bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Simple Method to Detect Recovery of Glomerular Filtration Rate following Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Pickering John W. , Mellas John
Published: May 2014

In acute kidney injury (AKI), elevated plasma creatinine is diagnostic of an earlier loss of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) but not of the concomitant GFR. Only subsequent creatinine changes will inform if GFR had already recovered or not. We hypothesized that the creatinine excretion rate to production rate ratio would provide this information. A retrospective analysis of 482 critically ill patients from two intensive care units (ICU) is shown. Plasma creatinine was measured on ICU entry and 12 hours later. Four-hour creatinine excretion rates (E) were measured on entry. Creatinine production rates were estimated (eG). The ability of the ratioE/eGto predict a decrease in plasma creatinine concentration, identify recovered AKI (≥0.3 mg/dL decrease), and predict AKI (≥0.3 mg/dL increase) was assessed by the area under the receiver operator characteristic curves (AUC). There was a linear relationship between reduced creatinine concentration andE/eG(r2=0.15;P<0.0001).E/eGpredicted a decrease in creatinine (AUC 0.70 (0.65 to 0.74)), identified recovered AKI (0.75 (0.67 to 0.84)), and predicted AKI (0.80 (0.73 to 0.86)). A ratio of the rates of creatinine excretion to estimated production much less than 1 indicated a concomitant GFR below baseline, whereas a ratio much more than 1 indicated a recovering or recovered GFR.
An Accurate Block Hybrid Collocation Method for Third Order Ordinary Differential Equations
Authors: Yap Lee Ken , Ismail Fudziah , Senu Norazak
Published: May 2014

The block hybrid collocation method with two off-step points is proposed for the direct solution of general third order ordinary differential equations. Both the main and additional methods are derived via interpolation and collocation of the basic polynomial. These methods are applied in block form to provide the approximation at five points concurrently. The stability properties of the block method are investigated. Some numerical examples are tested to illustrate the efficiency of the method. The block hybrid collocation method is also implemented to solve the nonlinear Genesio equation and the problem in thin film flow.
Robust Stability Analysis of Neutral-Type Hybrid Bidirectional Associative Memory Neural Networks with Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Feng Wei , Yang Simon X. , Wu Haixia
Published: May 2014

The global asymptotic robust stability of equilibrium is considered for neutral-type hybrid bidirectional associative memory neural networks with time-varying delays and parameters uncertainties. The results we obtained in this paper are delay-derivative-dependent and establish various relationships between the network parameters only. Therefore, the results of this paper are applicable to a larger class of neural networks and can be easily verified when compared with the previously reported literature results. Two numerical examples are illustrated to verify our results.
The Dynamic Spread of the Forward CDS with General Random Loss
Authors: Tian Kun , Xiong Dewen , Ye Zhongxing
Published: May 2014

We assume that the filtrationFis generated by ad-dimensional Brownian motionW=(W1,…,Wd)′as well as an integer-valued random measureμ(du,dy). The random variableτ~is the default time andLis the default loss. LetG={Gt;t≥0}be the progressive enlargement ofFby(τ~,L); that is,Gis the smallest filtration includingFsuch thatτ~is aG-stopping time andLisGτ~-measurable. We mainly consider the forward CDS with loss in the framework of stochastic interest rates whose term structures are modeled by the Heath-Jarrow-Morton approach with jumps under the general conditional density hypothesis. We describe the dynamics of the defaultable bond inGand the forward CDS with random loss explicitly by the BSDEs method.
Occlusal Disorders among Patients with Total Clefts of Lip, Alveolar Bone, and Palate
Authors: Paradowska-Stolarz Anna , Kawala Beata
Published: May 2014

Clefts are common birth defects. They are accompanied by various malformations, including disturbances in facial look as well as skeletal disorders that include malocclusions, most frequently crossbites and class III anomalies. The aim of the study was to present the commonest malocclusions in patients with total cleft of the lip, alveolar bone and palate (n=154) and compare the results to the healthy on-cleft patients (n=151). Normal occlusion, characteristic for I angle class, was observed in 50% of the control group and 30% of the examined. In the examined patients with clefts, most frequently crossbite and open bite on the cleft side was observed. In patients with clefts, only 2 out of 154 patients presented isolated dental anomalies. In healthy individuals the commonest occlusal disorder was distal occlusion and dental anomalies. The commonest malocclusions among patients with clefts are crossbites and class III malocclusions.
Dynamic Response of a Thick Piezoelectric Circular Cylindrical Panel: An Exact Solution
Authors: Oveisi Atta , Gudarzi Mohammad , Hasheminejad Seyyed Mohammad
Published: May 2014

One of the interesting fields that attracted many researchers in recent years is the smart structures. The piezomaterials, because of their ability in converting both mechanical stress and electricity to each other, are very applicable in this field. However, most of the works available used various inexact two-dimensional theories with certain types of simplification, which are inaccurate in some applications such as thick shells while, in some applications due to request of large displacement/stress, thick piezoelectric panel is needed and two-dimensional theories have not enough accuracy. This study investigates the dynamic steady state response and natural frequency of a piezoelectric circular cylindrical panel using exact three-dimensional solutions based on this decomposition technique. In addition, the formulation is written for both simply supported and clamped boundary conditions. Then the natural frequencies, mode shapes, and dynamic steady state response of the piezoelectric circular cylindrical panel in frequency domain are validated with commercial finite element software (ABAQUS) to show the validity of the mathematical formulation and the results will be compared, finally.
Some Reduction and Exact Solutions of a Higher-Dimensional Equation
Authors: Wang Guangming , Han Zhong
Published: May 2014

