bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of p‐substituted benzylidenemalononitriles in 50% aqueous acetonitrile: substituent effects and quantification of the electrophilic reactivity
Authors: Dhahri Nejeh , Taoufik Boubaker , Goumont Régis
Published: February 2014

The rate constants of the reaction of p‐X‐substituted benzylidenemalononitriles 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g, 1h with hydroxide ion were measured in 50% water–50% acetonitrile at 20 °C. The experimental kinetic data reveal that the points pertaining to electron donating substituted compounds (X = Me, OMe and NMe2) exhibit negative deviations from the Hammett plot. However, the Yukawa–Tsuno plot for the same rate constants resulted in a good straight line with an excellent correlation coefficient (r2 = 0.9916) and an r value of 1.15. Possible ground‐state stabilization through resonance interactions has been suggested to explain the origin of the nonlinear Hammett plot. On the basis of the relationship between E and σp+, the electrophilicity parameter E of some benzylidenemalononitriles 1c and 1e, 1f, 1g, 1h has been evaluated. More importantly, the three compounds 1f (E = −7.90), 1g (E = −7.80) and 1h (E = −7.55) exhibit high electrophilicities that compare well with that of 4,6‐dinitrobenzoselenadiazole (E = −7.40), a compound which has a general behaviour representative for the superelectrophilic dimension. We have shown that the second‐order rate constants calculated from Mayr's approach for the reaction of 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g, 1h with hydroxide ion do not agree with the available experimental data. On the other hand, a good linear correlation between log kexp and log kcalc has been observed and discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of small amounts of addition‐fragmentation capable monomers on polymerization‐induced shrinkage stress
Authors: Wydra James W. , Fenoli Christopher R. , Cramer Neil B. , Stansbury Jeffrey W. , Bowman Christopher N.
Published: February 2014

The effects of the addition of small amounts of multifunctional monomers that contain functional groups capable of undergoing addition‐fragmentation during radical polymerizations are investigated. Specifically, up to 6 wt % of phenyl trithiocarbonate (TTC)‐containing diacrylate was added to conventional thiol‐multiacrylate photopolymerizations where its addition led to up to 60% reduction in polymerization‐induced shrinkage stress. The higher levels of TTC achieve the lowest stress though they also significantly depress the polymerization rate. Using up to 0.5 wt % phenyl TTC successfully reduces the stress by nearly 20%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the phenyl TTC, while minimizing the influence that the RAFT activity of the TTC unit has on the polymerization rate. When the polymerization rates of the TTC‐containing resins are increased by changing the incident light intensity, complete acrylate conversion is achieved and the stress remains up to 40% lower in the TTC‐containing resins. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1315–1321
First principle studies of charge transport in PPV polymer under conformational deformation
Authors: Gomez‐Aguilar Ramon , Ortiz‐Lopez Jaime
Published: February 2014

We consider the inclusion of torsional deformations in the structure of an infinite chain of poly‐p‐phenylene vinylene and study the consequences on charge transport along the polymer length. Calculations of the electronic transport are performed with density functional theory combined with Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function method. Deformations are modeled either as a sharp rotation of the polymer backbone about a single chemical bond or as a continuous twist extending along various monomer units. We study current‐voltage (I‐V) characteristics in a two probe configuration as a function of angle and degree of torsional sharpness and demonstrate that when the backbone torsion is abrupt a barrier to electron transport builds up that becomes maximum at an angle of 100°. The outcome of our calculations is that the abrupt twist of the polymer backbone creates two virtually disconnected segments, which validates models that treat a real polymer as distribution of chains of different sizes and conjugation lengths. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 578–586
On the gauged Kähler isometry in minimal supergravity models of inflation
Authors: Ferrara S. , Fré P. , Sorin A.S.
Published: February 2014

In this paper we address the question how to discriminate whether the gauged isometry group ��Σ of the Kähler manifold Σ that produces a D‐type inflaton potential in a Minimal Supergravity Model is elliptic, hyperbolic or parabolic. We show that the classification of isometries of symmetric cosets can be extended to non symmetric Σ.s if these manifolds satisfy additional mathematical restrictions. The classification criteria established in the mathematical literature are coherent with simple criteria formulated in terms of the asymptotic behavior of the Kähler potential ��(C) = 2 J(C) where the real scalar field C encodes the inflaton field. As a by product of our analysis we show that phenomenologically admissible potentials for the description of inflation and in particular α‐attractors are mostly obtained from the gauging of a parabolic isometry, this being, in particular the case of the Starobinsky model. Yet at least one exception exists of an elliptic α‐attractor, so that neither type of isometry can be a priori excluded. The requirement of regularity of the manifold Σ poses instead strong constraints on the α‐attractors and reduces their space considerably. Curiously there is a unique integrable α‐attractor corresponding to a particular value of this parameter.
Likelihood ratio based tests for longitudinal drug safety data
Authors: Huang Lan , Zalkikar Jyoti , Tiwari Ram
Published: February 2014

