bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling Single‐Phase Inverter and Its Decentralized Coordinated Control by Using Feedback Linearization
Authors: Han Renke , Sun Qiuye , Ma Dazhong , Huang Bonan
Published: October 2014

It is a very crucial problem to make a microgrid operated reasonably and stably. Considering the nonlinear mathematics model of inverter established in this paper, the input‐output feedback linearization method is used to transform the nonlinear mathematics model of inverters to a linear tracking synchronization and consensus regulation control problem. Based on the linear mathematics model and multiagent consensus algorithm, a decentralized coordinated controller is proposed to make amplitudes and angles of voltages from inverters be consensus and active and reactive power shared in the desired ratio. The proposed control is totally distributed because each inverter only requires local and one neighbor’s information with sparse communication structure based on multiagent system. The hybrid consensus algorithm is used to keep the amplitude of the output voltages following the leader and the angles of output voltage as consensus. Then the microgrid can be operated more efficiently and the circulating current between DGs can be effectively suppressed. The effectiveness of the proposed method is proved through simulation results of a typical microgrid system.
Improved Rifamycin B Production byNocardia mediterraneiMTCC 14 under Solid-State Fermentation through Process Optimization
Authors: Vastrad Basavaraj M. , Neelagund Shivayogeshwar E. , Iiger Sudhir R. , Godbole Ajeet M. , Kulkarni Venkatrao
Published: October 2014

Optimization of various production parameters using response surface methodology (RSM) was performed to assess maximum yield of rifamycin B fromNocardia mediterraneiMTCC 14. Plackett-Burman design test was applied to determine the significant effects of various production parameters such as glucose, maltose, ribose, galactose, beef extract, peanut meal, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulphate, barbital, pH, and moisture content on production of rifamycin B. Among the eleven variables tested, galactose, ribose, glucose, and pH were found to have significant effect on rifamycin B production. Optimum levels of the significant variables were decided by using a central composite design. The most appropriate condition for production of rifamycin B was found to be a single step production at galactose (8% w/w), ribose (3% w/w), glucose (9% w/w), and pH (7.0). At these optimum production parameters, the maximum yield of rifamycin B obtained experimentally (9.87 g/kgds dry sunflower oil cake) was found to be very close to its predicted value of 10.35 g/kgds dry sunflower oil cake. The mathematical model developed was found to fit greatly with the experimental data of rifamycin B production.
Management, Growth, and Carbon Storage in Miombo Woodlands of Tanzania
Authors: Lupala Z. J. , Lusambo L. P. , Ngaga Y. M.
Published: October 2014

Despite the local livelihoods support function provided by miombo woodlands of Tanzania under participatory forest management, its growth still has potential for carbon storage and sequestration attractive to REDD+ initiatives. This study has revealed the average growth to be significant, despite the local community livelihoods support function. However, climate change mitigation strategy needs to be more innovative to optimize carbon storage and local livelihoods’ potentials in forest-dependent communities like miombo woodlands. Carbon credits resulting from the increased carbon stock and sequestration should contribute to sustainable development. This should also help promote participatory forest management and secure miombo woodland products and services upon which billions of people depend.
Energetic Electron Enhancements below the Radiation Belt and X-Ray Contamination at Low-Orbiting Satellites
Authors: Suvorova Alla V. , Dmitriev Alexei V. , Huang Chien-Ming
Published: October 2014

The work concerns a problem of electron-induced contaminant at relatively low latitudes to high-energy astrophysical measurements on board the low-orbiting satellites. We show the results of a statistical analysis of the energetic electron enhancements in energy range 30–300 keV observed by a fleet of NOAA/POES low-orbiting satellites over the time period from 1999 to 2012. We demonstrate geographical distributions of great and moderate long-lasting enhancements caused by different type of the solar wind drivers.
Efficacy of CAR T-cell Therapy in Large Tumors Relies upon Stromal Targeting by IFNγ
Authors: Textor Ana , Listopad Joanna J. , Wührmann Lara Le , Perez Cynthia , Kruschinski Anna , Chmielewski Markus , Abken Hinrich , Blankenstein Thomas , Charo Jehad
Published: October 2014

Adoptive T-cell therapy using chimeric antigen receptor–modified T cells (CAR-T therapy) has shown dramatic efficacy in patients with circulating lymphoma. However, eradication of solid tumors with CAR-T therapy has not been reported yet to be efficacious. In solid tumors, stroma destruction, due to MHC-restricted cross-presentation of tumor antigens to T cells, may be essential. However, CAR-Ts recognize antigens in an MHC-independent manner on cancer cells but not stroma cells. In this report, we show how CAR-Ts can be engineered to eradicate large established tumors with provision of a suitable CD28 costimulatory signal. In an HER2–dependent tumor model, tumor rejection by HER2–specific CAR-Ts was associated with sustained influx and proliferation of the adoptively transferred T cells. Interestingly, tumor rejection did not involve natural killer cells but was associated instead with a marked increase in the level of M1 macrophages and a requirement for IFNγ receptor expression on tumor stroma cells. Our results argue that CAR-T therapy is capable of eradicating solid tumors through a combination of antigen-independent stroma destruction and antigen-specific tumor cell targeting. Cancer Res; 74(23); 6796–805. ©2014 AACR.
ITPR1 Protects Renal Cancer Cells against Natural Killer Cells by Inducing Autophagy
Authors: Messai Yosra , Noman Muhammad Zaeem , Hasmim Meriem , Janji Bassam , Tittarelli Andrés , Boutet Marie , Baud Véronique , Viry Elodie , Billot Katy , Nanbakhsh Arash , Ben Safta Thouraya , Richon Catherine , Ferlicot Sophie , Donnadieu Emmanuel , Couve Sophie , Gardie Betty , Orlanducci Florence , Albiges Laurence , Thiery Jerome , Olive Daniel , Escudier Bernard , Chouaib Salem
Published: October 2014