The conservation laws of the(3+1)-dimensional Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation were obtained using Noether’s theorem after an interesting substitutionu=vxto the equation. Then, with the aid of an obtained conservation law, the generalized double reduction theorem was applied to this equation. It can be verified that the reduced equation is a second order nonlinear ODE. Finally, some exact solutions of the Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation were constructed after solving the reduced equation.
Clinical Comparisons of Two Free Light Chain Assays to Immunofixation Electrophoresis for Detecting Monoclonal Gammopathy
Authors: Kim Han-Sung , Kim Hyun Soo , Shin Kyu-Sung , Song Wonkeun , Kim Hyo Jung , Kim Hyeong Su , Park Min-Jeong
Published: May 2014

Free light chains (FLCs) are useful biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of various plasma cell dyscrasias. One hundred fifty-seven samples from 120 patients for screening or monitoring of monoclonal gammopathy (MG) were included. The new N Latex FLC assays (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics GmbH, Germany) were compared with the Freelite FLC assays (The Binding Site Ltd., UK) and the results were analyzed with those of immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). The Freelite FLC assay showed significantly wider assay ranges than the N Latex FLC assay. The correlation coefficients of the two FLC kappa (κ) assays, lambda (λ) assays, and theκ/λratio were 0.9792, 0.8264, and 0.9064, respectively. The concordance rate was 84.7% for the FLCκassays, 79.6% for FLCλ, and 89.2% for theκ/λratio. The clinical sensitivity and specificity of theκ/λratios were 72.2% and 93.6% for the Freelite assay and 64.6% and 100% for the N Latex FLC assay. Two FLC assays showed good correlations and concordance. However, the clinical sensitivity of theκ/λratio was higher in the Freelite FLC assays; clinical specificity was higher in the N Latex FLC assay. Both FLC assays seem to have limited clinical utility in detecting MG in certain clinical settings.
Reliability Evaluation of Data Communication System Based on Dynamic Fault Tree under Epistemic Uncertainty
Authors: Duan Rongxing , Fan Jinghui
Published: May 2014

Fault tree analysis is a well‐structured, precise, and powerful tool for system evaluation.
However, the conventional approach has been found to be inadequate to deal with the
absence of fault data, failure dependency, and uncertainty problems. This paper presents a
comprehensive study on the evaluation of data communication system (DCS) using
dynamic fault tree approach based on fuzzy set. It makes use of the advantages of the
dynamic fault tree for modelling, fuzzy set theory for handling uncertainty, and Bayesian
network (BN) for inference ability. Specifically, it adopts expert elicitation and fuzzy set
theory to evaluate the failure rates of the basic events for DCS and uses a dynamic fault
tree model to capture the dynamic failure mechanisms. Furthermore, some reliability
parameters can be calculated by mapping a dynamic fault tree into an equivalent BN. The
results show that the proposed method is more flexible and adaptive than conventional
fault tree analysis for fault diagnosis and reliability estimation of DCS.
Methotrexate Induced Pancytopenia
Authors: Gonzalez-Ibarra Fernando , Eivaz-Mohammadi Sahar , Surapaneni Shiri , Alsaadi Hazem , Syed Amer K. , Badin Simon , Marian Valentin , Elamir Mazhar
Published: May 2014

The well-reported methotrexate (MTX) toxicities are based on the duration and cumulative dosing of drug. The typical toxicities can be predicted by the timing of drug administration, where mucositis occurs as an earlier effect, while myelosuppression and the sequelae of pancytopenia occur later after MTX administration. Despite these well-known toxicities, low dose MTX therapy can become problematic, in particular with the elderly, who are at a greater risk for significant myelosuppression. We present a case of a 73-year-old female with pancytopenia causing severe neutropenia, mucocutaneous bleeding, and bruising and requiring intravenous antibiotic therapy and limited transfusion dependence as a result of low dose daily MTX for rheumatoid arthritis.
A Review of Intraoperative Goal-Directed Therapy Using Arterial Waveform Analysis for Assessment of Cardiac Output
Authors: Mehta Neil , Fernandez-Bustamante Ana , Seres Tamas
Published: May 2014