This article presents longitudinal likelihood ratio test (LongLRT) methods for large databases with exposure information. These methods are applied to a pooled large longitudinal clinical trial dataset for drugs treating osteoporosis with concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). When the interest is in the evaluation of a signal of an adverse event for a particular drug compared with placebo or a comparator, the special case of the LongLRT, referred to as sequential LRT (SeqLRT), is also presented. The results show that there is some possible evidence of concomitant use of PPIs leading to more adverse events associated with osteoporosis. The performance of the proposed LongLRT and SeqLRT methods is evaluated using simulated datasets and shown to be good in terms of (conditional) power and control of type I error over time. The proposed methods can also be applied to large observational databases with exposure information under the US Food and Drug Administration Sentinel Initiative for active surveillance. Published 2014. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Histopathological changes in gill and liver of Capoeta capoeta living in the Karasu River, Erzurum
Authors: Dane Hatice , Şişman Turgay
Published: February 2014

The contamination of surface waters by different pollutants is an important problem worldwide. In this study, the histopathological effects of water pollution were investigated on freshwater fish species Capoeta capoeta caught from the Karasu River. Fish were caught at three different sites in the Karasu River, namely, Aşkale, Dumlu, and Serçeme. The histological changes in gill and liver of fish were detected microscopically and evaluated with quantitative analyses. In addition, heavy metals have also been determined in surface water samples from these sites. Results showed that the Aşkale site was polluted by different kinds of heavy metals. In Aşkale site, some heavy metals such as Cd, Al, As, Pb, and Mn levels were mostly detected at concentrations above than the accepted values by the Turkish Standards Institute. The presence of gill and liver histological alterations were assessed by the degree of tissue change (DTC). In gill filaments, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the gill epithelium, lamellar epithelial lifting, lamellae shortening, vasodilatation, lamellar disorganization, blood congestion, fusion, and aneurysm were observed. In the liver, the changes included an increase in the number and size of melanomacrophage aggregates, nonhomogenous parenchyma, proliferation of the hepatopancreas, sinusoidal dilatation, vacuolization, hypertrophy of the hepatocytes, congestion and degeneration of central vein, blood congestion, pyknotic nucleus, focal necrosis, and hepatic granuloma. The histological lesions were comparatively most severe in liver. The DTC means were varied from slight to moderate of gill and moderate to severe of liver tissue in the Aşkale site, thus the site is considered to be of low quality. Some pathological alterations were observed in the Serçeme site, although their distribution was lower than sites Dumlu and especially Aşkale. The least DTC means of the Serçeme site demonstrated their good environmental quality. The results suggest that there is a close relationship between amounts of pathological alterations and environmental contamination. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 904–917, 2015.
Life-cycle Water Quantity and Water Quality Implications of Biofuels
Authors: Wu May , Zhang Zhonglong , Chiu Yi-wen
Published: February 2014

Water consumption and water quality continue to be key factors affecting environmental sustainability in biofuel production. This review covers the findings from biofuel water analyses published over the past 2 years to underscore the progress made, and to highlight advancements in understanding the interactions among increased production and water demand, water resource availability, and potential changes in water quality. We focus on two key areas: water footprint assessment and watershed modeling. Results revealed that miscanthus-, switchgrass-, and forest wood-based biofuels all have promising blue and grey water footprints. Alternative water resources have been explored for algae production, and challenges remain. A most noticeable improvement in the analysis of life-cycle water consumption is the adoption of geospatial analysis and watershed modeling to generate a spatially explicit water footprint at a finer scale (e.g., multi-state region, state, and county scales) to address the impacts of land use change and climate on the water footprint in a landscape with a mixed biofuel feedstock.
Eosinophilic fasciitis as a paraneoplastic syndrome, a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Haddad Housam , Sundaram Suchitra , Magro Cynthia , Gergis Usama
Published: February 2014

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare disease with characteristic clinical and histological features, previously reported to be associated with various hematological and solid malignancies. We report a typical case of eosinophilic fasciitis in a 67-year-old man in association with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and subsequently bladder cancer. On the two occasions, the eosinophilic fasciitis completely resolved upon successful treatment of the concomitant malignancy. The diagnosis of EF should trigger further evaluation for any associated hematological disorder, which, if adequately treated, can result in the resolution of EF.
Social context modulates the effect of physical warmth on perceived interpersonal kindness: a study of embodied metaphors
Authors: CITRON FRANCESCA M. M. , GOLDBERG ADELE E.
Published: February 2014

