bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accelerating cosmology in modified gravity: From convenient F(R) or string-inspired theory to bimetric F(R) gravity
Authors: Nojiri Shin'ichi , Odintsov Sergei D.
Published: November 2013

We consider modified gravity which may describe the early-time inflation and/or late-time cosmic acceleration of the universe. In particular, we discuss the properties of F(R), F(G), string-inspired and scalar-Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravities, including their FRW equations and fluid or scalar-tensor description. Simplest accelerating cosmologies are investigated and possibility of unified description of the inflation with dark energy is described. The cosmological reconstruction program which permits to get the requested universe evolution from modified gravity is developed. As some extension, massive F(R) bigravity which is ghost-free theory is presented. Its scalar-tensor form turns out to be the easiest formulation. The cosmological reconstruction method for such bigravity is presented. The unified description of inflation with dark energy in F(R) bigravity turns out to be possible.
Galaxy structures — groups, clusters and superclusters
Authors: Sepp Tiit , Gramann Mirt
Published: November 2013

We provide a brief summary of the history of galaxy structure studies. We also introduce several large-scale redshift surveys and summarize the most commonly used methods to identify the groups and clusters of galaxies. We present several catalogs of galaxy groups. These catalogs can be used to study the galaxy groups in different environments. We also consider the properties of superclusters of galaxies in the nearby universe and describe the largest system of galaxies observed — the Sloan Great Wall.
Scalar field cosmology — geometry of dynamics
Authors: Szydłowski Marek , Hrycyna Orest , Stachowski Aleksander
Published: November 2013

We study the Scalar Field Cosmology (SFC) using the geometric language of the phase space. We define and study an ensemble of dynamical systems as a Banach space with a Sobolev metric. The metric in the ensemble is used to measure a distance between different models. We point out the advantages of visualization of dynamics in the phase space. It is investigated the genericity of some class of models in the context of fine tuning of the form of the potential function in the ensemble of SFC. We also study the symmetries of dynamical systems of SFC by searching for their exact solutions. In this context, we stressed the importance of scaling solutions. It is demonstrated that scaling solutions in the phase space are represented by unstable separatrices of the saddle points. Only critical point itself located on two-dimensional stable submanifold can be identified as scaling solution. We have also found a class of potentials of the scalar fields forced by the symmetry of differential equation describing the evolution of the Universe. A class of potentials forced by scaling (homology) symmetries was given. We point out the role of the notion of a structural stability in the context of the problem of indetermination of the potential form of the SFC. We characterize also the class of potentials which reproduces the ΛCDM model, which is known to be structurally stable. We show that the structural stability issue can be effectively used is selection of the scalar field potential function. This enables us to characterize a structurally stable and therefore a generic class of SFC models. We have found a nonempty and dense subset of structurally stable models. We show that these models possess symmetry of homology.
Viscous cold dark matter in agreement with observations
Authors: Velten Hermano
Published: November 2013

We discuss bulk viscous cosmological models. Since the bulk viscous pressure is negative, viable viscous cosmological scenarios with late time accelerated expansion can in principle be constructed. After discussing some alternative models based on bulk viscous effects we will focus on a model very similar to the standard ΛvCDM. We argue that a ΛvCDM model, where we assign a very small (albeit perceptible) bulk viscosity to dark matter is in agreement with available cosmological observations. Hence, we work with the concept of viscous Cold Dark Matter (vCDM). At the level of the perturbations, the growth of vCDM structures is slightly suppressed when compared with the standard CDM ones. Having in mind that the small scale problems of the ΛCDM model are related to an excess of clustering, our proposal seems to indicate a possible direction for solving the serious drawbacks of the CDM paradigm within the standard cosmological model.
The Korselt set of the square of a prime
Authors: Alrasasi Ibrahim
Published: November 2013

Let α ∈ ℤ\{0}. A composite number N is said to be an α-Korselt number (Kα-number, for short) if N ≠ α and p - α divides N - α for each prime divisor p of N. The set of all α ∈ ℤ\{0} such that N is a Kα-number is called the Korselt set of N and is denoted by 𝒦𝒮(N). In this paper, we study the Korselt set of q2, where q is prime. We describe in detail how to obtain 𝒦𝒮(q2), compute the cardinality of 𝒦𝒮(q2), and answer some questions related to 𝒦𝒮(q2).
Quantitative redox imaging biomarkers for studying tissue metabolic state and its heterogeneity
Authors: Xu He N. , Li Lin Z.
Published: November 2013

