bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial Peptides as Infection Imaging Agents: Better Than Radiolabeled Antibiotics
Authors: Akhtar Muammad Saeed , Imran Muhammad Babar , Nadeem Muhammad Afzal , Shahid Abubaker
Published: May 2012

Nuclear medicine imaging techniques offer whole body imaging for localization of number and site of infective foci inspite of limitation of spatial resolution. The innate human immune system contains a large member of important elements including antimicrobial peptides to combat any form of infection. However, development of antibiotics against bacteria progressed rapidly and gained popularity over antimicrobial peptides but even powerful antimicrobials failed to reduce morbidity and mortality due to emergence of mutant strains of bacteria resulting in antimicrobial resistance. Differentiation between infection and inflammation using radiolabeled compounds with nuclear medicine techniques has always been a dilemma which is still to be resolved. Starting from nonspecific tracers to specific radiolabeled tracers, the question is still unanswered. Specific radiolabeled tracers included antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides which bind directly to the bacteria for efficient localization with advanced nuclear medicine equipments. However, there are merits and demerits attributed to each. In the current paper, radiolabeled antibiotics and radiolabeled peptides for infection localization have been discussed starting with the background of primitive nonspecific tracers. Radiolabeled antimicrobial peptides have certain merits compared with labeled antibiotics which make them superior agents for localization of infective focus.
Deletion of the Endothelial Bmx Tyrosine Kinase Decreases Tumor Angiogenesis and Growth
Authors: Holopainen Tanja , Alpuche Vanessa López- , Zheng Wei , Heljasvaara Ritva , Jones Dennis , He Yun , Tvorogov Denis , D'Amico Gabriela , Wiener Zoltan , Andersson Leif C. , Pihlajaniemi Taina , Min Wang , Alitalo Kari
Published: May 2012

Bmx (Bone marrow kinase in chromosome X), also known as Etk, is a member of the Tec family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases. Bmx is expressed mainly in arterial endothelia and in myeloid hematopoietic cells. Bmx regulates ischemia-mediated arteriogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, but its role in tumor angiogenesis is not known. In this study, we characterized the function of Bmx in tumor growth using both Bmx knockout and transgenic mice. Isogenic colon, lung, and melanoma tumor xenotransplants showed reductions in growth and tumor angiogenesis in Bmx gene–deleted (−/−) mice, whereas developmental angiogenesis was not affected. In addition, growth of transgenic pancreatic islet carcinomas and intestinal adenomas was also slower in Bmx−/− mice. Knockout mice showed high levels of Bmx expression in endothelial cells of tumor-associated and peritumoral arteries. Moreover, endothelial cells lacking Bmx showed impaired phosphorylation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (Erk) upon VEGF stimulation, indicating that Bmx contributes to the transduction of vascular endothelial growth factor signals. In transgenic mice overexpressing Bmx in epidermal keratinocytes, tumors induced by a two-stage chemical skin carcinogenesis treatment showed increased growth and angiogenesis. Our findings therefore indicate that Bmx activity contributes to tumor angiogenesis and growth. Cancer Res; 72(14); 3512–21. ©2012 AACR.
Modulation of Microenvironment Acidity Reverses Anergy in Human and Murine Tumor-Infiltrating T Lymphocytes
Authors: Calcinotto Arianna , Filipazzi Paola , Grioni Matteo , Iero Manuela , De Milito Angelo , Ricupito Alessia , Cova Agata , Canese Rossella , Jachetti Elena , Rossetti Monica , Huber Veronica , Parmiani Giorgio , Generoso Luca , Santinami Mario , Borghi Martina , Fais Stefano , Bellone Matteo , Rivoltini Licia
Published: May 2012

Stimulating the effector functions of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) in primary and metastatic tumors could improve active and adoptive T-cell therapies for cancer. Abnormal glycolysis, high lactic acid production, proton accumulation, and a reversed intra–extracellular pH gradient are thought to help render tumor microenvironments hostile to roving immune cells. However, there is little knowledge about how acidic microenvironments affect T-cell immunity. Here, we report that lowering the environmental pH to values that characterize tumor masses (pH 6–6.5) was sufficient to establish an anergic state in human and mouse tumor-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes. This state was characterized by impairment of cytolytic activity and cytokine secretion, reduced expression of IL-2Rα (CD25) and T-cell receptors (TCR), and diminished activation of STAT5 and extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) after TCR activation. In contrast, buffering pH at physiologic values completely restored all these metrics of T-cell function. Systemic treatment of B16-OVA–bearing mice with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) significantly increased the therapeutic efficacy of both active and adoptive immunotherapy. Our findings show that acidification of the tumor microenvironment acts as mechanism of immune escape. Furthermore, they illustrate the potential of PPIs to safely correct T-cell dysfunction and improve the efficacy of T-cell–based cancer treatments. Cancer Res; 72(11); 2746–56. ©2012 AACR.
Genetically Engineered Mouse Models: Closing the Gap between Preclinical Data and Trial Outcomes
Authors: Singh Mallika , Murriel Christopher L. , Johnson Leisa
Published: May 2012

