bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Little Hans: A Centennial Review and Reconsideration
Authors: Blum Harold P.
Published: November 2012

Freud's “Analysis of a Phobia in a Five-year-old Boy” (1909) has stimulated interminable “reanalysis.” The case of Little Hans, an unprecedented experimental child analytic treatment, is reexamined in the light of newer theory and newly derestricted documents. The understanding of the complex overdetermination of Hans's phobia was not possible in the heroic age of psychoanalysis. Current analytic thought, as well as distance de-idealization vis-à-vis the pioneering past, has potentiated a reformation of the case. The severe disturbance of his mother had an adverse impact on Little Hans and his family. Her abuse of Hans's infant sister has been overlooked by generations of analysts. Trauma, child abuse, parental strife, and the preoedipal mother-child relationship emerge as important issues that intensified Hans's pathogenic oedipal conflicts and trauma. With limited, yet remarkable help from his father and Freud, Little Hans nevertheless had the ego strength and resilience to resolve his phobia, resume progressive development, and forge a successful creative career.
Little Hans “Analyzed” in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Fingert Chused Judith
Published: November 2012

Freud's monograph on the analysis of Little Hans is examined from a perspective aimed at highlighting elements of current thinking that would be considered mutative from those originally emphasized at the time it was written, and with a specific focus on the relative importance of verbal versus nonverbal interventions.
The Anatomy of a Symptom: Concept Development and Symptom Formation in a Four-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Erreich Anne
Published: November 2012

The case of a four-year-old boy with a postural symptom that resolved rapidly in the course of play therapy is presented. Various unconscious fantasies appeared to underlie the symptom. In particular, this case illustrates a young child's sophisticated capacity to abstract a complex relational feature from a set of unconscious fantasies that then became the basis of his symptom. The structure of the boy's symptom is relevant to (1) the question of what constitutes a symptom, (2) the relationship between concept development and symptom formation, and (3) the status of certain primary process mechanisms as they relate to concept development. Proposals are presented to help situate the contributions of psychoanalytic theory with respect to the domain of cognitive psychology, and to illustrate the unique contributions of each domain toward their mutual enrichment.
Trauma and Abuse in the Case of Little Hans: A Contemporary Perspective
Authors: Munder Ross John
Published: November 2012

Newly available interviews with Max and Herbert Graf describe the severe pathology of Little Hans's mother and her mistreatment of her husband and her daughter, who committed suicide as an adult. Reread in this context, the text of “A Phobia in a Five-year-old Boy” provides ample evidence of Frau Graf's sexual seduction and emotional manipulation of her son, which exacerbated his age-expectable castration and separation anxiety, and her beating of her infant daughter. The boy's phobic symptoms can therefore be deconstructed not only as the expression of oedipal fantasy, but as a communication of the traumatic abuse occurring in the home. Through subliminal, indeed unconscious, injunctions conveyed in abusive behavior, parents can confirm the child's worst imaginings and immature views of the world and thereby render the child's oedipal conflicts and fantasies pathogenic.
Little Hans and Freud's Self-Analysis: A Biographical View of Clinical Theory in the Making
Authors: Stuart Jennifer
Published: November 2012

For nearly a century, Freud's “Analysis of a Phobia in a Five-year-old Boy” (1909) has been read mainly—if often critically—with Freud's conscious aim in mind: providing evidence for the central importance of oedipal conflict. Material recently released by the Freud Archives casts new light on Freud's treatment of Hans's mother, Olga Graf (nee Hönig)—which began at the height of his self-analysis in 1897—and of Hans himself. Read in the enriched context of new information from Eissler's interviews with Max Graf and Herbert Graf, two texts—Freud's 1897 letters to Fliess and the 1909 case history—illuminate possible personal motives for Freud's insistence on the primacy of oedipal conflict.
A Partial Test of Agnew’s General Theory of Crime and Delinquency
Authors: Zhang Yan , Day George , Cao Liqun
Published: November 2012

In 2005, Agnew introduced a new integrated theory, which he labels a general theory of crime and delinquency. He proposes that delinquency is more likely to occur when constraints against delinquency are low and motivations for delinquency are high. In addition, he argues that constraints and motivations are influenced by variables in five life domains. Capitalizing on longitudinal data of Paternoster’s Youths and Deterrence: Columbia, South Carolina, 1979-1981, a structural equation model is developed to test Agnew’s theory. Data limitations preclude a full test of the theory, but the results support the core proposition of the theory: Life domains increase delinquency by reducing constraints against delinquency and by increasing motivations for delinquency. Other propositions of Agnew’s theory garner mixed results.
The Waning of War is Real
Authors: Lacina Bethany , Gleditsch Nils Petter
Published: November 2012

