bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Passive Smoking and Risk of Peripheral Arterial Disease and Ischemic Stroke in Chinese Women Who Never Smoked
Authors: He Yao , Lam Tai Hing , Jiang Bin , Wang Jie , Sai Xiaoyong , Fan Li , Li Xiaoying , Qin Yinhe , Hu Frank B.
Published: September 2008

Background—

The association between secondhand smoke (SHS) and risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and stroke remains uncertain.

Methods and Results—

We examined the relationship between SHS and cardiovascular diseases, particularly PAD and stroke, in Chinese women who never smoked from a population-based cross-sectional study in Beijing, China. SHS exposure was defined as exposure to another person’s tobacco smoke at home or in the workplace. Cardiovascular disease events included coronary heart disease, stroke, and PAD. PAD was defined by signs of intermittent claudication as measured by the World Health Organization Rose questionnaire and an ankle-brachial index of <0.90. Among 1209 women who never smoked, 39.5% were exposed to SHS at home or in workplaces. Those individuals who were exposed to SHS had a significantly higher risk of coronary heart disease (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.69; 95% CI, 1.31 to 2.18) and ischemic stroke (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.03 to 2.35) than those never exposed to SHS after adjustment for 13 potential risk factors. The adjusted ORs of PAD defined by intermittent claudication, by ankle-brachial index <0.90, and by either intermittent claudication or ankle-brachial index <0.90 were 1.87 (95% CI, 1.30 to 2.68), 1.47 (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.03), and 1.67 (95% CI, 1.23 to 2.16), respectively. Dose-response relationships were found between SHS exposure amount (cigarettes per day) and duration (minutes per day) and increasing prevalence of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and PAD.

Conclusions—

In China, SHS exposure in women is highly prevalent. In addition to being a risk factor for coronary heart disease, SHS should be considered an important risk factor for ischemic stroke and PAD in nonsmoking women.
Mechanosensitive
N
-Methyl-
d
-Aspartate Receptors Contribute to Sensory Activation in the Rat Renal Pelvis
Authors: Ma Ming-Chieh , Huang Ho-Shiang , Chen Yih-Sharng , Lee Shang-Hsing
Published: September 2008

The
N
-methyl-
d
-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of the ionotropic glutamate receptor is found in the periphery. The present study tested whether NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are present in the ends of afferent renal nerves in the renal pelvis, an area concerned mainly with transmitting sensation and the to reflex regulation of body fluid. The main NMDAR subunit, NMDAζ1, was found to be more abundant in the renal pelvis than the renal cortex and medulla, and was mainly colocalized with the pan-neuronal marker PGP9.5 or the sensory nerve marker, the neurokinin-1 receptor. However, NMDAζ1 mRNA was undetectable, suggesting that it might be synthesized outside the renal pelvis. Intrarenal arterial administration of the specific ion channel blocker (+)-MK-801, but not the inactive enantiomer (−)-MK-801, decreased urine output and sodium excretion. High doses of (+)-MK-801 also caused regional vasoconstriction in the renal cortex, as determined by laser-Doppler flowmetry. Intrapelvic administration of the NMDAR ligand D-serine caused a dose-dependent increase in substance P (SP) release and afferent renal nerve activity, but had no effect on arterial pressure. The D-serine–induced sensory activation and SP release were abrogated by (+)-MK-801, the SP receptor blocker L-703,606, or dorsal rhizotomy. Increasing intrapelvic pressure resulted in an increase in afferent renal nerve activity and a diuretic/natriuretic response. Interestingly, these effects were attenuated by prior administration of (+)-MK-801. These results indicate that NMDAR-positive sensory nerves are present in the renal pelvis and contribute to the renorenal reflex control of body fluid.
Common Variation in the
WNK1
Gene and Blood Pressure in Childhood
Authors: Tobin Martin D. , Timpson Nicholas J. , Wain Louise V. , Ring Susan , Jones Louise R. , Emmett Pauline M. , Palmer Thomas M. , Ness Andrew R. , Samani Nilesh J. , Smith George Davey , Burton Paul R.
Published: September 2008