Clear cell renal cell carcinomas (RCC) frequently display inactivation of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene leading to increased level of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF). In this study, we investigated the potential role of HIF2α in regulating RCC susceptibility to natural killer (NK) cell–mediated killing. We demonstrated that the RCC cell line 786-0 with mutated VHL was resistant to NK-mediated lysis as compared with the VHL-corrected cell line (WT7). This resistance was found to require HIF2α stabilization. On the basis of global gene expression profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we found ITPR1 (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor, type 1) as a direct novel target of HIF2α and that targeting ITPR1 significantly increased susceptibility of 786-0 cells to NK-mediated lysis. Mechanistically, HIF2α in 786-0 cells lead to overexpression of ITPR1, which subsequently regulated the NK-mediated killing through the activation of autophagy in target cells by NK-derived signal. Interestingly, both ITPR1 and Beclin-1 silencing in 786-0 cells inhibited NK-induced autophagy and subsequently increased granzyme B activity in target cells. Finally, in vivo ITPR1 targeting significantly enhanced the NK-mediated tumor regression. Our data provide insight into the link between HIF2α, the ITPR1-related pathway, and natural immunity and strongly suggest a role for the HIF2α/ITPR1 axis in regulating RCC cell survival. Cancer Res; 74(23); 6820–32. ©2014 AACR.
Inhibition of mTORC1/2 Overcomes Resistance to MAPK Pathway Inhibitors Mediated by PGC1α and Oxidative Phosphorylation in Melanoma
Authors: Gopal Y.N. Vashisht , Rizos Helen , Chen Guo , Deng Wanleng , Frederick Dennie T. , Cooper Zachary A. , Scolyer Richard A. , Pupo Gulietta , Komurov Kakajan , Sehgal Vasudha , Zhang Jiexin , Patel Lalit , Pereira Cristiano G. , Broom Bradley M. , Mills Gordon B. , Ram Prahlad , Smith Paul D. , Wargo Jennifer A. , Long Georgina V. , Davies Michael A.
Published: October 2014

Metabolic heterogeneity is a key factor in cancer pathogenesis. We found that a subset of BRAF- and NRAS-mutant human melanomas resistant to the MEK inhibitor selumetinib displayed increased oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) mediated by the transcriptional coactivator PGC1α. Notably, all selumetinib-resistant cells with elevated OxPhos could be resensitized by cotreatment with the mTORC1/2 inhibitor AZD8055, whereas this combination was ineffective in resistant cell lines with low OxPhos. In both BRAF- and NRAS-mutant melanoma cells, MEK inhibition increased MITF expression, which in turn elevated levels of PGC1α. In contrast, mTORC1/2 inhibition triggered cytoplasmic localization of MITF, decreasing PGC1α expression and inhibiting OxPhos. Analysis of tumor biopsies from patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma progressing on BRAF inhibitor ± MEK inhibitor revealed that PGC1α levels were elevated in approximately half of the resistant tumors. Overall, our findings highlight the significance of OxPhos in melanoma and suggest that combined targeting of the MAPK and mTORC pathways may offer an effective therapeutic strategy to treat melanomas with this metabolic phenotype. Cancer Res; 74(23); 7037–47. ©2014 AACR.
Haemorrhagic and thrombotic diatheses in mouse models with thrombocytosis
Authors: Strassel Catherine , Kubovcakova Lucia , Mangin Pierre H. , Ravanat Catherine , Freund Monique , Skoda Radek C. , Denis Cécile V. , Dupuis Arnaud , Herbrecht Raoul , Gachet Christian , Lanza François
Published: October 2014

We studied haemostasis in two mouse models with thrombocytosis caused by different pathogenic mechanisms. In one strain (Yall;Mpl-/-) thrombocytosis is driven by a misbalance between thrombopoietin and its receptor, whereas in the other strain, thrombocytosis is caused by expressing a human JAK2-V617F transgene (FF1) that depends on activation by Cre-recombinase (VavCre;FF1, MxCre;FF1). Thrombotic responses were increased following some, but not all types of challenges. In a vaso-occlusive thrombotic model following collagen-adrenaline injection we found increased mortality in both strains. Arterial thrombosis, examined after ferric chloride-induced carotid injury, was accelerated but with little impact on maximal thrombus size. In a vena cava stasis model, clots were of similar size as in wild-type controls, but exhibited a different composition with a higher platelet to fibrin ratio. Both thrombocytosis strains displayed increased haemorrhagic tendency in a tail bleeding assay. Yall;Mpl and VavCre;FF1 displayed a lower proportion of the more reactive high-molecular-weight forms of von Willebrand factor in their plasma, mimicking essential thrombocythaemia with very high platelet counts. Bleeding could not be explained by clear defects in platelet activation, which were normal or only weakly decreased. In conclusion, these models of thrombocytosis recapitulate several features of the haemorrhagic and thrombotic diatheses in ET and PV demonstrating potentials but also some limitations to study these major complications.
The optimal management of patients on oral anticoagulation undergoing coronary artery stenting
Authors: Faxon David , Airaksinen Juhani , Schlitt Axel , Marìn Francisco , Bhatt Deepak , Lip Gregory , Rubboli Andrea
Published: October 2014

