bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review of life expectancy and infant mortality estimations for Australian Aboriginal people
Authors: Phillips Bronwen , Morrell Stephen , Taylor Richard , Daniels John
Published: January 2014

Background

Significant variation exists in published Aboriginal mortality and life expectancy (LE) estimates due to differing and evolving methodologies required to correct for inadequate recording of Aboriginality in death data, under-counting of Aboriginal people in population censuses, and unexplained growth in the Aboriginal population attributed to changes in the propensity of individuals to identify as Aboriginal at population censuses.

The objective of this paper is to analyse variation in reported Australian Aboriginal mortality in terms of LE and infant mortality rates (IMR), compared with all Australians.

Methods

Published data for Aboriginal LE and IMR were obtained and analysed for data quality and method of estimation. Trends in reported LE and IMR estimates were assessed and compared with those in the entire Australian population.

Results

LE estimates derived from different methodologies vary by as much as 7.2 years for the same comparison period. Indirect methods for estimating Aboriginal LE have produced LE estimates sensitive to small changes in underlying assumptions, some of which are subject to circular reasoning. Most indirect methods appear to under-estimate Aboriginal LE. Estimated LE gaps between Aboriginal people and the overall Australian population have varied between 11 and 20 years.

Latest mortality estimates, based on linking census and death data, are likely to over-estimate Aboriginal LE.

Temporal LE changes by each methodology indicate that Aboriginal LE has improved at rates similar to the Australian population overall. Consequently the gap in LE between Aboriginal people and the total Australian population appears to be unchanged since the early 1980s, and at the end of the first decade of the 21st century remains at least 11–12 years.

In contrast, focussing on the 1990–2010 period Aboriginal IMR declined steeply over 2001–08, from more than 12 to around 8 deaths per 1,000 live births, the same level as Australia overall in 1993–95. The IMR gap between Aboriginal people and the total Australian population, while still unacceptable, has declined considerably, from over 8 before 2000 to around 4 per 1,000 live births by 2008.

Conclusions

Regardless of estimation method used, mortality and LE gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people are substantial, but remain difficult to estimate accurately.
The structure of fractional spaces generated by a two-dimensional elliptic differential operator and its applications
Authors: Ashyralyev Allaberen , Akturk Sema , Sozen Yasar
Published: January 2014

We consider the two-dimensional differential operator

A
u
(

x
1

,

x
2

)
=
−

a
11

(

x
1

,

x
2

)

u

x
1

x
1

(

x
1

,

x
2

)
−

a
22

(

x
1

,

x
2

)

u

x
2

x
2

(

x
1

,

x
2

)
+
σ
u
(

x
1

,

x
2

)

defined on functions on the half-plane

Ω
=

R
+

×
R

with the boundary conditions

u
(
0
,

x
2

)
=
0

,

x
2

∈
R

, where

a

i
i

(

x
1

,

x
2

)

,

i
=
1
,
2

, are continuously differentiable and satisfy the uniform ellipticity condition

a
11
2

(

x
1

,

x
2

)
+

a
22
2

(

x
1

,

x
2

)
≥
δ
>
0

,

σ
>
0

. The structure of the fractional spaces

E
α

(
A
,

C
β

(
Ω
)
)

generated by the operator A is investigated. The positivity of A in Hölder spaces is established. In applications, theorems on well-posedness in a Hölder space of elliptic problems are obtained.

MSC: 35J25, 47E05, 34B27.
A 2D graphical representation of the sequences of DNA based on triplets and its application
Authors: Zou Sai , Wang Lei , Wang Junfeng
Published: January 2014

In this paper, we first present a new concept of ‘weight’ for 64 triplets and define a different weight for each kind of triplet. Then, we give a novel 2D graphical representation for DNA sequences, which can transform a DNA sequence into a plot set to facilitate quantitative comparisons of DNA sequences. Thereafter, associating with a newly designed measure of similarity, we introduce a novel approach to make similarities/dissimilarities analysis of DNA sequences. Finally, the applications in similarities/dissimilarities analysis of the complete coding sequences of β-globin genes of 11 species illustrate the utilities of our newly proposed method.
Comparison of lignin derivatives as substrates for laccase-catalyzed scavenging of oxygen in coatings and films
Authors: Johansson Kristin , Gillgren Thomas , Winestrand Sandra , Järnström Lars , Jönsson Leif J
Published: January 2014

Background

Lignin derivatives are phenylpropanoid biopolymers derived from pulping and biorefinery processes. The possibility to utilize lignin derivatives from different types of processes in advanced enzyme-catalyzed oxygen-scavenging systems intended for active packaging was explored. Laccase-catalyzed oxidation of alkali lignin (LA), hydrolytic lignin (LH), organosolv lignin (LO), and lignosulfonates (LS) was compared using oxygen-scavenging coatings and films in liquid and gas phase systems.