WNK1
gene variants have been associated with adult blood pressure. We aimed to investigate relationships between
WNK1
variants and blood pressure, as well as blood pressure change with age, in a longitudinal childhood study. Associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in
WNK1
and blood pressure and the rate of blood pressure change between 7 and 11 years were examined in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parent and Children Study (n=5326 for systolic blood pressure at 11 years). We observed associations (
P
<0.05) with diastolic blood pressure gradient with age for 33 of 82 typed and imputed polymorphisms, including polymorphisms in exons 4, 10, and 11 (rs10774466, rs1012729, and rs9804992). The minor allele (G) of rs1012729 (frequency: 25.6%) was associated with a gender-adjusted change in a diastolic blood pressure gradient of −0.11 mm Hg/y (95% CI: −0.20 to −0.03 mm Hg/y;
P
=0.0054). No associations were shown with the systolic blood pressure gradient. At age 11 years, 30 polymorphisms showed association (
P
<0.05) with systolic blood pressure, including variants in exons 4 and 10 (rs10774466 and rs1012729). Only 3 polymorphisms were associated with diastolic blood pressure at 11 years. In exploration of polymorphism-dietary cation interactions on systolic blood pressure at 11 years, 59 reached significance (
P
<0.05; 12.3 expected by chance), mostly (n=33) related to dietary calcium. The findings show that common intronic and exonic
WNK1
variants are associated with diastolic blood pressure gradient from 7 to 11 years and with systolic blood pressure at 11 years. Our study suggests that previously reported effects of
WNK1
variants on blood pressure are mediated via effects on the gradient of blood pressure change with age.
A Graphical Model for Evolutionary Optimization
Authors: Monson Christopher K. , Seppi Kevin D.
Published: September 2008

We present a statistical model of empirical optimization that admits the creation of algorithms with explicit and intuitively defined desiderata. Because No Free Lunch theorems dictate that no optimization algorithm can be considered more efficient than any other when considering all possible functions, the desired function class plays a prominent role in the model. In particular, this provides a direct way to answer the traditionally difficult question of what algorithm is best matched to a particular class of functions. Among the benefits of the model are the ability to specify the function class in a straightforward manner, a natural way to specify noisy or dynamic functions, and a new source of insight into No Free Lunch theorems for optimization.
The Crowding Approach to Niching in Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Mengshoel Ole J. , Goldberg David E.
Published: September 2008

A wide range of niching techniques have been investigated in evolutionary and genetic algorithms. In this article, we focus on niching using crowding techniques in the context of what we call local tournament algorithms. In addition to deterministic and probabilistic crowding, the family of local tournament algorithms includes the Metropolis algorithm, simulated annealing, restricted tournament selection, and parallel recombinative simulated annealing. We describe an algorithmic and analytical framework which is applicable to a wide range of crowding algorithms. As an example of utilizing this framework, we present and analyze the probabilistic crowding niching algorithm. Like the closely related deterministic crowding approach, probabilistic crowding is fast, simple, and requires no parameters beyond those of classical genetic algorithms. In probabilistic crowding, subpopulations are maintained reliably, and we show that it is possible to analyze and predict how this maintenance takes place. We also provide novel results for deterministic crowding, show how different crowding replacement rules can be combined in portfolios, and discuss population sizing. Our analysis is backed up by experiments that further increase the understanding of probabilistic crowding.
An Efficient Non-dominated Sorting Method for Evolutionary Algorithms
Authors: Fang Hongbing , Wang Qian , Tu Yi-Cheng , Horstemeyer Mark F.
Published: September 2008

We present a new non-dominated sorting algorithm to generate the non-dominated fronts in multi-objective optimization with evolutionary algorithms, particularly the NSGA-II. The non-dominated sorting algorithm used by NSGA-II has a time complexity of O(MN2) in generating non-dominated fronts in one generation (iteration) for a population size N and M objective functions. Since generating non-dominated fronts takes the majority of total computational time (excluding the cost of fitness evaluations) of NSGA-II, making this algorithm faster will significantly improve the overall efficiency of NSGA-II and other genetic algorithms using non-dominated sorting. The new non-dominated sorting algorithm proposed in this study reduces the number of redundant comparisons existing in the algorithm of NSGA-II by recording the dominance information among solutions from their first comparisons. By utilizing a new data structure called the dominance tree and the divide-and-conquer mechanism, the new algorithm is faster than NSGA-II for different numbers of objective functions. Although the number of solution comparisons by the proposed algorithm is close to that of NSGA-II when the number of objectives becomes large, the total computational time shows that the proposed algorithm still has better efficiency because of the adoption of the dominance tree structure and the divide-and-conquer mechanism.
Genetic Algorithms with Memory- and Elitism-Based Immigrants in Dynamic Environments
Authors: Yang Shengxiang
Published: September 2008

In recent years the genetic algorithm community has shown a growing interest in studying dynamic optimization problems. Several approaches have been devised. The random immigrants and memory schemes are two major ones. The random immigrants scheme addresses dynamic environments by maintaining the population diversity while the memory scheme aims to adapt genetic algorithms quickly to new environments by reusing historical information. This paper investigates a hybrid memory and random immigrants scheme, called memory-based immigrants, and a hybrid elitism and random immigrants scheme, called elitism-based immigrants, for genetic algorithms in dynamic environments. In these schemes, the best individual from memory or the elite from the previous generation is retrieved as the base to create immigrants into the population by mutation. This way, not only can diversity be maintained but it is done more efficiently to adapt genetic algorithms to the current environment. Based on a series of systematically constructed dynamic problems, experiments are carried out to compare genetic algorithms with the memory-based and elitism-based immigrants schemes against genetic algorithms with traditional memory and random immigrants schemes and a hybrid memory and multi-population scheme. The sensitivity analysis regarding some key parameters is also carried out. Experimental results show that the memory-based and elitism-based immigrants schemes efficiently improve the performance of genetic algorithms in dynamic environments.
A Memetic Genetic Algorithm for the Vertex p-center Problem
Authors: Pullan Wayne
Published: September 2008