The high failure rate of late-stage human clinical trials, particularly in oncology, predicates the need for improved translation of preclinical data from mouse tumor models into clinical predictions. Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM) may fulfill this need, because they mimic spontaneous and autochthonous disease progression. Using oncogenic Kras-driven GEMMs of lung and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, we recently showed that these models can closely phenocopy human therapeutic responses to standard-of-care treatment regimens. Here we review the successful preclinical application of such GEMMs, as well as the potential for discovering predictive biomarkers and gaining mechanistic insights into clinical outcomes and drug resistance in human cancers. Cancer Res; 72(11); 2695–700. ©2012 AACR.
The Changing View of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Berns Els M.J.J. , Bowtell David D.
Published: May 2012

The classification of epithelial ovarian cancer has been substantially revised, with an increased appreciation of the cellular origins and molecular aberrations of the different histotypes. Distinct patterns of signaling-pathway disruption are seen between and within histotypes. Large-scale genomic studies of high-grade serous cancer, the most common histotype, have identified novel molecular subtypes that are associated with distinct biology and clinical outcome. High-grade serous cancers are characterized by few driver point mutations but abundant DNA copy number aberrations. Inactivation of genes associated with DNA damage repair underlies responses to platinum and PARP inhibitors. Here we review these recent developments. Cancer Res; 72(11); 2701–4. ©2012 AACR.
NF-κB Hyperactivation in Tumor Tissues Allows Tumor-Selective Reprogramming of the Chemokine Microenvironment to Enhance the Recruitment of Cytolytic T Effector Cells
Authors: Muthuswamy Ravikumar , Berk Erik , Junecko Beth Fallert , Zeh Herbert J. , Zureikat Amer H. , Normolle Daniel , Luong The Minh , Reinhart Todd A. , Bartlett David L. , Kalinski Pawel
Published: May 2012

Tumor infiltration with effector CD8+ T cells (Teff) predicts longer recurrence-free survival in many types of human cancer, illustrating the broad significance of Teff for effective immunosurveillance. Colorectal tumors with reduced accumulation of Teff express low levels of Teff-attracting chemokines such as CXCL10/IP10 and CCL5/RANTES. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of enhancing tumor production of Teff-attracting chemokines as a cancer therapeutic strategy using a tissue explant culture system to analyze chemokine induction in intact tumor tissues. In different tumor explants, we observed highly heterogeneous responses to IFNα or poly-I:C (a TLR3 ligand) when they were applied individually. In contrast, a combination of IFNα and poly-I:C uniformly enhanced the production of CXCL10 and CCL5 in all tumor lesions. Moreover, these effects could be optimized by the further addition of COX inhibitors. Applying this triple combination also uniformly suppressed the production of CCL22/MDC, a chemokine associated with infiltration of T regulatory cells (Treg). The Teff-enhancing effects of this treatment occurred selectively in tumor tissues, as compared with tissues derived from tumor margins. These effects relied on the increased propensity of tumor-associated cells (mostly fibroblasts and infiltrating inflammatory cells) to hyperactivate NF-κB and produce Teff-attracting chemokines in response to treatment, resulting in an enhanced ability of the treated tumors to attract Teff cells and reduced ability to attract Treg cells. Together, our findings suggest the feasibility of exploiting NF-κB hyperactivation in the tumor microenvironment to selectively enhance Teff entry into colon tumors. Cancer Res; 72(15); 3735–43. ©2012 AACR.
Integrin α5β1 Plays a Critical Role in Resistance to Temozolomide by Interfering with the p53 Pathway in High-Grade Glioma
Authors: Janouskova Hana , Maglott Anne , Leger David Y. , Bossert Catherine , Noulet Fanny , Guerin Eric , Guenot Dominique , Pinel Sophie , Chastagner Pascal , Plenat François , Entz-Werle Natacha , Lehmann-Che Jacqueline , Godet Julien , Martin Sophie , Teisinger Jan , Dontenwill Monique
Published: May 2012

Integrins play a role in the resistance of advanced cancers to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this study, we show that high expression of the α5 integrin subunit compromises temozolomide-induced tumor suppressor p53 activity in human glioblastoma cells. We found that depletion of the α5 integrin subunit increased p53 activity and temozolomide sensitivity. However, when cells were treated with the p53 activator nutlin-3a, the protective effect of α5 integrin on p53 activation and cell survival was lost. In a functional p53 background, nutlin-3a downregulated the α5 integrin subunit, thereby increasing the cytotoxic effect of temozolomide. Clinically, α5β1 integrin expression was associated with a more aggressive phenotype in brain tumors, and high α5 integrin gene expression was associated with decreased survival of patients with high-grade glioma. Taken together, our findings indicate that negative cross-talk between α5β1 integrin and p53 supports glioma resistance to temozolomide, providing preclinical proof-of-concept that α5β1 integrin represents a therapeutic target for high-grade brain tumors. Direct activation of p53 may remain a therapeutic option in the subset of patients with high-grade gliomas that express both functional p53 and a high level of α5β1 integrin. Cancer Res; 72(14); 3463–70. ©2012 AACR.
Numb Regulates Stability and Localization of the Mitotic Kinase PLK1 and Is Required for Transit through Mitosis
Authors: Schmit Travis L. , Nihal Minakshi , Ndiaye Mary , Setaluri Vijayasaradhi , Spiegelman Vladimir S. , Ahmad Nihal
Published: May 2012

