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study (GABLS). Within GABLS, the focus has been on the examination of the representation of the stable boundary layer and the diurnal cycle over land in clear-sky conditions. For this purpose, single-column versions of weather and climate models have been compared with observations, research models, and large-eddy simulations. The intercomparison cases are based on observations taken in the Arctic, Kansas, and Cabauw in the Netherlands. From these studies, we find that even for the noncloudy boundary layer important parameterization challenges remain.
An Overview of the Urban Boundary Layer Atmosphere Network in Helsinki
Authors: Wood C. R. , Järvi L. , Kouznetsov R. D. , Nordbo A. , Joffre S. , Drebs A. , Vihma T. , Hirsikko A. , Suomi I. , Fortelius C. , O'Connor E. , Moiseev D. , Haapanala S. , Moilanen J. , Kangas M. , Karppinen A. , Vesala T. , Kukkonen J.
Published: April 2013

The Helsinki Urban Boundary-Layer Atmosphere Network (UrBAN: http://urban.fmi.fi) is a dedicated research-grade observational network where the physical processes in the atmosphere above the city are studied. Helsinki UrBAN is the most poleward intensive urban research observation network in the world and thus will allow studying some unique features such as strong seasonality. The network's key purpose is for the understanding of the physical processes in the urban boundary layer and associated fluxes of heat, momentum, moisture, and other gases. A further purpose is to secure a research-grade database, which can be used internationally to validate and develop numerical models of air quality and weather prediction. Scintillometers, a scanning Doppler lidar, ceilometers, a sodar, eddy-covariance stations, and radiometers are used. This equipment is supplemented by auxiliary measurements, which were primarily set up for general weather and/or air-quality mandatory purposes, such as vertical soundings and the operational Doppler radar network. Examples are presented as a testimony to the potential of the network for urban studies, such as (i) evidence of a stable boundary layer possibly coupled to an urban surface, (ii) the comparison of scintillometer data with sonic anemometry above an urban surface, (iii) the application of scanning lidar over a city, and (iv) combination of sodar and lidar to give a fuller range of sampling heights for boundary layer profiling.
Evolution of Wet Gas Venturi Metering and Wet Gas Correction Algorithms
Authors: Collins Alistair , Clark Steve
Published: April 2013

The Venturi meter is a straightforward pipeline device used for the metering of gas and liquids. This article presents a brief summary of the creation and characterisation of the modern Venturi meter, including the historic development of public domain algorithms to derive two phase (gas and liquid) flow rates from differential pressure measurements. The use of Venturi meters in multiphase oil and gas flow will also be briefly discussed.
Developing Measurement Facilities for Carbon Capture and Storage
Authors: Hardie Calum
Published: April 2013

This paper describes two experimental facilities developed to carry out research and development of measurement instruments used in the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) industry. The gaseous and static facilities are capable of testing measurement devices such as flowmeters, densitometers and sampling systems. Testing these instruments in the compositions and conditions likely to be experienced in the industry is essential to ensure that they are capable of achieving the required levels of uncertainty specified by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The paper will describe the design of these facilities and give a summary of initial tests which have been carried out.
Special Education Services Received by Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders From Preschool Through High School
Authors: Wei Xin , Wagner Mary , Christiano Elizabeth R. A. , Shattuck Paul , Yu Jennifer W.
Published: April 2013

Little is known about how special education services received by students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) differ by age, disability severity, and demographic characteristics. Using three national data sets, the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study, the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study, and the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2, this study examined the age trends in special education services received by students with ASDs from preschool through high school. Elementary school students with ASDs had higher odds of receiving adaptive physical education, specialized computer software or hardware, and special transportation, but lower odds of receiving learning strategies/study skills support than their preschool peers. Secondary school students had lower odds of receiving speech/language or occupational therapy and of having a behavior management program, but higher odds of receiving mental health or social work services than their elementary school peers. Disability severity and demographic characteristics were associated with differences in special education service receipt rates.
Adaptive fuzzy-sliding control with fuzzy-sliding switching for three-phase active power filter
Authors: Fei Juntao , Hou Shixi
Published: April 2013

In this paper, an adaptive fuzzy-sliding control system is proposed to improve the dynamic performance of a three-phase active power filter (APF). Adaptive fuzzy controllers are employed to approximate both the equivalent control term and the switching control term in the sliding mode controller. An online adaptive tuning algorithm for the consequent parameters in the fuzzy rules is also designed. The switching control becomes continuous and the chattering phenomena can be attenuated. Simulation demonstrated that the proposed control method has an excellent dynamic performance such as small current tracking error, reduced total harmonic distortion (THD), strong robustness in the presence of parameter variation and non-linear load.
The Raw is Cooked
Authors: Räsänen Minna , Nyce James M.
Published: April 2013