The p-center problem is one of choosing p facilities from a set of candidates to satisfy the demands of n clients in order to minimize the maximum cost between a client and the facility to which it is assigned. In this article, PBS, a population based meta-heuristic for the p-center problem, is described. PBS is a genetic algorithm based meta-heuristic that uses phenotype crossover and directed mutation operators to generate new starting points for a local search. For larger p-center instances, PBS is able to effectively utilize a number of computer processors. It is shown empirically that PBS has comparable performance to state-of-the-art exact and approximate algorithms for a range of p-center benchmark instances.
The Possibilities of New Perspectives for Social Sciences: An Analysis Based on Ibn Khaldun's Theory of Umrân
Authors: Yaslıçimen Faruk , Sunar Lütfi
Published: September 2008

The major obstacle in reinterpreting and reconstructing the cultural accumulation of the Civilisation of Islam is not only the unawareness of Muslim scholars of their heritage, but also their willingness to employ western perspectives to utilise this heritage. In order to overcome this tragedy, social sciences should be criticised through vivid and constructive analyses; and Islamic scientific tradition should be reinterpreted in a comprehensive manner. Instead of basic model transfers from the west, the original sources should be re-analysed. Ibn Khaldun and his Muqaddimah present an invaluable opportunity in that respect. However, modern scholarship contextualises Ibn Khaldun in anachronic ways, which in turn preclude the possibility of reproducing new scientific traditions. Indeed, Ibn Khaldun's conception of science rises on three pillars, complementing one another that are a comprehensive perception of universe, a historical consciousness, and a metaphysics of society. These three factors are interrelatedly systematised in the 'ilm al-umrân whose main theme of reference is tawhid in the traditional Islamic thought. Different stages of knowledge overlap in the epistemology of The Muqaddimah. The basic principles of Islamic thought are systematised in the framework of Qur'anic ontological presumptions. Hence, the principles of common origin of the existence, tawhid, and the hierarchical absolution of Allah were continued. Therefore, this article will offer the Umrân (scienza nouva) of Ibn Khaldun as an opportunity to release the social sciences from its ontological dilemmas.
The Sociology of Civilisations: Ibn Khaldun and a Multi-Civilisational World Order
Authors: Nizamuddin Ali , Şentürk Recep
Published: September 2008

Due to advancements in telecommunications and transportation over the past century, the world is shrinking and physical boundaries are being eroded. The advent of globalization has facilitated the flow of ideas, values, goods, and people from one part of the world to another. This hyperbolic human activity has altered the structure of inter-civilizational relations and has spawned a spirited debate on how to create a multi-civilizational world order. This paper is critical of contemporary approaches on the subject that envisage the primacy of one civilization on the one hand and a clash among civilizations on the other. By examining Ibn Khaldun's theory of 'Umrān and the discipline of Fiqh, it argues that these concepts remain relevant for our understanding of the human condition today. While the theory of Umrān analyzes political and economic relations at the macro-level, Fiqh tries to arrange societal relations at the micro-level. This paper also studies the Ottoman legacy since the Ottoman state was founded on Fiqh and the Millet system. It proved to be successful in preserving pluralistic communities based on principles of autonomy and mutual coexistence. Even though Ibn Khaldun was one of the pioneers in the field of civilizational studies, his seminal work is largely neglected in scholarly circles today, both Muslim and non-Muslim alike. The present inquiry seeks to address this shortcoming.
Oral Histories in the Making of Our Memories and Heritage
Authors: Guan Kwa Chong
Published: September 2008

The paper argues that our understanding and use of oral history interviewing for reconstruction of our past or life narratives will need to be reviewed as our concept of how our memories work changes. Our current practice of oral history interviewing assumes that the oral history interviewees are providing us an accurate recollection of their memories and which the interviewer attempts to verify with the interviewees through cross-checking with other historical evidence. This practice of oral history interviewing assumes that our mind is a blank slate upon which our memories are inscribed to be recalled. However, an alternative understanding of our memory assumes that our memories are not static, but filter from our past to our present, mix with other more recent memories, and are reconfigured according to current preoccupations. Thus what our oral history interviewees reveal are their memories configured to their present preoccupations and what they decide to reveal is often a moral choice of what they perceive to be the relevance of that memory to the interview.
Notes on East Timor: Languages and Education
Authors:   Berlie
Published: September 2008

