bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indigenous Women, Climate Change Impacts, and Collective Action
Authors: Whyte Kyle Powys
Published: January 2014

Indigenous peoples must adapt to current and coming climate‐induced environmental changes like sea‐level rise, glacier retreat, and shifts in the ranges of important species. For some indigenous peoples, such changes can disrupt the continuance of the systems of responsibilities that their communities rely on self‐consciously for living lives closely connected to the earth. Within this domain of indigeneity, some indigenous women take seriously the responsibilities that they may perceive they have as members of their communities. For the indigenous women who have such outlooks, responsibilities that they assume in their communities expose them to harms stemming from climate change impacts and other environmental changes. Yet at the same time, their commitment to these responsibilities motivates them to take on leadership positions in efforts at climate change adaptation and mitigation. I show why, at least for some indigenous women, this is an important way of framing the climate change impacts that affect them. I then argue that there is an important implication in this conversation for how we understand the political responsibilities of nonindigenous parties for supporting distinctly indigenous efforts at climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Production of yellow wine from Camellia Oleifera meal pretreated by mixed cultured solid‐state fermentation
Authors: Chang Ming , Lian Jie , Liu Ruijie , Jin Qingzhe , Wang Xingguo
Published: January 2014

Camellia oleifera meal was evaluated to be a potential feedstock for the production of yellow wine (YW), and process conditions were investigated. In this study, C. oleifera meal was firstly pretreated using mixed cultured Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger under solid‐substrate fermentation to degrade the tea saponin (TS) for the following YW fermentation. Response surface methodology helped evaluate the effects of the selected operating parameters, and the optimal condition at a fixed time of 4 days, which gave a 67.84 ± 0.23% degradation rate of TS, was reached as inoculum concentration of 16%, initial moisture content of 55% and temperature of 30 °C. Finally, 7‐day fermentation was harvested to be the most suitable pretreatment for producing YW from C. oleifera meal, and the twice‐feeding fermentation for YW was obtained as wheat koji 12% and active yeast 1.2%. In addition, ample amino acids, phenolic components and the trace TS endowed the C. oleifera wine, the more nutritional characteristics.
ER type I signal peptidase subunit (LmSPC1) is essential for the survival of Locusta migratoria manilensis and affects moulting, feeding, reproduction and embryonic development
Authors: Zhang W. , Xia Y.
Published: January 2014

The endoplasmic reticulum type I signal peptidase complex (ER SPC) is a conserved enzyme that cleaves the signal peptides of secretory or membrane preproteins. The deletion of this enzyme leads to the accumulation of uncleaved proteins in biomembranes and cell death. However, the physiological functions of ER SPC in insects are not fully understood. Here, a catalytic subunit gene of ER SPC, LmSPC1, was cloned from Locusta migratoria manilensis and its physiological functions were analysed by RNA interference (RNAi). The LmSPC1 open reading frame encoded a protein of 178 amino acids with all five conserved regions of signal peptidases. RNAi‐mediated knockdown of LmSPC1 resulted in high mortality. Sixty‐nine per cent of dead nymphs died of abnormal moulting, corresponding to decreased activity of moulting fluid protease. Moreover, insects in the RNAi group experienced a decline in food intake, and a decrease in the secretion of total protein and digestive enzymes from midgut tissues to the midgut lumen. Furthermore, the females produced fewer eggs and eggs with disrupted embryogenesis. These results indicate that LmSPC1 is required for the secretion of secretory proteins, affects physiological functions, including moulting, feeding, reproduction and embryonic development, and is essential for survival. Therefore, LmSPC1 may be a potential target for locust control.
Identification and characterization of a sex peptide receptor‐like transcript from the western tarnished plant bug Lygus hesperus
Authors: Hull J. J. , Brent C. S.
Published: January 2014

Lygus hesperus females exhibit a post‐mating behavioural switch that triggers increased egg laying and decreased sexual interest. In Drosophila melanogaster, these changes are controlled by sex peptide (SP) and the sex peptide receptor (DmSPR). In Helicoverpa armigera, SPR (HaSPR) also regulates some post‐mating behaviour; however, myoinhibiting peptides (MIPs) have been identified as the SPR ancestral ligand, indicating that SPR is a pleiotropic receptor. In the present study, we identified a transcript, designated L. hesperus SPR (LhSPR), that is homologous to known SPRs and which is expressed throughout development and in most adult tissues. LhSPR was most abundant in female seminal depositories and heads as well as the hindgut/midgut of both sexes. In vitro analyses revealed that fluorescent chimeras of LhSPR, DmSPR and HaSPR localized to the cell surface of cultured insect cells, but only DmSPR and HaSPR bound carboxytetramethylrhodamine‐labelled analogues of DmSP21–36 and DmMIP4. Injected DmSP21–36 also failed to have an effect on L. hesperus mating receptivity. Potential divergence in the LhSPR binding pocket may be linked to receptor‐ligand co‐evolution as 9 of 13 MIPs encoded by a putative L. hesperus MIP precursor exhibit an atypical W‐X7‐Wamide motif vs the W‐X6‐Wamide and W‐X8‐Wamide motifs of Drosophila MIPs and SP.
Perception of Spanish primary healthcare nurses about evidence‐based clinical practice: a qualitative study
Authors: Pericas‐Beltran J. , Gonzalez‐Torrente S. , De Pedro‐Gomez J. , Morales‐Asencio J.M. , Bennasar‐Veny M.
Published: January 2014

Background

Although evidence‐based clinical practice constitutes a priority for healthcare services in many countries within the last few years, there is a general lack of implementation of evidence‐based clinical practice in nursing care, especially in primary health care. Few qualitative studies concerning the influencing factors on evidence‐based clinical practice for community nurses have been carried out.

