bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Palestinian Autobiographical Memory Regarding the 1948 Palestinian Exodus
Authors: Nets‐Zehngut Rafi
Published: January 2011

Background: Collective memory of intractable conflict is an important sociopsychological phenomenon which influences the psychological and behavioral reactions of each party to the conflict. This memory is composed of two kinds of memories: autobiographical memory—the memory of the people who experienced the given events directly—and indirect‐collective memory—the memory of the people who learned about the given events second hand, via books, etc.Purpose: This study explores the characteristics of Palestinian autobiographical memory with respect to the causes of the 1948 Palestinian exodus and how it relates to other Palestinian memories of that exodus (official, historical/academic, and indirect‐collective). From these empirical findings, theoretical insights are concluded.Method: This is done by analyzing the content of four oral history projects of 1948 Palestinians refugees (in total, 131 interviewees from 38 localities). In addition, the content of these projects is compared to the accounts of documented Israeli history (using the research of Israeli historian Benny Morris). Studies of the other Palestinian memories are also used.Findings: The findings reveal that the Palestinian autobiographical memory is not a typical memory of conflict (e.g., with relatively low focus on the expulsion cause for the exodus). It is also compatible to a large degree with documented Israeli history. However, it is very different from other Palestinian memories of the exodus (official, historical/academic, and indirect‐collective), which focus almost exclusively on the expulsion cause. Other empirical findings and their explanations are discussed. The findings have mostly theoretical implications regarding various kinds of memories of conflicts (and memories in general), as well as some methodological implications with regard to the usage of oral history.
An Exploration of the Content of Stereotypes of Black Politicians
Authors: Schneider Monica C. , Bos Angela L.
Published: January 2011

Do voters have the same stereotypes of Black politicians that they have of Black people in general? We argue that common stereotypes of Blacks (e.g., lazy, violent) may not apply to perceptions of Black politicians. Instead, we hypothesize that Black politicians are a unique subtype of the larger group Blacks, different enough to warrant their own stereotypes. We take an inductive approach to understanding the stereotypes of Black politicians. Employing a classic psychology research design (Katz & Braly, 1933) in which respondents list traits for a target group, we find that there is little overlap of stereotype content between Black politicians and Blacks. Our results therefore indicate that Black politicians constitute a separate and unique subtype of Blacks. Our analysis explores similarities and differences between stereotypes of Black politicians and two other groups: Black professionals (another subtype of Blacks) and politicians. We discuss the implications of our findings for the relationship between stereotypes and voter decisions.
Conceptualising Political Parties: A Normative Framework
Authors: Bonotti Matteo
Published: January 2011

Political parties occupy a unique intermediate position between civil society and the public political realm and provide a hybrid and semi-institutional connection between the two domains. In this article I argue that, in order to preserve their unique and hybrid nature, political parties ought to balance partiality and unity and abide by a set of normative criteria, above all respect for party pluralism and for the institutional framework in which they operate. By complying with these criteria, political parties can convey values and interests in a way that favours democracy.
Using Desk‐top Publishing to Develop Literacy
Authors: Wray David , Medwell Jane
Published: January 2011

Desk‐top publishing is an important growth area in the use of computers in business, and it is beginning to have an impact in schools. In this paper we examine the learning benefits which may accrue from the use of desktop publishing techniques with children, especially in terms of the development of literacy skills. Desk‐top publishing is analysed as an extension of word‐processing, but with several extra important features. The paper concludes by describing some of the possible ways of using desk‐top publishing in the classroom.
Inverse Scattering Transform for the Multi‐Component Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with Nonzero Boundary Conditions
Authors: Prinari Barbara , Biondini Gino , Trubatch A. David
Published: January 2011

The Inverse Scattering Transform (IST) for the defocusing vector nonlinear Schrödinger equations (NLS), with an arbitrary number of components and nonvanishing boundary conditions at space infinities, is formulated by adapting and generalizing the approach used by Beals, Deift, and Tomei in the development of the IST for the N‐wave interaction equations. Specifically, a complete set of sectionally meromorphic eigenfunctions is obtained from a family of analytic forms that are constructed for this purpose. As in the scalar and two‐component defocusing NLS, the direct and inverse problems are formulated on a two‐sheeted, genus‐zero Riemann surface, which is then transformed into the complex plane by means of an appropriate uniformization variable. The inverse problem is formulated as a matrix Riemann‐Hilbert problem with prescribed poles, jumps, and symmetry conditions. In contrast to traditional formulations of the IST, the analytic forms and eigenfunctions are first defined for complex values of the scattering parameter, and extended to the continuous spectrum a posteriori.
Bi‐Presymplectic Representation of Liouville Integrable Systems and Related Separability Theory
Authors: Błaszak Maciej
Published: January 2011

Bi‐presymplectic chains of one‐forms of arbitrary co‐rank are considered. The conditions in which such chains represent some Liouville integrable systems and the conditions in which there exist related bi‐Hamiltonian chains of vector fields are presented. To derived the construction of bi‐presymplectic chains, the notions of dual Poisson‐presymplectic pair, d‐compatibility of presymplectic forms and d‐compatibility of Poisson bivectors is used. The completely algorithmic construction of separation coordinates is demonstrated. It is also proved that Stäckel separable systems have bi‐inverse‐Hamiltonian representation, i.e., are represented by bi‐presymplectic chains of closed one‐forms. The co‐rank of related structures depends on the explicit form of separation relations.
Asymptotic Analysis of Localized Solutions to Some Linear and Nonlinear Biharmonic Eigenvalue Problems
Authors: Kropinski M. C. , Lindsay A. E. , Ward M. J.
Published: January 2011