Results

When coatings containing lignin derivatives and laccase were immersed in a buffered aqueous solution, the oxygen-scavenging capability increased in the order LO < LH < LA < LS. Experiments with coatings containing laccase and LO, LH or LA incubated in oxygen-containing gas in air-tight chambers and at a relative humidity (RH) of 100% showed that paperboard coated with LO and laccase reduced the oxygen content from 1.0% to 0.4% during a four-day period, which was far better than the results obtained with LA or LH. LO-containing coatings incubated at 92% RH also displayed activity, with a decrease in oxygen from 1.0% to 0.7% during a four-day period. The oxygen scavenging was not related to the content of free phenolic hydroxyl groups, which increased in the order LO < LS < LH < LA. LO and LS were selected for further studies and films containing starch, clay, glycerol, laccase and LO or LS were characterized using gel permeation chromatograpy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and wet stability.

Conclusions

The investigation shows that different lignin derivatives exhibit widely different properties as a part of active coatings and films. Results indicate that LS and LO were most suitable for the application studied and differences between them were attributed to a higher degree of laccase-catalyzed cross-linking of LS than of LO. Inclusion in active-packaging systems offers a new way to utilize some types of lignin derivatives from biorefining processes.
Excess body mass index loss predicts metabolic syndrome remission after gastric bypass
Authors: Nora Mário , Guimarães Marta , Almeida Rui , Martins Paulo , Gonçalves Gil , Santos Mariana , Morais Tiago , Freitas Cláudia , Monteiro Mariana P
Published: January 2014

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition associated with obesity that identifies individuals with increased cardiovascular risk. Gastric bypass improves several MS components, such as glucose, lipid metabolism and hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-limb gastric bypass on the remission of MS criteria associated with morbid obesity.

Methods

Obese patients who met the “harmonized” criteria for MS (n = 153) that underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) with a long biliopancreatic limb were prospectively evaluated with regards to body weight, body mass index (BMI), percentage of excess BMI lost (% EBMIL), fasting glucose, blood pressure and lipid profile up to 36 months after surgery.

Results

Before surgery, patients had a BMI of 44.3 ± 0.5 kg/m2; 66% were under anti-diabetic treatment; 78.4% were under anti-hypertensive treatment and 44.3% were under anti-dyslipidemic treatment. After a mean follow-up time of 2.4 ± 0.1 years, MS remission rates were 32.7% at 6 months, 69.7% at 12 months, 63.4% at 24 months, and 59.2% at 36 months; when only 32.9%, 43.4% and 15.8% of patients were still under anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and anti-dyslipidemic treatment, respectively. The %EBMIL and BMI were the parameters that showed the highest accuracy to predict the MS remission at all-time points after the surgery.

Conclusions

Long limb gastric bypass in obese patients results in significant and sustained weight loss which predicts a high remission rate of MS and allows the discontinuation of drug therapy for several metabolic disturbances in most patients.
The effects of olanzapine on genome-wide DNA methylation in the hippocampus and cerebellum
Authors: Melka Melkaye G , Laufer Benjamin I , McDonald Patrick , Castellani Christina A , Rajakumar Nagalingam , O’Reilly Richard , Singh Shiva M
Published: January 2014

Background

The mechanism of action of olanzapine in treating schizophrenia is not clear. This research reports the effects of a therapeutic equivalent treatment of olanzapine on DNA methylation in a rat model in vivo.

Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using a MeDIP-chip analysis. All methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP), sample labelling, hybridization and processing were performed by Arraystar Inc (Rockville, MD, USA). The identified gene promoters showing significant alterations to DNA methylation were then subjected to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (Ingenuity System Inc, CA, USA).

Results

The results show that olanzapine causes an increase in methylation in 1,140, 1,294 and 1,313 genes and a decrease in methylation in 633, 565 and 532 genes in the hippocampus, cerebellum and liver, respectively. Most genes affected are tissue specific. Only 41 affected genes (approximately 3%) showed an increase and no gene showed a decrease in methylation in all three tissues. Further, the two brain regions shared 123 affected genes (approximately 10%). The affected genes are enriched in pathways affecting dopamine signalling, molecular transport, nervous system development and functions in the hippocampus; ephrin receptor signalling and synaptic long-term potentiation in the cerebellum; and tissue morphology, cellular assembly and organization in the liver. Also, the affected genes included those previously implicated in psychosis.

Conclusions

The known functions of affected genes suggest that the observed epigenetic changes may underlie the amelioration of symptoms as well as accounting for certain adverse effects including the metabolic syndrome. The results give insights into the mechanism of action of olanzapine, therapeutic effects and the side effects of antipsychotics.
Timing of rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction therapy in kidney transplantation: an observational cohort study
Authors: Harrison Jennifer J , Hamandi Bassem , Li Yanhong , Famure Olusegun , Kim S Joseph
Published: January 2014

Background

Literature on the timing of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) induction and its effects on kidney transplant outcomes is limited. The manufacturer recommends that the first dose be given intra-operatively, however this may present clinical practice risks and challenges. Our objective was to assess the impact of the timing of the first dose of rATG on kidney transplant outcomes.

