bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mesothelin Promotes Invasion and Metastasis in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Wang Y , Wang L , Li D , Wang Hb , Chen Qf
Published: February 2013

Objective:

The presence of mesothelin (encoded by the mesothelin [MSLN] gene) in breast cancer is associated with tumour infiltration of the lymph node. This study evaluated whether MSLN overexpression promotes breast cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis.

Methods:

This study evaluated the effects of overexpression of MSLN on extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 levels, and the invasiveness and angiogenesis of the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in vitro, and on MCF-7-derived tumour development in vivo.

Results:

MSLN overexpression significantly increased ERK1/2 and MMP-9 protein levels and activity, and the invasive and angiogenic capability of MCF-7 cells, in vitro. Inhibition of ERK1/2 suppressed MMP-9 and the invasive and angiogenic capability of MSLN overexpressing MCF-7 cells. MSLN overexpression also increased MCF-7-derived tumour metastasis in vivo.

Conclusion:

MSLN overexpression promoted the invasive potential of MCF-7 cells through ERK1/2-dependent upregulation of MMP-9; this association may have contributed to metastasis of MCF-7 cells in vivo. Mesothelin may be a useful biomarker for cancer progression and a novel therapeutic or chemopreventive target in human breast cancer.
Protein Kinase B Phosphorylation Correlates with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A and Microvessel Density in Gastric Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhou Xd , Chen Hx , Guan Rn , Lei Yp , Shu X , Zhu Y , Lv Nh
Published: February 2013

Objective:

The signalling molecule protein kinase B (Akt) modulates many cellular processes. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signalling pathways play important roles in tumour angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) in angiogenesis and its correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Methods:

Tumour tissue and matched healthy gastric mucosa were obtained from patients undergoing surgical resection of gastric adenocarcinoma. Akt and pAkt were detected via Western blotting. VEGF-A, pAkt and CD34 were examined by immunohistochemistry.

Results:

Akt and pAkt protein levels were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissue than in normal tissue (n = 48 patients). Positive VEGF-A immuno -staining was significantly associated with pAkt immunostaining. Microvessel density was correlated with both VEGF-A and pAkt positivity.

Conclusions:

Phosphorylated Akt and VEGF-A are involved in angiogenesis of gastric adenocarcinoma, and Akt activation may contribute to angiogenesis via VEGF-A upregulation. The PI3K/Akt/VEGF signalling pathway may be involved in gastric adenocarcinoma.
Prediction of Newly Developed Acute Renal Failure using Serum Phosphorus Concentrations after Living-donor Liver Transplantation
Authors: Hong Sh , Park Co , Park Cs
Published: February 2013

Objective:

This retrospective study investigated the predictive role of serum phosphorus concentration for acute renal failure (ARF), defined by the Risk Injury Failure Loss End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria, after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Methods:

Perioperative factors, including serum phosphorus concentrations, in LDLT recipients without pre-existing renal dysfunction were retrospectively analysed and compared between patients with or without post-LDLT ARF.

Results:

A total of 45 patients out of 350 (12.9%) met the RIFLE ARF criteria and experienced significantly higher postoperative mortality, longer intensive care unit stay and more frequent graft dysfunction than those patients without post-LDLT ARF. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that a serum phosphorus concentration ≥ 4.5 mg/dl on postoperative day 1 (relative risk [RR] 5.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.56, 11.03), a preoperative model for end-stage liver disease score = 20 points (RR 4.17, 95% CI 2.04, 8.52), and packed red blood cell transfusion ≥ 10 units (RR 2.55, 95% CI 1.13, 5.88) were independent risk factors for post-LDLT ARF.

Conclusions:

Hyper -phosphataemia on postoperative day 1 could be an early and simple indicator of ARF occurrence after LDLT.
Effects of Chronic Caffeine Administration on Blood Glucose Levels and on Glucose Tolerance in Healthy and Diabetic Rats
Authors: Urzúa Z , Trujillo X , Huerta M , Trujillo-Hernández B , Ríos-Silva M , Onetti C , Ortiz-Mesina M , Sánchez-Pastor E
Published: February 2013

Objective:

To analyse the effect of chronic caffeine use on risk reduction and prognosis of diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

In this 60-day study, five groups of 11 healthy male Wistar rats were selected to receive one of four doses (37.5, 56.2, 75.0 or 93.0 mg/kg per day) of caffeine orally or no caffeine (control). The effect of caffeine on glycaemia and glucose tolerance was evaluated. After 15 days, each group was treated with 60 mg/kg of streptozotocine to induce diabetes mellitus, and glycaemia and glucose tolerance were assessed for a further 45 days.

