bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethnic Diversity and European's Generalised Trust: How Inclusive Immigration Policy Can Aid a Positive Association
Authors: Zimdars Anna , Tampubolon Gindo
Published: August 2012

The present article contributes to the discussions of the link as between diversity and social capital levels by focusing on the process linking diversity and trust. We look at country-level policies rather than individual communities and evaluate how policies can influence the relationship between diversity and generalised trust. We analyse Eurobarometer data (2004) using multilevel analysis. We find a positive effect of diversity on trust, controlling for potentially confounding effect at the individual and country level. Furthermore, we find that the inclusiveness of national policies towards migrants matters. More inclusive policies as measured by the migrant integration policy index (Mipex) counterbalance potentially negative effects of increasing diversity. The findings show that while local place is crucial as the locus where diverse ethnic groups interact, countries remain important policy contexts influencing and framing interactions with immigrants. For Europe, there is nothing inevitable about a negative impact of increasing diversity on building cohesive, trusting societies. We conclude by locating our findings within a wider critical literature.
‘I Know Him So Well’: Contracting/tual ‘Insiderness’, and Maintaining Access and Rapport in a Philippine Fishing Community
Authors: Turgo Nelson
Published: August 2012

‘Insider’ researchers are generally conceived to have an epistemic privilege in the field over ‘outsider’ researchers, especially around the issues of gaining access and building rapport with research participants. However, access and rapport once secured must be continuously maintained and this poses several methodological challenges to the researcher. This can be a particular problem if the people being researched have an intimate knowledge of the researcher's life. This intimate knowledge can affect the maintenance of access and rapport with research participants, particularly in a small community characterised by insecure economic prospects and whose members’ survival could be affected by the researcher's political experience. Based on an ethnographic study of a fishing community in the Philippines, this article is concerned with the various nuances of maintaining access and rapport in one's own community and its ever-evolving economic and political conditions, which then contribute to the shifting positionality of ‘insider’ researchers’ status in the field.
Power, Participation and Privilege - Methodological Lessons from Using Visual Methods in Research with Young People
Authors: Allan Alexandra
Published: August 2012

The practice of using participatory visual methods in research with young people is one that has come under scrutiny in recent years. Many scholars have examined these practices in order to question the singular and simple notions of voice that are often represented in these accounts. Taking up the challenges laid down by these scholars, this paper attempts to critically disturb some of the claims that have been made about this supposedly inherently collaborative and empowering practice. Drawing on research with a group of privileged young people the paper will argue that there is a real need for researchers to examine the ways in which different subjectivities are performatively produced in the participatory research process - to explore the ways in which the methods themselves may work to constitute difference and to position young people as powerful or powerless in this process. A call is also made for researchers to inspect their own practice and use of visual methods, in order to recognise the particular knowledges, subjectivities and truths that are constituted as a result.
Using Spoken and Written Qualitative Methods to Explore Children's and Young People's Food and Eating Practices
Authors: Wills Wendy J.
Published: August 2012

Research examining children's and young people's food and eating practices has become more common place in recent years. Qualitative methods can be useful in such sense-making research, where an individual's narrative is likely to involve complexity, contradiction and ambiguity. Speaking and writing about food and eating can offer participants of all ages and most abilities the opportunity to delve into their own world of practice. Commonly used methods, like the individual interview and focus group, whilst suitable for studies of this kind, are not without their drawbacks. There are important ethical issues concerning children's privacy and their right not to reveal ‘too much’ to the researcher or their family. Innovative methods which deserve greater consideration include audio diaries, memory work/books, email interviews and interviews ‘on the move’. All offer the researcher the opportunity to build rapport with and collect narratives about food and eating from children and young people.
Between Political Fad and Political Empowerment: A Critical Evaluation of the National Muslim Women's Advisory Group (NMWAG) and Governmental Processes of Engaging Muslim Women
Authors: Allen Chris , Guru Surinder
Published: August 2012

Established in 2008 and launched by the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, the National Muslim Women's Advisory Group (NMWAG) brought together 19 British Muslim women to advise Government on ways to empower Muslim women and increase their participation in civic, economic and social life. This article critically considers the NMWAG as a vehicle for improving how government sought to engage Muslim women within the context of a political and policy agenda that sought to prevent violent extremism. The article begins with a consideration of the ways in which women's groups - including those which might represent more than one constituency, BME women for instance - have traditionally emerged and mobilised as a means of advocating and lobbying on behalf of those they represent. From here, the article considers how government has engaged with faith communities, paying particular attention to governmental dialogue with Muslims, the reasons for this, and where - if at all - Muslim women have featured. From here, the article approaches the way in which the establishment of the NMWAG is anomalous in comparison to historical processes, putting forward some observations and theories to explain why this might have been so whilst also considering the impacts - both potential and actual - within the context of the post-9/11 era. In conclusion, this article considers the impact of the NMWAG as a means of improving learning about the role and process of governmental engagement.
Practice ‘in Talk’ and Talk ‘as Practice’: Dish Washing and the Reach of Language
Authors: Martens Lydia
Published: August 2012

