bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Convective Characteristics of the Madden–Julian Oscillation over the Central Indian Ocean Observed by Shipborne Radar during DYNAMO
Authors: Xu Weixin , Rutledge Steven A.
Published: April 2014

This study investigates the convective population and environmental conditions during three MJO events over the central Indian Ocean in late 2011 using measurements collected from the Research Vessel (R/V) Roger Revelle deployed in Dynamics of the MJO (DYNAMO). Radar-based rainfall estimates from the Revelle C-band radar are first placed in the context of larger-scale Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) rainfall data to demonstrate that the reduced Revelle radar range captured the MJO convective evolution. Time series analysis and MJO phase-based composites of Revelle measurements both support the “recharge–discharge” MJO theory. Time series of echo-top heights indicate that convective deepening during the MJO onset occurs over a 12–16-day period. Composite statistics show evident recharging–discharging features in convection and the environment. Population of shallow/isolated convective cells, SST, CAPE, and the lower-tropospheric moisture increase (recharge) substantially approximately two to three phases prior to the MJO onset. Deep and intense convection and lightning peak in phase 1 when the sea surface temperature and CAPE are near maximum values. However, cells in this phase are not well organized and produce little stratiform rain, possibly owing to reduced shear and a relatively dry upper troposphere. The presence of deep convection leads the mid- to upper-tropospheric humidity by one to two phases, suggesting its role in moistening these levels. During the MJO onset (i.e., phase 2), the mid- to upper troposphere becomes very moist, and precipitation, radar echo-top heights, and the mesoscale extent of precipitation all increase and obtain peak values. Persistent heavy precipitation in these active periods helps reduce the SST and dry/stabilize (or discharge) the atmosphere.
High-Resolution Probabilistic Projections of Temperature Changes over Ontario, Canada
Authors: Wang Xiuquan , Huang Guohe , Lin Qianguo , Liu Jinliang
Published: April 2014

Planning of mitigation and adaptation strategies to a changing climate can benefit from a good understanding of climate change impacts on human life and local society, which leads to an increasing requirement for reliable projections of future climate change at regional scales. This paper presents an ensemble of high-resolution regional climate simulations for the province of Ontario, Canada, developed with the Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies (PRECIS) modeling system. A Bayesian statistical model is proposed through an advance to the method proposed by Tebaldi et al. for generating probabilistic projections of temperature changes at gridpoint scale by treating the unknown quantities of interest as random variables to quantify their uncertainties in a statistical way. Observations for present climate and simulations from the ensemble are fed into the statistical model to derive posterior distributions of all the uncertain quantities through a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling algorithm. Detailed analyses at 12 selected weather stations are conducted to investigate the practical significance of the proposed statistical model. Following that, maps of projected temperature changes at different probability levels are presented to help understand the spatial patterns across the entire province. The analysis shows that there is likely to be a significant warming trend throughout the twenty-first century. It also suggests that people in Ontario are very likely to suffer a change greater than 2°C to mean temperature in the forthcoming decades and very unlikely to suffer a change greater than 10°C to the end of this century.
The convert, the remorseful and the rescued: Three different processes of desistance from crime
Authors: F.-Dufour Isabelle , Brassard Renée
Published: April 2014

One of the key issues in research on criminal desistance is the impossibility of stating with any degree of certainty that an offender's criminal career is in fact over. When no clear demarcation line can be established for the precise moment when criminal activity has ended, researchers instead distinguish between the cessation of criminal behaviour and the process of desistance. A second issue lies in the contradictions inherent in explanatory theories on desistance that focus either on agents or, conversely, on the structures that provoke and support the process of change. An integrative theoretical framework on criminal desistance, influenced by the work of Margaret Archer (1995 , 2000 , 2002) and showing the interplay between structures and agents, can be found elsewhere (F.-Dufour, Brassard, and Martel, forthcoming). The application of this framework to empirical data collected from 29 Canadian offenders serving conditional sentences reveals the existence of three distinct processes leading to desistance among those we metaphorically call the transformed, the remorseful and the rescued.
Increased expression of astrocyte markers in schizophrenia: Association with neuroinflammation
Authors: Catts Vibeke Sørensen , Wong Jenny , Fillman Stu Gregory , Fung Samantha Jane , Shannon Weickert Cynthia
Published: April 2014

Objective:

While schizophrenia may have a progressive component, the evidence for neurodegenerative processes as indicated by reactive astrocytes is inconclusive. We recently identified a subgroup of individuals with schizophrenia with increased expression of inflammatory markers in prefrontal cortex, and hypothesized that this subgroup would also have reactive astrocytes.