abstract

Physical contact with hot vs. iced coffee has been shown to affect evaluation of the personal warmth or kindness of a hypothetical person (Williams & Bargh, 2008). In three studies, we investigated whether the manipulation of social context can modulate the activation of the metaphorical mapping, kindness as warmth. After priming participants with warm vs. cold temperature, we asked them to evaluate a hypothetical ad-hoc ally or adversary on the kindness dimension, as well as on other qualities used as a control. We expected more extreme evaluations of kindness in the adversary than in the ally condition, and no effects on other ratings. We thus replicated the classical effect of physical warmth on kindness ratings and generalized it to a German-speaking population. In addition, when the two German studies were combined, we found evidence suggesting a contextual modulation of the temperature effect: only out-group members, namely adversaries, were judged as more kind when participants had experienced physical warmth; the effect was not evident in the ally (i.e., in-group) condition. These studies suggest that context can modulate metaphorical activation; they therefore represent an initial attempt to add nuance to our understanding of when embodied metaphors affect our decisions.
The whole is sometimes less than the sum of its parts: toward a theory of document acts
Authors: OAKLEY TODD , TOBIN VERA
Published: February 2014

abstract

We present in broad outline a theory of document acts, using the influential Supreme Court opinion inMarbury v. Madison(1803) as our principal test case.Marburyhas a superabundance of rhetorical questions. They make up a significant and stylistically prominent portion of the total linguistic material of the text, yet they all but disappear fromMarbury’s citation history and thus its content as an enduring jurisprudential entity. To account for these facts, we examineMarburyas a whole text addressing a particular situation, as a pastiche of constructions, and as a tool of jurisprudential decision-making. The intersection and independence of these ‘modes of being’ call for an overarching theoretical framework capable of accounting for facets of documents’ existence at three distinct but interpenetrating strata:system,artifact, andconstruction. We base our theory on primordial cognitive capacities for joint attention and joint commitments, with the strata as consequences of embodied human minds born into and embedded in intersubjective environments filled with and shaped by documents and their circulation. The closed system of United States Supreme Court opinions makes an excellent case for a theory of document acts that will eventually be used to understand and explain more open-ended systems.
Maternal nicotinamide supplementation causes global DNA hypomethylation, uracil hypo-incorporation and gene expression changes in fetal rats
Authors: Tian Yan-Jie , Luo Ning , Chen Na-Na , Lun Yong-Zhi , Gu Xin-Yi , Li Zhi , Ma Qiang , Zhou Shi-Sheng
Published: February 2014

Recent evidence shows that excess nicotinamide can cause epigenetic changes in developing rats. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of maternal nicotinamide supplementation on the fetus. Female rats were randomised into four groups fed a standard chow diet (control group) or diets supplemented with 1 g/kg of nicotinamide (low-dose group), 4 g/kg of nicotinamide (high-dose group) or 4 g/kg of nicotinamide plus 2 g/kg of betaine (betaine group) for 14–16 d before mating and throughout the study. Fetal tissue samples were collected on the 20th day of pregnancy. Compared with the control group, the high-dose group had a higher fetal death rate, and the average fetal body weight was higher in the low-dose group but lower in the high-dose group. Nicotinamide supplementation led to a decrease in placental and fetal hepatic genomic DNA methylation and genomic uracil contents (a factor modifying DNA for diversity) in the placenta and fetal liver and brain, which could be completely or partially prevented by betaine. Moreover, nicotinamide supplementation induced tissue-specific alterations in the mRNA expression of the genes encoding nicotinamideN-methyltransferase, DNA methyltransferase 1, catalase and tumour protein p53 in the placenta and fetal liver. High-dose nicotinamide supplementation increased fetal hepatic α-fetoprotein mRNA level, which was prevented by betaine supplementation. It is concluded that maternal nicotinamide supplementation can induce changes in fetal epigenetic modification and DNA base composition. The present study raises the concern that maternal nicotinamide supplementation may play a role in the development of epigenetic-related diseases in the offspring.
Urinary tartaric acid as a potential biomarker for the dietary assessment of moderate wine consumption: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Regueiro Jorge , Vallverdú-Queralt Anna , Simal-Gándara Jesús , Estruch Ramón , Lamuela-Raventós Rosa María
Published: February 2014

The availability of biomarkers that allow the estimation of the intake of specific foods and dietary components, as an alternative or addition to self-reported dietary questionnaires, could greatly enhance the effectiveness of nutritional research. The aim of the present study was to assess tartaric acid, one of the major components of red and white wines, as a potential biomarker of wine consumption. A total of twenty-one healthy men participated in a randomised cross-over feeding trial. They consumed a single dose of 100, 200 or 300 ml wine at dinner. Before each intervention, the participants followed a 7 d washout period during which they avoided consuming wine or grape-based products. Morning urine was collected and analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionisation tandem MS. A strong significant correlation was found between wine intake and urinary tartaric acid (rs= 0·9220; P <0·001). Using a cut-off value of 8·84 μg/mg creatinine, tartaric acid allowed wine consumers to be differentiated from non-wine consumers. The results suggest that urinary tartaric acid may be a sensitive and specific dietary biomarker of wine consumption.
Population structure of the protected fan musselPinna nobilisin the south Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean)
Authors: Vafidis Dimitris , Antoniadou Chryssanthi , Voultsiadou Eleni , Chintiroglou Chariton
Published: February 2014