The aim of this paper is to open up debate about the methodological implications of adopting practice theory in social research. Practice theory has become a much used analytical framework for researchers working on the question ‘what we do’ in relation to a diverse set of contemporary concerns, but discussion on the epistemological implications has thus far been limited. By looking at interview talk on dish washing through a practice-theoretical lens grounded in Schatzki's (1996 , 2002 ) ontology of practices, I set out to examine how language and talk form a resource and an obstruction when we want to think about mundane practices in scholarly ways. My concern is located within the broader questioning of qualitative interviews in debate in the social sciences. Acknowledging that interviews are ‘distinctive forms of social action’ ( Atkinson & Coffey 2003 ), I move on to consider how talk about washing up in interviews conveys the interaction between two practices; those of talking as the salient embodied practice wielded by human beings in interaction with each other, and dish washing as an integrated cleaning practice common in domestic kitchens. The analysis suggests that our qualitative interviews stimulated talk on the teleo-affective qualities of dish-washing. Rules and principles also appeared in the talk in specific ways. However, the talk was not so good for gaining understanding of the activity of dish washing. In conclusion, I argue that the standard qualitative interview brings out the human-to-human interactional concerns of practices, but that different research contexts need to be developed and employed for gaining greater understanding of the performance (or activity) of the practice of dish washing.
Using measurements of the aerosol charging state in determination of the particle growth rate and the proportion of ion-induced nucleation
Authors: Leppä J. , Gagné S. , Laakso L. , Manninen H. E. , Lehtinen K. E. J. , Kulmala M. , Kerminen V.-M.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. The fraction of charged nucleation mode particles as a function of particle diameter depends on the particle growth rate and the proportion of particles formed via ion-induced nucleation. In this study we have tested the applicability of recent data analysis methods to determine the growth rate and the proportion of ion-induced nucleation from the measured charged fractions. For this purpose we have conducted a series of aerosol dynamic simulations covering a wide range of atmospheric conditions. The growth rate and initial fraction of charged particles were estimated from simulated data using these methods and compared with the values obtained directly from the simulations. We found that the available data analysis methods should not be used when the nuclei growth rate is less than ~3 nm h−1, or when charged particles grow much more rapidly than neutral ones. Furthermore, we found that the difference in removal rates of neutral and charged particles should be taken into account when estimating the proportion of ion-induced nucleation. Neglecting the higher removal rate of charged particles compared with that of neutral ones could result in an under estimation of the proportion of ion-induced nucleation by up to a factor of 2. This under estimation is further increased if charged particles grow more rapidly than neutral ones. We also provided a simple way of assessing whether these methods are suitable for analyzing data measured under specific conditions. The assessment procedure was illustrated using a few examples of actual measurement sites with a more detailed examination of the typical conditions observed at the SMEAR II station in Hyytiälä, Finland.
Calibration of a transient transport model to tritium measurements in rivers and streams in the Western Lake Taupo catchment, New Zealand
Authors: Gusyev M. A. , Toews M. , Morgenstern U. , Stewart M. , Daughney C. , Hadfield J.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. Here we present a general approach of calibrating transient transport models to tritium concentrations in river waters developed for the MT3DMS/MODFLOW model of the Western Lake Taupo catchment, New Zealand. Tritium is a time-dependent tracer with radioactive half-life of 12.32 yr. In the transport model, the tritium input (measured in rain) passes through the groundwater system, and the modelled tritium concentrations are compared to the measured tritium concentrations in the river outlets for the Waihaha, Whanganui, Whareroa, Kuratau and Omori river catchments from 2000–2007. For the Kuratau River, tritium was also measured between 1960 and 1970, which allowed us to fine-tune the transport model. In order to incorporate all surface flows from rivers to small streams, an 80 m uniform grid cell size was selected in the steady-state MODFLOW model for the model area of 1072 km2. The groundwater flow model was first calibrated to groundwater levels and stream flow observations. Then, the transport model was calibrated to the measured tritium concentrations in the river waters. The MT3DMS model results show good agreement with the measured tritium values in all five river catchments. Finally, the calibrated MT3DMS model is applied to simulate groundwater ages that are used to construct groundwater age distributions for the river catchments.
Developing Tsunami fragility curves using remote sensing and survey data of the 2010 Chilean Tsunami in Dichato
Authors: Mas E. , Koshimura S. , Suppasri A. , Matsuoka M. , Matsuyama M. , Yoshii T. , Jimenez C. , Yamazaki F. , Imamura F.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. On 27 February 2010, a megathrust earthquake of Mw = 8.8 generated a destructive tsunami in Chile. It struck not only Chilean coast but propagated all the way to Japan. After the event occurred, the post-tsunami survey team was assembled, funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), to survey the area severely affected by the tsunami. The tsunami damaged and destroyed numerous houses, especially in the town of Dichato. In order to estimate the structural fragility against tsunami hazard in this area, tsunami fragility curves were developed. Surveyed data of inundation depth and visual inspection of satellite images of Dichato were used to classify the damage to housing. A practical method suitable when there are limitations on available data for numerical simulation or damage evaluation from surveys is presented here. This study is the first application of tsunami fragility curves on the South American Pacific coast and it might be of practical use for communities with similar characteristics along the west Pacific coast. The proposed curve suggests that structures in Dichato will be severely damaged – with a 68% probability – already at 2 m tsunami inundation depth.
Le voyage virtuel
Authors: O’Donnell Lorraine
Published: August 2012