Aim

This study examined the perception of nurses in Spanish primary health care with regard to the knowledge, advantages and barriers within the application process with evidence‐based clinical practice.

Methods

We used a descriptive qualitative study with focus groups to collect data. Forty‐six primary care nurses took part in this study and they were distributed into five focus groups.

Results

Five main topics arose from the results achieved: knowledge and development of evidence‐based clinical practice, evidence searching, evidence dissemination, advantages of use of evidence‐based clinical practice, and barriers for its application and implementation. Participants had a positive attitude towards evidence‐based practice, although they used this infrequently because of lack of competence and organizational support for its application.

Conclusion

Our participants are increasingly determined to take into account evidence within the decision‐making processes in their usual clinical practice. We consider it advisable to develop specialized training strategies as well as provide necessary resources for the implementation of evidence‐based clinical practice duly adapted to the field of primary health care.

Implications for nursing and health policy

This study highlights the existing gap in translating knowledge to practice and its potential implications in the effectiveness of nursing interventions and decision making in primary health care, and thus its implications for education policy.
Cypriot and Greek nurses' perceptions of the professional practice environment
Authors: Papastavrou E. , Efstathiou G. , Lemonidou C. , Kalafati M. , Katajisto J. , Suhonen R.
Published: January 2014

Background

Research evidence supports that the role of the professional practice environment is crucial for the delivery of quality care as it is significantly correlated with patient and nurse outcomes. However, in countries sharing similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds, like Cyprus and Greece, as well as the increased mobility of patients and healthcare workers, there is a lack of information regarding this issue. The aim of this study is to explore and compare Cypriot and Greek nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment.

Methods

A descriptive comparative survey was employed using a sample of nurses in Cyprus (N = 150) and Greece (N = 147). Information was collected with the Revised Professional Practice Environment Scale (RPPE).

Results

The results revealed significant differences between the two countries in three out of eight factors of the RPPE, with Greece's mean value being higher than Cyprus's: Handling Disagreements and Conflicts, Leadership and Autonomy in Clinical Practice, and Teamwork.

Conclusions

The findings generate additional knowledge about the organizational context of care delivery that might help nursing leaders to understand how nurses perceive their work environment and how this influences their work, and consequently the care provided. The results can be utilized by nurse ward managers to improve the quality of nursing care provided. Further research is needed using different approaches to explore nurses' experience in more depth.

Implications for nursing or health policy

Measuring nurses' perceptions of their professional practice environment may assist managers and policymakers in introducing interventions that contribute to a better practice environment and consequently to improved nursing, as well as patient, outcomes.
Optimizing the use of breed types in developing country livestock production systems: a neglected research area
Authors: Marshall K.
Published: January 2014

Developing country livestock production systems are diverse and dynamic, and include those where existing indigenous breeds are currently optimal and likely to remain so, those where non‐indigenous breed types are already in common use, and systems that are changing, such as by intensification, where the introduction of new breed types represents significant opportunities. These include opportunities to improve the livelihood of the world's poor, increase food and nutrition security and enhance environmental sustainability. At present, very little research has focused on this issue, such that significant knowledge gaps in relation to breed‐change interventions remain. The purpose of this study is to raise awareness of this issue and suggests strategic research areas to begin filling these knowledge gaps. Such strategic research would include (i) assessing the impact of differing breed types in developing country livestock productions systems, from a range of viewpoints including intrahousehold livelihood benefit, food and nutrition security at different scales, and environmental sustainability; (ii) identification of specific livestock production systems within developing countries, and the type of livestock keepers within these system, that are most likely to benefit from new breed types; and (iii) identification of new breed types as candidates for in‐situ testing within these systems, such as through the use of spatial analysis to identify similar production environments combined with community acceptance studies. Results of these studies would primarily assist stakeholders in agriculture, including both policy makers and livestock keepers, to make informed decisions on the potential use of new breed types.
A loss of telocytes accompanies fibrosis of multiple organs in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Manetti Mirko , Rosa Irene , Messerini Luca , Guiducci Serena , Matucci‐Cerinic Marco , Ibba‐Manneschi Lidia
Published: January 2014

