bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foreign Demand for Domestic Currency and the Optimal Rate of Inflation
Authors: SCHMITT‐GROHÉ STEPHANIE , URIBE MARTÍN
Published: August 2012

We characterize the Ramsey optimal rate of inflation in a model with a foreign demand for domestic currency. In the absence of such demand, the model implies that the Friedman rule—deflation at the real rate of interest—is optimal. We show analytically that in the presence of a foreign demand for domestic currency, this result breaks down. Calibrated versions of the model deliver optimal annual rates of inflation between 2% and 10%. The domestically benevolent government imposes an inflation tax to extract resources from the rest of the world in the form of seignorage revenue.
Viva Voce: Implications from the Disappearing Voice Vote, 1865–1996
Authors: Lynch Michael S. , Madonna Anthony J.
Published: August 2012

Objective

Congressional votes are only recorded if a member formally requests a roll call vote, and that request is supported by one‐fifth of those present. Many votes pass viva voce and are never recorded. We seek to examine changing patterns of unrecorded voting, analyze the causes of these changes, and consider the implications of these changes for congressional scholars.

Methods

Using landmark legislation from the 39th (1865–1867) to the 104th Congress (1995–1996), we analyze whether bills receive a recorded or unrecorded final passage vote.

Results

We find that while the likelihood that a landmark law receives a recorded final passage vote fluctuates over time, electoral pressures consistently influence members’ decisions to record their votes.

Conclusions

We argue that studies of Congress must account for the roll call generating process when analyzing roll call data.
The Politics of Causes: Mass Shootings and the Cases of the Virginia Tech and Tucson Tragedies
Authors: Joslyn Mark R. , Haider‐Markel Donald P.
Published: August 2012

Objective

We employ theories of causal reasoning to understand attributions about the 2007 Virginia Tech and 2011 Tucson shootings. We argue that attributions stem from two motives: (1) a partisan motivation to perceive events consistent with party attachments, and (2) a drive to minimize the cognitive burdens associated with extensive reasoning processes. The latter motive is expected to produce a fundamental attribution bias: the least educated respondents attribute blame for the shootings to the individual assailant while the most educated attribute blame to environmental conditions.

Methods

We test hypotheses using 2007 and 2011 national surveys reported just after the shootings.

Results

Our findings suggest a major partisan divide on the causes of tragedy; Democrats believed social and political forces were responsible whereas Republicans blamed individual gunmen. Considerable differences between the least and most educated respondents were also discovered. Greater educational attainment was associated with environmental attributions. Finally, the analyses revealed that education had virtually no influence on Republican attributions, but enhanced Democrats’ penchant to blame the tragedy on environmental factors.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the utility of using motivational theories of causal attributions to understanding and modeling the cognitive processes involved in perceived causes about gun‐related tragedies.
Legislatures, Leaders, and Leviathans: How Constitutional Institutions Affect the Size of Government Spending
Authors: Maldonado Beatriz
Published: August 2012

Objectives

Research has shown that government spending can affect GDP growth rates, yet there is no comprehensive study that looks at how a country's choice of political institutions affects government spending. This article focuses on how the choice of regime type (presidential, parliamentary, or mixed), legislative chamber structure (bicameral or unicameral), legislative chamber size, and electoral rules affect the level of government spending.

Methods

The methodology used is pooled ordinary least squares for an unbalanced panel of 92 democracies between 1975 and 2007.

Results

The results show that the relationship between legislative chamber size and government spending is linear in unicameral countries but nonlinear in bicameral countries, plurality electoral rule is always associated with less spending than any other type of electoral rule, and unicameral and bicameral countries should not be modeled together.

Conclusions

While countries that have long‐standing political institutions are less likely to change the characteristics of those political institutions in order to change the level of government spending, the results of this article suggest that countries that are establishing new political institutions (e.g., South Sudan and Libya) stand to benefit from knowing what types of institutions are conducive for growth.
Campaign Spending and Voter Participation in State Legislative Elections
Authors: Hogan Robert E.
Published: August 2012

Objective

Previous studies demonstrate that campaigns play an important role in mobilizing citizen participation in elections. The present analysis examines the effects of campaign spending on voter turnout in the state legislative setting where our knowledge of campaign effects is quite limited.

Method

In an examination of state legislative elections across 20 states over two election cycles, the analysis considers the influence of candidate spending on voter turnout.

Results

The findings demonstrate that campaign spending has a strong influence on voter participation; however, this effect is mitigated by contextual features. Legislative professionalism reduces the influence of spending, while the presence of a high‐stimulus statewide election enhances it. In addition, challenger spending is more effective at stimulating participation than incumbent spending.