Method:

We measured glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and protein levels by immunoblotting in grey matter homogenate from 37 individuals with schizophrenia and 37 unaffected controls. We examined the morphology of GFAP-positive astrocytes in immunostained sections of middle frontal gyrus. We tested if GFAP expression or astrocyte morphology were altered in people with schizophrenia with increased expression of inflammatory markers. We used RNA-Seq data on a subset of patients and controls ( n=20/group) to ascertain whether mRNA transcripts associated with astrogliosis were elevated in the individuals with active neuroinflammation.

Results:

GFAP (mRNA and protein) levels and astrocyte morphology were not significantly different between people with schizophrenia and controls overall. However, individuals with schizophrenia with neuroinflammation had increased expression of GFAP mRNA ( t(33)=2.978, p=0.005), hypertrophic astrocyte morphology (χ2(2)=6.281, p=0.043), and statistically significant elevated expression of three mRNA transcripts previously associated with astrogliosis.

Conclusions:

We found clear evidence of astrogliosis in a subset of people with schizophrenia. We suggest that the lack of astrogliosis reported in previous studies may be due to cohort differences in aetiopathology, illness stage, treatment exposure, or a failure to examine subsets of people with schizophrenia.
The Power of Perception
Authors: Dell’Angelo Tabitha
Published: April 2014

Race and class often marginalize students in impoverished urban neighborhoods, and this reality is evident in consistently low student achievement in many of the schools in these neighborhoods. This study examines how a teacher’s sense of agency can help mediate the detrimental impact of poverty on student achievement. Teachers in a large Northeastern urban school district ( N = 1,019) were surveyed about how they perceive obstacles to student learning. The study shows that the ways in which teachers think about obstacles to student learning are strong predictors of student achievement regardless of poverty level. The study suggests ways teachers can achieve a greater sense of agency in the classroom.
Measurement, Control and Evaluation of Low-Power Contactor Switches under Overload Current
Authors: Rodriguez-Rodrigez Joaquin H , Guevara-Gordillo Ricardo , Gomez-Sanchez Angel E , Vazquez-Gutierrez Israel F , Mijarez Rito
Published: April 2014

Load rating of contactor switches is an important issue for diverse industrial power applications requiring varied connections. This paper presents a simple procedure to evaluate the current-carrying capabilities of contactor switches under overload cyclic stress. An experimental setup is proposed to measure test current, contact voltage drop, and temperature at the contacts and cable connectors. Results are presented for ON–OFF controlled commutated current at 500% and 1000% overload of a contactor in the ON position. The attained results and the criteria for contactors selection in power applications are given.
Fabrication of porous synthetic polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering
Authors: Mi Hao-Yang , Jing Xin , Turng Lih-Sheng
Published: April 2014

Tissue engineering provides a novel and promising approach to replace damaged tissue with an artificial substitute. Porous synthetic biodegradable polymers are the preferred materials for this substitution due to their microstructure, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low cost. As a crucial element in tissue engineering, a scaffold acts as an artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) and provides support for cell migration, differentiation, and reproduction. The fabrication of viable scaffolds, however, has been a challenge in both clinical and academic settings. Methods such as solvent casting/particle leaching, thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), electrospinning, gas foaming, and rapid prototyping (additive manufacturing) have been developed or introduced for scaffold fabrication. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this review, the commonly used synthetic polymer scaffold fabrication methods will be introduced and discussed in detail, and recent progress regarding scaffold fabrication—such as combining different scaffold fabrication methods, combining various materials, and improving current scaffold fabrication methods—will be reviewed as well.
Land leasing and local government behaviour in China: Evidence from Beijing
Authors: Yang Zan , Ren Rongrong , Liu Hongyu , Zhang Huan
Published: April 2014

Since 2004, two auction mechanisms – listing auctions and tender auctions – have played a dominant role in land lease arrangements for real estate development in Beijing. Listing auctions in land markets are similar to general English auctions, where bidders offer the highest price to win. However, in tender auctions, winners are determined by the bidding price and the bidder’s financial capability and reputation. Based on granted land parcels from 2006 to 2012 in Beijing, this paper attempts to examine the price differences between the two auctions and the role of land auction in urban development and price stabilisation. We find that land policy in Beijing, which aims to stabilise land prices and to provide low-price residences, has been integrated with urban development planning in terms of spatial and density pattern. Land leasing in Beijing is not only a land policy but also a part of the strategy framework of local development.
Leave Programs/Time Off and Work-Stress Family Employee Benefits Programs, Organizational Commitment, and Self-Efficacy Among Municipal Employees
Authors: Mulvaney Michael A.
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the role between family-friendly employee benefits programs (FFEBPs) and organizational commitment and employee motivation (self-efficacy) among a sector of municipal employees. In particular, the effects of two FFEBPs (leave programs/time off programs and work-stress family programs) were assessed on organizational commitment and job self-efficacy outcomes. Three hundred forty-seven local government professionals completed an online survey that was used to measure the variables of interest. Results found significant mean differences of employees’ job self-efficacy and organizational commitment levels between agencies with work–family stress management FFEBPs and agencies without these programs. However, the effects of leave programs/time off FFEBPs were not significant predictors of an employee’s job self-efficacy.
Accurate keyphrase extraction by discriminating overlapping phrases
Authors: Haddoud Mounia , Abdeddaïm Saïd
Published: April 2014

