bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paternalistic Supervision of Labour in Indonesian Plantations: Between Dependence and Autonomy
Authors: Barral Stephanie
Published: March 2014

On large estates, labour control has two dimensions: control of work itself and control of workers' private lives, including that of their families. Historically, plantation companies have always provided accommodation for their workers, and as a result play a central role in the supervision of the domestic sphere. This paternalistic aspect of labour relations has evolved from being coercive during the indenture system, through a progressive loosening. This paper analyses the history of paternalistic labour relations in Indonesia and Indonesian labour laws. It includes a description of compounds in Indonesian oil palm plantations, where thousands of permanent workers and their families are housed. The compounds are characterized by comprehensive and continuous supervision. Although they generally accept paternalistic labour relations as conferring them with a high degree of security, inhabitants also manage to develop particular ways of negotiating control and asserting autonomy.
Labour Management on Contemporary Kenyan Cut Flower Farms: Foundations of an Industrial–Civic Compromise
Authors: Riisgaard Lone , Gibbon Peter
Published: March 2014

This paper describes the labour management system applied since around 2005 on farms accounting for the bulk of the output of the Kenyan cut flower sector, and provides an analysis of the foundations of this system. Using categories drawn from convention theory, this system is characterized in terms of specific approaches to hiring, training and promotion; labour retention; work organization and worker deployment; payment systems and supervision, as well as to collective bargaining. In convention theory terms, the combination of approaches identified in Kenya embodies a mixture of ‘industrial’ and ‘civic’ orientations – in contrast to both more traditional paternalist and unbridled market‐oriented ones. The material and political foundations of this ‘industrial–civic compromise’ are explored at length, with particular attention to stabilization of the production system (in the case of industrial elements) and political and demand‐side developments (in the case of civic elements). The paper concludes by considering the generalizability of these findings to other large‐scale agricultural sectors in developing countries.
Effects of raw red onion consumption on metabolic features in overweight or obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Ebrahimi‐Mamaghani Mehranghiz , Saghafi‐Asl Maryam , Pirouzpanah Saeed , Asghari‐Jafarabadi Mohammad
Published: March 2014

Aim

We aimed to evaluate the effects of raw red onion consumption on metabolic features in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Material and Methods

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, the patients (n = 54) were randomly allocated to the intervention group as ‘high‐onion’ (raw red onions: 2 × 40–50 g/day if overweight and 2 × 50–60 g/day if obese) or to the control group as ‘low‐onion’ (raw red onions: 2 × 10–15 g/day) along with limited liliaceous vegetables for 8 weeks. Body mass index, dietary record, and metabolic parameters (fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipoprotein (a)) were evaluated in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle at baseline and after 8 weeks. Hormonal variables (progesterone, prolactin, and 17‐OH progesterone) were also measured at baseline.

Results

Onion significantly decreased the levels of total cholesterol within each group; however, these changes were stronger in the high‐onion group (weighted mean differences [WMD]: −5.60 [95% confidence interval [CI]: −9.16, −2.03]; P = 0.003) than in the low‐onion group (WMD: −6.42 [95%CI: −11.97, −0.87]; P = 0.025). Similarly, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly (WMD: −5.13 [95%CI: −9.46, −0.81); P = 0.022) in the high‐onion group, and (WMD: −2.90 [95%CI −5.57, −0.21]; P = 0.035) in the low‐onion group after treatment. The levels of fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) did not differ significantly after 8‐week onion treatment. Adjustment for confounders did not make any significant changes in any of the parameters in post‐treatment levels.

Conclusion

Raw red onion consumption appears to be effective as a cholesterol‐lowering food agent in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, further investigation is warranted.
Hysteroscopy in patients with repeated implantation failure improves the outcome of assisted reproductive technology in fresh and frozen cycles
Authors: Hosseini Marzieh Agha , Ebrahimi Nasim , Mahdavi Atossa , Aleyasin Ashraf , Safdarian Leili , Fallahi Parvin , Esfahani Fatemeh
Published: March 2014

Aim

Repeated implantation failure (RIF) is still a problem for many patients and their physicians. Some interventions have been practiced to overcome the problem; one is uterine cavity assessment before assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hysteroscopy in women experiencing recurrent implantation failure with apparently normal uterine cavity before assisted reproductive techniques.

Material and Methods

This was a cohort study with historical controls conducted in a university hospital. A total of 353 women with RIF undergoing ART with normal hysterosalpingography and transvaginal ultrasound were evaluated. The intervention group underwent hysteroscopy with a rigid, 30°, 4‐mm hysteroscope in the menstrual cycle just before ART; in the control group hysteroscopy was not performed. Basal characteristics, stimulation parameters and pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups.

Results

Chemical pregnancy occurred in 58.5% of women in the hysteroscopy group versus 34.1% of control women (odds ratio [OR]: 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7–4.2; P < 0.001). Clinical pregnancy occurred in 50.7% and 30.3% of women in the hysteroscopy and control groups, respectively (OR: 2.4; 95%CI: 1.5–3.7; P < 0.001). Delivery rate was 35.5% in hysteroscopy women and 21.1% in control women (OR: 1.9; 95%CI: 1.2–3.1; P = 0.008). The results of hysteroscopy were normal in 103 women (72.5%), and they revealed inflammation in 22 (15.5%), polyp in 16 (11.3%) and Asherman syndrome in one patient (0.7%).