This paper explains the linguistic complexity of East Timor. Portuguese and Tetum (the national language) are the official languages. To develop education, other languages such as English and Indonesian are necessary. A law on education has to back the Constitution drafted in 2001 to develop education an important tool of development.
The Life of Pons de Léras: Knights and Conversion to Religious Life in the Twelfth Century
Authors: Berman Constance
Published: September 2008

Comparing the Life of Pons de Léras with the evidence of charters for a variety of Cistercian abbeys allows us to conclude that the term conversus as applied in the charters to Pons in fact meant “convert to the religious life.” Only in the 1150s did peasant recruits as lay brothers appear at Silvanès and elsewhere. That Pons is referred to as conversus therefore does not require an explanation of humility.
How Teachers Experience Principal Leadership: The Roles of Professional Community, Trust, Efficacy, and Shared Responsibility
Authors: Wahlstrom Kyla L. , Louis Karen Seashore
Published: September 2008

Purpose: The leadership of the principal is known to be a key factor in supporting student achievement, but how that leadership is experienced and instructionally enacted by teachers is much less clear. The purpose of this study was to examine various factors that are often present in principal—teacher interactions and teacher—teacher relationships to see how those may have an impact on teachers' classroom instructional practices.

Data Collection and Analysis: Data for this quantitative study are from a teacher survey developed for the national research project, Learning from Leadership, funded by the Wallace Foundation. There are 4,165 completed surveys in the database, which reflects responses from teachers in grades K-12 in a sample of schools across the United States. Using a conceptual framework based on various known components of effective schools today, a stepwise linear regression examined the relationships among practices such as shared leadership and professional community with contextual variables such as trust and efficacy.

Findings: Three types of instructional behaviors—Standard Contemporary Practice, Focused Instruction, and Flexible Grouping Practices—emerged as strong factors which operationally described effective teacher practice. The presence of shared leadership and professional community explain much of the strength among the three instructional variables. Furthermore, the effect of teachers' trust in the principal becomes less important when shared leadership and professional community are present. Self-efficacy strongly predicts Focused Instruction, but it has less predictive value for the other measures of instructional behavior. Individual teacher characteristics of gender and years of experience have clear impact on instructional practice, but there are no discernible patterns that suggest that the level of the principal (elementary vs. secondary) have more or less influence on teacher instructional behaviors.

Conclusions: Increasing our knowledge about what leaders do and how they have an impact on the instructional behaviors of teachers will lead us to a better understanding of how leadership has a direct relationship to improved student achievement. These findings create a clearer picture of teacher—principal and teacher—teacher interactions that support learning and bring us closer to the elusive goal of clarifying the link between leadership and learning.
No Particular Place to Go
Authors: Xinyu Cao  , Mokhtarian Patricia L. , Handy Susan L.
Published: September 2008

Many people find some intrinsic value in travel itself. This leads to excess travel, which can have important (mode-specific) secondary effects. Society would benefit if individuals satisfied more of their desire for travel by choosing to walk or bike rather than drive. However, our understanding of the determinants of travel for its own sake and the role of the residential environment in shaping it is limited. Using data collected from 1,682 respondents in Northern California, this study explores environmental correlates of traveling out of the house with no particular destination in mind, controlling for attitudinal and sociodemographic factors. We found that the generation of such “undirected travel” is influenced by attitudes but residential environment characteristics also matter. Specifically, proximity to business, not living on a cul-de-sac, and aesthetic qualities encourage undirected walking/biking. We speculate that providing neighborhood-based physical activity options may lead to the substitution of walking/biking for driving.
Religious Placemaking and Community Building in Diaspora
Authors: Mazumdar Shampa , Mazumdar Sanjoy
Published: September 2008

Community and loss of community have received much scholarly attention, whereas community formation and placemaking have been less well studied. Similarly, several studies have documented the role of religion in the lives of new immigrants, but little has been written about religious placemaking and community formation. Through an empirical study of a new immigrant group—the Hindus of Southern California—this article shows how religious placemaking helped build community. It details three salient components, namely, place planning and organization, place design, and place rituals, and also how these helped form and sustain community. It describes some challenges encountered and strategies used to negotiate, mitigate, or minimize them. In providing these delineations, it shows how religio loci and place nostalgia influenced and aided community building.
The State of Music in Secondary Schools
Authors: Abril Carlos R. , Gault Brent M.
Published: September 2008

The purpose of this study was to profile secondary school music programs in the United States and investigate principals' perceptions of those curricula. A survey form was sent to 1,000 secondary school principals, yielding a 54% response rate. That form was designed to answer the following questions: What is the profile of secondary music programs in the United States? How effective do principals think music programs are in helping students attain specific learning outcomes and broad educational goals? To what degree do certain variables (e.g., standardized tests, teachers, parents) impact a given music program? Ninety-eight percent of respondents indicated that their schools offered music courses, yet 34% required music. There were significant differences in the diversity of course offerings based on school socioeconomic status profiles. Standardized tests and No Child Left Behind were thought to have the most negative impact on music programs.
Musical Preference, Identification, and Familiarity
Authors: Teo Timothy , Hargreaves David J. , Lee June
Published: September 2008

