bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Host-Plant Trait Space by Phytophagous Insects during Host-Associated Differentiation: The Gape-and-Pinch Model
Authors: Heard Stephen B.
Published: February 2012

Ecological speciation via host shifting has contributed to the astonishing diversity of phytophagous insects. The importance for host shifting of trait differences between alternative host plants is well established, but much less is known about trait variationwithinhosts. I outline a conceptual model, the “gape-and-pinch” (GAP) model, of insect response to host-plant trait variation during host shifting and host-associated differentiation. I offer four hypotheses about insect use of plant trait variation on two alternative hosts, for insects at different stages of host-associated differentiation. Collectively, these hypotheses suggest that insect responses to plant trait variation can favour or oppose critical steps in herbivore diversification. I provide statistical tools for analysing herbivore trait-space use, demonstrate their application for four herbivores of the goldenrodsSolidago altissimaandS. gigantea, and discuss their broader potential to advance our understanding of diet breadth and ecological speciation in phytophagous insects.
Wireless Link-Quality Estimation in Smart Grid Environments
Authors: Gungor V. C. , Korkmaz M. K.
Published: February 2012

Recently, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have gained great attention from the research community for various smart grid applications, including advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), power outage detection, distribution automation, towers and poles monitoring, line fault diagnostics, power fraud detection, and underground cable system monitoring. However, multipath, fading, environmental noise, and obstructions in harsh smart grid environments make reliable communication a challenging task for wireless-sensor-network- (WSN-) based smart grid applications. To overcome varying link conditions in smart grid environments, sensor nodes must be capable of estimating link quality dynamically and reliably. In this paper, the performance of the state-of-the-art link-quality estimation methods is investigated for different smart power grid environments, such as outdoor substation, underground network transformer vault, and main power control room, in terms of packet delivery ratio, average number of packet retransmissions, average number of parent changes, average number of hops, and average communication delay. In addition, main smart grid characteristics and potential applications of WSNs in smart grid have been introduced along with the related technical challenges. Overall, our performance evaluations show that the link-quality estimators, called Expected Transmission Count (ETX) and four-bit, show the best performance in harsh smart grid environments.
Most British Surgeons Would Consider Using a Tissue-Engineered Anterior Cruciate Ligament: A Questionnaire Study
Authors: Rathbone Sarah , Maffulli Nicola , Cartmell Sarah H.
Published: February 2012

Donor site morbidity, poor graft site integration, and incorrect mechanical performance are all common problems associated with autografts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions. A tissue-engineered (TE) ligament has the potential to overcome these problems. We produced an online questionnaire relating to tissue engineering of the ACL to obtain input from practising clinicians who currently manage these injuries. 300 British orthopaedic surgeons specialising in knee surgery and soft tissue injury were invited to participate. 86% of surgeons would consider using a TE ACL if it were an option, provided that it showed biological and mechanical success, if it significantly improved the patient satisfaction (63%) or shortened surgical time (62%). 76% felt that using a TE ACL would be more appropriate than a patellar tendon, hamstring, or quadriceps autograft. Overall, most surgeons would be prepared to use a TE ACL if it were an improvement over the current techniques.
Possible Lingering Effects of Multiple Past Concussions
Authors: Iverson Grant L. , Echemendia Ruben J. , LaMarre Amanda K. , Brooks Brian L. , Gaetz Michael B.
Published: February 2012

Background. The literature on lingering or “cumulative” effects of multiple concussions is mixed. The purpose of this study was to examine whether athletes with a history of three or more concussions perform more poorly on neuropsychological testing or report more subjective symptoms during a baseline, preseason evaluation.Hypothesis. Athletes reporting three or more past concussions would perform more poorly on preseason neurocognitive testing.Study Design. Case-control study.Methods. An archival database including 786 male athletes who underwent preseason testing with a computerized battery (ImPACT) was used to select the participants. Twenty-six athletes, between the ages of 17 and 22 with a history of three or more concussions, were identified. Athletes with no history of concussion were matched, in a case-control fashion, on age, education, self-reported ADHD, school, sport, and, when possible, playing position and self-reported academic problems.Results. The two groups were compared on the four neuropsychological composite scores from ImPACT using multivariate analysis of variance followed by univariate ANOVAs. MANOVA revealed no overall significant effect. Exploratory ANOVAs were conducted using Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Reaction Time, Processing Speed, and Postconcussion Scale composite scores as dependent variables. There was a significant effect for only the Verbal Memory composite.Conclusions. Although inconclusive, the results suggest that some athletes with multiple concussions could have lingering memory deficits.
Emerging Views on the CTD Code
Authors: Zhang David W. , Rodríguez-Molina Juan B. , Tietjen Joshua R. , Nemec Corey M. , Ansari Aseem Z.
Published: February 2012