Numb functions in progenitor cell fate determination and early development, but it is also expressed in postdevelopmental tissues and cancers where its role is unclear. In this study, we report that a targeted knockdown of Numb expression causes a G2–M arrest and reduced cell growth in human melanoma cells. Co-immunoprecipitation and colocalization studies showed that Numb interacts with the serine/threonine polo-like kinase Plk1 and Numb cycles in a cell-cycle–dependent fashion along with this mitotic regulator. Interestingly, Numb expression was required for Plk1 protein stability and localization to the spindle poles during mitosis. Reduction in Numb expression resulted in mislocalization of Plk1 at both metaphase and anaphase, leading to disorganized γ-tubulin recruitment in centrosomes. Together, our findings present a novel function for Numb during symmetric cell division. We suggest that dysregulation of Numb expression results in mislocalized Plk1 and poor centrosomal γ-tubulin recruitment, potentially contributing to mitotic errors, aneuploidy, and cancer development. Cancer Res; 72(15); 3864–72. ©2012 AACR.
Macrophage Heterogeneity
Authors: Gordon Siamon
Published: May 2012

Although already evident from the earliest days of macrophage research, the diversity of macrophage distribution, morphology, and function continues to attract immunologists interested in their role in physiology and disease. Contemporary tools of cellular and molecular analysis have begun to unravel their versatile and adaptable gene expression, the result of differentiation and modulation by their environment. In this brief account, I outline the history of my personal involvement in this subject.
Impaired Autophagosome Clearance Contributes to Cardiomyocyte Death in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Ma Xiucui , Liu Haiyan , Foyil Sarah R. , Godar Rebecca J. , Weinheimer Carla J. , Hill Joseph A. , Diwan Abhinav
Published: May 2012

Background—

In myocardial ischemia, induction of autophagy via the AMP-induced protein kinase pathway is protective, whereas reperfusion stimulates autophagy with BECLIN-1 upregulation and is implicated in causing cell death. We examined flux through the macroautophagy pathway as a determinant of the discrepant outcomes in cardiomyocyte cell death in this setting.

Methods and Results—

Reversible left anterior descending coronary artery ligation was performed in mice with cardiomyocyte-restricted expression of green fluorescent protein–tagged microtubule–associated protein light chain-3 to induce ischemia (120 minutes) or ischemia/reperfusion (30–90 minutes) with saline or chloroquine pretreatment (n=4 per group). Autophagosome clearance, assessed as the ratio of punctate light chain-3 abundance in saline to chloroquine-treated samples, was markedly impaired with ischemia/reperfusion compared with sham controls. Reoxygenation increased cell death in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes compared with hypoxia alone, markedly increased autophagosomes but not autolysosomes (assessed as punctate dual fluorescent mCherry-green fluorescent protein tandem-tagged light chain-3 expression), and impaired clearance of polyglutamine aggregates, indicating impaired autophagic flux. The resultant autophagosome accumulation was associated with increased reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial permeabilization, leading to cell death, which was attenuated by cyclosporine A pretreatment. Hypoxia-reoxygenation injury was accompanied by reactive oxygen species–mediated BECLIN-1 upregulation and a reduction in lysosome-associated membrane protein-2, a critical determinant of autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Restoration of lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 levels synergizes with partial BECLIN-1 knockdown to restore autophagosome processing and to attenuate cell death after hypoxia-reoxygenation.

Conclusion—

Ischemia/reperfusion injury impairs autophagosome clearance mediated in part by reactive oxygen species–induced decline in lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 and upregulation of BECLIN-1, contributing to increased cardiomyocyte death.
Optimal Population Codes for Space: Grid Cells Outperform Place Cells
Authors: Mathis Alexander , Herz Andreas V. M. , Stemmler Martin
Published: May 2012