A number of recent studies argue that there is decline in armed conflict within and between nations. Gohdes and Price run against the grain in arguing that there is no evidence for a decrease in battle deaths in armed conflicts after World War II and that the trend reported in our earlier articles is spurious. However, they do not plausibly justify this thesis. We reexamine the argument for a decline, exploring nonlinearities in the data and potential biases due to measurement error. We find that very strong assumptions must hold in order for measurement errors to explain the trend in battle deaths.
Group-Level and Intraindividual Stability of National Stereotypes
Authors: Lönnqvist Jan-Erik , Jasinskaja-Lahti Inga , Verkasalo Markku
Published: November 2012

In a 4-year longitudinal study, we investigated stereotype change in the context of increased intergroup contact. Specifically, using one pre- and two postmigration measurement points, we followed some 200 Ingrian Finns and their families migrating from Russia to Finland. Stereotypes of a typical Finn were conceptualized within the framework provided by Schwartz’s values theory. At the group level, migrants’ stereotype profiles were consensual, similar to Finns’s autostereotypes, somewhat accurate, and highly stable. However, mean-level changes indicated a process of disillusionment: Finns were increasingly perceived as less benevolent and more hedonistic. We argue that personal contact changes aspects of stereotypes related to communal characteristics, whereas contact with cultural institutions influences perceptions of conservativeness. Probably due to political climate, Finns were increasingly perceived as adhering to tradition and security values over stimulation. Although individual-level stereotypes were only moderately stable and stereotype change was heterogeneous, we could not predict individual-level changes.
The Airport City Phenomenon: Evidence from Large US Airports
Authors: Appold Stephen J. , Kasarda John D.
Published: November 2012

As air transport for leisure trips, business travel and goods shipment increased rapidly over the past several decades, the emergence of airport cities has been hypothesised. Busy commercial airports may be emerging as central transport nodes in large metropolitan areas, much as ports and rail terminals were in the past, anchoring employment servicing passengers, facilitating frequent travellers and providing a spatial focus for unrelated firms. An analysis of small-area employment data for the areas surrounding 25 major US airports and the related central cities reveals the concentration of employment within 2.5 miles of these airports to be substantial—approximately half that within 2.5 miles of the central point of the corresponding CBDs—and growing. The analysis refocuses a question about the nature of spatial differentiation within metropolitan regions supporting multiple employment nodes.
The Governability of National Spatial Planning: Light Instruments and Logics of Governmental Action in Strategic Urban Development
Authors: Savini Federico
Published: November 2012

Neo-liberalism and decentralisation are eroding the capacity of central governments to implement their national spatial objectives. National government, with fewer financial and political resources at its disposal, has little power to intervene in strategic urban development, because cities have sufficient autonomy to define their own land use plans. This paper challenges this understanding of the contemporary condition of national spatial planning. It demonstrates that, although national governments have a weaker grip on local spatial dynamics, they play an active role in governing complex spatial development. Two urban development projects in the Dutch Randstad will be discussed in order to demonstrate empirically four different logics of involvement: endorsement, monetary impulse, propulsion and effectuation. It is concluded that there is great potential for national planning in a ‘lighter’ profile, with instruments used to strengthen the interconnectivity of networks—a condition for generating strategic capacity and ensuring the governability of spatial policies.
Developing identities using music technology in therapeutic settings
Authors: Burland Karen , Magee Wendy
Published: November 2012

This paper considers the ways in which the use of music technology in therapeutic settings helps people with a range of differing abilities to establish a sense of identity as they adjust to changing physical abilities. A total of 12 interviews with six music therapists, each experienced users of electronic equipment using musical instrument digital interface (MIDI)-generated sounds triggered by specialist input devices, and working within a variety of therapeutic settings, considered the various applications, benefits, and risks of using technology in such contexts. Examination of case study video footage provided by each therapist was incorporated within the interviews in order to facilitate a detailed and focused discussion (cf. Davidson & Good, 2002). Data were analyzed independently by two multidisciplinary investigators using open coding procedures from grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). The findings suggest that music technology provides a means to assist people with complex needs to form alternative identities by: (1) offering a sense of empowerment, independence and achievement; and (2) allowing access to alternative identities through associations with wider cultural contexts. The implications are far-reaching and suggest that music technology has a valuable role to play within therapeutic contexts which has not previously been identified.
White Matter Changes in an Untreated, Newly Diagnosed Case of Classical Homocystinuria
Authors: Brenton J. Nicholas , Matsumoto Julie A. , Rust Robert S. , Wilson William G.
Published: November 2012