Increasing evidence shows that goal-directed hemodynamic management can improve outcomes in surgical and intensive care settings. Arterial waveform analysis is one of the different techniques used for guiding goal-directed therapy. Multiple proprietary systems have developed algorithms for obtaining cardiac output from an arterial waveform, including the FloTrac, LiDCO, and PiCCO systems. These systems vary in terms of how they analyze the arterial pressure waveform as well as their requirements for invasive line placement and calibration. Although small-scale clinical trials using these monitors show promising data, large-scale multicenter trials are still needed to better determine how intraoperative goal-directed therapy with arterial waveform analysis can improve patient outcomes. This review provides a comparative analysis of the different arterial waveform monitors for intraoperative goal-directed therapy.
Natural Convection Flow along an Isothermal Vertical Flat Plate with Temperature Dependent Viscosity and Heat Generation
Authors: Molla Md. Mamun , Biswas Anita , Al-Mamun Abdullah , Hossain Md. Anwar
Published: May 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the natural convection laminar flow along an isothermal vertical flat plate immersed in a fluid with viscosity which is the exponential function of fluid temperature in presence of internal heat generation. The governing boundary layer equations are transformed into a nondimensional form and the resulting nonlinear system of partial differential equations is reduced to a convenient form which are solved numerically using an efficient marching order implicit finite difference method with double sweep technique. Numerical results are presented in terms of the velocity and temperature distribution of the fluid as well as the heat transfer characteristics, namely, the wall shear stress and the local and average rate of heat transfer in terms of the local skin-friction coefficient, the local and average Nusselt number for a wide range of the viscosity-variation parameter, heat generation parameter, and the Rayleigh number. Increasing viscosity variation parameter and Rayleigh number lead to increasing the local and average Nusselt number and decreasing the wall shear stress. Wall shear stress and the rate of heat transfer decreased due to the increase of heat generation.
From Mouth-to-Mouth to Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation: Evolution and Characteristics of Actual Devices—A Review of the Literature
Authors: Khoury Abdo , Hugonnot Sylvère , Cossus Johan , De Luca Alban , Desmettre Thibaut , Sall Fatimata Seydou , Capellier Gilles
Published: May 2014

Manual ventilation is a vital procedure, which remains difficult to achieve for patients who require ventilatory support. It has to be performed by experienced healthcare providers that are regularly trained for the use of bag-valve-mask (BVM) in emergency situations. We will give in this paper, a historical view on manual ventilation’s evolution throughout the last decades and describe the technical characteristics, advantages, and hazards of the main devices currently found in the market. Artificial ventilation has developed progressively and research is still going on to improve the actual devices used. Throughout the past years, a brand-new generation of ventilators was developed, but little was done for manual ventilation. Many adverse outcomes due to faulty valve or misassembly were reported in the literature, as well as some difficulties to ensure efficient insufflation according to usual respiratory parameters. These serious incidents underline the importance of BVM system routine check and especially the unidirectional valve reassembly after sterilization, by only experienced and trained personnel. Single use built-in devices may prevent disassembly problems and are safer than the reusable ones. Through new devices and technical improvements, the safety of BVM might be increased.
High Glucose Induces Sumoylation of Smad4 via SUMO2/3 in Mesangial Cells
Authors: Zhou Xueqin , Gao Chenlin , Huang Wei , Yang Maojun , Chen Guo , Jiang Lan , Gou Fang , Feng Hong , Ai Na , Xu Yong
Published: May 2014

Recent studies have shown that sumoylation is a posttranslational modification involved in regulation of the transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) signaling pathway, which plays a critical role in renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the role of sumoylation in the regulation of TGF-βsignaling in DN is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the expression of SUMO (SUMO1 and SUMO2/3) and Smad4 and the interaction between SUMO and Smad4 in cultured rat mesangial cells induced by high glucose. We found that SUMO1 and SUMO2/3 expression was significantly increased in the high glucose groups compared to the normal groupP<0.05. Smad4 and fibronectin (FN) levels were also increased in the high glucose groups in a dose-dependent manner. Coimmunoprecipitation and confocal laser scanning revealed that Smad4 interacted and colocalized with SUMO2/3, but not with SUMO1 in mesangial cells. Sumoylation (SUMO2/3) of Smad4 under high glucose condition was strongly enhanced compared to normal controlP<0.05. These results suggest that high glucose may activate TGF-β/Smad signaling through sumoylation of Samd4 by SUMO2/3 in mesangial cells.
Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Models: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Fetal Outcomes
Authors: Damasceno D. C. , Netto A. O. , Iessi I. L. , Gallego F. Q. , Corvino S. B. , Dallaqua B. , Sinzato Y. K. , Bueno A. , Calderon I. M. P. , Rudge M. V. C.
Published: May 2014

Glucose homeostasis is controlled by endocrine pancreatic cells, and any pancreatic disturbance can result in diabetes. Because 8% to 12% of diabetic pregnant women present with malformed fetuses, there is great interest in understanding the etiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, and treatment of gestational diabetes. Hyperglycemia enhances the production of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative stress, which is involved in diabetic teratogenesis. It has also been suggested that maternal diabetes alters embryonic gene expression, which might cause malformations. Due to ethical issues involving human studies that sometimes have invasive aspects and the multiplicity of uncontrolled variables that can alter the uterine environment during clinical studies, it is necessary to use animal models to better understand diabetic pathophysiology. This review aimed to gather information about pathophysiological mechanisms and fetal outcomes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. To understand the pathophysiological mechanisms and factors involved in diabetes, the use of pancreatic regeneration studies is increasing in an attempt to understand the behavior of pancreatic beta cells. In addition, these studies suggest a new preventive concept as a treatment basis for diabetes, introducing therapeutic efforts to minimize or prevent diabetes-induced oxidative stress, DNA damage, and teratogenesis.
Intestinal Helminth Infections in Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at Kitale District Hospital, Kenya
Authors: Wekesa A. W. , Mulambalah C. S. , Muleke C. I. , Odhiambo R.
Published: May 2014

