bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Non-initiation of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Adolescent Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Authors: Klosky James L. , Russell Kathryn M. , Canavera Kristin E. , Gammel Heather L. , Hodges Jason R. , Foster Rebecca H. , Parra Gilbert R. , Simmons Jessica L. , Green Daniel M. , Hudson Melissa M.
Published: August 2013

Effective vaccination is now available to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection and cause of cervical cancer. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of HPV vaccination among childhood cancer survivors and identify factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion. Mothers of daughters of ages 9 to 17 years with/without a history of childhood cancer (n = 235, Mage = 13.2 years, SD = 2.69; n = 70, Mage = 13.3 years, SD = 2.47, respectively) completed surveys querying HPV vaccination initiation and completion along with sociodemographic, medical, HPV knowledge and communication, and health belief factors, which may relate to vaccination outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors that associate with HPV vaccination initiation and completion. Among cancer survivors, 32.6% initiated and 17.9% completed the three-dose vaccine series, whereas 34.3% and 20.0% of controls initiated and completed, respectively. Univariate analyses indicated no differences between cancer/no cancer groups on considered risk factors. Among all participants, multivariate logistic regression analyses found vaccine initiation associated with older age of daughter and physician recommendation, whereas increased perceived barriers associated with a decreased likelihood of initiation (all P < 0.05). Among those having initiated, risk factors for noncompletion included being non-White, increased perceived severity of HPV, and increased perceived barriers to vaccination (all P < 0.05). A minority of adolescents surviving childhood cancer has completed vaccination despite their increased risk for HPV-related complication. These results inform the prioritization of strategies to be included in vaccine promotion efforts. Cancer Prev Res; 6(10); 1101–10. ©2013 AACR.
From Cirrhosis to Hepatocellular Carcinoma: New Molecular Insights on Inflammation and Cellular Senescence
Authors: Ramakrishna Gayatri , Rastogi Archana , Trehanpati Nirupama , Sen Bijoya , Khosla Ritu , Sarin Shiv K.
Published: August 2013

Sequential progression from chronic liver disease to fibrosis and to cirrhosis culminates in neoplasia in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The preneoplastic setting of the cirrhotic background provides a conducive environment for cellular transformation. The role of classical inflammation in cirrhosis is widely known, but the exact mechanism linking inflammation and cancer remains elusive. Recent studies have elucidated roles for NF-κB, STAT3 and JNK as possible missing links. In addition, the “inflammasome” (a multiprotein complex and sensor of cellular damage) is a recently identified player in this field. The hallmarks of cirrhosis include necroinflammation, deposition of extracellular matrix and shortening of telomeres, leading to senescence and regeneration. Additionally, the accumulation of genetic/epigenetic changes propels atypical cells toward a malignant phenotype. This review provides recent information on the classical inflammatory pathway, together with a spotlight on inflammasomes and the immunomodulatory role of cellular senescence during the progression from cirrhosis to HCC. Moreover, lacunae in the current knowledge were identified and key questions raised on whether the observed adaptive responses are beneficial or detrimental to tissue homeostasis in a complex organ like liver.
Brain Natriuretic Peptide on Admission as a Biological Marker of Long-Term Mortality in Ischemic Stroke Survivors
Authors: Shibazaki Kensaku , Kimura Kazumi , Sakai Kenichiro , Fujii Shuichi , Aoki Junya , Saji Naoki
Published: August 2013

Background and Purpose: We investigated whether brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) can serve as a biological marker of long-term mortality in ischemic stroke survivors. Methods: Consecutive patients with ischemic stroke within 24 h of onset from April 2007 to December 2010 were prospectively enrolled, and admission plasma BNP levels were measured. Survivors were followed up until 1 year after stroke onset. Patients were divided into two groups: the deceased group and the surviving group. The factors associated with long-term mortality were investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 736 patients who were alive at hospital discharge were included; 130 (17.7%) patients died. On multivariate analysis, age >75 years (odds ratio, OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.74-4.60, p = 0.0001), dialysis-dependent chronic renal failure (OR, 5.99; 95% CI, 2.18-16.47, p = 0.0005), modified Rankin Scale score >3 at discharge (OR, 4.41; 95% CI, 2.76-7.05, p < 0.0001), and plasma BNP >100.0 pg/ml (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 2.31-6.73, p < 0.0001) were found to be independently associated with long-term mortality. We developed a risk score from 4 variables (each variable: 1 point, total score: 0-4 points). The mortality rates were 2% with a score of 0, 9% with a score of 1, 27% with a score of 2 and 50% with a score ≥3. Conclusions: The risk score, composed of clinical parameters and BNP, may predict long-term mortality in ischemic stroke survivors.
Conversion from Epoetin and Darbepoetin to C.E.R.A. in Non-Dialysis CKD Patients: A Multicenter Italian Prospective Study in Nephrology Practice
Authors: Minutolo Roberto , Conte Giuseppe , Cozzolino Mario , Polito Pasquale , Manno Carlo , Di Iorio Biagio R. , Santoro Domenico , Di Luca Marina , Nappi Felice , Feriozzi Sandro , Sasso Ferdinando C. , De Nicola Luca
Published: August 2013