NAD+/NADH redox state has been implicated in many diseases such as cancer and diabetes as well as in the regulation of embryonic development and aging. To fluorimetrically assess the mitochondrial redox state, Dr. Chance and co-workers measured the fluorescence of NADH and oxidized flavoproteins (Fp) including flavin–adenine–dinucleotide (FAD) and demonstrated their ratio (i.e. the redox ratio) is a sensitive indicator of the mitochondrial redox states. The Chance redox scanner was built to simultaneously measure NADH and Fp in tissue at submillimeter scale in 3D using the freeze-trap protocol. This paper summarizes our recent research experience, development and new applications of the redox scanning technique in collaboration with Dr. Chance beginning in 2005. Dr. Chance initiated or actively involved in many of the projects during the last several years of his life. We advanced the redox scanning technique by measuring the nominal concentrations (in reference to the frozen solution standards) of the endogenous fluorescent analytes, i.e., [NADH] and [Fp] to quantify the redox ratios in various biological tissues. The advancement has enabled us to identify an array of the redox indices as quantitative imaging biomarkers (including [NADH], [Fp], [Fp]/([NADH]+[Fp]), [NADH]/[Fp], and their standard deviations) for studying some important biological questions on cancer and normal tissue metabolism. We found that the redox indices were associated or changed with (1) tumorigenesis (cancer versus non-cancer of human breast tissue biopsies); (2) tumor metastatic potential; (3) tumor glucose uptake; (4) tumor p53 status; (5) PI3K pathway activation in pre-malignant tissue; (6) therapeutic effects on tumors; (7) embryonic stem cell differentiation; (8) the heart under fasting. Together, our work demonstrated that the tissue redox indices obtained from the redox scanning technique may provide useful information about tissue metabolism and physiology status in normal and diseased tissues. The Chance redox scanner and other redox imaging techniques may have wide-ranging potential applications in many fields, such as cancer, diabetes, developmental process, mitochondrial diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and aging.
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a useful tool to evaluate the treatment efficacy of positive airways pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS): A pilot study
Authors: Zhang Zhongxing , Schneider Maja , Fritschi Ursula , Lehner Isabella , Khatami Ramin
Published: November 2013

In obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) the periodic reduction or cessation of breathing due to narrowing or occlusion of the upper airway during sleep leads to an impaired cerebral vascular autoregulation that is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk, including stroke. Continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) therapy at night is the most effective treatment for OSA and has been shown to reduce the cardiovascular risk in OSA patients. However, there is no suitable bedside monitoring method evaluating the recovery of cerebral hemodynamics during CPAP therapy. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is ideally suited for non-invasive monitoring the cerebral hemodynamics during sleep due to its properties of local measurement, totally safe application and good tolerance to motion. In this pilot study, we monitored cerebral hemodynamics during standard CPAP therapy at night in three patients with severe OSA using NIRS. We found periodic oscillations in HbO2, HHb, tissue oxygenation index (TOI) and blood volume (BV) associated with periodic apnea events without CPAP in all OSA patients. These oscillations were eliminated under the optimal CPAP pressures in all patients. These results suggested that the recovery of cerebral hemodynamics impaired by apnea events can be evaluated by bedside NIRS measurements in real time during all night CPAP therapy. NIRS is a useful bedside monitoring tool to evaluate the treatment efficacy of CPAP therapy in patients with OSA.
Monitoring of rhythms in laser speckle data
Authors: Postnov D. E. , Neganova A. Y. , Postnov D. D. , Brazhe A. R.
Published: November 2013

While the laser speckle imaging (LSI) is a powerful tool for multiple biomedical applications, such as monitoring of the blood flow, in many cases it can provide additional information when combined with spatio-temporal rhythm analysis. We demonstrate the application of Graphics Processing Units (GPU)-based rhythm analysis for the post processing of LSI data, discuss the relevant structure of GPU-based computations, test the proposed technique on surrogate 3D data, and apply this approach to kidney blood flow autoregulation. Experiments with surrogate data demonstrate the ability of the method to extract information about oscillation patterns from noisy data, as well as to detect the moving source of the rhythm. The analysis of kidney data allow us to detect and to localize the dynamics arising from autoregulation processes at the level of individual nephrons (tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) rhythm), as well as to distinguish between the TGF-active and the TGF-silent zones.
Analytical modeling of oxide thickness variation of metals under high temperature solid-particle erosion
Authors: Chen Ju , Chen Kuiying , Liu Rong , Liang Ming
Published: November 2013

The paper presents a study of model development for predicting the oxide thickness on metals under high temperature solid-particle erosion. The model is created based on the theory of solid-particle erosion that characterizes the erosion damage as deformation wear and cutting wear, incorporating the effect of the oxide scale on the eroded surface under high temperature erosion. Then the instantaneous oxide thickness is the result of the synergetic effect of erosion and oxidation. The developed model is applied on a Ni -based Al -containing ( Ni – Al ) alloy to investigate the oxide thickness variation with erosion duration of the alloy at high temperatures. The results show that the thickness of the oxide scale on the alloy surface increases with the exposure time and temperature when the surface is not attacked by particles. However, when particles impact on the alloy surface, the oxide thickness is reduced, although oxidation is continuing. This indicates that oxidation does not benefit the erosion resistance of this alloy at high temperatures due to the low growth rate of the oxide.
ELASTIC AND ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES OF HEXAGONALCr2NbCOMPOUND
Authors: YADAWA PRAMOD KUMAR
Published: November 2013