Pinna nobilisis an endemic Mediterranean species of high economic and cultural importance. Nowadays, it is under strict protection as a dramatic decline in its populations has been recognized, assigned to the combined effect of fisheries and habitat degradation. This study attempts to evaluate, by non-destructive sampling, the current status ofP. nobilispopulations in the south Aegean Sea (Dodecanese island complex), where they have been affected for centuries by practically uncontrolled harvesting. Population density and total length of individuals was estimated by diving along strip transects at six islands. Two stations were randomly selected per island, and two depth zones were surveyed per station. Additionally, temporal sampling was carried out at Astypalaia Island from March 2004 to June 2006, to assess relevant trends in density of individuals and size structure of the population. In total 1372P. nobilisindividuals were measuredin situto estimate maximum shell length. The studied populations showed increased density in the shallower depth zone and sheltered sites; small-scale environmental regimes are proposed as shaping factors ofP. nobilisdistribution. Increased density was also detected during the cold period of the year, probably related to recruitment success. In the lower depth zone theP. nobilispopulation consisted of larger individuals. A significant decrease in size was detected temporally as mean length was smaller in December 2004; in the same month the presence of small-sized juveniles was depicted in a left-shift in size–frequency distribution. These observations are probably related to the reproductive biology of the species.
Surveys of lionsPanthera leoin protected areas in Zimbabwe yield disturbing results: what is driving the population collapse?
Authors: Groom Rosemary J. , Funston Paul J. , Mandisodza Roseline
Published: February 2014

The African lionPanthera leois an iconic species but it has faced dramatic range reductions and possibly as few as 30,000 individuals remain in the wild. In the absence of detailed ground-based surveys, lion populations may be estimated using regression models based on prey biomass availability but these often overestimate lion densities as a result of a variety of compounding factors. Anthropogenic factors can be key drivers of lion population dynamics and in areas with high human impact lion numbers may be significantly lower than those predicted by prey biomass models. This was investigated in two protected areas in Zimbabwe, where lion population densities were found to be significantly lower than would have been predicted by prey-availability models. High hunting quotas either within or around the protected areas are the most likely cause of the low lion numbers, with quotas in some areas being as high as seven lions per 1,000 km2in some years. Other factors, including persecution, poisoning and problem animal control, as well as disease and competition with spotted hyaenasCrocuta crocuta, are also discussed.
Protein deficiency alters impact of intestinal nematode infection on intestinal, visceral and lymphoid organ histopathology in lactating mice
Authors: STARR LISA M. , ODIERE MAURICE R. , KOSKI KRISTINE G. , SCOTT MARILYN E.
Published: February 2014

Protein deficiency impairs local and systemic immune responses toHeligmosomoides bakeriinfection but little is known about their individual and interactive impacts on tissue architecture of maternal lymphoid (thymus, spleen) and visceral (small intestine, kidney, liver, pancreas) organs during the demanding period of lactation. Using a 2×2 factorial design, pregnant CD1 mice were fed a 24% protein sufficient (PS) or a 6% protein deficient (PD) isoenergetic diet beginning on day 14 of pregnancy and were infected with 100H. bakerilarvae four times or exposed to four sham infections. On day 20 of lactation, maternal organs were examined histologically and serum analytes were assayed as indicators of organ function. The absence of villus atrophy in response to infection was associated with increased crypt depth and infiltration of mast cells and eosinophils but only in lactating dams fed adequate protein. Infection-induced lobular liver inflammation was reduced in PD dams, however, abnormalities in the kidney caused by protein deficiency were absent in infected dams. Bilirubin and creatinine were highest in PD infected mice. Infection-induced splenomegaly was not due to an increase in the lymphoid compartment of the spleen. During lactation, infection and protein deficiency have interactive effects on extra-intestinal pathologies.
Assistance, Support and Monitoring? The Paradoxes of Mentoring Adults in the Criminal Justice System
Authors: HUCKLESBY ANTHEA , WINCUP EMMA
Published: February 2014

Mentoring has recently taken centre stage as one of the primary criminal justice ‘interventions’ to reduce reoffending, having grown in popularity over the past fifteen years. Its rapid growth has been driven by claims of success within and outside the criminal justice system, leading some to argue that it has been perceived as a silver bullet (Newburn and Shiner, 2005). This article challenges such claims on three fronts: first, mentoring is an ill-defined concept with weak theoretical foundations; second, the evidence base upon which claims of success are made is limited; and, third, transferring mentoring into the coercive and punitive environment of the criminal justice system results in a departure from the very principles and values which are the basis of its usefulness elsewhere. The article utilises the findings from three empirical criminal justice research projects to question claims of widespread and effective mentoring activity with defendants and offenders, suggesting instead that ‘interventions’ described as mentoring serve as a vehicle to extend the reach of the criminal justice system. At the end of the article, we suggest that desistance theory, specifically the Good Lives Model, provides a conceptual framework for taking mentoring in criminal justice forward.
Monotonous tasks require self-control because they interfere with endogenous reward
Authors: Ainslie George
Published: February 2014