Background: In non-dialysis patients (ND-CKD), C.E.R.A. has been extensively investigated in ESA-naïve subjects but no data are available on its efficacy after switch from other ESA. Methods: In this prospective, multicenter, open-label study lasting 24 weeks, ND-CKD patients (n = 157) receiving ESA were converted to C.E.R.A. at doses lower than recommended. Primary outcome was the prevalence of Hb target (11-12.5 g/dl). Results: Age was 73 ± 13 years and GFR was 26.2 ± 9.4 ml/min/1.73 m2; male gender, diabetes and prior cardiovascular disease were 49, 33 and 19%, respectively. Doses of darbepoetin (25 ± 16 µg/week, n = 124) and epoetin (5,702 ± 3,190 IU/week, n = 33) were switched to low dose C.E.R.A. (87 ± 17 µg/month). During the study, prevalence of Hb target increased from 60% to 68% at week-24, while that of Hb < 11 g/dl declined from 32% to 16% (p < 0.001). Hb increased from 11.3 ± 0.8 at baseline to 11.7 ± 0.9 g/dl at week-24 (p = 0.01) without changes in C.E.R.A. dose. Significant predictors of Hb increase were low BMI, low Hb and longer dosing intervals before switch. These factors also predicted the risk of Hb overshooting (Hb > 12.5 g/dl) occurring in 57 patients. Conclusions: In ND-CKD, conversion from other ESAs to C.E.R.A. is associated with a better anemia control induced by a greater Hb increase in patients previously treated with ESAs at extended dosing interval. This parameter should be considered when switching to long-acting ESA for its potential impact on the risk of overshooting.
Is Routine Audiometric Evaluation Necessary in Gynaecologic Tumour Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy?
Authors: Fasunla Ayotunde J. , Harbeck Nadia , Berktold Sabina , Böhner Christina , Hundt Walter , Wolf Petra , Steinbach Silke
Published: August 2013

Background: Our objective was to assess the auditory function of gynaecological tumour patients who had received cytotoxic agents and to determine their associated risk of ototoxicity. Patients and Methods: 87 patients who had undergone chemotherapy for gynaecological malignancies were investigated. Of these patients, 79% had breast cancer, and 14% ovarian cancer. All of the patients had a subjective assessment of their hearing function on a visual analogue scale. Audiometric tests were performed before and at 9 weeks, 18 weeks and 3 months after completion of chemotherapy. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 32 to 71 years (mean age of 53.5 ± 10.5 years). The average subjective rating of the patients' hearing function was 83.0 ± 17.2 before and 84.8 ± 16.9 3 months after completion of chemotherapy. No significant audiometric change at either the speech hearing frequency range (0.5-2 KHz) or high frequencies was observed in the patients after chemotherapy. There was also no significant difference in the hearing threshold of the patients who had received platinum analogue-based chemotherapy compared to non-platinum analogue-based chemotherapy. Conclusion: Hearing loss is uncommon in patients treated with the typical gynaecological chemotherapy protocols. Hence, routine audiometric testing in these patients is not necessary.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type-I and Pyogenic Granuloma: A Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Mediated Association
Authors: el Hayderi L. , Paurobally D. , Fassotte M.F. , André J. , Arrese J.E. , Sadzot-Delvaux C. , Ruebben A. , Nikkels A.F.
Published: August 2013

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-related neoangiogenic process. Minor trauma, chronic irritation, certain drugs and pregnancy may favor PG. Viral triggers have not been reported up to date. A 52-year-old woman with hairy-cell leukemia presented because of a 3-month history of a giant pseudotumoral lesion on her left cheek. All prior antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory treatments had failed. Histology revealed PG with sparse and isolated epithelial cell aggregates. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) identified herpes simplex virus type-I (HSV-I) antigens in the nuclei and cytoplasm of normal-appearing as well as cytopathic epithelial cells, suggesting a chronic, low-productive HSV infection. No HSV-I signal was evidenced in the endothelial cells of the PG. Furthermore, IHC revealed VEGF in the HSV-I infected epithelial cells as well as within the PG endothelial cells. These results incited oral treatment with valaciclovir, and the PG promptly resolved after 2 weeks. These findings suggest that a chronic HSV-I infection might play an indirect, partial role in neoangiogenesis, presumably via HSV-I infection-related stimulation of keratinocytic VEGF production.
How Long is Enough - Optimal Timing of Anti-HER2/neu Therapy in the Adjuvant Setting in Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Pinto Ana Catarina , de Azambuja Evandro , Piccart-Gebhart Martine
Published: August 2013