Results:

In nondiabetic rats, caffeine had no effect on blood glucose. Compared with controls, the fasting blood glucose levels declined significantly in two caffeine-treated groups (93.0 mg/kg per day and 56.2 mg/kg per day) during the first 15 days following diabetes induction. Glucose tolerance was significantly improved 120 min after glucose loading in all caffeine-treated groups. The mean ± SE halfmaximal effective concentration of caffeine was 35.79 ± 2.44 mg/dl.

Conclusions:

Blood glucose levels decreased, and glucose tolerance improved, in diabetic rats administered increasing doses of caffeine.
Relationship between Changes in Components Associated with Metabolic Syndrome and Disappearance, or Remission, of Metabolic Syndrome during 1 Year
Authors: Chang H-C , Horng J-T , Chau T-T , Chen Y-W , Hsieh C-F , Chang C-W , Hsiao T-M
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVES:

Prior research has focused on the relationship between weight change and incidence of metabolic syndrome. Change in body mass index (BMI), components of metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome status were investigated over 1 year of follow-up.

Methods:

Subjects with metabolic syndrome from a community health screening project were recruited. Logistic regression was used to analyse the disappearance or remission of metabolic syndrome during 1 year according to changes in BMI, waist circumference, triglycerides, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG).

Results:

The study included 490 subjects with metabolic syndrome. After 1 year, metabolic syndrome had disappeared in 30.0% (147/490) of subjects. Decreased triglycerides, blood pressure and HDL-C were significantly associated with the 1-year disappearance of metabolic syndrome, whereas BMI, waist circumference and FPG levels were not.

Conclusions:

Short-term weight reduction has no impact on the status of metabolic syndrome. The disappearance of metabolic syndrome was common during a 1-year follow-up. This finding might impact on the treatment and management of people with metabolic syndrome.
Anatomical Investigations for Appropriate Needle Positioning for Thoracic Paravertebral Blockade inChildren
Authors: Yoo SH , Lee DH , Moon DE , Song HK , Jang Y , Kim JB
Published: February 2013

Objective:

Clinicians hesitate to perform thoracic paravertebral blockade (TPVB) in children due to the potential high risk of adverse effects. No paediatric anatomical guidelines for TPVB exist. This study aimed to estimate the appropriate depth and distance for safe needle positioning in children.

Methods:

The depth (D) from the skin to the paravertebral space and the distance (A) from the spinous process to the needle entry point on the skin were measured using chest computed tomography (CT) in children aged between 1 and 9 years. Correlations between age, gender, weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and each of the anatomical measurements were analysed.

Results:

Each measurement correlated significantly with age, weight and height, but not with BMI (n = 373 children). Measurements A and D could be calculated by: A = 13.56 + (0.33 × age [years]) + (0.06 × weight [kg]) + 0.47 × (gender [female = 0, male = 1]); and D = 17.49 - (0.35 × age [years]) + (0.55 × weight [kg]).

Conclusion:

These anatomical guidelines for TPVB are recommended to help prevent anaesthetic complications such as pneumothorax, when ultra -sonography and CT are unavailable.
Comparison of the Detection of Influenza A and B Viruses by Different Methods
Authors: Özdemir M , Yavru S , Baysal B
Published: February 2013

Objective:

To investigate the detection of influenza viruses by three different methods.

Methods:

Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from patients with influenza symptoms and examined for influenza A and B viruses using a rapid antigen test, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and a shell vial cell culture test.

Results:

Using the shell vial cell culture test, the rapid antigen test and the multiplex PCR test in 130 patients, 31 (23.8%), 24 (18.5%) and 24 (18.5%) samples, respectively, were positive for influenza A and 10 (7.7%), nine (6.9%) and four (3.1%) samples, respectively, were positive for influenza B. Compared with the shell vial test, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the rapid antigen test were 77.4%, 93.3%, 80.0% and 93.1%, respectively, for influenza A, and 90.0%, 95.8%, 64.2% and 99.1%, respectively, for influenza B. The corresponding values for the multiplex PCR test were 77.4%, 95.9%, 85.7% and 93.1%, respectively, for influenza A, and 40.0%, 97.5%, 57.1% and 95.1%, respectively, for influenza B.

Conclusions:

The multiplex PCR test and the rapid antigen test are both effective in the detection of influenza A and B viruses.
Identifying ontologies in a clinical trial
Authors: Brives Charlotte
Published: February 2013

For a number of years, clinical trials have been the focus of a growing body of social science research and have come to represent the gold standard of evidence-based medicine. While a considerable and wide-ranging body of research has been devoted to trial participants, the approach is partial in that the participants’ reality tends to be cut loose from the very practices that constitute the beating heart of the trials. The practices of clinical research tend to be accepted as an unquestioned premise from which myriad actions and consequences emerge. Following the praxiological turn initiated by Mol and basing my analysis on my fieldwork and an ethnographic account of the running of a clinical trial, I hope to propose a new reading of trial participation. Indeed, whatever their form or their objectives, trials are essentially scientific experiments and are invariably grounded in a clinical design. The individuals who take part in trials must also contend with these two types of practices – the clinical and the scientific – yet in terms of their significance for participants, the latter are often obscured by or reduced to the former. Using my account of a routine visit in a trial conducted in Burkina Faso, I would like to examine the specific nature of these research practices, and in doing so, identify the ontologies they involve. How do these practices do the body? And what might the consequences be?
Citizenship and land in South Africa: From rights to responsibilities
Authors: James Deborah
Published: February 2013