Self-control is a necessary component of subjective effort, but it depends only on farsighted motivation, with no additional, depletable resource. The aversiveness of boring tasks probably comes from their interference with endogenous reward, a new and potentially controversial concept. The self-control needed to stick with any kind of aversive experience increases as the values of the competing motives draw closer together.
Composition and replay of mnemonic sequences: The contributions of REM and slow-wave sleep to episodic memory
Authors: Cheng Sen , Werning Markus
Published: February 2014

We propose that rapid eye movement (REM) and slow-wave sleep contribute differently to the formation of episodic memories. REM sleep is important for building up invariant object representations that eventually recur to gamma-band oscillations in the neocortex. In contrast, slow-wave sleep is more directly involved in the consolidation of episodic memories through replay of sequential neural activity in hippocampal place cells.
Cost-benefit models as the next, best option for understanding subjective effort
Authors: Kurzban Robert , Duckworth Angela , Kable Joseph W. , Myers Justus
Published: February 2014

The commentaries on our target article are surprisingly sympathetic to our overall approach to explaining subjective effort, though disagreement with particulars inevitably emerged. Here, in our response, we first review the few disagreements concerning the basic structure of our proposal, highlighting areas in which little or no resistance was voiced. Opposition to the assumptions that underlie our opportunity cost model is noticeably limited. Areas of genuine disagreement, however, include: (1) the inputs to and outputs of the relevant decision-making systems; (2) how to interpret data regarding individual differences in performance; (3) how to explain persistence on tasks that give rise to the sensation of subjective effort; and (4) the details of the relevant neuropsychological systems. Throughout we point to empirical issues raised by the commentaries and suggest research that will be useful in arbitrating points of disagreement.
The role and importance of lower-level processes in second language reading
Authors: Nassaji Hossein
Published: February 2014

This article examines current research on the role and importance of lower-level processes in second language (L2) reading. The focus is on word recognition and its subcomponent processes, including various phonological and orthographic processes. Issues related to syntactic and semantic processes and their relationship with word recognition are also discussed. When examining the role of these processes, an important focus is also on cross-linguistic variables and the various ways in which they facilitate or impede the development of L2 reading skills. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications of the issues addressed for L2 reading instruction and directions for future research.
Editorial: The Importance of the Astonished Eye
Authors: CANNING CHARLOTTE
Published: February 2014

The four articles in this first issue of 2014 could not have, at first glance, less in common. The first piece, ‘Zooësis and “Becoming with” in India: The “Figure” of Elephant in Sahyande Makan: The Elephant Project’ by Ameet Parameswaran, examines the theatrical adaptation of a 1944 Malayalam poem by the company Theatre Roots and Wings. In ‘The Dynamics of Space and Resistance in Muhammad ‘Azīz's Tahrir Square: The Revolution of the People and the Genius of the Place’, Salwa Rashad Amin discusses the importance of ‘Azīz's play in the context of Egypt's recent and historical revolutions. Ketu Katrak takes up the performance of affect and its implication for social justice in ‘“Stripping Women of Their Wombs”: Active Witnessing of Performances of Violence’. Finally, Katia Arfara explores the work of a performance artist in terms of early twentieth-century precedents for European performance art, ‘Denaturalizing Time: On Kris Verdonck's Performative Installation End’. Theatre Research International readers will find much of value in each article, and they represent the kind of broad international focus our journal endeavours to provide.
‘Stripping Women of Their Wombs’: Active Witnessing of Performances of Violence
Authors: KATRAK KETU H.
Published: February 2014

This essay creates a theoretical frame interweaving Jill Dolan's concept of ‘finding hope at the theatre’ with Michel Foucault's concepts of ‘biopower’ and ‘biopolitics’ to argue that spectators’ affective responses to performed violence in live theatre include hope and imagining social change. I draw upon my own active witnessing of theatrical performances of two works –Ruinedby Pulitzer Prize-winning African-American Lynn Nottage, andEncounterby the Indian-American Navarasa Dance Theater Company. Along with Dolan and Foucault, I draw upon affect scholarship by James Thompson and Patricia T. Clough, and upon theorist Saidiya V. Hartman's discussion of slavery that makes the human into an abject ‘non-human’. Continuing forms of female enslavement and resistances to domination are evident in the representations of sexual slavery in the two works.
Denaturalizing Time: On Kris Verdonck's Performative Installation End
Authors: ARFARA KATIA
Published: February 2014