The ultrasonic properties like ultrasonic sound velocity in the hexagonal structured Cr2Nb compound have been studied along unique axis at room temperature. The second- and third-order elastic constants (SOECs and TOECs) have been calculated for this compound using Lennard–Jones potential. The velocities VLand VS1have minima and maxima respectively with 45° with unique axis of the crystal, while VS2increases with the angle from unique axis. Debye average sound velocities of Cr2Nb have been found to be increasing with the angle and has maximum at 55° with unique axis at room temperature. Hence, when a sound wave travels at 55° with unique axis of this material, then the average sound velocity is found to be maximum. The inconsistent behavior of angle dependent velocities is associated to the action of SOECs. The ultrasonic properties are discussed in correlation with elastic, thermal and electrical properties. It has been found that the thermal conductivity is the main contributor to the behavior of ultrasonic attenuation and the cause of attenuation is phonon–phonon interaction. The mechanical properties of Cr2Nb are better than other chromium-based alloys ( Cr2Ta , Cr2Zr and Cr2Hf ) at room temperature, because it has high ultrasonic velocity and low ultrasonic attenuation.
Animal galloping and human hopping: an energetics and biomechanics laboratory exercise
Authors: Lindstedt Stan L. , Mineo Patrick M. , Schaeffer Paul J.
Published: November 2013

This laboratory exercise demonstrates fundamental principles of mammalian locomotion. It provides opportunities to interrogate aspects of locomotion from biomechanics to energetics to body size scaling. It has the added benefit of having results with robust signal to noise so that students will have success even if not “meticulous” in attention to detail. First, using respirometry, students measure the energetic cost of hopping at a “preferred” hop frequency. This is followed by hopping at an imposed frequency half of the preferred. By measuring the O2uptake and work done with each hop, students calculate mechanical efficiency. Lessons learned from this laboratory include 1) that the metabolic cost per hop at half of the preferred frequency is nearly double the cost at the preferred frequency; 2) that when a person is forced to hop at half of their preferred frequency, the mechanical efficiency is nearly that predicted for muscle but is much higher at the preferred frequency; 3) that the preferred hop frequency is strongly body size dependent; and 4) that the hop frequency of a human is nearly identical to the galloping frequency predicted for a quadruped of our size. Together, these exercises demonstrate that humans store and recover elastic recoil potential energy when hopping but that energetic savings are highly frequency dependent. This stride frequency is dependent on body size such that frequency is likely chosen to maximize this function. Finally, by requiring students to make quantitative solutions using appropriate units and dimensions of the physical variables, these exercises sharpen analytic and quantitative skills.
Measuring dynamic kidney function in an undergraduate physiology laboratory
Authors: Medler Scott , Harrington Frederick
Published: November 2013

Most undergraduate physiology laboratories are very limited in how they treat renal physiology. It is common to find teaching laboratories equipped with the capability for high-resolution digital recordings of physiological functions (muscle twitches, ECG, action potentials, respiratory responses, etc.), but most urinary laboratories still rely on a “dipstick” approach of urinalysis. Although this technique can provide some basic insights into the functioning of the kidneys, it overlooks the dynamic processes of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. In the present article, we provide a straightforward approach of using renal clearance measurements to estimate glomerular filtration rate, fractional water reabsorption, glucose clearance, and other physiologically relevant parameters. The estimated values from our measurements in laboratory are in close agreement with those anticipated based on textbook parameters. For example, we found glomerular filtration rate to average 124 ± 45 ml/min, serum creatinine to be 1.23 ± 0.4 mg/dl, and fractional water reabsorption to be ∼96.8%. Furthermore, analyses for the class data revealed significant correlations between parameters like fractional water reabsorption and urine concentration, providing opportunities to discuss urine concentrating mechanisms and other physiological processes. The procedures outlined here are general enough that most undergraduate physiology laboratory courses should be able to implement them without difficulty.
An educational device for a hands-on activity to visualize the effect of atherosclerosis on blood flow
Authors: de Almeida J. P. P. G. L. , de Lima J. L. M. P.
Published: November 2013