The anthropological study of citizenship enables an understanding of restitutive and redistributive reforms in the post-transitional context of South Africa. In its earlier, state-derived form, citizenship’s situated and contingent character, its use of pre-existing modes of identification as templates, and its ethnic differentiation which expresses ‘class’ distinctions while also masking them, reveal that no single democratic vision can easily encompass all of those who would belong in a new society. In its later market-oriented form, citizenship becomes more individuated, with discourses stressing enterprise, responsibility and the need to earn rights. The term ‘neoliberal governmentality’ has been used to describe the switch from state- to market-driven arrangements, but is inadequate to do so since it overlooks the extent to which state and market intermesh and are tightly interwoven, with apparently purely market-oriented initiatives reliant on extensive state intervention both for design and implementation. In societies undergoing rapid transition, even though new policies and social forces have come into play and people have responded to these in new ways, this novelty is mitigated and mediated through older social forms, attitudes and approaches, which have left their imprint upon both formal institutions and on the expectations and responses of those who ‘receive’ those institutions’ interventions. The paper calls for a view of citizenship which merges elements – state and market – that might at first sight seem contradictory: and which both acknowledges the power of wider frameworks and recognises the ability of ordinary actors on the ground to respond to and sometimes resist these.
The perversity of the ‘Citizenship Game’: Slum-upgrading in the urban periphery of Recife, Brazil
Authors: Nuijten Monique
Published: February 2013

This article analyses the effects of slum upgrading on the lives of slum dwellers, especially on their position in society and their relation with the state. It zooms in on the implementation of Prometrópole, a World Bank-funded slum upgrading project in Recife that removes the population from shacks close to rivers to new housing estates. In this project, the state embraces participatory democracy and stresses the growing inclusion of the poor as citizens of the Brazilian nation-state. The question that inspired the article is: ‘How does the “citizenship agenda” employed by the Brazilian state relate to practices of political belonging in the urban periphery, characterized by social exclusion and violence?’ On the basis of ethnographic research, the article concludes that the upgrading of poor neighbourhoods indeed increases feelings of belonging and inclusion among the poor population. At the same time, however, the stress on the responsible citizen and the empty participatory procedures in the project have the perverse effects of side-lining the poor and reinforcing clientelist politics.
Divine Intervention and Human Error in the Absalom Narrative
Authors: Avioz Michael
Published: February 2013

This article demonstrates that the punishment eventually imposed upon Absalom was not only due to Nathan's oracle in 2 Samuel 12, but was also the outcome of Absalom's own deeds. Absalom's narrative thus contributes to the structuring of the account according to the model of dual causality. On the divine level, Absalom is an instrument in God's hands to punish David, according to the rule of ‘punishing children for the iniquity of parents’ (Exod. 20.5; 34.7; Num. 14.18; Deut. 5.9); on the earthly level, however, Absalom is unaware of divine will, and he is motivated to act erroneously by his own bad nature—his ambitiousness, his narcissism, and similar traits—when he rebels against his father.
Pilocytic Astrocytoma
Authors: Sadighi Zsila , Slopis John
Published: February 2013

Pilocytic astrocytoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor, is a clinically and molecularly heterogeneous disease that occurs most often in the cerebellum and hypothalamic and chiasmatic regions. Classically, pilocytic astrocytomas are driven by the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. Recently described genetic aberrations involving this pathway are critical for tumorigenesis. Tandem duplication of 7q34 encodes BRAF and produces several KIAA1549-BRAF novel oncogenic fusions. Activating point mutations of BRAF, such as BRAFV600E, also lead to pilocytic astrocytoma. Loss of the NF1 gene allows hyperactivation of the oncogene KRAS. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the novel molecular aberrations described in pilocytic astrocytomas and their clinical relevance for prognosis and treatment. The prognostic indications of these aberrations are discussed with regard to tumor location, tumor pathology, and patient age. A better understanding of the evolving molecular heterogeneity of pilocytic astrocytomas offers hope for developing molecularly targeted therapeutic armamentariums.
Challenges in Diagnosing a Metabolic Disorder
Authors: Mampilly George Tomy , Mampilly Tomy Kochuvareed , Christopher Rita , Chandramohan Neeradha , Janaki Vijayalakshmy
Published: February 2013

