bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Bracketed Epiphysis of Proximal Phalanx of the Great Toe With Congenital Hallux Varus Managed Simultaneously With Monorail External Fixator
Authors: Verma Vineet , Batra Amit , Singla Rohit , Gogna Paritosh , Magu Narender , Gupta Rakesh
Published: September 2013

Longitudinal bracketed epiphysis (delta phalanx) is a rare congenital anomaly that affects phalanges in the hand more commonly than toes. We present a rare case of congenital hallux varus with longitudinal bracketed epiphysis of proximal phalanx with bifid distal phalanx of the great toe, which was managed with monorail type of external fixator. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of its successful implementation in simultaneous treatment of longitudinal bracketed epiphysis of the proximal phalanx of the great toe and hallux varus. Apart from adding to the literature a case of rare subtype of delta phalanx with hallux varus, the present study highlights the role of a reliable alternative in its management.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV, Case study
Process-induced extracellular matrix alterations affect the mechanisms of soft tissue repair and regeneration
Authors: Sun Wendell Q , Xu Hui , Sandor Maryellen , Lombardi Jared
Published: September 2013

Extracellular matrices derived from animal tissues for human tissue repairs are processed by various methods of physical, chemical, or enzymatic decellularization, viral inactivation, and terminal sterilization. The mechanisms of action in tissue repair vary among bioscaffolds and are suggested to be associated with process-induced extracellular matrix modifications. We compared three non-cross-linked, commercially available extracellular matrix scaffolds (Strattice, Veritas, and XenMatrix), and correlated extracellular matrix alterations to in vivo biological responses upon implantation in non-human primates. Structural evaluation showed significant differences in retaining native tissue extracellular matrix histology and ultrastructural features among bioscaffolds. Tissue processing may cause both the condensation of collagen fibers and fragmentation or separation of collagen bundles. Calorimetric analysis showed significant differences in the stability of bioscaffolds. The intrinsic denaturation temperature was measured to be 51°C, 38°C, and 44°C for Strattice, Veritas, and XenMatrix, respectively, demonstrating more extracellular matrix modifications in the Veritas and XenMatrix scaffolds. Consequently, the susceptibility to collagenase degradation was increased in Veritas and XenMatrix when compared to their respective source tissues. Using a non-human primate model, three bioscaffolds were found to elicit different biological responses, have distinct mechanisms of action, and yield various outcomes of tissue repair. Strattice permitted cell repopulation and was remodeled over 6 months. Veritas was unstable at body temperature, resulting in rapid absorption with moderate inflammation. XenMatrix caused severe inflammation and sustained immune reactions. This study demonstrates that extracellular matrix alterations significantly affect biological responses in soft tissue repair and regeneration. The data offer useful insights into the rational design of extracellular matrix products and bioscaffolds of tissue engineering.
Thoracic Cavernous Lymphangioma Provoking Massive Chyloptysis
Authors: Ferguson Robert , Hodges Jeffrey , Harness-Brumley Cayce , Girod Carlos , Bartolome Sonja , DiMaio J. Michael
Published: September 2013

Chyloptysis is a relatively rare embodiment of disease that encompasses a lengthy differential and provides many diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Presented here is the case of a young woman with massive chyloptysis due to a thoracic cavernous lymphangioma arising in the peripartum period. The severity of her condition mandated the use of cardiopulmonary bypass to resect her lymphangioma. We believe that the extent of her symptoms, etiology of disease, and surgical management represent a unique scenario in the literature.
MamX encoded by the mamXY operon is involved in control of magnetosome maturation in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1
Authors: Yang Jing , Li Shuqi , Huang Xiuliang , Li Jinhua , Li Li , Pan Yongxin , Li Ying
Published: September 2013

Background

Magnetotactic bacteria produce membrane-enveloped magnetite crystals (magnetosomes) whose formation is controlled primarily by a gene island termed the magnetosome island (MAI). Characterization of single gene and operon function in MAI has elucidated in part the genetic basis of magnetosome formation. The mamX gene, located in the mamXY operon, is highly conserved in the MAI of all Magnetospirillum strains studied to date. Little is known regarding the function of mamX in the process of biomineralization.

Results

A mamX deletion mutant (∆mamX) and its complemented strain (CmamX) by conjugation in M. gryphiswaldense strain MSR-1 were constructed. There were no striking differences in cell growth among ∆mamX, CmamX, and wild-type strain (WT). ∆mamX displayed a much weaker magnetic response than WT. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of irregular, superparamagnetic magnetite particles in ∆mamX, in contrast to regular, single-domain particles in WT and CmamX. The phenotype of ∆mamX was similar to that of an ftsZ-like deleted mutant and mamXY operon deleted mutant reported previously. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) results indicated that the deletion of mamX had differential effects on the transcription levels of the other three genes in the operon.