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and various internal organs. In SSc, telocytes, a peculiar type of stromal (interstitial) cells, display severe ultrastructural damages and are progressively lost from the clinically affected skin. The aim of the present work was to investigate the presence and distribution of telocytes in the internal organs of SSc patients. Archival paraffin‐embedded samples of gastric wall, myocardium and lung from SSc patients and controls were collected. Tissue sections were stained with Masson's trichrome to detect fibrosis. Telocytes were studied on tissue sections subjected to CD34 immunostaining. CD34/CD31 double immunofluorescence was performed to unequivocally differentiate telocytes (CD34‐positive/CD31‐negative) from vascular endothelial cells (CD34‐positive/CD31‐positive). Few telocytes entrapped in the fibrotic extracellular matrix were found in the muscularis mucosae and submucosa of SSc gastric wall. In the muscle layers and myenteric plexus, the network of telocytes was discontinuous or even completely absent around smooth muscle cells and ganglia. Telocytes were almost completely absent in fibrotic areas of SSc myocardium. In SSc fibrotic lung, few or no telocytes were observed in the thickened alveolar septa, around blood vessels and in the interstitial space surrounding terminal and respiratory bronchioles. In SSc, the loss of telocytes is not restricted to the skin, but it is a widespread process affecting multiple organs targeted by the fibrotic process. As telocytes are believed to be key players in the regulation of tissue/organ homoeostasis, our data suggest that telocyte loss might have important pathophysiological implications in SSc.
The neurobiology of aggression: implications for the pharmacotherapy of aggressive challenging behaviour by people with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Willner Paul
Published: January 2014

Aim

The aim of this review is to summarise current understanding of the neurobiology of aggression and within this context to consider the evidence base for the pharmacotherapy of aggressive challenging behaviour by people with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Evidence

Aggressive encounters involve a variety of psychological processes and progress has been made in understanding the brain mechanisms involved. However, the role in aggression of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and γ‐aminobutyric acid is no longer as clear as it once appeared, with the result that predictions cannot be made with confidence about drug effects on aggression. There have been relatively few controlled trials of pharmacotherapy for aggression in people with ID, or, indeed, in the general population, and their outcomes have largely been negative.

Conclusion

With the possible exception of risperidone, there is no reliable evidence that antidepressant, neuroleptic or anticonvulsant drugs are effective treatments for aggression by people with ID.
Effects of peptide fraction and counter ion on the development of clinical signs in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Boullerne Anne I. , Polak Paul E. , Braun David , Sharp Anthony , Pelligrino Dale , Feinstein Douglas L.
Published: January 2014

The most commonly used immunogen to induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is MOG35‐55, a 21‐residue peptide derived from myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). In most studies, mice exhibit a chronic disease; however, in some studies mice show a transient disease. One variable that is not often controlled for is the peptide fraction of the purified MOG material, which can vary from less than 50% to over 90%, with the remainder of mass primarily comprised of the counter ion used for peptide purification. We compared the development of clinical signs in female C57Bl6 mice immunized with two commercially available MOG35‐55 peptides of similar purity but different peptide fraction (MOG‐A being 45%; MOG‐B being 72%). A single immunization with MOG‐A induced a chronic disease course with some recovery at later stages, whereas immunization with MOG‐B induced a similar course of disease but with significantly lower average clinical scores despite a higher peptide content. The addition of a booster immunization significantly increased clinical severity with both preparations, and significantly reduced the average day of onset using MOG‐A. To determine if the counter ion could influence disease, we compared MOG‐B‐containing trifluoroacetate with MOG‐B‐containing acetate. Although disease incidence and severity were similar, the average day of disease onset occurred approximately 5 days earlier with the use of MOG‐B‐containing trifluoroacetate. These results demonstrate that differences in peptide fraction influence the course of encephalomyelitis disease, which may be due in part to the levels of counter ions present in the purified material. These findings underscore the fact that a knowledge of peptide fraction is as critical as knowledge of peptide purity when using peptides from different sources.

image

The most commonly used immunogen to induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is MOG35‐55, a 21‐residue peptide derived from myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. Subtle variations in MOG immunization protocols can influence the type of disease, the average day of onset, disease severity, and overall incidence. We hypothesized that variance in peptide fraction and counter ion may contribute to those differences. Surprisingly, immunization with a MOG preparation of high (72%) peptide fraction resulted in lower average EAE clinical scores and later disease onset than immunization with a preparation having only 45% peptide fraction. Replacement of trifluoroacetate (TFA), the counter ion used for MOG peptide purification, with acetate delayed disease onset. These results show that knowledge of peptide fraction and the counter ion present are as critical as peptide purity, particularly when using peptides from different sources. The image shows TFA molecules (not to scale) hypothetically binding to the positively charged residues of MOG.
Assessment of Androgen Replacement Therapy for Erectile Function in Rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Examining Nitric Oxide-Related and Inflammatory Factors
Authors: Kataoka Tomoya , Hotta Yuji , Maeda Yasuhiro , Kimura Kazunori
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a major public health issue and is considered a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED). T2DM is also associated with androgen deficiency. However, there have been few basic studies on androgen replacement therapy (ART) for ED treatment in T2DM animal models, and the mechanism underlying the effect of ART on T2DM-induced ED is unclear.

Aim

To investigate the effect of ART on ED in T2DM rats by examining inflammatory and nitric oxide (NO)-related factors.