Certain drugs are known to cause metabolic changes resulting in altered metabolic profiles. We report here a case where a combination of antiepileptic drugs resulted in a profile that mimicked a metabolic disorder. A 16month-old female child on antiepileptic drugs (valproate and topiramate) was suspected to have the inherited metabolic disorder, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase deficiency, based on clinical symptoms and metabolic profile showing hyperalaninemia, elevated branched-chain amino acids, and lactate-pyruvate ratio. Suspecting that the observed metabolic changes could have also arised from medication, current medication was weaned off and replaced with levetiracetam, clonazepam, and levocarnitine (supportive therapy). Metabolic profiling conducted after 47 days showed normal alanine, branched-chain amino acids, ornithine, and lactate-pyruvate ratio, suggesting that the earlier abnormalities could have been medication induced. We stress that metabolic changes resulting from chronic medication should be considered while interpreting a positive result when investigating an inherited metabolic disorder.
PubMed Searches
Authors: Lindsey Wesley T. , Olin Bernie R.
Published: February 2013

PubMed is a biomedical and life sciences database maintained by a division of the National Library of Medicine known as the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). It is a large resource with more than 5600 journals indexed and greater than 22 million total citations. Searches conducted in PubMed provide references that are more specific for the intended topic compared with other popular search engines. Effective PubMed searches allow the clinician to remain current on the latest clinical trials, systematic reviews, and practice guidelines. PubMed continues to evolve by allowing users to create a customized experience through the My NCBI portal, new arrangements and options in search filters, and supporting scholarly projects through exportation of citations to reference managing software. Prepackaged search options available in the Clinical Queries feature also allow users to efficiently search for clinical literature. PubMed also provides information regarding the source journals themselves through the Journals in NCBI Databases link. This article provides an overview of the PubMed database's structure and features as well as strategies for conducting an effective search.
Cur(at)ing History
Authors: Lehrer Erica , Waligórska Magdalena
Published: February 2013

In the past few decades, Poland has seen a growing number of attempts to reclaim its Jewish past through traditional forms such as historiographic revision, heritage preservation, and monument building. But a unique new mode of artistic, performative, often participatory “memory work” has been emerging alongside these conventional forms, growing in its prevalence and increasingly catching the public eye. This new genre of memorial intervention is characterized by its fast-moving, youthful, innovative forms and nontraditional venues and its socially appealing, dialogic, and digitally networked character as opposed to a prior generation of top-down, slow moving, ethnically segregated, mono-vocal styles. It also responds to the harsh historical realities brought to light by scholars of the Jewish-Polish past with a mandate for healing. This article maps the landscape of this new genre of commemoration projects, identifying their core features and investigating their anatomy via three case studies: Rafał Betlejewski’s I Miss You Jew!; Public Movement’s Spring in Warsaw; and Yael Bartana’s Jewish Renaissance Movement in Poland. Analyzing their temporalities, scopes, modalities and ambiences, as well as the new visions for mutual identification and affiliation that they offer Poles and Jews, we approach these performances not as representations, but rather as embodied experiences that stage and invite participation in “repertoires” of cultural memory. Different from simple reenactments, this new approach may be thought of as a subjunctive politics of history—a “what if” proposition that plays with reimagining and recombining a range of Jewish and Polish memories, present-day realities, and future aspirations.
Transfer of Doxazosin into Breast Milk
Authors: Jensen Berit Packert , Dalrymple Judith Maree , Begg Evan James
Published: February 2013

To the best of our knowledge, there have been no published studies of doxazosin transfer into human milk. In rats, milk concentrations twentyfold higher than in plasma have been reported. Based on these animal data, some references advise to avoid breastfeeding during doxazosin therapy. However, the physicochemical properties of doxazosin suggest low transfer into human milk. A 37-year-old breastfeeding woman who was administered doxazosin 4 mg daily for 2 doses was studied. Doxazosin concentrations in milk and plasma were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The milk/plasma area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0-18 hours) ratio was 0.1. This finding is consistent with what could be predicted based on the physicochemical properties of doxazosin. The average and maximum milk concentrations were 2.9 and 4.2 µg/L. These values correspond to estimated relative infant doses of 0.06% and 0.09%, respectively, assuming standard infant milk intake. These values are well below the generally accepted cutoff of 10% for predicting safety during breastfeeding. A low relative infant dose of < 0.1% suggests that maternal doxazosin therapy may be compatible with breastfeeding after careful individual risk–benefit analysis.
Predictors and Consequences of In-Hospital Formula Supplementation for Healthy Breastfeeding Newborns
Authors: Parry Jane E. , Ip Dennis K. M. , Chau Patsy Y. K. , Wu Kendra M. , Tarrant Marie
Published: February 2013

Background:

Although exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months, the use of breast milk substitutes is widespread around the world.

Objectives:

To describe the patterns of infant formula supplementation among healthy breastfeeding newborns, to identify factors contributing to in-hospital formula supplementation, and to assess the dose-response relationship between the amount of in-hospital formula supplementation and the duration of any breastfeeding.