Conclusions

The MamX protein plays an important role in controlling magnetosome size, maturation, and crystal form. The four MamXY proteins appear to have redundant functions involved in magnetosome formation. Our findings provide new insights into the coordinated function of MAI genes and operons in magnetosome formation.
Effect of dietary nonphytate phosphorus on laying performance and small intestinal epithelial phosphate transporter expression in Dwarf pink-shell laying hens
Authors: Nie Wei , Yang Ying , Yuan Jianmin , Wang Zhong , Guo Yuming
Published: September 2013

This study examined the effects of various levels of dietary nonphytate phosphorus on laying performance and the expression patterns of phosphorus metabolism related genes in Dwarf pink-shell laying hens. A total of 405 28-week-old Dwarf pink-shell laying hens were fed the same corn-soybean basal meals but containing 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35% or 0.40% nonphytate phosphorus. The results showed that feed intake, egg production, and average egg weights were quadratically correlated with dietary nonphytate phosphorus content (P < 0.05), and the highest egg production, feed intake and average egg weights were achieved when dietary nonphytate phosphorus was at 0.3% (P < 0.05). mRNA expression of intestinal sodium phosphorus co-transporter linearly decreased when dietary nonphytate phosphorus increased. mRNA and protein expression of intestinal calbindin and vitamin D receptor correlated quadratically with dietary nonphytate phosphorus, and the highest expression was found when dietary available phosphorus was at 0.25% to 0.3%. In conclusion, the ideal phosphorus requirement for Dwarf pink-shell layer hens is estimated to be 0.3% in a corn-soybean diet. With this level of phosphorus supplementation, calbindin and vitamin D receptor reached their highest expression.
Effect of mechanical ventilation on intra-abdominal pressure in critically ill patients without other risk factors for abdominal hypertension: an observational multicenter epidemiological study
Authors: de Dios Soler Morejón Caridad , Tamargo Barbeito Teddy Osmin
Published: September 2013

Background

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is considered a predisposing factor for increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), especially when positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is applied or in the presence of auto-PEEP. So far, no prospective data exists on the effect of MV on IAP. The study aims to look on the effects of MV on IAP in a group of critically ill patients with no other risk factors for intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH).

Methods

An observational multicenter study was conducted on a total of 100 patients divided into two groups: 50 patients without MV and 50 patients with MV. All patients were admitted to the intensive care units of the Medical and Surgical Research Centre, the Carlos J. Finlay Hospital, the Julio Trigo University Hospital, and the Calixto García Hospital, in Havana, Cuba between July 2000 and December 2004. The IAP was measured twice daily on admission using a standard transurethral technique. IAH was considered if IAP was greater than 12 mmHg. Correlations were made between IAP and body mass index (BMI), diagnostic category, gender, age, and ventilatory parameters.

Results

The mean IAP in patients on MV was 6.7 ± 4.1 mmHg and significantly higher than in patients without MV (3.6 ± 2.4 mmHg,p< 0.0001). This difference was maintained regardless of gender, age, BMI, and diagnosis. The use of MV and BMI were independent predictors for IAH for the whole population, while male gender, assisted ventilation mode, and the use of PEEP were independent factors associated with IAH in patients on MV.

Conclusions

In this study, MV was identified as an independent predisposing factor for the development of IAH. Critically ill patients, which are on MV, present with higher IAP values on admission and should be monitored very closely, especially if PEEP is applied, even when they have no other apparent risk factors for IAH.
The impact of α-toxin on host cell plasma membrane permeability and cytokine expression during human blood infection by CA-MRSA USA300
Authors: Nygaard Tyler K , Pallister Kyler B , Zurek Oliwia W , Voyich Jovanka M
Published: September 2013

This investigation examines the influence of α-toxin (Hla) expression by CA-MRSA on host immune cell integrity and cytokine expression during infection of human blood. Flow cytometry analysis of human blood infected by Staphylococcus aureus PFGE type USA300 or a USA300Δhla demonstrated that Hla expression significantly increased plasma membrane permeability of human CD14+ monocytes. The increased susceptibility of human CD14+ monocytes to Hla toxicity paralleled the high cell-surface expression on these cell types of ADAM10. USA300 rapidly associated with PMNs and monocytes but not T cells following inoculation of human blood. Transcription analysis indicated a strong up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokine transcription following infection of human blood by USA300 and USA300Δhla. CBAs and ELISAs determined that IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-4 are significantly up-regulated during the initial phases of human blood infection by USA300 relative to mock-infected blood but failed to distinguish any significant differences in secreted cytokine protein concentrations during infection by USA300Δhla relative to USA300. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that expression of Hla by USA300 has a significant impact on human CD14+ monocyte plasma membrane integrity but is not exclusively responsible for the proinflammatory cytokine profile induced by USA300 during the initial stages of human blood infection.
Mental disorders, disability and treatment gap in a protracted
refugee setting
Authors: Llosa Augusto E. , Ghantous Zeina , Souza Renato , Forgione Fabio , Bastin Pierre , Jones Alison , Antierens Annick , Slavuckij Andrei , Grais Rebecca F.
Published: September 2013

Background

Studies have shown high levels of distress and mental disorder among
people living in refugee camps, yet none has confirmed diagnosis through
clinical reappraisal.