In this paper we define the document phrase maximality index (DPM-index), a new measure to discriminate overlapping keyphrase candidates in a text document. As an application we developed a supervised learning system that uses 18 statistical features, among them the DPM-index and five other new features. We experimentally compared our results with those of 21 keyphrase extraction methods on SemEval-2010/Task-5 scientific articles corpus. When all the systems extract 10 keyphrases per document, our method enhances by 13% the F-score of the best system. In particular, the DPM-index feature increases the F-score of our keyphrase extraction system by a rate of 9%. This makes the DPM-index contribution comparable to that of the well-known TFIDF measure on such a system.
The Reconstruction of Fatherhood Across Two Generations
Authors: Bar-On Inbal Kivenson , Scharf Miri
Published: April 2014

This study addresses the similarities and differences in fatherhood across two generations, relying on the experiences of fathers and their sons. Twenty representative father and son dyads were selected from a larger sample of participants in a longitudinal study examining the leaving home transition in Israel. The fathers and their sons were interviewed about their attachment relationships using the Adult Attachment Interview. Fathers were also interviewed about their parenting via the Parenting Representations Interview–Adolescence. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Four central themes of intergenerational transmission, mostly reflecting differences rather than similarities across the two generations, were identified: from poverty and shortage to indulgence, from strictness and respect to permissiveness, from precocious maturity to normative development, and from distance to intimacy and closeness. Fathers appear to want to provide their sons with experiences that they missed as children. They appear to be successful in these endeavors, yet surprised by some of the unforeseen outcomes, such as their sons being spoiled and manipulative.
Affording Housing at the Expense of Health
Authors: Hernández Diana
Published: April 2014

Low-income families often simultaneously encounter housing and neighborhood problems pertaining to safety, affordability, and quality issues that necessitate strategies to maximize limited budgets and ensure safety. Such constrained decisions regarding inadequate housing and poor neighborhood conditions, however, may themselves create or exacerbate health risks. Building on the survival strategies literature, this article offers rich and detailed accounts of coping and management strategies on the part of vulnerable families facing housing and neighborhood hardships. The findings are based on in-depth interviews with 72 respondents and ethnographic observations in an urban community. The results illustrate how low-income women avoid neighborhood danger by relegating family life to the home environment, thereby increasing exposure to health risks such as stress, depression, and asthma. The discussion focuses on public health literature linking housing and health and proposes the use of legal strategies and community engagement as resources to complement current approaches to housing and neighborhood problems.
Myocardial Steatosis and Necrosis in Atria and Ventricles of Rats Given Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Jones Huw Bowen , Reens Jaimini , Johnson Elizabeth , Brocklehurst Simon , Slater Ian
Published: April 2014

Pharmaceutical therapies for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) include plasma glucose lowering by enhancing glucose utilization. The mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex is important in controlling the balance between glucose and fatty acid substrate oxidation. Administration of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitors (PDHKIs) to rats effectively lowers plasma glucose but results in myocardial steatosis that in some instances is associated primarily with atrial and to a lesser degree with ventricular pathology. Induction of myocardial steatosis is not dose-dependent, varies from minimal to moderate severity, and is either of multifocal or diffuse distribution. Ventricular histopathology was restricted to few myocardial degenerative fibers, while that in the atrium/atria was of either acute or chronic appearance with the former showing myocardial degeneration/necrosis, acute myocarditis, edema, endothelial activation (rounding up), endocarditis, and thrombosis associated with moderate myocardial steatosis and the latter with myocardial loss, replacement fibrosis, and no apparent or minimal association with steatosis. The evidence from these evaluations indicate that excessive intramyocardial accumulation of lipid may be either primarily adverse or represents an indicator of other adversely affected cellular processes.
Methodological challenges to collecting primary data on Internet users in rural China
Authors: Ting Carol , Sandel Todd L.
Published: April 2014

Despite its long term impact on planning, evaluation and documentation of Internet development, measurement of Internet usage is largely neglected in government policy actions in rural China. For researchers interested in evaluating government policy outcomes and Internet usage patterns in rural China, the only option is collecting primary data, which is resource-intensive and often fraught with data quality issues that entail many tradeoffs. Such quality issues have not been discussed in the literature in sufficient depth; this paper fills this void by discussing the challenges of collecting primary data on rural Internet users and suggests strategies for handling these issues based on the authors’ experiences of fieldwork in rural China.
Good Governance
Authors: de Graaf Gjalt , Paanakker Hester
Published: April 2014