This article looks at some common assumptions and associated work practices within a military intelligence community. There intelligence practitioners use the term “raw data” as a common sense category, as a word that describes information they want or have gained access to. The practical and organizational processes that inform the construction of the term raw data are unpacked here. Examples presented are based on interviews, field observations, and document reviews. Theoretical descriptions and models of work, for example, the intelligence cycle, construction, and the use of computer databases, assume that work in this community starts with raw data. However, this data has already been (prior) processed by the work practices, political, practical, and other decisions even before data collection occurs. The technology and attendant categories and practices instrumentalize a certain world view. The model used frames not just the collection and organization of the institution’s knowledge but those categories that inform how this institution organizes, legitimizes, and enacts its work, data, and knowledge. Given the kinds of opponents nations have to face today, intelligence practitioners and those who study their work have to understand practice, action, and contexts often quite different from ones own.
The Biopolitics of Sacrifice: Securing Infrastructure at the G20 Summit
Authors: Renzi Alessandra , Elmer Greg
Published: April 2013

This article investigates infrastructure spending from a biopolitical perspective and rethinks its connections to emerging regimes of (in)securitization. Starting with a study of the organization and contestation of the G8/G20 summits in Toronto in June 2010, the analysis moves through the shifty territory of a governmental logic that is reconfiguring the body politics of civic participation, as well as the ways in which discourses on economic growth, property and public safety intertwine in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. The case of Toronto shows significant changes to recent security practices, control techniques and funding arrangements. Rather than ‘war on terror’, ‘austerity and crisis’ are the new keywords sustaining current governmental rationality and the criminalization of dissent, which are no longer funded by defence budgets but by economic stimuli packages. This new rationality, while still relying on fear as an affective mode to mobilize masses, has exchanged a set of discourses on the clash of cultures or civilization for one on sacrifice. Following Foucault’s work on the government of populations and security, it is now possible to talk about ‘a sacrifice series’ to describe the series of elements that connect military or economic logics of (in)securitization.
Popular Culture, Digital Archives and the New Social Life of Data
Authors: Beer David , Burrows Roger
Published: April 2013

Digital data inundation has far-reaching implications for: disciplinary jurisdiction; the relationship between the academy, commerce and the state; and the very nature of the sociological imagination. Hitherto much of the discussion about these matters has tended to focus on ‘transactional’ data held within large and complex commercial and government databases. This emphasis has been quite understandable – such transactional data does indeed form a crucial part of the informational infrastructures that are now emerging. However, in recent years new sources of data have become available that possess a rather different character. This is data generated in the cultural sphere, not only as a result of routine transactions with various digital media but also as a result of what some would want to view as a shift towards popular cultural forms dominated by processes of what has been termed prosumption. Our analytic focus here is on contemporary prosumption practices, digital technologies, the public life of data and the playful vitality of many of the ‘glossy topics’ that constitute contemporary popular culture.
Industrial closure, regional development and local planning: Multiple narratives of change from the experience of Longbridge, Birmingham
Authors: Hall Stephen
Published: April 2013

This article provides a critique of the policy response to the closure, in 2005, of the MG Rover factory in Longbridge, Birmingham. To date, the Longbridge ‘narrative’ has been dominated by the work of the Labour Government’s MG Rover Task Force to secure the regional supply chain and support redundant workers. However, this represents a selective interpretation of the Longbridge experience. Important alternative narratives have been neglected, including the local impacts of closure, the role of front-line officials and voluntary and community groups in mitigating these, and future regeneration. The article considers these important issues and, thus, seeks to contribute to a more inclusive narrative of the Longbridge closure, the policy response to it and the lessons arising in light of the present crisis engulfing the European automotive industry. The article concludes that the nature and scope of the public policy response to industrial closure must be multi-level and multi-thematic in outlook and ensure investment in the resilience of local economy and society.
Sexual Objectification Increases Rape Victim Blame and Decreases Perceived Suffering
Authors: Loughnan Steve , Pina Afroditi , Vasquez Eduardo A. , Puvia Elisa
Published: April 2013