Conclusions

Higher levels of campaign spending increase voter participation in state legislative elections; however, these effects vary according to context. These findings have important implications for theories of participation in American democracy as well for normative issues concerning the role of money in elections.
Properties of Alumina Coagulated Bodies Prepared by Direct Coagulation Casting via High Valence Counter Ions (DCC‐HVCI)
Authors: Xu Jie , Qu Yanan , Xi Xiaoqing , Yang Jinlong
Published: August 2012

Alumina green bodies were prepared by direct coagulation casting via increasing high valence counter ions (DCC‐HVCI) method. Influence of calcium iodate concentration, coagulation temperature, and the solid loading on the compressive strength of coagulated bodies was investigated. The results show that the wet‐coagulated bodies display higher compressive strength than dried ones. The wet strength is above 2.0 MPa which is about one order higher than that prepared by DCC method, whereas the dried strength is in the range of 1.0 MPa. The wet‐coagulated body shows elastic deformation, whereas the dried body exhibits typical brittle failure behavior. The mechanism of high wet strength obtained by DCC‐HVCI is also proposed. The coagulated bodies prepared from slurries of alumina loading in the range of 50 vol% showed linear shrinkage of 2.6% after drying at 80°C for 24 h. The sample with the powder content of 50 vol% displays a narrow average pore channel size, showing a mean pore diameter of 40 nm. A homogeneous green body and high wet strength can be obtained via the DCC‐HVCI method.
Y4Si2O7N2: A New Oxynitride with Low Thermal Conductivity
Authors: Sun Luchao , Liu Bin , Wang Jiemin , Wang Jingyang , Zhou Yanchun , Hu Zijun
Published: August 2012

Search for new thermal barrier materials with high‐temperature stability is very difficult because there are intractable choices among thousands of possible candidates. The present paper shows that identifying and developing new low thermal conductivity materials can be accomplished by first‐principles calculations of equilibrium crystal structure and elasticity, and thereafter making theoretical prediction of minimum high‐temperature lattice thermal conductivity basing on David Clarke's method for insulating materials. We highlight a new oxynitride ceramic,Y4Si2O7N2, with a low theoretical minimum thermal conductivity of 1.12 W·m−1·K−1. The theoretical result is further validated by experimental measurement of thermal conductivity of dense and bulkY4Si2O7N2. The experimental thermal conductivity is 1.50 W·m−1·K−1at 1300 K. Furthermore, thermal properties ofY4Si2O7N2are investigated for evaluating its potential performances.
Atomic Structure, Electronic Structure, and Optical Properties of YAG (110) Twin Grain Boundary
Authors: Jiang Shengli , Chen Jun , Long Yao , Lu Tiecheng
Published: August 2012

The YAG (110) twin grain boundaries with different terminations (Al, Y–Al, and O) are constructed and optimized by empirical potential approach. The results show that the Aloct‐ and Y–Altet‐termination configurations namely G(Aloct) and G(Y–Altet) are the most energetically favorable grain‐boundary structures. The ab initio DFT calculations are further performed to investigate the atomic structure, electronic structure, and optical properties of the G(Aloct) and G(Y–Altet). The overall total density of states of the G(Aloct) and G(Y–Altet) have similar features with the bulk YAG except that some new defect states are introduced at the top of the valence band resulting in the reduction in the band gap. The calculated optical properties show that the refractive indices of the grain boundaries are slightly higher than the single crystal YAG, which is in agreement with the experimental result.
Forensic Epidemiologic and Biomechanical Analysis of a Pelvic Cavity Blowout Injury Associated with Ejection from a Personal Watercraft (Jet‐Ski)
Authors: Freeman Michael D. , Everson Todd M. , Kohles Sean S.
Published: August 2012

Jet‐propelled personal watercraft (PWC) or jet‐skis have become increasingly popular. The means of propulsion of PWC, which is a jet of water forced out of small nozzle at the rear of the craft, combined with a high risk of falling off of the seat and into close proximity with the water jet stream, raise the potential for a unique type of injury mechanism. The most serious injuries associated with PWC falls are those that occur when the perineum passes in close proximity to the jet nozzle and the high‐pressure water stream enters the vaginal or rectal orifice. We describe the forensic investigation into a case of an anovaginal “blowout” injury in a passenger who was ejected from the rear seat position of a PWC and subsequently suffered life‐threatening injuries to the pelvic organs. The investigation included a biomechanical analysis of the injury mechanism, a summary of prior published reports of internal pelvic injuries resulting from PWC falls as well as other water sports and activities, and a comparison of the severity of the injuries resulting from differing mechanisms using the New Injury Severity Score (NISS). The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) NISS values for reported PWC injuries [not including the NISS of 38 in this case study] were 11.2 (±9.5), while the mean value for reported water‐skiing falls was half that of the PWC group at 5.6 (±5.2). It was concluded that the analyzed injuries were unique to a PWC ejection versus other previously described non‐PWC‐associated water sport injuries. It is recommended that PWC manufacturers help consumers understand the potential risks to passengers with highly visible warnings and reduce injury risk with revised seat design, and/or passenger seat “deadman” switches.
Tensions that Make a Difference: Institutions, Interests, and the Immigrant Drive1
Authors: Portes Alejandro
Published: August 2012