In an arbitrary bounded 2‐D domain, a singular perturbation approach is developed to analyze the asymptotic behavior of several biharmonic linear and nonlinear eigenvalue problems for which the solution exhibits a concentration behavior either due to a hole in the domain, or as a result of a nonlinearity that is nonnegligible only in some localized region in the domain. The specific form for the biharmonic nonlinear eigenvalue problem is motivated by the study of the steady‐state deflection of one of the two surfaces in a Micro‐Electro‐Mechanical System capacitor. The linear eigenvalue problem that is considered is to calculate the spectrum of the biharmonic operator in a domain with an interior hole of asymptotically small radius. One key novel feature in the analysis of our singularly perturbed biharmonic problems, which is absent in related second‐order elliptic problems, is that a point constraint must be imposed on the leading order outer solution to asymptotically match inner and outer representations of the solution. Our asymptotic analysis also relies heavily on the use of logarithmic switchback terms, notorious in the study of Low Reynolds number fluid flow, and on detailed properties of the biharmonic Green’s function and its associated regular part near the singularity. For a few simple domains, full numerical solutions to the biharmonic problems are computed to verify the asymptotic results obtained from the analysis.
Water Wave Packets Over Variable Depth
Authors: Grimshaw R. H. J. , Annenkov S. Y.
Published: January 2011

In this paper, we develop higher‐order nonlinear Schrödinger equations with variable coefficients to describe how a water wave packet will deform and eventually be destroyed as it propagates shoreward from deep to shallow water. It is well‐known that in the framework of the usual nonlinear Schrödinger equations, a wave packet can only exist in deep water, more precisely when kh > 1.363, where k is the wavenumber and h is the depth. Using a combination of asymptotic analysis and numerical simulations we find that in the framework of the higher‐order nonlinear Schrödinger equations, the wave packet can penetrate into shallow water kh < 1.363 or not even reach kh > 1.363, depending on the sign of the initial value in deep water of a certain parameter of the wave packet that measures its speed.
The Magical Number 7
Authors: Richardson Mary , Reischman Diann
Published: January 2011

This article describes an interactive activity that involves students participating in a memory recall test. Data collected from the activity may be used to illustrate the one‐sample t test or one‐sample sign test.
Why is S a Biased Estimate of σ?
Authors: Sanqui Jose Almer T. , Arnholt Alan T.
Published: January 2011

This article outlines an experiment that leads one to discover and verify that S is a biased estimator of σ.
Serum galectin‐3 levels in patients with Behçet’s disease: association with disease activity over a long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Özden M.G. , Çaycı Y.T. , Tekin H. , Çoban A.Y. , Aydın F. , Şentürk N. , Bek Y. , Cantürk T. , Turanlı A.Y.
Published: January 2011

Background  There is a need for a laboratory marker that correlates with the clinical activity of Behçet’s disease (BD).

Objective  We aimed to investigate whether serum galectin‐3 (Gal‐3) levels were affected during the course of the disease with regard to disease activity.

Methods  A total of 131 subjects were involved in the study as follows: Group 1: BD active (n = 39); Group 2: BD inactive (n = 31); Group 3: Disease controls with leucocytoclastic vasculitis confirmed with a skin biopsy (n = 22); and Group 4: Healthy control subjects (n = 39). The BD patients were followed regularly and samples were taken in their active and inactive periods of the disease over a 2‐year period.

Results  Serum Gal‐3 levels were significantly higher in active BD patients (mean 2.38) than inactive BD patients (mean 0.63; P < 0.0001) and the healthy control subjects (mean 0.75; P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference between the leucocytoclastic vasculitis and active BD patients (P = 0.093). Serum Gal‐3 levels were positively correlated with clinical activity scores of active BD patients (r = 0.66, P < 0.0001). In addition, the Gal‐3 levels were significantly higher in the active disease period when compared with the inactive period during the follow‐up. There were no significant differences between the two inactive periods of the disease among the same patients. Further analyses revealed that patients with vascular involvement had significantly higher Gal‐3 levels than the other active BD patients (mean 7.57; P = 0.007).

Limitations  The limitation of the study is the small number of patients with vascular involvement in the active BD patient group.

Conclusion  Gal‐3 levels are correlated with the activity of Behçet’s disease especially with the vascular involvement.
Effect of topical heparin and levomenol on atopic dermatitis: a randomized four‐arm, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind clinical study
Authors: Arenberger P , Arenbergerová M , Drozenová H , Hladíková M , Holcová S
Published: January 2011

Background  The aim of the controlled double‐blind trial was to demonstrate the superiority of a topical combination product over its single constituents.

Patients and Methods  A total of 278 patients with atopic dermatitis were randomized into four groups: 79 patients were treated with a topical combination of levomenol and heparin (A), 80 patients with levomenol alone (B), 78 patients with heparin alone (C) and 41 patients with the cream base with no active substances (D). The medication was applied twice daily for 8 weeks. Efficacy criteria included the severity of pruritus (visual analogue scale, VAS) and the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index as well as the overall assessment of efficacy and tolerance by both physician and patient.