Intestinal helminth infections during pregnancy are associated with adverse outcomes including low birth weight and prenatal mortality. The infections are a major public health problem in developing countries. A hospital based survey was undertaken for six months to determine the infection prevalence, intensity, and risk factors. The study involved expectant women attending antenatal clinic. Stool samples were screened microscopically for helminth ova using Kato Katz technique. Information on risk factors was collected using semistructured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. Epidemiological data was analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis. The overall prevalence of infection was 21 (13.8%). Ascariasis was the most prevalent 10 (6.5%), hookworm infection was 6 (3.9%), and trichuriasis was 2 (1.3%). Pregnant women aged below 29 years (OR = 3.63, CI = 0.87–11.75) and those with primary level of education (OR = 3.21, CI = 0.88–11.75) were at a higher risk of infection compared to those aged ≥ 29 years with secondary level of education. Hand washing was significantly associated with reduced likelihood of infection (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.06–0.57). It was concluded that intestinal helminth infections were prevalent among pregnant women. We recommended that all expectant women visiting antenatal clinics be screened for intestinal helminth infections and positive cases be advised to seek treatment.
Preventing Shoulder-Surfing Attack with the Concept of Concealing the Password Objects’ Information
Authors: Ho Peng Foong , Kam Yvonne Hwei-Syn , Wee Mee Chin , Chong Yu Nam , Por Lip Yee
Published: May 2014

Traditionally, picture-based password systems employ password objects (pictures/icons/symbols) as input during an authentication session, thus making them vulnerable to “shoulder-surfing” attack because the visual interface by function is easily observed by others. Recent software-based approaches attempt to minimize this threat by requiring users to enter their passwords indirectly by performing certain mental tasks to derive the indirect password, thus concealing the user’s actual password. However, weaknesses in the positioning of distracter and password objects introduce usability and security issues. In this paper, a new method, which conceals information about the password objects as much as possible, is proposed. Besides concealing the password objects and the number of password objects, the proposed method allows both password and distracter objects to be used as the challenge set’s input. The correctly entered password appears to be random and can only be derived with the knowledge of the full set of password objects. Therefore, it would be difficult for a shoulder-surfing adversary to identify the user’s actual password. Simulation results indicate that the correct input object and its location are random for each challenge set, thus preventing frequency of occurrence analysis attack. User study results show that the proposed method is able to prevent shoulder-surfing attack.
Photocatalytic Bactericidal Efficiency of Ag Doped TiO2/Fe3O4on Fish Pathogens under Visible Light
Authors: Kanchanatip Ekkachai , Grisdanurak Nurak , Yeh Naichia , Cheng Ta Chih
Published: May 2014

This research evaluates photocatalytic bactericidal efficiencies of Ag-TiO2/Fe3O4in visible light using target pollutants that includeAeromonas hydrophila, Edwardsiella tarda, and Photobacterium damselaesubsp.piscicida. The investigation started with Ag-TiO2/Fe3O4synthesis and calcination followed by a series of product tests that include the examination of crystallite phase, light absorption, element composition morphology, and magnetic properties. The results of the experiment indicate that Ag and Fe3O4significantly enhanced the light absorption capacity of TiO2in the entire visible light range. The Ag-TiO2/Fe3O4prepared in this study displays significantly enhanced visible light absorption and narrowed band gap energy. The magnetic property of Ag-TiO2/Fe3O4made it easy for retrieval using a permanent magnet bar. The photocatalytic activity of Ag-TiO2/Fe3O4remains above 85% after three application cycles, which indicates high and favorable efficiency in bactericidal evaluation. The experiments have proved that the Ag-TiO2/Fe3O4magnetic photocatalyst is a promising photocatalyst for antibacterial application under visible light.
Closed‐Loop Supply Chain Network under Oligopolistic Competition with Multiproducts, Uncertain Demands, and Returns
Authors: Zhou Yan , Chan Chi Kin , Wong Kar Hung , Lee Y. C. E.
Published: May 2014

We develop an equilibrium model of a closed‐loop supply chain (CLSC) network with multiproducts, uncertain demands, and returns. This model belongs to the context of oligopolistic firms that compete noncooperatively in a Cournot‐Nash framework under a stochastic environment. To satisfy the demands, we use two different channels: manufacturing new products and remanufacturing returned products through recycling used components. Since both the demands and product returns are uncertain, we consider two types of risks: overstocking and understocking of multiproducts in the forward supply chain. Then we set up the Cournot‐Nash equilibrium conditions of the CLSC network whereby we maximize every oligopolistic firm′s expected profit by deciding the production quantities of each new product as well as the path flows of each product on the forward supply chain. Furthermore, we formulate the Cournot‐Nash equilibrium conditions of the CLSC network as a variational inequality and prove the
existence and the monotonicity of the variational inequality. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate the efficiency of our model.
Individual Differences in Gambling Proneness among Rats and Common Marmosets: An Automated Choice Task
Authors: Zoratto Francesca , Sinclair Emma , Manciocco Arianna , Vitale Augusto , Laviola Giovanni , Adriani Walter
Published: May 2014