The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) consists of conserved heptapeptide repeats that function as a binding platform for different protein complexes involved in transcription, RNA processing, export, and chromatin remodeling. The CTD repeats are subject to sequential waves of posttranslational modifications during specific stages of the transcription cycle. These patterned modifications have led to the postulation of the “CTD code” hypothesis, where stage-specific patterns define a spatiotemporal code that is recognized by the appropriate interacting partners. Here, we highlight the role of CTD modifications in directing transcription initiation, elongation, and termination. We examine the major readers, writers, and erasers of the CTD code and examine the relevance of describing patterns of posttranslational modifications as a “code.” Finally, we discuss major questions regarding the function of the newly discovered CTD modifications and the fundamental insights into transcription regulation that will necessarily emerge upon addressing those challenges.
Fiber Optic Coupled Raman Based Detection of Hazardous Liquids Concealed in Commercial Products
Authors: Ramírez-Cedeño Michael L. , Gaensbauer Natalie , Félix-Rivera Hilsamar , Ortiz-Rivera William , Pacheco-Londoño Leonardo , Hernández-Rivera Samuel P.
Published: February 2012

Raman spectroscopy has been widely proposed as a technique to nondestructively and noninvasively interrogate the contents of glass and plastic bottles. In this work, Raman spectroscopy is used in a concealed threat scenario where hazardous liquids have been intentionally mixed with common consumer products to mask its appearance or spectra. The hazardous liquids under consideration included the chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulant triethyl phosphate (TEP), hydrogen peroxide, and acetone as representative of toxic industrial compounds (TICs). Fiber optic coupled Raman spectroscopy (FOCRS) and partial least squares (PLS) algorithm analysis were used to quantify hydrogen peroxide in whiskey, acetone in perfume, and TEP in colored beverages. Spectral data was used to evaluate if the hazardous liquids can be successfully concealed in consumer products. Results demonstrated that FOC-RS systems were able to discriminate between nonhazardous consumer products and mixtures with hazardous materials at concentrations lower than 5%.
Emerging Pharmacotherapies for Diabetic Macular Edema
Authors: Javey Golnaz , Schwartz Stephen G. , Flynn Harry W.
Published: February 2012

Diabetic macular edema (DME) remains an important cause of visual loss in patients with diabetes mellitus. Although photocoagulation and intensive control of systemic metabolic factors have been reported to achieve improved outcomes in large randomized clinical trials (RCTs), some patients with DME continue to lose vision despite treatment. Pharmacotherapies for DME include locally and systemically administered agents. We review several agents that have been studied for the treatment of DME.
Cerebral Edema Associated with Ventricular Reservoirs in Two Patients: A Case Report
Authors: Cress Marshall C. , Spurgeon Angela N. , Miller Douglas C. , Litofsky N. Scott
Published: February 2012

Placement of ventricular reservoirs is a common practice to treat various tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). Ventricular catheter-reservoir-associated edema has been noted in the literature, but a thorough review of this literature identified no articles that examine this particular complication in neurooncology patients, specifically. We report two cases of ventricular catheter-reservoir-associated edema in patients receiving treatment for CNS metastasis.
A Reliable Treatment of Homotopy Perturbation Method for Solving the Nonlinear Klein‐Gordon Equation of Arbitrary (Fractional) Orders
Authors: El-Sayed A. M. A. , Elsaid A. , Hammad D.
Published: February 2012

The reliable treatment of homotopy perturbation method (HPM) is applied to solve the Klein‐Gordon partial differential equation of arbitrary (fractional) orders. This algorithm overcomes the difficulty that arises in calculating complicated integrals when solving nonlinear equations. Some numerical examples are presented to illustrate the efficiency of this technique.
Anodization Parameters Influencing the Growth of Titania Nanotubes and Their Photoelectrochemical Response
Authors: Lim Ying-Chin , Zainal Zulkarnain , Tan Wee-Tee , Hussein Mohd Zobir
Published: February 2012

TiO2nanotubes (TNTs) were fabricated by electrochemical oxidation of Ti foil in a standard two-electrode cell-containing NH4F. The effects of bath temperature, voltage ramp prior to constant voltage held during anodization and present of complexing agent on the crystalline phase, nanotube growth, and dimensional change of TNT were investigated using XRD and FESEM. The results show that tube length decreases with bath temperature attributed to faster chemical dissolution rate at high temperature. However, nanotubes growth rate was enhanced by ~260% with the addition of EDTA as the complexing agent. Meanwhile, the nanotubes diameter was found to be proportionally dependent on bath temperature but independent of the voltage ramp and addition of EDTA. Photoelectrochemical response under illumination was enhanced by using the calcined TNT and is strongly affected by its dimensional changes. Thus, desired properties of TNT can be obtained by tuning the electrochemical condition for a wide-range application.
The Redox Imbalance and the Reduction of Contractile Protein Content in Rat Hearts Administered with L-Thyroxine and Doxorubicin
Authors: Korga Agnieszka , Dudka Jaroslaw , Burdan Franciszek , Sliwinska Justyna , Mandziuk Slawomir , Dawidek-Pietryka Katarzyna
Published: February 2012