Results  The improvement of pruritus and SCORAD values in Group A was significantly higher compared with Groups B–D (ancova, P < 7 × 10−8). The improvement of pruritus in Group A approximately corresponded to the cumulative effect of the two single active substances, with mean improvements of itching of −41.3, −13.3, −21.3 and +0.6 mm VAS in Groups A–D, respectively (95% CI 7.1–13.5, 2.9–9.2 and 10.4–18.3 mm for the comparisons A vs. B, A vs. C and A vs. D).

Conclusion  The combination of levomenol and heparin proved to be significantly more efficacious in the treatment of pruritus and inflamed skin than the preparations of the single components.
Time‐dependent modulation of serotonin and its receptors 1A and 2A expression in allergic contact dermatitis
Authors: Wetterberg J. , Taher C. , Azmitia E.C. , El‐Nour H.
Published: January 2011

Background  Serotonin implication in allergic contact dermatitis was earlier suggested.

Objective  To study the expression of serotonin (5‐HT) and its receptors 1A and 2A during the kinetics of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).

Method  Biopsies from 10 female nickel‐allergic patients were obtained at 0, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after nickel application using a patch testing procedure and then analysed by immunohistochemistry.

Results  Higher 5‐HT epidermal immunoreactivity was seen at 0 and 6 h compared with 24, 48 and 72 h. The number of 5‐HT labelled platelets was higher at 48 and 72 h compared with 0, 6 and 24 h. There was a decrease in the number of 5‐HT1AR positive cells at 24, 48 and 72 h compared with 0 h. Furthermore, epidermal 5‐HT1AR immunoreactivity was stronger at 48 and 72 h compared with 0 h. Total (dermis plus epidermis) number of 5‐HT2AR positive cells was gradually increased in a time‐dependent manner at 6, 24, 48 and 72 h compared with 0 h.

Conclusions  Our results suggest the implication of 5‐HT, 5‐HT1AR and 5‐HT2AR in the development of human ACD and the possibility to target those receptors at an early stage of this inflammatory condition.
Clinical features of atopic dermatitis in a hospital‐based setting in China
Authors: Shi M. , Zhang H. , Chen X. , Guo Y. , Tao J. , Qi H. , Gan J. , Jiang A. , Yu H. , Liang J. , Chen J. , Yang L. , Zhuang Y. , Yan M. , Gu Y. , Yu X. , Feng X. , Yao Z.
Published: January 2011

Background  Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease. There have been few detailed reports of the clinical evaluation of Chinese patients with AD.

Objectives  To give a profile of the clinical features of Chinese AD patients in a university hospital setting.

Methods  A total of 1008 cases met Hanifin and Rajka diagnostic criteria of AD were recruited at Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, China.

Results  In our survey, 22.7% patients were mild, 66.6% were moderate and 10.7% were severe according to the SCORAD index. Both the frequency and severity of the male patients were slightly higher. The frequency of asthma among the AD patients was 16.7% and it was increased with the age (χ2 = 205.20, P = 0.000). The frequencies of objective minor signs were demonstrated with age‐related changes. Besides, three localized variants including eyelid eczema (49.8%), scalp dermatitis (49.7%), infra‐auricular and retroauricular fissuring (44.8%) were commonly observed, especially in the infantile phase (P < 0.01). It was showed significant differences in serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels of different age groups. The positive rate of Phadiatop was raised after 3 years old and that of the common food allergens were decreased after 6 years old.

Conclusions  More males than females had ongoing AD in our survey. Most AD debuted in the first year of the cases. High incidence of the three clinical signs: eyelid eczema, scalp dermatitis and infra‐auricular and retroauricular fissuring among the patients suggests it can be a potential valuable diagnostic clue to AD.
Hippocampal betaine/GABA transporter mRNA expression is not regulated by inflammation or dehydration post‐status epilepticus
Authors: Rowley Nicole M. , Smith Misty D. , Lamb John G. , Schousboe Arne , White H. Steve
Published: January 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 117, 82–90.

Seizure activity can alter GABA transporter and osmoprotective gene expression, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. However, the response of the betaine/GABA transporter (BGT1) is unknown. The goal of the present study was to compare the expression of BGT1 mRNA to that of other osmoprotective genes and GABA transporters following status epilepticus (SE). The possible contributory role of dehydration and inflammation was also investigated because both have been shown to be involved in the regulation of GABA transporter and/or osmoprotective gene expression. BGT1 mRNA was increased 24 h post‐SE, as were osmoprotective genes. BGT1 was decreased 72 h and 4 weeks post‐SE, as were the GABA transporter mRNAs. The mRNA values for osmoprotective genes following 24‐h water withdrawal were significantly lower than the values obtained 24 h post‐SE despite similarities in their plasma osmolality values. BGT1 mRNA was not altered by lipopolysaccharide‐induced inflammation while the transcription factor tonicity‐responsive enhancer binding protein and the GABA transporters 1 and 3 were. These results suggest that neither plasma osmolality nor inflammation fully account for the changes seen in BGT1 mRNA expression post‐SE. However, it is evident that BGT1 mRNA expression is altered by SE and displays a temporal pattern with similarities to both GABA and osmolyte transporters. Further investigation of BGT1 regulation in the brain is warranted.
Operations research in the natural resource industry
Authors: Bjørndal T. , Herrero I. , Newman A. , Romero C. , Weintraub A.
Published: January 2011