Methods

Incident kidney transplant recipients (KTR) from January 2002 to December 2009 receiving the first dose of rATG post-operatively (Post, n = 353) or before reperfusion (Pre, n = 124) were evaluated. Outcomes assessed included eGFR at 1-year, delta eGFR (12 versus 1 month), and incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft loss, death, and a composite of the time-to-event outcomes. The impact of timing on outcomes was adjusted for potential confounders and assessed using linear and Cox regression models.

Results

Among 435 KTR surviving with function to 12 months post-transplant, there was no significant difference in mean estimated glomerular filtration rate or eGFR (55.0 versus 56.7 mL/min, P = 0.46) and delta eGFR (1.8 versus 0.3 mL/min, P = 0.40) in Post versus Pre groups, respectively. At a median follow-up of 3 years, the composite endpoint (time to first biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft loss, or death) was similar by timing group (adjusted HR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.58, 1.53, P = 0.81) in the total study population.

Conclusions

Timing of rATG had no appreciable impact on clinically relevant endpoints in this study cohort. These results support consideration of more flexible timing of the first dose of rATG induction in KTR.
Changing diagnostic practices: autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Woodbury-Smith Marc
Published: January 2014

In medical practice it is crucial that symptom descriptions are as precise and objective as possible, which psychiatry attempts to achieve through its psychopathological lexicon. The term ‘autism spectrum disorder’ has now entered psychiatric nosology, but the symptom definitions on which it is based are not robust, potentially making reliable and valid diagnoses a problem. This is further compounded by the spectral nature of the disorder and its lack of clear diagnostic boundaries. To overcome this, there is a need for a psychopathological lexicon of 'social cognition’ and a classification system that splits rather than lumps disorders with core difficulties in social interaction.
Towards partnerships in mental healthcare
Authors: Bailey Sue , Williams Richard
Published: January 2014

We consider key facets of the concept of mental health recovery and how they are reflected in other concepts that run through the emerging focus on public mental healthcare. We widen the scene to portray the niche into which recovery fits and show how it and recent research indicate why psychiatrists should use the social sciences more widely to complement neuroscience.
Epigenetic traces of childhood maltreatment in peripheral blood: a new strategy to explore gene–environment interactions
Authors: Uher Rudolf , Weaver Ian C. G.
Published: January 2014

Maltreatment in childhood affects mental health over the life course. New research shows that early life experiences alter the genome in a way that can be measured in peripheral blood samples decades later. These findings suggest a new strategy for exploring gene–environment interactions and open opportunities for translational epigenomic research.
Overvaluing autonomous decision-making
Authors: Lepping Peter , Raveesh Bevinahalli Nanjegowda
Published: January 2014

Current capacity-based legislation and practice overvalues autonomy to the detriment of other ethical principles. A balanced ethical approach would consider the patient's right to treatment, their relationships and interactions with society and not solely the patient's right to liberty and autonomous decision-making.
Inside Out: Keynes’s Use of the Public Sphere
Authors: Backhouse Roger E. , Bateman Bradley W.
Published: January 2014

John Maynard Keynes is well known for his work in government and academia, but much less is made of his flourishing career in journalism, where he sought to influence events and ideas as an outsider. However, his version of the insider-outsider distinction was not the conventional one, for it involved recognizing inner circles within the elite discourse of politicians and journalists as well as between those circles and the public. This essay uses this framework, involving attempts to communicate across different boundaries, to view his well-known series of works on monetary economics against the lesser-known background of his entry into journalism, through the Manchester Guardian and its commercial supplements and his attempts to create a platform for Liberal views in the weekly press.
Lionel Robbins: Political Economist
Authors: Howson Susan
Published: January 2014

It is hard to think of a more committed public intellectual in Britain in the twentieth century than Lionel Robbins—except, of course, John Maynard Keynes. For six decades Robbins engaged in public debate on economic policy issues in lectures and talks, contributions to newspapers and magazines, and articles and books. He had the opportunity to influence UK economic policy directly during the Second World War. After the war he exerted a strong influence on government policy toward the arts and higher education. The irony is that he is also known for his apparent claim in his best-known book, An Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science, that academic economists should not indulge in such activity. The present essay describes how he fulfilled what he saw as his duty to use his expertise to enlighten nonexperts, especially once he became professor of economics at the London School of Economics in 1929.
Economic Indicators as Public Interventions
Authors: Eyal Gil , Levy Moran
Published: January 2014

This essay argues that the term public intellectual is too narrow for historical research about the public influence of economists and economic expertise. We propose, instead, the concept of public interventions to inform a more comprehensive approach that broadens the analytical frame by multiplying the relevant actors, modes, and targets of intervention yet could still include within it research on public intellectuals narrowly construed. As an empirical example, we suggest that the design and diffusion of economic indicators—specifically, the GDP and the myriad indicators compiled in recent years as part of proposals to replace it with a better representation of human welfare—could be analyzed as a specific mode by which economists intervene in and shape the public sphere.
Becker and Posner: Freedom of Speech and Public Intellectualship
Authors: Fleury Jean-Baptiste , Marciano Alain
Published: January 2014