La compagnie de commerce au détail Eaton a créé, à l’intention des Québécoises et particulièrement des Montréalaises, le « voyage virtuel », qui leur permettait d’entrer en contact avec l’étranger sans avoir à sortir du pays. Avec le temps, ces occasions de « voyages virtuels » sont devenues de plus en plus élaborées. L’article en examine quatre formes : 1) au tournant du siècle, d’abord, les catalogues décrivent les activités à l’étranger de l’entreprise ainsi que les marchandises importées ; 2) après l’ouverture du grand magasin de Montréal, en 1925, Eaton encourage les femmes à choisir des marchandises étrangères, et surtout françaises, dans un environnement architectural d’inspiration française ; 3) vers le milieu du siècle, Doreen Day, directrice de mode au magasin, globe-trotter et réalisatrice d’importants défilés de mode européenne, est proposée aux femmes comme modèle ; 4) enfin, entre les années 1950 et 1980, de spectaculaires promotions consacrées aux produits et aux cultures de lieux étrangers spécifiques sont élaborées. Par ces efforts, l’entreprise a pu rejoindre avec succès une clientèle anglophone et francophone et a conféré à la tâche « ménagère » de magasiner une importante dimension internationale.
Les droits des femmes à l’aube du printemps arabe : de « ne pas oublier les femmes » au « Femmes : n’oubliez pas ! »
Authors: Fathally Jabeur
Published: August 2012

Dans le cadre de cet article, l’auteur traite de la question des droits des femmes arabes dans un contexte international marqué par les changements politiques et par les transitions sociétales que connaît le monde arabo-musulman. En se référant à la théorie cyclique des révolutions de Crane Brinton et par un retour à l’histoire, loin de tout cynisme idéologique, l’auteur démontre que les grandes révolutions qui ont façonné les relations internationales depuis le 17e siècle, ont été souvent sources d’atteintes aux droits des femmes en dépit des sacrifices consentis par ces femmes pour faire réussir le « fait révolutionnaire ».
Le débat sur la politique étrangère d’Obama : quelle nouvelle « grande stratégie » pour les États-Unis ?
Authors: Dimitrova Anna
Published: August 2012

La politique étrangère du président Obama est-elle fondée sur une « grande stratégie » ou sur une « doctrine » ? Cette question est étudiée ici par une analyse critique de discours appliquée aux débats actuels aux États-Unis, notamment celui entre universitaires et experts de think tanks américains. Nous avons identifié trois réponses possibles, variant selon la définition attribuée aux concepts de « grande stratégie » et de « doctrine » – celle des hégémonistes, des internationalistes et des néo-isolationnistes. Sur la base de l’approche des internationalistes, nous avons ensuite cherché à déterminer l’existence d’une nouvelle grande stratégie de « comprehensive engagement ». Cette stratégie semble être fondée sur trois idées principales qui seraient au coeur de la politique étrangère d’Obama : l’idée d’un leadership américain « multipartenaire », le concept du « smart power » et la doctrine de la « force nécessaire » liée à la notion de « guerre juste ».
L’antimissile de territoire comme mode de gouvernance technopolitique de la sécurité euro-atlantique
Authors: De Neve Alain
Published: August 2012

Exclue des débats sécuritaires de l’Union européenne, abandonnée aux surenchères entre Washington et quelques capitales européennes, la question de l’établissement d’une défense antimissile de territoire euro-atlantique a pourtant été avalisée lors du sommet de Lisbonne de l’Otan de novembre 2010. Cette orientation peut surprendre, considérant le nombre limité de mises en oeuvre opérationnelles de la défense antimissile aux États-Unis. Elle peut de même susciter des interrogations sur le plan de l’architecture technologique et du commandement. Le présent article se propose, néanmoins, d’aborder la défense antimissile comme une technique de gouvernance par les instruments, mise en oeuvre par les États-Unis dans la perspective d’une construction d’alliances technologiques à l’échelle globale.
Successful Treatment of Chronic Viral Hepatitis with High-dilution Medicine
Authors: Sarter Barbara , Banerji Prasanta , Banerji Pratip
Published: August 2012

Introduction:

Two cases of viral hepatitis that had failed conventional therapy are presented. Both were subsequently treated with protocols using homeopathic medicines as detailed below. Both patients sustained remissions for 2 years after taking ultradilute natural medicines after their conventional treatment had been discontinued.