Even 10 years after the first appearance in the literature of articles reporting on the management of patients on oral anticoagulation (OAC) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with stent (PCI-S), this issue is still controversial. Nonetheless, some guidance for the everyday management of this patient subset, accounting for about 5–8 % of all patients referred for PCI-S, has been developed. In general, a period of triple therapy (TT) of OAC, with either vitamin K–antagonists (VKA) or non-vitamin K–antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC), aspirin, and clopidogrel is warranted, followed by the combination of OAC, and a single antiplatelet agent for up to 12 months, and then OAC alone. The duration of the initial period of TT is dependent on the individual risk of thromboembolism, and bleeding, as well as the clinical context in which PCI-S is performed (elective vs acute coronary syndrome), and the type of stent implanted (bare-metal vs drug-eluting). In this article, we aim to provide a comprehensive, ata- glance, overview of the management strategies, which are currently suggested for the peri-procedural, medium-term, and long-term periods following PCI-S in OAC patients. While acknowledging that most of the evidence has been obtained from patients on OAC because of atrial fibrillation, and with warfarin being the most frequently used VKA, we refer in this overview to the whole population of OAC patients undergoing PCI-S. We refer to the whole population of patients on OAC undergoing PCI-S also when OAC is carried out with NOAC rather than VKA, pointing out, when appropriate, the particular management issues.

Note: The review process for this paper was fully handled by Christian Weber, Editor-in-Chief.
Two new species of Atractus from Colombia (Reptilia, Squamata, Dipsadidae)
Authors: Köhler Gunther , Kieckbusch Max
Published: October 2014

We describe two new species of Atractus from Colombia: one from the Serrania de la Lindosa, south of San José de Guaviare in the province Guaviare, and another from Punta de Betin in the province Magdalena, close to the Caribbean coast. The first new species differs from all congeners by having a combination of 17 smooth dorsal scale rows; loreal present, approximately as long as high; temporals 1+2; seven supralabials; seven infralabials; five maxillary teeth; four gular scale rows; four pre-ventrals; 187 ventrals in single male; 29/31 subcaudals in single male; dorsum of body with longitudinal stripes; venter uniformly dark gray. The second new species differs from all congeners by having a combination of 17 smooth dorsal scale rows; loreal absent; temporals 1+2; seven supralabials; six or seven infralabials; eight maxillary teeth; three gular scale rows; three pre-ventrals; 146 ventrals in single male; 31/32 subcaudals in single male; dorsum of body and tail reddish brown with paired, occasionally slightly alternating lateral vertical cream blotches, approximately one dorsal scale broad, not contacting in vertebral region; venter cream with reddish brown blotches, forming two parallel series on anterior body and a checkered pattern on the rest of body.
Variability of CONUS Lightning in 2003–12 and Associated Impacts
Authors: Koshak William J. , Cummins Kenneth L. , Buechler Dennis E. , Vant-Hull Brian , Blakeslee Richard J. , Williams Earle R. , Peterson Harold S.
Published: October 2014

Changes in lightning characteristics over the conterminous United States (CONUS) are examined to support the National Climate Assessment (NCA) program. Details of the variability of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning characteristics over the decade 2003–12 are provided using data from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). Changes in total (CG + cloud flash) lightning across part of the CONUS during the decade are provided using satellite Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) data. The variations in NLDN-derived CG lightning are compared with available statistics on lightning-caused impacts to various U.S. economic sectors. Overall, a downward trend in total CG lightning count is found for the decadal period; the 5-yr mean NLDN CG count decreased by 12.8% from 25 204 345.8 (2003–07) to 21 986 578.8 (2008–12). There is a slow upward trend in the fraction and number of positive-polarity CG lightning, however. Associated lightning-caused fatalities and injuries, and the number of lightning-caused wildland fires and burn acreage also trended downward, but crop and personal-property damage costs increased. The 5-yr mean LIS total lightning changed little over the decadal period. Whereas the CONUS-averaged dry-bulb temperature trended upward during the analysis period, the CONUS-averaged wet-bulb temperature (a variable that is better correlated with lightning activity) trended downward. A simple linear model shows that climate-induced changes in CG lightning frequency would likely have a substantial and direct impact on humankind (e.g., a long-term upward trend of 1°C in wet-bulb temperature corresponds to approximately 14 fatalities and over $367 million in personal-property damage resulting from lightning).
Water Vapor–Forced Greenhouse Warming over the Sahara Desert and the Recent Recovery from the Sahelian Drought
Authors: Evan Amato T. , Flamant Cyrille , Lavaysse Christophe , Kocha Cécile , Saci Azzedine
Published: October 2014