An educational device was created to develop a hands-on activity to illustrate how atherosclerosis can dramatically reduce blood flow in human vessels. The device was conceived, designed, and built at the University of Coimbra, in response to a request from the Exploratório Infante D. Henrique Science Centre Museum, where it is presently installed. The device was designed to allow lay audience to operate it, including school-age youngsters. The two blood flow reduction mechanisms that can be visualized are 1) thickening of the artery wall and 2) hardening of the artery wall. The main objective is to promote the understanding of atherosclerotic cardiovascular physiology by simple and direct experiments. This original educational interactive device was constructed using, in the conceptual and design stages of the project, a Newtonian theoretical flow model based on Poiseuille's equation. This device is driven by human force and provides a visualization of the effect of atherosclerosis on flow. The main aspects relating to its design and construction are described here to explain and disseminate this approach. Throughout more than 4 yr of real operation, this educational device proved to be a simple and attractive way of understanding atherosclerosis, especially among young people.
Ion permeability of artificial membranes evaluated by diffusion potential and electrical resistance measurements
Authors: Shlyonsky Vadim
Published: November 2013

In the present article, a novel model of artificial membranes that provides efficient assistance in teaching the origins of diffusion potentials is proposed. These membranes are made of polycarbonate filters fixed to 12-mm plastic rings and then saturated with a mixture of creosol and n-decane. The electrical resistance and potential difference across these membranes can be easily measured using a low-cost volt-ohm meter and home-made Ag/AgCl electrodes. The advantage of the model is the lack of ionic selectivity of the membrane, which can be modified by the introduction of different ionophores to the organic liquid mixture. A membrane treated with the mixture containing valinomycin generates voltages from −53 to −25 mV in the presence of a 10-fold KCl gradient (in to out) and from −79 to −53 mV in the presence of a bi-ionic KCl/NaCl gradient (in to out). This latter bi-ionic gradient potential reverses to a value from +9 to +20 mV when monensin is present in the organic liquid mixture. Thus, the model can be build stepwise, i.e., all factors leading to the development of diffusion potentials can be introduced sequentially, helping students to understand the quantitative relationships of ionic gradients and differential membrane permeability in the generation of cell electrical signals.
Case-based learning in endocrine physiology: an approach toward self-directed learning and the development of soft skills in medical students
Authors: Gade Shubhada , Chari Suresh
Published: November 2013

The Medical Council of India, in the recent Vision 2015 document, recommended curricular reforms for undergraduates. Case-based learning (CBL) is one method where students are motivated toward self-directed learning and to develop analytic and problem-solving skills. An overview of thyroid physiology was given in a didactic lecture. A paper-based case scenario of multinodular goiter was given to phase I Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery students in two sessions. An attitude survey of the students and teachers was done using a Likert scale ranging from strongly disagrees to strongly agree. A pretest and posttest were conducted. The students opined that CBL helped them to better their understanding of a particular topic, gave them better retention of knowledge, helped them to relate clinical conditions to basic sciences, improved soft skills such as communication skills and group dynamics, and promoted a better teacher-student relationship. There was significant improvement in student's performance when pre- and posttest scores were compared ( P = 0.018). Furthermore, faculty members opined that CBL promoted self-study and problem-solving abilities of the students. In conclusion, CBL motivates students toward self-directed learning and to develop analytic and problem-solving skills; thus, CBL could be beneficial for students' entry into clinical departments and, finally, in managing patients.
Medical students' participation in and perception of unprofessional behaviors: comparison of preclinical and clinical phases
Authors: Kulac Esin , Sezik Mekin , Asci Halil , Doguc Duygu K.
Published: November 2013

We aimed to compare reported observations, participation in, and perceptions of unprofessional behaviors across preclinical and clinical medical students using a 23-item questionnaire that asked participants whether they witnessed or participated in the behavior and considered it unprofessional. Overall, 111 preclinical ( year 3) and 104 clinical ( year 4) students responded. For all of the behaviors, significant positive correlations were present between participation and affirmative perceptions. Participation rates for several unprofessional behaviors (14 of 23 items) were higher in the clinical phase. Clinical students more frequently perceived unprofessional behaviors as appropriate (17 of 23 items) compared with preclinical students. In conclusion, both preclinical and clinical medical students in our setting commonly witness unprofessional behaviors. Clinical students participate in and tend to rationalize these behaviors more frequently than preclinical students do.
A set of vertically integrated inquiry-based practical curricula that develop scientific thinking skills for large cohorts of undergraduate students
Authors: Zimbardi Kirsten , Bugarcic Andrea , Colthorpe Kay , Good Jonathan P. , Lluka Lesley J.
Published: November 2013