Operations research is becoming increasingly prevalent in the natural resource sector, specifically in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and mining. While there are similar research questions in these areas, e.g., how to harvest and/or extract the resources and how to account for environmental impacts, there are also differences, e.g., the length of time associated with a growth and harvesting or extraction cycle, and whether or not the resource is renewable. Research in all four areas is at different levels of advancement in terms of the methodology currently developed and the acceptance of implementable plans and policies. In this paper, we review the most recent and seminal work in all four areas, considering modeling, algorithmic developments and application.
OR challenges and experiences from solving industrial applications
Authors: Rönnqvist M.
Published: January 2011

When decision support systems are implemented in practice, a number of special aspects and requirements must often be considered. From an operations research (OR) perspective many of these can be very challenging and/or are counterproductive for the stated objective. They can appear in any part of the optimization process that includes problem formulation, modelling, solution and result evaluation. In this paper, we describe and discuss a number of aspects and requirements in industrial implementations where optimization has been a vital planning or execution tool. We discuss the reasons behind the requirements, the OR challenge, how the requirements were approached and implemented and present results and general experience acquired from these implementations. The applications cover tactical, operational and real‐time applications for several areas including transportation, scheduling, routing, inventory and process control.
Maintaining the sanitary border: air transport liberalisation and health security practices at UK regional airports
Authors: Budd Lucy , Bell Morag , Warren Adam
Published: January 2011

This paper contributes to ongoing debates surrounding the governance and security of global mobility regimes through a theoretical and empirical examination of the extent to which air transport liberalisation and contemporary practices of infectious disease governance demand a re‐conceptualisation of national borders. Recent outbreaks of SARS and H1N1 influenza, which spread rapidly around the world via air travel, illustrated the ability of pathogens to disrupt patterns and practices of human mobility and directly led to the introduction of new health screening technologies at airports that were designed to restrict the spread of infection and maintain a sanitary border. Yet while medical specialists have debated the effectiveness of the various screening techniques, and privacy campaigners have expressed concern over some of the technologies that have been deployed in an attempt to intercept these disease threats, there has been no exploration of the extent to which recent regulatory and structural changes within the global aviation industry have exacerbated the challenges of safeguarding public health and simultaneously transformed practices and spatialities of sanitary border control by re‐siting national borders within a range of offshore and domestic locations. Drawing on official airport passenger statistics from the UK, this paper contends that, in transforming the spatialities of contemporary patterns of aeromobility, the progressive liberalisation of the commercial aviation sector (and the dramatic rise in passenger numbers, flights and airports handling international services it effected) – has had unintended and hitherto unexplored consequences for the governance of infectious disease mobility and the material deployment of sovereign sanitary territoriality by creating more points through which an infectious disease may enter or leave a country and moving the border inside UK regions.
Add‐on treatment with verapamil in pharmacoresistant canine epilepsy
Authors: Jambroszyk Melanie , Tipold Andrea , Potschka Heidrun
Published: January 2011

Purpose:  Verapamil add‐on treatment has been suggested as a novel therapeutic concept for overcoming transporter‐mediated pharmacoresistance. Efficacy data have been limited so far to case reports in individual epileptic patients. Therefore, we aimed to thoroughly evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of verapamil add‐on treatment.

Methods:  In a prestudy in healthy Beagle dogs the tolerability of verapamil add‐on treatment was investigated. The efficacy of verapamil was then evaluated in 11 dogs with phenobarbital‐resistant epilepsy.

Key Findings:  Verapamil add‐on treatment (6.2–7.3 mg/kg) did not affect phenobarbital concentrations in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid. Side effects observed in healthy as well as in epileptic dogs comprised bradycardia and a decrease in blood pressure. Therefore, we had to limit the dosage to 1–1.5 mg/kg in the main study. In phenobarbital nonresponders, verapamil failed to improve seizure control. Verapamil treatment was discontinued prematurely in five animals due to worsening of seizure control or lack of an effect. In the remaining animals, seizure frequency tended to increase during the verapamil add‐on phase, reaching a mean of two seizures per month compared to the pre‐verapamil phase with phenobarbital monotherapy (mean of 1.4 seizures per month). In view of the detrimental effects in the majority of the dogs, the study had to be discontinued and no further animals were enrolled.

Significance:  The failure of the maximum tolerated dosage to improve seizure control in dogs with phenobarbital‐resistant epilepsy argues against the suitability of verapamil add‐on treatment to overcome pharmacoresistance. Deterioration of seizure control in some individual animals suggests that verapamil might also exert unfavorable effects on seizure thresholds or its spread.
Malposition of hemodialysis catheter in left superior intercostal vein
Authors: YADLA Manjusha , SAINARESH V.V. , SRIRAMNAVEEN  , KRISHNAKISHORE  , REDDY Sandeep , VIJAYALAKSHMI B. , LAKSHMI A.Y. , SIVAKUMAR V.
Published: January 2011

Malposition of hemodialysis catheter needs to be identified promptly. Straight descent of left side internal jugular catheter mandates a thorough evaluation than unnecessary apprehensions. We report an unusual case of straight descent of hemodialysis catheter into superior intercostal vein.
Ultra‐Low‐Temperature Sintering of Nanostructured β‐SiC
Authors: Lee Jin‐Seok , Ahn Young‐Soo , Nishimura Toshiyuki , Tanaka Hidehiko , Lee Sea‐Hoon
Published: January 2011