The authors investigate whether there were significant differences in preferences for, familiarity with, and identification of Chinese, Malay, and Indian music between adolescent students from Singapore ( n = 78) and the United Kingdom ( n = 53). Also explored are the relationships among these three variables. Students were asked to rate their preference for and familiarity with Chinese, Malay, and Indian excerpts on 7-point Likert-type scales and to name each musical style. Singaporean girls showed greater preference for, familiarity with, and identification of the Chinese and Malay styles than did girls from the United Kingdom. Both groups rated the Indian music lowest on preference and familiarity, although the Singaporean students were better at identifying it. Positive interrelationships among familiarity, identification, and preference for these styles were found for the Chinese style but not for the Indian music. These results reflect the influence of culture and education on students' cognitive—affective responses to different ethnic musical styles.
Influences of Dynamic Level and Pitch Register on the Vibrato Rates and Widths of Violin and Viola Players
Authors: MacLeod Rebecca B.
Published: September 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible influences of pitch register and dynamic level on vibrato rates and widths of university and high school violin and viola players. Analysis showed that pitch register significantly affected the vibrato rates and widths of the performers. Musicians vibrated 0.32 Hz faster and approximately 26 cents wider during high pitches than during low pitches. Dynamic level also significantly affected vibrato width. Performers increased vibrato width approximately 4 cents in the forte passages when compared to the piano passages. Furthermore, violinists demonstrated a tendency to vibrate slightly faster and wider than violists, and university performers varied their vibrato width to a greater extent between the piano and forte passages than did the high school performers. These results, along with further study, can contribute to the development of a systematic method for teaching vibrato.
Relationships Among Instructor, Peer, and Self-Evaluations of Undergraduate Music Education Majors' Micro-Teaching Experiences
Authors: Napoles Jessica
Published: September 2008

The author investigates relationships between instructor, peer, and self-evaluations. Undergraduate music education students each taught three micro-teaching segments. Immediately after teaching, they filled out an evaluation for themselves indicating four things they did well, one suggestion for improvement, and an effectiveness score from 1 to 10. All students in the class also completed this task, as did the instructor. Ratings were compared and correlated, and comments were analyzed to determine whether self-comments were the same as peer comments, instructor comments, both, or none. One week after the fact, students were asked to recall every comment that had been made after their teaching. Results indicate that (a) peer ratings were consistently the lowest, (b) self-comments made immediately after teaching were most similar to peer comments or comments made by neither instructor nor peers, and (c) most comments recalled 1 week later were those made by peers or by both instructor and peers.
Perceptions of Experienced Music Teachers Regarding Their Work as Music Mentors
Authors: Conway Colleen , Holcomb Al
Published: September 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of experienced music teachers regarding their preparation for and experience of mentoring in a 2-year mentor project focusing on the support of teachers in Title I schools in Orlando, Florida. Data included the following: initial expectations of mentoring from Year 1 (note cards), biggest challenges from Year 2 (note cards), mentor development session interactions from Years 1 and 2, interviews with mentors at the end of the study period, and research logs from the two researchers. Findings suggest that mentors need mentors; time management is a challenge for mentors; communication with the mentee is a challenge; observations of the mentees are necessary but difficult; technology can be a positive resource for mentor and mentee interaction; and mentors struggle to keep mentee interactions in the realm of support and not evaluation.
Comparing and Modeling the Dynamic Drape of Four Natural-fiber Fabrics
Authors: Lin Jer-Yan , Wang Pin-Ning , Shyr Tien-Wei
Published: September 2008

This study primarily analyzed the dynamic drape coefficient of four natural-fiber fabrics at speeds of 0—450 rpm. A tangent partition method was used to divide the drape coefficient curve into four regions, characterized as drape coefficient increment initial growth, fast growth, slow growth and dynamic stable regions. The ANOVA test was used for validation. The dynamic drape coefficients of these four natural-fiber fabrics were then compared. The order of the drape coefficient of these fabrics changed three times in the fast growth region and then remained unchanged throughout the slow growth and dynamic stable regions. The order of the static drape coefficient of fabrics could not represent the drape coefficient of fabrics in dynamic performance. Therefore, a linear model, a growth model and a nonlinear logistic model were used to analyze the dynamic drape coefficient curve fit, and the F-test was used for validation. The results showed that the nonlinear logistic function could be used to fit the drape coefficient curves throughout the static state and the dynamic stable region.
Investigation of the Water Repellence of Different Experimental and Commercial Coatings for Synthetic Mountaineering Ropes
Authors: Spierings A.B. , Ritter A. , Henkel O. , Holzdoerfer U.
Published: September 2008