Originating from the avant-garde's attempt to supplant the structural limitations of perspective which ‘bound the spectator to a single point of view’, installation art emerged during the 1960s and the 1970s as a critique of the pure, self-referential work of art. Belgian artist Kris Verdonck integrates that modernist debate into his hybrid practice of performative installation. Trained in visual arts, architecture and theatre, Verdonck uses sophisticated technological devices in order to blur binary distinctions such as time- and space-art, inanimate and animate figures, and immateriality and materiality. This study focuses on End (Brussels 2008), which shows the possible final stages of a human society in ten scenes. I analyse End as an echo of the Futurists’ performance tactics, which prefigured a broadening of the formal aesthetic boundaries of performance art under the major influence of Henri Bergson's theory of time.
Viral aetiology and clinico-epidemiological features of acute encephalitis syndrome in eastern India
Authors: RATHORE S. K. , DWIBEDI B. , KAR S. K. , DIXIT S. , SABAT J. , PANDA M.
Published: February 2014

This study reports clinico-epidemiological features and viral agents causing acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in the eastern Indian region through hospital-based case enrolment during April 2011 to July 2012. Blood and CSF samples of 526 AES cases were investigated by serology and/or PCR. Viral aetiology was identified in 91 (17·2%) cases. Herpes simplex virus (HSV; types I or II) was most common (16·1%), followed by measles (2·6%), Japanese encephalitis virus (1·5%), dengue virus (0·57%), varicella zoster virus (0·38%) and enteroviruses (0·19%). Rash, paresis and cranial nerve palsies were significantly higher (P < 0·05) with viral AES. Case-fatality rates were 10·9% and 6·2% in AES cases with and without viral aetiology, respectively. Simultaneous infection of HSV I and measles was observed in seven cases. This report provides the first evidence on viral aetiology of AES viruses from eastern India showing dominance of HSV that will be useful in informing the public health system.
Summer increase of Legionnaires' disease 2010 in The Netherlands associated with weather conditions and implications for source finding
Authors: BRANDSEMA P. S. , EUSER S. M. , KARAGIANNIS I. , DEN BOER J. W. , VAN DER HOEK W.
Published: February 2014

During August and September 2010 an unexpected high number of domestic cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD) were reported in The Netherlands. To examine this increase, patient characteristics and results of source finding and environmental sampling during the summer peak were compared to other domestic cases in 2008–2011. This analysis did not provide an explanation for the rise in cases. A similar increase in LD cases in 2006 was shown to be associated with warm and wet weather conditions, using an extended Poisson regression model with adjustment for long-term trends. This model was optimized with the new data from 2008 to 2011. The increase in 2010 was very accurately described by a model, which included temperature in the preceding 4 weeks, and precipitation in the preceding 2 weeks. These results confirm the strong association of LD incidence with weather conditions, but it remains unclear which environmental sources contributed to the 2010 summer increase.
Hepatitis B vaccination for healthcare personnel in American Samoa: pre-implementation survey for policy decision
Authors: LY K. N. , ROBERTS H. , WILLIAMS R. E. , MASUNU-FALEAFAGA Y. , DROBENIUC J. , KAMILI S. , TESHALE E. H.
Published: February 2014

American Samoa does not have a hepatitis B vaccination policy for healthcare personnel (HCP). Consequently, hepatitis B has remained a health threat to HCP. In this study, we performed a cross-sectional study and examined demographic and risk information and hepatitis B vaccination, testing, and serostatus in hospital employees in American Samoa. Of 604 hospital employees, 231 (38·2%) participated, and of these, 158 (68·4%) were HCP. Of HCP participants, 1·9% had chronic hepatitis B infection, 36·1% were susceptible, and 60·8% were immune. Nearly half of HCP participants reported history of needlestick injury. Overall, participants' knowledge of their hepatitis B infection and vaccination status was low. These data support the adoption of a hepatitis B vaccination policy for HCP by American Samoa, as currently recommended by the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adherence to the policy could be monitored as a way to measure protection.
Hand hygiene and risk of influenza virus infections in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: WONG V. W. Y. , COWLING B. J. , AIELLO A. E.
Published: February 2014

Community-based prevention strategies for seasonal and pandemic influenza are essential to minimize their potential threat to public health. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of hand hygiene interventions in reducing influenza transmission in the community and to investigate the possible modifying effects of latitude, temperature and humidity on hand hygiene efficacy. We identified 979 articles in the initial search and 10 randomized controlled trials met our inclusion criteria. The combination of hand hygiene with facemasks was found to have statistically significant efficacy against laboratory-confirmed influenza while hand hygiene alone did not. Our meta-regression model did not identify statistically significant effects of latitude, temperature or humidity on the efficacy of hand hygiene. Our findings highlight the potential importance of interventions that protect against multiple modes of influenza transmission, and the modest efficacy of hand hygiene suggests that additional measures besides hand hygiene may also be important to control influenza.
Dietary patterns and cognitive ability among 12- to 13 year-old adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia
Authors: Nurliyana Abdul Razak , Mohd Nasir Mohd Taib , Zalilah Mohd Shariff , Rohani Abdullah
Published: February 2014

Objective

The present study aimed to identify dietary patterns and determine the relationship between dietary patterns and cognitive ability among 12- to 13 year-old Malay adolescents in the urban areas of Gombak district in Selangor, Malaysia.