Good governance codes usually end with a list of public values no one could oppose. A recurrent issue is that not all of these values—however desirable they are—can be achieved at the same time. With its focus on performance and procedural values of governance, this article zooms in on the conflict between two different types of values, signifying and exemplifying how output and outcome on one hand and the process of governance on the other may coincide or collide. The main research question is, “What is the nature of value conflict in public governance and what specific conflicts between performance and procedural values do public actors perceive?” A literature review and two case studies involving aldermen and the most senior public administrators in public governance set out to answer these questions. The most frequently perceived conflict is between lawfulness and transparency in procedure, on one hand, and the attainment of effectiveness and efficiency as performance values on the other.
Brands Defined as Semiotic Marketing Systems
Authors: Conejo Francisco , Wooliscroft Ben
Published: April 2014

Brands are one of marketing’s main foci. But while the American Marketing Association’s official marketing definition continues to evolve, its brand definition has remained stagnant for nearly 80 years. This article argues that the AMA’s simplistic trademark conceptualization of brands is increasingly out of touch with marketing theory and practice. Integrating the consumer culture, marketing semiotics, and General Systems Theory literatures, we re-conceptualize brands as semiotic marketing systems. This follows marketing systems being core to macromarketing. It also obeys marketing systems needing to contemplate their meaning infrastructures given today’s progressively symbolic markets. The antecedents, operation and benefits of this new systems approach to brands are discussed. Brands are re-defined as complex multidimensional constructs with varying degrees of meaning, independence, co-creation and scope. Brands are semiotic marketing systems that generate value for direct and indirect participants, society, and the broader environment, through the exchange of co-created meaning.
Effect of intravenous general anaesthesia with epidural block on the expression of pre-endogenous opioid peptide genes
Authors: Chen Zhi-Yang , Wang Huaqing , Xu Weiping , Xu Hui , Fu Xinchun
Published: April 2014

Objective

To measure the plasma concentrations of three endogenous opioid peptides and the levels of preproenkephalin (PPE) and preprodynorphin (PPD) mRNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients during scheduled surgery performed under intravenous general anaesthesia combined with an epidural block.

Methods

Patients were anaesthetized and arterial blood was collected at 0 (baseline), 20, 40, 60, and 80 min during surgery. The plasma concentrations of β-endorphin, leucine-enkephalin and dynorphin A were measured using radioimmunoassay. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the levels of PPD and PPE mRNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes collected during surgery.

Results

Fifteen patients participated in this prospective study. The plasma concentrations of β-endorphin were significantly lower at all time-points compared with the baseline value. The plasma concentrations of leucine-enkephalin and dynorphin A were significantly lower at 40, 60, and 80 min compared with baseline. The PPD/β-actin ratio was significantly lower at 80 min compared with baseline, while the PPE/β-actin ratio showed no significant change.

Conclusion

The level of mRNA from two pre-endogenous opioid peptide genes either decreased or remained unchanged during surgery under intravenous general anaesthesia with epidural block, suggesting that patients remained pain free during surgery.
Association between obesity, prostate-specific antigen level and prostate-specific antigen density in men with a negative prostate biopsy
Authors: Kim Jae Heon , Lee Sang Wook , Kim Jae Ho , Yang Hee Jo , Doo Seung Whan , Yoon Jong Hyun , Kim Doo Sang , Yang Won Jae , Lee Kwang Woo , Kim Jun Mo , Lee Changho , Kwon Soon-Sun
Published: April 2014

Objective

To determine the association between body mass index (BMI), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and PSA density (PSAD) in patients with an elevated serum PSA level but a negative prostate biopsy.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled men with a negative prostate biopsy but a serum PSA level of 3.0–10 ng/ml. All men underwent anthropometric measurements, serum PSA determination and transrectal ultrasound examination. BMI was grouped according to the Asia-Pacific obesity criteria: nonobese (<25 kg/m2) versus obese (≥25 kg/m2). Partial correlation and linear regression models between PSA, PSAD and BMI were conducted after adjusting for age.

Results

A total of 907 men were enrolled in this study. On multivariate analyses, PSA showed no significant correlation with age or BMI, whereas PSAD had a negative correlation with age and BMI. Similar results were obtained when patients were categorized as having low (3.0 < PSA ≤ 6.5 ng/ml) or high PSA (6.5 < PSA ≤ 10.0 ng/ml) levels.