Trastuzumab administered in combination with various chemotherapy regimens has led to outstanding improvements in both disease-free survival and overall survival. So far, thousands of patients have been treated in this way which has proven to be reasonably safe, with cardiac events being the predominant recognisable toxicity requiring surveillance. Notwithstanding the large cumulative experience of the oncology community in treating early HER2/neu-positive breast cancer with trastuzumab, some uncertainties remain, with key issues being the ideal time of chemotherapy administration and the optimal duration of trastuzumab therapy. This paper discusses these issues in the light of the recent updates of some of the pivotal clinical trials in the adjuvant context.
Levodopa-Responsive Benign Tremulous Parkinsonism
Authors: Kano Osamu , Okonogi Shinichi , Hanashiro Sayori , Miura Ken , Ikeda Ken , Iwasaki Yasuo
Published: August 2013

Background: Benign tremulous parkinsonism (BTP) is a tremor dominant syndrome characterized by mild, levodopa-resistant parkinsonism with limited disability or progression. Case Presentation: A 56-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of tremor. Neurological examination revealed right-hand rest tremor and slow finger tapping with decreased amplitude; however, we did not observe posture tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, or posture disability. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) and received levodopa/carbidopa, effectively treating her rest tremor. At the age of 61 years, reoccurrence of the rest tremor was successfully treated again with levodopa/carbidopa and selegiline. Approximately 11 years have passed since symptom onset and the patient shows no further disease progression. Conclusion: This case broadens the characterization of BTP to include levodopa-responsive PD.
Safety and Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Acute Experimental Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Peruzzotti-Jametti Luca , Cambiaghi Marco , Bacigaluppi Marco , Gallizioli Mattia , Gaude Edoardo , Mari Silvia , Sandrone Stefano , Cursi Marco , Teneud Luis , Comi Giancarlo , Musco Giovanna , Martino Gianvito , Leocani Letizia
Published: August 2013

Background and Purpose—

Transcranial direct current stimulation is emerging as a promising tool for the treatment of several neurological conditions, including cerebral ischemia. The therapeutic role of this noninvasive treatment is, however, limited to chronic phases of stroke. We thus ought to investigate whether different stimulation protocols could also be beneficial in the acute phase of experimental brain ischemia.

Methods—

The influence of both cathodal and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in modifying brain metabolism of healthy mice was first tested by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Then, mice undergoing transient proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion were randomized and treated acutely with anodal, cathodal, or sham transcranial direct current stimulation. Brain metabolism, functional outcomes, and ischemic lesion volume, as well as the inflammatory reaction and blood brain barrier functionality, were analyzed.

Results—

Cathodal stimulation was able, if applied in the acute phase of stroke, to preserve cortical neurons from the ischemic damage, to reduce inflammation, and to promote a better clinical recovery compared with sham and anodal treatments. This finding was attributable to the significant decrease of cortical glutamate, as indicated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Conversely, anodal stimulation induced an increase in the postischemic lesion volume and augmented blood brain barrier derangement.

Conclusions—

Our data indicate that transcranial direct current stimulation exerts a measurable neuroprotective effect in the acute phase of stroke. However, its timing and polarity should be carefully identified on the base of the pathophysiological context to avoid potential harmful side effects.
Critical Pressure for Arterial Wall Rupture in Major Human Cerebral Arteries
Authors: Ciszek Bogdan , Cieślicki Krzysztof , Krajewski Paweł , Piechnik Stefan K.
Published: August 2013

Background and Purpose—

Intracranial bleeding is linked to hemodynamic stress factors, such as hypertension. However, there are no studies that tested the breaking pressure of normal large cerebral arteries in humans.

Methods—

The brains of 10 cadavers (age, 47±14 years; 9 men) were harvested within 48 hours postmortem for 31 segments of the main intracranial arteries. After careful microsurgical preparation, the vessels were pressurized with saline and observed until they ruptured.

Results—

Vessel diameters averaged 2.6±0.3 mm (range, 1.2–4.3 mm). The average rupture pressure was 2.21±0.59 atm (range, 1.13–4.3 atm) and decreased with age at −0.025 atm/y (
R
2
=40%;
P
<0.0002). The maximum diameter distention at rupture was 30±9% (13%–52%), which also decreased with age (−0.5%/y;
R
2
=78%;
P
<0.00001). Neither the rupture pressure nor the maximum distention showed significant dependence on the resting vessel diameter. No significant dependencies were found on the vessel origin, vascular configuration, direction of the rupture, or the presence of minor coexisting pathology.