This essay analyzes what Gary S. Becker and Richard A. Posner have written for various media (either in print or online) that are not strictly aimed at academic audiences. We provide an historical account of how they became interested in such activities, from their first attempts, made independently from each other, to their joint venture on the Internet through The Becker-Posner Blog. In our description of their independent and then collaborative experiences, differences appear between Becker and Posner about how to be a public intellectual, but also similarities as to what that means and implies. From this perspective, the blog proves to be a further and crucial step in their career as public intellectuals. Both Becker and Posner use the blog for the freedom and flexibility it offers. They use it to develop a sort of “casual economic thinking” that they push farther than in any of their other writings, even as public intellectuals.
Book Reviews
Authors: Marcus Millicent , Bertellini Giorgio , Barra Luca , Brizio-Skov Flavia , Hipkins Danielle , Botta Anna , Cavallo Tiziana
Published: January 2014

Landscape and Memory in Post-Fascist Italian Film: Cinema Year Zero, Giuliana Minghelli (2013) London and New York: Routledge Advances in Film Studies, 251 pp., ISBN: 13 978-0-415-66108-9, h/bk, $125

Cinema e Risorgimento. Visioni e re-visioni. Da La presa di Roma a Noi credevamo, Fulvio Orsitto (ed.) (2012) Manziana, Rome: Vecchiarelli Editore, 361 pp., ISBN: 978-88-8247-314-3, p/bk, €30.00

Crossmedia Innovations: Texts, Markets, Institutions, Indrek Ibrus and Carlos A. Scolari (eds) (2012) Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 320 pp., ISBN: 9783631622285, p/bk, £22.40/$36.95

Ercole, il Divo – Dall’ antica Grecia al cinema italiano degli anni Sessanta, Maria Elena D’Amelio (2012) Serravalle, Repubblica di San Marino: AIEP Editore, 194 pp., p/bk, €20.00

Cinema e scritture femminili: Letterate italiane fra la pagina e lo schermo, Lucia Cardone and Sara Filipelli (eds) (2011) Rome: Iacobelli, 236 pp., ISBN: 978-88-6252-163-5, p/bk, €14.90

Visions of Struggle in Women’s Filmmaking in the Mediterranean, Flavia Laviosa (ed.) (Foreword by Laura Mulvey) (2010) New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 256 pp., ISBN: 978-0-230-61736-0, p/bk, $95.00; ebook, ISBN: 978-0-230-10520-1

I nostri eroi. La funzione bardica della televisione, Giovanni Bechelloni (2010) Napoli: Liguori Editore, 179 pp., ISBN: 9788820748920, p/bk, €16.50
Events Reports
Authors: Bertozzi Eddie , Cecere Michele
Published: January 2014

70th Venice International Film Festival: Italian Cinema Expanded, Venice, 28 August–7 September 2013

A report of the Historicanti performance Contadini si nasce, briganti si muore, ma i poveri restano in viaggio/You can be born a peasant, die as a robber, but the poor remain on the road
Italian film-makers in China and changing cultural perceptions: Comparing Chung Kuo – China (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1972) and La stella che non c’è/The Missing Star (Gianni Amelio, 2006)
Authors: Bona Stefano
Published: January 2014

This article compares the representation of China in two Italian films shot in country, namely Chung Kuo – China (Antonioni, 1972) and La stella che non c’è/The Missing Star (Amelio, 2006). In the intervening 30-odd years changes have occurred to the Italian perception of China. Specifically, this perception appears to have shifted from a widespread fascination for Maoism, to a negativity linked to the ongoing economic changes caused by globalization that saw a redistribution of wealth and power, and in which Italy and China appeared to symbolize the two extremes on the scale of a reversed power relationship. The two films are analysed on the basis of three assumptions. The first being that until the nineteenth century the encounter between the West and China was mainly one sided, with Italy being the first western culture to approach China. The second that Italian directors were among the first westerners to make full length films in the People’s Republic of China. The third that film-makers are intellectuals influenced by the historical period in which they film. This analysis will revolve on a historical contextualization, a discussion of meaningful film sequences, and the implications emerging from a comparison of the two films.
The possibility of Chineseness: Negotiating Chinese identity in Shun Li and the Poet and The Arrival of Wang
Authors: Bertozzi Eddie
Published: January 2014

Discussions on Chinese identity in cinema have been usually undertaken by considering Chinese-language films directed by Chinese directors. However, the increasing relevance of transnational practices displacing the signs of Chineseness beyond the nation state has challenged previous theoretical paradigms. Pushing this argument a little further, how can we address Chineseness in non-Chinese films dealing with Chinese-related topics and characters? Two Italian films represent an interesting case in point. Io sono Li/Shun Li and the Poet (2011) by Andrea Segre narrates the friendship between a Chinese bartender and a local fisherman within the close environment of the Venetian Lagoon. L’arrivo di Wang/The Arrival of Wang (2011) by Antonio and Marco Manetti, is a sci-fi movie about an Italian Chinese-language interpreter who is assigned an urgent job: translating a mysterious Chinese-speaking ‘subject’ who turns out to be an extraterrestrial alien. By conducting close-readings of the two films, the article attempts to address multiple questions: what kind of Chineseness is articulated in these films? How is Chinese identity negotiated in the creative process? Is this Chineseness only an other-ized construct, or can it critically provide a relevant description of Chinese identity?
Spaces and bodies: The legacy of Italian cinema in contemporary Chinese film-making
Authors: Pollacchi Elena
Published: January 2014