Conclusion

PSAD, but not PSA, demonstrated a significant negative correlation with BMI. This indicates that a new strategy including PSAD rather than simple PSA levels should be adopted in the study of obesity-adjusted PSA cut-offs.
Body Esteem and Self-Objectification Among Collegiate Female Athletes
Authors: Varnes Julia R. , Stellefson Michael L. , Miller M. David , Janelle Christopher M. , Dodd Virginia , Pigg R. Morgan
Published: April 2014

The purpose of our study was to use select constructs from objectification theory to investigate how society’s sexual objectification of female athletes is related to differences in body esteem and self-objectification among collegiate female athletes and non-athletes. Using a cross-sectional survey, we sampled three groups at a Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association university: 322 non-athletes, 58 athletes participating in sports that are considered more objectified, and 27 athletes participating in sports that are considered less objectified. Participants completed survey measures assessing body esteem (sexual attractiveness, weight concern, and physical condition), body surveillance, thin-ideal internalization, and body shame. As predicted, all athletes experienced better body esteem than non-athletes. Surprisingly, both more and less objectified athletes also reported lower rates of body surveillance than non-athletes. Other findings varied by grouping. Overall, study findings suggested that athletes in more objectified sports experience greater thin-ideal internalization, thereby enhancing body shame without increasing body surveillance or body image concerns. Researchers and interventionists should put more focus on sexual- and self-objectification of collegiate female athletes participating in the more objectified sports because their psychological and mental health risks appear to be associated with objectification and not necessarily poor body image.
Protracted Symptoms in Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
Authors: Souders Heather Tyrell , Byler Debra , Marupudi Neelima , Patel Rakesh , McSherry George
Published: April 2014

Assumed to be underreported and underrecognized, lymphocytic choriomeningitis presents as a febrile illness transmitted by the common house mouse, Mus musculus. Although asymptomatic or mild febrile illnesses are commonplace, meningitis and meningoencephalitis may develop after symptoms have seemed to improve. Neurologic sequelae are not typical but have been reported and can persist for months. We report a documented case of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in which a previously healthy 17-year-old girl experienced debilitating recurrent headaches and arthralgias for more than a year after discharge. Neuropsychological testing and visual changes were also documented. Further research is needed to estimate the prevalence of this infection, although it has been estimated that 5% of American adults have antibodies to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Education and awareness of the medical community as well as the general public will be critical in prevention as well as advancing future treatment modalities of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
Social Services Fatigue in Domestic Violence Service Provision Facilities
Authors: Dewey Susan C. , Germain Tonia P. St.
Published: April 2014

Findings presented here draw upon 9 months of ethnographic research in three domestic violence service provision facilities as a means to articulate the key elements of social services fatigue, a phenomenon resulting from residents’ need to (1) document progress toward self-sufficiency, (2) use particular language and behavior in the presence of staff as a means to demonstrate this progress, (3) actively engage with staff and advocate volunteers, at least some of whom are victim-survivors of domestic violence themselves, and (4) quickly learn that these elements constitute conditions of service provision. It concludes by exploring the practical implications of recognizing social services fatigue as a problem.
Assessing the Impact of Mexican Nativity on Sentence Length
Authors: Orrick Erin A. , Piquero Alex R.
Published: April 2014

Discussions about race/ethnicity and crime are controversial and not surprisingly, such controversies have extended to the immigration–crime link as well. The emerging quantitative knowledge base on this relationship however suggests that immigrant status may actually serve as a protective factor against (serious) criminal involvement. Largely absent from this line of research has been a consideration of how immigrant status, especially Mexican nativity, is related to criminal justice sentencing decisions. In this article, we use data from more than 12,000 U.S. state and federal prisoners to examine sentence length disparities between Mexican- and native-born citizens. Our primary finding is that while there may be some impact of being Mexican born on sentence length, the negligible differences indicate that offenders who are Mexican born are likely to receive shorter sentences than their native-born counterparts, controlling for a variety of legal and extralegal factors. Directions for future research are highlighted.
Leading From the Heart
Authors: Turkel Marian C.
Published: April 2014

Contemporary transformational leadership focuses on authentic leadership styles, relational caring, meaningful recognition, creativity, building trust, relationships, participative decision making, dialogue with time for reflection, and innovation. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate how concepts from the unitary transformative paradigm and caring science can be integrated within nursing leadership practice, to invite nurse leaders to make these concepts explicit in their own transformational leadership journey, and to offer ways of reframing traditional organizational language. Practice exemplars are presented to highlight how tenets from caring theory are guiding the practice of nursing leadership.
Constructing a social subject
Authors: Hollin Gregory
Published: April 2014

This article examines three key aetiological theories of autism (meta-representations, executive dysfunction and weak central coherence), which emerged within cognitive psychology in the latter half of the 1980s. Drawing upon Foucault’s notion of ‘forms of possible knowledge’, and in particular his concept of savoir or depth knowledge, two key claims are made. First, it is argued that a particular production of autism became available to questions of truth and falsity following a radical reconstruction of ‘the social’ in which human sociality was taken both to exclusively concern interpersonal interaction and to be continuous with non-social cognition. Second, it is suggested that this reconstruction of the social has affected the contemporary cultural experience of autism, shifting attention towards previously unacknowledged cognitive aspects of the condition. The article concludes by situating these claims in relation to other historical accounts of the emergence of autism and ongoing debates surrounding changing articulations of social action in the psy disciplines.
Effect of burnishing parameters on the surface quality and hardness
Authors: Cobanoglu Tamer , Ozturk Sabri
Published: April 2014