Conclusions—

Human cerebral arterial wall breaks only at extremely high intravascular pressures, exceeding several times the highest observed systolic blood pressure, even accounting for age trends. Systolic hypertension alone may not be sufficient to cause intracranial hemorrhage, and there may be additional contributing factors.
A Trade-off between Local and Distributed Information Processing Associated with Remote Episodic versus Semantic Memory
Authors: Heisz Jennifer J. , Vakorin Vasily , Ross Bernhard , Levine Brian , McIntosh Anthony R.
Published: August 2013

Episodic memory and semantic memory produce very different subjective experiences yet rely on overlapping networks of brain regions for processing. Traditional approaches for characterizing functional brain networks emphasize static states of function and thus are blind to the dynamic information processing within and across brain regions. This study used information theoretic measures of entropy to quantify changes in the complexity of the brain's response as measured by magnetoencephalography while participants listened to audio recordings describing past personal episodic and general semantic events. Personal episodic recordings evoked richer subjective mnemonic experiences and more complex brain responses than general semantic recordings. Critically, we observed a trade-off between the relative contribution of local versus distributed entropy, such that personal episodic recordings produced relatively more local entropy whereas general semantic recordings produced relatively more distributed entropy. Changes in the relative contributions of local and distributed entropy to the total complexity of the system provides a potential mechanism that allows the same network of brain regions to represent cognitive information as either specific episodes or more general semantic knowledge.
Robust Selectivity for Faces in the Human Amygdala in the Absence of Expressions
Authors: Mende-Siedlecki Peter , Verosky Sara C. , Turk-Browne Nicholas B. , Todorov Alexander
Published: August 2013

There is a well-established posterior network of cortical regions that plays a central role in face processing and that has been investigated extensively. In contrast, although responsive to faces, the amygdala is not considered a core face-selective region, and its face selectivity has never been a topic of systematic research in human neuroimaging studies. Here, we conducted a large-scale group analysis of fMRI data from 215 participants. We replicated the posterior network observed in prior studies but found equally robust and reliable responses to faces in the amygdala. These responses were detectable in most individual participants, but they were also highly sensitive to the initial statistical threshold and habituated more rapidly than the responses in posterior face-selective regions. A multivariate analysis showed that the pattern of responses to faces across voxels in the amygdala had high reliability over time. Finally, functional connectivity analyses showed stronger coupling between the amygdala and posterior face-selective regions during the perception of faces than during the perception of control visual categories. These findings suggest that the amygdala should be considered a core face-selective region.
Oscillatory Coupling Reveals the Dynamic Reorganization of Large-scale Neural Networks as Cognitive Demands Change
Authors: Reinhart Robert M. G. , Woodman Geoffrey F.
Published: August 2013

Cognitive operations are thought to emerge from dynamic interactions between spatially distinct brain areas. Synchronization of oscillations has been proposed to regulate these interactions, but we do not know whether this large-scale synchronization can respond rapidly to changing cognitive demands. Here we show that, as task demands change during a trial, multiple distinct networks are dynamically formed and reformed via oscillatory synchronization. Distinct frequency-coupled networks were rapidly formed to process reward value, maintain information in visual working memory, and deploy visual attention. Strong single-trial correlations showed that networks formed even before the presentation of imperative stimuli could predict the strength of subsequent networks, as well as the speed and accuracy of behavioral responses seconds later. These frequency-coupled networks better predicted single-trial behavior than either local oscillations or ERPs. Our findings demonstrate the rapid reorganization of networks formed by dynamic activity in response to changing task demands within a trial.
Strengthening Procedural Memories by Reactivation in Sleep
Authors: Schönauer Monika , Geisler Teresa , Gais Steffen
Published: August 2013

There is robust evidence that sleep facilitates procedural memory consolidation. The exact mechanisms underlying this process are still unclear. We tested whether an active replay of prior experience can underlie sleep effects on procedural memory. Participants learned a finger-tapping task in which key presses were associated with tones during practice. Later, during a consolidation interval spent either sleeping or awake, we presented auditory cues to reactivate part of the learned sequence. We show that reactivation strengthens procedural memory formation during sleep, but not during wakefulness. The improvement was restricted to those finger transitions that were cued. Thus, reactivation is a very specific process underpinning procedural memory consolidation. When comparing periods of sleep with and without reactivation, we find that it is not the time spent in a specific stage of sleep per se, but rather the occurrence of reactivation that mediates the effect of sleep on memory consolidation. Our data show that longer sleep time as well as additional reactivation by cueing during sleep can enhance later memory performance.
A Response to Reeves and Peters
Authors: Gironi Fabio
Published: August 2013

Abstract

In this response I reply to the critiques from Josh Reeves and Richard A. Peters and argue that, even in light of their objections, my presentation of and critical stance towards the science and religion field remains justified. I will acknowledge the lack of an adequate treatment of evolutionary theories of religion in my paper, but question the way in which this lack would undermine my critiques of the theology-laden discourse of science and religion scholars.
Liberalisation of Service Mobility in the EU’s International Trade Agreements: As External as it Gets
Authors: Jacobsson Johanna
Published: August 2013