This article examines the dynamics underlying contemporary South‐North population displacements and the common gaps between public perceptions of the phenomenon and actual realities. I analyze these dynamics and gaps by focusing on the clash between opposing forces at various stages of the migration process. These tensions occur between actors endowed with unequal power, leading to inefficient Nash‐like equilibria where the interests of less powerful participants and those of society‐at‐large in the successful integration of its newest members are not maximized. Matrices of hypothetical payoffs for relevant actors are presented for illustration. Systemic changes that would alter the present situation in the direction of more efficient and stable outcomes are discussed.
The Cost of Instability: The Effects of Family, Work, and Welfare Change on Low‐Income Women’s Health Insurance Status
Authors: Legerski Elizabeth Miklya
Published: August 2012

The number of uninsured Americans has risen substantially over the last decade. Despite the availability of Medicaid, low‐income women are at particularly elevated risk of having no or inadequate health insurance. How does continuity of work, family, and welfare affect low‐income women’s health insurance status? A multinomial logistic regression analysis of 1,662 low‐income women from the Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three‐City Study provides evidence of the consequences of life changes on access to health insurance from 1999–2005. The results show that compared to those with stable welfare, work, and family attachments, new full‐time employment actually increases low‐income women’s risk of being uninsured as does being underemployed, on welfare, or single for extended periods of time. These findings illustrate how health‐care reform must adequately address the complexity of low‐income women’s lives—including the ways labor market, state, and family factors interact to create barriers to health insurance—in order to improve access to care under the current U.S. health insurance model.
Who “Fills in” for Siblings and How? A Multilevel Analysis of Personal Network Composition and Its Relationship to Sibling Size1
Authors: Gondal Neha
Published: August 2012

In the midst of widespread fertility decline, I examine the relationship between sibling number and support network composition using multilevel regression on data from 25 countries. A fundamental structural effect of having fewer siblings is that individuals have a smaller pool of available close‐kin alters with whom to construct support networks. Consequently, networks of people with fewer siblings should be composed of different sorts of relations. Results confirm that such compositional adjustment occurs in systematic ways. Compared to those with three or more siblings, adults with none to two siblings (as separate categories) are more likely to expect support from parents, extended kin, and close friends but not more likely to do so from spouses/partners and children. Single children are also more likely to include neighbors and have smaller‐sized and/or impersonal networks. These findings contradict the primacy of familial ties in social support networks. Moreover, adjustment of support networks towards nonsibling ties occurs in culturally expected ways. Those with fewer siblings are generally only more likely to turn to ties for the types of support typically associated with those relations—parents for instrumental and financial support and friends for emotional support. Single children, however, also violate institutionalized expectations of social support by turning to ties for a wider range of social support. The results suggest that continuing declines in fertility could bring about both reinforcement and rearticulation of the sociocultural framing of close personal relationships. Moreover, consistent with recent research, the results show that personal networks are influenced more by individual‐level than country‐level factors.
“It Was Tourism Repellent, That’s What We Were Spraying”: Natural Amenities, Environmental Stigma, and Redevelopment in a Postindustrial Mill Town1
Authors: Colocousis Chris R.
Published: August 2012

This article focuses on the stigmatization of place and resultant effects on redevelopment in a community once dependent on the pulp and paper industry, yet located in a high‐amenity, recreation‐dependent region. On the basis of historical environmental conditions, the community became known regionally as a polluted and undesirable place and this negative image has posed a number of challenges to redevelopment efforts. Today, tourism‐based development appears constrained, symbolically and materially tied to the local ecohistorical context. I employ an ethnographic approach to first elaborate a key element of local place character—environmental stigma—and then show how it has shaped the course of redevelopment there. Though originally centered on environmental conditions, the community’s place stigma has become more complex, incorporating a set of negative community effects common to deindustrialization. I analyze the effects of long‐term and diffuse processes of environmental harm and decay, and show how such stigma can present subtle yet real obstacles to redevelopment. I demonstrate how place matters for the course of community change, emphasizing how dynamics of place can run counter to what is expected when a community fits the description of a high‐amenity community ostensibly positioned to undergo a new phase of amenity‐based growth.
Correlation between salivary anti‐HCV antibodies and HCV RNA in saliva and salivary glands of patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Caldeira Patrícia Carlos , Oliveira e Silva Karla Rachel , Silva Tarcília Aparecida , de Mattos Camargo Grossmann Soraya , Teixeira Rosângela , Carmo Maria Auxiliadora Vieira do
Published: August 2012

Background

To investigate the correlation between anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in saliva and detection of HCV RNA in saliva and salivary glands of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Methods

A total of 180 samples of saliva (131 non‐stimulated and 49 stimulated) from 133 patients with chronic hepatitis C were tested by ELISA for presence of anti‐HCV antibodies. Results were compared with the detection of HCV RNA in saliva and salivary glands samples. Pearson's chi‐squared and Fisher's exact tests were performed for statistical analysis.