Conclusions

Hysteroscopy in the menstrual cycle before ovarian stimulation in fresh cycles and before endometrial preparation in frozen thawed cycles in women experiencing recurrent implantation failure with apparently normal uterine cavity significantly increases the pregnancy rates in fresh and frozen cycles, respectively.
Valve‐in‐Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: The New Playground for Prosthesis‐Patient Mismatch
Authors: FAERBER GLORIA , SCHLEGER SIMONE , DIAB MAHMOUD , BREUER MARTIN , FIGULLA HANS R. , EICHINGER WALTER B. , DOENST TORSTEN
Published: March 2014

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become an established procedure for patients with aortic valve stenosis and significant comorbidities. One option offered by this technique is the implantation of a transcatheter valve inside a surgically implanted bioprosthesis. Many reports address the feasibility but also the pitfalls of these valve‐in‐valve (VIV) procedures. Review articles provide tables listing which valve sizes are appropriate based on the size of the initially implanted bioprosthesis. However, we previously argued that the hemodynamic performance of a prosthetic tissue valve is in large part a result of the dimensions of the bioprosthesis in relation to the patient's aortic outflow dimensions. Thus, the decision if a VIV TAVI procedure is likely to be associated with a favorable hemodynamic result cannot safely be made by looking at premade sizing tables that do not include patient dimensions and do not inquire about the primary cause for bioprosthetic valve stenosis. Prosthesis‐patient mismatch (PPM) may therefore be more frequent than expected after conventional aortic valve replacement. Importantly, it may be masked by a potentially flawed method assessing its relevance. Such PPM may therefore impact significantly on hemodynamic outcome after VIV TAVI. Fifteen percent of currently published VIV procedures show only a minimal reduction of pressure gradients. We will address potential pitfalls in the current determination of PPM, outline the missing links for reliable determination of PPM, and present a simplified algorithm to guide decision making for VIV TAVI. (J Interven Cardiol 2014;27:287–292)
The Private Export Credit Insurance Effect on Trade
Authors: van der Veer Koen J. M.
Published: March 2014

International trade relies on trade finance (credit or insurance) by financial institutions. Evidence on the link between trade finance and trade is scarce, however, because trade finance data are hard to come by. This article uses a unique bilateral data set on worldwide exports insured by a world's leading private trade credit insurer in the period from 1992 to 2006. Applying various trade models, I consistently find a positive and statistically significant effect of private export credit insurance on exports. The results suggest that the private export credit insurance effect on trade is larger than the value of exports insured.
The Valuation Implications of Enterprise Risk Management Maturity
Authors: Farrell Mark , Gallagher Ronan
Published: March 2014

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is the discipline by which enterprises monitor, analyze, and control risks from across the enterprise, with the goal of identifying underlying correlations and thus optimizing the risk‐taking behavior in a portfolio context. This study analyzes the valuation implications of ERM Maturity. We use data from the industry leading Risk and Insurance Management Society Risk Maturity Model over the period from 2006 to 2011, which scores firms on a five‐point maturity scale. Our results suggest that firms that have reached mature levels of ERM are exhibiting a higher firm value, as measured by Tobin's Q. We find a statistically significant positive relation to the magnitude of 25 percent. Upon decomposition of the maturity score, we find that the most important aspects of ERM from a valuation perspective relate to the level of top–down executive engagement and the resultant cascade of ERM culture throughout the firm. Firms that have successfully integrated the ERM process into both their strategic activities and everyday practices display superior ability in uncovering risk dependencies and correlations across the entire enterprise and as a consequence enhanced value when undertaking the ERM maturity journey ceteris paribus.
Can severe drought reverse woody plant encroachment in a temperate Australian woodland?
Authors: Zeeman Ben J. , Lunt Ian D. , Morgan John W.
Published: March 2014

Question

Increases in the cover of woody plants have been documented in woodland, savanna and grassland ecosystems across the globe, commonly attributed to changes in land use or disturbance regimes. This is often thought to result in alternative stable states resistant to reversal. However, some multi‐decadal‐scale studies have found woody plant cover fluctuates according to variations in rainfall. After a decade‐long El Nino event, we ask: can severe drought reverse woody plant encroachment in a temperate Australian woodland?

Location

Temperate coastal woodland in Victoria, SE Australia that has remained unburned for over a century.

Methods

Using data spanning 41 yr, changes in basal area and tree density were assessed for the major woody species in a eucalypt woodland. Data were used to determine whether a decade of severe drought (1997–2009) had reversed a previously identified phase of woody plant encroachment (1971–1996).