Abstract

The concept of the EU single market logically implies the adoption of a common external position on matters which it is primarily concerned with. In respect of goods and capital, such a position has gradually been formulated. With regard to people and services, national priorities continue to prevent the adoption of a united stance externally. Concentrating on the EU’s commitments under the WTO’s GATS Agreement, this article explains how the lack of a common position is due to the incomplete harmonisation of the internal market. This is especially evident in the case of the so-called ‘Mode 4’ that regulates the cross-border movement of natural persons supplying services. As long as the internal market is incomplete, the EU’s offer in respect of service trade negotiations remains fragmented along national lines. A single EU offer also poses the risk that the lowest common denominator becomes the basis of the EU’s common position.
The Legal Feasibility of the EU’s External Action on Legal Migration: The Internal and the External Intertwined
Authors: Andrade Paula García
Published: August 2013

Abstract

EU political discourse insists on the need to integrate the facilitation of legal migration within the cooperation with third countries. However, Member States’ reticence makes this element of the “Global Approach to Migration and Mobility” to be the least developed in practice. This article explores whether it is legally possible for the EU to develop an external action on legal migration and integration. For that purpose, the existence and nature of EU external competences on these fields will be examined. After identifying certain difficulties for the EU in exercising those external competences, possible alternatives for surmounting them will be suggested, such as exploiting the instrument of association, and strengthening coordination between the EU’s and Member States’ external action making the most of mobility partnerships.
Member State Responsibility for Migration Control within Third States – Externalisation Revisited
Authors: Mc Namara Frank
Published: August 2013

Abstract

This article re-examines externalisation – direct migration control by Member States of the EU, within third states, i.e., States which are not members of the EU. The nature and extent of this control is considered. The instruments of externalisation examined are carrier sanctions and immigration liaison officers. State responsibility for these externalised migration controls is assessed. The jurisdiction of the ECtHR is the trigger for Member State responsibility. ECtHR jurisprudence has made it clear that it is the exercise of physical power and control over a person by the State, which is pivotal to deciding jurisdiction. Jurisdiction is engaged where the Court finds that physical power and control to have been ‘effective’. This threshold of ‘effective’ control which has emerged from the Court’s jurisprudence is a demanding hurdle. If State control is found to be ‘effective’, then the State is responsible for the full range of rights contained within the Convention. The question then stands whether or not the ECtHR can keep abreast with these controls which can lead to States evading jurisdiction and thus avoiding fundamental rights responsibilities. One possible interpretation of recent jurisprudence is that the ECtHR is moving toward a broader interpretation of jurisdiction. It is in this context that ‘externalised’ controls have come under renewed scrutiny. A prevailing opinion is that the ECtHR will be able to protect those asylum seekers who encounter externalised control. This article questions any such assumption. The author argues for an alternative reading of the jurisprudence of the ECtHR with regard to jurisdiction. The conclusion reached is that the hurdle of extraterritorial jurisdiction is so demanding that States avoid it despite exercising extensive control over migrants. It is asserted that despite this considerable control, examination by the ECtHR will result in a failure to satisfy the ‘effective’ control threshold. Responsibility can thus be avoided while extraterritorial control is retained. The control level held by the State is still capable of guaranteeing a denial of access to individuals in need of international protection. If jurisdiction is not engaged then this externalised migration control represents a divergence between State control and State responsibility. Taking the threshold for jurisdiction of the ECtHR as a starting point, the author suggests a distinction between externalisation on the one hand and the external dimension on the other. States, oftentimes with facilitation from the Union, pursue one of these two alternatives. Externalisation affords the State stronger and more direct control over the entry of the migrant into the territory of a Member State than the external dimension, where the control is indirect and weaker. This distinction allows for a refined understanding of externalisation and applies it to verifying Member State responsibility for externalised migration control.
Possessed and Inspired: Hermias on Divine Madness
Authors: Manolea Christina-Panagiota
Published: August 2013

Abstract

Hermias of Alexandria (5th cent. A.D.) wrote down the lectures given on the Phaedrus by his teacher Syrianus, Head of the Neoplatonic School of Athens. In the preserved text the Platonic distinction of madness is presented in a Neoplatonic way. In the first section of the article we discuss Hermias’ treatment of possession. The philosopher examines four topics in his effort to present a Neoplatonic doctrine concerning possession. As he holds that divine possession is evident in all parts of the soul, he first argues that it is primarily applied to the one-in-the-soul. Secondly, he explains that possession is also applied to reason, opinion, imagination, thymos and desire, all the above being distinctive parts of the human soul, but not as important as the one-in-the-soul. The third issue he discusses is whether all causes of possession are identical to the divine. Then, Hermias examines the fact that possession is to be traced not only in the human soul but also in the statues.