Methods:

The treatment protocol included Chelidonium majus 6X and Thuja 30C as the main medicines. Other homeopathic medicines were used as detailed below. Cases were confirmed with standard hepatitis antibody and viral measurements. Patients were followed for more than 2 years with measurements of viral counts, liver enzymes, and other relevant biomarkers of liver disease.

Results:

Both patients are alive and functioning normally in their home environments more than 2 years after treatment initiation.

Discussion:

We review the literature related to the chief medicines used in these cases and find that they have known and demonstrated therapeutic effects suggesting plausible mechanisms of action in these cases.

Conclusions:

Clinical trials of this homeopathic treatment protocol should be conducted to explore the therapeutic potential of these medicines for treatment of viral hepatitis.
Efficacy of an Emotion self-regulation Program for Promoting Development in Preschool Children
Authors: Bradley Raymond Trevor , Galvin Patrick , Atkinson Mike , Tomasino Dana
Published: August 2012

This work reports the results of an evaluation study to assess the efficacy of the Early HeartSmarts (EHS) program in schools of the Salt Lake City, Utah, School District. The EHS program is designed to guide teachers with methods that support young children (3—6 y old) in learning emotion self-regulation and key age-appropriate socioemotional competencies with the goal of facilitating their emotional, social, and cognitive development. The study was conducted over one school year using a quasiexperimental longitudinal field research design with 3 measurement points (baseline, preintervention, and postintervention) using The Creative Curriculum Assessment (TCCA), a teacher-scored, 50-item instrument measuring students growth in 4 areas of development: social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development. Children in 19 preschool classrooms in the Salt Lake City School District were divided into intervention and control group samples (n = 66 and n = 309, respectively; mean age = 3.6 y). The intervention classes were specifically selected to target children of lower socioeconomic and ethnic minority backgrounds. Overall, there is compelling evidence of the efficacy of the EHS program in increasing total psychosocial development and each of the 4 development areas measured by the TCCA: the results of a series of analyses of covariance found a strong, consistent pattern of large, significant differences on the development measures favoring preschool children who received the EHS program over those in the control group.
The Problem with Science—-the Context and Process of Care: An Excerpt from Remodelling Medicine
Authors: Swayne Jeremy
Published: August 2012

• The goal of science is truth through knowledge. But medicine's truth is not altogether the same as science's truth. • Science works with ideas, imagination and intuition, but essentially has to do with facts. Medicine has also to deal with meaning. • This is not an argument for less science in medicine, but for more and better science; better in the sense of better attuned to 'the rest of life'. • Truthfulness is a core principle of medical practice and medical science. • But a kind of untruthfulness is common in day-to-day clinical practice. • The fundamental untruth is the illusion of certainty. • The inexcusable untruth is to reduce the patient's problem to it to its narrow biomedical parameters and to allow the patient as a person to vanish from our gaze. • Science fails medicine by the narrowness of the scope of things it is willing to investigate. Important areas of medicine have been neglected as a consequence. • The medical research culture must change if it is to promote science for understanding alongside science for manipulation. We need to be unsparingly critical of the distinction between useful science and wasteful science. • “Medical knowledge is not knowledge acquired primarily for its own sake (but) for a specific purpose—-the care of the sick.”1
Spontaneous Normal Sinus Rhythm Conversion Using Integrative Medicine in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Farrar Wendy S. , Fyfe-Johnson Amber L. , Baechler Courtney J. , Dusek Jeffery A.
Published: August 2012

The relationship between acute life stress and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been noted in the literature. However, the use of integrative medicine (IM) in restoring cardiac rhythm has not been adequately studied. This case report describes how an IM approach was used in a patient with atrial fibrillation and acute pain. Spontaneous cardioversion to normal sinus rhythm occurred during the IM session, in addition to marked decreases in self-reported pain, anxiety, and nausea at the conclusion of IM treatment. These results provide initial support that for some cases of AF, IM therapies can help to reduce costs via avoidance of additional hospitalization, electrocardioversion, and general anesthesia.
The Heart and Medicine: Exploring the Interconnectedness of Cardiometabolic-related Concerns through a Systems Biology Approach
Authors: Lamb Joseph , Bland Jeffrey
Published: August 2012

Patients do not just wake up one morning with cardiac disease. Instead there is an extended preclinical phase during which life-style choices determine outcome. Recent advances in our understanding of oxidative stress, endocrine signaling, immune/inflammatory balance, and energy production illuminate opportunities for efficacious intervention. A thorough exploration of these pathophysiologies will allow physicians the opportunity to offer their patients a journey away from illness and disease to optimal wellness.
Coherence: A Novel Nonpharmacological Modality for Lowering Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Alabdulgader Abdullah A.
Published: August 2012

This study examined the efficacy of teaching emotional self-regulation techniques supported by heart rhythm coherence training (emWave Personal Stress Reliever) as a means to quickly lower blood pressure (BP) in patients diagnosed with hypertension. Previous studies have demonstrated systemic reductions in BP in both high stress populations and patients diagnosed with hypertension using this approach, but to the best of our knowledge, an investigation of their ability to produce immediate reductions in BP had not been published in the medical literature.