Results

Anti‐HCV antibodies could be detected in 47/180 (26.1%) saliva samples. In 11/47 (23.5%) of these, HCV RNA was also detected. From the 133/180 (73.9%) saliva samples with undetectable anti‐HCV antibodies, 49/133 (36.8%) were positive for HCV RNA at least in one saliva sample. From the 64 patients from whom salivary gland samples were available, 17/64 (26.6%) had detectable anti‐HCV antibodies in saliva, from which 2/17 (11.8%) also had HCV RNA in the salivary gland. From the 47/64 (73.4%) cases negative for anti‐HCV antibodies in saliva, 10/47 (21.3%) were positive for HCV RNA in salivary gland.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results suggest that there is no correlation between the presence of anti‐HCV antibodies in saliva and the detection of HCV RNA in saliva and salivary glands in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Nevertheless, as there was a statistically significant difference between detection of anti‐HCV antibodies and HCV RNA in stimulated saliva, our study points toward the need for new research on mechanisms of HCV shedding in saliva.
Glycated matrix up‐regulates inflammatory signaling similarly to Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Chang P‐C. , Chien L‐Y. , Chong L. Y. , Kuo Y‐P. , Hsiao J‐K.
Published: August 2012

Background and Objective

Hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end‐products (AGEs) have been hypothesized as the etiologic factors of diabetic periodontitis. The aim of this study was to clarify in greater detail the patterns of AGE‐mediated periodontal inflammation under various physiological conditions.

Material and Methods

The deposition of AGEs and expression of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) were identified by immunohistochemistry in Sprague–Dawley rats with experimentally induced periodontitis or diabetes. Human periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured under simulated conditions of hyperglycemia, Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation and matrix glycation. Cell viability and expression of toll‐like receptors (TLRs), Rage, an inflammatory signaling initiator (nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activator β cells), an oxidative stressor (heme oxygenase‐1) and collagen synthesis (type I and type IV) genes were evaluated.

Results

The deposition of AGEs and the expression of Rage were evident in the inflamed periodontal tissues in all rats and appeared to be enhanced in rats with diabetes. Matrix glycation augmented cytotoxicity, up‐regulated RAGE and TLRs in both PDLCs and MSCs, and significantly activated downstream inflammatory signaling in MSCs. Oxidative stress was significantly increased under matrix glycation in both PDLCs and MSCs and was significantly increased at a high‐glucose concentration in MSCs. A consistent decrease in expression of type I and type IV collagens was observed in MSCs, but a delayed reduction was noted in PDLCs.

Conclusions

Matrix glycation modulated cell behavior to induce inflammation equivalent to that produced by incubation with P. gingivalis LPS. Periodontal inflammation also led to matrix glycation, thus demonstrating a definite interaction between diabetes and periodontitis.
Torque capabilities of self‐ligating and conventional brackets under the effect of bracket width and free wire length
Authors: Huang Y. , Keilig L. , Rahimi A. , Reimann S. , Bourauel C.
Published: August 2012

Huang Y., Keilig L., Rahimi A., Reimann S., Bourauel C: Torque capabilities of self‐ligating and conventional brackets under the effect of bracket width and free wire length  Orthod Craniofac Res 2012;15:255–262. © John Wiley & Sons A/S

Structured Abstract

Objectives –  To numerically investigate the torque capacity of conventional and self‐ligating brackets under the effect of varying bracket width and free wire length.

Material and Methods –  Finite element models of three kinds of orthodontic brackets in the 0.022‐inch slot size were investigated: Discovery, Damon 3MX, Speed. Additionally, finite element (FE) models of Speed and Damon brackets were generated with the same width as the Discovery. From the left upper incisor to the right upper canine, four brackets each were modelled. The total wire length at the upper right incisor was kept constant at 12 mm for all brackets types. For the Discovery brackets, the wire length was increased from 12 to 16 mm in 2‐mm steps. A torque of 20° was applied to the upper right incisor with 0.46 × 0.64 mm2 (0.018″ × 0.025″) and 0.48 × 0.64 mm2 (0.019″ × 0.025″) wires. Wires made of stainless steel, titanium molybdenum and nickel titanium were studied. Torque angle/moment characteristics were recorded.

Results –  Wider brackets showed more torque control capability (e.g. Discovery: 10.6 Nmm, Damon: 9.2 Nmm, Speed: 4.0 Nmm for the NiTi wire). Even with the same width as the Discovery bracket, Damon and Speed brackets showed lower torque capability than the Discovery bracket. Increasing the free wire length decreased the torsional stiffness of the wire and thus decreased the torque capability.

Conclusion –  The results showed that the bracket design has less influence on the torquing moment than other parameters, such as bracket width, free wire length, wire/slot play or misalignment.
Comparison of production systems for efficient use of indigenous pig breeds in developing countries
Authors: Furukawa Tsutomu , Nirasawa Keijiro , Ishii Kazuo , Thuy Le T. , Satoh Masahiro
Published: August 2012

Conserving pig genetic resources and improving their productivity is important to increase returns over investment in developing countries. The purebred, first‐cross, rotational cross and backcross matings representing production systems based on pig breeds indigenous to the country and exotic pig breeds were investigated. The number of pigs in the nucleus and commercial herds necessary to produce a defined quantity of pork was considered. The amount of heterosis between the indigenous and exotic breeds, superiority in meat production, and degree of inferiority in reproductive performance of the exotic breed compared with that of the indigenous breed were investigated. The number of breeding pigs in the whole system was in the following order: pure breeding (PB) > first‐cross (F1) > rotational cross (RC) > backcross (BC) systems. The number of breeding pigs in the nucleus herds of the RC and BC systems was smaller than that in the nucleus herds of the PB and F1 systems. The degree of inferiority in reproductive performance of the exotic breed compared with that of the indigenous breed affected the efficiency of the production system.
Mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting: the effect of vacuum‐assisted closure versus traditional closed drainage on survival and re‐infection rate
Authors: Risnes Ivar , Abdelnoor Michael , Veel Terje , Svennevig Jan Ludvig , Lundblad Runar , Rynning Stein Erik
Published: August 2012