In the second section of the article Hermias’ analysis of the four kinds of Platonic madness is presented. The philosopher first analyzes the interdependence between all four divine kinds of madness and then describes their function on two levels, inside and outside the soul. The function within the soul is richer and is realized in four fields: (a) the restoration of the soul after its fall, (b) the restoration of the human being as a whole, (c) the Pythagorean mathematical system and (d) the logic processes. The function outside the soul deals with the manifestations of the soul in human society. Under this perspective, Hermias clearly proposes an original classification of the kinds of madness, on the basis of which we encounter poetic madness. After that follow the madness of the seer, the telestic madness, and the madness of love. The whole analysis incorporates Platonic, Aristotelian, Pythagorean and theurgic elements that cover the fields of psychology, logic and metaphysics.
Revision of the New World species of Erythrodolius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Sisyrostolinae), with a key to the world species
Authors: BENNETT ANDREW M.R. , SÄÄKSJÄRVI ILARI E. , BROAD GAVIN R.
Published: August 2013

The genus Erythrodolius previously comprised ten species of ichneumonids: nine from Madagascar and one from Costa Rica. The current study revises the New World species of Erythrodolius including descriptions of three new species from Central America which brings the world total to 13 species: E. incompletus sp. n., E. luteus sp. n. and E. tenebrosus sp. n. A key to the world species is provided. Justification for the preference of the subfamily name Sisyrostolinae instead of Brachyscleromatinae is provided.
Evaluation of the National Weather Service Extreme Cold Warning Experiment in North Dakota
Authors: Chiu Cindy H. , Vagi Sara J. , Wolkin Amy F. , Martin John Paul , Noe Rebecca S.
Published: August 2013

Dangerously cold weather threatens life and property. During periods of extreme cold due to wind chill, the National Weather Service (NWS) issues wind chill warnings to prompt the public to take action to mitigate risks. Wind chill warnings are based on ambient temperatures and wind speeds. Since 2010, NWS has piloted a new extreme cold warning issued for cold temperatures in wind and nonwind conditions. The North Dakota Department of Health, NWS, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated in conducting household surveys in Burleigh County, North Dakota, to evaluate this new warning. The objectives of the evaluation were to assess whether residents heard the new warning and to determine if protective behaviors were prompted by the warning. This was a cross-sectional survey design using the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) methodology to select a statistically representative sample of households from Burleigh County. From 10 to 11 April 2012, 188 door-to-door household interviews were completed. The CASPER methodology uses probability sampling with weighted analysis to estimate the number and percentage of households with a specific response within Burleigh County. The majority of households reported having heard both the extreme cold and wind chill warnings, and both warnings prompted protective behaviors. These results suggest this community heard the new warning and took protective actions after hearing the warning.
Visual Salience Modulates Structure Choice in Relative Clause Production
Authors: Montag Jessica L , MacDonald Maryellen C
Published: August 2013

The role of visual salience on utterance form was investigated in a picture description study. Participants heard spoken questions about animate or inanimate entities in a picture and produced a relative clause in response. Visual properties of the scenes affected production choices such that less salient inanimate entities tended to yield longer initiation latencies and to be described with passive relative clauses more than visually salient inanimates. We suggest that the participants’ question-answering task can change as a function of visual salience of entities in the picture. Less salient entities require a longer visual search of the scene, which causes the speaker to notice or attend more to the non-target competitors in the picture. As a result, it becomes more important in answering the question for the speaker to contrast the target item with a salient competitor. This effect is different from other effects of visual salience, which tend to find that more salient entities take more prominent grammatical roles in the sentence. We interpret this discrepancy as evidence that visual salience does not have a single effect on sentence production, but rather its effect is modulated by task and linguistic context.
The ‘sectarian’ Church. Catholicism in Italy since John Paul II
Authors: Marzano Marco
Published: August 2013

Many surveys report that the rate of church attendance in Italy is still very high, one of the highest in Europe. Are these data reliable? Is there really a ‘Catholic effect’ in Italy, a persistent popular affection for the Catholic Church, a slower rate of secularization? It is difficult to give a definitive answer to these questions but there are many elements that would contradict the optimistic (for the Catholic Church) view: 1) different (and more pessimistic) data on church attendance; 2) the decreasing number of priests and their ageing; and 3) disaffection among the younger generation. A good part of the Catholic hierarchy, and the two last popes, firmly believe that the rise of new movements (Comunione and Liberazione, Neocatecumenals, Charismatic Renewals and others) may correct the secularization trend and the demise of traditional territorial parishes. But encouraging these movements requires promoting a fundamental change in the cultural and organizational form of Catholicism towards a sort of never-seen ‘sectarian Church’.
Low-carbon Transitions and the Reconfiguration of Urban Infrastructure
Authors: Bulkeley Harriet , Castán Broto Vanesa , Maassen Anne
Published: August 2013