The Sahel region of West Africa experiences decadal swings between periods of drought and abundant rainfall, and a large body of work asserts that these variations in the West African monsoon are a response to changes in the temperatures of the tropical Atlantic and Indian Oceans. However, here it is shown that when forced by SST alone, most state-of-the-art climate models do not reproduce a statistically significant upward trend in Sahelian precipitation over the last 30 years and that those models with a significant upward trend in rainfall seem to achieve this result for disparate reasons. Here the role of the Saharan heat low (SHL) in the recovery from the Sahelian drought of the 1980s is examined. Using observations and reanalyses, it is demonstrated that there has been an upward trend in SHL temperature that is coincident with the drought recovery. A heat and moisture budget analysis of the SHL suggests that the rise in temperature is due to greenhouse warming by water vapor, but that changes in water vapor are strongly dependent upon the temperature of the SHL: a process termed the Saharan water vapor–temperature (SWAT) feedback. It is shown that the structure of the drought recovery is consistent with a warming SHL and is evidence of a fundamental, but not exclusive, role for the SHL in the recent increase in Sahelian monsoon rainfall.
Identifying the Skeleton of the Madden–Julian Oscillation in Observational Data
Authors: Stechmann Samuel N. , Majda Andrew J.
Published: October 2014

The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) skeleton model offers a theoretical prediction of the MJO’s structure. Here, a method is described for identifying this structure in observational data. The method utilizes projections onto equatorial wave structures, and a main question is: Can this method isolate the MJO without using temporal filtering or empirical orthogonal functions? For the data projection, a wide range of data is incorporated: multiple variables (wind, geopotential height, water vapor, and, as a proxy for convective activity, outgoing longwave radiation), multiple pressure levels (850 and 200 hPa), and multiple latitudes (both equatorial and off-equatorial). Such a data variety is combined using a systematic method, and it allows for a distinction between the Kelvin and Rossby components of the MJO’s structure. Results are illustrated for some well-known cases, and statistical measures are presented to quantify the variability of the MJO skeleton signal, MJOS(x, t), and its amplitude, MJOSA(t). The robustness of the methods is demonstrated through a suite of sensitivity studies, including tests with two projection methods. When the projection is based on the skeleton model’s energy, as opposed to the standard L2 energy, water vapor is seen to be of primary importance. Finally, a simple interpretation is given for the MJO skeleton structure: it is related to the wave response to a moving heat source. From either perspective, the methods here identify signals that project onto coupled convection–circulation patterns, and the results suggest that a large portion of the MJO’s structure is consistent with such a coupled pattern.
Communication of Uncertainty in Temperature Forecasts
Authors: Marimo Pricilla , Kaplan Todd R. , Mylne Ken , Sharpe Martin
Published: October 2014

Experimental economics is used to test whether undergraduate students presented with a temperature forecast with uncertainty information in a table and bar graph format were able to use the extra information to interpret a given forecast. Participants were asked to choose the most probable temperature-based outcome between a set of “lotteries.” Both formats with uncertainty information were found on average to significantly increase the probability of choosing the correct outcome. However, in some cases providing uncertainty information was damaging. Factors that influence understanding are statistically determined. Furthermore, participants who were shown the graph with uncertainty information took on average less response time compared to those who were shown a table with uncertainty information. Over time, participants improve in speed and initially improve in accuracy of choosing the correct outcome.
A Preliminary Assessment of Using Spatiotemporal Lightning Patterns for a Binary Classification of Thunderstorm Mode
Authors: Miller Paul , Ellis Andrew W. , Keighton Stephen
Published: October 2014

This study provides a preliminary, regional assessment of the viability of using spatiotemporal lightning patterns to classify storms into single- versus multi- and supercell storm modes. Total lightning flashes (intracloud and cloud-to-ground flashes) occurring during the afternoon and evening of the period May–August 2012 within an area of the central Appalachian Mountains region were grouped based on their spatial and temporal characteristics using single-linkage clustering. The resulting discrete thunderstorm clusters were characterized in terms of duration, motion, areal extent, and shape. These values were used to formulate four individual attribute scores representing the similarity to the expected values for a typical single-cell thunderstorm. The four scores were then combined into a storm index (SI) using relative weights determined through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) performed on input from operational forecasters. Of the study days, 89 (72.4%) possessed appreciable lightning, of which 36 (40%) possessed a defined minimum amount of lightning activity required for further analysis. These 36 storm days were divided into two tiers according to the distribution of median daily SI values. The tier containing the 24 storm days (66.7%) with the largest median SI values possessed statistically significant smaller values of 0–6-km wind shear [13.8 knots (kt; 1 kt = 0.51 m s−1)] versus the 12 days in the lower tier of SI values (26.5 kt). This consistency between the total lightning-based classification scheme and increased vertical wind shear associated with lightning-defined multi- and supercells, also evident in synoptic atmospheric composites, lends credibility to the procedure.
Intergenerational and cross-cultural differences in emotional wellbeing, mental health service utilisation, treatment-seeking preferences and acceptability of psychological treatments for Arab Australians
Authors: Kayrouz Rony , Dear Blake F , Johnston Luke , Keyrouz Liliane , Nehme Edmond , Laube Roy , Titov Nickolai
Published: October 2014

Background:

Little is known about the intergenerational and cross-cultural differences in emotional wellbeing and acceptability of psychological treatments for Arab Australians.