Results

After an increase in stand density between 1971 and 1996, attributed to an increase in the fire‐sensitive species Allocasuarina littoralis, total tree density then declined by 42% between 1996 and 2012. Changes in tree density differed across dominant woody species (A. littoralis −34%, Allocasuarina verticillata +26%, Acacia pycnantha −78%, Banksia marginata −73%, Eucalyptus spp. −97%), and seedling recruitment almost completely ceased for all species. However, the basal area of A. littoralis (having almost doubled between 1971 and 1996) had continued to increase by 75%, with increases highest in areas where initial basal area was lowest. Despite this increase, total stand basal area remained relatively stable, with an increase of 5%, because of a combined decline in basal area for all other species of 62%.

Conclusion

Despite the most severe drought on record, site occupancy – as measured by basal area – did not decline between 1996 and 2012. Thus, severe drought did not reverse woody plant encroachment. Rather, findings were consistent with the previous trend of increasing A. littoralis dominance at the expense of other tree species in the long‐term absence of fire.
Cultural agents creating texts: a collaborative space adventure
Authors: Daniels Karen
Published: March 2014

This paper discusses the ways in which young children collaboratively use narrative play and the available space and materials around them in order to exert cultural agency. The collaborative creation of texts is asserted as central to this expression of agency. By presenting an illustrative vignette of a group of 5‐year‐old boys as they engage in literacy practices and create a range of meaningful texts within an early years compulsory education setting, the ways in which agency is expressed through the collaborative venture of text creation is explored. The vignette follows an episode of self‐initiated dramatic play, fuelled by the children's desire to engage in peer culture and make meanings collaboratively. This play episode spurs the creation of a range of hybridised texts, which culminate in the production of a written narrative. Observations from this study are then used to add to a broader discussion, which raises concerns about the current policy in England, which views early writing development as a set of individual and predefined set of skills to be acquired, a view which could undervalue the experiences that children bring to early educational settings.
Complex regulation of secondary metabolism controlling pathogenicity in the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata
Authors: Takaoka Shinya , Kurata Mariko , Harimoto Yoshiaki , Hatta Rieko , Yamamoto Mikihiro , Akimitsu Kazuya , Tsuge Takashi
Published: March 2014

The filamentous fungus Alternaria alternata includes seven pathogenic variants (pathotypes), which produce different host‐selective toxins and cause disease on different plants. The Japanese pear, strawberry and tangerine pathotypes produce AK‐toxin, AF‐toxin and ACT‐toxin, respectively, which have a common structural moiety, 9,10‐epoxy‐8‐hydroxy‐9‐methyl‐decatrienoic acid (EDA).

Here, we identified a new gene, AKT7 (AK‐toxin biosynthetic gene 7), from the Japanese pear pathotype, which encodes a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and functions to limit AK‐toxin production.

AKT7 homologs were found in the strawberry pathotype, but not the tangerine pathotype. However, the strawberry pathotype homolog appeared to include a premature stop codon. Although the Japanese pear pathotype strain has multiple copies of AKT7, a single‐copy disruption resulted in mutants with increased production of AK‐toxin and EDA. AKT7 overexpression in the three pathotypes caused marked reductions of toxin and EDA production, suggesting that Akt7 catalyzes a side reaction of EDA or its precursor. AKT7 overexpression caused reduced virulence in these pathotypes. We also found that AKT7 transcripts predominantly include misspliced mRNAs, which have premature stop codons.

Our observations suggest that the AK‐toxin production required for full virulence is regulated in a complex way by the copy number and intron information content of AKT7.
Radiation‐induced, cell cycle–related gene expression in aging hematopoietic stem cells: enigma of their recovery
Authors: Hirabayashi Yoko
Published: March 2014

This paper reviews quantitative and qualitative studies conducted to identify changes in the characteristics of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSCs/HPCs) with or without radiation exposure. The numerical recovery of HSCs/HPCs after radiation exposure is lower than for other types of cells, an effect that may depend on hierarchical ordering of generation age during blood cell differentiation, from primitive HSCs to various differentiated HPCs. Studies are in progress to evaluate gene expression in bone marrow cells and cells in the lineage‐negative, c‐Kit+, stem cell antigen+ (LKS) fraction from 21‐month‐old mice, with or without radiation exposure. Preliminary data suggest that cell cycle–related genes, that is, cyclin D1 (Ccnd1), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase regulatory subunit polypeptide 1 (PiK3r1), and Fyn, are upregulated solely in the LKS fraction from 21‐month‐old mice irradiated at 6 weeks of age, compared with the LKS fraction from age‐matched nonirradiated control mice. Additional studies may provide evidence that the aging phenotype is exaggerated following exposure to ionizing radiation, specifically in the LKS fraction.
Exposure to general anesthesia in early life and the risk of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder development: a nationwide, retrospective matched‐cohort study
Authors: Ko Wen‐Ru , Liaw Yung‐Po , Huang Jing‐Yang , Zhao De‐Hui , Chang Hui‐Chin , Ko Pei‐Chieh , Jan Shiou‐Rung , Nfor Oswald Ndi , Chiang Yi‐Chen , Lin Long‐Yau
Published: March 2014

Background

Postnatal exposure to anesthetics can cause neural apoptosis and degeneration in animals, but results from studies conducted on humans were discordant. Previous studies contained no information on the relationship between neurobehavioural disorders and anesthesia exposure in Asian children. We conducted a retrospective matched‐cohort study in Taiwan to investigate the association of early life anesthesia exposure with risk of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. Children born between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2005 were included. Each child with anesthesia exposure before 3 years of age was matched to four unexposed children. Observation was concluded on December 31, 2010. Proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association of anesthesia exposure with ADHD. Analyses were also made based on exposure number and age at the time of first exposure.