Over the past decade, a growing body of research has examined the role of cities in addressing climate change and the institutional and political challenges which they encounter. For the most part, in these accounts, the infrastructure networks, their material fabric, everyday practices and political economies, have remained unexamined. In this paper, it is argued that this is a critical omission and an approach is developed for understanding how urban responses to climate change both configure and are configured by infrastructure networks. Central to any such analysis is the conception of how and why (urban) infrastructure networks undergo change. Focusing on urban energy networks and on the case of London, the paper argues for an analysis of the ‘urban infrastructure regimes’ and ‘experiments’ through which climate change is governed. It is found that climate change experiments serve as a means through which dominant actors articulate and test new ‘low-carbon’ logics for urban infrastructure development. It is argued that experiments work by establishing new circuits, configuring actors in new sets of relations and through these means realising the potential for addressing climate change in the city. At the same time, experiments become sites of conflict, a means through which new forms of urban circulation can be confined and marginalised, leaving dominant energy regimes (relatively) intact.
The Interplay of Urban Energy Policy and Socio-technical Transitions: The Eco-cities of Graz and Freiburg in Retrospect
Authors: Rohracher Harald , Späth Philipp
Published: August 2013

The cities of Graz in Austria and Freiburg in Germany have been perceived as ecological model cities since the late 1980s.This is shown by various international awards, press coverage and many visitors from other municipal administrations. Both cities have been well known for their attempts to bring about transitions towards more sustainable and low-carbon energy systems. The comparison of Graz and Freiburg over a period of two decades enables us to study how differing contexts, actor constellations and historic developments shape the transformation of energy systems towards greater sustainability. It is argued that understanding the role of cities for energy transitions requires a detailed examination of the coupled dynamics of socio-technical interactions across the levels of niches, regimes and landscapes on the one hand, and multilevel systems of governance on the other. At these intersections new, although spatially confined, socio-technical constellations of sustainable energy provision may emerge and be stabilised. Nevertheless, empirical evidence shows that it is misleading to conclude that true socio-technical transitions are taking place in these cities, even though a number of foundations for long-term change processes have been laid.
The Educational Benefits of Travel Experiences
Authors: Stone Matthew J. , Petrick James F.
Published: August 2013

Empirical evidence about the educational outcomes of travel is scattered across many fields of study. This paper reviews the literature on the educational benefits of travel, beginning with the literature on study abroad. Learning outcomes have been found from the travel portion of the study experience, and some research has found that out-of-class experiences were the most impactful portion of study abroad. Personal growth, increase in life skills, and knowledge also result from independent international travel, as well as “objectiveless” travel. A few studies have focused on adults and seniors, but the research primarily has focused on young adults and college students. After a review of the literature, numerous suggestions for future study are provided, including a focus on the educational outcomes of domestic travel, youth travel, and determining which travel experiences result in the most learning benefits.
Mobile phone technology for improved mental health care in South Africa: possibilities and challenges
Authors: Norris Lexi , Swartz Leslie , Tomlinson Mark
Published: August 2013

We consider the potential and current uses of mobile phones in the mental health field in South Africa. From the limited research conducted, mobile phones seem most suited to enhancing cognitive behavioural therapy. In addition, mobile phones seem to have many other benefits, such as increasing adherence to medication, allowing therapists to monitor clients’ progress, improving the therapeutic relationship, and providing information to both clients and therapists. We also examine the ethical concerns and challenges related to mental health care in South Africa and emphasise the need for psychologists to exercise caution in incorporating such technologies into their practice. At this stage, there is insufficient evidence to support the notion that these technologies can replace face-to-face interventions; however, they have many properties which, if used correctly and with ethical considerations, may enhance therapy, prevention, and public mental health.
On becoming a psychologist in apartheid South Africa
Authors: Manganyi N Chabani
Published: August 2013

Clinical Psychology training is an arduous journey wherever in the world one pursues it. However, in apartheid South Africa, the experience of becoming a psychologist held its own unique challenges, especially if you were a person of Colour. This article chronicles some of the barriers and hurdles that I had to overcome in order to train as a psychologist in a country where it was almost not expected that Africans could train as clinical psychologists! The story relates some of these training experiences, as well as aspects of my life in exile in the United States, and finally some of my political and related practice experiences in the latter years of apartheid. While many of the professional training challenges that are described may surprise recent Psychology graduates, it is crucial that younger members of the Psychology fraternity are made aware of the history of their profession.
Whorish Representation
Authors: Wang Y. Yvon
Published: August 2013

Using materials from police reports to song chapbooks, this article traces the experience of and discourse about sexually explicit media in late Qing and early Republican Beijing. Although explicit representations of sex and efforts to control them had a long history in China, two new forces converged in this period: ideas about reproductive bodies and technologies of reproducing information. These factors injected unprecedented volatility into the parameters of legitimate sexual representation, allowing them to be truly and widely contested for the first time. Existing Euro-American scholarship takes both the “invention of pornography” and the rise of modernity as peculiarly Western phenomena. Fin-de-siècle Beijing presents a corrective case: the fusion of mass-circulated media and sexuality not only casts a telling light on China in the twentieth century but has also embedded Chinese experiences ever more tightly in a complex ongoing saga of global modernities.
Community economic development: Localisation, the key to a resilient and inclusive local economy?
Authors: Leach Karen
Published: August 2013