Italian neorealist films have had a strong impact on Chinese cinema since the founding of the PRC in 1949. Chinese directors of the 1980s and 1990s have looked at the works of Italian neorealist directors with renewed interest and Jia Zhangke’s early films have come to epitomize the lasting imprint of Italian Neorealism in China. This article investigates the influence of Italian neorealist tradition (and beyond) on Chinese film-makers whose careers started after the turn of the century and whose works share a concern for the interplay of individuals and their surroundings. The essay also argues that space has a hermeneutic role for understanding the influence of Neorealism on certain recent Chinese narrative and documentary films. In line with the perception of an increasingly fragmented society, the impact of Italian directors on contemporary Chinese film-makers such as Liu Shu, Li Ruijun and Wang Bing emerges as an on-going process of re-appropriation rather than the lasting imprint of master teaching. While textual or stylistic references may not always be immediately apparent, the influence of Italian directors on contemporary Chinese film-making becomes clearer after some close analyses of certain Chinese films in conjunction with an examination of the directors’ own observations.
Pediatric Discharge Content: A Multisite Assessment of Physician Preferences and Experiences
Authors: Coghlin Daniel T. , Leyenaar JoAnna K. , Shen Mark , Bergert Lora , Engel Richard , Hershey Daniel , Mallory Leah , Rassbach Caroline , Woehrlen Tess , Cooperberg David
Published: January 2014

Background and Objectives:

Professional medical societies endorse prompt, consistent discharge communication to primary care providers (PCPs) on discharge. However, evidence is limited about what clinical elements to communicate. Our main goal was to identify and compare the clinical elements considered by PCPs and pediatric hospitalists to be essential to communicate to PCPs within 2 days of pediatric hospital discharge. A secondary goal was to describe experiences of the PCPs and pediatric hospitalists regarding sending and receiving discharge information.

Methods:

A survey of physician preferences and experiences regarding discharge communication was sent to 320 PCPs who refer patients to 16 hospitals, with an analogous survey sent to 147 hospitalists. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and χ2 analyses were performed.

Results:

A total of 201 PCPs (63%) and 71 hospitalists (48%) responded to the survey. Seven clinical elements were reported as essential by >75% of both PCPs and hospitalists: dates of admission and discharge; discharge diagnoses; brief hospital course; discharge medications; immunizations given during hospitalization; pending laboratory or test results; and follow-up appointments. PCPs reported reliably receiving discharge communication significantly less often than hospitalists reported sending it (71.8% vs 85.1%; P < .01), and PCPs considered this communication to be complete significantly less often than hospitalists did (64.9% vs 79.1%; P < .01).

Conclusions:

We identified 7 core clinical elements that PCPs and hospitalists consider essential in discharge communication. Consistently and promptly communicating at least these core elements after discharge may enhance PCP satisfaction and patient-level outcomes. Reported rates of transmission and receipt of this information were suboptimal and should be targeted for improvement.
Pediatric Case Reports: Assessing Recommendations From Journals’ Instructions to Authors
Authors: Nguyen Jimmy T. , Shahid Ramzan , Manera Ricarchito
Published: January 2014

Background:

Case reports (CRs) can be valuable contributions to medical knowledge and education. Objective assessments of publication potential and content recommendations for pediatric CRs are lacking.

Methods:

The “Instructions to Authors” provided by pediatric journals were assessed to determine journal characteristics, manuscript restrictions, and advice to writers. Pediatric journals referenced in the National Center for Biotechnology Information databases were identified by using the search term “pediatric.” Further inclusion criteria were: active journals; currently indexed in the PubMed, Ovid, and/or Medline databases; and English as the primary language.

Results:

Sixty-nine (52%) of 132 pediatric journals surveyed published CRs per their author instructions. The median 2011 impact factor for accepting journals was 1.28 (range: 0.47–5.44) compared with 2.40 (range: 0.59–5.50) for journals that did not publish CRs (P < .001). Twelve (67%) of 18 pediatric surgical specialty journals, 16 (55%) of 29 general pediatric journals, and 38 (51%) of 74 nonsurgical pediatric subspecialty journals published CRs. Sixteen journals had a separate Images section. Twenty-five (36%) of 69 journals provided no recommendations. Of the 44 journals that did provide recommendations, new insights/observations (64%) was the most common content recommendation, followed by clinical relevance (41%), novelty/rarity (39%), and instructive/educational value (32%).