Methods

Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and their controls, Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats, were distributed into three groups: LETO, OLETF, and ART. In the ART group, OLETF rats were treated daily with testosterone (3 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously) from 20 to 25 weeks of age; LETO and OLETF rats received vehicle only.

Main Outcome Measures

We measured erectile function by using measurements of the ratio between intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) following electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve and by evaluating the endothelial function of the corpus cavernosum in an isometric tension study. Expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), sirtuin-1 (Sirt1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) mRNA was detected using polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The ICP/MAP ratio in the OLETF group was significantly decreased and that in the ART group was significantly improved (P < 0.01). The response to acetylcholine was significantly decreased in the OLETF group and improved in the ART group (P < 0.01). Although expression of eNOS and Sirt1 mRNA was decreased and that of iNOS, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA was increased in the OLETF group, ART improved mRNA expression.

Conclusions

ART suppressed inflammation in rats with T2DM and metabolic disorders and improved their endothelial and erectile functions. ART could be effective for T2DM-induced ED and may be considered a potential ED treatment method.
Chucaque and Social Stress among Peruvian Highlanders
Authors: Brooks Benjamin Blakely
Published: January 2014

Highland agriculturalists complain of the cultural syndrome chucaque in the Peruvian Andes. The first aim of this research was to ethnographically document cases of a cultural syndrome utilizing theoretical elements borrowed from cognitive anthropology. Another aim was to use case‐control sampling to determine if there was a relationship between higher social stress levels and the development of a cultural syndrome. The research reported here integrated qualitative and quantitative methods. The social stress gauge developed by Rubel et al. () was adapted to the Andean cultural environment and utilized to assess highland social stressors. Chucaque was found to be locally defined as a specific type of head pain commonly associated with the episode of a traumatic event. Chucaque and household social stress levels were found to be significantly related, especially when the ratio of males to females, which often was imbalanced, was included in the analysis.
Δ1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate reductase from Arabidopsis thaliana: stimulation or inhibition by chloride ions and feedback regulation by proline depend on whether NADPH or NADH acts as co‐substrate
Authors: Giberti Samuele , Funck Dietmar , Forlani Giuseppe
Published: January 2014

Δ1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate (P5C) reductase (P5CR) catalyses the final step of proline synthesis in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, protein levels are correlated neither to the corresponding mRNA copy numbers, nor to intracellular proline concentrations. The occurrence of post‐translational regulatory mechanisms has therefore been hypothesized, but never assessed.

The purification of A. thaliana P5CR was achieved through either a six‐step protocol from cultured cells, or heterologous expression of AtP5CR in Escherichia coli. The protein was characterized with respect to structural, kinetic, and biochemical properties.

P5CR was able to use either NADPH or NADH as the electron donor, with contrasting affinities and maximum reaction rates. The presence of equimolar concentrations of NADP+ completely suppressed the NADH‐dependent activity, whereas the NADPH‐dependent reaction was mildly affected. Proline inhibited only the NADH‐dependent reaction. At physiological values, increasing concentrations of salt progressively inhibited the NADH‐dependent activity, but were stimulatory of the NADPH‐dependent reaction.

The biochemical properties of A. thaliana P5CR suggest a complex regulation of enzyme activity by the redox status of the pyridine nucleotide pools, and the concentrations of proline and chloride in the cytosol. Data support a to date underestimated role of P5CR in controlling stress‐induced proline accumulation.
Diversity of five glutenin loci within durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn.) germplasm grown in Algeria
Authors: Bellil Ines , Hamdi Ouahiba , Khelifi Douadi
Published: January 2014

The HMW and B‐LMW glutenin subunits composition of 120 durum wheat germplasm grown in Algeria was examined using SDS‐PAGE. All together, 39 glutenin patterns were detected, including eight for HMW and 21 for B‐LMW glutenin subunits. Twenty‐six different alleles were identified for the five glutenin loci studied, that is, Glu‐A1 (3), Glu‐B1 (7), Glu‐A3 (5), Glu‐B3 (9) and Glu‐B2 (2). Two new alleles were found at Glu‐B3 locus: Glu‐B3new1 encodes for five subunits (7 + 8 + 14 + 16 + 18) and Glu‐B3new2 codes for five subunits (4 + 6* + 12 + 15 + 15*), of which subunit 15* with mobility between bands 15–16 was not described previously. At the Glu‐1 loci, the Glu‐A1c/Glu‐B1e allelic composition was predominant. For the B‐LMW glutenins, the most common allelic composition was Glu‐A3a/Glu‐B3a/Glu‐B2a. The collection analysed shows glutenin alleles and allele combinations related to high gluten strength. This information could be useful to select varieties with improved quality and also as a source of genes to develop new lines when breeding for quality.
Age at menarche in a group of French schoolgirls
Authors: Lalys Loïc , Pineau Jean‐Claude
Published: January 2014

Background

Mean age at menarche in France decreased from 12.78 years in 1979 to 12.6 years in 1994. The aim of this study was to determine mean age at first menstruation in French adolescent girls in order to study the secular trend.