Aims

To estimate the prevalence of mental disorders, related disability and
treatment gap in adult refugees living in the Burj el-Barajneh camp.

Method

Randomly selected participants were screened by household representative
(n = 748) and individual (n = 315)
interviews; clinical reappraisal was performed on a subset
(n = 194) of 326 selected participants. Weighted
prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.

Results

The prevalence of current mental disorders was 19.4% (95% CI 12.6–26.2);
depression was the most common diagnosis (8.3%, 95% CI 4.4–12.2) and
multiple diagnoses were common (42%) among the 88 persons with mental
disorder. Lifetime prevalence of psychosis was 3.3% (95% CI 1.0–5.5).
Mental disorders were associated with moderate to severe dysfunction
(odds ratio = 8.8, 95% CI 4.5–17.4). The treatment gap was 96% (95% CI
92–100).

Conclusions

A range of mental disorders and associated disability are common in this
long-term refugee setting. Combined with an important treatment gap,
findings support the current consensus-based policy to prioritise
availability of mental health treatment in refugee camps, especially for
the most severe and disabling conditions.
Müllerian Inhibiting Substance in the Caudate Amphibian Pleurodeles waltl
Authors: Al-Asaad Imane , Chardard Dominique , di Clemente Nathalie , Picard Jean-Yves , Dumond Hélène , Chesnel Amand , Flament Stéphane
Published: September 2013

Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS, also known as anti-Müllerian hormone), is a key factor of male sex differentiation in vertebrates. In amniotes, it is responsible for Müllerian duct regression in male embryos. In fish, despite the absence of Müllerian ducts, MIS is produced and controls germ cell proliferation during gonad differentiation. Here we show for the first time the presence of MIS in an amphibian species, Pleurodeles waltl. This is very astonishing because in caudate amphibians, Müllerian ducts do not regress in males. Phylogenetic analysis of MIS P. waltl ortholog revealed that the deduced protein segregates with MIS from other vertebrates and is clearly separated from other TGF-β family members. In larvae, MIS mRNA was expressed at higher levels in the developing testes than in the ovaries. In the testis, MIS mRNA expression was located within the lobules that contain Sertoli cells. Besides, expression of MIS was modified in the case of sex reversal: it increased after masculinizing heat treatment and decreased after estradiol feminizing exposure. In addition to the data obtained recently in the fish medaka, our results suggest that the role of MIS on Müllerian ducts occurred secondarily during the course of evolution.
Greek Foreign Policy toward the Black Sea Region: Combining Hard and Soft Power
Authors: Karagiannis Emmanuel
Published: September 2013

Greece has enjoyed strong historical and cultural ties with countries and peoples of the Black Sea region for many centuries. During the 1990s, Greek governments largely ignored the region as they focused on the immediate Balkan neighborhood, which was in turmoil at the time. Since the early 2000s, however, Athens has developed a multidimensional policy toward the Black Sea region that deserves to be examined. This policy is based on a combination of hard and soft power resources, including economic might, military diplomacy, pipeline development, public diplomacy, multilateralism, and outreach based on political values, culture, and history. While the formation and implementation of the Greek foreign policy has remained in the hands of state officials and agencies, nonstate actors have had an important contributing role. The extent of Greek Black Sea policy's success and limitations are also discussed.
Medieval and Early Modern Artisan Culture
Authors: Pappano Margaret A. , Rice Nicole R.
Published: September 2013

As an economic category, artisans are typically bounded by two historical markers: on one side, the rise of urban centers in the medieval period, and on the other side, the reorganization of commodity production as a result of industrial capitalization in the early modern period. As much as by their manufacturing and retailing work, premodern artisans may be recognized by specific social practices, such as guild membership, devotional associations, relations to community and nation, and distinctive gender organization. From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, the period that witnessed artisans’ greatest influence, their identity was largely relational, defining itself from and against those who shared overlapping interests: merchants, waged laborers, and women. In addition, the premodern period saw important shifts in the epistemological status of “craft,” “art,” and “knowledge,” which began to create cultural divisions between artisan and artist, artisan and scientist. The essays in this volume explore artisan culture from a variety of perspectives, analyzing the representation of premodern artisans as distinctive cultural producers and considering artisans’ dynamic participation in the realms of literate, legal, and devotional culture.
Artisans and Religious Reading in Late Medieval Italy and Northern France (ca. 1400-ca. 1520)
Authors: Corbellini Sabrina , Hoogvliet Margriet
Published: September 2013