The study was a randomized controlled design with 62 hypertensive participants who were divided into three groups. Group 1 was taking hypertensive medication, was taught self-regulation technique, and used heart rate variability coherence (HRVC) training devices. Group 2 was not yet taking medication and was trained in the same intervention. Group 3 was taking hypertensive medication but did not receive the intervention and was instructed to relax between the BP assessments.

An analysis of covariates was conducted to compare the effectiveness of three different interventions on reducing the participants’ BP. The use of the self-regulation technique and the HRVC-monitoring device was associated with a significantly greater reduction in mean arterial pressure in the two groups who used the intervention as compared with the relaxation-plus-medication group. Additionally, the group not taking medication that used the intervention also had a significantly greater reduction in systolic BP than the relaxation- plus-medication group.

These results suggest that self-regulation techniques that incorporate the intentional generation of positive emotions to facilitate a shift into the psychophysiological coherence state are an effective approach to lowering BP. This approach to reducing BP should be considered a simple and effective approach that can easily be taught to patients to quickly lower their BP in stressful situations. The technique should be especially useful when hypertensive patients are experiencing stressful emotions or reactions to stressors. It is possible that the BP reductions associated with the use of the technique leads to a change in the physiological set-point for homeostatic regulation of BP. Further studies should examine if large scale implementations of such heart-based coherence techniques could have a significant impact on reducing risk of mortality and morbidity in hypertensive patients.
Rapid isolation of small oscillation faults via deterministic learning
Authors: Chen Tianrui , Wang Cong
Published: August 2012

In this paper, we investigate the small fault isolation problem for a class of nonlinear uncertain systems. First, by utilizing the learned knowledge obtained through a recently proposed deterministic learning (DL) approach, a bank of estimators is constructed to represent the training normal mode and oscillation faults. Second, two isolation schemes based on the norms of the residuals are provided. The occurrence of a fault can be isolated if all the norms of the residuals associated with the matched fault estimator become smaller than the ones of the residuals associated with the other estimators in a finite time. Rigorous analysis of the performance of the both isolation schemes is also given, which includes the fault isolability condition and isolation time. The attraction of the paper lies in that an approach for fault isolation is proposed, in which the knowledge of modeling uncertainty and nonlinear faults obtained through DL is utilized to enhance the sensitivity of the isolation scheme. Simulation studies are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fluorescent Temperature Sensing Using Triarylboron Compounds and Microcapsules for Detection of a Wide Temperature Range on the Micro‐ and Macroscale
Authors: Feng Jiao , Xiong Lei , Wang Shuangqing , Li Shayu , Li Yi , Yang Guoqiang
Published: August 2012

Fluorescent temperature sensing has received increasing interest in a wide range of fields, including fluid dynamics, micromechanics, and molecular cell biology. Here, a novel series of triarylboron compounds with significant thermosensitive hue transformation and high fluorescent quantum efficiency in wide temperature range is described. It is then demonstrated that fluorescent core/shell microcapsules based on one of the compounds exhibit outstanding temperature response. The microcapsules, dispersed in different liquid or solid media, can serve as highly robust, reliable, and sensitive fluorescent temperature sensors. The sensors are the first example containing a single organic luminophor with a self‐reference feature that can detect on the micro‐ and macroscale from −30 to 140 °C. This finding may open a new avenue to the development of novel fluorescent temperature sensors.
Brønsted Acid‐Promoted Divergent Reactions of Enaminones: Efficient Synthesis of Fused Pyrroles with Different Substitution Patterns
Authors: Jiang Bo , Yi Mian‐Shuai , Tu Man‐Su , Wang Shu‐Liang , Tu Shu‐Jiang
Published: August 2012

Brønsted acid‐promoted divergent approaches for the synthesis of multi‐functionalized fused pyrroles with different substituted patterns (44 examples) have been established. The divergent pathways were controlled by varying the charging sequence to give a series of new fused pyrroles selectively. The direct C(sp3)S bond formation was achieved for the two‐step, one‐pot reaction.
Process synthesis for addressing the sustainable energy systems and environmental issues
Authors: Yuan Zhihong , Chen Bingzhen
Published: August 2012