Oxidative stress and disorders in calcium balance play a crucial role in the doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Moreover, many cardiotoxic targets of doxorubicin are regulated by iodothyronine hormones. The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of tetraiodothyronine (0.2, 2 mg/L) on oxidative stress in the cardiac muscle as well as contractility and cardiomyocyte damage markers in rats receiving doxorubicin (1.5 mg/kg) once a week for ten weeks. Doxorubicin was administered alone (DOX) or together with a lower (0.2T4+ DOX) and higher dose of tetraiodothyronine (2T4+ DOX). Two groups received only tetraiodothyronine (0.2T4, 2T4). Coadministration of tetraiodothyronine and doxorubicin increased the level of lipid peroxidation products and reduced RyR2 level when compared to untreated control and group exposed exclusively to doxorubicin. Insignificant differences in SERCA2 and occasional histological changes were observed. In conclusion, an increase of tetraiodothyronine level may be an additional risk factor of redox imbalance and RyR2 reduction in anthracycline cardiotoxicity.
PKCαand ERβAre Associated with Triple-Negative Breast Cancers in African American and Caucasian Patients
Authors: Tonetti Debra A. , Gao Weihua , Escarzaga Diana , Walters Kelly , Szafran April , Coon John S.
Published: February 2012

Although the incidence of breast cancer in the United States is higher in Caucasian women compared with African American women, African-American patients have more aggressive disease as characterized by a higher percentage of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), high-grade tumors, and a higher mortality rate. PKCαis a biomarker associated with endocrine resistance and poor prognosis and ERβis emerging as a protective biomarker. Immunohistochemical analysis of ERβand PKCαexpression was performed on 198 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary infiltrating ductal carcinomas from 105 African-American and 93 Caucasian patients. PKCαis positively correlated with TNBC in patients of both races and with high tumor grade in African-American patients. Patients with TNBC express less nuclear ERβcompared with all other subtypes. We find no difference in frequency or intensity of PKCαor ERβexpression between African-American and Caucasian patients. PKCαand ERβare discussed as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of patients with TNBC.
Oxidative Stress and Heme Oxygenase-1 Regulated Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation
Authors: Vanella Luca , Sanford Christopher , Kim Dong Hyun , Abraham Nader G. , Ebraheim Nabil
Published: February 2012

This paper describes the effect of increased expression of HO-1 protein and increased levels of HO activity on differentiation of bone-marrow-derived human MSCs. MSCs are multipotent cells that proliferate and differentiate into many different cell types including adipocytes and osteoblasts. HO, the rate-limiting enzyme in heme catabolism, plays an important role during MSCs differentiation. HO catalyzes the stereospecific degradation of heme to biliverdin, with the concurrent release of iron and carbon monoxide. Upregulation of HO-1 expression and increased HO activity are essential for MSC growth and differentiation to the osteoblast lineage consistent with the role of HO-1 in hematopoietic stem cell differentiation. HO-1 participates in the MSC differentiation process shifting the balance of MSC differentiation in favor of the osteoblast lineage by decreasing PPARγand increasing osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase and BMP-2. In this paper, we define HO-1 as a target molecule in the modulation of adipogenesis and osteogenesis from MSCs and examine the role of the HO system in diabetes, inflammation, osteoporosis, hypertension, and other pathologies, a burgeoning area of research.
Quasi‐Contractive Mappings in Modular Metric Spaces
Authors: Cho Yeol J. E. , Saadati Reza , Sadeghi Ghadir
Published: February 2012

We prove the existence of fixed point and uniqueness of quasi‐contractive mappings in modular metric spaces which was introduced by Ćirić
Induction of Hemeoxygenase-1 Reduces Renal Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Diabetic Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Elmarakby Ahmed A. , Faulkner Jessica , Baban Babak , Sullivan Jennifer C.
Published: February 2012

The renoprotective mechanisms of hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) in diabetic nephropathy remain to be investigated. We hypothesize that HO-1 protects the kidney from diabetic insult via lowering renal oxidative stress and inflammation. We used control and diabetic SHR with or without HO-1 inducer cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) treatment for 6 weeks. Urinary albumin excretion levels were significantly elevated in diabetic SHR compared to control and CoPP significantly attenuated albumin excretion. Immuno-histochemical analysis revealed an elevation in TGF-β staining together with increased urinary collagen excretion in diabetic versus control SHR, both of which were reduced with CoPP treatment. Renal oxidative stress markers were greater in diabetic SHR and reduced with CoPP treatment. The increase in renal oxidative stress was associated with an elevation in renal inflammation in diabetic SHR. CoPP treatment also significantly attenuated the markers of renal inflammation in diabetic SHR. In vitro inhibition of HO with stannous mesoporphyrin (SnMP) increased glomerular NADPH oxidase activity and inflammation and blocked the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of CoPP. These data suggest that the reduction of renal injury in diabetic SHR upon induction of HO-1 are associated with decreased renal oxidative stress and inflammation, implicating the role of HO-1 induction as a future treatment of diabetic nephropathy.
The Use of an Early Alert System to Improve Compliance with Sepsis Bundles and to Assess Impact on Mortality
Authors: LaRosa Jennifer Anne , Ahmad Noeen , Feinberg Monica , Shah Monica , DiBrienza Roseann , Studer Sean
Published: February 2012