Design

Data on sociodemographic background were obtained from parents. Height and weight were measured and BMI-for-age was determined. Adolescents were interviewed on their habitual dietary intakes using a semi-quantitative FFQ. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability in a one-to-one manner. Dietary patterns were constructed using principal component analysis based on thirty-eight food groups of the semi-quantitative FFQ.

Setting

Urban secondary public schools in the district of Gombak in Selangor, Malaysia.

Subjects

Malay adolescents aged 12 to 13 years (n 416).

Results

The mean general cognitive ability score was 101·8 (sd 12·4). Four major dietary patterns were identified and labelled as ‘refined-grain pattern’, ‘snack-food pattern’, ‘plant-based food pattern’ and ‘high-energy food pattern’. These dietary patterns explained 39·1 % of the variance in the habitual dietary intakes of the adolescents. The refined-grain pattern was negatively associated with processing speed, which is a construct of general cognitive ability. The high-energy food pattern was negatively associated with general cognitive ability, perceptual reasoning and processing speed. Monthly household income and parents’ educational attainment were positively associated with all of the cognitive measures. In multivariate analysis, only the high-energy food pattern was found to contribute significantly towards general cognitive ability after controlling for socio-economic status.

Conclusions

Consumption of foods in the high-energy food pattern contributed towards general cognitive ability after controlling for socio-economic status. However, the contribution was small.
Consumptions of plain water, moisture in foods and beverages, and total water in relation to dietary micronutrient intakes and serum nutrient profiles among US adults
Authors: Yang Meng , Chun Ock K
Published: February 2014

Objective

To investigate water contributors in relation to dietary and serum micronutrient profiles.

Design

A cross-sectional study. The main exposures were water contributors. Selected dietary and serum micronutrient levels were outcome measures.

Settings

The US population and its subgroups.

Subjects

US adults (n2691) aged ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2006.

Results

The daily mean total water intake was 3·1 (se0·047) litres, with 68 % of adults consuming below the Adequate Intake level. Total water intake was higher in adults with higher BMI and physical activity, those taking dietary supplements and alcohol consumers (P< 0·05). Plain water intake was positively associated with food moisture and negatively with beverage moisture (P< 0·001). Beverage moisture was negatively associated with food moisture (P< 0·001). In multivariate regression analyses, plain water and food moisture intakes were positively associated with Fe, Ca, vitamins A, B, C, E and K and carotenoid intakes (P< 0·05). However, beverage moisture was unrelated to Ca, niacin and vitamin B6intakes, and negatively associated with Fe, vitamin A, folate, vitamins C, E and K and carotenoid intakes (P< 0·05). Concentrations of serum vitamins A and C and carotenoids increased with plain water and food moisture intakes (P< 0·05) but decreased (P< 0·01) or were unrelated to beverage moisture intake.

Conclusions

Various contributors of total water intake differed in their associations with dietary and serum micronutrient profiles in US adults. The study provides evidence of plain water benefits on micronutrient adequacy over beverages.
Progress in electrons vortex creation and application in a transmission electron microscope
Authors: Verbeeck J. , Beche A. , Clark L. , Guzzinati G. , Juchtmans R. , Lubk A. , Tian H. , Van Boxem R. , Van Tendeloo G.
Published: February 2014

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
High Efficiency Electron Diffractive Optics
Authors: Pierce J.S. , Harvey T.R. , Yahn T.S. , McMorran B.J.
Published: February 2014

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Critical Strategic Practice and Sino-Japanese Pluralized Regional Leadership: Collective Leadership, Competitive Coexistence and a Blocking Power Relationship
Authors: PARK JINSOO
Published: February 2014

This paper aims to develop a coherent analytical tool to explain the dynamics of Sino-Japanese pluralized leadership. Highlighting the constructivist concept of critical strategic practice, it argues that the nature of pluralized leadership is not fixed by existing social structures, but rather can be dynamically changed by potential leaders through critical reflection and actions to transform identities. It then suggests three possible types of pluralized leadership: collective leadership, competitive coexistence, and a blocking power relationship. These are determined by whether two leadership aspirants succeed in establishing institutionalized social networks and shared norms between them and whether a leadership aspirant gains a majority of followers for its leadership project. The paper shows that China and Japan have engaged in both competitive coexistence and a blocking power relationship through their critical strategic practice.
The Instability of Korean Political Parties: Cue-givers and Cue-chasing Politicians
Authors: LEE JONGKON
Published: February 2014