Rodents use two distinct neuronal coordinate systems to estimate their position: place fields in the hippocampus and grid fields in the entorhinal cortex. Whereas place cells spike at only one particular spatial location, grid cells fire at multiple sites that correspond to the points of an imaginary hexagonal lattice. We study how to best construct place and grid codes, taking the probabilistic nature of neural spiking into account. Which spatial encoding properties of individual neurons confer the highest resolution when decoding the animal's position from the neuronal population response? A priori, estimating a spatial position from a grid code could be ambiguous, as regular periodic lattices possess translational symmetry. The solution to this problem requires lattices for grid cells with different spacings; the spatial resolution crucially depends on choosing the right ratios of these spacings across the population. We compute the expected error in estimating the position in both the asymptotic limit, using Fisher information, and for low spike counts, using maximum likelihood estimation. Achieving high spatial resolution and covering a large range of space in a grid code leads to a trade-off: the best grid code for spatial resolution is built of nested modules with different spatial periods, one inside the other, whereas maximizing the spatial range requires distinct spatial periods that are pairwisely incommensurate. Optimizing the spatial resolution predicts two grid cell properties that have been experimentally observed. First, short lattice spacings should outnumber long lattice spacings. Second, the grid code should be self-similar across different lattice spacings, so that the grid field always covers a fixed fraction of the lattice period. If these conditions are satisfied and the spatial “tuning curves” for each neuron span the same range of firing rates, then the resolution of the grid code easily exceeds that of the best possible place code with the same number of neurons.
Inhibition in Multiclass Classification
Authors: Huerta Ramón , Vembu Shankar , Amigó José M. , Nowotny Thomas , Elkan Charles
Published: May 2012

The role of inhibition is investigated in a multiclass support vector machine formalism inspired by the brain structure of insects. The so-called mushroom bodies have a set of output neurons, or classification functions, that compete with each other to encode a particular input. Strongly active output neurons depress or inhibit the remaining outputs without knowing which is correct or incorrect. Accordingly, we propose to use a classification function that embodies unselective inhibition and train it in the large margin classifier framework. Inhibition leads to more robust classifiers in the sense that they perform better on larger areas of appropriate hyperparameters when assessed with leave-one-out strategies. We also show that the classifier with inhibition is a tight bound to probabilistic exponential models and is Bayes consistent for 3-class problems. These properties make this approach useful for data sets with a limited number of labeled examples. For larger data sets, there is no significant comparative advantage to other multiclass SVM approaches.
Distinguishing the Causes of Firing with the Membrane Potential Slope
Authors: Koutsou Achilleas , Christodoulou Chris , Bugmann Guido , Kanev Jacob
Published: May 2012

In this letter, we aim to measure the relative contribution of coincidence detection and temporal integration to the firing of spikes of a simple neuron model. To this end, we develop a method to infer the degree of synchrony in an ensemble of neurons whose firing drives a single postsynaptic cell. This is accomplished by studying the effects of synchronous inputs on the membrane potential slope of the neuron and estimating the degree of response-relevant input synchrony, which determines the neuron's operational mode. The measure is calculated using the normalized slope of the membrane potential prior to the spikes fired by a neuron, and we demonstrate that it is able to distinguish between the two operational modes. By applying this measure to the membrane potential time course of a leaky integrate-and-fire neuron with the partial somatic reset mechanism, which has been shown to be the most likely candidate to reflect the mechanism used in the brain for reproducing the highly irregular firing at high rates, we show that the partial reset model operates as a temporal integrator of incoming excitatory postsynaptic potentials and that coincidence detection is not necessary for producing such high irregular firing.
Nearly Extensive Sequential Memory Lifetime Achieved by Coupled Nonlinear Neurons
Authors: Toyoizumi Taro
Published: May 2012

Many cognitive processes rely on the ability of the brain to hold sequences of events in short-term memory. Recent studies have revealed that such memory can be read out from the transient dynamics of a network of neurons. However, the memory performance of such a network in buffering past information has been rigorously estimated only in networks of linear neurons. When signal gain is kept low, so that neurons operate primarily in the linear part of their response nonlinearity, the memory lifetime is bounded by the square root of the network size. In this work, I demonstrate that it is possible to achieve a memory lifetime almost proportional to the network size, “an extensive memory lifetime,” when the nonlinearity of neurons is appropriately used. The analysis of neural activity revealed that nonlinear dynamics prevented the accumulation of noise by partially removing noise in each time step. With this error-correcting mechanism, I demonstrate that a memory lifetime of order [Formula: see text] can be achieved.
Opinions of social work students from Turkey on social justice
Authors: Buz Sema , Ontas Ozlem Cankurtaran , Hatiboglu Burcu
Published: May 2012

This study examines the opinions and attitudes of social work students towards issues of social justice. In the scope of the study, participants listed socio-economic status and political views as two factors that have the greatest bearing on ‘being subjected to injustice’ and stated that social workers should adopt an attitude of passive resistance against injustice. The students were found to believe that it is necessary for the state to play specific roles related to social welfare rights and to underline the political dimension of justice.
Early-stage Pathogenic Sequence of Jaw Osteoradionecrosis in vivo
Authors: Xu J. , Zheng Z. , Fang D. , Gao R. , Liu Y. , Fan Z.P. , Zhang C.M. , Wang S.L.
Published: May 2012