Diminishing petroleum reserves and oscillations of the global petroleum market, together with the influence on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions have accelerated the needs to explore renewable feedstocks and to seek novel sustainable production systems. Process synthesis, the core of process systems engineering, can be predicted to be the powerful tool to construct an environmental‐friendly, cost‐effective sustainable energy system. Following the brief descriptions of the main methodologies for process synthesis, the present article reviews current activities on the optimal synthesis of biorenewables conversion processes, polygeneration processes, as well as carbon capture processes. Set in the context of exist achievements and future energy and environment requirements, we further elucidate the potential research vistas on optimal synthesis of novel energy systems, specifically, (a) novel biorenewable conversion process; (b) innovative materials‐based carbon capture process; (c) solar/wind driven energy conversion system; (d) integrated biorenewable conversion process for the production of chemicals. Finally, challenges about the above aspects are concisely discussed. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
Pleistocene‐Holocene boundary in Southern Arabia from the perspective of human mtDNA variation
Authors: Al‐Abri Abdulrahim , Podgorná Eliška , Rose Jeffrey I. , Pereira Luísa , Mulligan Connie J. , Silva Nuno M. , Bayoumi Riad , Soares Pedro , Černý Viktor
Published: August 2012

It is now known that several population movements have taken place at different times throughout southern Arabian prehistory. One of the principal questions under debate is if the Early Holocene peopling of southern Arabia was mainly due to input from the Levant during the Pre‐Pottery Neolithic B, to the expansion of an autochthonous population, or some combination of these demographic processes. Since previous genetic studies have not been able to include all parts of southern Arabia, we have helped fill this lacuna by collecting new population datasets from Oman (Dhofar) and Yemen (Al‐Mahra and Bab el‐Mandab). We identified several new haplotypes belonging to haplogroup R2 and generated its whole genome mtDNA tree with age estimates undertaken by different methods. R2, together with other considerably frequent southern Arabian mtDNA haplogroups (R0a, HV1, summing up more than 20% of the South Arabian gene pool) were used to infer the past effective population size through Bayesian skyline plots. These data indicate that the southern Arabian population underwent a large expansion already some 12 ka. A founder analysis of these haplogroups shows that this expansion is largely attributed to demographic input from the Near East. These results support thus the spread of a population coming from the north, but at a significantly earlier date than presently considered by archaeologists. Our data suggest that some of the mtDNA lineages found in southern Arabia have persisted in the region since the end of the Last Ice Age. Am J Phys Anthropol 149:291–298, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Validation of experimental whole‐body SAR assessment method in a complex indoor environment
Authors: Bamba Aliou , Joseph Wout , Vermeeren Gunter , Tanghe Emmeric , Gaillot Davy Paul , Andersen Jørgen B. , Nielsen Jesper Ødum , Lienard Martine , Martens Luc
Published: August 2012

Experimentally assessing the whole‐body specific absorption rate (SARwb) in a complex indoor environment is very challenging. An experimental method based on room electromagnetics theory (accounting only the line‐of‐sight as specular path) is validated using numerical simulations with the finite‐difference time‐domain method. Furthermore, the method accounts for diffuse multipath components (DMC) in the total absorption rate by considering the reverberation time of the investigated room, which describes all the losses in a complex indoor environment. The advantage of the proposed method is that it allows discarding the computational burden because it does not use any discretizations. Results show good agreement between measurement and computation at 2.8 GHz, as long as the plane wave assumption is valid, that is, at large distances from the transmitter. Relative deviations of 0.71% and 4% have been obtained for far‐field scenarios, and 77.5% for the near field‐scenario. The contribution of the DMC in the total absorption rate is also quantified here, which has never been investigated before. It is found that the DMC may represent an important part of the total absorption rate; its contribution may reach up to 90% for certain scenarios in an indoor environment. Bioelectromagnetics 34:122–132, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesizing artificial cells from giant unilamellar vesicles: State‐of‐the art in the development of microfluidic technology
Authors: Matosevic Sandro
Published: August 2012

Microfluidic technology – the manipulation of fluids at micrometer scales – has revolutionized many areas of synthetic biology. The bottom‐up synthesis of “minimal” cell models has traditionally suffered from poor control of assembly conditions. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are good models of living cells on account of their size and unilamellar membrane structure. In recent years, a number of microfluidic approaches for constructing GUVs has emerged. These provide control over traditionally elusive parameters of vesicular structure, such as size, lamellarity, membrane composition, and internal contents. They also address sophisticated cellular functions such as division and protein synthesis. Microfluidic techniques for GUV synthesis can broadly be categorized as continuous‐flow based approaches and droplet‐based approaches. This review presents the state‐of‐the‐art of microfluidic technology, a robust platform for recapitulating complex cellular structure and function in synthetic models of biological cells.
The expression of nicotinic receptor alpha7 during cochlear development
Authors: Rogers Scott W. , Myers Elizabeth J. , Gahring Lorise C.
Published: August 2012