Introduction. Diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines, organized as sepsis bundles, have been shown to improve mortality, but timely and consistent implementation of these can be challenging. Our study examined the use of a screening tool and an early alert system to improve bundle compliance and mortality.Methods. A screening tool was used to identify patients with severe sepsis or septic shock and an overhead alert system known as Code SMART (Sepsis Management Alert Response Team) was activated at the physician’s discretion. Data was collected for 6 months and compliance with bundle completion and mortality were compared between the Code SMART and non-Code SMART groups.Results.Fifty eight patients were enrolled −34 Code SMART and 24 non-Code SMART. The Code SMART group achieved greater compliance with timely antibiotic administration (P<0.001), lactate draw (P<0.001), and steroid use (P=0.02). Raw survival and survival adjusted for age, leucopenia, and severity of illness scores, were greater in the Code SMART group (P<0.05,P=0.03, andP=0.01).Conclusions. A screening tool and an alert system can improve compliance with sepsis bundle elements and improve survival from severe sepsis and septic shock.
Teaching with Movement
Authors: Irby-Shasanmi Amy , Oberlin Kathleen C. , Saunders Tiffani N.
Published: February 2012

This article describes and evaluates an activity designed to demonstrate how biological factors (e.g., genetics), individual-level behaviors (e.g., smoking), and social factors (e.g., socioeconomic status) shape health status and access to health care. Active learning techniques were utilized to introduce the sociological imagination as it pertains to health, as well as to physically demonstrate stratification processes. A pretest-posttest design was implemented to evaluate the activity’s impact on student learning outcomes ( N = 305). Analysis suggests that after the activity students regarded society as important for influencing health, including a shift in responsibility for one’s health away from the individual, and that students gained a greater understanding of the importance of social class in shaping health. In open-ended responses, students indicated that the physicality of the approach provided further clarity of abstract concepts. Implications of these findings and broader directions for advancing students’ understanding of disparities related to health are discussed.
Diversity Is What You Want It to Be
Authors: Unzueta Miguel M. , Knowles Eric D. , Ho Geoffrey C.
Published: February 2012

We propose that diversity is a malleable concept capable of being used either to attenuate or to enhance racial inequality. The research reported here suggests that when people are exposed to ambiguous information concerning an organization’s diversity, they construe diversity in a manner consistent with their social-dominance motives. Specifically, anti-egalitarian individuals broaden their construal of diversity to include nonracial (i.e., occupational) heterogeneity when an organization’s racial heterogeneity is low. By contrast, egalitarian individuals broaden their construal of diversity to include nonracial heterogeneity when an organization’s racial heterogeneity is high. The inclusion of occupational heterogeneity in perceptions of diversity allows people across the spectrum of social-dominance orientation to justify their support for or opposition to hierarchy-attenuating affirmative-action policies. Our findings suggest that diversity may not have a fixed meaning and that, without a specific delineation of what the concept means in particular contexts, people may construe diversity in a manner consistent with their social motivations.
The Cost of Callousness
Authors: Cameron C. Daryl , Payne B. Keith
Published: February 2012

It has often been argued that compassion is fundamental to morality. Yet people often suppress compassion for self-interested reasons. We provide evidence that suppressing compassion is not cost free, as it creates dissonance between a person’s moral identity and his or her moral principles. We instructed separate groups of participants to regulate their compassion, regulate their feelings of distress, or freely experience emotions toward compassion-inducing images. Participants then reported how central morality was to their identities and how much they believed that moral rules should always be followed. Participants who regulated compassion—but not those who regulated distress or experienced emotions—showed a dissonance-based trade-off. If they reported higher levels of moral identity, they had a greater belief that moral rules could be broken. If they maintained their belief that moral rules should always be followed, they sacrificed their moral identity. Regulating compassion thus has a cost of its own: It forces trade-offs within a person’s moral self-concept.
Nanoparticle manipulation by thermal gradient
Authors: Wei Ning , Wang Hui-Qiong , Zheng Jin-Cheng
Published: February 2012

A method was proposed to manipulate nanoparticles through a thermal gradient. The motion of a fullerene molecule enclosed inside a (10, 10) carbon nanotube with a thermal gradient was studied by molecular dynamics simulations. We created a one-dimensional potential valley by imposing a symmetrical thermal gradient inside the nanotube. When the temperature gradient was large enough, the fullerene sank into the valley and became trapped. The escaping velocities of the fullerene were evaluated based on the relationship between thermal gradient and thermophoretic force. We then introduced a new way to manipulate the position of nanoparticles by translating the position of thermostats with desirable thermal gradients. Compared to nanomanipulation using a scanning tunneling microscope or an atomic force microscope, our method for nanomanipulation has a great advantage by not requiring a direct contact between the probe and the object.
Elder abuse
Authors: Fox Anthony W
Published: February 2012