Science graduates require critical thinking skills to deal with the complex problems they will face in their 21st century workplaces. Inquiry-based curricula can provide students with the opportunities to develop such critical thinking skills; however, evidence suggests that an inappropriate level of autonomy provided to underprepared students may not only be daunting to students but also detrimental to their learning. After a major review of the Bachelor of Science, we developed, implemented, and evaluated a series of three vertically integrated courses with inquiry-style laboratory practicals for early-stage undergraduate students in biomedical science. These practical curricula were designed so that students would work with increasing autonomy and ownership of their research projects to develop increasingly advanced scientific thinking and communication skills. Students undertaking the first iteration of these three vertically integrated courses reported learning gains in course content as well as skills in scientific writing, hypothesis construction, experimental design, data analysis, and interpreting results. Students also demonstrated increasing skills in both hypothesis formulation and communication of findings as a result of participating in the inquiry-based curricula and completing the associated practical assessment tasks. Here, we report the specific aspects of the curricula that students reported as having the greatest impact on their learning and the particular elements of hypothesis formulation and communication of findings that were more challenging for students to master. These findings provide important implications for science educators concerned with designing curricula to promote scientific thinking and communication skills alongside content acquisition.
An inexpensive 2-D and 3-D model of the sarcomere as a teaching aid
Authors: Rios Vitor Passos , Bonfim Vanessa Maria Gomes
Published: November 2013

To address a common problem of teaching the sliding filament theory (that is, students have difficulty in visualizing how the component proteins of the sarcomere differ, how they organize themselves into a single working unit, and how they function in relation to each other), we have devised a simple model, with inexpensive materials, to be built by students in the fourth year of an undergraduate biology course. This model can be quickly built by the students themselves and is functional enough to allow visualization of the filaments and their properties. The model uses cheap, simple materials, mostly party and craft supplies, to simulate the component proteins of the sarcomere, and the proposed materials can be readily replaced by more available ones.
An active learning mammalian skeletal muscle lab demonstrating contractile and kinetic properties of fast- and slow-twitch muscle
Authors: Head S. I. , Arber M. B.
Published: November 2013

The fact that humans possess fast- and slow-twitch muscle in the ratio of ∼50% has profound implications for designing exercise training strategies for power and endurance activities. With the growth of exercise and sport science courses, we have seen the need to develop an undergraduate student laboratory that demonstrates the basic properties of fast- and slow-twitch mammalian skeletal muscle. This laboratory illustrates the major differences in contractile properties and fatigue profiles exhibited by the two muscle types. Students compare and contrast twitch kinetics, fused tetanus characteristics, force-frequency relationships, and fatigue properties of fast- and slow-twitch muscles. Examples of results collected by students during class are used to illustrate the type of data collected and analysis performed. During the laboratory, students are encouraged to connect factual information from their skeletal muscle lectures to their laboratory findings. This enables student learning in an active fashion; in particular, the isolated muscle preparation demonstrates that much of what makes muscle fast or slow is myogenic and not the product of the nervous or circulatory systems. This has far-reaching implications for motor control and exercise behavior and therefore is a crucial element in exercise science, with its focus on power and endurance sport activities. To measure student satisfaction with this active learning technique, a questionnaire was administered after the laboratory; 96% of the comments were positive in their support of active versus passive learning strategies.
Introducing e-learning/teaching in a physiology course for medical students: acceptance by students and subjective effect on learning
Authors: Felder E. , Fauler M. , Geiler S.
Published: November 2013

Retrieval of information has substantially changed within the last two decades. Naturally, this has also affected learning/teaching techniques, and methods that are commonly referred to as “e-learning” have become an important part in modern education. Institutions have to decide if (and how) to implement this new form of teaching but face the problem that little subject-specific research has been published for different teaching modes and methods. The present study compares a course module of the physiology laboratory course for medical students in the preclinical phase before and after the introduction of computer-aided course instructions (CACI). Students were provided with an online questionnaire containing Likert items evaluating workspace redesign, acceptance of course instructions, incentive to actively participate in the course, and subjective gain of knowledge. CACI was clearly preferred over the previously used paper workbook. However, the questionnaire also revealed that the gain in knowledge, as subjectively perceived by the students, had not improved, which is in agreement with several studies that neglected a beneficial effect of e-learning on learning success. We conclude that the CACI meet today's student's expectations and that introducing this system seems justified from this perspective.
A novel laboratory approach for the demonstration of hemodynamic principles: the arterial blood flow reflection
Authors: Djelić Marina , Mazić Sanja , Žikić Dejan
Published: November 2013

In the frame of a laboratory training course for medicine students, a new approach for laboratory exercises has been applied to teach the phenomena of circulation. The exercise program included measurements of radial artery blood flow waveform for different age groups using a noninvasive optical sensor. Arterial wave reflection was identified by measurements of blood flow waveforms before and after arterial branching. Students were able to distinguish between different waveforms of blood flow within different age groups. Furthermore, students were given the opportunity to explore the effect of aging on the elasticity of blood vessels. This exercise is an introduction to the fundamental physical laws of hemodynamics that can facilitate the learning and understanding of cardiovascular physiology to students of medicine.
Combining Rosuvastatin With Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers of Different PPARγ-Activating Capacity
Authors: Rizos Christos V. , Liberopoulos Evangelos N. , Tellis Kostas , DiNicolantonio James J. , Tselepis Alexandros D. , Elisaf Moses S.
Published: November 2013