The authors report the case of a 4-year-old boy who developed progressive unilateral weakness and developmental delays prior to his diagnosis of classical homocystinuria. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated diffuse white matter changes, raising the concern for a secondary diagnosis causing leukoencephalopathy, since classical homocystinuria is not typically associated with these changes. Other inborn errors of the transsulfuration pathway have been reported as causing these changes. Once begun on therapy for his homocystinuria, his neurologic deficits resolved and his delays rapidly improved. Repeat MRI performed one year after instating therapy showed resolution of his white matter abnormalities. This case illustrates the need to consider homocystinuria and other amino acidopathies in the differential diagnosis of childhood white matter diseases and lends weight to the hypothesis that hypermethioninemia may induce white matter changes.
Geometric error model and measuring method based on worktable for five-axis machine tools
Authors: Jiang Lei , Ding Guofu , Li Zhuang , Zhu Shaowei , Qin Shengfeng
Published: November 2012

This article presents a new integrated geometric model that takes worktable as reference for five-axis machine tools. It could simplify the description of different machine kinetic structures and uniform the measurement coordinate system and machining coordinate system. Based on this model, a new method of measuring geometric errors with conventional instruments is proposed. It could break through some existing limitations, such as special instrument, specific machine kinetic structures, or errors incompletion. In addition, some deviation errors in measuring process could be eliminated to improve accuracy further. Finally, a series of experiments are conducted on a five-axis machine tool with rotary worktable and tilting head. The results show that the error model and measuring method are effective and applicable.
Substitution of corrugated sheets in a railway vehicle's body structure by a multiple-requirement based selection process
Authors: Wennberg David , Stichel Sebastian , Wennhage Per
Published: November 2012

To simplify construction, reduce weight and improve mechanical properties, a sandwich panel substitution process is performed on corrugated sheets in the floor and roof of a rail vehicle car body. A requirement based selection is used to design the sandwich panels with the corrugated sheet mechanical characteristics as boundaries. Car body stiffness is evaluated by modal analysis. The derived panels reduce the mass of the car body by 600–700 kg. Results show the varying importance of the longitudinal, transverse and shear properties of the floor and roof panels, as well as how efficient the corrugated sheets actually are.
The use of electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus and catatonia
Authors: Mon T , L’Ecuyer S , Farber NB , White AJ , Baszis KW , Hearn JK , Spiegel TE , French AR , Kitcharoensakkul M
Published: November 2012

Catatonia is a rare manifestation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As catatonia can be associated with both psychiatric and organic conditions, this could create a diagnostic dilemma once this occurs in SLE patients. The report describes a 15-year-old female with SLE who developed catatonia three days after the diagnosis of SLE was made. Her catatonia was refractory to the treatment with immunosuppressive therapy, which included pulse methylprednisolone, intravenous cyclophosphamide, rituximab, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and plasmapheresis. Given her persistent catatonia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was initiated three months after the onset of her symptoms. After the third ECT treatment, her mental status dramatically improved and returned nearly to baseline while she was continued on the immunosuppression. This is the first report of a successful ECT therapy in catatonic lupus in children.
A probabilistic hybrid sensor fusion and optimization approach for aircraft composite components
Authors: Costiner Sorin , Winston Howard A , Gurvich Mark R , Ghoshal Anindya , Welsh Gregory S , Butler Shaoluo L , Urban Michael R , Bordick Nathaniel
Published: November 2012

An integrated sensor system that continuously monitors the structural integrity of an aircraft’s critical composite components can have a high payoff by reducing risks, costs, inspections, and unscheduled maintenance, while increasing safety. Hybrid sensor networks combine or fuse different types of sensors. Optimal sensor fusion tries to find the optimal number and location of different types of sensors such that their combined probability of detection is maximized. Optimal hybrid sensor networks can be more robust, more accurate, and/or cheaper than networks consisting only of homogeneous sensors. A generic sensor fusion approach that combines the probabilities of detection of heterogeneous sensors is described. A fast greedy optimization approach that provides approximate solutions is described and demonstrated. Computable lower and upper bounds of a probability of detection objective function were determined. Fiber Bragg grating sensors can be inserted in layers of composite structures to provide local damage detection, while surface-mounted piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate sensors can provide global damage detection for the host structure under consideration. The generic approach is demonstrated on such combinations of fiber Bragg grating and lead zirconate titanate sensor networks. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach can be used to answer structural health monitoring network design problems such as the following: (1) Given a number of sensors, what is the maximum probability of detection that the sensors can attain and where should they be positioned to provide the maximum probability of detection? (2) If a given probability of detection is desired, the minimum number, types, and locations of sensors that are needed to attain this probability of detection can be determined. The approach is generic, that is, it can be extended to any number or types of sensors for which probabilities of detection can be defined.
Power management for sub-mW energy harvester with adaptive hybrid energy storage
Authors: Wang Wensi , Wang Ningning , Hayes Mike , O’Flynn Brendan , O’Mathuna Cian
Published: November 2012