Methods

Age at first menstruation was noted to the nearest month during recording of anthropometric measurements in three secondary schools in the Aisne administrative department, France, in classes in years 7, 8, 9 and 10. A total of 339 girls aged 11–15½ years were examined. The majority were from a social background of workers, employees and middle managerial staff. Mean age at first menses and standard deviation were calculated using the probits method.

Results

Mean age was 12.5 ± 0.08 years (χ2γ=14 = 16.7, P > 0.05), indicating that it had remained stable for more than 15 years.

Conclusions

A secular decline has already been observed in Belgium, Britain, Hungary, Scandinavia and the USA. In all these countries, age at menarche has reached a stable level at around 13 ± 0.5 years.
Immunoregulation in human American leishmaniasis: balancing pathology and protection
Authors: Gollob K. J. , Viana A. G. , Dutra W. O.
Published: January 2014

Leishmaniasis covers a broad spectrum of diseases with distinct, and sometimes overlapping, characteristics. The common thread in all forms of leishmaniasis is the infection by the parasite Leishmania belonging to the genus Leishmania. Upon infection of humans, there can be at least three outcomes, (i) control of Leishmania by the host immune response resulting in asymptomatic disease, (ii) patent infection and development of a relatively mild form of leishmaniasis and (iii) patent infection and development of severe clinical forms. The factors that determine the outcome of an initial inoculation with Leishmania are many, with the species of Leishmania representing one of the strongest predictive factors for the development of a given clinical form of disease. This is seen with L. braziliensis and L. amazonensis, infection leading mostly to tegumentary forms of disease, and L. infantum with the potential to induce visceral disease. However, it is also clear that the host immune response is a key factor in disease progression, not only responsible for control of Leishmania, but also playing an important role in disease progression and pathology. This duality between protective and pathogenic immune responses in individuals infected with Leishmania in the Americas is the focus of this review.
Interpreting MSHA Citations Through the Lens of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: Investigating Their Impact on Mine Injuries and Illnesses 2003–2010
Authors: Yorio Patrick L. , Willmer Dana R. , Haight Joel M.
Published: January 2014

Since the late 1980s, the U.S. Department of Labor has considered regulating a systems approach to occupational health and safety management. Recently, a health and safety management systems (HSMS) standard has returned to the regulatory agenda of both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Because a mandated standard has implications for both industry and regulating bodies alike, it is imperative to gain a greater understanding of the potential effects that an HSMS regulatory approach can have on establishment‐level injuries and illnesses. Through the lens of MSHA's regulatory framework, we first explore how current enforcement activities align with HSMS elements. Using MSHA data for the years 2003–2010, we then analyze the relationship between various types of enforcement activities (e.g., total number of citations, total penalty amount, and HSMS‐aligned citations) and mine reportable injuries. Our findings show that the reduction in mine reportable injuries predicted by increases in MSHA enforcement ranges from negligible to 18%. The results suggest that the type and focus of the enforcement activity may be more important for accident reduction than the total number of citations issued and the associated penalty amount.
Laughter and Humor Therapy in Dialysis
Authors: Bennett Paul N. , Parsons Trisha , Ben‐Moshe Ros , Weinberg Melissa , Neal Merv , Gilbert Karen , Rawson Helen , Ockerby Cherene , Finlay Paul , Hutchinson Alison
Published: January 2014

Laughter and humor therapy have been used in health care to achieve physiological and psychological health‐related benefits. The application of these therapies to the dialysis context remains unclear. This paper reviews the evidence related to laughter and humor therapy as a medical therapy relevant to the dialysis patient population. Studies from other groups such as children, the elderly, and persons with mental health, cancer, and other chronic conditions are included to inform potential applications of laughter therapy to the dialysis population. Therapeutic interventions could range from humorous videos, stories, laughter clowns through to raucous simulated laughter and Laughter Yoga. The effect of laughter and humor on depression, anxiety, pain, immunity, fatigue, sleep quality, respiratory function and blood glucose may have applications to the dialysis context and require further research.
The Copula Information Criteria
Authors: Grønneberg Steffen , Hjort Nils Lid
Published: January 2014

We derive two types of Akaike information criterion (AIC)‐like model‐selection formulae for the semiparametric pseudo‐maximum likelihood procedure. We first adapt the arguments leading to the original AIC formula, related to empirical estimation of a certain Kullback–Leibler information distance. This gives a significantly different formula compared with the AIC, which we name the copula information criterion. However, we show that such a model‐selection procedure cannot exist for copula models with densities that grow very fast near the edge of the unit cube. This problem affects most popular copula models. We then derive what we call the cross‐validation copula information criterion, which exists under weak conditions and is a first‐order approximation to exact cross validation. This formula is very similar to the standard AIC formula but has slightly different motivation. A brief illustration with real data is given.
Weighted Logrank Permutation Tests for Randomly Right Censored Life Science Data
Authors: Brendel Michael , Janssen Arnold , Mayer Claus‐Dieter , Pauly Markus
Published: January 2014