A nanostructured SiC was successfully obtained through the decomposition of Al4SiC4 additive during spark plasma sintering at the lowest temperature so far published under the pressing condition of below 121 MPa. The specimen had a relative density of 95% after sintering at 1450°C, and nearly full densification with a grain size of around 70 nm was achieved at 1500°C. Heavy Al segregation occurred at the grain boundaries, which caused the low‐temperature sintering most presumably by promoting grain‐boundary diffusion.
Impulse Aging Behavior Against of Zn–Pr–Co–Cr–Dy Varistors with Cobalt Addition
Authors: Nahm Choon‐W.
Published: January 2011

The CoO‐doping effect on impulse aging behavior of the Zn–Pr–Co–Cr–Dy varistors was investigated in the range of 0.5–2.0 mol%. The clamp voltage ratio (K) increased with increasing CoO content. The varistors doped with 0.5 mol% CoO exhibited the best clamping characteristics, which the K value is 2.05–2.53 at an impulse current of 400–1200 A. The best stability was obtained from the varistor doped with 1.0 mol% CoO, with
, %Δα=−4.4%, and %ΔJL=−2.3% after applying the impulse stress of 1200 A.
Elongation of α‐SiC Particles in Spark Plasma Sintered α‐SiAlON/α‐SiC Composites
Authors: Liu Limeng , Ye Feng , Zhang Zhiguo , Zhou Yu
Published: January 2011

α‐SiAlON/α‐SiC composites with 0–40 wt%α‐SiC were synthesized by spark plasma sintering for 5 min at 1800°C under 20 MPa pressure. A self‐reinforcing microstructure with both elongated α‐SiAlON and α‐SiC grains, was formed. Flexural strength and fracture toughness were significantly improved due to the in situ reinforcement. High fracture toughness up to 8.2 MPa·m1/2 was obtained in the 40 wt% SiC composition.
Sol–Gel‐Derived Single‐Crystal Alumina Coatings with Vermicular Structure
Authors: Dutta Sreya , Kim Taek Bo , Krentz Timothy , Vinci Richard P. , Chan Helen M.
Published: January 2011

Alumina sols were spin‐coated on {0001} (c‐plane) sapphire substrates. Heat treatment in air at temperatures varying between 1100° and 1400°C resulted in epitaxial conversion of the coating to α‐alumina. Seeded single‐crystal conversion could be achieved at temperatures as low as 1025°C at longer annealing times (18 h). The converted coatings were crack free, and exhibited a porous, vermicular microstructure that was attributed to the negative volume change during the γ to α alumina phase change, coupled with the volume constraint of the underlying sapphire substrate. Isolated regions of the coating that had delaminated from the substrate did not convert to {0001} sapphire, but instead remained polycrystalline after heat treatment. Single‐crystal islands that were notc‐plane oriented were occasionally observed at shorter times. It is suggested that such regions resulted from the random nucleation of α‐grains with a more rapid growth rate in the direction perpendicular to the substrate. The epitaxial conversion of alumina sol–gel coatings provides a potentially convenient method for generating patterned, single‐crystal ceramic substrates for a variety of applications.
Processing of Open‐Cell Silicon Carbide Foams by Steam Chest Molding and Carbothermal Reduction
Authors: Kim Young‐Wook , Eom Jung‐Hye , Guo Yanting , Zhai Wentao , Park Chul B. , Song In‐Hyuck
Published: January 2011

Open‐cell silicon carbide (SiC) foams were fabricated using a newly developed process based on a steam chest molding and carbothermal reduction process. The fabrication process involved the following steps: (i) blending of a mixture of polysiloxane, carbon, hollow microsphere, and sintering additives (AlN–Y2O3), (ii) steam chest molding of the mixture, (iii) transforming the polysiloxane by pyrolysis into silicon oxycarbide, and (iv) fabricating SiC foams by carbothermal reduction and subsequent sintering.
Microwave Dielectric Properties of Li2WO4 Ceramic with Ultra‐Low Sintering Temperature
Authors: Zhou Di , Randall Clive A. , Pang Li‐Xia , Wang Hong , Guo Jing , Zhang Gao‐Qun , Wu Xin‐Guang , Shui Li , Yao Xi
Published: January 2011

A new ultra‐low‐temperature firing microwave dielectric ceramic, Li2WO4 with the phenacite structure, was prepared via solid‐state reaction method. The Li2WO4 ceramic can be well sintered at 640°–660°C, with a microwave relative permittivity ∼5.5, a Q×f value about 62 000 GHz, and a negative temperature coefficient of −146 ppm/°C at 15.7 GHz. From an X‐ray diffraction analysis, the Li2WO4 ceramic was found to be chemically compatible with both silver and aluminum powders at 640°C. All the results indicate that the Li2WO4 ceramic is a promising candidate for ultra‐low temperature cofired ceramic technology, especially for dielectric substrate application.
Enhancement of Multiferroic Properties in BiFeO3–Ba(Cu1/3Nb2/3)O3: Film Fabricated by Aerosol Deposition
Authors: Ryu Jungho , Baek Chang‐Woo , Lee Yong‐Seok , Oh Nam‐Keun , Han Guifang , Kim Jong‐Woo , Hahn Byung‐Dong , Choi Jong‐Jin , Yoon Woon‐Ha , Choi Joon‐Hwan , Park Dong‐Soo , Jeong Dae‐Yong
Published: January 2011