All manufacturers of synthetic mountaineering ropes provide chemically coated ropes in order to reduce their water uptake in a wet environment. As common static test methods for the investigation of the water repellent behavior of ropes do not move or bend the ropes, the measured water uptakes are usually below about 10%. In this study we have investigated the water uptake of coated ropes under conditions that are closer to practice conditions than all other methods. Our results show that commercially coated ropes provide a sufficient water repellent behavior as long as the ropes are not in practical use with, for example, carabiners. As soon as the ropes sustain a practical use, the water is worked through the sheath into the core of the ropes so that the water uptake is comparable to the values of uncoated ropes. As a result, the safety performance is decreased both in terms of the number of drops sustained and the impact load. Furthermore, we have investigated experimental coatings and found one chemical (a wax-based coating) and one physical (plastic tape between the sheath and the core of the rope) coating, which were both able to reduce the water uptake even in dynamic conditions.
Revision on the Titration Method for Accurately Measuring the Amounts of Residual Monomers in Polyacrylic Sizes
Authors: Zhifeng Zhu  , Jie Yu  , Kun Qian  , Cuiyun Yu
Published: September 2008

An attempt has been made to develop a revised titration method for accurately measuring the content of residual monomers in polyacrylic sizes. It was found that the conventional titration method widely used nowadays for the content measurement cannot determine the content accurately if a certain number of hydrophobic structural units are contained in the size macromolecules. Since most mills and size companies do not possess a chromatograph, a revised titration method is studied and proposed. By choosing three to four sample weights in the range of 0.1— 0.6 g to achieve three to four corresponding values of the monomer content, a straight regression line can be easily obtained in a coordinate. The ordinate value of intersection of the line with ordinate is just the measured value. A gas chromatograph demonstrates that the revised method is suitable for the determination of the content when the polymeric molecules of the sizing agents incorporate hydrophobic constitutional units. The effectiveness and accuracy of the revised method are examined by mixing a known amount of monomer into the sizes. The results demonstrate that the regression and chromatograph values are correlated well and the differences are relatively small. The accuracy of the revised method is much higher than that of the original one.
Techniques for Torque Modification of Singles Ring Spun Yarns
Authors: Bin Gang Xu  , Xiao Ming Tao
Published: September 2008

This article reports on a systematic study of various spinning techniques to produce torque-free singles ring spun yarns on a modified ring frame. The modification units, including optional fiber separation devices and a false twist device, were incorporated into the conventional ring spinning frame so that the balanced or reduced yarn residual torque could be achieved in one step. Three modification systems were proposed and two of them were investigated on a ring frame to produce pure cotton singles yarns. The spirality of the resultant single jersey knit fabrics was greatly reduced. Properties and performance characteristics of control and modified yarns, as well as their resultant fabrics, were evaluated, including yarn tensile properties, hairiness, evenness, snarling, burst strength, air permeability, handle, and pill resistances.
Occurrence of a Singular Point in a Bundle Flow System and the Sensitivity of the Bundle Thickness to Perturbations in a Steady State Draft Process
Authors: Huh You , Kim Jong S.
Published: September 2008

Roll drafting is an important unit operation that transforms fiber bundles into attenuated ones, improving their properties with more efficient material usage. Fibers are thus thrown into a flow field having constraints at both ends incurring layer-to-layer flow shearing, which governs the individual fiber movement. The parameters of the flow characteristics are disturbed or changed during processing and the output of the roll drafting operation can have either more or less fluctuating properties. In this research, we perturbed the model parameters related to the roll drafting process to identify their effects on the process dynamics and consequently the quality of the processed product. Based on the random phase spectral method, stochastic signals having an exponentially decaying auto-correlation function were generated and applied to the mathematical model that described the dynamic behavior of the flowing bundle. Thus, the profiles of the linear density and velocity of the bundle flow field in steady state were simulated. In extreme perturbations the bundle can break, which was simulated and confirmed by experiments. This research showed that a singular point in the draft zone existed which implied a bundle breakage. The singular point in the draft zone could be attributed to the inadequate set-up of the process conditions, specifically, to two parameters in the model: one was related to the bundle properties and the other to the process conditions. Considering the bundle property related parameter as a stochastic process, the range of the parameter variation to ensure a continuous drafting operation was limited. The influence of the perturbations on the draft process also became more sensitive as the process speed and the draft ratio increased.
Pharmacologic Consideration for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in the Elderly
Authors: Rhee Martin S. , Greenblatt David J.
Published: September 2008