Methods:

A sample of 1246 breastfeeding mother–infant pairs was recruited from 4 public hospitals in Hong Kong and followed prospectively for 12 months or until weaned. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with in-hospital supplementation. Cox regression analysis was used to explore the impact of in-hospital supplementation on breastfeeding duration.

Results:

Of the total, 82.5% of newborns were supplemented in the hospital; one-half received formula within 5 hours of birth. Assisted vaginal delivery (odds ratio [OR] = 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03, 4.15), cesarean section (OR = 3.45, 95% CI 1.75, 6.80), and higher birth weight (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.12, 2.18) were positively associated with in-hospital formula supplementation, whereas initiating breastfeeding in the delivery room (OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.33, 0.89) was associated with decreased likelihood of in-hospital supplementation. Any infant formula in the first 48 hours was associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.51, 95% CI 1.27, 1.80), but there was no dose-response effect.

Conclusion:

In-hospital formula supplementation is common in Hong Kong hospitals and appears to be detrimental to breastfeeding duration. Continued efforts should be made to avoid the provision of infant formula to breastfeeding babies while in the hospital unless medically indicated.
Reworking Workforce Development
Authors: Schrock Greg
Published: February 2013

In recent years, local officials throughout the United States have attempted to retool workforce development programs that have historically been tied to federal antipoverty efforts to address the needs of employers in industries considered important for local economic development. But are these old and new goals for workforce development reconcilable? Does a more employer- and industry-focused approach affects the ability of policymakers and practitioners to address the problems of low-wage labor markets? This article examines a recent initiative in Chicago to establish sector-based workforce centers in the manufacturing and service industries. This case study finds that efforts to “rework” the public workforce development system to meet the needs of employers can be at odds with efforts to meet the needs of disadvantaged populations. But greater proximity to employers can also enhance the system’s capacity to promote more progressive human resource practices and equitable labor market outcomes.
Influence of transition metal ion-adsorbed montmorillonite on thermal stability, isothermal crystallization kinetics and mechanical performance of polylactic acid nanocomposites
Authors: Prakalathan K , Mohanty Smita , Nayak Sanjay K
Published: February 2013

Polylactic acid nanocomposite was prepared by melt blending polylactic acid (PLA) and transition metal ion (TMI)-modified montmorillonite (MMT; TMI-MMT) using a co-rotating conical twin-screw microcompounder attached with a mini injection moulder. MMT was modified by ion exchange reaction using TMI. Intercalation morphology of TMI on MMT was investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopic analyses. XRD patterns indicated penetration of the metal ions into the MMT interlayer and formation of intercalated structure. In order to increase the adsorbed amount of Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions, MMT was previously intercalated with ethylene diamine. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated an increase in the onset of degradation temperature of nanocomposites when compared with virgin PLA. The isothermal cold crystallization kinetics of PLA/TMI-MMT nanocomposites was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry in the temperature range of 100–120°C and the development of relative crystallinity with the crystallization time was analyzed by the Avrami equation. PLA nanocomposites reinforced with TMI-MMT showed a significant increase in tensile and flexural modulus and impact strength when compared with virgin PLA. The flammability studies of PLA/TMI-MMT nanocomposites displayed slow rate of burning and enhanced carbonaceous char formation when compared with virgin PLA matrix.
Feasibility and properties of polypropylene composites reinforced with down feather whisker
Authors: Liu Xin , Chen Fengxiang , Yang Hongjun , Xu Weilin
Published: February 2013

Polypropylene (PP) composites reinforced with down feather whisker (DFW) with and without surface modification were prepared and characterized through a series of tensile tests. The reaction of isopropyl tri(dioctylpyrophosphate) titanate (NDZ-201) on the surface of DFW was investigated to improve the compatibility between PP and DFW. The chemical reaction between DFW and NDZ-201 was characterized using the attenuated total reflection attachment on the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. PP/modified DFW (MDFW) composites showed more uniform whisker dispersion in the PP matrix, higher compatibility and good tensile strength than pure PP and PP/DFW composites. It was worth noting that the Young’s modulus of PP/DFW composites was higher than that of pure PP but lower than that of PP/MDFW composites. Furthermore, the effects of DFW and MDFW on the microstructural and thermal properties of different composites were also investigated, respectively. These results indicated that DFW could be a potential natural reinforcement for the PP matrix achieved with the use of NDZ-201.
Preparation and properties of thermal conductive polyamide 66 composites
Authors: Liu Tao , Li Jingli , Wang Xianzhong , Deng Zhihua , Yu Xuejiang , Lu Ai , Yu Fengmei , He Jiangping
Published: February 2013