Aim:

To contribute to the emerging data about the mental health status and needs of Arab Australians.

Method:

An Internet survey examined psychological distress and functional impairment as measured by the Kessler 10 Item scale (K-10) and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) among Arab Australians. Additional questions enquired about their help-seeking behaviours, barriers to accessing psychological treatments and preferences for delivery of psychological treatments. A total of 252 participants were recruited through public talks, media and online promotions.

Results:

Forty-three percent of the respondents reported moderate-to-severe functional impairment ( M = 9.5; standard deviation ( SD) = 1.8), 32% reported high psychological distress ( M = 28.5; SD = 5.4) and 30% were born overseas. First-generation Arab Australians experiencing high psychological distress (i.e. K-10 ≥ 22), reported a greater preference for Internet-delivered treatment when compared to their second-generation counterparts. Only 18% of the sample reported seeking help from a mental health professional in the past year. The significant barriers reported by respondents with high psychological distress were poor mental health literacy, lack of time and stigma. Respondents preferred face-to-face (90%) over Internet-delivered treatment (55%). Finally, Arab Australians experienced higher psychological distress and underutilised mental health services when compared to the Australian population.

Conclusion:

Targeted public health campaigns that make culturally relevant interventions such as modifying existing Internet-delivered treatment for Arab Australians may reduce barriers and increase treatment options for this population.
Restoration Materials and Secondary Caries Using an In Vitro Biofilm Model
Authors: Kuper N.K. , van de Sande F.H. , Opdam N.J.M. , Bronkhorst E.M. , de Soet J.J. , Cenci M.S. , Huysmans M.C.D.J.N.M.
Published: October 2014

This in vitro study investigated whether restoration materials and adhesives influence secondary caries formation in gaps using a short-term in vitro biofilm model. Sixty enamel–dentin blocks were restored with 6 different restoration materials with or without adhesives ( n = 10 per group) with a gap: 1) Clearfil AP-X composite, 2) Clearfil AP-X composite + SE Bond, 3) Clearfil AP-X composite + ProtectBond, 4) Filtek Silorane composite, 5) Filtek Silorane composite + Silorane System adhesive, or 6) Tytin amalgam. Specimens were subjected to an intermittent 1% sucrose biofilm model for 20 days to create artificial caries lesions. Lesion progression in the enamel–dentin next to the different materials was measured in lesion depth (LD) and mineral loss (ML) using transversal wavelength independent microradiography (T-WIM). A regression analysis was used to compare the LD and ML of the different restoration materials at 4 measurement locations: 1 location at the surface of the enamel, 1 location at the wall of the enamel, and 2 locations at the wall of the dentin. A statistically significant effect of AP-X composite with Protect Bond was found for LD and ML at the WallDentin1 location, leading to less advanced wall lesions. An additional finding was that gap size was also statistically significant at the 2 wall locations in dentin, leading to increasing lesion progression with wider gaps. In conclusion, adhesives can influence wall lesion development in gaps. Protect Bond showed significantly less caries progression compared to bare restoration materials or other adhesives in this short-term in vitro biofilm model.
Role of Interstitial Fluid Pressurization in TMJ Lubrication
Authors: Zimmerman B.K. , Bonnevie E.D. , Park M. , Zhou Y. , Wang L. , Burris D.L. , Lu X.L.
Published: October 2014

In temporomandibular joints (TMJs), the disc and condylar cartilage function as load-bearing, shock-absorbing, and friction-reducing materials. The ultrastructure of the TMJ disc and cartilage is different from that of hyaline cartilage in other diarthrodial joints, and little is known about their lubrication mechanisms. In this study, we performed micro-tribometry testing on the TMJ disc and condylar cartilage to obtain their region- and direction-dependent friction properties. Frictional tests with a migrating contact area were performed on 8 adult porcine TMJs at 5 different regions (anterior, posterior, central, medial, and lateral) in 2 orthogonal directions (anterior-posterior and medial-lateral). Some significant regional differences were detected, and the lateral-medial direction showed higher friction than the anterior-posterior direction on both tissues. The mean friction coefficient of condylar cartilage against steel was 0.027, but the disc, at 0.074, displayed a significantly higher friction coefficient. The 2 tissues also exhibited different frictional dependencies on sliding speed and normal loading force. Whereas the friction of condylar cartilage decreased with increased sliding speed and was independent of the magnitude of normal force, friction of the disc showed no dependence on sliding speed but decreased as normal force increased. Further analysis of the Péclet number and frictional coefficients suggested that condylar cartilage relies on interstitial fluid pressurization to a greater extent than the corresponding contact area of the TMJ disc.
‘Our own two hands create our destiny’
Authors: DeNapoli Antoinette E.
Published: October 2014