In biomedical research, weighted logrank tests are frequently applied to compare two samples of randomly right censored survival times. We address the question how to combine a number of weighted logrank statistics to achieve good power of the corresponding survival test for a whole linear space or cone of alternatives, which are given by hazard rates. This leads to a new class of semiparametric projection tests that are motivated by likelihood ratio tests for an asymptotic model. We show that these tests can be carried out as permutation tests and discuss their asymptotic properties. A simulation study together with the analysis of a classical data set illustrates the advantages.
The Social Psychology of Corruption: Why It Does Not Exist and Why It Should
Authors: Zaloznaya Marina
Published: January 2014

In recent decades, corruption has emerged as a major cause of global inequality and an important subject of social scientific research. This article argues that social psychologists have not taken full advantage of analytical tools at their disposal to generate explanatory accounts of corruption in non‐Western contexts. In the first part of the article, the author maintains that the lack of social psychological research on why people engage in corruption is due to the dearth of empirical data on corruption, the theoretical complexity of this phenomenon, and current popularity of neoliberalism in politics and academic research. In the second part of the article, the author argues that the symbolic interactionism school of social psychology has a number of tools that could be more helpful in exploring the causes of corruption in non‐Western settings than rational‐choice approaches that are currently en vogue. The article concludes with an argument that such analyses could generate culturally sensitive as well as policy‐relevant theories of corruption.
Interrogating Whiteness Within Criminology
Authors: Smith Justin M.
Published: January 2014

This paper merges critical White studies with the sociological field of criminology as a means to progress understanding of criminal behavior, justice, and social control. Up to this point, criminology has largely neglected the significance of whiteness within its boundaries of study. Thankfully, a strong foundation of research and theoretical statements has been completed in the interdisciplinary field of critical White studies. The formation of criminal law can be more clearly understood through the inclusion of frameworks offered by critical White studies. Additionally, nuanced explanations of criminal behavior and hate crime among Whites can be attained through this perspective.
Predictive mean matching imputation of semicontinuous variables
Authors: Vink Gerko , Frank Laurence E. , Pannekoek Jeroen , van Buuren Stef
Published: January 2014

Multiple imputation methods properly account for the uncertainty of missing data. One of those methods for creating multiple imputations is predictive mean matching (PMM), a general purpose method. Little is known about the performance of PMM in imputing non‐normal semicontinuous data (skewed data with a point mass at a certain value and otherwise continuously distributed). We investigate the performance of PMM as well as dedicated methods for imputing semicontinuous data by performing simulation studies under univariate and multivariate missingness mechanisms. We also investigate the performance on real‐life datasets. We conclude that PMM performance is at least as good as the investigated dedicated methods for imputing semicontinuous data and, in contrast to other methods, is the only method that yields plausible imputations and preserves the original data distributions.
Comparative evaluation of aqueous humor viscosity
Authors: Davis Kyshia , Carter Renee , Tully Thomas , Negulescu Ioan , Storey Eric
Published: January 2014

Objective

To evaluate aqueous humor viscosity in the raptor, dog, cat, and horse, with a primary focus on the barred owl (Strix varia).

Animals studied

Twenty‐six raptors, ten dogs, three cats, and one horse.

Procedure

Animals were euthanized for reasons unrelated to this study. Immediately, after horizontal and vertical corneal dimensions were measured, and anterior chamber paracentesis was performed to quantify anterior chamber volume and obtain aqueous humor samples for viscosity analysis. Dynamic aqueous humor viscosity was measured using a dynamic shear rheometer (AR 1000 TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, USA) at 20 °C. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, unpaired t‐tests, and Tukey's test to evaluate the mean ± standard deviation for corneal diameter, anterior chamber volume, and aqueous humor viscosity amongst groups and calculation of Spearman's coefficient for correlation analyses.

Results

The mean aqueous humor viscosity in the barred owl was 14.1 centipoise (cP) ± 9, cat 4.4 cP ± 0.2, and dog 2.9 cP ± 1.3. The aqueous humor viscosity for the horse was 1 cP.

Conclusions

Of the animals evaluated in this study, the raptor aqueous humor was the most viscous. The aqueous humor of the barred owl is significantly more viscous than the dog (P < 0.0001). The aqueous humor viscosity of the raptor, dog, cat, and horse can be successfully determined using a dynamic shear rheometer.
EVALUATION OF STANDARD MAGNETIC RESONANCE CHARACTERISTICS USED TO DIFFERENTIATE NEOPLASTIC, INFLAMMATORY, AND VASCULAR BRAIN LESIONS IN DOGS
Authors: Young Benjamin D. , Fosgate Geoffrey T. , Holmes Shannon P. , Wolff Collin A. , Chen‐Allen Annie V. , Kent Marc , Platt Simon R. , Savage Mason Y. , Schatzberg Scott J. , Levine Jonathan M.
Published: January 2014