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha7 expression was examined in the developing and adult auditory system using mice that were modified through homologous recombination to coexpress either GFP (alpha7GFP) or Cre (alpha7Cre), respectively. The expression of alpha7GFP is first detected at embryonic (E) day E13.5 in cells of the spiral prominence. By E14.5, sensory regions including the putative outer hair cells and Deiters' cells express alpha7GFP as do solitary efferent fibers. This pattern diminishes after E16.5 in a basal to apex progression, as Hensen's cells and cells of the spiral ligament acquire alpha7GFP expression. At birth and thereafter alpha7GFP also identifies a subset of spiral ganglion cells whose processes terminate on inner hair cells. Efferent fibers identified by peripherin or calcitonin gene‐related protein do not coexpress alpha7GFP. In addition to cochlear structures, there is strong expression of alpha7GFP by cells of the central auditory pathways including the ventral posterior cochlear nucleus, lateral lemniscus, central inferior colliculus, and the medial geniculate nucleus. Our findings suggest that alpha7 expression by both neuronal and non‐neuronal cells has the potential to impact multiple auditory functions through mechanisms that are not traditionally attributed to this receptor.
The bikini area and bikini line as a location for anterior subcutaneous pelvic fixation: An anatomic and clinical investigation
Authors: Vaidya R. , Oliphant B. , Jain R. , Nasr K. , Siwiec R. , Onwudiwe N. , Sethi A.
Published: August 2012

Anterior external fixation for pelvic fractures has been the standard for acute stabilization but definitive treatment often leads to pin tract infection, is uncomfortable, and limits patient mobility. We recently developed a subcutaneous anterior pelvic fixator which addresses these issues (INFIX). The objective of this study is to introduce the Bikini Area and Bikini Line as the subcutaneous anatomical location where this apparatus is placed. A study was preformed on eight cadaveric specimens to define the location of the subcutaneous device with respect to anatomic structures. We examined 23 people of various body mass indexes to examine the anterior pelvic anatomy. This was followed by implantation on 42 individuals in whom we reviewed CT scans to assess the location of the implant. We asked these same 42 individuals whether they could sit, stand, and lie on their sides and if they had any discomfort. We measured the dimensions of 26 retrieved rods to approximate the curve of the Bikini Line. Finally in 14 individuals we performed vascular ultrasound to assess the flow in the iliac and femoral vessels with the implant in place in the sitting and standing position. Neurovascular structures are not affected by placing the INFIX device at the Bikini Line, patients are comfortable, mobile and complications are minimized by this procedure. A rod placed on the Bikini Line which connects screws inserted into the anterior inferior iliac spine on each side does not interfere with sitting, standing, or the neurovascular structures. Clin. Anat., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
First hand accounts of events in the laboratory of Prof. Eduard Pernkopf
Authors: Aharinejad Seyed Hossein , Carmichael Stephen W.
Published: August 2012

Eduard Pernkopf was responsible for one of the best anatomy atlases of all time. He was also an active National Socialist during the Third Reich. Some have questioned whether his political affiliation influenced the procurement of anatomic specimens for his Atlas. Profs. Walter Kraus, Alfred Gisel, and Werner Platzer, who worked directly or indirectly with Pernkopf, were interviewed in 2006. We present transcripts of those interviews. The reader may evaluate their recollections in light of the political and social forces active in that period of history. Clin. Anat., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel complete radiation protection system eliminates physician radiation exposure and leaded aprons
Authors: Fattal Peter , Goldstein James A.
Published: August 2012

Background

Occupational health hazards associated with fluoroscopic‐based procedures are well known, including a high prevalence of orthopedic problems, and those related to radiation exposure, particularly cancer and cataracts. This article reports the “first‐in‐man” clinical experience with a novel radiation protection system designed to eliminate radiation exposure to operators and thereby obviate the need for orthopedically burdensome leaded aprons. The Trinity Radiation Protection System consists of a combination of fixed shields, radiation drapes, and interconnecting flexible radiation resistant materials creating a complete radiation protection environment for the operators, yet maintaining full and unimpeded contact with the patient and total control of all operational elements of the catheterization equipment.

Methods and Results

This report constitutes an analysis of 19 nonrandomized cases in which operator radiation exposure data were collected (Trinity Radiation Protection System n = 10 cases versus standard shielding alone n = 9). In all cases performed with the Trinity System, there was neither any measurable significant radiation exposure in any anatomic region nor for the total case, whereas operators performing cases with standard shielding were exposed to radiation in all regions of their bodies (total per case exposure differences P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The novel radiation protection system described is the first to provide a complete radiation barrier that eliminates radiation exposure to operators, thereby obviating the need for orthopedically burdensome leaded aprons. This approach to radiation protection has promise to enhance the safety and occupational health of medical personnel in the catheterization laboratory. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enzyme‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Conducting Polyaniline Nanocomposites with Pure and Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Nabid M. R. , Shamsianpour M. , Sedghi R. , Moghaddam A. B.
Published: August 2012