This essay investigates how a specific group of laypeople, individuals and groups of literate artisans in late medieval French and Italian towns, participated in distinctive ways in contemporary devotional reading culture. Through an analysis of colophons and ownership marks in manuscripts and a study of wills and book inventories, a distinct artisanal devotional culture can be reconstructed, as it becomes visible in the ways that artisans combined their social, vocational, and religious identities. This is also testified by the artisans’ appropriation of religious texts and their scribal and reading activities as expressions of devotion. Exposed to biblical translations and new vernacular spiritual guides, artisans were stimulated to combine the vita activa with religious activities and to find religious significance in their public and private lives.
Coco regulates dorsoventral specification of germ layers via inhibition of TGFβ signalling
Authors: Bates Thomas J. D. , Vonica Alin , Heasman Janet , Brivanlou Ali H. , Bell Esther
Published: September 2013

One of the earliest steps in embryonic development is the specification of the germ layers, the subdivision of the blastula embryo into endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. Maternally expressed members of the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) family influence all three germ layers; the ligands are required to induce endoderm and mesoderm, whereas inhibitors are required for formation of the ectoderm. Here, we demonstrate a vital role for maternal Coco, a secreted antagonist of TGFβ signalling, in this process. We show that Coco is required to prevent Activin and Nodal signals in the dorsal marginal side of the embryo from invading the prospective ectoderm, thereby restricting endoderm- and mesoderm-inducing signals to the vegetal and marginal zones of the pre-gastrula Xenopus laevis embryo.
The Shadow
Authors: Cubitt Sean
Published: September 2013

In both electronic scanning and film projection the image must disappear for fragments of every second. Where perspective rests on a vanishing point, projection relies on a vanishing instant, the sudden plunge into imperceptible darkness. This article traces the art history of the vanishing of the image in the history of shadow. For Plato, who wants to remove all trace of subjectivity and the doxa associated with it, shadows are evidence of the mediating role of knowledge, which reveals the temporality of truth. Platonic and positivist arguments for, respectively, the untruth or the indexical quality of photography are countered by experimental practices in film and video, which point us towards the constitutive ephemerality of mediated light and its relation with shadow.
Why are Testing Rates so Low in Sub-Saharan Africa? Misconceptions and Strategic Behaviors
Authors: Sterck Olivier
Published: September 2013

Voluntary testing and counseling (VTC) is a popular method for fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The purpose of VTC is to reduce the incidence of the virus in a two-fold manner. First, testing provides access to health care and antiretroviral therapies that diminish the transmission rate of the virus. Second, counseling encourages safer behavior for not only individuals who test HIV-negative and wish to avoid HIV/AIDS infection but also altruistic individuals who test HIV-positive and wish to protect their partners from becoming infected by HIV. Surprisingly, DHS surveys that were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa provide empirical evidence that testing services are underutilized. Moreover, it is rare for both partners in a couple to be tested for HIV. This paper proposes a theoretical model that indicates how misperceptions about the HIV/AIDS virus may explain these puzzles. More specifically, this study demonstrates that individuals who are at risk of HIV infection may act strategically to avoid the cost of testing if they overestimate the risk of HIV transmission or believe that health care is not required if HIV is asymptomatic. The correction of false beliefs and the promotion of self-testing are expected to increase HIV testing rates.
Effect of initial moisture content on the anti-swelling efficiency of thermally modified Scots pine sapwood treated in a high-pressure reactor under saturated steam
Authors: Rautkari Lauri , Hill Callum A.S.
Published: September 2013

The effects of initial moisture content (MC) on anti-swelling efficiency (ASE), mass loss (ML), and equilibrium MC (EMC) at 65% relative humidity of thermally modified Scots pine sapwood under saturated steam (TMSA) has been investigated. ML during the TMSA process was higher with the specimens containing moisture before modification compared with initially dry specimens. Surprisingly, the EMC of the modified specimens with initial moisture was higher than that observed with the modified wood that was initially dry before the modification process. Higher initial MC before thermal modification results in a lower ASE.
Congressional modification of benefit-cost analysis as a vehicle for particularized benefits and a limitation on agency discretion: the case of the federal contract tower program
Authors: Mills Russell W.
Published: September 2013