Sexual objectification changes the way people view women by reducing them to sexual objects—denied humanity and an internal mental life, as well as deemed unworthy of moral concern. However, the subsequent consequences of sexually objectifying others remain underresearched. In the current study, we examined the impact of objectification in the domain of sexual assault. Sixty British undergraduate students were recruited to complete an impression formation task. We manipulated objectification by presenting participants with either a sexualized or nonsexualized woman. Participants rated the woman’s mind and the extent to which they felt moral concern for her. They then learned that she was the victim of an acquaintance rape and reported victim blame and both blatant and subtle perceptions of her suffering. Consistent with prior research, sexualized women were objectified through a denial of mental states and moral concern. Further, compared with nonobjectified women, the objectified were perceived to be more responsible for being raped. Interestingly, although no difference emerged for blatant measures of suffering, participants tacitly denied the victims’ suffering by exhibiting changes in moral concern for the victim. We conclude that objectification has important consequences for how people view victims of sexual assault. Our findings reveal that sexual objectification can have serious consequences and we discuss how these might influence how victims cope and recover from sexual assault.
Recovering lead from cathode ray tube funnel glass by mechano-chemical extraction in alkaline solution
Authors: Zhang Chenglong , Wang Jingwei , Bai Jianfeng , Guan Jie , Wu Wenjie , Guo Cuixiang
Published: April 2013

This study evaluates the efficiency of lead (Pb) extraction from cathode ray tube (CRT) funnel glass in strongly alkaline solution using mechanical activation in a ball mill as the chemical breakage and defects formed in the inner structures will contribute to the easy dissolution of the activated Pb glass. The combination of mechanical activation and a chemical leaching process in a single operation (mechano-chemical leaching) is more effective than the mechanical activation and subsequent chemical leaching. More than 97% of Pb in the CRT funnel glass can be extracted with a stirring ball mill leaching process in 5 M sodium hydroxide at 70°C. The diameter of the stainless steel balls as the activation medium is 5 mm; the mass ratio of ball to raw materials is 25:1. Pb powder with a purity of 97% can be obtained by electrowinning from the leaching solution. The Pb-depleted solution can be recycled into the leaching step. After Pb is removed, the solid leaching residues can be used for preparation of foam glass. Thus, a novel hydrometallurgical process for recovering Pb from CRT funnel glass in alkaline solution is proposed.
Protective effect of wogonin on proinflammatory cytokine generation via Jak1/3-STAT1/3 pathway in lipopolysaccharide stimulated BV2 microglial cells
Authors: Yeh Chung-Hsin , Shih Hung-Che , Hong Hui-Mei , Lee Shiuan-Shinn , Yang Ming-Ling , Chen Chun-Jung , Kuan Yu-Hsiang
Published: April 2013

Wogonin is a flavonoid compound which exhibits antioxidation, anti-inflammation, neuroprotection, and antitumorgenesis functions. However, the mechanism of how wogonin reduces proinflammatory cytokine generation in activated microglia is unclear. At present, we found wogonin inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-/interferon-γ (INF-γ)-induced generation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Wogonin exhibited parallel inhibition on LPS-/INF-γ-induced expression of IL-6 and TNF-α messenger RNA at the same concentration range. LPS-/INF-γ-induced phosphorylation of signal transduction and transcription 1 and 3 (STAT1/3) were also inhibited by wogonin. Although wogonin expressed only weak inhibitory effect on LPS-/INF-γ-induced phosphorylation of Janus kinase-2 (Jak-2) and tyrosine kinase (Tyk)-2, it significantly attenuated the phosphorylation of Jak-1 and Jak-3. These results indicated that the blockade of IL-6 and TNF-α production by wogonin in LPS-/INF-γ-stimulated BV2 microglial cells was attributed mainly to the interference in Jak-1/-3-STAT1/3 signaling pathway.
Implications of an Educational Intervention Program Designed to Increase Young Adolescents' Awareness of Hats for Sun Protection
Authors: DeLong Marilyn , LaBat Karen , Gahring Sherri , Nelson Nancy , Leung Lotus
Published: April 2013