Interest is rising for animal modeling of pathological gambling. Using the operant probabilistic-delivery task (PDT), gambling proneness can be evaluated in laboratory animals. Drawing a comparison with rats, this study evaluated the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) using a PDT. By nose- or hand-poking, subjects learnt to prefer a large (LLL, 5-6 pellets) over a small (SS, 1-2 pellets) reward and, subsequently, the probability of occurrence of large-reward delivery was decreased progressively to very low levels (from 100% to 17% and 14%). As probability decreased, subjects showed a great versus little shift in preference from LLL to SS reinforcer. Hence, two distinct subpopulations (“non-gambler” versus “gambler”) were differentiated within each species. A proof of the model validity comes from marmosets’ reaction to reward-delivery omission. Namely, depending on individual temperament (“gambler” versus “non-gambler”), they showed either persistence (i.e., inadequate pokes towards LLL) or restlessness (i.e., inadequate pokes towards SS), respectively. In conclusion, the marmoset could be a suitable model for preclinical gambling studies. Implementation of the PDT to species other than rats may be relevant for determining its external validity/generalizability and improving its face/construct validity.
Screening to Identify Commonly Used Chinese Herbs That Affect ERBB2 and ESR1 Gene Expression Using the Human Breast Cancer MCF‐7 Cell Line
Authors: Chiu Jen-Hwey , Chang Chun-Ju , Wu Jing-Chong , Liu Hui-Ju , Wen Che-Sheng , Hsu Chung-Hua , Chen Jiun-Liang , Tseng Ling-Ming , Chen Wei-Shone , Shyr Yi-Ming
Published: May 2014

Aim. Our aim the was to screen the commonly used Chinese herbs in order to detect changes in ERBB2 and ESR1 gene expression using MCF‐7 cells. Methods. Using the MCF‐7 human breast cancer cell line, cell cytotoxicity and proliferation were evaluated by MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays, respectively. A luciferase reporter assay was established by transient transfecting MCF‐7 cells with plasmids containing either the ERBB2 or the ESR1 promoter region linked to the luciferase gene. Chinese herbal extracts were used to treat the cells at 24 h after transfection, followed by measurement of their luciferase activity. The screening results were verified by Western blotting to measure HER2 and ERα protein expression. Results. At concentrations that induced little cytotoxicity, thirteen single herbal extracts and five compound recipes were found to increase either ERBB2 or ESR1 luciferase activity. By Western blotting, Si‐Wu‐Tang, Kuan‐Shin‐Yin, and Suan‐Tsao‐Ren‐Tang were found to increase either HER2 or ERα protein expression. In addition, Ligusticum chuanxiong was shown to have a great effect on ERBB2 gene expression and synergistically with estrogen to stimulate MCF‐7 cell growth. Conclusion. Our results provide important information that should affect clinical treatment strategies among breast cancer patients who are receiving hormonal or targeted therapies.
Association of Pulse Pressure with Serum TNF-αand Neutrophil Count in the Elderly
Authors: Yamada Eriko , Takeuchi Mika , Kurata Miki , Kazumi Tsutomu , Fukuo Keisuke
Published: May 2014

Aims.Elevated pulse pressure (PP) has been reported to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes in elderly patients with hypertension.Methods.Cross-sectional relationships of PP with known risk factors for type 2 diabetes and inflammatory markers were examined in 150 elderly community-dwelling women, 79 women (52.7%) of whom had hypertension.Results.Systolic blood pressure (standardizedβ, 0.775), log tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α, standardizedβ, 0.110), age (standardizedβ, 0.140), and neutrophil count (standardizedβ, 0.114) emerged as determinants of PP independent of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, monocyte count, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, HDL-cholesterol, and adiponectin (R2= 0.772).Conclusions.The present studies have demonstrated an independent association of higher PP with higher TNF-α, a marker of insulin resistance, and neutrophil count in community-living elderly women and suggest that insulin resistance and chronic low-grade inflammation may in part be responsible for the association between high PP and incident type 2 diabetes found in elderly patients with hypertension.
Improvement of the Digestibility of Sulfated Hyaluronans by Bovine Testicular Hyaluronidase: A UV Spectroscopic and Mass Spectrometric Study
Authors: Lemmnitzer Katharina , Schiller Jürgen , Becher Jana , Möller Stephanie , Schnabelrauch Matthias
Published: May 2014