Localise West Midlands has conducted research examining the assumption that a more localised economy, in which more people have a stake, redistributes economic power and resilience, thereby reducing disconnection and inequality. It argues that such economies, characterised as having higher levels of small businesses and local ownership, perform better across a range of economic and other domains (especially in disadvantaged and peripheral areas) than economies more dependent on centralised economic actors and in particular on what can be termed ‘absentee landlords’. Case studies of successful locally owned businesses, particularly in the food and building retrofit sectors, show the commitment of many bosses to supporting their workforce and their local communities and, either directly or as a by-product, tackling social exclusion. The case study of the proposed relocation of Birmingham wholesale market to a peripheral city area poses the question of whether, if the markets move, the central site – under the control of an absentee landlord seeking high returns – can provide similar local multiplier or socio-economic benefits. The work suggests that the notions of localism that underpin current government economic development policy can only succeed if they are closely connected with a decentralisation of capital and power held within the economy.
Home-based exercise program and fall-risk reduction in older adults with multiple sclerosis: phase 1 randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sosnoff Jacob J , Finlayson Marcia , McAuley Edward , Morrison Steve , Motl Robert W
Published: August 2013

Objective:

To determine the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a home-based exercise intervention targeting fall risk in older adults with multiple sclerosis.

Design:

A randomized controlled pilot trial.

Setting:

A home-based exercise program.

Intervention:

Participants were randomly allocated to either a home-based exercise intervention group ( n = 13) or a waiting list control group ( n = 14). The exercise group completed exercises targeting lower muscle strength and balance three times a week for 12 weeks. The control group continued normal activity.

Measures:

Fall risk (Physiological Profile Assessment scores), balance (Berg Balance Scale), and walking testing prior to and immediately following the 12-week intervention. Each outcome measure was placed in an analysis of covariance with group as the between-subject factor and baseline values as the covariate. Effect sizes were calculated.

Results:

Twelve participants from the control group and ten from the exercise group completed the study. There were no related adverse events. Fall risk was found to decrease in the exercise group following the intervention (1.1 SD 1.0 vs. 0.6 SD 0.6) while there was an increase in fall risk in the control group (1.9 SD 1.5 vs. 2.2 SD 1.9). Effect sizes for most outcomes were large (η2 > 0.15).

Conclusions:

Home-based exercise was found to be feasible, safe, and effective for reducing physiological fall risk in older adults with multiple sclerosis. Our findings support the implementation of a larger trial to reduce fall risk in persons with multiple sclerosis.
Diffusion-weighted MRI and optimal b-value for characterization of liver lesions
Authors: Kaya Bilal , Koc Zafer
Published: August 2013

Background

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is commonly used to distinguish between benign and malignant liver lesions. However, different b-values are recommended.

Purpose

To determine the most suitable b-value in DWI for differentiation of benign and malignant liver lesions.

Material and Methods

A total of 124 lesions in 89 consecutive patients (43 men, 46 women; age, mean  ± standard deviation, 58  ±  14 years) with a pathological or radiological diagnosis of malignant or benign focal liver lesions after magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in this study. Routine abdominal MRI and DWI were performed using seven b-values (0, 50, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 s/mm2). Lesions were analyzed for benignity/malignity using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values with 10  b-value combinations and by measuring the lesion/normal parenchyma ADC ratio.

Results

Mean ADC values were significantly different between malignant and benign lesions for all b-value combinations ( P  =  0.000). The best b-value combination was 0 and 800 (Az  =  0.935). Using lower b-values such as 0 and 50 together with higher b-values ≥600 s/mm2 was beneficial (Az  =  0.928 and 0.927). Mean ADC values were approximately 13% (1–15%) higher in total when b = 0 and b = 50 s/mm2 were included in multiple b-value combinations.

Conclusion

In DWI, we recommend the use of b-values of 0 and 800 s/mm2 as two b-values, or b = 0, 50, 600, 800, and 1000 s/mm2 as multiple b-values for distinguishing between benign and malignant liver lesions. Mean ADC value is 13% higher in total by additional use of b = 0 and b = 50 s/mm2 in multiple b-value combinations.
Measurement of surface residual stresses and testing mechanical properties of high-strength steel butt joints obtained by hybrid laser/gas metal arc welding
Authors: Kong Fanrong , Kovacevic Radovan
Published: August 2013

Hybrid laser/gas metal arc welding was applied to join the thick high-strength steel in square butt joints with narrow gaps. An X-ray diffraction technique was used to measure the surface residual stress distribution of high-strength steel by a hybrid laser/gas metal arc welding in a butt joint configuration. The influence of welding parameters, including welding speed and wire feeding rate, on the residual stress distribution and mechanical properties of the hybrid weld was experimentally studied. The obtained results show that there exist high compressive transverse and longitudinal residual stresses along the centerline of the weld. However, high tensile transverse and longitudinal stresses are located in the nearby heat-affected zone. An increase in the welding speed definitely decreases the residual stress concentration. A good weld quality of high-strength steel butt welds without cracking or defects can be achieved by a hybrid laser/gas metal arc welding technique.