A series of the thermal conductive polyamide 66 (PA66) composites were prepared by two methods, including extrusion method (EM) and solution method (SM). The thermal conductivity, mechanical properties, thermal stability, and electric property of PA66 composites were investigated. The results showed that the maximum value of thermal conductivity of carbon fiber/PA66 composites containing 40 wt% carbon fiber prepared by SM achieves 2.537 W/m·K, which was superior to that of carbon fiber/PA66 composites prepared by EM at the same carbon fiber content. Moreover, its value was eight times more than that of pure PA66. The orientation of carbon fiber in process of injection had an influence on thermal conductivity of carbon fiber/PA66 composites, and the perpendicular distribution of carbon fibers helped in improving the thermal conductivity of composites. The carbon fiber/PA66 composites had good heat conducting performance but also had good material properties and electrical properties.
Impact of Family Control/Influence on Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Benevolence
Authors: Hauswald Hannes , Hack Andreas
Published: February 2013

This article proposes a model explaining how family control/influence in an organization affects individual stakeholders’ perceptions of benevolence. The model suggests two effects. First, based on socioemotional wealth research, we propose that family control/influence positively affects stakeholders’ perceptions of benevolence through the benevolent behavior that the organization shows toward its stakeholders. However, this effect can be negatively influenced if the family’s socioemotional wealth goals in terms of “Family control and influence” and/or “Renewal of family bonds to the firm through dynastic succession” are at risk. Second, we argue that family control/influence, to the extent that it is perceivable to the stakeholder, influences stakeholders’ perceptions of benevolence through categorization processes. However, the impact of perceivable family control/influence on stakeholders’ perceptions of benevolence is not straightforward but instead hinges on a set of individual-level contingency factors of the stakeholder, such as stakeholders’ family business in-group membership, stakeholders’ secondhand category information, and stakeholders’ firsthand category information.
A gear pump based on harmonic gear drive
Authors: Zhu Hai-Lin , Ning Peng , Zou Min , Qin Xingpei , Pan Jun
Published: February 2013

Aimed at solving the problems of radial fluid pressure imbalance, bigger flow ripple and shorter service life that exists in traditional gear pumps, a new type of gear pump based on the principle of harmonic gear drive is put forth, where the function for pumping fluid is achieved by mutual engagement between flexible gear and rigid gear. The structural composition, principle and features of the new gear pump are described in this article. The new pump has two higher pressure cavities arranged symmetrically, which counteracts the fluid pressure and the pump could work longer. Its displacement is two times that of the conventional gear pump and the total discharge is bigger. Flow pulsation, vibration and noise in the new pump are evidently diminished, which make the operation smooth. The new gear pump has superiority in performance and could guide the development in gear pump technology.
Higher harmonic pitch link loads reduction using fluidlastic isolators
Authors: Han Dong , Rahn Christopher D , Smith Edward C
Published: February 2013

Fluidlastic isolators are proposed for higher harmonic pitch link loads reduction in helicopter rotors. An aeroelastic simulation of a soft in-plane rotor in high forward flight is conducted to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the coupled rotor and fluidlastic isolators. Using Hamilton’s principle, the system equations of motion are derived based on the generalized force formulation. The results indicate that the application of the fluidlastic isolator can reduce the 4/rev pitch link load by 98.9% in high forward flight with small variations in the other harmonic loads. The isolator has significant influence on the higher harmonic torsional rotation of the blade tip. Increasing the tuning port area ratio can significantly reduce the tuning mass with little variation of the isolation ability. Within 5% variation of the normal rotor speed, the 4/rev isolator can reduce more than 80% of the 4/rev pitch link load. The effects of isolator’s damping, forward speed, and thrust on the performance of the isolator are also studied. The ability to isolate other higher harmonic pitch link loads is also investigated.
Satellite constellation build-up via three-body dynamics
Authors: Nadoushan Mahdi Jafari , Novinzadeh Alireza Basohbat
Published: February 2013

In this article, a method for satellite constellation build-up is presented based on three-body dynamics. This method enables satellite constellation build-up with single launch and less energy and time by designing round trip trajectories from low Earth orbit to halo orbit and by distributing satellites in orbital planes. Stable and unstable manifolds associated with halo orbit around L1 and multiple shooting method are used in order to design trajectories. Multiple shooting method is a powerful tool for solving two-point boundary value problems with high rate of convergence. For satellite constellation build-up, a transfer trajectory from low Earth park orbit to the halo orbit and six return trajectories from halo orbit to six orbital planes which form the constellation are needed. Comparison of results of the method presented in this study with other conventional methods shows its relative advantages including reduced energy, time and cost needed for satellite constellation build-up.
Stages of Moral Reasoning among University Students in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Jose Orathinkal
Published: February 2013