The mechanism underlying jaw osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is not fully understood, particularly in the early stages. To investigate bone and vessel pathogenesis in the early stages of jaw ORN, we generated a mandibular ORN model in miniature pigs (minipigs) by applying a combination of single-dose 25-Gy irradiation (IR) and tooth extraction. We studied 6 ORN model minipigs and 6 control, non-irradiated minipigs. We measured dynamic morphological changes, bone-remodeling-associated gene expression, sphingomyelinase activity, and local blood flow. Bone remodeling, including bone resorption and new bone formation, was observed within 15 days post-IR. Later, an ORN-related imbalance in bone metabolism gradually occurred, with loss of bone regeneration capacity, collagen collapse, and microvascular obliteration. Within 24 hrs post-IR, sphingomyelinase significantly increased in irradiated tissues. At 1 wk post-IR, local blood flow increased, but at 15 days post-IR, it significantly decreased to 50% below normal levels. This study provided details of the sequential occurrences in early-stage ORN in a large animal model. Our results suggested that reduced local blood flow and consequent hypovascularity may have caused an imbalance in bone remodeling. This suggested that microvessel damage may play a key role in the initiation of ORN.
‘Me’, ‘Me’, ‘Me’: The Use of the First Person in Academic Writing and Some Reflections on Subjective Analyses of Personal Experiences
Authors: Davies Pamela
Published: May 2012

This research note discusses being self-conscious methodologically. It illustrates my pains to be deeply reflexive about research and academic writing. It does so with reference to a personal experience that raised, as feminist research often does, emotional as well as intellectual issues. It specifically explores the use of the first person in academic writing. Writing as ‘I’ forced comparisons between the personal and impersonal which in turn have caused me to reflect more deeply on emotive, individual and subjective analyses of personal experiences. With reference to a case study of ‘me’, this note is a reminder of the materiality and sociality of writing. It shows how social scientists have emotions about the subjects they study. Furthermore, it demonstrates implications for parental experience studies research and policy and practice in child and family social work.
Managing Multiple Goals in Family Discourse About End-of-Life Health Decisions
Authors: Scott Allison M. , Caughlin John P.
Published: May 2012

Previous research on end-of-life communication in families has largely considered whether family members have talked about end-of-life healthcare (quantity of talk) but not whether certain characteristics of that discourse matter (quality of talk). In the current study, the authors adopted a multiple goals theoretical perspective to examine discursive features that individuals use to manage goal dilemmas in family conversations about end-of-life health choices. Discourse analysis of end-of-life conversations between 121 older adults and their adult children showed that participants attended to relevant task, identity, and relational goals in ways that affirmed or threatened these goals, and the ways in which certain goals were accomplished had implications for how (and whether) other goals were pursued. Findings suggest that end-of-life talk in families is most effective when family members are able to address the task of discussing end-of-life decisions while also attending to the relevant identity and relational implications of such conversations.
Fashioning the Reciprocal Norms of Elder Care
Authors: Sun Ken C.
Published: May 2012

In this study, the author uses the changing practice of geriatric care within transnational Taiwanese families as a case to examine the processes through which a family ideology “travels,” varies, and operates across worlds. Specifically, the author argues that family members across generations reconstruct “rules of reciprocity” to facilitate the application of ethnic traditions regarding aging and geriatric care in the context of family separation and dislocation. Through multi-sited field work in the United Sates and in Taiwan, the author underscores how, given the fact that many Taiwanese immigrants cannot provide physical care for their aging parents halfway around the world, they and their parents place more emphasis on the emotional and symbolic dimension of children’s responsibilities for aging parents. Furthermore, this article highlights how the symbolic hierarchy between Taiwan and the United States complicates the emotional work that Taiwanese immigrants overseas and their parents in the homeland perform from a long distance.
Cultural Differences Between Japan and the United States in Uses of “Apology” and “Thank You” in Favor Asking Messages
Authors: Lee Hye Eun , Park Hee Sun , Imai Tatsuya , Dolan Daniel
Published: May 2012

Three studies investigated whether apologies and thanks are used differently when asking favors in the United States and Japan and examined whether their use makes a favor asking message less face-threatening. In Study 1, participants ( N = 152) composed an email message for a favor asking situation. Next, participants in Study 2 ( N = 634) and Study 3 ( N = 417) completed one of four versions of a questionnaire regarding a prototype of an email message. Results showed that (a) more Japanese included apologies in their messages while more Americans used thanks and (b) Japanese considered apologies to reduce some face threats while Americans did not consider thanks to reduce face threats. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Evangelical Christian Views and Attitudes Towards Christian– Muslim Dialogue
Authors: Azumah John
Published: May 2012

Evangelicals have looked at interfaith dialogue with a degree of skepticism. To many of them it smacks of compromise and relativist universalization of Christianity. On their part, ‘liberal Christians’ appeared to Evangelical Christians to be intolerant of any sort of truth claims. A new paradigm of dialogue is, however, emerging which tries to find a middle way in embracing truth claims and acknowledging real differences between faiths. Evangelical support for the Common Word initiative is an evidence of changing attitudes. This means too that those still on the ‘conservative’ end of faith are working themselves into isolation even as fissures appear between Evangelical scholars of religions and non-scholars.
War, peace and suicide: The case of Northern Ireland
Authors: Tomlinson Michael W
Published: May 2012