Energy harvesting with its ubiquitous availability is intensively investigated to extend the wireless sensor nodes lifetime. While the harvested power is often less than 1 mW, the commercial-off-the-shelf power management circuits designed for conventional battery applications operate in much higher power. A designated power management module for sub-mW energy harvester is proposed in this article to increase the energy conversion efficiency and extend the energy storage lifetime for small input power. The proposed module consists of discrete component–based pulse-width modulation (PWM) controlled synchronous boost converter structured impedance matching circuit and supercapacitor/micro-battery hybrid energy storage. The synchronous boost converter-based power management circuit achieves 79% conversion efficiency at the input power of 0.5 mW. The power loss during the energy conversion is significantly reduced and thus allows wireless sensor nodes to be powered from a minimum of 120 Lux fluorescent light with a photovoltaic cell smaller than a credit card. The supercapacitor/micro-battery energy storage provides lifetime of more than 73 h when no external energy is available. The experimental results with 25 energy harvester–powered wireless sensor nodes demonstrate that the practical ultra-low–power design makes sub-1-mW energy harvester power management applicable.
A unified multiphysics finite element model of the polypyrrole trilayer actuation mechanism
Authors: Price Aaron D , Naguib Hani E
Published: November 2012

Conducting polymer materials have demonstrated new possibilities for low-density active material actuators. This article briefly introduces several existing conducting polymer actuator modelling approaches and identifies limitations on their sole applicability for predictive design. The main contribution of this article is the proposal and development of a new unified multiphysics finite element model of the polypyrrole trilayer actuation mechanism that does not depend on specimen-specific parameters. The model predicts the structural deformation of trilayer actuators using only material properties such that the model itself is sample-independent and thus may have practical use as an electroactive polymer design facility. Comparison with published data indicates that the model’s predictions fall within 95% confidence intervals throughout the entire range of input potentials evaluated.
Experimental study of lubricant film behaviour subject to periodic loading
Authors: Zarbane Khalid , Zeghloul Thami , Hajjam Mohamed
Published: November 2012

The dynamic loading in hydrodynamic bearings and squeeze film dampers submits the lubricant film to periodical squeeze actions. These solicitations have an effect on the film load-carrying capacity and can lead to its rupture (cavitation). In the present experimental study, we achieve a quantitative measure of the effect of geometric and kinematic parameters of the non-conforming contact on the hydrodynamic load-carrying capacity. On the designed test rig, the contact geometry, the average film thickness, the oscillations amplitude and frequency can be varied. The measured load-carrying capacity is compared to numerical predictions. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Several oil film rupture modes have been observed. Each mode depends on the oscillations frequency, the oil bath height in the tank and the surface geometry.
Christian Democracy in Italy
Authors: Warner Carolyn M.
Published: November 2012

This article argues that historical context can be a strong force for the origins of an ideologically and behaviourally moderate religious political party. It explores the origins of Italian Christian Democracy, following the trajectory of the Partito Popolare Italiano and Democrazia Cristiana in order to highlight a path to religious party moderation that excludes extremism and violence at all stages. That path includes the development of a moderate ideology prior to inclusion in the democratic system, influenced by efforts to reconcile Catholicism with democracy. Extremist alternatives are eliminated not through the moderating tendencies of a democratic political system but by historical events and by efforts of the moderate religious party to ensure that the democratic system does not collapse. Ideological and behavioural moderation are understood as acceptance of democracy and promotion of civil liberties, not as the notion that a party becomes in some way less religious.
Contention and Circulation in the Digital Middle East
Authors: Kraidy Marwan M.
Published: November 2012

This article explores music video as a catalyst of public discourse in the digital age through an analysis of heated online controversies fueled by Wa‘d ‘Arqoub ( WA), a video featuring a romantic relationship against the backdrop of the plight of Iraq under U.S. occupation. It puts forth the argument that music videos stimulate public discourse because of their capacity to (1) promote ideas and make them visible, (2) conjure up several meanings and interpretations, and (3) circulate through “hypermedia space,” a communicative space created by networked broadcast, mobile, and online platforms. The analysis of the circulation of contentious public discourse around WA leads to the conclusion that music videos are best understood as instruments of visibility in a symbolic economy that suffers from attention scarcity.
The Historical Development of Human Resource Development in the United Kingdom
Authors: Stewart Jim , Sambrook Sally
Published: November 2012

We construct the historical development of the term “human resource development” (HRD) within the United Kingdom. We argue that HRD has been introduced and employed extensively by academics but not taken up with such enthusiasm by professionals and governments. We trace the development of the term and evaluate its use in these three distinct domains. This includes reference to multiple stakeholders, such as governments, employing organizations, academics, and professional bodies, and their influences including national policy interventions and legislation shaping academic and professional practices and qualifications. We conclude that HRD as a concept and a term to describe an area of academic study and professional practice has had variable impact in different sites of practice.
Parent–Child Interaction Therapy for the Treatment of Asperger’s Disorder in Early Childhood
Authors: Armstrong Kathleen , Kimonis Eva R.
Published: November 2012