Five types of elder abuse (physical, psychological, sexual, neglect and financial) are recognized. They are not new, occur worldwide and are associated with persistent morbidity and mortality. The forensic clinician has responsibilities to: (i) the patient, with competent history taking and examination, (ii) interpret findings and recognize patterns of harm and (iii) promulgate this issue in wider professional and public forums. Research into elder abuse is relatively recent; standardized terminology remains unsettled, and small-scale, local studies are hard to generalize. Cross-sectional, population-based studies of elder abuse should be possible, and standardized endpoints will require forensic science contributions.
Middle cerebral air embolism after foam sclerotherapy
Authors: Asbjornsen C B , Rogers C D , Russell B L
Published: February 2012

In the recent past, eight cases of transient ischaemic attack or cerebral vascular accident related to foam sclerotherapy have been reported. The following case is reported to add to the world clinical experience and raises the concern that foam sclerotherapy should continue to be evaluated and reported rigorously to establish the incidence of potentially devastating complications. While waiting for clinical studies to further establish best practice in this area of treatment, it may be in our patients’ best interests to reserve the option of foaming sclerosants for selected rather than routine cases of venous insufficiency.
Curative resection and reconstruction of the inferior vena cava after extensive infiltration with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma
Authors: Delaney C L , Saleem H , Karapetis C , Spark J I
Published: February 2012

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) rarely infiltrates the great vessels. We report a successful surgical resection of the inferior vena cava (IVC) after extensive infiltration with metastatic low-grade ESS. A case of presumed recurrence of low-grade ESS demonstrated complete IVC occlusion from tumour thrombus with extensive local disease. Radical resection of the tumour and caval reconstruction was performed. The IVC graft was thrombosed at short-term follow-up. Curative resection of extensive caval infiltration with metastatic low-grade ESS can be achieved. Caval reconstructive procedures may be redundant in the presence of an adequate collateral circulation.
Promoting Vocabulary Learning in Young Children Who Are d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Translating Research Into Practice
Authors: Williams Cheri
Published: February 2012

Vocabulary knowledge is strongly associated with reading achievement and becomes increasingly predictive of overall reading proficiency as children progress through the elementary grades. Children who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing often begin schooling with small meaning vocabularies, a disadvantage that puts them at risk of struggling to learn to read. Recent research on vocabulary intervention with young children who have typical hearing demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted, contextualized instruction on children’s word learning and provides insights for early childhood educators of young d/Deaf and hard of hearing children. In the present essay, which is grounded in the qualitative similarity hypothesis (Paul, 2010, in press; Paul & Lee, 2010) and sociocultural theories of learning, the author argues for evidence-based vocabulary interventions for young d/Deaf and hard of hearing children that are rooted in the contemporary research literature.
Addressing Intersections in HIV/AIDS and Mental Health: The Role of Organizations for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals in South Africa
Authors: Mall Sumaya , Swartz Leslie
Published: February 2012

Like south africans generally, d/Deaf and hard of hearing South Africans are at risk of HIV/AIDS and mental disorders resulting from barriers to communication and care. In interviews and a focus group, members of South African organizations for d/Deaf and hard of hearing individuals all gave priority to HIV/AIDS education and prevention, citing risks resulting from language and communication barriers, inadequate schooling, and insufficient information in South African Sign Language. Participants gave varied descriptions of HIV/AIDS programs in schools for d/Deaf and hard of hearing students and described school initiatives they had directed. Some participants gave mental health problems lesser priority; others said susceptibility to mental disorders may result from communication difficulties and therefore warrants specialized services. Others, seeing a need to address mental health in HIV/AIDS prevention, had designed programs accordingly. Such prevention efforts merit support, as do activities to reduce communication barriers.
Sentiments of Disdain and Practices of Distinction: Boundary-Work, Subjectivity, and Value in the Hindi Film Industry
Authors: Ganti Tejaswini
Published: February 2012

This article complicates the discussion of commercial mass media production and takes it beyond simplistic assertions of the “bottom-line” by focusing on a specific feature of the everyday life of film production in Mumbai, India, home to the Hindi-language film industry, and more commonly known as “Bollywood.” It examines the inordinate amount of criticism and contempt expressed by Hindi filmmakers about the workings of the industry as well as filmmakers’ efforts to assert their difference from a generic norm—ranging from discourses about behavior to a fetishization of technology. These sentiments and discourses operate as a form of “boundary-work,” which serves to create alternate regimes of value and criteria of prestige that are independent of commercial outcome. The article also demonstrates how it is possible to carry out ethnographic research within large-scale media industries that addresses core anthropological concerns about subjectivity, social life, and social practice. It illustrates how the sites and processes of media production, and not simply the finished outcomes, are invested with social and cultural meaning.
Why Rational Agents Should Not Be Liberal Maximizers
Authors: Levi Isaac
Published: February 2012