The literature on Congressional control of the bureaucracy has examined how members of Congress pursue strategies such as oversight, the limitation of discretion in legislation [Moe, T. (1989). The politics of bureaucratic structure. In J. E. Chubb & P. E. Peterson (Eds.), Can the Government Govern? Washington, DC: Brookings Institution); Huber, J. D., & Shipan, C. R. (2002). Deliberate discretion: The institutional foundations of bureaucratic autonomy. New York: Cambridge University Press], and the use of tools such as administrative procedures [McCubbins, M., & Schwartz, T. (1984). Congressional oversight overlooked: police patrols vs. fire alarms. American Journal of Political Science, 21(1), 165–179; McCubbins, M., Noll, R., & Weingast, B. (1987). Administrative procedures as instruments of political control. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 3, 243–277] and limitation riders [MacDonald, J. A. (2010). Limitation riders and congressional influence over bureaucratic policy decisions. American Political Science Review, 104 (November), 766–782] to exert influence over executive agency decision making. One area where Congress has attempted to exert control over agency decision-making is through the legislative modification of one of the most common bureaucratic decision-making tools: benefit-cost analysis (BCA). While scholars have examined political influence in agency regulatory impact analysis BCAs for proposed rules [Shapiro, S., & Morrall III, J. F. (2012). The triumph of regulatory politics. Benefit-cost analysis and political salience. Regulation and Governance, 6(2), 189–206], there has been a lack of examination of Congressional modification of agency BCA processes to justify and protect particularized [Mayhew, D. (1974). Congress: The electoral connection. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press] infrastructure projects in their districts. This paper will examine the effect of Congressional control over agency BCA processes to secure particularized benefits by developing an in-depth case study of the Federal Contact Tower Program (FCTP) operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that examines the political and public management implications of Congress’s limitation of the FAA’s autonomy to operate the FCTP under current benefit-cost guidance. Building upon the literature on particularized benefits and Congressional delegation, the results of this study indicate that members of Congress use BCA processes to insulate infrastructure projects in their districts by restricting the ability of agencies to optimize program effectiveness.
An inquiry into Chinese learners' English-learning motivational self-images: ENL learner or ELF user?
Authors: Zheng Yongyan
Published: September 2013

This paper reports on findings of a qualitative study that aimed to explore the relevance of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) to English Language Teaching (ELT) practices by closely examining Chinese learners' English learning from the perspective of the L2 Motivational Self System. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted during an academic year to probe into eight Chinese university students' situated experiences of learning and using English in their life context. Qualitative data analysis revealed that the participants tended to construct the Ought-to and Ideal L2 Self around native-speaker norms under the influence of the deeply ingrained native-speaker model in the ELT classroom and the global spread of (native) English cultural products. However, these selfimages turned out to be unrealistic and unattainable as they clashed with the immediate life context the learners were embedded in, and eventually failed to generate sufficient motivational power to foster continued English learning. The findings serve as counter evidence for the assumed importance of promoting a salient self-image as a competent and legitimate ELF user among non-native learners to sustain long-term motivation. Findings call for a re-evaluation of the dominant native-speaker norms, and suggestions are provided on how to relate ELF to the English classroom.
How do “WE” (World Englishes) make sense in ELF communication? Words and their meanings across cultures
Authors: Xu Zhichang , Dinh Thuy Ngoc
Published: September 2013

English has increasingly been used as a lingua franca among speakers of World Englishes (WE), including speakers of English as a first language, and English-knowing bilinguals and multilinguals. In English as a lingua franca (ELF) communication, it remains a question as to how lexical meanings are coconstructed and negotiated by WE speakers when they interact across cultures and varieties of English. In this paper, we shall explore how meanings of certain lexical items are defined by WE speakers, and how these meanings change and vary. We have adopted a “free-response word association task” (Garrett 2010: 452) for data collection, and collected data through interviews from informants across cultures and varieties of English. Our research questions include: (a) Do WE speakers from different cultures share identical meanings of the same English lexical items? (b) How do WE speakers convey lexical meaning and make sense in ELF communication? (c) What are the implications of this research for ELF communication, and English vocabulary teaching? Data analysis shows that (i) it cannot be taken for granted that common English words share identical meanings among WE speakers; (ii) meanings of English words change and vary in accordance with ELF contexts; (iii) WE speakers co-construct and negotiate meanings in ELF communication; and (iv) English learners should be reminded of the fluidity and variation of ELF lexical meaning when they learn English in the classroom.
An inverse problem related to layered elastic plate
Authors: Romanov V. G. , Weng C.-I , Chen T.-C.
Published: September 2013

- An infinite plate consisting elastic isotropic layers of various thickness and elastic properties is considered. It is assumed that a point force is applied normally to a boundary of the plate. An inverse problem of finding parameters of the elastic plate is studied. Under some assumptions it is proved that the displacements vector measured on the boundary of the plate uniquely determines elasticity modules and density of layers as well as their thickness. A procedure of recovering parameters from the data is given.
Uniqueness for some semilinear elliptic inverse problems
Authors: Fernández L. A.
Published: September 2013

- The nonlinear term of a semilinear elliptic problem can be uniquely recovered, assuming that for each locally supported right-hand term of the PDE the trace of the corresponding solution is known.
Explicit identification of a small breast cancer in a mammography
Authors: He S. , Zhang H. , Romanov V. G.
Published: September 2013

- A mammography inverse problem for the frequency domain diffusion equation is considered when the cancer region is small. The extrapolated boundary condition is used for the compressed breast and the problem is linearized. Explicit identification formulas are given for two different cases, namely, the case using measurement of one-point reflection and one-point transmission, and the case using measurement of two-point transmission or reflection. Numerical results for the identification of a small cancer ball are presented.
Stable identification of piecewise-constant potentials from fixed-energy phase shifts
Authors: Gutman S. , Ramm A.G.
Published: September 2013