Conclusions:

Approximately one-half of pediatric journals surveyed published CRs per their author instructions. Journals with lower impact factors were more likely to publish CRs. Many journals had specific formatting criteria. New insights and observations regarding relatively known pathology was the content criteria most often recommended.
Preparation of a novel anti shrinking agent (SOC DA) and its evaluation in dental resins
Authors: Ortiz Ricardo Acosta , Reyna Medina Luis Alberto , Berlanga Duarte María Lydia , Garcia Valdez Aida Esmeralda
Published: January 2014

In this work is discussed the synthesis of a novel antishrinking agent (SOC DA) and the evaluation of its performance in an acrylic dental resin. SOC DA was photopolymerized in conjunction with the components of a conventional acrylic resin, which includes a mixture of diacrylate monomers [glycerolate bisphenol A dimethacrylate (BIS-GMA) / Urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) / triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA)] in 50/30/20 molar ratio). SOC DA was added in a range between 5.0-20.0 mol % with respect to the total amount of moles of the acrylic monomers. It was found that increasing concentrations of SOC DA, promoted higher conversions of the dimethacrylate monomers without decreasing the photopolymerization rate of the acrylate monomers. The study of the effect of SOC DA on the mechanical properties of the dental composite filled with 70 % of silicon dioxide, revealed that the presence of the antishrinking agent improved both the compressive and the flexural strength of the dental materials. Besides, it was found that by using the SOC DA at 20%, the shrinkage was reduced 52%, compared with the same formulation without SOC DA.
Hardness and friction performance of poly(methylmethacrylate)/ biphasic calcium phosphate coating on steel
Authors: Aguirre-Garcia J. , Hernández-Navarro C. , Moreno-Bello K. J. , Arizmendi-Morquecho A. , Valdez A. Chávez- , Aguilera-Camacho D. , García -Miranda J. S.
Published: January 2014

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/biphasic calcium phosphate (PMMA/BCP) coating has been prepared by mixing BCP in situ with the poly(methyl methacrylate) obtained from methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization. For comparative studies, concentration of BCP into PMMA matrix was varied in order to determine the influence of BCP incorporation into PMMA matrix on the hardness and friction behavior. The micro-hardness of PMMA/BCP coatings on stainless steel was evaluated using a Vickers hardness tester, while the wear tests for PMMA/BCP coatings on stainless steel were carried out on a CSM tribometer in dry conditions with normal load of 2 N. The incorporation of BCP into the polymer matrix significantly improves the microhardness of PMMA increasing to 15 % with 0.25 wt.% of BCP content. Whereas, the lowest friction coefficient value µk = 0.35 was obtained for PMAA/BCP with 0.35wt.% of BCP.
Isolation and Assessment of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived From Bone Marrow: Histologic and Histomorphometric Study in a Canine Periodontal Defect
Authors: Paknejad Mojgan , Eslaminejad Mohamadreza Baghaban , Ghaedi Baharak , Rokn Amir-Reza , Khorsand Afshin , Etemad-Moghadam Shahroo , Alaeddini Mojgan , Dehghan Mohammad Mehdi , Moslemi Neda , Nowzari Hessam
Published: January 2014

The aim of the present study was to investigate an isolation procedure to culture mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow and evaluate their potential in periodontal regeneration. Potential stem cells from bone marrow, aspirated from the iliac crest of nine mongrel canines 1 to 2 years of age, were cultivated. After the examination of surface epitopes of the isolated cells, the total RNA from osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cell cultures were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to confirm stem cell gene expressions. 2 × 107 mL of the stem cells were loaded on 0.2 mL of anorganic bovine bone mineral (ABBM) granules. In each animal, bilateral acute/chronic intrabony periodontal defects were created surgically and by placement of ligatures around the cervical aspect of the teeth. At week 5, after flap debridement, the bilateral defects were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups: the control group received ABBM, and the test group received BMSCs-loaded ABBM. Eight weeks after transplantation, regenerative parameters were analyzed histologically and histometrically. The RNA expressions confirmed the cultivation of mesenchymal stem cell. More new cementum and periodontal ligament (PDL) were measured in the test group (cementum: 3.33 ± 0.94 vs 2.03 ± 1.30, P = 0.027; PDL: 2.69 ± 0.73 vs 1.53 ± 1.21, P = 0.026). New bone formation was similar in both groups (2.70 ± 0.86 vs 1.99 ± 1.31; P = 0.193). Mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow should be considered a promising technique for use in patients with periodontal attachment loss and merits further investigations.
Morphology and Development of Immature Stage ofDiadromus collaris(Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), an Important Endoparasitoid ofPlutella xylostella(Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
Authors: Zhao Wei , Dong Shuai , Shi Min , Chen Xue-Xin
Published: January 2014

Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst) is an important pupal parasitoid of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a major insect pest of cruciferous vegetables worldwide. We studied the development of immature stage of D. collaris by dissecting parasitized hosts in the laboratory at 25 ± 1°C and 50–80% relative humidity. The results show that all immature stages complete their development within the same host in 11≈12 d. The egg is hymenopteriform and appears to be anhydropic. There are four larval instars. The first instar is transparent with a sclerotized rectangular chitinous head capsule and distinct mandibles. Head capsule of the second instar turns into more isosceles trapeziumshaped. The third instar looks similar to the second instar but proportionally much larger. The sclerization and dimension of the fourth instar increases significantly. The pupa is a typical exarate form and lacks a cocoon. All life history was fully documented with detailed photomicrographs. Our study will be useful for understanding the physiological interactions between D. collaris and P. xylostella.
Two Species withinDendroctonus frontalis(Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Evidence from Morphological, Karyological, Molecular, and Crossing Studies
Authors: Armendáriz-Toledano Francisco , Niño Alicia , Sullivan Brian T , Macías-Sámano Jorge , Víctor Javier , Clarke Stephen R , Zúñiga Gerardo
Published: January 2014

Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann is considered one of the most important economic and ecological forest pests in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. Recently, two apparent morphological variants of this species were discovered occurring syntopically in Central America and southern Mexico. Morphotype A beetles lack a series of fine parallel ridges on the episternal area of the prothorax that are present on morphotype B. The goal of the present work was to clarify the taxonomic status of the morphotypes of the D. frontalis species complex. Geometric morphometric analyses of seminal rod and spermatheca shape together with the characterization of 16 attributes of external morphology revealed differences in quantitative and qualitative characters that distinguished adults of the two morphotypes from each other as well as from the closely related species Dendroctonus vitei Wood and Dendroctonus mexicanus Hopkins. Karyotype analysis of morphotype B revealed a chromosomal formula (5AA + Xyp) distinct from that found in morphotype A previously reported for D. frontalis (7AA + Xyp). In the laboratory, forced intermorphotype crosses produced F1 progeny but at lower frequency than intramorphotype pairings, and dissections of spermatheca revealed a lower frequency of insemination at least one type of heterotypic cross. Phylogenetic analysis of the D. frontalis species complex based on 786 bp of the cytochrome oxidase I gene indicated that morphotypes B and A are two independent groups with 98% nodal support within D. frontalis. These data provide compelling evidence that the two syntopic morphotypes represent two distinct sibling species.
Localization of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' (Rhizobiales: Rhizobiaceae) in Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae)
Authors: Cooper W Rodney , Sengoda Venkatesan G , Munyaneza Joseph E
Published: January 2014

‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ is a pathogen of solanaceous crops (Solanales: Solanaceae) that causes zebra chip disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and plant dieback in tomato (S. lycopersicum L.) and pepper (Capsicum spp.). This pathogen is vectored by the potato/ tomato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), but little is known about the interactions between B. cockerelli and ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum.’ Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to assess the incidence of ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum’ in the hemolymph, bacteriomes, alimentary canals, and salivary glands of B. cockerelli. Liberibacter was observed in 66% of alimentary canals, 39% of salivary glands, and 40% of bacteriomes dissected from adult psyllids. Compared with adults, the organs of fifth instars appeared less likely to harbor Liberibacter, which was observed in 52% of alimentary canals, 10% of salivary glands, and 6% of bacteriomes dissected from the nymphs. Results of real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed that fewer fifth instars were infected with Liberibacter compared with adults and indicated that fifth instars were less likely to transmit the pathogen to noninfected host plants. These observations of the localization of ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum’ in the organs and tissues of B. cockerelli adults and nymphs will aid the study of Liberibacter-psyllid interactions and the epidemiology of ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum.’
Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) of San Lorenzo National Park, Panama, with Descriptions of Two New Species
Authors: Normark Benjamin B , Morse Geoffrey E , Krewinski Amanda , Okusu Akiko
Published: January 2014

Armored scale insects include invasive economic pests that have been widely studied in human-altered habitats but have received less attention in natural habitats. Although armored scale insects are nearly ubiquitous associates of woody plants, they generally go uncollected in general surveys because they are not susceptible to mass collecting techniques, such as fogging, beating, or trapping. San Lorenzo National Park in Panama was the subject of a recent high-profile effort to quantify the arthropod diversity in a tropical forest (Basset et al. 2012). Here, we contribute to understanding the biodiversity of this classic site by reporting the armored scale insect species we found there in August 2010. We found that, unlike other rainforest canopy taxa, the armored scale insect fauna is dominated by highly polyphagous cosmopolitan pests. However, we also found new species, and we describe two of them here: Furcaspis douglorum Okusu & Normark n. sp. and Hemiberlesia andradae Okusu & Normark n. sp. We provide amendments to the relevant keys, including a new key to New World species of Hemiberlesia Cockerell that lack perivulvar pores. In this context, we treat Abgrallaspis Balachowsky as asubjective synonym of Hemiberlesia, and we transfer its species to Hemiberlesia, except for the following assignments to other genera Affirmaspis flavida (De Lotto), n. comb., Aspidiotus furcillae Brain, rev. comb., Clavaspis perseae (Davidson), n. comb., Diaspidiotus fraxini (McKenzie), n. comb., and Davidsonaspis aguacatae (Evans, Watson, and Miller), n. comb. Davidsonaspis Normark, n. gen. We regard Abgrallaspis azadirachti Ojha and A narainus Dutta & Singh as synonyms of Aonidiella orientalis (Newstead), new synonymy.
Development of a Korean Family Attitude Scale: A Pilot Study
Authors: Lee Heeyoung , Schepp Karen G. , Jung Young-Mi
Published: January 2014