In industrial manufacturing applications to improve the surface quality of cylindrical parts such as valves, pistons of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, pump shafts and bearing bores, some surface-finishing processes such as grinding, super finishing and honing are applied. Nevertheless, none of them provides to improve fatigue, wear and corrosion resistance. Shot peening and case hardening can improve these properties, but they are expensive and application of them takes more time. Burnishing can increase the surface hardness by generating compressive stresses on the surface and as a result, it improves fatigue and corrosion resistance in addition to providing better surface quality. Roller burnishing is a very simple and very low consumption power process and can be applied on a conventional or computer numerical control lathe. The effect of the burnishing parameters on the surface quality and the burnishing force were examined with experimental study. The experiments were carried out using AISI 1040 carbon steel material. It was concluded that the burnishing feed is the most significant factor affecting the surface quality. Experimental results were tested with analysis of variance.
Robust multi-objective optimization design of active tuned mass damper system to mitigate the vibrations of a high-rise building
Authors: Pourzeynali S , Salimi S
Published: April 2014

In engineering applications, many control devices have been developed to reduce the vibrations of structures. Active tuned mass damper system is one of these devices, which is a combination of a passive tuned mass damper system and an actuator to produce a control force. The main objective of this paper is to present a practical procedure for both deterministic and probabilistic design of the active tuned mass damper control system using multi-objective genetic algorithms to mitigate high-rise building responses. For this purpose, extensive numerical analyses have been performed, and optimal robust results of the active tuned mass damper design parameters with their effectiveness in reducing the example building responses have been presented. Uncertainties, which may exist in the system, have been taken into account using a robust design optimization procedure. The stiffness matrix and damping ratio of the building are considered as uncertain random variables; and using the well-known beta distribution, 50 pairs of these variables are generated. This resulted in 50 buildings with different stiffness matrices and damping ratios. These simulated buildings are used to evaluate robust optimal values of the active tuned mass damper design parameters. Four non-commensurable objective functions, namely maximum displacement, maximum velocity, maximum acceleration of each floor of the building, and active control force produced by the actuator are considered, and a fast and elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm approach is used to find a set of pareto-optimal solutions.
Statics modeling and analysis of linear rolling guideway considering rolling balls contact
Authors: Sun Wei , Kong Xiangxi , Wang Bo , Li Xingzhan
Published: April 2014

The linear rolling guideway is composed of rail, carriage, rolling balls, and other accessories and contains a large number of rolling interfaces between the rolling balls and the grooves. For such a complex nonlinear mechanical system, it is very significant to obtain the statics deformation and vertical stiffness under different loads for the structural design of guideway and mechanical analysis of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tool. Therefore, the focus of this study is on the development of statics modeling techniques of the linear rolling guideway by analytical and finite element methods, considering the rolling balls contact. First, an accurate statics analytical modeling method was proposed by using the Hertz contact theory and revision of experiment results. Then, on the basis of considering contacts between rolling balls and grooves, the precise finite element modeling was studied. To improve the efficiency of analysis, the full finite element model of guideway was replaced by the component finite element model. At last, the created analytical and component finite element models were applied to analyze the effects of load and preload on the statics characteristics of single ball and the whole guideway system. The proposal of current study may provide a reference to create the precise dynamics model of linear rolling guideway.
Factors associated with HIV and syphilis co-infection among men who have sex with men in seven Chinese cities
Authors: Das Aritra , Li Jianjun , Zhong Fei , Ouyang Lin , Mahapatra Tanmay , Tang Weiming , Fu Gengfeng , Zhao Jinkou , Detels Roger
Published: April 2014

Summary

HIV-syphilis co-infection is often cited as a major reason behind recent resurgence in syphilis prevalence among men who have sex with men in China. Most published literatures explore factors associated with either HIV or syphilis, but not their co-infection. We analysed data from a cross-sectional survey on men who have sex with men in seven Chinese cities. Snowball sampling was used to recruit participants for the survey. Socio-demographic and behavioural predictors for HIV-syphilis mono/co-infection were examined using ordinal logistic regression. Factor scores were used to summarise (1) HIV-related knowledge and (2) access to HIV preventive services. Prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and their co-infection, among 2936 self-identified men who have sex with men, were 7.7%, 14.3%, and 2.6%, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, the significant positive correlates of poorer diagnoses (co-infection vs mono- and no infection or co- and mono-infection vs no infection) were: 30 to 39 years and ≥40 years age, education up to senior high school, unprotected anal intercourse, recent sexually transmitted infection symptoms, incorrect knowledge about routes of transmission, and access to preventive or counselling/testing services for HIV. For effective control of this dual epidemic, integrated HIV and syphilis surveillance and targeted intervention strategies for Chinese men who have sex with men are needed urgently.
Outlines of a general psychological theory of psychological intervention
Authors: Salvatore Sergio , Valsiner Jaan
Published: April 2014