The study examined the level of moral reasoning of first-year university students in Papua New Guinea; 583 students (245 males and 338 females) participated by answering one of the exercises or dilemmas (the Heinz case) formulated by Kohlberg. The analysis of data primarily focused on what the general level of moral reasoning of the students might be and whether there were differences in their levels of moral reasoning on the basis of gender, culture and religious affiliation. The study showed that around 50 per cent of both male and female students came within the first level, but in the second stage of moral reasoning. Around 25 per cent of both genders came under the stage 4, that is, the law and order stage. A t-test comparison revealed no significant difference between the genders in their moral reasoning. The ‘faculty’ that the students belonged to is the only variable that indicated a statistically significant effect F(8, 332) = 2.159, p = 0.030, est η2 = 0.014923 on the level of moral reasoning. All other variables such as age, religion and the province (culture) that the students came from did not show a significant effect. Two new dimensions, ‘reference to God’ and the ‘need for negotiation’, in moral reasoning emerged from the study.
United States in India’s Changed Strategic Perspective in the Post–Cold War Era
Authors: Paranjpe Shrikant
Published: February 2013

Indian strategic thinking is a product of its historical, cultural, geopolitical, socio-economic compulsions; it sought a preservation of India’s strategic autonomy with a revisionist perspective that was structured to tackle the status quo created by the great powers. Today, given India’s technological and economic capabilities, it is demanding space in the decision-making circles of the world. India-US security dialogue began sometime in the late 1980s. It was only after September 2001 that India-US security ties gained real momentum. The new key word in India-US defence relationship is ‘inter-operability’. It signifies the mutual desire of both the countries to work more closely in the area of military cooperation and also portrays a possibility of sharing strategic doctrines and operations in the future to tackle new challenges. There are several issues that are likely to dominate the security dialogue. They include issues of terrorism associated with Pakistan and Afghanistan and American policies in that area; the question of technology transfer; nuclear non-proliferation; and the overall political discourse on non-military aspects like Human Rights and the ethnic nationalism based right to political self-determination movements that appear to elicit American attention at times.
Drug Trafficking and Narco-terrorism as Security Threats: A Study of India’s North-east
Authors: Singh Ningthoujam Koiremba , Nunes William
Published: February 2013

Security issues in international relations, particularly during the era of the Cold War, were and had been dominated by the realist paradigm which saw the preservation of the state from external threat. Such a conception of security provided a very myopic and narrow understanding of the security problem of states, particularly smaller states. During the past decade, attempts are being made to broaden the security agenda to include not only military but also other sectors: political, economic, societal and ecological. Furthermore, with globalisation and the opening up of the economy has provided scope for cross-border migration and also illicit trade, especially narcotics, terrorism and a dangerous mix of both: narco-terrorism. This article will throw a light on the non-traditional security threats problem and issues of illicit drug trafficking and narco-terrorism in North-east India particularly in the case of Manipur.
“The Spanish Fury”: A political geography of soccer in Spain
Authors: Vaczi Mariann
Published: February 2013

Soccer in Spain functions as a powerful ideological apparatus. Historically, the under-performance of the national selection (“Spanish Fury”) was attributed to a lack of patriotism on part of players from ethno-regional peripheries. The recent successes (2008, 2012 Euro Cup and 2010 World Cup) of Spanish soccer are hailed as proof of a modern country that has finally overcome its regional divisions. Or has it? This article will explore soccer as a contested ideological terrain between Spanish, Basque and Catalan nationalism. The peripheries have been instrumental in the development of Spanish soccer and the “Spanish Fury,” as I will show in this paper, while they remain at odds with the idea of a central “Spain.” This paper explores soccer as a schismogenic system of integration and disintegration that affect center–periphery relationships. I will explore the historical-particular mechanisms, achievements and impasses of ethnic, racial and national identity construction in three epochs: the pre-Franco dictatorship, when soccer was established as the hegemonic sports culture; the Franco dictatorship, an era of intensive homogenization; and the current democratic era in a supra-national Europe, where the peripheries emerge with renewed separatist energies.
A taxonomy of psychology standards and training, and their relevance for psychiatrists
Authors: Hunt Caroline , Hyde Judy
Published: February 2013

Objective:

The aim of the article is to describe the current standards for psychology registration and pathways to training that operate in Australia today, to compare these with international requirements, and to discuss how they relate to the work and training of psychiatrists.

Conclusion:

The standards and training for practice in psychology involve multiple pathways that are not straightforward for the public or other health practitioners to understand. Most developed nations other than Australia require higher entry requirements into the profession. New national standards set by the Psychology Board of Australia, such as endorsed areas of practice, will lead to greater consistency in standards and make the task of referring to psychologists with the appropriate competencies more straightforward, allowing for greater collaboration between clinical psychology and psychiatry practitioners.
Improvement of transmission loss of a double panel by using active control with a virtual modal mass
Authors: Lhuillier Vincent , Chesné Simon , Gaudiller Luc , Pézerat Charles
Published: February 2013