Hans Herzberger's 1973 essay ‘Ordinal Preference and Rational Choice’ is a classic milestone in the erosion of the idea that rational agents are maximizers of utility. By the time Herzberger wrote, many authors had replaced this claim with the thesis that rational agents are maximizers of preference. That is to say, it was assumed that at the moment of choice a rational agent has a weak ordering representing his or her preferences among the options available to the agent for choice and that the rational agent restricts choice to one of the optimal options. Such an option is an available option judged at least as good as imy other.
Shaftesbury takes an Ethiopian to the Carnival: Foreignness, Subjectivity, and Intersubjectivity in "Sensus Communis"
Authors: Sigler David
Published: February 2012

Reading Shaftesbury alongside Jacques Lacan and Slavoj Žižek, this essay considers the play of laughter in "Sensus Communis, an Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour." The analysis focuses on a paragraph of Shaftesbury's essay in which an Ethiopian supposedly experiences the Venetian or Parisian carnival. As the laughter at the carnival scene becomes more and more intricate, the idea of foreignness begins to insert itself, through a process that Lacan calls the see-saw of desire, into the very substance of European subjectivity. It seems that recognizing oneself as a gentleman depends, in Shaftesbury's essay, upon being misrecognized by someone wholly unfamiliar with European customs. Shaftesbury thus relies upon the idea of foreignness—specifically, an imagined encounter with an imaginary Ethiopian—to produce the laughter upon which sociability depends, and, in turn, the sociability upon which subjectivity depends. These commitments make "Sensus Communis" an important early theorization of intersubjectivity, and establish Shaftesbury within the prehistory of psychology.
English Novelists Read the French Revolution
Authors: Verderame Michael
Published: February 2012

This essay is a review of Miriam Wallace's Revolutionary Subjects in the English "Jacobin" Novel, 1790-1805 (Bucknell, 2009).
Diverting Water in Rousseau: Technology, the Sublime, and the Quotidian
Authors: Simon Julia
Published: February 2012

Rousseau's strategic placement of the question of water diversion within his corpus signals the importance of controlling the natural environment. For Rousseau, water diversion is important not only for the survival of the species, but also for providing an opportunity for communal effort and ethical and aesthetic experience. This essay analyzes passages from Rousseau's Confessions, Essai sur l'origine des langues and Julie, ou la nouvelle Héloïse to explore the meanings of diverting water in Rousseau's corpus. Bringing together two distinctly different strands of analysis—a literary/critical reading of Rousseau that focuses on questions of the sublime in relation to technological achievements, and a historical exploration of the mundane material problem of the accessibility of water in the eighteenth century—I attempt to unpack the social, political, ethical and aesthetic implications of hydraulic technology.
The Origin of Texts: "The Art of Fiction" as Evolutionary Manifesto
Authors: Scheiber Andrew
Published: February 2012

This essay positions James's "Art of Fiction" essay in the context of the Darwinian-inspired discourse that saturated literary culture in the decades following the Civil War. Drawing on the roots of this discourse in Kant's and Goethe's theories of morphology, as well as evolutionary concepts drawn from Darwin, in his essay James argues the novel's nature is parallel to that of biological forms and so, like them, should not be constrained in its development by a priori laws or standards of judgment.
Interrogating the Legibility of Queer Female Subjectivity: Rethinking May Bartram's "Bracketed" Character in "The Beast in the Jungle"
Authors: Tate Carolyn
Published: February 2012

This essays seeks to investigate both the historical and critical elision of May Bartram's queer subjectivity in Henry James's "The Beast in the Jungle." Though many queer scholars have taken up Eve K. Sedgwick's persuasive reading of John Marcher's "vexed sexual subject status" few have studied the textual clues that indicate May Bartram's potentially "homosexual secret." This essay works to offer another queer reading that advocates for revealing forms of intimacy and camaraderie between queer men and women.
Developing Multilingual Prescription Instructions for Patients with Limited English Proficiency
Authors: Bailey Stacy Cooper , Hasnain-Wynia Romana , Chen Alice Hm , Sarkar Urmimala , Schoua-Glusberg Alisu , Lindquist Lee A. , Schillinger Dean , Wolf Michael S.
Published: February 2012

This article describes the development of a set of patient-centered prescription medication instructions and their translation into Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Challenges and lessons learned from this process are reported to inform future efforts to develop easy-to-understand, multilingual materials for use in health care settings.
Disparities in HIV-treatment Responses between Haitians, African Americans, and Hispanics Living in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Authors: Colasanti Jonathan , Nguyen Linda , Kiem JoAnn Tjin Kon , Deeb Khaled , Jayaweera Dushyantha
Published: February 2012

Background . Studies evaluating response to treatment with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) fail to examine Haitian patients living in the U.S. as a distinct group. Methods . This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of HAART in Haitians compared with other minority groups. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of HIV patients from two clinics. The cohort included 96 Hispanics, 60 African Americans, and 49 Haitians, after reviewing a total of 891 charts. Results . At 96 weeks, fewer Haitians (58.5%) achieved a suppressed viral load than African American (74.1%) or Hispanic (82.8%) patients (p=.021). Median CD4 counts at baseline were lowest among Haitians, with 158 cells/mm 3 , compared with African Americans, 176 cells/mm 3 and Hispanics, 199 cells/mm 3 . Conclusions . Haitians are not doing as well on HAART as other groups. This may be explained by linguistic, cultural, or other barriers that are not currently addressed by the health care system in the United States.
African American Parents’ HPV Vaccination Intent and Concerns
Authors: Sanders Thompson Vetta L. , Arnold Lauren D. , Notaro Sheri R.
Published: February 2012