Almost half of all children diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder (ASP) present with comorbid behavioral difficulties associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorders. Children with ASP often are noncompliant, aggressive, and difficult for parents to manage, which may prevent these children from participating in school and community activities, thus contributing to reduced opportunities for development of important skills. Finding effective interventions to treat these behavioral issues remains a clinical priority to improve overall outcomes for these children. This case study presents the treatment of a 5-year-old boy with ASP and severe behavior problems using Parent–Child Interaction Therapy, an empirically supported behavioral parenting intervention developed for young children with disruptive behavior disorders. Findings from this case report documented (a) an improvement in behavioral functioning that was maintained at follow-up and (b) provided support for utilizing this evidenced-based treatment to improve functioning of young children with ASP and comorbid disruptive behavior disorders.
Academic Capitalism
Authors: Hoffman Steve G.
Published: November 2012

Social scientists have been seeking conceptual terminology that captures how and why universities are engaging in direct and indirect market activity. Sociologist Steve G. Hoffman argues that, in the United States, several key trends have developed from the late 1970s to the present period that warrant the term “academic capitalism.”
The (Mis)Education of Monica and Karen
Authors: Hamilton Laura , Armstrong Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2012

Monica and Karen, two typical in-state students starting college at a mid-tier public university in the Midwest, encounter organizational arrangements best designed to serve affluent, out-of-state partiers who can afford to pay full freight. Sociologists Laura Hamilton and Elizabeth A. Armstrong discuss how Monica and Karen’s stories reveal the great mismatch between the needs of most college students and what many four-year residential universities offer.
Anti-Social Debts
Authors: Ross Andrew
Published: November 2012

The current student debt burden is an unsustainable outcome of the government’s abdication of responsibility to secure access to higher education. Andrew Ross analyses the factors behind the funding crisis and suggests some ways to reestablish an affordable education system.
Teaching to Distraction
Authors: Smith Margaret Austin
Published: November 2012

The classroom is a social space, and how students experience and perceive that space shapes how they approach their classrooms and what they do in them. Margaret Austin Smith uses ethnographic data of college students’ classroom experiences to demonstrate the degree of importance understanding students’ ways of knowing the classroom has on the effectiveness of teaching and learning relationships.
Keeping Rank
Authors: Britton Dana M.
Published: November 2012

Sociologist Dana M. Britton examines barriers to advancement in the academy, focusing on long-term associate professors. In particular, she draws attention to the role of “institutional reproduction”—teaching, advising, and service—as a barrier to advancement.
College Sports’ Corporate Arena
Authors: Smith D. Randall
Published: November 2012

Sociologist D. Randall Smith argues that a segment of big-time college sports has embraced the corporate model and this has led to a steady increase in the revenue gap between the “haves” and “have nots.”
The Chattering Class
Authors: Schudson Michael
Published: November 2012

Sociologist Michael Schudson reviews the book The Space of Opinion. He argues that this full-length study of opinion journalism in the United States makes a strong case that the mix of diverse opinions, formats, and personalities in our era of op-ed pages, talk radio, and cable TV helps engage citizens with politics and improves democratic deliberation.
Passing on Faculty Roles, Cui Bono?
Authors: Moore Helen
Published: November 2012

Sociologist Helen Moore discusses how capitalization of academic faculty roles raises questions of whether or not we have adequate theories to assess such changes. She argues that labor market fragmentation, racialization, and gendered faculty roles provide new frameworks for these theories.
Revising Peer Review
Authors: Fitzpatrick Kathleen
Published: November 2012

Kathleen Fitzpatrick argues that as online platforms for scholarly publishing foster increasingly fluid means of communication amongst researchers, the principles on which such publishing is founded—including, most crucially, peer review—must become more flexible.
The Mozart Effect on Task Performance in a Laparoscopic Surgical Simulator
Authors: Wiseman Michael C.
Published: November 2012

The Mozart Effect is a phenomenon whereby certain pieces of music induce temporary enhancement in “spatial temporal reasoning.” To determine whether the Mozart Effect can improve surgical performance, 55 male volunteers (mean age = 20.6 years, range = 16-27), novice to surgery, were timed as they completed an activity course on a laparoscopic simulator. Subjects were then randomized for exposure to 1 of 2 musical pieces by Mozart (n = 21) and Dream Theater (n = 19), after which they repeated the course. Following a 15-minute exposure to a nonmusical piece, subjects were exposed to one of the pieces and performed the activity course a third time. An additional group (n = 15) that was not corandomized performed the tasks without any exposure to music. The percent improvements in completion time between 3 successive trials were calculated for each subject and group means compared. In 2 of the tasks, subjects exposed to the Dream Theater piece achieved approximately 30% more improvement (26.7 ± 8.3%) than those exposed to the Mozart piece (20.2 ± 7.8%, P = .021) or to no music (20.4 ± 9.1%, P = .049). Distinct patterns of covariance between baseline performance and subsequent improvement were observed for the different musical conditions and tasks. The data confirm the existence of a Mozart Effect and demonstrate for the first time its practical applicability. Prior exposure to certain pieces may enhance performance in practical skills requiring spatial temporal reasoning.
Response 1: Big Society, the voluntary sector and the marketization of criminal justice
Authors: Maguire Mike
Published: November 2012