This article describes and analyses the personal narrative performances of male Hindu renouncers (sādhus) in the north Indian state of Rajasthan. Based on 10 years of ethnographic research with sādhus in three districts of Mewar, south Rajasthan, it considers the telling of life stories as a ‘narrative strategy’ through which male sādhus not only interpret and experience their lives, but also give voice to the complexity of asceticism as practiced in north India. To that extent, this article addresses the narrative strategies that male sādhus draw on in the telling of their life stories and the ways in which those rhetorical strategies are gendered. On the basis of the data presented, the article examines sādhus’ emphases on the interrelated themes of action, effort and practice as central to men’s experiences of renunciation. It further analyses male sādhus’ use of illness and healing as complementary narrative motifs with which they construct their renunciant authenticity and challenge common perceptions of sādhus as social vagabonds.
Karamchedu and the Dalit subject in Andhra Pradesh
Authors: Berg Dag-Erik
Published: October 2014

The modern history of the Dalit movement in Andhra Pradesh involves significant experiences relevant to the sociology of caste and Dalit studies than is often reflected in existing scholarship. At the centre of this history is the massacre of six Dalits in Karamchedu village, coastal Andhra, in 1985. The article focuses on the Karamchedu massacre and how this event was decisive for the emergence of an independent Dalit movement, fully engaged in a struggle against untouchability, violence and caste-based discrimination. The Dalit Mahasabha was created, representing a collective, emancipatory project in opposition to the dominant Naxalite movement. The initial struggle started from a camp that was established to support the victims who had fled the attack in Karamchedu. Ambedkar, moreover, became the summarising symbol for the new Dalit movement, providing the basis for a Dalit approach and relations to other movements. Overall, the history of Karamchedu involves significant theoretical lessons concerning caste and class, Dalit discourse and ontology. The article concludes by sketching a hypothesis of how caste may be intensified in its social and political situation in India’s modernity.
Decision of sensor location and best classification method for entrail and muscle disease detection in healthcare smart clothing based on acceleration measurements
Authors: Kurşun Bahadır Senem
Published: October 2014

Smart clothes designed for healthcare applications generally enable the monitoring of heart rate, respiration rate, electrocardiograph and temperature. In order to gather information about the user’s health accurately, sensor placement at the right location on a smart garment is essential. In this study, to detect the entrail and muscle disease of a wearer, suitable sensor location on a smart garment was determined using acceleration measurements from different parts of the body. An accelerometer was placed on different locations of the garment to measure the respiration rate, heart rate and muscle tremor in order to determine any respiration difficulty, heart trouble and some mental illnesses. More than 700 measurements were acquired from different carriers with different age groups, different gender groups and variable body postures, such as in a sleeping position, sitting on a chair and running. Additionally, some significant features were extracted from the acquired data by using fast Fourier transform, wavelet and bispectral analysis, and they were categorized with different rule and pattern classification methods in order to detect over- and under-range heart rates and respiration rate. This study represents the pre-cursor of the healthcare smart clothing system design based on signal analysis and data classification methods.
Social Coping of Gifted and LGBTQ Adolescents
Authors: Hutcheson Virginia H. , Tieso Carol L.
Published: October 2014

This qualitative study used critical ethnography as a theoretical framework to investigate the social coping strategies of gifted and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students in middle and high school. Twelve LGBTQ college students from a selective Southeastern university were interviewed and asked to retrospectively describe their experiences, feelings, and behaviors from middle to high school. Their most common coping strategies included finding supportive groups of friends; hiding or downplaying their LGBTQ identity; participating in extracurricular activities; confiding in supportive teachers; developing their writing, musical, and leadership talents; and conducting research to understand and develop their identity. The implications of this study can help educators guide students in the use of positive coping strategies that facilitate both talent and identity development for this socially and politically marginalized group of gifted students.
Cytotoxic Effects of Ropivacaine, Bupivacaine, and Lidocaine on Rotator Cuff Tenofibroblasts
Authors: Sung Chang-Meen , Hah Young-Sool , Kim Jin-Su , Nam Jeoung-Bin , Kim Ra Jeong , Lee Sang-Jin , Park Hyung Bin
Published: October 2014

Background:

Concern has recently arisen over the safety of local anesthetics used on human tissues.

Hypothesis:

Aminoamide local anesthetics have cytotoxic effects on human rotator cuff tenofibroblasts.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Cultured human rotator cuff tenofibroblasts were divided into control, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and local anesthetic study groups; the PBS study group was further subdivided by pH level (pH 7.4, 6.0, and 4.4). The 6 local anesthetic subgroups (0.2% and 0.75% ropivacaine, 0.25% and 0.5% bupivacaine, and 1% and 2% lidocaine) were also studied at 10% dilutions of their original concentrations. Exposure times were 5, 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes for the higher concentrations and 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, or 72 hours for the lower concentrations. Cell viability was evaluated through live, apoptotic, and necrotic cell rates using the annexin V–propidium iodide double-staining method. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspase-3/7 were investigated.