The effects of combining angiotensin-receptor blockers of different peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-activating capacity with rosuvastatin on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions and associated enzymes in patients with mixed dyslipidemia, hypertension, and prediabetes were assessed. Patients (n = 151) were randomly allocated to rosuvastatin (10 mg/d) plus telmisartan 80 mg/d (RT group, n = 52) or irbesartan 300 mg/d (RI group, n = 48) or olmesartan 20 mg/d (RO group, n = 51). Total and intermediate HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels did not change in any group. Large HDL-C increased, while small HDL-C decreased significantly in all the groups ( P = not significant between the groups). The mass of HDL lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (HDL-Lp-PLA2) and the activities of paraoxonase 1 remained unchanged in all the groups. However, HDL-Lp-PLA2 activity increased only in the RT group (+21.4%; P < .01 vs baseline) and did not change in the RI (−4.3%; P = .005 vs RT group) and RO (+3.2%; P = .01 vs RT) groups. In conclusion, only the combination of rosuvastatin with telmisartan increased the possibly antiatherosclerotic HDL-Lp-PLA2 activity.
Relationship Between Oxidized LDL, IgM, and IgG Autoantibodies to ox-LDL Levels With Recurrent Cardiovascular Events in Swedish Patients With Previous Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Crisby M. , Henareh L. , Agewall Stefan
Published: November 2013

We determined whether plasma levels of circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL; E06), immunoglobulin (Ig) G, and IgM autoantibodies binding to malonyldialdehyde-modified LDL (MDA-LDL) may predict cardiovascular events (CVEs). Patients (n = 123) with a previous myocardial infarction (MI) were included. The primary end point was defined as any of the following: cardiovascular death from any cause, nonfatal reinfarction or stroke, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, and hospitalization due to angina pectoris. There were 43 CVEs during the follow-up period of 8.4 ± 3.5 years. There was no significant difference in the levels of E06 and MDA-LDL IgG between the CVE and the event-free group. However, MDA-LDL IgM levels were significantly lower in patients in the CVE group (9524 ± 6326 relative light unit [RLU]) compared with the event-free (10 975 ± 5398 RLU) group ( P = .04). In conclusion, levels of MDA-LDL IgM were associated with an increased risk of CVE in patients with a previous MI.
Is Being an Elderly Woman a Risk Factor for Worse Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention? A Large Cohort Study From One Center
Authors: Gao Zhan , Yuan Jin-Qing , Xu Bo , Yang Yue-Jin , Chen Jue , Chen Ji-Lin , Qiao Shu-Bin , Wu Yong-Jian , Yan Hong-Bin , Gao Run-Lin
Published: November 2013

It has remained undefined whether the combination of being elderly (ie, >75 years old) and female is a risk factor for worse outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 29 211 consecutive patients who underwent PCI were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier estimated 3-year rate of cardiac death was significantly higher in elderly females in comparison with all other groups ( P < .05). Using Cox proportional hazard models, being an elderly female was a significant risk factor for cardiac death and cardiac death/MI in comparison with being a young female, OR (95% CI): 2.53 (1.15-5.59), 2.26 (1.27-4.03), or young male, OR (95% CI): 2.22 (1.26-3.91), 2.25 (1.44-3.51); however, it was not a significant risk factor in comparison with being elderly male, OR (95% CI): 1.30 (0.97-1.71), 1.21(0.94-1.55). Elderly females had worse outcomes after PCI therapy than other gender and age groups, but being an elderly female was not an independent risk factor for worse PCI outcomes.
Treatment of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in a Pediatric Observation Unit
Authors: Lane Roni D. , Sandweiss David R. , Corneli Howard M.
Published: November 2013

Objectives. To report the success rate of observation unit (OU) treatment of pediatric skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) and to see if we could identify variables at the time of initial evaluation that predicted successful OU treatment. Methods. A retrospective review of children less than 18 years of age admitted for SSTI treatment to our OU from the emergency department between January 2003 and June 2009. Results. On records review, 853 patients matched eligibility criteria; median age was 5.2 years (interquartile range = 2.5-9 years). Of the 853 patients, 597 (70.0%) met the primary outcome criteria of successful OU discharge within 26 hours. Secondary analysis revealed that 82% of the patients achieved successful discharge from the OU within 48 hours. Although some laboratory variables demonstrated statistical association with success, none achieved a combination of high sensitivity and specificity to predict OU failure. OU success rates varied by location. Dental and face infections and those of the extremities or multiple sites demonstrated OU success rates higher than 65%, while infection of the groin, buttocks, trunk, or neck had success rates between 24% (neck) and 60% (groin). In multivariate analysis, only 3 variables remained significant. Unfavorable location was most strongly associated with OU failure, followed by C-reactive protein > 4 and then by erythrocyte sedimentation rate > 20. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that successful OU treatment is possible in a large group of patients needing hospitalization for SSTIs. Consideration of infection location may assist the emergency department clinician in determining the most appropriate unit for admission.
Timing of Head Circumference Measurement in Newborns
Authors: Šimič Klarić Andrea , Tomić Rajić Marijana , Tesari Crnković Helena
Published: November 2013