The paper explores debates around the increasing role of the third sector in the delivery of mainstream criminal justice services, in the context of a broader ‘marketization’ of public services and a growing private sector presence. It is illustrated by brief discussions of the advent of police and crime commissioners, competitive commissioning of probation services, and the spread of payment by results. It is argued that, while superficially attractive, such developments are unproven in terms of effectiveness, raise questions about principles of justice, and contain risks for all parties concerned. It is therefore unwise to plunge much further down this route without careful piloting, evaluation and assessment of possible negative consequences.
Sleep architecture in ziprasidone-treated bipolar depression: a pilot study
Authors: Baskaran Anusha , Summers Dave , Willing Stephanie LM , Jokic Ruzica , Milev Roumen
Published: November 2012

Objectives:

This study investigated the effect of ziprasidone augmentation therapy on sleep architecture in bipolar depression.

Methods:

We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical pilot trial of ziprasidone versus placebo in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition bipolar disorder with current major depressive episode. The effects during acute (2–5 days) and continuation treatment (28–31 days) were measured. Main outcomes were sleep architecture variables including rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and slow wave sleep (SWS) measured by polysomnography. Secondary outcomes included subjective sleep quality measures and illness severity measures including the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and Clinical Global Illness Severity (CGI-S) scores.

Results:

The completer analysis comprised of 14 patients (ziprasidone, N = 8 and placebo, N = 6). Latency to REM, duration of SWS, duration of stage 2 sleep, total sleep time, onset to sleep latency, number of awakenings and overall sleep efficiency significantly improved in ziprasidone-treated participants over placebo. CGI-S and HAMA scores also significantly improved. No significant difference between treatment groups was seen on the HAMD-17, MADRS or in self-reported sleep quality. Increase in SWS duration significantly correlated with improvement in CGI-S, however, this finding did not withstand Bonferroni correction.

Conclusion:

Adjunctive ziprasidone treatment alters sleep architecture in patients with bipolar depression, which may partially explain its mechanism of action and merits further investigation.
Wandering Minds and Aging Cells
Authors: Epel Elissa S. , Puterman Eli , Lin Jue , Blackburn Elizabeth , Lazaro Alanie , Mendes Wendy Berry
Published: November 2012

Many ancient contemplative traditions believe presence of mind promotes greater longevity, a belief that is hard to test. Scientific evidence suggests that mind wandering predicts unhappiness, whereas presence in the moment predicts well-being. It is important to test whether a tendency toward mind wandering is associated with biological measures of longevity beyond self-reported measures of well-being. Telomere length has recently emerged as a proxy measure of biological aging and correlate of severe stress. We assessed the association between telomere length and tendency to be present versus tendency to mind wander in 239 healthy women. Those who reported high mind wandering had shorter telomeres, consistently across immune cell types (granulocytes, lymphocytes), than did those who reported low mind wandering, even after adjusting for stress. Telomere length varies widely between adults, and these findings suggest that presence of mind may explain some of these differences. A present attentional state may promote a healthy biochemical milieu and, in turn, cell longevity.
Can spirometric norms be set using pre- or post- bronchodilator test results in older people?
Authors: Kato Bernet , Gulsvik Amund , Vollmer William , Janson Christer , Studnika Michael , Buist Sonia , Burney Peter
Published: November 2012

Background

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is defined by post-bronchodilator spirometry. Data on “normal values” come predominantly from pre-bronchodilator spirometry. The effects of this on diagnosis are unknown.

Methods

Lower limits of normal (LLN) were estimated from “normal” participants in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) programme. Values separately derived using pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry were compared. Sensitivity and specificity of criteria derived from pre-bronchodilator spirometry and pre-bronchodilator spirometry adjusted by a constant were assessed in the remaining population. The “gold standard” was the LLN for the post-bronchodilator spirometry in the “normal population”. For FEV1/FVC, sensitivity and specificity of criteria were also assessed when a fixed value of < 70% was used rather than LLN.

Results

Of 6,600 participants with full data, 1,354 were defined as “normal”. Mean differences between pre- and post- bronchodilator measurements were small and the Bland-Altman plots showed no association between difference and mean value. Compared with using the gold standard, however, tests using pre-bronchodilator spirometry had a sensitivity and specificity of detecting a low FEV1 of 78.4% and 100%, a low FVC of 99.8% and 99.1% and a low FEV1/FVC ratio of 65% and 100%. Adjusting this by a constant improved the sensitivity without substantially altering the specificity for FEV1 (99%, 99.8%), FVC (97.4%, 99.9%) and FEV1/FVC (98.7%, 99.5%).