Durkheim’s idea that war reduces suicide through greater social and political integration has been used to explain suicide trends during the Northern Ireland conflict and in the period of peace. In this article the applicability of Durkheim is critically evaluated through a case study of suicide trends by age, gender and cause of death over a 40-year period. The key finding is that the cohort of children and young people who grew up in the worst years of violence, during the 1970s, have the highest and most rapidly increasing suicide rates, and account for the steep upward trend in suicide following the 1998 Agreement. Contrary to Durkheim, the recent rise in suicide involves a complex of social and psychological factors. These include the growth in social isolation, poor mental health arising from the experience of conflict, and the greater political stability of the past decade. The transition to peace means that externalized aggression is no longer socially approved. It becomes internalized instead.
On thermal stress and fatigue life evaluation in work rolls of hot rolling mill
Authors: Benasciutti Denis
Published: May 2012

The paper proposes an approach for thermal stress evaluation and fatigue life assessment of work rolls in hot rolling mills. Temperature and thermal stress distributions are calculated with a simplified finite element approach, based on a plane model of work roll loaded on its boundary by rotating thermal actions for a typical hot rolling configuration. A transient of one hour is simulated and the calculated temperature field is next applied as thermal loading in elastic–plastic mechanical simulation, to get thermal stresses and elastic–plastic strains in work roll. Calculated cyclic stresses and strains are finally used to estimate work roll service life, based on Universal Slopes equation that is modified to account for the multiaxial stress state. A comparison of results by three multiaxial fatigue criteria is provided. The obtained results show that, according to such multiaxial criteria, stress multiaxiality would have a great effect on fatigue life, despite it is generally neglected in approaches usually adopted in literature.
A variable strain hardening model for anisotropic sheet metals
Authors: Hariharan Krishnaswamy , Prakash Raghu V
Published: May 2012

A phenomenological approach is proposed to model the influence of texture-induced anisotropy in the variation of strain hardening characteristics of a sheet material. The variation of uniaxial strain hardening exponent with rolling direction is modelled using existing anisotropic yield criteria assuming power law strain hardening behaviour. The model is extended to the biaxial region to predict the effective strain hardening exponent with the assumption of constant plastic work. The prediction of both uniaxial and biaxial strain hardening is compared with the experimental data available in the literature. It is observed that a variable strain hardening exponent provided greater accuracy of numerical prediction than the existing isotropic model. The accuracy of the proposed model is dependent on the yield criteria and the flow rule used for the modelling.
Individualized Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery
Authors: Hussein Mohsen , van Eck Carola F. , Cretnik Andrej , Dinevski Dejan , Fu Freddie H.
Published: May 2012

Background:

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has become a commonly performed procedure. However, biomechanical studies have demonstrated that conventional single-bundle ACL reconstruction techniques are only successful in limiting anterior tibial translation but less effective for restoring rotatory laxity.

Purpose:

This study aimed to compare the results of single- and double-bundle ACL reconstruction using an anatomic technique, individualized based on the patient’s native ACL size. The authors hypothesized that there would be no difference between the results of anatomic single-bundle (ASB) and anatomic double-bundle (ADB) reconstruction when the surgical technique is individualized.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Depending on intraoperative measurements of the ACL insertion site size, patients were selected for either ASB (n = 32) or ADB (n = 69) ACL reconstruction. In all groups, hamstring tendons autograft was used with suspensory fixation on the femoral side and bioabsorbable interference screw fixation on the tibial side. The outcomes were evaluated by an independent blinded observer using the Lysholm score, subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) form, KT-1000 arthrometer for anteroposterior stability, and pivot-shift test for rotational stability. The average follow-up was 30 months (range, 26-34 months). There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline demographics of the 2 groups.

Results:

There was no significant difference between the ADB and ASB groups for Lysholm score (93.9 vs 93.5), subjective IKDC score (93.3 vs 93.1), anterior tibial translation (1.5- vs 1.6-mm side-to-side difference), and pivot shift (92% vs 90% with negative pivot-shift examination).

Conclusion:

Anatomic double-bundle reconstruction is not superior to anatomic single-bundle reconstruction when an individualized ACL reconstruction technique is used.
An Unusual Form of Superficially Disseminated Glioma in Children
Authors: Agamanolis Dimitri P. , Katsetos Christos D. , Klonk Christopher J. , Bartkowski Henry M. , Ganapathy Srinivas , Staugaitis Susan M. , Kuerbitz Steven J. , Patton Donna F. , Talaizadeh Ali , Cohen Bruce H.
Published: May 2012

Three children, aged 4, 5, and 9 years, had an insidious onset of ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hydrocephalus and countless foci of high T2 signal coating the cerebellum, basilar cisterns, brainstem, and fourth ventricle. Similar lesions were present in the spinal cord. Symptoms were relatively mild given the massive tumor burden. Biopsies were composed of superficially infiltrating cells with oligodendroglioma-like features (perinuclear halos and cytologic monotony) and microcysts. Classical cytogenetic analysis of 2 cases showed normal karyotypes. Chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed 1p36 deletion with intact 19q in 2 cases and no abnormality in one. A similar combination of clinical, MRI, and histopathologic findings has been reported previously in 10 other cases. The pathologic findings suggest a glioma with diffuse or multifocal superficial origin and do not correspond to a described entity in the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification of brain tumors.
Mutuality Ownership Form and Professional Sports
Authors: Ward Sara , Scanlon Thomas J. , Hines Tony
Published: May 2012