In this article, modal feedback control is proposed to reduce the sound transmission through finite double panels using lead zirconate titanate ceramic sensors and actuators bonded to the structure. Active control allows adding virtual modal damping and mass to the structure by the use of modal velocities and accelerations. In a first step, the equations describing the structure, the actuators, the acoustic excitation, and the acoustic radiation are detailed. Next, the state space formulation of the smart structure is presented. In a second step, the implementation of active control is illustrated through the use of numerical examples. Finally, simulations are performed using two actuators, allowing five modes to be controlled. The transmission loss factors of the controlled and uncontrolled structure are shown as a function of the required command voltage. These results are also compared with those achieved using other vibroacoustic control techniques.
Network architecture and shape memory behavior of cold-worked epoxies
Authors: Pandini Stefano , Bignotti Fabio , Baldi Francesco , Passera Simone
Published: February 2013

The shape memory behavior of polymers derives from a combination of their molecular architecture and thermomechanical history. In this study, several epoxies with various network architectures were prepared using mixtures of a diepoxide resin, a monoepoxide resin, and an aliphatic diamine hardener. A nonconventional cold-working programming, carried out below Tg, was employed to set the materials in a temporary configuration and allowed to fix considerable amounts of the applied strain. The shape memory behavior was evaluated through transient heating and isothermal recovery tests. All the resins are capable of complete recovery, which occurs as a sequence of an early process taking place below Tg and a major one close to Tg, which acted as the switching temperature (Tswitch). The proximity of the deformation temperature to Tg influenced the amount of strain recovered within each process. It was shown that resins with different structures, although presenting similar Tswitch, may have different recovery kinetics, and the roles of the network density and the chain stiffness on the recovery rate were evidenced.
Developing a Global Perspective: A Crucial “Changing of Our Minds”
Authors: Weathersby Rita
Published: February 2013

For all the contradiction of the present-day world, for all the diversity of social and political systems in it, and for all the different choices made by the nations in different times, this world is never-the-less one whole. We are all passengers aboard one ship, the Earth, and we must not allow it to be wrecked. There will be no second Noah's Ark.

-Mikhail Gorbachev, Perestroika (1987, p. 12)
Missing Citations, Bulking Biographies, and Unethical Collaboration
Authors: Auger Giselle A.
Published: February 2013

Students cheat. For the field of public relations, which continually struggles for credibility, the issue of student cheating should be paramount, as the unethical students of today become tomorrow’s practitioners. Through a survey of 170 public relations majors, this study examined the importance students place on the Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics, the extent to which they cheat, and the types of cheating behaviors in which they participate. Results of the study indicated cause for concern as close to 80 percent of students admitted to cheating. Moreover, the extent to which students cheated was significantly related to the number of their friends and close acquaintances whom they perceived as engaging in such behaviors.
Experiences and Perceptions of Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Forces Combat Arms
Authors: Gill Ritu , Febbraro Angela R.
Published: February 2013

Recent studies examining sexual harassment in the military indicate a decrease in reports of harassment, which may be attributed to several factors, including zero-tolerance policies or anti-harassment programs. However, the decrease may also be attributed to fears of losing one’s job or of being derogated by colleagues if harassment is reported. This qualitative study of women employed in the Canadian combat arms examined spontaneously shared perceptions and experiences of sexual harassment. Six of the 26 women interviewed shared their experiences or perceptions of harassment, including concerns about potential repercussions of reporting. Implications for gender integration in military organizations are discussed.
Public Gardens as Sustainable Community Development Partners
Authors: Gough Meghan Z. , Accordino John
Published: February 2013

Local governments are increasingly forging creative alliances to solve community problems and provide local services. The literature recognizes cultural institutions as partners for local community development, yet these alliances remain underutilized. This article identifies the contributions that local government partnerships with cultural institutions—specifically public gardens—make to community development through their services, presence, and location in urban America. Using data from a national survey and 96 expert interviews of public garden and government officials, we explain why these alliances are forming, document their potential to improve communities, and suggest steps that local governments might take to benefit from this vital partner. Results expand our understanding of how nontraditional community development partners can provide resources to local governments to address urban challenges.
Using Systematic Instruction and Graphic Organizers to Teach Science Concepts to Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disability
Authors: Knight Victoria F. , Spooner Fred , Browder Diane M. , Smith Bethany R. , Wood Charles L.
Published: February 2013

Literacy in science is important for all students and is one component of access and progress in the general education curriculum. One barrier to science literacy for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is the extensive amount of vocabulary involved in comprehending science content. Based on the inherent link between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension, graphic organizers (GOs) paired with explicit instruction can improve vocabulary as well as comprehension for students with disabilities. Using a multiple probe design, three students with ASD and intellectual disability were taught various scientific concepts related to convection (e.g., precipitation, condensation) via systematic instruction that included constant time delay and multiple exemplars of a teacher-directed GO. A functional relation was demonstrated between the GO with systematic instruction and students’ number of correct steps completed on the task analysis. Future research and implications for practice are discussed.