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics are commonly used to help predict intracranial disease categories in dogs, however, few large studies have objectively evaluated these characteristics. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate MR characteristics that have been used to differentiate neoplastic, inflammatory, and vascular intracranial diseases in a large, multi‐institutional population of dogs. Medical records from three veterinary teaching hospitals were searched over a 6‐year period for dogs that had diagnostic quality brain MR scans and histologically confirmed intracranial disease. Three examiners who were unaware of histologic diagnosis independently evaluated 19 MR lesion characteristics totaling 57 possible responses. A total of 75 dogs with histologically confirmed intracranial disease were included in analyses: 51 with neoplasia, 18 with inflammatory disease, and six with cerebrovascular disease. Only strong contrast enhancement was more common in neoplasia than other disease categories. A multivariable statistical model suggested that extra‐axial origin, T2‐FLAIR mixed intensity, and defined lesion margins were also predictive of neoplasia. Meningeal enhancement, irregular lesion shape, and multifocal location distinguished inflammatory diseases from the other disease categories. No MR characteristics distinguished vascular lesions and these appeared most similar to neoplasia. These results differed from a previous report describing seven MR characteristics that were predictive of neoplasia in dogs and cats. Findings from the current study indicated that the high performance of MR for diagnosing canine intracranial diseases might be due to evaluator recognition of combinations of MR characteristics vs. relying on any one MR characteristic alone.
Slowed muscle oxygen uptake kinetics with raised metabolism are not dependent on blood flow or recruitment dynamics
Authors: Wüst Rob C. I. , McDonald James R. , Sun Yi , Ferguson Brian S. , Rogatzki Matthew J. , Spires Jessica , Kowalchuk John M. , Gladden L. Bruce , Rossiter Harry B.
Published: January 2014

Key points

A slow adjustment of skeletal muscle oxygen uptake () to produce energy during exercise predisposes to early fatigue.

In human studies, kinetics are slow when exercise is initiated from an elevated baseline; this is proposed to reflect slow blood flow regulation and/or recruitment of muscle fibres containing few mitochondria.

To investigate this, we measured kinetics in canine muscle, with experimental control over muscle activation and blood flow.

We found that kinetics remained slow when contractions were initiated from an elevated baseline despite experimentally increased blood flow and uniform fibre activation.

These data challenge our current understanding of the control of muscle and demand consideration of new alternative mediators for control.

Oxygen uptake kinetics (τ) are slowed when exercise is initiated from a raised metabolic rate. Whether this reflects the recruitment of muscle fibres differing in oxidative capacity, or slowed blood flow () kinetics is unclear. This study determined τ in canine muscle in situ, with experimental control over muscle activation and during contractions initiated from rest and a raised metabolic rate. The gastrocnemius complex of nine anaesthetised, ventilated dogs was isolated and attached to a force transducer. Isometric tetanic contractions (50 Hz; 200 ms duration) via supramaximal sciatic nerve stimulation were used to manipulate metabolic rate: 3 min stimulation at 0.33 Hz (S1), followed by 3 min at 0.67 Hz (S2). Circulation was initially intact (SPON), and subsequently isolated for pump‐perfusion (PUMP) above the greatest value in SPON. Muscle was determined contraction‐by‐contraction using an ultrasonic flowmeter and venous oximeter, and normalised to tension‐time integral (TTI). τ/TTI and τ were less in S1SPON (mean ± s.d.: 13 ± 3 s and 12 ± 4 s, respectively) than in S2SPON (29 ± 19 s and 31 ± 13 s, respectively; P < 0.05). τ/TTI was unchanged by pump‐perfusion (S1PUMP, 12 ± 4 s; S2PUMP, 24 ± 6 s; P < 0.001) despite increased O2 delivery; at S2 onset, venous O2 saturation was 21 ± 4% and 65 ± 5% in SPON and PUMP, respectively. kinetics remained slowed when contractions were initiated from a raised metabolic rate despite uniform muscle stimulation and increased O2 delivery. The intracellular mechanism may relate to a falling energy state, approaching saturating ADP concentration, and/or slowed mitochondrial activation; but further study is required. These data add to the evidence that muscle control is more complex than previously suggested.
Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake and leak properties, and SERCA isoform expression, in type I and type II fibres of human skeletal muscle
Authors: Lamboley C. R. , Murphy R. M. , McKenna M. J. , Lamb G. D.
Published: January 2014

Key points

Release and uptake of Ca2+ ions by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) regulates contraction in skeletal muscle. SR Ca2+ uptake and leak properties in human muscle are presently not well defined.

The surface membrane of individual human muscle fibres was removed by microdissection, and the rate of SR Ca2+ uptake at different applied [Ca2+] assessed from the amount of Ca2+ accumulated.

Ca2+ uptake occurred at lower [Ca2+] in type I fibres than in type II fibres, consistent with the contractile apparatus properties in the respective fibre types. Maximal uptake rate was slightly greater in type II fibres, and approximately two Ca2+ were taken up per ATP hydrolysed.

Ca2+ leaking out of the SR ultimately has to be pumped back in again at the cost of ATP usage. SR Ca2+ leakage in human muscle fibres was smaller and regulated differently to that in rat muscle fibres, probably reflecting different contributions to thermogenesis.