This study describes attitudes and social and environmental factors that affect African American parents’ intent to vaccinate their daughters against human papillomavirus (HPV). Thirty African American parents of daughters aged nine to 17 years and no history of HPV infection completed semi-structured interviews. Interviews addressed factors that influenced intent to vaccinate, perception of community norms related to vaccination, vaccination scenarios involving place of vaccination, and vaccination prior to or after the child’s initiation of sexual activity. A recurring theme was the influence of physician recommendation on African American parents’ intent to obtain HPV vaccination for their daughters. Most parents reported that they could overcome barriers to vaccination, except vaccine costs and lack of insurance. While religious beliefs were important to parents, they reported that they would not interfere with vaccination decisions; fears of early sexuality due to vaccination were limited. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Degrees of Difference among Minority Female Juvenile Offenders’ Psychological Functioning, Risk Behavior Engagement, and Health Status: A Latent Profile Investigation
Authors: Guthrie Barbara J. , Cooper Shauna M. , Brown Charity , Metzger Isha
Published: February 2012

Given the increase in the number of female youth who come in contact with the juvenile justice system, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds, concerns have been raised about the health status of this population. Using a latent profile analysis, we identified health profiles using indicators of psychological well-being, health risk behaviors, and health status. Participants included 153 minority adolescent females (M=15.13, SD=1.70) who were currently in a juvenile diversion program. Results indicated that a three-class solution fit the data optimally. Profiles included girls with low to moderate health risks (n=35; 22.9%), higher mental health symptoms (n=68; 44.4%), and a combination of multiple health risks (n=50; 32.7%). Additionally, demographic, contextual and offense-related variation existed across health profiles. Treatment and policy implications are discussed.
The Association of Body Mass Index and Perforation of the Appendix in Puerto Rican Children
Authors: Ramos Carmen T. , Nieves-Plaza Mariely
Published: February 2012

Objective. Puerto Rico Department of Health lacks data on appendicitis since 1996. We inquired about factors influencing perforation. Methods. Retrospective study of risk factors among Puerto Rican children with appendicitis from 2002–2008. Results. One hundred and seventy records were reviewed. Appendiceal perforation = 38%. Median age was 10 years. Risk factors for perforation were age younger than five years, onset of symptoms more than 36 hours previously, public insurance, more than two examiners, and public hospital. Obese patients had a tendency to present with perforation (OR: 1.5 (0.6–3.5)). In the multivariate analysis, the only variables that remained significant were age younger than five years (OR: 10.2 (2.2–46.7)), and onset of symptoms more than 36 hours previously (OR: 5.9 (2.3–14.7)). Conclusion. Age younger than five years and onset of symptoms more than 36 hours previously were associated with perforation of the appendix. Body mass index for age percentile greater than the 95th had a tendency to present with perforation.
“I Live by Shooting Hill”—A Qualitative Exploration of Conflict and Violence among Urban Youth in New Haven, Connecticut
Authors: Shuval Kerem , Massey Zohar , Caughy Margaret O. , Cavanaugh Brenda , Pillsbury Charles A. , Groce Nora
Published: February 2012

To elucidate urban youths’ perceptions of conflict and violence we conducted a qualitative study among minority urban youths in New Haven, Connecticut. We utilized the ecological framework to explore the multilevel nature of the findings, and triangulated results with a parallel quantitative study. We found risk factors for violence at multiple levels including lack of interpersonal anger management skills (individual level); parents not physically present in the household (relationship level); residence in crime and gang-ridden neighborhoods (community level); and socioeconomic inequalities between neighborhoods, as reflected by participants’ perception of the inadequacy of neighborhood resources to provide safety (societal level). Neighborhood resources were perceived as sparse, and police were not regarded as a protective factor (sometimes rather as racially discriminatory). Participants’ statements pertaining to feelings of isolation, racism, and violence without strong parental, neighborhood, and school support may impede prosocial attitudes and behaviors throughout adolescence and young adulthood.
The Costs and Adequacy of Safety Net Access for the Uninsured in Genesee County, Michigan
Authors: Hall Mark A. , Hamacher Linda , Johnson James M.
Published: February 2012

This commentary examines Genesee County (Flint) Michigan to explore whether a well-structured safety net system is able to provide low-income uninsured people adequate access to care at a reasonable cost. Genessee County is one of the more economically challenged communities in the country. This commentary explores the cost and adequacy of safety net care in Genessee County under the Genessee Health Plan (GHP). The analysis compares the cost of services under GHP to the cost of the same services offered by local private insurers and Medicaid. An analysis found that GHP, Flint-area physicians, hospitals, and foundations have succeeded in providing basic medical care access to a substantial majority of their low-income uninsured citizens. The costs of care, both paid by GHP and donated by local providers, are substantially less than the estimated costs if this population were covered by full Medicaid or private insurance.
Health Literacy of an Urban Business Community
Authors: Johnson Barbara H. , Hayes Sandra C. , Ekundayo Olugbemiga T. , Wheeler Primus , Ford D’Arcy M.
Published: February 2012