Mutuality is a longstanding successful model of ownership within European professional football. There was little understanding of mutuality as a form of ownership in British football until it emerged during the past decade, albeit, confined to lower leagues. It now merits further investigation. Focusing on Exeter City FC, operating as a nonprofit organization, this research examines the range of business and financial management issues facing the club. The main findings reveal that supporter ownership allowed a greater sense of “buy in” and inclusion of a wider cross-section of stakeholders. However, evidence shows limitations to mutuality in identifying alternative revenue streams, overly bureaucratic decision making, and ability to developing capabilities to compete. The case of Exeter City FC offers lessons for others considering mutuality as a form of ownership. This study contributes to understanding mutuality in this specific context and within the broader discussion of corporate governance issues in the nonprofit sector.
How Organizational Stakeholders Shape Performance Measurement in Nonprofits
Authors: MacIndoe Heather , Barman Emily
Published: May 2012

Research on performance measurement by nonprofit organizations increasingly focuses on the use of outcome measurement (OM) to assess organizational effectiveness. This article applies a strategic choice framework to analyze how nonprofit managers’ evaluation of the importance of organizational stakeholders is associated with patterns of OM. The article introduces a multidimensional measure of nonprofits’ implementation of OM that incorporates its extent of program use, as well as whether resources are specifically allocated for this evaluative practice. This multidimensional measure is examined using data from a new survey of service providing nonprofits in the city of Boston. Our multivariate analysis investigates how three sets of influences—resource providers, networks, and internal stakeholders—impact patterns of OM. The findings indicate that the factors driving program use (internal stakeholders) are distinct from those that impact resource allocation (resource providers).
Influence of the inlet channel flow of a steam turbine on solid particle erosion of the control stage nozzles
Authors: Wang Shun-Sen , Mao Jing-Ru , Cai Liu-Xi , Zhang Jun-Jie , Xu Ya-Tao
Published: May 2012

Based on experiments and numerical simulation, the influence of the inlet flow channel of a steam turbine on the solid particle erosion of nozzle segments was investigated systematically. The results indicate that the upstream channels of the nozzle segment, such as the regulating valve, nozzle chamber and connection pipe, concentrate the solid particle erosion to a small number of nozzles or local regions of the nozzle, which greatly reduces the time for nozzle damage. Compared with the present erosion situation, measures adopted to distribute particles at the inlet of a nozzle chamber uniformly can double the service life of a nozzle segment, while the service life can be increased by eight to ten times through measures to distribute particles uniformly at the inlet of a nozzle segment. This article shows that the service life of a nozzle segment can be doubled through substituting a nozzle chamber with a tangential steam intake for one with a normal steam intake. Moreover, a boride layer with 0.04 mm effective thickness or a CrN layer with 0.01 mm effective thickness can further double the service life of a nozzle segment. In addition, a pocket-trap arranged in the particle-aggregated area after an elbow can reduce the weight loss at nozzle sites with the most serious erosion by over 85%. These investigations are of great significance to the long-term, safe and high-efficiency running of a steam turbine.
Reliability and Validity of a Physical Activity Scale Among Urban Pregnant Women in Eastern China
Authors: Jiang Hong , He Gengsheng , Li Mu , Fan Yanyan , Jiang Hongyi , Bauman Adrian , Qian Xu
Published: May 2012

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of the physical activity scale adapted from a Danish scale for assessing physical activity among urban pregnant women in eastern China. Design. Participants recruited in an urban setting of eastern China were asked to complete the physical activity scale, the activity diary, and to wear a pedometer for the same 4 days, followed by repeating the activity scale for another 4 days within 2 weeks. Results. A total of 109 pregnant women completed data recording. Good reliability of the physical activity scale was observed (intraclass correlation coefficient = .87). There was also a good comparability between the activity scale and the activity diary (Spearman’s r = .75 for total energy expenditure). The agreement between the scale and pedometer reading was acceptable (Spearman’s r = .45). Conclusions. The adapted physical activity scale is a reliable and reasonably accurate instrument for estimating physical activity among urban pregnant women in eastern China.
A Systematic Review of School-Based Interventions to Prevent Risk Factors Associated With Noncommunicable Diseases
Authors: Saraf Deepika S. , Nongkynrih Baridalyne , Pandav Chandrakant S. , Gupta Sanjeev K. , Shah Bela , Kapoor Suresh K. , Krishnan Anand
Published: May 2012