Conclusions

Using pre-bronchodilator spirometry to derive norms for lung function reduces sensitivity compared to a post-bronchodilator gold standard. Adjustment of these values by a constant can improve validity of the test.
Identification of proteins binding coding and non-coding human RNAs using protein microarrays
Authors: Siprashvili Zurab , Webster Dan E , Kretz Markus , Johnston Danielle , Rinn John L , Chang Howard Y , Khavari Paul A
Published: November 2012

Background

The regulation and function of mammalian RNAs has been increasingly appreciated to operate via RNA-protein interactions. With the recent discovery of thousands of novel human RNA molecules by high-throughput RNA sequencing, efficient methods to uncover RNA-protein interactions are urgently required. Existing methods to study proteins associated with a given RNA are laborious and require substantial amounts of cell-derived starting material. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a rapid and large-scale approach to characterize binding of in vitro transcribed labeled RNA to ~9,400 human recombinant proteins spotted on protein microarrays.

Results

We have optimized methodology to probe human protein microarrays with full-length RNA molecules and have identified 137 RNA-protein interactions specific for 10 coding and non-coding RNAs. Those proteins showed strong enrichment for common human RNA binding domains such as RRM, RBD, as well as K homology and CCCH type zinc finger motifs. Previously unknown RNA-protein interactions were discovered using this technique, and these interactions were biochemically verified between TP53 mRNA and Staufen1 protein as well as between HRAS mRNA and CNBP protein. Functional characterization of the interaction between Staufen 1 protein and TP53 mRNA revealed a novel role for Staufen 1 in preserving TP53 RNA stability.

Conclusions

Our approach demonstrates a scalable methodology, allowing rapid and efficient identification of novel human RNA-protein interactions using RNA hybridization to human protein microarrays. Biochemical validation of newly identified interactions between TP53-Stau1 and HRAS-CNBP using reciprocal pull-down experiments, both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrates the utility of this approach to study uncharacterized RNA-protein interactions.
Benefits of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for patients with serosal invasion in gastric cancer: a meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials
Authors: Sun Jingxu , Song Yongxi , Wang Zhenning , Gao Peng , Chen Xiaowan , Xu Yingying , Liang Jiwang , Xu Huimian
Published: November 2012

Background

In this meta-analysis we aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPC) for patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy.

Methods

In accordance with standard meta-analysis procedures, our study included patients who underwent resection for advanced gastric cancer and were randomly allocated to receive either hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy or control. We searched PubMed (up to November 2011), EMBASE (up to November 2011), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCTR) (up to November 2011). Both published and unpublished trials were included in the analysis, and no search restrictions were imposed. There was no language restriction. The results were analyzed using RevMan 5.1 software, which was provided by Cochrane Collaboration.

Results

There were ten randomized controlled trials included in the analysis. A total of 1062 patients with gastric cancer in these studies were divided into the HIPC group (n = 518) and control group (n = 544). A significant improvement in survival was observed in the HIPC groups compared to the control group in the mitomycin C (MMC) subgroup (RR = 0.75, 95%CI 0.65-0.86; P < 0.00001) and the 5-FU group (RR = 0.69, 95%CI 0.52-0.90; P < 0.00001); the total RR was 0.73 (95%CI 0.64-0.83; P < 0.00001). Our findings indicated that HIPC potentially exhibited a lower peritoneal recurrence rate in the HIPC group compared to the control group (RR = 0.45, 95%CI 0.28-0.72; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that HIPC may improve the overall survival rate for patients who receive resection for advance gastric cancer potentially, and help to prevent peritoneal local recurrence among patients with serosal invasion in gastric cancer.
Antioxidant activity, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of whole plant extracts Torilis leptophylla L
Authors: Saeed Naima , Khan Muhammad R , Shabbir Maria
Published: November 2012

Background

The aim of this study was to screen various solvent extracts of whole plant ofTorilis leptophyllato display potent antioxidant activityin vitroandin vivo, total phenolic and flavonoid contents in order to find possible sources for future novel antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical formulations.

Material and methods

A detailed study was performed on the antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of whole plant ofTorilis leptophylla(TLM) and its derived fractions {n-hexane (TLH), chloroform (TLC) ethyl acetate (TLE)n-butanol (TLB) and residual aqueous fraction (TLA)} byin vitrochemical analyses and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic injuries (lipid peroxidation and glutathione contents) in male Sprague-Dawley rat. The total yield, total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of all the fractions were also determined. TLM was also subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening test for various constituents.