Results:

The control and PBS groups showed no significant differences in cell viability ( P > .999). In the local anesthetic study groups, cell viability decreased significantly with increases in anesthetic concentrations ( P < .001) and exposure times ( P < .001), with the exception of the lidocaine subgroups, where this effect was masked by the very high cytotoxicity of even low concentrations. Among the studied local anesthetic subgroups, 0.2% ropivacaine was the least toxic. The levels of intracellular ROS of each local anesthetic subgroup also increased significantly ( P < .05). The studied local anesthetics showed increases in the phosphorylation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 as well as in levels of caspase-3/7 activity ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

The cytotoxicity of the anesthetics studied to tenofibroblasts is dependent on exposure time and concentration. Of the evaluated anesthetics, ropivacaine is the least toxic in the clinically used concentration. The studied anesthetics induce tenofibroblast cell death, mediated by the increased production of ROS, by the increased activation of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 and by the activation of caspase-3/7.

Clinical Relevance:

This study identified the cytotoxic mechanisms of aminoamide local anesthetics acting on rotator cuff tenofibroblasts. The greatest margin of safety was found in lower anesthetic concentrations in general and more specifically in the use of ropivacaine.
“I Want to Leave—Go Far Away—I Don’t Want to Get Stuck on the Res[ervation]”
Authors: Dalla Rochelle L. , Kennedy Heather R.
Published: October 2014

In 1992 and 1995, data were collected from 29 Navajo Reservation teenage mothers. In 2007, 71% ( n = 21) of the original sample participated in a follow-up investigation. Then in 2008, data were collected from their children. Here, we present results of the 2008 investigation by describing the developmental outcomes of 14 “at risk” youth—those born to Navajo Native American adolescent mothers. Grounded in Ecological Systems Theory, our primary goal was to identify risk and protective factors across social and physical contexts (e.g., family, peer, school, and reservation community). A supplemental goal was to examine associations among indices of psycho-social well-being (e.g., depression, parental conflict, social support). Results revealed a consistent pattern of youth functioning, which allowed classification of participants into three distinct groups: well-adapted, overcoming, and struggling. Verbal reports and survey indices supported the classifications. Implications and suggestions for continued research are discussed.
Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalographic Activity and Middle Cerebral Artery Doppler Flow Measurements in Preterm Small for Gestational Age Infants
Authors: Kolsuz Leyla Daban , Topcuoglu Sevilay , Gursoy Tugba , Karatekin Güner , Ovali H. Fahri
Published: October 2014

Amplitude-integrated encephalography (EEG) is frequently used in neonatal intensive care units to monitor brain functions. Its bedside application and easy interpretation are the most important features. Brain development of small for gestational age infants can be affected by intrauterine chronic hypoxia. The current study aimed to evaluate cerebral functions of small for gestational age infants by means of amplitude-integrated EEG. Thirty- to 34-week-old 22 small for gestational age and 27 appropriate for gestational age preterm infants were included in the study. The mode of delivery, gender, birth weight, and Apgar scores of the patients were recorded. Following middle cerebral artery mean velocity measurement with cranial Doppler at the 24th hour of birth, an amplitude-integrated EEG recording was performed on all infants, for a period of 4 to 24 hours. Small for gestational age infants had significantly higher middle cerebral artery mean velocity than appropriate for gestational age infants (21.09 ± 4.25 vs 17.8 ± 4.07; P = .029). The amplitude-integrated EEG recordings showed lower “lower border of quiet sleep” and total Burdjalov score in small for gestational age infants when compared with appropriate for gestational age infants (2.5 [1-3.25] µV vs 3 [2.75-4] µV; P = .04, 8 [6-10], 9 [9-11]; P = .04, respectively). Increased middle cerebral artery blood flow observed in small for gestational age infants might be a marker of chronic intrauterine hypoxia to which these infants were exposed. These infants demonstrated a more immature pattern of amplitude-integrated EEG.
Assessment of Cognitive Function in Children With Beta-Thalassemia Major
Authors: Raafat Nelly , Safy Usama El , Khater Nahed , Hassan Tamer , Hassan Basheir , Siam Ahmed , Youssef Amira , Shabrawy Amany El
Published: October 2014

Multiple risk factors contribute to cognitive impairment in children with β-thalassemia major. For a more refined understanding of this issue, we attempted to evaluate cognitive function in β-thalassemia major patients and identify the relationship between possible cognitive dysfunction and the following: demography, transfusion and chelation characteristics, iron overload, and disease complications. We studied 100 β-thalassemia major children and 100 healthy controls who matched well in terms of age, sex, and socioeconomic status. All participants underwent psychometric assessment using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition, Arabic version. The mean Full-Scale IQ and Performance IQ of patients were significantly lower than those of controls, whereas no significant difference was found for Verbal IQ. No significant relationship existed between IQ and any of the assessed parameters. We concluded that Performance IQ, not Verbal IQ, was significantly affected in β-thalassemia major patients, but there was no clear association between IQ and any of the parameters.
Love and Equity: The Social Doctrine of Origen of Alexandria
Authors: Blosser Benjamin
Published: October 2014