Results

This matched‐cohort comprised of 16 465 children, among which 3293 were exposed to general anesthesia before age 3 years. The adjusted hazard ratio of developing ADHD was 1.06 (95% CI: 0.86,1.31) for general anesthesia exposure. The adjusted hazard ratio of developing ADHD for single and multiple exposures were 1.11 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.41) and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.71,1.31), respectively. No trend of increasing risk was noted based on age at the time of first exposure.

Conclusions

Exposure to general anesthesia before 3 years of age was not associated with ADHD.
Neuropathic pain other than CRPS in children and adolescents: incidence, referral, clinical characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes
Authors: Kachko Ludmyla , Ben Ami Shiri , Lieberman Alon , Shor Rita , Tzeitlin Elena , Efrat Rachel
Published: March 2014

Background and Objectives

Chronic pain in children and adolescents is common, but proportion of neuropathic pain (NP), a heterogeneous group of diseases with major impact on health‐related quality of life, significant economic burden, and limited treatment options, is unclear. Many studies have focused only on complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Our aim was to examine the incidence, clinical features, management, and outcome of non‐CRPS NP in patients referred to a chronic pediatric pain clinic (CPPC) at a tertiary‐care hospital.

Methods

Retrospective analyses of the patient's files with non‐CRPS NP from 2008 until 2012.

Results

Twenty patients (9.9–22.0 years; 10.7% of new referrals) were treated with non‐CRPS NP (postoperative 8/20, trauma‐related 5/20, disease‐related 7/20). The number of consultations performed and the number of medications used before CPPC were significantly higher than in CPPC (Z = 0.75, P = 0.005; Z = 1.68, P = 0.003; respectively, Wilcoxon test). The number of diagnostic procedures was not statistically significant. Invasive treatments were used in 50% of patients. Full/partial recovery was accomplished in 95%. anova with repeated measures yielded a highly significant difference between the initial and final visual analog scale (VAS) scores (8.2 ± 1.3; 1.19 ± 2.01, respectively; P < 0.001), and no effect of age, gender, time needed for referral to CPPC, and patient's categories on the change in VAS.

Conclusions

Better understanding of the medical profile of pediatric patients with non‐CRPS NP is crucial to timely and correct diagnosis and effective management, but even children with delayed diagnosis still have a good outcome. The management of this condition by an experienced team is recommended.
Combined use of neuraxial and general anesthesia during major abdominal procedures in neonates and infants
Authors: Goeller Jessica K. , Bhalla Tarun , Tobias Joseph D.
Published: March 2014

With the advent of ultrasound and improvements in equipment, the applications of regional anesthesia in the pediatric population have continued to expand. Although frequently used for postoperative analgesia or as a means of avoiding general anesthesia in patients with comorbid conditions, the adjunctive use of regional anesthesia during general anesthesia may effectively decrease the intraoperative requirements for intravenous and volatile agents, thereby providing a more rapid awakening and earlier tracheal extubation. More recently, the limitation of the requirements for volatile and other anesthetic agents may be desirable, given concerns regarding the potential impact of these agents on neurocognitive outcome in neonates and infants. Several authors have demonstrated the potential utility of combining a neuraxial technique (spinal or epidural anesthesia) with general anesthesia in neonates and infants undergoing intraabdominal procedures. We review the literature regarding the combined use of neuraxial and general anesthesia in neonates and infants during major abdominal surgery, discuss its potential applications in this population, and review the techniques of such practice.
Factitial Dermatitis Due to the “Salt and Ice Challenge”
Authors: Zack Jason M. , Fults Matthew , Saxena Harshita , Green Brian
Published: March 2014

A new source of factitial dermatitis in adolescents is the “salt and ice challenge.” This “challenge” causes frostbite on the child's body, resulting in epidermal necrosis with occasional bulla. The following is the case of a 12‐year‐old girl who underwent the “salt and ice challenge.”
Idiopathic Eruptive Macular Pigmentation Involving the Distal Extremities: A Case Report
Authors: Herd Tiffany J. , Wright Teresa S.
Published: March 2014

Idiopathic eruptive macular pigmentation is a disorder of pigmentation found in children and adolescents. It typically manifests as nonconfluent tan to brown macules involving the neck, trunk, and proximal extremities. We report the case of a 6‐year‐old girl with an atypical presentation involving the distal extremities. Histopathology confirmed the subtle increase in pigmentation of the basal layer of the epidermis. Treatments are largely ineffective. The condition is generally self‐limited over months to years, thus treatment is unnecessary.
Muscle functional MRI analysis of trunk muscle recruitment during extension exercises in asymptomatic individuals
Authors: De Ridder E. M. D. , Van Oosterwijck J. O. , Vleeming A. , Vanderstraeten G. G. , Danneels L. A.
Published: March 2014