This research examined the content and outcome of an educational intervention program designed to foster sun protective awareness and behaviors among young adolescents. Awareness of sun protection qualities, as well as preferences and stated intention to wear protective clothing, were measured based on young adolescents' responses to selected hat styles both before and after the educational interventions. The educational intervention was well received by this age group (ages 10-12), and a comparison of matched pre- and post-tests (397 girls and boys) indicated an increase in knowledge of sun protective factors in clothing. However, familiarity and past experience with hat styles helped to determine both preference and intent to wear. This finding points to the need to incorporate adolescents' preferences in design and modifications of hats for protection, and to take further measures to encourage protective behaviors in young adolescents' clothing selection. Implementing a standardized sun protection rating system for hats and other types of clothing like those used with sunscreen lotion would begin to familiarize people of all ages with the dangers of sun exposure and the benefits of wearing sun protective clothing.
Texas Manufacturers of Sewn Products: A Typology of Strategic Posture by Risk Level
Authors: Horridge Patricia , Martin Ruth E. , Craig Jane S.
Published: April 2013

The study was conducted to determine how strategic posture of sewn-products manufacturers influences their use of newer technologies important to company competitiveness. The objectives were to develop a typology of Texas sewn-products manufacturers according to strategic posture by risk level, and to develop group profiles by company demographics and production characteristics. Questionnaires were mailed to Texas manufacturers of sewn products resulting in 123 usable surveys. Cluster analysis was used to segment the manufacturers according to their level of risk. MANOVA and discriminant analysis were used to distinguish among the groups. Profiles of groups were developed using company demographics and production characteristics (production system, plant layout, sewing machine technology, computer usage, and employee training and compensation). The High Risk group accepted and integrated more technology than the other three groups, indicating the need for proactiveness to compete in business.
Development of a Test to Measure Spatial Abilities Associated with Apparel Design and Product Development
Authors: Workman Jane E. , Caldwell Lark F. , Kallal Mary Jo
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this study was to develop a test that measures spatial skills relative to product development and apparel design. To provide some support for content validity, the test included components of spatial products, spatial storage, and spatial thought. As evidence of the type of spatial ability measured by the test, an established test that measures spatial relations (Differential Aptitude Test-Space Relations) (DATSR) was correlated with the newly developed test. To provide preliminary statistical data regarding the test, a between-subjects design study was conducted with clothing construction/patternmaking training (none, some) as the independent variable. Dependent variables were the Apparel Spatial Visualization Test (ASVT) and the DATSR. To evidence content validity of the test, scores on the ASVT should reflect improvement in spatial abilities as a function of training. Students with some training scored higher on the ASVT but did not differ in their scores on the DATSR compared to those with no training. This provides some evidence that the ASVT measures spatial skills specific to apparel design and product development. The ASVT and the DATSR were not significantly correlated.
Influence of the processing time on the finishing of punched micro holes by planetary stirring with natural sand grains
Authors: Guo Wei , Tam Hon-Yuen
Published: April 2013

Micro punching is potentially useful for the mass production of micro features. Punched holes have problems with burrs, debris and pullout fragments left by punching. Planetary stirring is proposed for the finishing of micro features such as punched micro holes. Natural sand is used as the abrasive. The specimen is immersed in sand grains in a bowl that is then put under rotational and orbital movement. No fixture is required to prevent the specimen from collision damages during processing. Initial experiments were conducted. Morphology of the holes was studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Results showed that debris was removed, burrs were basically cleared and pullout fragments were substantially eroded. Micron- and submicron-sized particles are produced during finishing. Accumulation of such particles at the micro holes can obstruct the finishing process. It is important that the holes are adequately finished before severe accumulation occurs.
Development of a hierarchical computer numerical control milling machine control unit using low-end PIC microcontrollers
Authors: Jannif Nayzel I , Chand Praneel , Singh Ravinesh
Published: April 2013

The acquisition of automated manufacturing equipment in developing nations can be expensive. Hence, this article presents the development of a computer numerical control milling machine’s control unit using low-end PIC microcontrollers. The design employs a hierarchy of five low-end PIC microcontrollers connected to a PC. A single master PIC acts as a link between a PC and four slave microcontrollers via a RS232 serial port. One slave PIC is interfaced with the electronics of the spindle drive. The three remaining slave PICs are interfaced with the electronics of the x-, y- and z-axis drives. The low-cost milling machine’s control unit has been constructed and tested. A circle–diamond–square test confirms the functionality of the machine and demonstrates that it does not accumulate error along a milled profile path.
Understanding and navigating industrial emergence
Authors: Probert David R , Ford Simon J , Routley Michèle J , O’Sullivan Eoin , Phaal Rob
Published: April 2013