Mediastinitis is treated with either vacuum‐assisted closure (VAC) or traditional closed drainage (TCD) with irrigation. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the two treatments on mortality and re‐infection rate in a source population, using 21 314 consecutive patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) from January 1997 to October 2010. Median observation time was 2·9 years in the VAC group and 8·0 years in the TCD group. The epidemiological design was of an exposed (VAC, n = 64) versus non‐exposed (TCD, n = 66) cohort with two endpoints: (1) mortality and (2) failure of sternal wound healing or re‐infection. The crude effect of treatment technique versus endpoint was estimated by univariate analysis. Stratification analysis by the Mantel–Haenszel method was performed to quantify confounders and to pinpoint effect modifiers. Adjustment for confounders was performed using Cox regression analysis. Mediastinitis was diagnosed 6–105 (median 14) days after primary operation in the VAC group and 13 (5–29) days in the TCD group. There was no difference between groups in long‐term survival. Failure of sternal wound healing or re‐infection occurred less frequently in the VAC group (6%) than in the TCD group (21%; relative risk = 0·29, 95% CI = 0·06–0·88, P = 0·01). There are concerns for increase in right ventricle rupture in VAC compared with TCD. There was no difference in survival after VAC therapy and TCD therapy of post‐CABG mediastinitis. Failure of sternal wound healing or re‐infection was more common after TCD therapy.
Inhaled methoxyflurane for pain and anxiety relief during burn wound care procedures: an Australian case series
Authors: Wasiak Jason , Mahar Patrick D , Paul Eldho , Menezes Hana , Spinks Anneliese B , Cleland Heather
Published: August 2012

Pain is a common and significant feature of burn injury. The use of intravenous opioids forms the mainstay of procedural burn pain management, but in an outpatient setting, the demand for novel agents that do not require parenteral access, are easy to administer and have a rapid onset are urgently needed. One such agent is the inhaled anaesthetic agent, methoxyflurane (MF). The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot investigation into the clinical effectiveness of MF inhaler on pain and anxiety scores in patients undergoing burn wound care procedures in an outpatient setting. A prospective case series involved recruiting patients undergoing a burn wound care procedure in an ambulatory burn care setting. Pain and anxiety were assessed using numerical rating scales. Overall, median numerical pain rating score was significantly higher post‐dressing [pre‐dressing: 2; interquartile range (IQR): 1–3 versus post‐dressing: 3; IQR 1·5–4; P = 0·01], whereas median numerical anxiety score significantly reduced following the dressing (pre‐dressing: 5; IQR 4–7 versus post‐dressing: 2; IQR 1–2; P < 0·001). Our study suggests that there is a role for MF in the pain management armamentarium in those undergoing burn care procedures in the ambulatory care setting. However, there is an urgent need for larger case series and randomised controlled trials to determine its overall clinical effectiveness.
Electrospun chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol nanofibre mats for wound healing
Authors: Charernsriwilaiwat Natthan , Rojanarata Theerasak , Ngawhirunpat Tanasait , Opanasopit Praneet
Published: August 2012

Chitosan (CS) aqueous salt blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibre mats was prepared by electrospinning. CS was dissolved with hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt), thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in distilled water without the use of toxic or hazardous solvents. The CS aqueous salts were blended with PVA at different weight ratios, and the effect of the solution ratios was investigated. The morphologies and mechanical and swelling properties of the generated fibres were analysed. Indirect cytotoxicity studies indicated that the CS/PVA nanofibre mats were non‐toxic to normal human fibroblast cells. The CS‐HOBt/PVA and CS‐EDTA/PVA nanofibre mats demonstrated satisfactory antibacterial activity against both gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria, and an in vivo wound healing test showed that the CS‐EDTA/PVA nanofibre mats performed better than gauze in decreasing acute wound size during the first week after tissue damage. In conclusion, the biodegradable, biocompatible and antibacterial CS‐EDTA/PVA nanofibre mats have potential for use as wound dressing materials.
Quality and capacity choices in a vertical differentiation model with congestion
Authors: Elhadj Nada Ben , Jebsi Khaïreddine , Lahmandi‐Ayed Rim
Published: August 2012

We consider a vertically differentiated market in which consumers’ utility is assumed to depend on the price, congestion level and the stand‐alone quality of the good or service. Two firms compete on this market, choosing capacities, stand‐alone qualities and prices. We characterize completely the subgame perfect equilibrium for the homogenous market case (where only one firm is active without congestion). We prove that both firms are active, choosing minimal differentiation along the capacity and quality dimensions. Therefore, the presence of congestion rules out market preemption as a possible outcome in equilibrium and weakens the incentive to differentiate.
A New Device for Simultaneous Measurement of Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity and Vaginal Blood Flow: A Test in a Nonclinical Sample
Authors: Both Stephanie , van Lunsen Rik , Weijenborg Philomeen , Laan Ellen
Published: August 2012