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are emerging as an important public health problem in developing countries. The risk factors for NCDs are initiated during childhood and adolescence. The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of school-based interventions for prevention of NCD risk factors (physical inactivity, diet, and tobacco consumption), and identify processes that affect the main outcome. The retrieved studies from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed for their methodological quality (using standard guidelines), settings, intervention components, and main outcomes. The literature search identified 37 studies. The proportion of studies showing a positive result was 83% (10/12) among those that involved family, 87%(7/8) that involved both community and family, and 76% (13/17) that involved school only. Overall, 80% of the studies reported at least some evidence of a positive intervention effect. The current literature search supports the effectiveness of school-based interventions for prevention of risk factors associated with NCDs.
Trends and Barriers to HIV Testing Among Tuberculosis Patients in Prey Kabas Operational District, Takeo Province, Cambodia
Authors: Samrith Wannak , Rahman Mahbubur , Harun-Or-Rashid Md. , Sakamoto Junichi
Published: May 2012

Data for this study were obtained from 2375 tuberculosis (TB) patients registered during 2007-2009 and 43 health providers to examine the trend of TB patient referral for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing and to investigate provider-associated barriers to the referral in Prey Kabas operational district, Takeo province, Cambodia. Referral rate for HIV testing was 4.4% (30/684) in 2007, 15.4% (116/751) in 2008, and 30.1% (283/940) in 2009, with a significant upward trend over the period of time ( P = .009). The main barriers perceived by health providers were poor knowledge about TB/HIV, lack of communication skills, absence of any target plan for TB patient referral for HIV testing, and fear associated with informing positive test results to the TB patients and the associated stigma. Strategies to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS/TB among TB patients and their providers may improve the current state of low referral and its barriers in Cambodia.
Evaluation of Child Health Matters
Authors: Steele Ric G. , Wu Yelena P. , Cushing Christopher C. , Jensen Chad D.
Published: May 2012

The goal of the current study was to assess the efficacy and acceptability of a web-based tutorial (Child Health Matters, CHM) designed to improve school nurses’ communications with families about pediatric weight-related health issues. Using a randomized wait-list control design, a nationally representative sample of school nurses was assigned to immediate or delayed access conditions. Pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments of knowledge, barriers to providing obesity treatment, and intended practices were conducted. Results indicated that, relative to wait-list controls, immediate-access nurses demonstrated significant increases in knowledge and decreases in perceived barriers to discussing weight-related health, and significantly greater intentions to assess physical activity, and to recommend dietary changes and physical activity. Wait-list nurses demonstrated significant within-group improvements after completing CHM. Nurses reported a high degree of satisfaction with CHM. Results suggest that web-based tutorials can effect changes in nurses’ knowledge, perceived barriers, and intended practices with regard to weight-related health care.
Proposition for an adapted management process to evolve from an unsupervised Life Cycle Assessment of complex industrial systems towards an eco-designing organisation
Authors: Cluzel François , Yannou Bernard , Leroy Yann , Millet Dominique
Published: May 2012

The integration of environmental concerns into the product design process is not trivial when dealing with complex industrial systems. Actually, environmental assessment methodologies like Life Cycle Assessments reach, in this case, methodological and organisational limits. More generally, the complexity inherent in the design process may put off eco-design initiatives from a lack of organisational management, methods and tools. In this article, we propose a project management methodology to facilitate the integration of eco-design into the design process of complex industrial systems. This methodology is based on continuous improvement and a Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control (DMAIC) process. It is then structured around precise team definition, precise milestones, deliverables and phases. A first stage ensures a reliable environmental assessment of the full system and the identification of environmental improvement projects. A second stage allows the independent execution of the most promising improvement projects. A first application is proposed on the Alstom Grid AC/DC (alternative current/direct current) conversion substations for the aluminium industry. A Life Cycle Assessment has been performed with limited resources and has provided rich findings and promising perspectives. It shows in particular that the best environmental configuration of such a complex industrial system depends on external parameters like the implantation site.
A well-posed finite-strain model for thin elastic sheets with bending stiffness
Authors: Steigmann David J
Published: May 2012

An accurate, well-posed two-dimensional model incorporating stretching and bending effects, suitable for analyzing the wrinkling pattern in stretched sheets, is derived from three-dimensional nonlinear elasticity theory.
Incorporating Salivary Biomarkers Into Nursing Research
Authors: Granger Douglas A. , Johnson Sara B. , Szanton Sarah L. , Out Dorothée , Schumann Lynette Lau
Published: May 2012

Analytes and biomarkers present in saliva may provide insight into individual differences in environmental chemical exposures, variation in reproductive hormones, therapeutic and illegal substance use, changes in stress-related physiology, and the immunologic footprints of infectious disease. The wealth of information provided by salivary analytes has the potential to enrich biobehavioral nursing research by enabling researchers to measure these individual differences in the clinic as well as in patients’ and participants’ everyday social worlds. In this article, the authors provide a roadmap for researchers new to this area who would like to learn more about integrating salivary biospecimens into the next generation of health research. In addition, the authors highlight best practices and strategies to avoid common pitfalls for researchers already engaged in this field.