Industrial emergence is a broad and complex domain, with relevant perspectives ranging in scale from the individual entrepreneur and firm with the business decisions and actions they make to the policies of nations and global patterns of industrialisation. The research described in this article has adopted a holistic approach, based on structured mapping methods, in an attempt to depict and understand the dynamics and patterns of industrial emergence across a broad spectrum from early scientific discovery to large-scale industrialisation. The breadth of scope and application has enabled a framework and set of four tools to be developed that have wide applicability. The utility of the approaches has been demonstrated through case studies and trials in a diverse range of industrial contexts. The adoption of such a broad scope also presents substantial challenges and limitations, with these providing an opportunity for further research.
Optimisation of track geometry inspection interval
Authors: khouy Iman Arasteh , Larsson-Kråik Per-Olof , Nissen Arne , Juntti Ulla , Schunnesson Håkan
Published: April 2013

The measurement and improvement of track quality are key issues in determining the time at which railway maintenance must be performed and its cost. Efficient track maintenance ensures optimum allocation of limited maintenance resources which has an enormous effect on maintenance efficiency. Applying an appropriate tamping strategy helps reduce maintenance costs, making operations more cost-effective and leading to increased safety and passenger comfort levels. This paper discusses optimisation of the track geometry inspection interval with a view to minimising the total ballast maintenance costs per unit traffic load. The proposed model considers inspection time, the maintenance-planning horizon time after inspection and takes into account the costs associated with inspection, tamping and risk of accidents due to poor track quality. It draws on track geometry data from the iron ore line (Malmbanan) in northern Sweden, used by both passenger and freight trains, to find the probability distribution of geometry faults.
An adaptive clinical trials procedure for a sensitive subgroup examined in the multiple sclerosis context
Authors: Riddell Corinne A , Zhao Yinshan , Petkau John
Published: April 2013

The biomarker-adaptive threshold design (BATD) allows researchers to simultaneously study the efficacy of treatment in the overall group and to investigate the relationship between a hypothesized predictive biomarker and the treatment effect on the primary outcome. It was originally developed for survival outcomes for Phase III clinical trials where the biomarker of interest is measured on a continuous scale. In this paper, generalizations of the BATD to accommodate count biomarkers and outcomes are developed and then studied in the multiple sclerosis (MS) context where the number of relapses is a commonly used outcome. Through simulation studies, we find that the BATD has increased power compared with a traditional fixed procedure under varying scenarios for which there exists a sensitive patient subgroup. As an illustration, we apply the procedure for two hypothesized markers, baseline enhancing lesion count and disease duration at baseline, using data from a previously completed trial. MS duration appears to be a predictive marker relationship for this dataset, and the procedure indicates that the treatment effect is strongest for patients who have had MS for less than 7.8 years. The procedure holds promise of enhanced statistical power when the treatment effect is greatest in a sensitive patient subgroup.
Linear combination methods to improve diagnostic/prognostic accuracy on future observations
Authors: Kang Le , Liu Aiyi , Tian Lili
Published: April 2013

Multiple diagnostic tests or biomarkers can be combined to improve diagnostic accuracy. The problem of finding the optimal linear combinations of biomarkers to maximise the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve has been extensively addressed in the literature. The purpose of this article is threefold: (1) to provide an extensive review of the existing methods for biomarker combination; (2) to propose a new combination method, namely, the nonparametric stepwise approach; (3) to use leave-one-pair-out cross-validation method, instead of re-substitution method, which is overoptimistic and hence might lead to wrong conclusion, to empirically evaluate and compare the performance of different linear combination methods in yielding the largest area under receiver operating characteristic curve. A data set of Duchenne muscular dystrophy was analysed to illustrate the applications of the discussed combination methods.
The Teenage Brain
Authors: Albert Dustin , Chein Jason , Steinberg Laurence
Published: April 2013

Research efforts to account for elevated risk behavior among adolescents have arrived at an exciting new stage. Moving beyond laboratory studies of age differences in risk perception and reasoning, new approaches have shifted their focus to the influence of social and emotional factors on adolescent decision making. We review recent research suggesting that adolescent risk-taking propensity derives in part from a maturational gap between early adolescent remodeling of the brain’s socioemotional reward system and a gradual, prolonged strengthening of the cognitive-control system. Research has suggested that in adolescence, a time when individuals spend an increasing amount of time with their peers, peer-related stimuli may sensitize the reward system to respond to the reward value of risky behavior. As the cognitive-control system gradually matures over the course of the teenage years, adolescents grow in their capacity to coordinate affect and cognition and to exercise self-regulation, even in emotionally arousing situations. These capacities are reflected in gradual growth in the capacity to resist peer influence.