Introduction

Dyspareunia in women, defined as persistent or recurrent genital pain associated with sexual intercourse, is hypothesized to be related to (fear associated) pelvic floor hyperactivity and to diminished sexual arousal. Psychophysiological research to support these hypotheses is scarce and concentrates mostly on the role of either pelvic floor activity or sexual arousal. To investigate both factors, a measurement device that enables simultaneous assessment of pelvic floor muscle activity and genital sexual arousal would be most optimal.

Aim

The aim of this study was to test a new vaginal device—a vaginal photoplethysmograph with build-in surface electromyography (EMG)—that allows simultaneous assessment of pelvic floor muscle activity and vaginal blood flow.

Main Outcome Measures

Genital arousal measured as vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) and vaginal surface EMG.

Methods

Thirty-six sexually functional women participated. To investigate the sensitivity of the device for changes in genital blood flow and involuntary changes in pelvic floor activity, VPA and vaginal surface EMG were monitored during exposure to sexual and anxiety-evoking film clips. In addition, vaginal surface EMG was monitored during voluntary flick and hold contractions.

Results

VPA increased in response to the sexual film, and EMG values were significantly higher in response to the anxiety-evoking film. Higher EMG values in response to the anxiety film were associated with lower VPA. EMG during the instructed 3-second hold pelvic floor contractions showed, as expected, higher values during pelvic floor contractions with support of surrounding muscle groups, compared with pelvic floor muscles alone.

Conclusion

The device is sensitive to changes in vaginal blood flow in response to sexual stimuli, and it is able to pick up small, involuntary changes in pelvic floor activity associated with anxiety. Also, the device is able to record changes in pelvic floor activity during voluntary pelvic floor contractions. This new device will be a valuable tool in further research on superficial dyspareunia.
Ethnic Differences in Sexual Dysfunction among Diabetic and Nondiabetic Males: The Oxford Sexual Dysfunction Study
Authors: Malavige Lasantha S. , Wijesekara Pabasi , Seneviratne Epa Danesha , Ranasinghe Priyanga , Levy Jonathan C.
Published: August 2012

Introduction

Erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE), and reduced libido are common yet poorly investigated complications of diabetes especially among South Asians (SA).

Aim

To determine possible variations in prevalence and interassociations of ED, PE, and reduced libido among SA and Europids with and without diabetes.

Method

Men with diabetes and a randomly selected sample of age-matched nondiabetic men from 25 general practitioners in eight primary care trusts in the United Kingdom were invited to participate in a linguistically validated questionnaire-based study in English, Hindi, Urdu, Panjabi, Tamil, and Sinhala languages.

Main Outcome Measures

ED, assessed by International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), PE, evaluated using the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool, and libido, assessed by asking participants to grade their desire for sexual activity.

Results

Sample size was 510 (SA: 184, Europid: 326). Mean age was 56.9 ± 9.7 years. There was no difference in erectile function when assessed by IIEF between SA and Europids with diabetes (84.8% and 84.1%, respectively). The overall prevalence of PE was 28.8% (32.6% and 25.8% in those with and without diabetes, respectively, P = NS). Among men with diabetes, the prevalence of PE was 45.8% and 22.4% for SA and Europids, respectively (P < 0.001). In those without diabetes, this figure was 41.9% in SA and 20.2% in Europids (P < 0.001). There was a significant trend of increasing prevalence of PE with increasing severity grade of ED (P < 0.001). Reduced libido was reported by 26.9% men (32.8% and 22.0% in those with and without diabetes, respectively, P < 0.01), with no significant ethnic difference. The association between reduced libido and increasing severity grades of ED was also significant (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of ED between SA and Europid men with diabetes. PE was significantly more common in the SA men irrespective of their diabetes status.
Densification, Crystallization, and Dielectric Properties of AlN,BN, and Si3N4 Filler‐Containing LTCC Materials
Authors: Hong Kyung Pyo , Choi Ik Jin , Jung Jae Woong , Choi Hong Rak , Cho Yong Soo , Kwak Jiyeon , Kang Dong Heon
Published: August 2012

Glass composite dielectrics consisting of calcium aluminoborosilicate glass and nitride fillers such as aluminum nitride, boron nitride, and silicon nitride (AlN, BN, and Si3N4) were investigated. Densification and crystallization behavior depended on the type of filler, filler content, and firing temperature. AlN was most promising in generating desirable densification and dielectric properties (k of ~7.2 and tanδ of ~0.003) at 850°C with progressive crystallization of common anorthite phase. BN tended to show no significant densification and suppression of crystallization. Si3N4 resulted in abnormal behavior of densification, which can be highlighted with certain expansion at higher temperatures, as well as unexpected crystallization of CaSiO3 and CaAl2SiO6.
Structure and Corrosion Resistance of PEO Ceramic Coatings on AZ91D Mg Alloy Under Three Kinds of Power Modes
Authors: Jiang Yanli , Yu Zhenxing , Xia Qixing , Zhang Yajun , Jiang Zhaohua , Yao Zhongping , Wu Zhendong
Published: August 2012