There has been a renewed interest, in the academy and in the church, in the teaching of the Church Fathers on social and economic questions, and in particular on the proper distribution of material goods. This article attempts to provide an overview of the social teaching of Origen of Alexandria, with a special focus on the question of distributive justice. It explores Origen’s view of the relationship between justice and charity, of the moral burdens of riches and the spiritual benefits of poverty, on the roles of the wealthy and the poor in the church, and on the obligations of all believers to ensure a distribution of material goods which is in accord with the demands of justice and charity. This article concludes that, even if Origen never systematizes his own answers to these questions, his occasional and frequent reflections on them are consistent enough to provide a profound and well-balanced teaching on distributive justice, which exerted an undeniable influence on later thinkers.
Why Stanley Hauerwas Needs Blaise Pascal: Sin, Anthropology, and Christian Witness
Authors: Eikelboom Lexi
Published: October 2014

This article investigates the similarities between the ethics and theology of Blaise Pascal and Stanley Hauerwas regarding natural law, original sin and witness, in order to support Pascal as an important thinker for Christian ethics. It argues that Pascal’s theological anthropology is an important contribution to Hauerwas’ ethics by elucidating less clear dimensions of his thought, such as how it is that witness ought to proceed and might be effective despite human sinfulness, and the relation between human corruption and a rejection of natural law. This also serves to support the argument that Pascal is an important figure for Christian ethics, despite being largely neglected.
Rights, Recognition, and the Order of Shalom: On Wolterstorff’s Political Theology
Authors: Henreckson David P.
Published: October 2014

Nicholas Wolterstorff’s The Mighty and the Almighty is an intervention in the field of Christian political theology. He argues that traditional political theology in both its premodern and contemporary forms has tended to fall into perfectionist and providentialist traps, allowing the state to claim divinely-bestowed authority where it has none. In response, his constructive project advances particular views of the relationship between divine and political authority as well as the relationship between the state, conceived as a divinely-authorized rights-limited institution, and the church, conceived as a non-natural institution that is ontologically autonomous of the state. Wolterstorff suggests that Christian political theology can, and ought to, endorse a certain form of modern liberal polity. While granting many of his points, I argue that Wolterstorff’s dismissal of traditional thinkers, such as John Calvin, reveals two problematic features of his own theory: first, the way he relates the state’s moral authority to natural rights and the common good; and second, his proposal of the ontological distinction between church and state. Drawing on the conceptual resources of some of Wolterstorff’s own theological forebears—John Calvin and Johannes Althusius—I suggest that traditional Christian political theology offers a more adequate framework for recognizing the common good and responding appropriately to conditions of justice and injustice.
Making Working Memory Work: A Meta-Analysis of Executive-Control and Working Memory Training in Older Adults
Authors: Karbach Julia , Verhaeghen Paul
Published: October 2014

This meta-analysis examined the effects of process-based executive-function and working memory training (49 articles, 61 independent samples) in older adults (> 60 years). The interventions resulted in significant effects on performance on the trained task and near-transfer tasks; significant results were obtained for the net pretest-to-posttest gain relative to active and passive control groups and for the net effect at posttest relative to active and passive control groups. Far-transfer effects were smaller than near-transfer effects but were significant for the net pretest-to-posttest gain relative to passive control groups and for the net gain at posttest relative to both active and passive control groups. We detected marginally significant differences in training-induced improvements between working memory and executive-function training, but no differences between the training-induced improvements observed in older adults and younger adults, between the benefits associated with adaptive and nonadaptive training, or between the effects in active and passive control conditions. Gains did not vary with total training time.
Optimism and Death
Authors: Galatzer-Levy Isaac R. , Bonanno George A.
Published: October 2014

The course of depression in relation to myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as heart attack, and the consequences for mortality are not well characterized. Further, optimism may predict both the effects of MI on depression as well as mortality secondary to MI. In the current study, we utilized a large population-based prospective sample of older adults ( N = 2,147) to identify heterogeneous trajectories of depression from 6 years prior to their first-reported MI to 4 years after. Findings indicated that individuals were at significantly increased risk for mortality when depression emerged after their first-reported MI, compared with resilient individuals who had no significant post-MI elevation in depression symptomatology. Individuals with chronic depression and those demonstrating pre-event depression followed by recovery after MI were not at increased risk. Further, optimism, measured before MI, prospectively differentiated all depressed individuals from participants who were resilient.
Spiritual Healing Practices Among Rural Postpartum Thai Women
Authors: Elter Prangthip Thasanoh , Kennedy Holly Powell , Chesla Catherine A. , Yimyam Susanha
Published: October 2014

Purpose: Postpartum Thai women follow family instructions to recover health at home. This study explores first-time mothers’ experiences with postpartum family practices. This article presents the experiences with spiritual healing, one of the three essences of Thai traditional medicine. Design: An interpretive phenomenological study was conducted in rural Thailand. Participants were 16 pregnant women purposively recruited. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, participant observations, and a demographic record and were analyzed using thematic and exemplar analysis. Results: The women adhered to practices and rituals related to beliefs about three essences (the body, mind–heart, and energy). Spiritual healing works on mind–heart essences. Conclusion: A new mother healed her spirit through traditional postpartum practices. The findings provide an understanding of the practices within the context of rural Thai women’s families. This information can guide future implementation of postpartum care, with awareness of and respect for cultural practices in fulfilling spiritual needs.