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among people older than 50 years is increasing. HIV‐infected patients require lifelong treatment with antiretroviral agents to suppress viral replication and maintain immune function. The use of antiretroviral agents in the elderly can be complicated by multiple chronic comorbidities and coadministered non‐HIV medications. The pharmacokinetics of antiretroviral agents may be altered due to age‐related decrements in hepatic and renal function. The elderly may be more sensitive than younger people to antiretroviral drug toxicity. A better understanding of the pharmacokinetics of antiretroviral agents in the elderly is of importance for the successful management of complex antiretroviral regimens in this population.
A Phase I, Single and Fractionated, Ascending‐Dose Study Evaluating the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Immunogenicity of an Erythropoietin Mimetic Antibody Fusion Protein (CNTO 528) in Healthy Male Subjects
Authors: Bouman‐Thio Esther , Franson Kari , Miller Bruce , Getsy John , Cohen Adam , Bai Stephen A. , Yohrling Jennifer , Frederick Bart , Marciniak Stanley , Jiao Qun , Jang Haishan , Davis Hugh , Burggraaf Jacobus
Published: September 2008

The erythropoietin mimetic antibody fusion protein CNTO 528 was developed as a novel antibody fusion protein by constructing an active hematopoietic peptide onto an IgG1‐based scaffold. This resulted in a molecule with a long circulating half‐life and a prolonged effect of stimulating reticulocyte production and hemoglobin (Hgb) synthesis. To assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of CNTO 528, the authors gave 44 adult healthy male subjects single or fractionated doses of intravenous CNTO 528 or placebo. CNTO 528 was generally well tolerated. The maximum observed concentration (Cmax) and the area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) increased in an approximately dose‐dependent manner between the 0.09‐mg/kg and 0.9‐mg/kg doses. The maximum effect on the reticulocyte response occurred approximately 8 to 9 days after administration. A median increase in Hgb (≥1 g/dL above baseline) was achieved 9 to 10 days after administration, with a maximum effect between 19 and 26 days. Two subjects in the 0.9‐mg/kg dose group had elevated Hgb concentrations requiring phlebotomy. In this first‐in‐human study, CNTO 528 was well tolerated and effective in elevating and maintaining Hgb by at least 1 g/dL following a single intravenous administration, which suggests that an erythropoietin mimetic molecule, such as CNTO 528, may be an effective therapy for patients with anemia.
Drug‐binding Cavities in Long‐Lived Biologics: Cause for Concern but Also Potential Benefit
Authors: Panayotatos Nikos
Published: September 2008

Universally present but overlooked cavities or pockets in long‐lived biopharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), are capable of binding small drugs. Such direct interactions can alter the pharmacokinetics of drugs and potentially affect clinical outcome. The extreme differences in the pharmacokinetic properties of these 2 classes of drugs largely account for such effects. This overlooked mechanism of biologic‐chemical drug interaction should be considered before approval of new long‐lived entities.
Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Single Oral Doses of BI 1356, an Inhibitor of Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4, in Healthy Male Volunteers
Authors: Hüttner S. , Graefe‐Mody E. U. , Withopf B. , Ring A. , Dugi K. A.
Published: September 2008

This randomized, double‐blind, parallel, placebo‐controlled, single rising‐dose study investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic profiles of BI 1356 (once‐daily, given orally) in healthy men. BI 1356 was well tolerated and safe up to and including a dose of 600 mg. The incidence of drug‐related adverse events was equal in subjects receiving BI 1356 (30%) or placebo (31%). No clinically relevant deviations in laboratory or ECG parameters were reported. Exposure of BI 1356 increased less than proportionally from 2.5 mg to 5 mg, more than proportionally from 25 mg to 100 mg and approximately proportionally for doses from 100 mg to 600 mg. The geometric mean terminal half‐life was up to 184 hours. Renal excretion was low. All doses of BI 1356 inhibited plasma dipeptidyl peptidase 4 activity. Single doses of 2.5 mg and 5 mg inhibited dipeptidyl peptidase 4 activity by 72.7% and 86.1% from baseline, respectively. The time to achieve maximum inhibition shifted with increasing doses from 3 hours (2.5 mg) to <0.7 hours (≥200 mg). Within the dose range tested, a direct pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship was observed. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile results demonstrate the potency and full 24‐hour duration of action of BI 1356. Based on an estimated therapeutic dose of 5 mg, the therapeutic window of BI 1356 is expected to be >100‐fold.
The Effects of Argument Explicitness on Responses to Advice in Supportive Interactions
Authors: Bo Feng  , Burleson Brant R.
Published: September 2008

This study assessed whether explicit articulations of a proposal's efficacy, feasibility, absence of limitations, and use of facework are effective strategies of advice giving in supportive interactions. Two hundred forty-eight college students read and responded to a hypothetical scenario in which they received advice from a friend. The findings of this study demonstrated that advice was more effective (resulting in higher perceptions of advice quality and facilitation of coping, as well as stronger intention to implement the advice) when advice givers outlined the efficacy of the advised action, explained the feasibility of undertaking the advised action, addressed the potential limitations of the advised action, and employed politeness strategies when giving advice. The study further found that perceptual counterparts of the manipulated message features largely mediated the effects of the message variations on the dependent variables.
Size, Islandness, and Democracy: A Global Comparison
Authors: Anckar Carsten
Published: September 2008