Power mode is one of the most important factors in the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) technique, which greatly influences the structure and performances of the prepared ceramic coatings. The aim of this work was to investigate effects of three kinds of power modes (constant voltage (Mode 1), constant current (Mode 2), and constant power (Mode 3)) on the structure and corrosion resistance of the PEO ceramic coatings containing Ca and P on AZ91D Mg alloy. The phase composition, morphology, and the element distribution of the coatings was studied using X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The electrochemical impedance spectrum was measured to evaluate the structure and the corrosion resistance. The polarizing curves were measured to evaluate the corrosion resistance. The results show that the coatings are of porous structure and mainly composed of MgO. The thickness and surface roughness of three kinds of coatings abide by the following sequences: Mode 1 > Mode 2 > Mode 3. By comparison, “equivalent circuit” mode Rs{Q1[R1(Q2R2)]} is the most proper to reflect the structure of such coatings, including the surface roughness, the outer layer pore structure, and the inner layer structure. The coatings prepared under Mode 1 are of maximum thickness and high density, and therefore have the best general corrosion resistance. And the coatings prepared under Mode 3 are of the smallest surface roughness and higher density, which leads to the best pitting corrosion resistance.
Accounting for Aquifer Heterogeneity from Geological Data to Management Tools
Authors: Blouin Martin , Martel Richard , Gloaguen Erwan
Published: August 2012

A nested workflow of multiple‐point geostatistics (MPG) and sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) was tested on a study area of 6 km2located about 20 km northwest of Quebec City, Canada. In order to assess its geological and hydrogeological parameter heterogeneity and to provide tools to evaluate uncertainties in aquifer management, direct and indirect field measurements are used as inputs in the geostatistical simulations to reproduce large and small‐scale heterogeneities. To do so, the lithological information is first associated to equivalent hydrogeological facies (hydrofacies) according to hydraulic properties measured at several wells. Then, heterogeneous hydrofacies (HF) realizations are generated using a prior geological model as training image (TI) with the MPG algorithm. The hydraulic conductivity (K) heterogeneity modeling within each HF is finally computed using SGS algorithm. DifferentKmodels are integrated in a finite‐element hydrogeological model to calculate multiple transport simulations. Different scenarios exhibit variations in mass transport path and dispersion associated with the large‐ and small‐scale heterogeneity respectively. Three‐dimensional maps showing the probability of overpassing different thresholds are presented as examples of management tools.
A Portable Membrane Contactor Sampler for Analysis of Noble Gases in Groundwater
Authors: Matsumoto Takuya , Han Liang‐Feng , Jaklitsch Manfred , Aggarwal Pradeep K.
Published: August 2012

To enable a wider use of dissolved noble gas concentrations and isotope ratios in groundwater studies, we have developed an efficient and portable sampling device using a commercially available membrane contactor. The device separates dissolved gases from a stream of water and collects them in a small copper tube (6 mm in diameter and 100 mm in length with two pinch‐off clamps) for noble gas analysis by mass spectrometry. We have examined the performance of the sampler using a tank of homogeneous water prepared in the laboratory and by field testing. We find that our sampling device can extract heavier noble gases (Ar, Kr, and Xe) more efficiently than the lighter ones (He and Ne). An extraction time of about 60 min at a flow rate of 3 L/min is sufficient for all noble gases extracted in the sampler to attain equilibrium with the dissolved phase. The extracted gas sample did not indicate fractionation of helium (3He/4He) isotopes or other noble gas isotopes. Field performance of the sampling device was tested using a groundwater well in Vienna and results were in excellent agreement with those obtained from the conventional copper tube sampling method.
What We Know About the Effectiveness of Farm Safety Day Programs and What We Need to Know
Authors: McCallum Debra Moehle , Murphy Shannon , Reed Deborah B. , Claunch Deborah T. , Reynolds Susan J.
Published: August 2012

Background: Farm safety day camps are grassroots educational interventions organized and conducted by members of a local community. These events are held in an effort to promote safety knowledge and behavior in children who live on family farms or are exposed to the hazards of the agricultural industry. Since the dramatic increase in farm safety day camps beginning in the 1990s, researchers have been called upon to evaluate their effectiveness.

Purpose: The current paper reviews more than a decade of research, describing what is currently known about the effectiveness of farm safety days and suggesting potential methods for addressing questions regarding gaps in what we know about their effectiveness.

Conclusions: The results of these evaluations indicate that farm safety days have a positive impact on children's safety behavior and knowledge; however, much remains to be investigated regarding the effectiveness and impact of these interventions.
Regional Differences in Prescribing Quality Among Elder Veterans and the Impact of Rural Residence
Authors: Lund Brian C. , Charlton Mary E. , Steinman Michael A. , Kaboli Peter J.
Published: August 2012

Purpose:Medication safety is a critical concern for older adults. Regional variation in potentially inappropriate prescribing practices may reflect important differences in health care quality. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to characterize prescribing quality variation among older adults across geographic region, and to compare prescribing quality across rural versus urban residence.