Lead‐free tetragonal Ba(Cu1/3Nb2/3)O3 (BCN) was chosen to enhance the multiferroic characteristics of rhombohedral BiFeO3 (BFO). When the aerosol‐deposited film with a composition of 0.9BFO–0.1BCN, chosen to be near that of the morphotropic phase boundary, was annealed at 600°C for 1 h, the film showed superior dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties to those of pure polycrystalline BFO films. TEM revealed that BCN addition and subsequent annealing process enlarged the lattice constant of the BFO film along the 〈111〉 direction. The greatly enhanced multiferroic properties were attributed to the distorted lattice structure induced by the BCN addition and the high residual stress effect.
MgTiO3 (003) Thin Film Deposited on Sapphire (0001) by Sputtering
Authors: Hsiao Chu‐Yun , Shih Chuan‐Feng , Chien Chih‐Hua , Huang Cheng‐Liang
Published: January 2011

This work demonstrates the epitaxy of ilmenite magnesium titanate (MgTiO3) thin films on c‐plane sapphire. MgTiO3 thin film with a (003) preferred‐orientation was obtained by adjusting the substrate temperature, annealing temperature, and annealing time; (111)‐preferring spinel Mg2TiO4 was found when magnesium titanate thin films were deposited at room temperature and then postannealed. X‐ray diffraction was used to identify the orientation and quality of the crystal, providing information that is useful in elucidating the epitaxial relationships between the MgTiO3/sapphire and Mg2TiO4/sapphire interfaces. The optical properties of the MgTiO3 were measured, and (003)‐preferring MgTiO3 was found to be a good candidate for optical applications.
Interactions of HIV, Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Genital Tract Inflammation Facilitating Local Pathogen Transmission and Acquisition
Authors: Mayer Kenneth H. , Venkatesh Kartik K.
Published: January 2011

Citation  Mayer KH, Venkatesh KK. Interactions of HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases, and genital tract inflammation facilitating local pathogen transmission and acquisition. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65: 308–316

Despite several decades of clinical trials assessing the impact of etiological treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to decrease HIV acquisition and transmission, almost all of these trials have not proven to be efficacious. Increasing evidence suggests that specific STD treatment alone may not be sufficient to alter the genital tract inflammatory milieu that is created by STDs. This paper examines the associations between STDs and HIV susceptibility and infectiousness, and considers the role of chronic and refractory inflammation to create an environment that potentiates HIV and STD transmission and acquisition by reviewing biological, observational, and clinical trial data
Cross‐sectional trends in cardiovascular fitness in Swedish 16‐year‐olds between 1987 and 2007
Authors: Ekblom Örjan B , Ekblom Bak Elin AM , Ekblom Björn T
Published: January 2011

Aim:  We sought to investigate the temporal trends in estimated maximal aerobic capacity in adolescents (mean age 16.1).

Methods:  Analyses were based on data from three population‐based samples, collected in 1987 (n = 221), 2001 (n = 537) and 2007 (n = 265). Subjects underwent sub‐maximal ergometer testing. Absolute and relative aerobic capacities were estimated using the Åstrand‐Ryhming nomogram.

Results:  Compared to 1987, values for estimated relative and absolute maximal aerobic capacities were lower in 2001 and 2007, and values in 2007 were lower compared to 2001, in both boys and girls, except for absolute capacity between 1987 and 2001 in girls. The differences over time did not differ between genders. Absolute values changed from 3.0 and 2.5 L/min in 1987 to 2.5 and 2.2 L/min in 2007, for boys and girls, respectively. Relative values changed from 46.5 and 45.9 mL/min/kg in 1987 to 35.0 and 36.6 mL/min/kg, in 2007, for boys and girls, respectively.

Conclusion:  Based on earlier reports on the relationship between aerobic capacity and metabolic risk, the results from the present study provide argument that future public health will be affected negatively.
Are Klinefelter boys hypogonadal?
Authors: Rey Rodolfo A , Gottlieb Silvia , Pasqualini Titania , Bastida María G , Grinspon Romina P , Campo Stella M , Bergadá Ignacio
Published: January 2011

Male hypogonadism implies decreased function of one or more testicular cell population, i.e. germ, Leydig and/or Sertoli cells. In the normal prepubertal boy, Sertoli cells are very active, as indicated by high anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B secretion, whereas the functional activity of Leydig cells is minimal, as evidenced by low testosterone production, and germ cells do not undergo the full spermatogenic process. Klinefelter syndrome is the most frequent cause of hypogonadism in the adult male. In this review, we discuss whether the gonadal failure is already established during infancy and childhood. In Klinefelter syndrome, there is increased germ cells degeneration from mid‐foetal life – resulting in a decreased number at birth – which persists during infancy and childhood and becomes dramatic during puberty. Controversial results exist in the literature regarding Leydig cell function in Klinefelter boys: while some authors have found normal to low testosterone levels in infancy and childhood, others have reported normal to high values. Sertoli cell products AMH and inhibin B are normal in prepubertal boys and only decline during mid‐ to late puberty.