The Ca2+ uptake properties of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were compared between type I and type II fibres of vastus lateralis muscle of young healthy adults. Individual mechanically skinned muscle fibres were exposed to solutions with the free [Ca2+] heavily buffered in the pCa range (–log10[Ca2+]) 7.3–6.0 for set times and the amount of net SR Ca2+ accumulation determined from the force response elicited upon emptying the SR of all Ca2+. Western blotting was used to determine fibre type and the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+‐ATPase (SERCA) isoform present in every fibre examined. Type I fibres contained only SERCA2 and displayed half‐maximal Ca2+ uptake rate at ∼pCa 6.8, whereas type II fibres contained only SERCA1 and displayed half‐maximal Ca2+ uptake rate at ∼pCa 6.6. Maximal Ca2+ uptake rate was ∼0.18 and ∼0.21 mmol Ca2+ (l fibre)–1 s–1 in type I and type II fibres, respectively, in good accord with previously measured SR ATPase activity. Increasing free [Mg2+] from 1 to 3 mm had no significant effect on the net Ca2+ uptake rate at pCa 6.0, indicating that there was little or no calcium‐induced calcium release occurring through the Ca2+ release channels during uptake in either fibre type. Ca2+ leakage from the SR at pCa 8.5, which is thought to occur at least in part through the SERCA, was ∼2‐fold lower in type II fibres than in type I fibres, and was little affected by the presence of ADP, in marked contrast to the larger SR Ca2+ leak observed in rat muscle fibres under the same conditions. The higher affinity of Ca2+ uptake in the type I human fibres can account for the higher relative level of SR Ca2+ loading observed in type I compared to type II fibres, and the SR Ca2+ leakage characteristics of the human fibres suggest that the SERCAs are regulated differently from those in rat and contribute comparatively less to resting metabolic rate.
Hierarchical Bayesian Corrosion Growth Model Based on In-Line Inspection Data
Authors: Al-Amin Mohammad , Zhou Wenxing , Zhang Shenwei , Kariyawasam Shahani , Wang Hong
Published: January 2014

A hierarchical Bayesian growth model is presented in this paper to characterize and predict the growth of individual metal-loss corrosion defects on pipelines. The depth of the corrosion defects is assumed to be a power-law function of time characterized by two power-law coefficients and the corrosion initiation time, and the probabilistic characteristics of the these parameters are evaluated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation technique based on in-line inspection (ILI) data collected at different times for a given pipeline. The model accounts for the constant and non-constant biases and random scattering errors of the ILI data, as well as the potential correlation between the random scattering errors associated with different ILI tools. The model is validated by comparing the predicted depths with the field-measured depths of two sets of external corrosion defects identified on two real natural gas pipelines. The results suggest that the growth model is able to predict the growth of active corrosion defects with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The developed model can facilitate the pipeline corrosion management program.
A Mathematical Model for the Mixed Lubrication of Non-Conformable Contacts With Asperity Friction, Plastic Deformation, Flash Temperature, and Tribo-Chemistry
Authors: Chang L. , Jeng Yeau-Ren
Published: January 2014

A mathematical model is presented in this paper for rolling-sliding contacts operating in a mixed regime of elastohydrodynamic lubrication and boundary lubrication. The model is based on the framework of Johnson et al. (1972, “A Simple Theory of Asperity Contacts in Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication,” Wear, 19, pp. 91–108). It incorporates into this framework a number of important asperity-level variables including asperity friction, friction-induced plastic flow, flash temperature, and boundary-film tribo-chemistry. The model yields a number of variables useful for the assessment of the state of the mixed lubrication. They include the load sharing between fluid and asperities, area of asperity contacts, and fraction area of asperity contacts undergoing plastic flow along with experimentally measurable variables such as the traction coefficient, friction power intensity, and temperature of the overall contact. The model is limited to mixed-lubrication problems in which the load is mainly carried by the fluid pressure and the total area of asperity contacts is a small percentage of the Hertz area. Further development is possible to formulate a model into a wider mixed-lubrication regime using some modeling concepts developed in this paper in conjunction with other modeling techniques.
Time-Temperature-Pressure Superposition in Polymer Thickened Liquid Lubricants
Authors: Bair Scott , Qureshi Farrukh
Published: January 2014

Shear-dependent viscosities have been measured over a range of temperature and pressure for seven engine oils blended to have kinematic viscosity of 14 mm2/s at 100 °C with two base oils and four viscosity modifiers. Elevated pressure measurements were performed with a pressurized thin-film Couette viscometer and ambient pressure measurements were done with a PCS USV viscometer. These measurements were fitted to a generalized Newtonian model with the effective shear modulus specified by an empirical power-law shifting rule. The use of PAO-40 as a thickener delayed the shear-thinning to very high stress as compared with the polymers. The rate sensitivity of the oils thickened with nondispersant polymers was similar. Like the Tannas TBS viscometer, the PCS Instruments USV viscometer provides shear-dependent viscosity measurements, which can be essential for the most accurate time-temperature-pressure shifting. Viscosities measured at high viscous power in the ambient pressure viscometer, however, tend to be influenced by thermal softening and at high stress by shear cavitation.