While everyday life is necessarily using common sense for solving practical problems, it is not sufficient for psychology’s advancement of generalized knowledge. Our recognition of the conceptual-methodological unfeasibility of the common-sense foundation of psychology raises the necessity of developing a theory of intervention that considers the psychologist’s actions as belonging to the in-between zone: while everyday life is based on common sense, the science of psychology and its practices transcend that very common sense. The relationship between general psychological knowledge and the concrete situatedness of psychologists’ practice gives the discipline a number of tension points: (a) the social construction of the client’s requests at the intersection of practical interests, general knowledge, and local social expectations; (b) how one can interpret current psychological knowledge for the grounding of professional use; and (c) the tension between the scientific knowledge and the client’s practical interest in turning to get help from psychologists. The epistemological and conceptual implications of these tension points are outlined, showing how a careful analysis of psychology as practical profession can contribute to the theoretical development of psychology.
Malignant side effects of null-hypothesis significance testing
Authors: Branch Marc
Published: April 2014

Six decades-worth of published information has shown irrefutably that null-hypothesis significance tests (NHSTs) provide no information about the reliability of research outcomes. Nevertheless, they are still the core of editorial decision-making in Psychology. Two reasons appear to contribute to the continuing practice. One, survey information suggests that a majority of psychological researchers incorrectly believe that p values provide information about reliability of results. Two, a position sometimes taken is that using them to make decisions has been essentially benign. The mistaken belief has been pointed out many times, so it is briefly covered because of the apparent persistence of the misunderstanding. The idea that NHSTs have been benign is challenged by seven “side-effects” that continue to retard effective development of psychological science. The article concludes with both a few suggestions about possible alternatives and a challenge to psychological researchers to develop new methods that actually assess the reliability of research findings.
Henri Bergson’s contribution to the invention of a psychology in duration
Authors: Azambuja Marcos Adegas de , Guareschi Neuza Maria de Fátima , Baum Carlos
Published: April 2014

This article uses the philosophical concepts of Henri Bergson (namely duration, intelligence, and intuition), in order to problematize ways of thinking about psychology, and how psychology produces knowledge. From this perspective, we discuss psychology as a scientific discipline and examine the differences between science and philosophy. In so doing, we deepen the understanding of the concepts of duration, time, and space, in relation to the logics of spatialized time which influence analysis in Human Sciences. We also discuss differences between ways of apprehending knowledge through intelligence and intuition, causing a change in the perspective from which we approach our objects of investigation. Finally, we propose a view of psychology in terms of duration.
Ibn al-Haytham (965–1039 AD), the original portrayal of the modern theory of vision
Authors: Daneshfard Babak , Dalfardi Behnam , Nezhad Golnoush Sadat Mahmoudi
Published: April 2014

Abū ՙAlī al-Ḥasan ibn al-Ḥasan ibn al-Haytham, known in the West as Alhazen, was an Arab-Islamic scholar who helped develop the science of ophthalmology during the medieval era. He was the first to reject firmly the extramission theory of vision, which was prevalent during his time, and suggested that the eyes are the source of the light rays responsible for vision. Ibn al-Haytham in his book entitled Kitab al-Manazir ( Book of Optics) explained vision based on light emanating from objects. In this study we review Ibn al-Haytham's life and introduce his major contribution to the field of ophthalmology, his theory of vision.
Why a career in psychiatry?
Authors: Kumar Varun
Published: April 2014

Objectives:

To reflect upon the factors that might motivate one to undertake a career in psychiatry from the personal perspective of a current registrar in training.

Conclusions:

The reasons for choosing a career path in psychiatry are complex, and relate to an individual doctor’s life experience, training experiences and own value system. Dissatisfaction with the traditional “medical model” of illness may be a contributing factor, with a perception that psychiatry may embrace the biopsychosocial model of illness more fully. Beyond this, a particular interest in the poetry inherent to an individual’s story and appreciation of the artistic underpinnings of medicine may also contribute.
Strengthen Your Music Program by Incorporating Aspects of the ELA Common Core State Standards
Authors: Smith Nancy Thompson
Published: April 2014

Implementation of the English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards (CCSS) reduces the traditional separation between the study of different subjects. Increased focus on nonfiction reading and writing means more incorporation of other content, such as music, into language arts classes. CCSS’s emphasis on speaking and writing across the curriculum requires music students to develop their ability to communicate about their art. Critical thinking and cross-curricular learning, components of the CCSS, are already elements of the National Standards of Music Education. Aspects of ELA Common Core instruction can be addressed in, and can support, general music programs without stealing attention from performance goals, such as singing, performing on instruments, or moving to music. Incorporating these elements into music instruction can make students better musicians. Students can develop a deeper understanding of their craft and a greater ability to communicate their musical insights.
Hedgehog
Authors: Ferent Julien , Traiffort Elisabeth
Published: April 2014