Korean political parties have been organizationally unstable for decades, even after 1987 when a democratic transition from authoritarian military-based politics was achieved. Many studies have argued that the instability has been caused by the Confucian culture of Korean politics. This paper suggests a different view of the political phenomenon: Korean party instability has been due to the ‘cue-chasing behaviors’ of self-interested politicians, rather than Confucian morality. This study examines the proposition with a historical exploration of Korean political parties between 1987 and 2012.
The International Anti-Money Laundering Regime and Its Adoption by Vietnam
Authors: Le Nguyen Chat
Published: February 2014

The international anti-money laundering (AML) regime has developed and diffused rapidly in the last two decades. Most developing countries have engaged with the international AML regime under pressure from other states rather than on a voluntary basis.1Establishing the national AML regime in these countries in compliance with international standards is very expensive, while the benefits are elusive.2This paper reveals that the adoption of basically similar AML norms by many developing countries results from the global diffusion of the international AML regime through two major mechanisms: coercion (by powerful economies and international institutions) and socialization (through tactical communications). This paper points out that although the AML regime of Vietnam was established under external coercion and socialization, domestic factors determine the extent of compliance with international standards. In Vietnam, a determinative factor is the political willingness of the Communist Party in fighting money laundering.
Integration of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePROs) Into Pediatric Clinic Settings Across Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant
Authors: Myrvik Matthew P. , Beverung Lauren M. , Panepinto Julie A. , Igler Eva C. , Englebert Nicole , Bingen Kristin M.
Published: February 2014

Despite the benefits of patient reported outcomes (PROs), the systematic use of PRO assessment in clinical care is rare. The goal of this pilot project was to examine the feasibility of PRO assessment via the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Computerized Adaptive Testing (PROMIS-CAT) within pediatric hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplant (BMT) clinic settings. Fifty-one patients (ages 5 to 26 years), 53 parents, and 13 medical providers were recruited successfully. After patients and parents completed the PROMIS-CAT on electronic tablets, patients, parents, and medical providers completed questionnaires regarding acceptability, burden, and potential barriers with electronic PRO assessment within the clinic setting. The majority of patients (72%) and parents (70%) endorsed positive acceptability with completing the PROMIS-CAT. Patients and parents found the assessment easy to use and the questions understandable relative to the enjoyableness and helpfulness of the measure. Positive acceptability findings from the medical providers (25% satisfied) were lower than expected. Completion of electronic PRO assessment did not appear to add significant burden to patients, families, or the clinic workflow. Technological issues, comprehension of questions, and medical provider confusion with interpretation of the original score report of the PROMIS-CAT were identified as potential barriers with capturing PROs in the clinics. Overall, this study supports the feasibility of collecting PROs in real time in a clinic setting as patients, parents, and medical providers found the assessment acceptable and of low burden, and minimal barriers with the integration of PRO assessment within a clinic setting were identified.
Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Viscosity of Nanodiamond-Nickel Nanocomposite Nanofluids
Authors: Sundar L. Syam , Singh Manoj K. , Ramana E. Venkata , Singh Budhendra , Grácio José , Sousa Antonio C. M.
Published: February 2014

We report a new type of magnetic nanofluids, which is based on a hybrid composite of nanodiamond and nickel (ND-Ni) nanoparticles. We prepared the nanoparticles by an in-situ method involving the dispersion of caboxylated nanodiamond (c-ND) nanoparticles in ethylene glycol (EG) followed by mixing of nickel chloride and, at the reaction temperature of 140°C, the use of sodium borohydrate as the reducing agent to form the ND-Ni nanoparticles. We performed their detailed surface and magnetic characterization by X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. We prepared stable magnetic nanofluids by dispersing ND-Ni nanoparticles in a mixture of water and EG; we conducted measurements to determine the thermal conductivity and viscosity of the nanofluid with different nanoparticles loadings. The nanofluid for a 3.03% wt. of ND-Ni nanoparticles dispersed in water and EG exhibits a maximum thermal conductivity enhancement of 21% and 13%, respectively. For the same particle loading of 3.03% wt., the viscosity enhancement is 2-fold and 1.5-fold for water and EG nanofluids. This particular magnetic nanofluid, beyond its obvious usage in heat transfer equipment, may find potential applications in such diverse fields as optics and magnetic resonance imaging.
A Southern Ocean trigger for Northwest Pacific ventilation during the Holocene?
Authors: Rella S. F. , Uchida M.
Published: February 2014

Holocene ocean circulation is poorly understood due to sparsity of dateable marine archives with submillennial-scale resolution. Here we present a record of mid-depth water radiocarbon contents in the Northwest (NW) Pacific Ocean over the last 12.000 years, which shows remarkable millennial-scale variations relative to changes in atmospheric radiocarbon inventory. Apparent decoupling of these variations from regional ventilation and mixing processes leads us to the suggestion that the mid-depth NW Pacific may have responded to changes in Southern Ocean overturning forced by latitudinal displacements of the southern westerly winds. By inference, a tendency of in-phase related North Atlantic and Southern Ocean overturning would argue against the development of a steady bipolar seesaw regime during the Holocene.