The aim of this global study is to assess the impact of physical variables (size and islandness) on the degree of democracy. The study is conducted at three points in time: 1972, 1985, and 2005. The following variables are controlled for: socioeconomic development, ethnic or linguistic heterogeneity, British or American colonial heritage, and dominant religion. The results show that size per se contains little explanatory value. Findings indicate that religion is becoming a key determinant of democracy during the “fourth wave” of democratization. Furthermore, the success of democracy in non-Christian settings does not depend on the level of socioeconomic development. Instead, results show that as democracy tries to gain a foothold in non-Christian settings, insularity smoothes the transition to popular government. The impact of islandness on democracy within this particular context is increasing over time.
Do divisible subskills exist in second language (L2) comprehension? A structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Song Min-Young
Published: September 2008

This paper concerns the divisibility of comprehension subskills measured in L2 listening and reading tests. Motivated by the administration of the new Web-based English as a Second Language Placement Exam (WB-ESLPE) at UCLA, this study addresses the following research questions: first, to what extent do the WB-ESLPE listening and reading items measure different comprehension subskills? Second, to what extent can L2 listening and reading be considered similar or different, with regard to the divisibility of comprehension subskills? Employing a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, the factor structures of 110 test takers' scores on the WB-ESLPE listening and reading items were examined with regard to three types of subskills, that is, `understanding main/topical ideas', `understanding supporting/specific details', and `making inferences'. The results of the analyses indicated that the WB-ESLPE listening and reading items measure two or three kinds of subskills, and that while L2 listening and reading might share a common comprehension process, they may be distinct in the decoding processes involved due to the difference in mode of presentation. It is suggested that this divisibility of subskills in L2 comprehension tests might depend on the test takers' L2 proficiency as well as on the task characteristics of the test administered to them.
Rater bias patterns in an EFL writing assessment
Authors: Schaefer Edward
Published: September 2008

The present study employed multi-faceted Rasch measurement (MFRM) to explore the rater bias patterns of native English-speaker (NES) raters when they rate EFL essays. Forty NES raters rated 40 essays written by female Japanese university students on a single topic adapted from the TOEFL Test of Written English (TWE). The essays were assessed using a six-category rating scale (Content, Organization, Style and Quality of Expression, Language Use, Mechanics, and Fluency). MFRM revealed several recurring bias patterns among rater subgroups. In rater—category bias interactions, if Content and/or Organization were rated severely, then Language Use and/or Mechanics were rated leniently, and vice versa. In rater—writer bias interactions, there tended to be more severe or lenient bias towards higher ability writers than lower ability writers. Some raters also rated higher ability writers more severely and lower ability writers more leniently than expected. This study has implications for issues of rater training in L2 writing assessment.
Development of a cognate awareness measure for Spanish-speaking English language learners
Authors: Malabonga Valerie , Kenyon Dorry M. , Carlo Maria , August Diane , Louguit Mohammed
Published: September 2008

This paper describes the development and validation of the Cognate Awareness Test (CAT), which measures cognate awareness in Spanish-speaking English Language Learners (ELLs) in fourth and fifth grade. An investigation of differential performance on the two subtests of the CAT (cognates and noncognates) provides evidence that the instrument is sensitive to English—Spanish cognate awareness among elementary school-age Spanish-speaking ELLs. Cognates were highly correlated with the children's Spanish WLPB-R Picture Vocabulary scores, whereas noncognates were highly correlated to children's English WLPB-R Picture Vocabulary scores.
Reading to summarize in English and Chinese: A tale of two languages?
Authors: Guoxing Yu
Published: September 2008

The cognitive demands of summary writing are dependent upon the type of summary to be produced. This paper reports part of a larger study in which 157 Chinese undergraduates were asked to write summaries of extended English texts in both English and Chinese. It examines the differential effects of the use of the two languages on summarization as a measure of reading comprehension, drawing upon data from students' actual test performances as well as their perceptions of such differential effects, as evidenced in the post-summarization questionnaire and interviews. It was found that the use of the different languages had significant effects on both summarization processes and products. Students wrote significantly longer Chinese summaries but these were rated consistently of poorer quality than English summaries. However, Chinese summarization was found to be a better measure of students' English reading abilities. The implications of these findings are discussed with specific reference to summarization task design, in particular, how the use of the first and target languages may affect test takers' performance as well as rater behaviours and the potential of using first language in large-scale international language testing programmes incorporating integrated reading/writing tasks as a measure of reading comprehension.