Conclusion:  Klinefelter syndrome is a primary hypogonadism affecting all testicular cell populations. Germ cells are affected from foetal life, and a severe depletion occurs at puberty. Leydig cell function may be normal or mildly affected in foetal and early postnatal life. Sertoli cell function is not impaired until mid‐ to late puberty, as reflected by normal AMH and inhibin B in Klinefelter boys.
Rational Design of α‐Helical Antimicrobial Peptides to Target Gram‐negative Pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Utilization of Charge, ‘Specificity Determinants,’ Total Hydrophobicity, Hydrophobe Type and Location as Design Parameters to Improve the Therapeutic Ratio
Authors: Jiang Ziqing , Vasil Adriana I. , Gera Lajos , Vasil Michael L. , Hodges Robert S.
Published: January 2011

The rapidly growing problem of increased resistance to classical antibiotics makes the development of new classes of antimicrobial agents with lower rates of resistance urgent. Amphipathic cationic α‐helical antimicrobial peptides have been proposed as a potential new class of antimicrobial agents. The goal of this study was to take a broad‐spectrum, 26‐residue, antimicrobial peptide in the all‐D conformation, peptide D1 (K13) with excellent biologic properties and address the question of whether a rational design approach could be used to enhance the biologic properties if the focus was on Gram‐negative pathogens only. To test this hypothesis, we used 11 and 6 diverse strains of Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. We optimized the number and location of positively charged residues on the polar face, the number, location, and type of hydrophobe on the non‐polar face and varied the number of ‘specificity determinants’ in the center of the non‐polar face from 1 to 2 to develop four new antimicrobial peptides. We demonstrated not only improvements in antimicrobial activity, but also dramatic reductions in hemolytic activity and unprecedented improvements in therapeutic indices. Compared to our original starting peptide D1 (V13), peptide D16 had a 746‐fold improvement in hemolytic activity (i.e. decrease), maintained antimicrobial activity, and improved the therapeutic indices by 1305‐fold and 895‐fold against A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, respectively. The resulting therapeutic indices for D16 were 3355 and 895 for A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, respectively. D16 is an ideal candidate for commercialization as a clinical therapeutic to treat Gram‐negative bacterial infections.
Stroke Epidemiology and One-Month Fatality among an Urban Population in Iran
Authors: Delbari Ahmad , Salman Roghani Reza , Tabatabaei Sayed Shahaboddin , Rahgozar Mehdi , Lokk Johan
Published: January 2011

Objective

Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and disability in Iran. This study evaluated stroke patient profiles with respect to rate, risk factors, and one-month fatality.

Material and method

A cross-sectional, hospital-based study on all stroke patients older than 45 years admitted to hospitals in the city of Qom throughout 2001.

Results

Four hundred and sixty patients older than 45 years were admitted as stroke. The annual stroke rate was estimated to 338/100 000 (95% confidence interval, 300–360) inhabitants older than 45 years. The annual rate of stroke was 384/100 000 (95% confidence interval, 381–386) when adjusted to the European population. Stroke subtypes were; ischaemic infarction 75%, intracranial haemorrhage 20·7%, subarachnoid haemorrhage 3%, and undetermined 1·3%. Main risk factors were hypertension in 74·6% and diabetes in 55·7%. Mortality rate was 24·6% within the first month.

Conclusion

Stroke incidence was higher than in Western countries. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were considerably more frequent in our studied stroke patients than in other developing countries. Our findings need to be addressed in future health education programmes in Iran identifying patients at risk and focusing on more aggressive prevention programmes to lower stroke incidence.
Establishing a Rodent Stroke Perfusion Computed Tomography Model
Authors: McLeod Damian D. , Parsons Mark W. , Levi Christopher R. , Beautement Stephen , Buxton David , Roworth Brett , Spratt Neil J.
Published: January 2011

Brain computed tomography perfusion imaging in acute stroke may help guide therapy. However, the perfusion thresholds defining potentially salvageable (penumbra) and irreversibly injured (infarct core) tissue require further validation. The aim of this study was to validate infarct core and penumbra perfusion thresholds in a rodent stroke model by developing and optimising perfusion computed tomography imaging, performing serial scanning and correlating scans with final histology. Stroke was induced in male Wistar rats ( n = 17) using the middle cerebral artery thread-occlusion method. Perfusion computed tomography scans were obtained immediately pre- and postocclusion, and every 30 min for 2·5 h. Histological changes of infarction were assessed after 24 h. High-quality maps of cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume were generated at multiple coronal planes after optimisation of contrast injection and scanning parameters. The prestroke absolute cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume values (mean ± SD) were 158·2 ± 49·94 ml/min per 100 g and 5·6 ± 1·13 ml per 100 g, respectively. Cerebral blood flow was significantly lower in the infarct region of interest than the contralateral hemisphere region of interest at all time points, except the 0·5 h postocclusion time point. However, cerebral blood volume was only significantly lower in the infarct region of interest than the contralateral hemisphere region of interest at the 1 h and the 1·5 h time points (postocclusion). This study has demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of performing perfusion computed tomography in the most commonly used animal model of stroke. The model will allow definitive studies to determine optimal thresholds and the reliability of perfusion computed tomography measures for infarct core and penumbra.
Homo heuristicus Outnumbered: Comment on Gigerenzer and Brighton (2009)
Authors: Hilbig Benjamin E. , Richter Tobias
Published: January 2011