Aim. The objective of this study is to compare head circumferences (HCs) measured on the day of delivery and on the third day after delivery. Method. A total of 499 children born in the maternity department were recruited for the study. HC was measured in centimeters immediately after birth and on the third day after delivery. Results. There are statistically significant differences between HC at the time of birth and on the third day. Presentation and method of delivery were significantly associated with differences in HC. For presentation, we found that breech newborns more commonly have smaller HC on day 3 measurements ( P = .001). For method of delivery, we found that cesarean sections also were more commonly associated with having smaller HC on day 3 measurement ( P = .02). Conclusion. Measuring HC on the third day is more clinically valuable because much of the effects of molding and birth injuries will have subsided in most newborns.
Increasing Energy Efficiency With Entertainment Media
Authors: Reeves Byron , Cummings James J. , Scarborough James K. , Yeykelis Leo
Published: November 2013

Energy information for consumers can be complex and uninteresting. Games offer a compelling new context for home energy information that may engage consumers and change behaviors. Based on research showing the effectiveness of game elements used in serious contexts, we built a professional quality social game about energy use in a virtual home. In a laboratory experiment, playing the game for 30 min resulted in significant increases in energy efficient behaviors (e.g., turning off room lights) after play ended. In a field test of the same game, smart meter data showed a significant decrease in electricity usage compared with 30-day periods before and after play. Taken together, these results demonstrate that energy information embedded in an entertaining commercial-grade game can produce significant changes in energy behavior.
Consideration of Future Consequences as a Predictor of Environmentally Responsible Behavior
Authors: Bruderer Enzler Heidi
Published: November 2013

The present study analyzes the relationship between Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) and environmentally friendly behavior in a large general population survey ( n = 1,945). CFC captures the extent to which a person is driven by short-term rewards or orients himself or herself toward long-term goals. As there is considerable debate about whether the scale captures concern with future consequences only, or with both future and immediate consequences, preliminary factor analyses were conducted. These support differentiation into two subscales: one reflecting concern for immediate benefits (CFC-Immediate) and one conveying a concern for future outcomes (CFC-Future). The results with regard to behavior, however, do not differ systematically between CFC-Immediate and CFC-Future. Overall, the results reveal that CFC is a significant predictor of pro-environmental behavior and that this relationship was (partially) mediated by environmental concern.
Health care determinants in comparative perspective: The role of partisan politics for health care provision
Authors: Montanari Ingalill , Nelson Kenneth
Published: November 2013

Health care differs substantially across countries in terms of service provision relevant for social citizenship. Whereas driving forces for the expansion and subsequent decline of cash benefits have received major scholarly interest in comparative research, determinants of developments in public services are less explored. In this article we assess the role of partisan politics for health care provision measured in terms of health employment, hospital beds, and medical technology. Regression analyses based on Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Health data for 18 countries covering the period 1980–2005 show that partisan politics influences levels of health care provision. Left government strength is positively related to health care provision and the association is driven by developments in health employment. Confessional parties are also associated with high levels of health employment, particularly when they are in close electoral competition with left parties. Both left and confessional government strength is negatively associated with the provision of hospital beds, but these effects are mitigated when parties are in intense electoral competition. In terms of medical technology, we find no partisan political effects.
From an Epistemology of Faith to Everyday Understanding
Authors: Pittenger Frank
Published: November 2013

Practitioners of psychotherapy often find themselves in clinical situations that challenge their ability to maintain both empathy and “charitable skepticism” toward clients’ narratives. The author approaches this question of clinical credulity through a comparison of the religious philosophies of Søren Kierkegaard and Franz Rosenzweig. Kierkegaard’s Philosophical Fragments is read as advocating a necessary and provisional “leap of faith” when confronting such clinical aporias. This reading of Kierkegaard is then contrasted to Rosenzweig’s recommendations in his clinical allegory, Understanding the Sick and the Healthy, which suggests a model of empathic reflection that balances affirmation with skepticism. The author concludes from this comparison that (a) the initial exploration of material provided by the psychotherapy client must proceed from a tentative “willful suspension of disbelief” on the part of the therapist and (b) this epistemology of faith must be tempered with the particular concept of “everyday philosophy” proposed by Rosenzweig.
OCP-PLACE in Speech Segmentation
Authors: Boll-Avetisyan Natalie , Kager René
Published: November 2013

OCP-Place, a cross-linguistically well-attested constraint against pairs of consonants with shared [place], is psychologically real. Studies have shown that the processing of words violating OCP-Place is inhibited. Functionalists assume that OCP arises as a consequence of low-level perception: a consonant following another with the same [place] cannot be faithfully perceived as an independent unit. If functionalist theories were correct, then lexical access would be inhibited if two homorganic consonants conjoin at word boundaries—a problem that can only be solved with lexical feedback.