The present study examined the activity levels of the thoracic and lumbar extensor muscles during different extension exercise modalities in healthy individuals. Therefore, 14 subjects performed four different types of extension exercises in prone position: dynamic trunk extension, dynamic–static trunk extension, dynamic leg extension, and dynamic–static leg extension. Pre‐ and post‐exercise muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging scans from the latissimus dorsi, the thoracic and lumbar parts of the longissimus, iliocostalis, and multifidus were performed. Differences in water relaxation values (T2‐relaxation) before and after exercise were calculated (T2‐shift) as a measure of muscle activity and compared between extension modalities. Linear mixed‐model analysis revealed higher lumbar extensor activity during trunk extension compared with leg extension (T2‐shift of 5.01 ms and 3.55 ms, respectively) and during the dynamic–static exercise performance compared with the dynamic exercise performance (T2‐shift of 4.77 ms and 3.55 ms, respectively). No significant differences in the thoracic extensor activity between the exercises could be demonstrated. During all extension exercises, the latissimus dorsi was the least activated compared with the paraspinal muscles. While all extension exercises are equivalent effective to train the thoracic muscles, trunk extension exercises performed in a dynamic–static way are the most appropriate to enhance lumbar muscle strength.
Effects of amendments and fertilization on plant growth, nitrogen and phosphorus availability in rehabilitated highly alkaline bauxite‐processing residue sand
Authors: Goloran J. B. , Phillips I. R. , Xu Z. H. , Condron L. M. , Chen C. R.
Published: March 2014

The effects of organic–inorganic amendments and nitrogen‐phosphorus (NP) fertilization (NH4NO3 plus Ca (H2PO4)2) on ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) growth, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability in highly alkaline bauxite‐processing residue sand (BRS), were examined in a pot experiment. The BRS used was either unamended (control) or amended with organic (e.g. greenwaste compost and biochar) or inorganic (e.g. zeolite) materials at a rate of 10% v/v. BRS from 15 years of rehabilitation (15YRRH) was also used as the second control. NP fertilizer was applied at different rates. The experimental set up was arranged in a two factorial complete randomized design. BRS with zeolite and 15YRRH at NP fertilizer rates of 2.0 and 2.5 t/ha produced the highest dry matter, leaf N concentration and N uptake by ryegrass, which were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the other treatments, suggesting the potential of zeolite in providing stability of applied N fertilizer in BRS. Further, BRS with biochar at NP rates 2.0 and 2.5 t/ha can also be suitable amendments as they enhance growth and also improved the N and P supplying capacity of BRS. Ryegrass leaf P concentration and P uptake were above the critical P values in the 15YRRH compared with organic–inorganic amended BRS, suggesting that time is important for better P uptake from the residue. It is concluded that zeolite and biochar combined with appropriate NP fertilizer rates can improve plant growth and provide a source of nutrients for ryegrass establishment in bauxite residue storage areas. The results need to be tested in field conditions before being advised in farming practice.
Who Remits? An Examination of Emigration by Education Level and Gender
Authors: Cooray Arusha
Published: March 2014

Employing data on emigration rates by education level, this study finds that primary and secondary qualified emigrants contribute positively and significantly to remittances. Tertiary qualified emigrants, however, do not contribute significantly to remittances. Remittances in turn contribute significantly to home country income. There is some evidence of both an altruistic and self‐interested motive to remit. Gender‐disaggregated results suggest that females remit more than males and are more altruistic.
Numerical Analyses of Cavitating Flow in a Pelton Turbine
Authors: Rossetti A. , Pavesi G. , Ardizzon G. , Santolin A.
Published: March 2014

Erosion and wear of hydraulic surfaces are frequent problems in hydraulic turbines, which lead to a decrease of the performance in time and/or in extreme cases to the rotor mechanical failure. These circumstances have negative repercussions on the annual produced power due to the decay of the efficiency, the delivered power, and to the off line periods as result of ordinary and extraordinary hydraulic profiles maintenances. Consistently, the study of this wearing process is an important step to improve the impeller design, and to avoid or minimize the rise of extraordinary maintenance. While mechanical damages are well documented and studied, little information can be found on cavitation in Pelton turbines. In this paper, a CFD model was applied to study the cavitation mechanics on a Pelton turbine. A Pelton runner affected by pitting cavitation was taken as a test case. The bucket geometry was modeled and analyzed using unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) multiphase analyses. Numerical results allowed us to highlight the different vapor productions during the cut-in water jet processes by the bucket. Furthermore, a simple procedure to identify the locations of higher damage risk was presented and verified in the test case runner.
Pressure Distribution in a Simplified Human Ear Model for High Intensity Sound Transmission
Authors: Hawa Takumi , Gan Rong Z.
Published: March 2014