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as hyaluronan (HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) are important, natural polysaccharides which occur in biological (connective) tissues and have various biotechnological and medical applications. Additionally, there is increasing evidence that chemically (over)sulfated GAGs possess promising properties and are useful as implant coatings. Unfortunately, a detailed characterization of these GAGs is challenging: although mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most powerful tools to elucidate the structures of (poly)saccharides, MS is not applicable to high mass polysaccharides, but characteristic oligosaccharides are needed. These oligosaccharides are normally generated by enzymatic digestion. However, chemically modified (particularly sulfated) GAGs are extremely refractive to enzymatic digestion. This study focuses on the investigation of the digestibility of GAGs with different degrees of sulfation by bovine testicular hyaluronidase (BTH). It will be shown by using an adapted spectrophotometric assay that all investigated GAGs can be basically digested if the reaction conditions are carefully adjusted. However, the oligosaccharide yield correlates reciprocally with the number of sulfate residues per polymer repeating unit. Finally, matrix-laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) MS will be used to study the released oligosaccharides and their sulfation patterns.
New species and new records of Tetranychidae (Acarina, Prostigmata) from Thailand
Authors: NAING HTAR HTAR , CHANDRAPATYA ANGSUMARN , NAVAJAS MARIA , AUGER PHILIPPE
Published: May 2014

Sampling efforts conducted in several provinces from Thailand disclosed three new species of tetranychid mites. Two of them belong to the genus Tetranychus, namely Tetranychus occultaspina sp. nov. and Tetranychus truncatissimus sp. nov. and the third species belongs to the genus Schizotetranychus, Schizotetranychus krungthepensis sp. nov. They were collected on Ipomoea aquatica, Bambusa multiplex and Saccharum officinarum, respectively. New records and new hosts are also mentioned.
The identity and genetic characterization of Simulium reptans (Diptera: Simuliidae) from central and northern Europe
Authors: KÚDELA MATÚŠ , BRÚDEROVÁ TATIANA , JEDLIČKA LADISLAV , BERNOTIENĖ RASA , CELEC PETER , SZEMES TOMÁŠ
Published: May 2014

Although Simulium reptans Linnaeus is one of the first two blackfly species ever described its identity and taxonomy are still not precisely defined. S. reptans and closely related species from central and northern Europe were characterized based on genetic variability, haplotype number and haplotype distribution. S. galeratum can be considered a synonym of S. reptans, but despite this, two distinct species are present in Great Britain and central Europe. The available name S. reptantoides Carlsson can be used for the second species; earlier reported as S. reptans from Great Britain and central Europe. A total of 80 mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene sequences were analyzed: 44 S. reptans, 36 S. reptantoides; 38 from Great Britain, 19 from Slovakia, 8 from Lithuania, 3 from Latvia and 12 from Sweden. In 73 individuals a 606 bp section (long sequences), and in all 80 individuals a fully overlapping 453 bp section (short sequences) were analyzed. Results confirmed that S. reptans and S. reptantoides are two genetically isolated species. The variation between these species is 80.01% of total variation; approximately six times higher than the variation among the populations within species. The genetic divergence between species is 7.02% in long sequences and 7.46% in short ones. The genetic divergence within species is 1.18% in S. reptans and 0.83% in S. reptantoides in long sequences, and 1.38% and 1.05% in short sequences. Maximum likelihood trees, maximum parsimony trees and the haplotype network constructed using TCS showed that each species consists of two units, labelled as A and B forms. The distribution of the S. reptans forms is not identical—in Slovakia and the Baltic area only S. reptans B was found, meanwhile both A and B forms were present in Great Britain and Sweden; with the A form clearly dominant. In contrast, both forms of S. reptantoides were present in Great Britain and Slovakia, and absent in Scandinavia and the Baltic area. Additional studies comprising more individuals from larger areas of Europe are required to verify the taxonomic position of these species’ forms.
Triggering Deep Convection with a Probabilistic Plume Model
Authors: D’Andrea Fabio , Gentine Pierre , Betts Alan K. , Lintner Benjamin R.
Published: May 2014

A model unifying the representation of the planetary boundary layer and dry, shallow, and deep convection, the probabilistic plume model (PPM), is presented. Its capacity to reproduce the triggering of deep convection over land is analyzed in detail. The model accurately reproduces the timing of shallow convection and of deep convection onset over land, which is a major issue in many current general climate models.

PPM is based on a distribution of plumes with varying thermodynamic states (potential temperature and specific humidity) induced by surface-layer turbulence. Precipitation is computed by a simple ice microphysics, and with the onset of precipitation, downdrafts are initiated and lateral entrainment of environmental air into updrafts is reduced.

The most buoyant updrafts are responsible for the triggering of moist convection, causing the rapid growth of clouds and precipitation. Organization of turbulence in the subcloud layer is induced by unsaturated downdrafts, and the effect of density currents is modeled through a reduction of the lateral entrainment. The reduction of entrainment induces further development from the precipitating congestus phase to full deep cumulonimbus.