- An identification of a spherically symmetric potential by its phase shifts is an important physical problem. Recent theoretical results assure that such a potential is uniquely defined by a sufficiently large subset of its phase shifts at any one fixed energy level. However, two different potentials can produce almost identical phase shifts. That is, the inverse problem of the identification of a potential from its phase shifts at one energy level k2 is ill-posed, and the reconstruction is unstable. In this paper we introduce a quantitative measure D(k) of this instability. The diameters of minimizing sets D(k) are used to study the change in the stability with the change of k, and the influence of noise on the identification. They are also used in the stopping criterion for the nonlinear minimization method IRRS (Iterative Random Reduced Search). IRRS combines probabilistic global and deterministic local search methods and it is used for the numerical recovery of the potential by the set of its phase shifts. The results of the identification for noiseless as well as noise corrupted data are presented.
Reconstruction of the potential from I-function
Authors: Ramm A. G.
Published: September 2013

- If f(x, k) is the Jost solution and f(k) = f(0, k), then the I-function is I(k) := f(0, k)/f(k). It is proved that I(k) is in one-to-one correspondence with the scattering triple S := {S(k), kj, sj, 1 ≤ j ≤ J} and with the spectral function ρ(λ) of the Sturm-Liouville operator l = −d2/dx2 + q(x) on (0,∞) with the Dirichlet condition at x = 0 and

Analytical methods are given for finding S from I(k) and I(k) from S, and ρ(λ) from I(k) and I(k) from ρ(λ). Since the methods for finding q(x) from S or from ρ(λ) are known, this yields the methods for finding q(x) from I(k).
Ritual and Well-being in the Contemporary Shikoku- Pilgrimage: The “Spectrum of the Sacred”
Authors: Pussel Ryofu
Published: September 2013

This article is an ethnographic study of contemporary ritual and well-being in the Buddhist 88-temple-pilgrimage on Shikoku Island, Japan, drawing on some findings of my PhD thesis. It will be shown how rituals are employed by pilgrims to gain this-worldly benefits and well-being, such as happiness, assurances about the future, success, and lives that can be lived free from problems and dangers, which mirror how contemporary pilgrims see their obligations and responsibilities in society. Further in-depth analysis of pilgrimage items and related rituals clarify what pilgrims deem ‘sacred’, and how they respond to this, why and through what experiences and actions they set things as ‘sacred’: ‘spaces’, items, and rituals are regarded as very sacred or more or less sacred. This research finds that there is a ‘sacred’ on a continuum, which it labels as ‘spectrum of the sacred’.
Folk Performing Arts, Community Life, and Well-being: Why shishimai Matters in Toyama, Japan
Authors: Nagao Yoko
Published: September 2013

There is a growing awareness in Japan that well-being is closely linked to social relationships. It is often expressed as a call for tsunagari, relationships with a willing mutual involvement. This paper examines what kind of tsunagari can be fostered through folk performing arts which are rooted in a longstanding belief in a sacred beast represented as shishi (lion). The theory of ritualization is employed to approach shishimai (lion dance) as practice which is inextricably connected to the local perception of well-being. The close observation of hamlets carrying out shishimai in Toyama reveals that it reflects the state of a community and of its members, and often generates intimate and integrative social relations. They not only provide useful resources to attain well-being but are also extended to the symbolic and spiritual dimensions.
Bullfighting, Self-Enhancement, and Well-Being in Rural Japan
Authors: Klien Susanne
Published: September 2013

This ethnographic study explores bullfighting in Oki and its many functions in contemporary life. It examines how mostly elderly bullfighters differ from other Japanese of their age and how they manage to lead their lives to the fullest, maintaining a high level of physical and mental health. With depictions of both the daily routine and bullfighting events, the paper enquires into the meaning of bullfighting and its related activities for actors involved in it, how bullfighters learn social skills in the stables and the arena, and how bullfighting creates well-being both on an individual and collective level. The hypothesis is that the sense of satisfaction of bullfighters accrues from a balance of activities as discrete individual and social interaction, communication, and intergenerational exchange.
The Happiness of the Family.
Authors: Wulf Christoph
Published: September 2013

This German-Japanese ethnographic study shows how important happiness and a satisfying life are for people, as well as how important the family is in this context. In an ethnographic study we examined the Christmas rituals of three families in Germany and the New Year rituals of three families in Japan. The goal of our study was to find out how family members create their well-being and happiness in rituals. In their mise-en-scène and staging of the happiness language and imagination, corporeality and performativity, mimetic processes, rituals, and gestures play an important role. We discovered and also analyzed transcultural elements of family happiness: the sacred foundation of the family, the importance of the communal meal, the role of the exchange of gifts, the function of narratives and memories, and the importance of time for each other to create togetherness.
Genetic and Nongenetic Variation Revealed for the Principal Components of Human Gene Expression
Authors: Goldinger Anita , Henders Anjali K , McRae Allan F , Martin Nicholas G , Gibson Greg , Montgomery Grant W , Visscher Peter M , Powell Joseph E
Published: September 2013