Background and purpose: This study was conducted to develop and pilot test a Korean version of the Family Attitude Scale (FAS). Methods: We developed the Korean FAS using the translation/back-translation method. Two English monolinguals assessed its translation validity by comparing the original with a back-translated English version. Translation equivalence of the FAS and the refined Korean FAS was evaluated in a convenience sample of 56 bilingual Korean college students. Results: The internal consistency of the Korean FAS and the FAS was 0.96 and 0.76, respectively. Mean scores on the two versions did not differ (t = −0.14, p = 0.89). The test–retest correlation coefficient was 0.37 (p < .001). Conclusions: Although the Korean FAS needs further refinement and psychometric testing, it was translated to reflect the original version and was a reliable instrument for the Korean population.
Can We Tackle with Vascular Calcification and Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease?
Authors: Stavrinou Eirini , Papagianni Aikaterini , Koumaras Charalambos , Pateinakis Panagiotis , Efstratiadis Georgios
Published: January 2014

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic
kidney disease and is attributed to early and accelerated atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis observed in this patient population.
Vascular calcifications, particularly of the media, are commonly found in chronic uremia and are a major contributor
to arteriosclerosis and increased arterial stiffness. Epidemiologic data support the correlation of vascular calcification
and arterial stiffness to adverse cardiovascular outcomes and mortality. Experimental evidence has shed light on the
pathogenetic mechanisms of vascular calcification and arterial stiffness and their relation to impaired bone metabolism
and imbalance between promoters and inhibitors of extra-osseous bone formation. However further research is needed to
clarify their exact contribution and whether their targeting could significantly affect vascular calcification and arterial
stiffening and could improve survival in chronic kidney disease patients.
Pedagogy-driven design of digital learning ecosystems
Authors: Laanpere Mart , Pata Kai , Normak Peeter , Põldoja Hans
Published: January 2014

In most cases, the traditional Web-based learning management systems (e.g.
Moodle, Blackboard) have been designed without any built-in support for a
preferred pedagogical model or approach. The proponents of such systems have
claimed that this kind of inherent "pedagogical neutrality" is a desirable
characteristic for a LMS, as it allows teachers to implement various
pedagogical approaches. This study is based on an opposite approach, arguing
for designing next-generation online learning platforms - so called digital
learning ecosystems - with built-in affordances, which promote and enforce
desirable pedagogical beliefs, strategies and learning activity patterns
while suppressing others. We propose a conceptual and process model for
pedagogy-driven design of online learning environments and illustrate it with
a case study on development and implementation process of a digital learning
ecosystem based on Dippler platform. We also describe the pedagogical
foundation of Dippler that was guided by a combination of four contemporary
pedagogical approaches: self-directed learning, competence-based learning,
collaborative knowledge building and task-centered instructional design.
Tracing trending topics by analyzing the sentiment status of tweets
Authors: Choi Dongjin , Hwang Myunggwon , Kim Jeongin , Ko Byeongkyu , Kim Pankoo
Published: January 2014

Information spreads much faster through social networking services (SNSs)
than through traditional news media because users can upload data anytime,
anywhere. SNSs users are likely to express their emotional status to let
their friends or other users know how they feel about certain events. This is
the main reason why many studies have employed social media data to uncover
hidden facts or issues by analyzing social relationships and reciprocated
messages between users. The main goal of this study is to discover who is
isolated, why, and how the issue of social bullying can be addressed through
an in-depth analysis of negative Tweets. For this, our study takes the basic
approach by tracking events considered to be exciting by users and then
analyzing the sentiment status of their Tweets collected between November and
December 2009 by Stanford University. The results suggest that users tend to
be happier during evenings than during afternoons. The results also identify
the precise date of breaking news.
On Being Professional in the 21st Century: An Empirically Informed Essay
Authors: Dirsmith Mark W. , Covaleski Mark A. , Samuel Sajay
Published: January 2014

The purpose of this article is to reflect on the ongoing transformation of the Big 8/6/5/4 public accounting firms, with the intent of helping primarily doctoral students and junior faculty engaged in developing their own research programs. Drawing on a variety of theoretical research traditions that we have employed in our field research spanning over 30 years, we will briefly reconsider three “moments” through which the phenomenon of the multi-discipline (or, as termed in the sociology of professions literature, the “entrepreneurial”) professional service firm has shaped both accounting firms and accountants: Moment I, in which administrative partners implemented centrally orchestrated control systems to better direct the actions of audit team members, and the response of the latter to resist, deflect, and transform such efforts; Moment II, in which the profession attempted to rebrand itself as a professional service delivery system that could offer “higher platforms of service” to a global business community, in a legal and political context shaped by regulators, U.S. presidential and congressional politicians, the lay membership of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and such laws as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; and Moment III, in which the concept of professional entrepreneurialism became internalized within and acted upon by both individual professionals and firms, although in a manner not wholly controlled by administrative partners nor practice partners. Impressions gleaned from this reflective exercise are explored, and implications for researchers who may be contemplating field research using qualitative methods are sketched.