Model validation is performed by comparing cloud base, cloud-top heights, timing of precipitation, and environmental profiles against cloud-resolving models and large-eddy simulations for two test cases. These comparisons demonstrate that PPM triggers deep convection at the proper time in the diurnal cycle and produces reasonable precipitation. On the other hand, PPM underestimates cloud-top height.
Twenty-First-Century Projections of Snowfall and Winter Severity across Central-Eastern North America*,+
Authors: Notaro Michael , Lorenz David , Hoving Christopher , Schummer Michael
Published: May 2014

Statistically downscaled climate projections from nine global climate models (GCMs) are used to force a snow accumulation and ablation model (SNOW-17) across the central-eastern North American Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) to develop high-resolution projections of snowfall, snow depth, and winter severity index (WSI) by the middle and late twenty-first century. Here, projections of a cumulative WSI (CWSI) known to influence autumn–winter waterfowl migration are used to demonstrate the utility of SNOW-17 results. The application of statistically downscaled climate data and a snow model leads to a better representation of lake processes in the Great Lakes basin, topographic effects in the Appalachian Mountains, and spatial patterns of climatological snowfall, compared to the original GCMs. Annual mean snowfall is simulated to decline across the region, particularly in early winter (December–January), leading to a delay in the mean onset of the snow season. Because of a warming-induced acceleration of snowmelt, the percentage loss in snow depth exceeds that of snowfall. Across the Plains and Prairie Potholes LCC and the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes LCC, daily snowfall events are projected to become less common but more intense. The greatest reductions in the number of days per year with a present snowpack are expected close to the historical position of the −5°C isotherm in December–March, around 44°N. The CWSI is projected to decline substantially during December–January, leading to increased likelihood of delays in timing and intensity of autumn–winter waterfowl migrations.
A Comprehensive Partnership Approach Increasing High School Graduation Rates and College Enrollment of Urban Economically Disadvantaged Youth
Authors: Morgan Yvette , Sinatra Richard , Eschenauer Robert
Published: May 2014

Described is a 4-year model of a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) offered to 294 academically and economically disadvantaged students and their parents during in- and out-of-school time activities through partnerships forged with school personnel and community-based agencies. In an urban high school where the annual graduation rate was below 60%, the graduation rate of the GEAR UP students of whom 60% were Hispanic and African American was 95%, while 58% enrolled in a postsecondary institution soon after graduation. Regardless of the time spent in three participatory conditions in the out-of-school time activities, 12th graders commonly believed that the program significantly helped them complete high school, prepared them for college, and showed them that adults cared about their future. A five-item survey completed by parents also revealed a number of highly significant findings. Quantitative, focus group, and interview findings corroborated and supported each other.
The Changing Nonlinear Relationship between Income and Terrorism
Authors: Enders Walter , Hoover Gary A. , Sandler Todd
Published: May 2014

This article reinvestigates the relationship between real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and terrorism. We devise a terrorism Lorenz curve to show that domestic and transnational terrorist attacks are each more concentrated in middle-income countries, thereby suggesting a nonlinear income–terrorism relationship. Moreover, this point of concentration shifted to lower income countries after the rising influence of the religious fundamentalist and nationalist/separatist terrorists in the early 1990s. For transnational terrorist attacks, this shift characterized not only the attack venue but also the perpetrators’ nationality. The article then uses nonlinear smooth transition regressions to establish the relationship between real per capita GDP and terrorism for eight alternative terrorism samples, accounting for venue, perpetrators’ nationality, terrorism type, and the period. Our nonlinear estimates are shown to be favored over estimates using linear or quadratic income determinants of terrorism. These nonlinear estimates are robust to additional controls.
School Securitization and Latina/o Educational Progress
Authors: Peguero Anthony A. , Portillos Edwardo L. , González Juan Carlos
Published: May 2014

Increasing control and security has become a common strategy to address school violence. Some argue, however, that increasing social control has detrimental consequences for racial and ethnic minorities, especially Latinas/os. This study utilizes mixed methods to research the influence of school justice, fairness, order, and discipline may have on Latina/o youth dropping out. Quantitative data reveal any potential benefits of increased school justice, fairness, and order against dropping out are negated once Latina/o youth are disciplined. Qualitative data suggest Latina/o youth perceive differential treatment as a consequence of increased securitization that could lead to these students dropping out of school.
A Cognitive Model of Argument, With Application to the Base-Rate Phenomenon and Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory
Authors: Hample Dale , Richards Adam S.
Published: May 2014

In the 1970s, Hample developed a successful model of intrapersonal argument. Loosely based on the law of total probability, the model used a normatively correct standard to predict people’s adherence to persuasive claims. That original research used single-item measures that could not be assessed for internal consistency. The present study estimates the reliabilities of the appropriate measures so that corrections for attenuation can be made. In addition, the study exploits the base-rate fallacy to encourage formation of bad premises and perhaps bad reasoning. Results show that Hample’s original model is indeed accurate and that his original results understated people’s rationality in persuasive situations. The base-rate effect was confined to improper premises; given people’s premises, they continued to reason rationally. The model was equally accurate for high experientials and high rationals, in Epstein’s terminology.
The Knowledge Leveling Effect of Portal Sites
Authors: Kobayashi Tetsuro , Inamasu Kazunori
Published: May 2014

The new high-choice media environment has allowed entertainment-oriented people to avoid political news, resulting in a wider gap in political knowledge between entertainment- and news-oriented citizens. On the Internet, however, users tend to be concentrated into a handful of portal sites that offer a mixed information environment in which both news and entertainment are readily available. The simultaneous presentation of news and entertainment headlines on portal sites exposes entertainment-oriented people to the news, which may in turn narrow the knowledge gap between them and news-oriented people. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effects of exposure to major portal sites in Japan, where Yahoo! JAPAN attracts a large majority of Internet users. Two studies using self-reported exposure to portal sites ( n = 838) and web browsing histories ( n = 1,000) demonstrated that even entertainment-oriented people can acquire political knowledge, and thus portal sites can serve as knowledge levelers.
Why Does Social Capital Matter in Health Communication Campaigns?
Authors: Lee Chul-joo , Kam Jennifer A.
Published: May 2014