Results

The total phenolic contents (TPC) (121.9±3.1 mg GAE/g extract) of TLM while total flavonoid contents (TFC) of TLE (60.9 ±2.2 mg RTE/g extract) were found significantly higher as compared to other solvent fractions. Phytochemical screening of TLM revealed the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, phlobatannins, tannins and terpenoids. The EC50values based on the DPPH (41.0±1 μg/ml), ABTS (10.0±0.9 μg/ml) and phosphomolybdate (10.7±2 μg/ml) for TLB, hydroxyl radicals (8.0±1 μg/ml) for TLC, superoxide radicals (57.0±0.3 μg/ml) for TLM and hydrogen peroxide radicals (68.0±2 μg/ml) for TLE were generally lower showing potential antioxidant properties. A significant but marginal positive correlation was found between TPC and EC50values for DPPH, hydroxyl, phosphomolybdate and ABTS, whereas another weak and positive correlation was determined between TFC and EC50values for superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals. Results ofin vivoexperiment revealed that administration of CCl4caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation (TBARS) while decrease in GSH contents of liver. In contrast, TLM (200 mg/kg bw) and silymarin (50 mg/kg bw) co-treatment effectively prevented these alterations and maintained the antioxidant status.

Conclusion

Data from present results revealed thatTorilis leptophyllaact as an antioxidant agent due to its free radical scavenging and cytoprotective activity.
Plasmonic enhancements of photoluminescence in hybrid Si nanostructures with Au fabricated by fully top-down lithography
Authors: Nakaji Koudo , Li Hao , Kiba Takayuki , Igarashi Makoto , Samukawa Seiji , Murayama Akihiro
Published: November 2012

The authors study plasmonic enhancements of photoluminescence (PL) in Si nanodisk (ND) arrays hybridized with nanostructures such as nanoplates of Au, where these hybrid nanostructures are fabricated by fully top-down lithography: neutral-beam etching using bio-nano-templates and high-resolution electron-beam lithography. The separation distance between the Si ND and Au nanostructure surfaces is precisely controlled by inserting a thin SiO2 layer with a thickness of 3 nm. We observe that PL intensities in the Si NDs are enhanced by factors up to 5 depending on the wavelength by integrating with the Au nanoplates. These enhancements also depend on the size and shape of the Au nanoplates.
Iterative joint frequency offset and channel estimation for OFDM systems using first and second order approximation algorithms
Authors: Yen Rainfield Y , Liu Hong-Yu , Tsai Chia-Sheng
Published: November 2012

To implement an algorithm for joint estimation of carrier frequency offset (CFO) and channel impulse response (CIR) in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, the maximum-likelihood criterion is commonly adopted. A major difficulty arises from the highly nonlinear nature of the log-likelihood function which renders local extrema or multiple solutions for the CFO and CIR estimators. Use of an approximation method coupled with an adaptive iteration algorithm has been a popular approach to ease problem solving. The approximation used in those existing methods is usually of the first order level. Here, in addition to a new first order approximation method, we also propose a second order approximation method. Further, for the part of the adaptive iteration algorithm, we adopt a new technique which will enable performance improvement. Our first order approximation method is found to outperform the existing ones in terms of estimation accuracies, tracking range, computation complexity, and convergence speed. As expected, our second order approximation method provides an even further improvement at the expense of higher computation complication.
Association between circulating ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and plasma cytokine concentrations in young adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: García-Bailo Bibiana , Roke Kaitlin , Mutch David M , El-Sohemy Ahmed , Badawi Alaa
Published: November 2012

Background

Inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with the development of numerous chronic diseases. Circulating ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) may help reduce concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These micronutrients may act synergistically, and they may have different anti-inflammatory effects, but previous studies have assessed the link between each of these micronutrients and inflammation in isolation without controlling for the other micronutrients. Our objective was to examine the association between circulating concentrations of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and 25(OH) D and a panel of pro-inflammatory cytokines in an ethnically diverse population of young adults.

Methods

Participants (n = 1,007) from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health study provided fasting blood samples for biomarker measurements and were subsequently categorized into tertiles for each micronutrient based on their circulating concentrations. We conducted Pearson’s correlation analyses across all micronutrients and cytokines. The associations between individual micronutrients and cytokines were examined using analysis of covariance with age, sex, waist circumference, ethnicity, physical activity, season of blood collection, total cholesterol, hormonal contraceptive use among women, and the other two micronutrients as covariates.

Results

We observed weak micronutrient-cytokine correlations, moderate correlations between certain cytokines, and strong correlations between specific cytokines, particularly interleukin 1- receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-bb). After full covariate adjustment, circulating α-tocopherol was inversely associated with IFN-γ and regulated upon activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). We observed an unexpected positive association between ascorbic acid and IFN-γ. 25(OH)D was not associated with altered concentrations of any inflammatory biomarkers.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that α-tocopherol, but not ascorbic acid or 25(OH)D, is inversely associated with inflammation in healthy young adults.