The impact of community-based organizations on the delivery of health care knowledge is well documented. Little research has focused on the importance of health literacy in the dissemination of health care information by minority small business owners. This study sampled 38 business owners within a local business district to assess their level of health literacy. Although adequate health literacy is not required to serve as a community resource, it may be necessary to understand the health literacy level of local business owners as gatekeepers in order to develop appropriate training/educational programs. The results of this descriptive cross-sectional study indicate that for sample of business owners, health literacy levels are adequate. The findings suggest the feasibility of using local business owners as disseminators of health-related materials to the communities in which they operate their businesses.
Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes among African Americans in the Arkansas Delta: A Strengths Perspective in Social-cultural Context
Authors: Bhattacharya Gauri
Published: February 2012

This qualitative study explored underlying factors influencing the promotion of type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management among adult African Americans diagnosed with T2D in the Arkansas Delta. Our narrative approach gathered insights in the participants’ own voices and placed their T2D self-management experiences in social-cultural-historical contexts. Using purposive sampling, 31 participants (16 women and 15 men) were selected and interviewed. The participants showed low awareness of T2D’s chronic nature because of its asymptomatic or nonspecific symptoms. They interpreted medically prescribed dietary and physical exercise guidelines as impractical and culturally irrelevant for them. Medication non-adherence was due to inadequate knowledge and awareness of T2D as a chronic disease, and suspicion and mistrust of the formal medical system. To develop culturally-targeted interventions to advance self-management outcomes, we must understand from and with African Americans the strengths of social-cultural contexts in which they live and make their health behavior choices. Engaging African Americans diagnosed with T2D in community-based programs may be a promising approach.
The Millennium Development Goals and Human Rights: Realizing Shared Commitments
Authors: Kuruvilla Shyama , Bustreo Flavia , Hunt Paul , Singh Amarjit , Friedman Eric , Luchesi Thiago , Germann Stefan , Loraas Kim Terje , Yamin Alicia Ely , Andion Ximena , Frenk Julio , Members And
Published: February 2012

Every preventable death poses a challenge to health, development, and human rights initiatives. Although the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) prioritize reducing maternal and child mortality, progress is unequal and the sustainability of related efforts beyond 2015 is a concern. Strategies that link the MDGs and human rights would facilitate more comprehensive, equitable, and sustainable progress in health and development. Strategies include: ensuring entitlements that link human rights provisions with laws and resources; building capacities for different contexts and challenges; promoting integration and innovation to catalyze progress; combating inequality and discrimination; committing to accountability for resources and results; and emphasizing sustainability.
The Quality of Instruction in Urban High Schools: Comparing Mathematics and Science to English and Social Studies Classes in Chicago
Authors: Lee Valerie E. , Robinson Shantá R. , Sebastian James
Published: February 2012

Is the quality of instruction systematically better in one subject than another? Teachers and students in the same Chicago high schools reported on one core-curriculum class (English, mathematics, science, or social studies) in 2007 surveys. Teachers commented on instructional demands and student participation. Students described engagement, academic demand, and clarity. Both described social relations. Using hierarchical linear models (HLM), findings across several diverse instructional measures were consistent by source (teachers or students). Respondents rated the quality of instruction lower in mathematics and science classes than in English and social studies classes. Students’ instructional experiences seemed fragmented and inconsistent. Even in the same schools, teachers’ descriptions of instruction differed by departmental affiliation. We draw policy implications from these instructional differences.
"Since I have learned of these evil tidings, I have been heartsick and I am unable to sleep": The Old Yiddish and Hebrew Letters from 1476 in the Shadow of Blood Libels in Northern Italy and Germany
Authors: Kotlerman Ber Boris
Published: February 2012

The blood libel against the Jews in Trent in 1475, the first of this kind in the Early Modern Times, which led to execution of all Jewish men of the city, caused an investigation initiated by Pope Sixtus IV. The court proceedings of the case, stored in the city archive of Trent for more than half a thousand years, include four private letters written in Hebrew characters, two in Old Yiddish and two in Hebrew. The letters were found in possession of a Catholic priest by the name of Paolo da Novara who was arrested following the blood libel, and initially meant to serve as evidence of his attempts to help the Jewish women imprisoned at Trent make contact with the outside world. Later da Novara was accused of trying to poison Bishop of Trent, Johannes Hinderbach. It seems that the case contains the oldest private letters in Old Yiddish known until the present. Albeit the very fact of their existence was known to researchers, they remained undeciphered, not analyzed and not contextualized. Being a good example of earliest texts in Yiddish in general and evoking a special interest as the earliest representation of a specific “epistolary genre” in particular, they are first of all a rare reflection of the Trent tragedy and some other contemporary blood libels from the Jewish inner perspective.