The present study examined the psychological mechanisms underlying the indirect effects of antidrug-specific social capital on targeted parent-child communication about drugs. Moreover, it explored why campaign exposure and social capital exert interactive influences on parent-child communication. Using a three-round longitudinal panel data set from the National Survey of Parents and Youth (NSPY), we found that when taking into account behavioral attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, parents’ attitude toward talking about drugs with their child mediated the effects of antidrug-specific social capital on targeted parent-child communication about drugs. Furthermore, behavioral attitude mediated the interactive effects of campaign exposure and social capital on parent-child communication. The implications of these findings for research on the connection between media exposure and conversation and for public health interventions were discussed.
“Am I a Better Mother Than You?”
Authors: Chae Jiyoung
Published: May 2014

This article explored the relationship between media exposure and contemporary motherhood based on social comparison theory (SCT). Based on previous studies indicating the flood of media discourse of celebrity moms and mothers’ heavy reliance on the Internet, this article focused on celebrity mom and the Internet, respectively, as channels through which ideal motherhood is communicated. It was hypothesized that exposure to these channels would reinforce the ideology of contemporary motherhood characterized by intensive mothering, and promote comparison and competition. The questionnaire survey, conducted among 533 Korean mothers, revealed that exposure to celebrity mom discourse and online childrearing information was associated with the endorsement of the intensive mothering ideology, social comparison orientation (SCO), or competitiveness. Moreover, exposure to celebrity mom discourse was associated with the endorsement of intensive mothering ideology and SCO only among mothers who work outside the home, suggesting that celebrity moms serve as role models for them.
Does Training Improve the Detection of Deception? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hauch Valerie , Sporer Siegfried L. , Michael Stephen W. , Meissner Christian A.
Published: May 2014

This meta-analysis examined whether training improves detection of deception. Overall, 30 studies (22 published and 8 unpublished; control-group design) resulted in a small to medium training effect for detection accuracy ( k = 30, gu = 0.331) and for lie accuracy ( k = 11, gu = 0.422), but not for truth accuracy ( k = 11, gu = 0.060). If participants were guided by cues to detect the truth, rather than to detect deception, only truth accuracy was increased. Moderator analyses revealed larger training effects if the training was based on verbal content cues, whereas feedback, nonverbal and paraverbal, or multichannel cue training had only small effects. Type of training, duration, mode of instruction, and publication status were also important moderators. Recommendations for designing, conducting, and reporting training studies are discussed.
The world upside down: Delegitimising political finance regulation
Authors: Casal Bértoa Fernando , Molenaar Fransje , Piccio Daniela R , Rashkova Ekaterina R
Published: May 2014

Political finance regulation is often praised in terms of its ability to introduce equality among political parties, to create more transparent political parties and to lower the influence of affluent donors on the political decision-making process. Little examination exists, however, of the effectiveness of this type of regulation. This article aims to fill this gap by addressing whether and to what extent different types of public funding regulation have improved the legitimacy of political parties by improving their image in terms of corruption. Towards this end, and focusing on both European and Latin American democracies, this article investigates whether a relationship indeed exists between the perceived corruption of political parties and the regulation of political finance. It finds such a relationship does exist, although not in the direction commonly stipulated by the advocates of party finance regulation.
Does regulation make political parties more popular? A multi-level analysis of party support in Europe
Authors: Whiteley Paul
Published: May 2014

This article examines the relationship between party regulation, trust in political parties and partisanship in 24 European democracies in 2010. It tests two rival hypotheses, one suggesting that the regulation of political parties improves party support among electorates, and the other arguing the opposite case that regulation weakens support for parties. These hypotheses are tested using a multi-level modelling strategy that controls for a number of variables that might account for trust in parties and partisanship at the individual level. The evidence suggests that heavy regulation of political parties is associated with low levels of trust in parties and fewer partisans in these countries. This finding persists even in the presence of a variety of control variables. The analysis uses cross-sectional data and so definitive causal relationships cannot be fully identified, but the data implies that regulation by the state in the context of a severe economic recession could be having the effect of stifling support for political parties and weakening civil society.
Legitimising political party representation: Party law development in Latin America
Authors: Molenaar Fransje
Published: May 2014

This study traces the development of party law from its first appearance in the early 20th century to its re-appearance in post-transitional Latin America and demonstrates how legislators frequently use party law to legally validate the participation of political parties in the electoral process. Through an analysis of instances of cartelising party laws and party deregulation, this article shows that the cartelising use of party law is often followed by a backlash when society and new elites contest parties’ monopolisation of representation. The legal validation of political parties is hence not sufficient for the legitimisation of the political status quo in terms of party. Instead, this article shows that elites that build their power merely on formal rules risk diminishing the political legitimacy of the system that these rules seek to uphold.