The in situ enzymatic polymerization of aniline onto multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and carboxylated MWCNT (COOH‐MWCNT) is reported. Nanostructured composites were prepared by this method. Polymerization was catalyzed with the enzyme horseradish peroxidase at room temperature in aqueous medium of pH 4. Hydrogen peroxide was used in low concentration as the oxidant. The nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM studies showed tubular morphology with uniformly distributed MWCNT in the nanocomposites. The SEM and TEM investigations revealed wrapping of the MWCNT with polyaniline (PANI) chains. TGA demonstrated that the PANI component is thermally more stable in PANI/COOH‐MWCNT compared to the PANI/MWCNT composites. The synthesized nanocomposites showed higher conductivity than pure PANI, which may be due to the strong interaction between the PANI chains and the MWCNT.
Optimization of Supercritical Extraction of Linalyl Acetate from Lavender via Box‐Behnken Design
Authors: Ghoreishi S. M. , Kamali H. , Ghaziaskar H. S. , Dadkhah A. A.
Published: August 2012

Essential oil was extracted from lavender using supercritical carbon dioxide by means of a newly developed periodic static‐dynamic (PSD) procedure and the conventional semicontinuous (SC) technique. Applying GC‐FID analysis in conjunction with Box‐Behnken design, an optimum overall extraction yield (94.4 %) was obtained via PSD in contrast to 90 % for the SC method. The results indicate that supercritical fluid extraction is a viable technique for separation of constituents such as linalyl acetate, linalool, fenchone, and camphor for pharmaceutical and medicinal applications. Furthermore, a substantial reduction of energy consumption and solvent consumption is achieved with the developed PSD process compared to the conventional SC method.
Direct Extraction of Propionic Acid from Propionibacterium acidipropionici Broths with Tri‐n‐octylamine
Authors: Galaction A.‐I. , Carlescu A. , Turnea M. , Caşcaval D.
Published: August 2012

The direct reactive extraction of propionic acid from Propionibacterium acidipropionici broths with solutions of tri‐n‐octylamine in dichloromethane, n‐butyl acetate or n‐heptane underlined the strong negative influence of the cells, due to the blockage of the interface by their adsorption. The magnitude of this effect <#>depends on the affinity of the cells for the organic phase, which is more important for n‐heptane, but only at biomass concentrations below 18 g L–1 d.w. (dry weight). Moreover, the interfacial mass transfer of the acid is also controlled by the solvent polarity, and is accelerated from n‐heptane to dichloromethane and by the addition to the organic phase of 1‐octanol as a phase modifier. The influences of the biomass concentration, the rotation speed and the solvent dielectric constant were included in a mathematical model describing the solute mass flow from the aqueous to the organic phase.
Effect of Seeding on Metal Ion Recovery from Wastewater by Reactive Crystallization of Metal Carbonates
Authors: Shimizu Y. , Hirasawa I.
Published: August 2012

Reactive crystallization for separation and recovery of divalent metal ions from wastewater using a semi‐batch crystallizer has been developed. In this process, metal carbonates are produced by reacting metal sulfate solution with sodium carbonate solution. Nickel and copper ions are crystallized under particular initial pH conditions but the product shapes are not regular. Consequently, sphere seeds have been used as nucleus‐generating agents and their growth mechanism has been examined. When providing a particular amount of seeds before crystallization, metal substances piled up on the surface of the seeds, maintaining the form sphere, and the production of fines was restricted. The metal removal rate through reactive crystallization was ∼99.9 % on average. This operation proved to be suitable for application in industrial wastewater treatment and for recycling of metal materials.
Miniemulsions for the Production of Nanostructured Particles
Authors: Hecht L. L. , Winkelmann M. , Wagner C. , Landfester K. , Gerlinger W. , Sachweh B. , Schuchmann H. P.
Published: August 2012

Nanostructured particles made from polystyrene and zinc oxide are synthesized by precipitation in miniemulsions and miniemulsion polymerization. There are two main applications for miniemulsions: the formation of sub‐micron or nano‐sized reactors for the precipitation of inorganic nanoparticles and the use of sub‐micron or nano‐sized droplets as templates for nanostructured particles. The latter includes the formation of the desired structures within a monomer droplet, which then is polymerized without changing its size or structure during the process. In this research article two approaches to combine both processes are presented: The zinc oxide nanoparticles are precipitated in an inverse miniemulsion of water droplets in a continuous monomer phase. The resulting miniemulsion is either distilled and the nanoparticles are forced into the monomer phase or the miniemulsion is used directly without distillation. In both cases the particle loaded monomer droplets are afterwards polymerized to hybrid nanoparticles. The focus is on the technological challenges in producing nano‐sized, hybrid particles, especially in regard to continuous processing.
Compression Behavior of Moist Spherical Zeolite 4A Granules
Authors: Müller P. , Tomas J.
Published: August 2012

The material behavior of elastic‐plastic zeolite 4A granules has been experimentally studied using compression tests. The influence of particle size and moisture content has been investigated. Furthermore, the specific fracture energy distribution and the distribution of the equivalent breakage velocity at impact on a rigid target have been determined.