High intensity noise/impulse transmission through a bench model consisting of the simplified ear canal, eardrum, and middle ear cavity was investigated using the CFX/ANSYS software package with fluid-structure interactions. The nondimensional fluid-structure interaction parameter q and the dimensionless impulse were used to describe the interactions between the high intensity pressure impulse and eardrum or tympanic membrane (TM). We found that the pressure impulse was transmitted through the straight ear canal to the TM, and the reflected overpressure at the TM became slightly higher than double the incident pressure due to the dynamic pressure (shocks) effect. Deformation of the TM transmits the incident pressure impulse to the middle ear cavity. The pressure peak in the middle ear cavity is lower than the incident pressure. This pressure reduction through the TM was also observed in our experiments that have dimensions similar to the simulation bench model. We also found that the increase of the pressure ratio as a function of the incident pressure is slightly larger than the linear growth rate. The growth rate of the pressure ratio in this preliminary study suggests that the pressure increase in the middle ear cavity may become sufficiently high to induce auditory damage and injury depending on the intensity of the incident sound noise.
Measuring the Contractile Forces of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes With Arrays of Microposts
Authors: Rodriguez Marita L. , Graham Brandon T. , Pabon Lil M. , Han Sangyoon J. , Murry Charles E. , Sniadecki Nathan J.
Published: March 2014

Human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes hold promise for heart repair, disease modeling, drug screening, and for studies of developmental biology. All of these applications can be improved by assessing the contractility of cardiomyocytes at the single cell level. We have developed an in vitro platform for assessing the contractile performance of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes that is compatible with other common endpoints such as microscopy and molecular biology. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) were seeded onto elastomeric micropost arrays in order to characterize the contractile force, velocity, and power produced by these cells. We assessed contractile function by tracking the deflection of microposts beneath an individual hiPSC-CM with optical microscopy. Immunofluorescent staining of these cells was employed to assess their spread area, nucleation, and sarcomeric structure on the microposts. Following seeding of hiPSC-CMs onto microposts coated with fibronectin, laminin, and collagen IV, we found that hiPSC-CMs on laminin coatings demonstrated higher attachment, spread area, and contractile velocity than those seeded on fibronectin or collagen IV coatings. Under optimized conditions, hiPSC-CMs spread to an area of approximately 420 μm2, generated systolic forces of approximately 15 nN/cell, showed contraction and relaxation rates of 1.74 μm/s and 1.46 μm/s, respectively, and had a peak contraction power of 29 fW. Thus, elastomeric micropost arrays can be used to study the contractile strength and kinetics of hiPSC-CMs. This system should facilitate studies of hiPSC-CM maturation, disease modeling, and drug screens as well as fundamental studies of human cardiac contraction.
Differential Transformation Method for the Flow and Heat Transfer Due to a Permeable Stretching Surface Embedded in a Porous Medium With a Second Order Slip and Viscous Dissipation
Authors: Khader M. M. , Megahed Ahmed M.
Published: March 2014

This paper is devoted to introduce a numerical simulation using the differential transformation method (DTM) with a theoretical study for the effect of viscous dissipation on the steady flow with heat transfer of Newtonian fluid towards a permeable stretching surface embedded in a porous medium with a second order slip. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations are converted into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by using similarity variables. The resulting ODEs are successfully solved numerically with the help of DTM. Graphic results are shown for nondimensional velocities and temperatures. The effects of the porous parameter, the suction (injection) parameter, Eckert number, first and second order velocity slip parameters and the Prandtl number on the flow and temperature profiles are given. Moreover, the local skin-friction and Nusselt numbers are presented. Comparison of numerical results is made with the earlier published results under limiting cases.
Method for Handling Model Growth in Nonrigid Variation Simulation of Sheet Metal Assemblies
Authors: Lindau Björn , Wärmefjord Kristina , Lindkvist Lars , Söderberg Rikard
Published: March 2014

In automotive industry, virtual tools and methods are becoming increasingly important to ensure robust solutions as early as possible in the development processes. Today, techniques exist that combine Monte Carlo simulations (MCS) with finite element analysis (FEA) to capture the part's nonrigid geometric behavior when predicting variation in a critical dimension of a subassembly or product. A direct combination of MCS with full FEA requires high computational power and the calculations tend to be very time consuming. To overcome this problem, the method of influence coefficients (MIC) was proposed by Liu and Hu in the late 1990s. This well-known technique has since then been used in several studies of nonrigid assemblies and sensitivity analysis of the geometric fault propagation in multistation assembly processes. In detailed studies of the resulting subassemblies and levels of variation, functionality for color plots and the ability to study the geometry in arbitrary sections are desired to facilitate the analysis of the simulation results. However, when including all part nodes in combination with methods for contact and spot weld sequence modeling, the required sensitivity matrices grow exponentially. In this paper, a method is proposed, describing how traditional MIC calculations can be combined with a separate detailed subassembly analysis model, keeping the model sizes down and thus facilitating detailed studies of larger assembly structures.
Idiopathic bilateral male breast abscess
Authors: Sinha Rajan Kumar , Sinha Mithilesh Kumar , Gaurav Kumar , Kumar Amar
Published: March 2014