Principal components analysis has been employed in gene expression studies to correct for population substructure and batch and environmental effects. This method typically involves the removal of variation contained in as many as 50 principal components (PCs), which can constitute a large proportion of total variation present in the data. Each PC, however, can detect many sources of variation, including gene expression networks and genetic variation influencing transcript levels. We demonstrate that PCs generated from gene expression data can simultaneously contain both genetic and nongenetic factors. From heritability estimates we show that all PCs contain a considerable portion of genetic variation while nongenetic artifacts such as batch effects were associated to varying degrees with the first 60 PCs. These PCs demonstrate an enrichment of biological pathways, including core immune function and metabolic pathways. The use of PC correction in two independent data sets resulted in a reduction in the number of cis- and trans-expression QTL detected. Comparisons of PC and linear model correction revealed that PC correction was not as efficient at removing known batch effects and had a higher penalty on genetic variation. Therefore, this study highlights the danger of eliminating biologically relevant data when employing PC correction in gene expression data.
Pleiotropic Effects of a Mitochondrial–Nuclear Incompatibility Depend upon the Accelerating Effect of Temperature inDrosophila
Authors: Hoekstra Luke A , Siddiq Mohammad A , Montooth Kristi L
Published: September 2013

Interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear gene products that underlie eukaryotic energy metabolism can cause the fitness effects of mutations in one genome to be conditional on variation in the other genome. In ectotherms, the effects of these interactions are likely to depend upon the thermal environment, because increasing temperature accelerates molecular rates. We find that temperature strongly modifies the pleiotropic phenotypic effects of an incompatible interaction between a Drosophila melanogaster polymorphism in the nuclear-encoded, mitochondrial tyrosyl-transfer (t)RNA synthetase and a D. simulans polymorphism in the mitochondrially encoded tRNATyr. The incompatible mitochondrial–nuclear genotype extends development time, decreases larval survivorship, and reduces pupation height, indicative of decreased energetic performance. These deleterious effects are ameliorated when larvae develop at 16° and exacerbated at warmer temperatures, leading to complete sterility in both sexes at 28°. The incompatible genotype has a normal metabolic rate at 16° but a significantly elevated rate at 25°, consistent with the hypothesis that inefficient energy metabolism extends development in this genotype at warmer temperatures. Furthermore, the incompatibility decreases metabolic plasticity of larvae developed at 16°, indicating that cooler development temperatures do not completely mitigate the deleterious effects of this genetic interaction. Our results suggest that the epistatic fitness effects of metabolic mutations may generally be conditional on the thermal environment. The expression of epistatic interactions in some environments, but not others, weakens the efficacy of selection in removing deleterious epistatic variants from populations and may promote the accumulation of incompatibilities whose fitness effects will depend upon the environment in which hybrids occur.
Networks to Strengthen Health Systems for Chronic Disease Prevention
Authors: Willis Cameron D. , Riley Barbara L. , Herbert Carol P. , Best Allan
Published: September 2013

Interorganizational networks that harness the priorities, capacities, and skills of various agencies and individuals have emerged as useful approaches for strengthening preventive services in public health systems. We use examples from the Canadian Heart Health Initiative and Alberta’s Primary Care Networks to illustrate characteristics of networks, describe the limitations of existing frameworks for assessing the performance of prevention-oriented networks, and propose a research agenda for guiding future efforts to improve the performance of these initiatives. Prevention-specific assessment strategies that capture relevant aspects of network performance need to be identified, and feedback mechanisms are needed that make better use of these data to drive change in network activities.
Impaired-Driving Prevalence Among US High School Students: Associations With Substance Use and Risky Driving Behaviors
Authors: Li Kaigang , Simons-Morton Bruce G. , Hingson Ralph
Published: September 2013

Objectives. We examined the prevalence of impaired driving among US high school students and associations with substance use and risky driving behavior.

Methods. We assessed driving while alcohol or drug impaired (DWI) and riding with alcohol- or drug-impaired drivers (RWI) in a nationally representative sample of 11th-grade US high school students (n = 2431). We examined associations with drinking and binge drinking, illicit drug use, risky driving, and demographic factors using multivariate sequential logistic regression analysis.