Methods:Cross‐sectional study of 1,549,824 older adult veterans with regular Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care and medication use during fiscal year 2007. Prescribing quality was measured by 4 indicators of potentially inappropriate prescribing: Zhan criteria drugs to avoid, Fick criteria drugs to avoid, therapeutic duplication, and drug‐drug interactions. Frequency differences across region and rural‐urban residence were compared using adjusted odds‐ratios.

Findings:Significant regional variation was observed for all indicators. Zhan criteria frequencies ranged from 13.2% in the Northeast to 21.2% in the South. Nationally, rural veterans had a significantly increased risk for inappropriate prescribing according to all quality indicators. However, regional analyses revealed this effect was limited to the South and Northeast, whereas rural residence was neutral in the Midwest and protective in the West.

Conclusions:Significant regional variation in prescribing quality was observed among older adult veterans, mirroring recent findings among Medicare beneficiaries. The association between rurality and prescribing quality is heterogeneous, and relying solely on national estimates may yield misleading conclusions. Although we documented important variations in prescribing quality, the underlying factors driving these trends remain unknown, and they are a vital area for future research affecting older adults in both VA and non‐VA health systems.
Suppressed G‐protein‐coupled receptor kinase 2 activity protects female diabetic‐mouse aorta against endothelial dysfunction
Authors: Taguchi, K. , Matsumoto, T. , Kamata K. , Kobayashi T.
Published: August 2012

Aim

Pre‐menopausal women have less cardiovascular disease and lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than men the same age. Previously, we noted in mice that G‐protein‐coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) negatively regulates the Akt/eNOS pathway in male diabetic aortas and that endothelial function via the Akt/eNOS pathway is less affected in female diabetic aortas. The cellular mechanisms underlying these sex differences remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the ways in which GRK2 might modulate vascular functions in male and female diabetic mice (DM).

Methods

Vascular functions were examined in aortic rings. GRK2, β‐arrestin 2 and Akt/eNOS‐signalling‐pathway protein levels and activities were assayed by Western blotting.

Results

Phenylephrine‐induced contraction was greater, while both clonidine‐induced and insulin‐induced relaxations were weaker (vs. male controls), in aortas from male type 2 DM, suggesting impairments of the Akt/eNOS pathway and α‐adrenoceptor function. GRK2‐inhibitor reversed only the impairment in Akt/eNOS‐pathway‐mediated relaxation in male DM. Increases in GRK2 activity, GRK2 expression in the membrane, plasma Ang II and systolic blood pressure were seen in male DM (vs. male controls) but not in female DM; these increases were attenuated by GRK2‐inhibitor treatment. Repeatedly obtaining clonidine concentration‐response curves led to reduced relaxation in male and in female DM aortas, indicating similar desensitization between female DM and male DM. This effect was reversed by GRK2‐inhibitor in both sexes.

Conclusion

GRK2 plays a key role in modulating the aortic vasodilator effect of clonidine by selectively affecting the Akt/eNOS pathway. This action of GRK2 is more powerful in male than in female DM.
Development of a Model System for the Study of Spoilage Associated Secondary Cucumber Fermentation during Long‐Term Storage
Authors: Franco Wendy , Pérez‐Díaz Ilenys M.
Published: August 2012

Abstract:  Calcium chloride fermentations represent an alternative to reduce chloride concentrations in the wastewaters generated from commercial cucumber fermentations, currently performed in cover brine solutions containing 6% to 12% sodium chloride. However, preliminary attempts to commercially ferment the cucumbers in the presence of oxygen led to the development of a secondary cucumber fermentation or spoilage. The development of cucumber secondary fermentation has also been occasionally reported by processors using cover brine solutions containing sodium chloride. This study focused on the development of a model system to characterize CaCl2 and NaCl secondary cucumber fermentations under conditions similar to those present on the commercial scale. Cucumber fruits mixed with cover brine solutions, containing 100 mM CaCl2 or 1.03 M NaCl, and 25 mM acetic acid, were fermented in 2 L fermentation vessels subjected to air‐purging at a rate of 5 mL/min. Microorganisms and selected biochemical changes detected in the experimental cucumber fermentations had been previously observed in commercial spoilage samples, suggesting the successful reproduction of the secondary fermentation in the laboratory. Experimental secondary fermentations were characterized by the rapid oxidation of the lactic acid produced during the primary fermentation, which, in turn, increased pH. Lactic acid disappearance seemed to be the result of yeast metabolism that also led to the chemical reduction of the environment to levels at which other bacteria could become established and produce butyric, propionic, and acetic acids. This model system will be applied for the identification of strategies to prevent the initiation of the cucumber secondary fermentation and reduce economic losses in the pickling industry.

Practical Application:  The study of secondary cucumber fermentation has represented a challenge for many years. The successful development of a model system for the study of this phenomenon in the laboratory is instrumental in furthering the study of the event and in optimizing the sodium‐chloride‐free fermentation at the commercial scale.