Since the discovery of the segment polarity gene Hedgehog in Drosophila three decades ago, our knowledge of Hedgehog signaling pathway has considerably improved and paved the way to a wide field of investigations in the developing and adult central nervous system. Its peculiar transduction mechanism together with its implication in tissue patterning, neural stem cell biology, and neural tissue homeostasis make Hedgehog pathway of interest in a high number of normal or pathological contexts. Consistent with its role during brain development, misregulation of Hedgehog signaling is associated with congenital diseases and tumorigenic processes while its recruitment in damaged neural tissue may be part of the repairing process. This review focuses on the most recent data regarding the Hedgehog pathway in the developing and adult central nervous system and also its relevance as a therapeutic target in brain and spinal cord diseases.
Lipids, Safety Parameters, and Drug Concentrations After an Additional 2 Years of Treatment With Anacetrapib in the DEFINE Study
Authors: Gotto Antonio M. , Kher Uma , Chatterjee Manash Shankar , Liu Yang , Li Xiujiang Susie , Vaidya Sanskruti , Cannon Christopher P. , Brinton Eliot A. , Moon Jennifer E. , Shah Sukrut , Dansky Hayes M. , Mitchel Yale , Barter Philip ,   the DEFINE Investigators
Published: April 2014

Anacetrapib is a cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor that has previously been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and raise high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with or at high risk of coronary heart disease in the 76-week, placebo-controlled, Determining the Efficacy and Tolerability of CETP Inhibition with Anacetrapib (DEFINE) trial. Here, we report the results of the 2-year extension to the DEFINE study where patients (n = 803) continued on the same assigned treatment as in the original 76-week study. Treatment with anacetrapib during the 2-year extension was well tolerated with a safety profile similar to patients on placebo. No clinically important abnormalities in liver enzymes, blood pressure, electrolytes, or adverse experiences were observed during the extension. At the end of the extension study, relative to the original baseline value, anacetrapib reduced Friedewald-calculated LDL-C by 39.9% and increased HDL-C by 153.3%, compared to placebo. The apparent steady state mean plasma trough concentration of anacetrapib was ∼640 nmol/L. Geometric mean plasma concentrations of anacetrapib did not appear to increase beyond week 40 of the 2-year extension of the 76-week DEFINE base study. In conclusion, an additional 2 years of treatment with anacetrapib were well tolerated with durable lipid-modifying effects on LDL-C and HDL-C.
Comparative Antiatherogenic Effects of Intravenous AAV8- and AAV2-Mediated ApoA-IMilano Gene Transfer in Hypercholesterolemic Mice
Authors: Tian Fang , Wang Lai , Arias Ana , Yang Mingjie , Sharifi Behrooz G. , Shah Prediman K.
Published: April 2014

Apolipoprotein A-IMilano (ApoA-IM), a naturally occurring Arg173 to Cys mutant of ApoA-I, has been shown to reduce atherosclerosis in animal models and in a small phase 2 human trial. We have shown superior atheroprotective effects of ApoA-IM gene compared with wild-type ApoA-I gene using transplantation of retrovirally transduced bone marrow in ApoA-I/ApoE null mice. In this study, we compared the antiatherogenic efficacy of ApoA-IM gene transfer using Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) 2 or rAAV8 as vectors in ApoA-I/ApoE null mice. Mice received a single intravenous injection of 1.2 × 1012 vector genomes of AAV2 or AAV8 vectors expressing ApoA-IM or control empty vectors (12 mice/group). Circulating levels of ApoA-IM were higher in recipients of AAV8 compared with AAV2 at 4, 12, and 20 weeks postinjection. Qualitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of RNA collected from different tissues showed that the AAV8-mediated gene transfer resulted in a more efficient transgene expression in the heart, brain, liver, lung, spleen, and kidney of the recipient mice compared with AAV2. Intravenous AAV8-ApoA-IM injection reduced atherosclerosis in the whole aorta ( P < .01), aortic sinuses ( P < .05), and brachiocephalic arteries ( P < .05) compared with the vector control, whereas there was no statistically significant reduction in atherosclerosis in mice receiving intravenous AAV2-ApoA-IM. The ApoA-IM gene was expressed in the aortic tissue of mice receiving AAV8 ApoA-IM but not in those receiving AAV2 ApoA-IM. Immunostaining showed that compared with the vector control, there was reduced macrophage content in the brachiocephalic ( P < .05) and aortic sinus plaques ( P < .05) of AAV8 ApoA-IM recipients but not in the recipients of AAV2 ApoA-IM. Thus, intravenous injection of AAV8 is more effective than intravenous injection of AAV2 in the expression of ApoA-IM gene. These data provide support for the potential feasibility of this approach for atheroprotection in humans.