Results. Thirteen percent of 11th-grade students reported DWI at least 1 of the past 30 days, and 24% reported RWI at least once in the past year. Risky driving was positively associated with DWI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25; P < .001) and RWI (OR = 1.09; P < .05), controlling for binge drinking (DWI: OR = 3.17; P < .01; RWI: OR = 6.12; P < .001) and illicit drug use (DWI: OR = 5.91; P < .001; RWI: OR = 2.29; P = .05). DWI was higher for adolescents who drove after midnight (OR = 15.7), drove while sleepy or drowsy (OR = 8.6), read text messages (OR = 11.8), sent text messages (OR = 5.0), and made cell phone calls (OR = 3.2) while driving.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest the need for comprehensive approaches to the prevention of DWI, RWI, and other risky driving behavior.
Effect of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and Voluntary Industry Health Warning Labels on Passage of Mandated Cigarette Warning Labels From 1965 to 2012: Transition Probability and Event History Analyses
Authors: Sanders-Jackson Ashley N. , Song Anna V. , Hiilamo Heikki , Glantz Stanton A.
Published: September 2013

Objectives. We quantified the pattern and passage rate of cigarette package health warning labels (HWLs), including the effect of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and HWLs voluntarily implemented by tobacco companies.

Methods. We used transition probability matrices to describe the pattern of HWL passage and change rate in 4 periods. We used event history analysis to estimate the effect of the FCTC on adoption and to compare that effect between countries with voluntary and mandatory HWLs.

Results. The number of HWLs passed during each period accelerated, from a transition rate among countries that changed from 2.42 per year in 1965–1977 to 6.71 in 1977–1984, 8.42 in 1984–2003, and 22.33 in 2003–2012. The FCTC significantly accelerated passage of FCTC-compliant HWLs for countries with initially mandatory policies with a hazard of 1.27 per year (95% confidence interval = 1.11, 1.45), but only marginally increased the hazard for countries that had an industry voluntary HWL of 1.68 per year (95% confidence interval = 0.95, 2.97).

Conclusions. Passage of HWLs is accelerating, and the FCTC is associated with further acceleration. Industry voluntary HWLs slowed mandated HWLs.
Traditional Christian Values and Women’s Reproductive Rights in Modern Russia—Is a Consensus Ever Possible?
Authors: Erofeeva Lyubov Vladimirovna
Published: September 2013

Recently in Russia, abortion rights have been attacked. For decades, Russian women could have an elective abortion up to week 12 of pregnancy; between 12 and 22 weeks, medical or social grounds were required for an abortion.

In mid 2011, a group of Parliamentarians teamed up with Russian Orthodox Church activists and announced their desire to ban abortions, and the new version of the health law with restricting amendments was introduced: a mandatory waiting period, physicians’ conscientious objection, and limiting the social indications for late-term abortion.

Evidence indicates that restricting legislative changes based on “traditional” values could significantly limit women’s reproductive choices (e.g., access to abortion), a setback to women’s rights to exert control over their bodies and their lives.
The Relationship Between Gun Ownership and Firearm Homicide Rates in the United States, 1981–2010
Authors: Siegel Michael , Ross Craig S. , King Charles
Published: September 2013

Objectives. We examined the relationship between levels of household firearm ownership, as measured directly and by a proxy—the percentage of suicides committed with a firearm—and age-adjusted firearm homicide rates at the state level.

Methods. We conducted a negative binomial regression analysis of panel data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting Systems database on gun ownership and firearm homicide rates across all 50 states during 1981 to 2010. We determined fixed effects for year, accounted for clustering within states with generalized estimating equations, and controlled for potential state-level confounders.

Results. Gun ownership was a significant predictor of firearm homicide rates (incidence rate ratio = 1.009; 95% confidence interval = 1.004, 1.014). This model indicated that for each percentage point increase in gun ownership, the firearm homicide rate increased by 0.9%.

Conclusions. We observed a robust correlation between higher levels of gun ownership and higher firearm homicide rates. Although we could not determine causation, we found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had disproportionately large numbers of deaths from firearm-related homicides.
The Combined Effects of the Expansion of Primary Health Care and Conditional Cash Transfers on Infant Mortality in Brazil, 1998–2010
Authors: Guanais Frederico C.
Published: September 2013

Objectives. I examined the combined effects of access to primary care through the Family Health Program (FHP) and conditional cash transfers from the Bolsa Familia Program (BFP) on postneonatal infant mortality (PNIM) in Brazil.

Methods. I employed longitudinal ecological analysis using panel data from 4583 Brazilian municipalities from 1998 to 2010, totaling 54 253 observations. I estimated fixed-effects ordinary least squares regressions models with PNIM rate as the dependent variable and FHP, BFP, and their interactions as the main independent variables of interest.

Results. The association of higher FHP coverage with lower PNIM became stronger as BFP coverage increased. At the means of all other variables, when BFP coverage was 25%, predicted PNIM was 5.24 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.95, 5.53) for FHP coverage = 0% and 3.54 (95% CI = 2.77, 4.31) for FHP coverage = 100%. When BFP coverage was 60%, predicted PNIM was 4.65 (95% CI = 4.36, 4.94) when FHP coverage = 0% and 1.38 (95% CI = 0.88, 1.89) when FHP coverage = 100%.

Conclusions. The effect of the FHP depends on the expansion of the BFP. For impoverished, underserved populations, combining supply- and demand-side interventions may be necessary to improve health outcomes.