Gigerenzer and Brighton (2009) have argued for a “Homo heuristicus” view of judgment and decision making, claiming that there is evidence for a majority of individuals using fast and frugal heuristics. In this vein, they criticize previous studies that tested the descriptive adequacy of some of these heuristics. In addition, they provide a reanalysis of experimental data on the recognition heuristic that allegedly supports Gigerenzer and Brighton’s view of pervasive reliance on heuristics. However, their arguments and reanalyses are both conceptually and methodologically problematic. We provide counterarguments and a reanalysis of the data considered by Gigerenzer and Brighton. Results clearly replicate previous findings, which are at odds with the claim that simple heuristics provide a general description of inferences for a majority of decision makers.
Identifying Optimum Performance Trade‐Offs Using a Cognitively Bounded Rational Analysis Model of Discretionary Task Interleaving
Authors: Janssen Christian P. , Brumby Duncan P. , Dowell John , Chater Nick , Howes Andrew
Published: January 2011

We report the results of a dual‐task study in which participants performed a tracking and typing task under various experimental conditions. An objective payoff function was used to provide explicit feedback on how participants should trade off performance between the tasks. Results show that participants’ dual‐task interleaving strategy was sensitive to changes in the difficulty of the tracking task and resulted in differences in overall task performance. To test the hypothesis that people select strategies that maximize payoff, a Cognitively Bounded Rational Analysis model was developed. This analysis evaluated a variety of dual‐task interleaving strategies to identify the optimal strategy for maximizing payoff in each condition. The model predicts that the region of optimum performance is different between experimental conditions. The correspondence between human data and the prediction of the optimal strategy is found to be remarkably high across a number of performance measures. This suggests that participants were honing their behavior to maximize payoff. Limitations are discussed.
Risk Attitude in Decision Making: In Search of Trait‐Like Constructs
Authors: Yechiam Eldad , Ert Eyal
Published: January 2011

We evaluate the consistency of different constructs affecting risk attitude in individuals’ decisions across different levels of risk. Specifically, we contrast views suggesting that risk attitude is a single primitive construct with those suggesting it consists of multiple latent components. Additionally, we evaluate such constructs as sensitivity to losses, diminishing sensitivity to increases in payoff, sensitivity to variance, and risk acceptance (the willingness to accept probable outcomes over certainty). In search of trait‐like constructs, the paper reviews experimental results focusing on the consistency of these constructs in different tasks as well as their temporal consistency. Overall, the findings show that the most consistent factor is risk acceptance, and they also demonstrate its potential boundaries. These results are modeled with a simple quantitative index of subjective risk. A survey of decisions under risk further reveals that participants exhibit almost no consistency across different tasks in this setting, highlighting the advantage of experiential tasks for studying individual differences.
The Evolution of a Goal‐Directed Exploration Model: Effects of Information Scent and GoBack Utility on Successful Exploration
Authors: Teo Leonghwee , John Bonnie E.
Published: January 2011

We explore the match of a computational information foraging model to participant data on multi‐page web search tasks and find its correlation on several important metrics to be too low to be used with confidence in the evaluation of user‐interface designs. We examine the points of mismatch to inspire changes to the model in how it calculates information scent scores and how it assesses the utility of backing up from a lower‐level page to a higher‐level page. The outcome is a new model that qualitatively matches participant behavior better than the original model, has utility equations more appealing to “common sense” than the original equations, and significantly improves the correlation between model and participant data on our metrics.
Pulse Diode Laser Irradiation (830 nm) of Lumbosacral Spinal Roots Diminished Hyperreflexia‐Induced by Acetic Acid or Prostaglandin E2 Infusion in Rat Urinary Bladder
Authors: ITO Tomoko , ISHIKAWA Tomomi , MATSUMOTO‐MIYAI Kazumasa , KAWATANI Masahito
Published: January 2011

Objectives: Low power diode Iaser (830 nm) irradiation is a useful analgesic tool in superficial pain. Pulse laser irradiation allows us to increase the laser power because the non‐irradiation time reduces heating effects and/or direct tissue damage at the irradiation area. This new irradiation device using pulse laser was applied to the dorsal skin to investigate the effects on the micturition reflex in the rat by targeting underlying sacral spinal roots.

Methods: Vesical pressure measurement during the continuous infusion of the urinary bladder with saline, acetic acid (AA, 0.1%) or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 10−5 M) were performed in un‐anesthetized rats. Multi‐unit recording from bladder afferent nerves preformed under urethane anesthesia. Laser irradiation, either continuously at 1 W or in 10 W‐pulse mode, was delivered at 830 nm from 1.5 cm above the skin at the lumbosacral joint.

Results: During continuous saline infusion to the urinary bladder, neither continuous (1 W) nor pulse (10 W) laser irradiation altered the intercontraction interval and nerve firing during distention of the bladder. Pulse laser, but not continuous laser irradiation, increased the intercontraction interval with AA or PGE2 infusion and diminished nerve firing during distention of the bladder with AA or PGE2 infusion.

Conclusion: These data indicate that pulse laser could diminish inflammation related nerve firing from the bladder. Since this laser irradiation did not affect the normal bladder distention elicited nerve firing, it appears capable of reducing urgency sensation without loss of the basic micturition reflex.