A 38-year-old man presented with bilateral breast swelling, along with pain and redness for 7 days. Bilateral axillary nodes were also palpable; which were multiple and discrete. A provisional diagnosis of bilateral breast abscess was made with suspicion of underlying malignancy. Incision and drainage through subareolar incision was performed and the adjoining tissue was excised and sent for histopathological examination.
Functional analysis of miR-101-3p and Rap1b involved in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis
Authors: Sheng Yanrui , Ding Shijia , Chen Ke , Chen Juan , Wang Sen , Zou Chengcheng , Zhang Jingnan , Cao Yiyi , Huang Ailong , Tang Hua
Published: March 2014

MicroRNA-101(miR-101) has been shown to be down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major risk factor in the development and progression of HCC. However, the correlation between HBV and miR-101 has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we reported that HBV could repress miR-101-3p by inhibiting its promoter activity and identified the potential effects of miR-101-3p on some important biological properties of HCC cells by targeting Rap1b. Dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that HBV down-regulated miR-101-3p by inhibiting its promoter activity. Down-regulation of miR-101-3p promoted cell proliferation, migration, and reduced apoptosis, and resulted in up-regulation of Rap1b, while overexpression of miR-101-3p inhibited these processes. Moreover, overexpression of Rap1b was able to reverse the suppressed cell proliferation and migration mediated by miR-101-3p. Our data showed that HBV down-regulated miR-101-3p expression by inhibiting its promoter activity, which resulted in up-regulation of Rap1b, and down-regulation of miR-101-3p or up-regulation of Rap1b promoted proliferation and migration of HCC cells. This provides a new understanding of the mechanism of HBV-related HCC pathogenesis and the potential application of miR-101-3p in cancer therapy.
DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMICAL ASIC FOR PCS FOR WATER QUALITY MONITORING
Authors: WHIG PAWAN , AHMAD SYED NASEEM
Published: March 2014

In this paper, the design of an ASIC is presented that implement a low-cost system for the supervision of water quality in urban areas or rivers. Photo catalytic sensor (PCS) estimates the parameter biological oxygen demand (BOD) which is generally used to estimate quality of water. The system proposed in this paper involves a simple potentiometric approach that provides a correlation in the input–output signals of low-cost sensors. This approach which is more users friendly and fast in operation is obtained by modeling and optimization of sensor for water quality monitoring. This is to overcome several drawbacks generally found in the previous flow injection analysis method of determining chemical oxygen demand (COD)-like complex designing, nonlinearity and long computation time. The system constitutes a significant cost reduction in the supervision of water quality monitoring. The main reason of employing a readout circuit to PCS circuitry, is the fact that the fluctuation of O 2 influences the threshold voltage, which is internal parameter of the FET and can manifest itself as a voltage signal at output but as a function of the trans-conductance gain. The trans-conductance is a passive parameter and in order to derive voltage or current signal from its fluctuations the sensor has to be attached to readout circuit. This circuit provides high sensitivity to the changes in percentage of O 2 in the solution. In this design simple potentiometric approach with few passive components are used to build a readout circuit. The paper focuses on the electronic implementation of the readout system for the PCS which optimize the circuit performance and increases reliability.
Detection of massive Gravitational Waves using spherical antenna
Authors: Prasia P. , Kuriakose V. C.
Published: March 2014

The generation of massive Gravitational Waves (GW) from metric f(R) theory of gravity is studied and the sensitivity of a spherical antenna detector towards such a wave is looked into. The energy sensitivity is maximum for the monopole mode of the sphere. Of the five quadrupole modes of a sphere, only three are triggered by a massive wave. Also, the sensitivity of a spherical antenna with mechanical resonators attached to it is studied. The Truncated Icosahedral Gravitational wave Antenna (TIGA), originally proposed for detecting the effect of massless GW on the quadrupole modes of a sphere, has been modified in this paper to get a Modified TIGA, in order to detect the sensitivity of monopole modes towards a massive wave.
Thermoelastic Transient Behavior for a Clamped FGM Circular Plate
Authors: Dai Hong-Liang , Yan Xiang , Yang Lei
Published: March 2014

In this paper, the thermoelastic transient behavior of a clamped circular plate composed of functionally graded material (FGM) is investigated. The material properties of the FGM circular plate are assumed to vary through the plate thickness according to a power law distribution of the volume fraction of constituent materials, except Poisson's ratio, which is assumed as constant. Based on the von Karman equation and classical theory of thin plates, the equation of motion for the FGM circular plate is derived by the Hamilton principle. The nonlinear governing equation is solved by the Galerkin method, along with Newmark's integration method, in an iterative manner. Numerical results reveal that the functional gradient index, ratio of thickness to radius, thermal and mechanical loads have significant effect on the thermoelastic transient behavior of the clamped FGM circular plate. The result presented herein may be used as a reference for solving other transient coupled problems of thermoelasticity.
Nonlinear Vibrations of Viscoelastic Plane Truss Under Harmonic Excitation
Authors: Leung Andrew Yee Tak , Yang Hong Xiang , Zhu Ping
Published: March 2014

This paper is concerned with the steady state bifurcations of a harmonically excited two-member plane truss system. A two-degree-of-freedom Duffing system having nonlinear fractional derivatives is derived to govern the dynamic behaviors of the truss system. Viscoelastic properties are described by the fractional Kelvin–Voigt model based on the Caputo definition. The combined method of harmonic balance and polynomial homotopy continuation is adopted to obtain steady state solutions analytically. A parametric study is conducted with the help of amplitude-response curves. Despite its seeming simplicity, the mechanical system exhibits a wide variety of structural responses. The primary and sub-harmonic resonances and chaos are found in specific regions of system parameters. The dynamic snap-through phenomena are observed when the forcing amplitude exceeds some critical values. Moreover, it has been shown that, suppression of undesirable responses can be achieved via changing of viscosity of the system.
Introduction
Authors: Chanda Rupa
Published: March 2014

This special issue of the Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy is dedicated to investigating the globalization of services and its implications for economies. The papers in this issue address various dimensions of the globalization of services, including economic linkages between countries through trade and investment flows, people mobility and outsourcing, protectionism in services, multilateral negotiations in services, the political economy of service sector reforms and the impact of services globalization on the domestic economy. The evidence on some of these dimensions is highlighted by presenting the specific case of the Indian economy where services have been an important growth driver and have facilitated the country's integration with the world market. Together, the papers in this issue aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the issues surrounding the participation of economies in services trade and investment flows from a cross-country, national and sub-national perspective.
Tract-Based Bayesian Multivariate Analysis of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Liu Yongkang , Wang Tianyao , Chen Xiao , Zhang Jianhua , Zhou Guoxing , Wang Zhongqiu , Chen Rong
Published: March 2014

Purpose. Detecting brain regions characterizing mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) by combining Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) and Graphical-model-based Multivariate Analysis (GAMMA).Materials and Methods. This study included 39 mTBI patients and 28 normal controls. Local research ethics committee approved this prospective study. Diffusion-tensor imaging was performed in mTBI patients within 7 days of injury. Skeletonized fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were generated by using TBSS. Brain regions characterizing mTBI were detected by GAMMA.Results. Two clusters of lower frontal white matter FA were present in mTBI patients. We constructed classifiers based on FA values in these two clusters to differentiate mTBI and controls. The mean accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, across five different classifiers, were 0.80, 0.94, and 0.61, respectively.Conclusions. Combining TBSS and GAMMA can detect neuroimaging biomarkers characterizing mTBI.
High-Throughput Analysis of Ovarian Granulosa Cell Transcriptome
Authors: Chronowska Ewa
Published: March 2014

The quality of follicular oocytes depends on interactions with surrounding granulosa cells. Development of molecular techniques and methods enables better understanding of processes underlying mammalian reproduction on cellular level. The success in reproductive biology and medicine in different species depends on reliable assessment of oocyte and embryo viability which presently mainly bases on embryo morphology. Although successful pregnancies have been achieved using this approach, its precision still should be improved and completed with other, more objective, and accurate assessment strategies. Global profiling of gene expression in follicular cumulus cells using microarrays is continuously leading to the establishment of new biomarkers which can be used to select oocytes with highest developmental potential. Even more potential applications and greater precision could be achieved using next generation sequencing (NGS) of granulosa and cumulus cell RNA (RNA-seq). However, due to the high cost, this method is not used as frequently as microarrays at the moment. In any case, high-throughput technologies offer the possibilities and advantages in ovarian somatic cell analysis on scale that has not been noted so far. The aim of this work is to present current directions and examples of global molecular profiling of granulosa cells and underline its impact on reproductive biology and medicine.
Resource Utilization and Costs of Care prior to ART Initiation for Pediatric Patients in Zambia
Authors: Iyer Hari S. , Scott Callie A. , Lembela Bwalya Deophine , Meyer-Rath Gesine , Moyo Crispin , Bolton Moore Carolyn , Larson Bruce A. , Rosen Sydney
Published: March 2014

Objective. We estimated time to initiation, outpatient resource use, and costs of outpatient care during the 6 months prior to ART initiation for HIV-infected pediatric patients in Zambia.Methods. We enrolled 1,102 children who initiated ART at <15 years of age between 2006 and 2011 at 5 study sites. Of these, 832 initiated ART ≤6 months after first presenting to care at the study sites. Data on time in care and resources utilized during the 6 months prior to ART initiation were extracted from patient medical records. Costs were estimated from the provider’s perspective and are reported in 2011 USD.Results. For the patients who initiated ART ≤6 months after presenting to care, median age at presentation to care was 3.9 years; median CD4 percentage was 13%. Median time to ART initiation was 26 days. Patients made, on average, 2.38 clinic visits prior to ART initiation and received 0.81 CD4 tests, 0.74 full blood count tests, and 0.49 blood chemistry tests. The mean cost of pre-ART care was $20 per patient.Conclusions. Zambian pediatric patients initiating ART ≤6 months after presenting to care do so quickly, utilize fewer resources than mandated by national guidelines, and accrue low costs.