Here, we experimentally challenge the functional account by showing that OCP-Place can be used as a speech segmentation cue during pre-lexical processing without lexical feedback, and that the use relates to distributions in the input.

In Experiment 1, native listeners of Dutch located word boundaries between two labials when segmenting an artificial language. This indicates a use of OCP-Labial as a segmentation cue, implying a full perception of both labials. Experiment 2 shows that segmentation performance cannot solely be explained by well-formedness intuitions. Experiment 3 shows that knowledge of OCP-Place depends on language-specific input: in Dutch, co-occurrences of labials are under-represented, but co-occurrences of coronals are not. Accordingly, Dutch listeners fail to use OCP-Coronal for segmentation.
Victimization, Substance Use, and Sexual Aggression in Male Adolescent Sexual Offenders
Authors: Marini Victoria A. , Leibowitz George S. , Burton David L. , Stickle Timothy R.
Published: November 2013

Relations among childhood victimization, substance use prior to the commission of a sexual offense, and force used during a sexual offense were examined in a sample of residentially based, male juvenile sex offenders ( n = 406; Mage = 16.6). Marshall and Marshall’s (2000) theory of sex offending proposes that childhood victimization, among other factors, creates a vulnerability to offend, which when paired with disinhibition (e.g., from substance use) may lead to sexual offending. Guided by this theory, we examined whether substance use prior to the commission of a sexual offense mediated the relation between trauma and force used in sexual offending. Six mediation analyses were used to examine subtypes of childhood victimization and the effects of cumulative victimization. Results provided support for partial mediation of substance use prior to a sexual offense on the effects of cumulative victimization on force used during a sexual offense. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
A Causal Model of Neutralization Acceptance and Delinquency
Authors: Topalli Volkan , Higgins George E. , Copes Heith
Published: November 2013

Traditionally, neutralization theory has been conceptualized as a situational strategy employed by offenders to preemptively assuage the guilt they anticipate from contemplated offending and delinquency, and thereby promote offending. While scholars have established that neutralizing and delinquency are related, they have yet to sufficiently determine whether this relationship is causal in nature, or whether neutralizing should be thought of as an individual difference. In this study, we used trajectory analysis and structural equations modeling (SEM) techniques on GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) data to find that juveniles coalesced into four stable and distinct neutralizing and delinquency groups. These trajectories were parallel across ages 12 to 16, and systematically related to each other (e.g., higher neutralizing trajectories with higher delinquency trajectories). Subsequent SEM analysis demonstrated a recursive, causal effect of neutralizations on delinquency. Our results suggest that practitioners develop measures to identify “high” versus “low” neutralizers, which may have ramifications for the offender management and counseling.
Unusual cause of absent pulse in one arm: Isolated subclavian artery
Authors: Azad Sushil , Tomar Munesh , Bhan Anil
Published: November 2013

Isolated origin of the subclavian artery is a congenital anomaly of the aortic arch in which one subclavian artery originates from the homolateral pulmonary artery through the ductus arteriosus. Isolated right subclavian artery with left-sided aortic arch is extremely rare. We report a case of isolated right subclavian artery from the right pulmonary artery via a right-sided ductus arteriosus in a 4-year-old girl. The child presented with subclavian pulmonary steal with perfusion of the right arm and lung from the right vertebral and carotid arteries. She underwent successful surgical repair.
Priorities in global media policy transfer: Audiovisual and digital policy mutations in the EU, MERCOSUR and US triangle
Authors: Sarikakis Katharine , Ganter Sarah
Published: November 2013

This article investigates the flow of communication policy principles across the supranational, international and national levels, through the lens of policy transfer. Policy transfer is a new concept for the field of media and communication studies. The article utilizes and expands on the concept to study the case of digital policy flows between leading regional powers, the EU and USA and MERCOSUR. The article argues that EU and US policy priorities are reflected in the Latin American policy framework, which shifts from a focus on audiovisual and culture-centred objectives to the digital economy paradigm. MERCOSUR then functions as a policy broker between ‘outside’ interests and those of its member states through the influence of international key players whose interests clash with those of regional goals.
Ebbs and flows of negative campaigning: A longitudinal study of the influence of contextual factors on Danish campaign rhetoric
Authors: Elmelund-Præstekær Christian , Svensson Helle Mølgaard
Published: November 2013

This article investigates the level of negative campaigning in Danish national election campaigns from 1971 and onwards. The ambition of the article is two-fold. First, it empirically debugs the widespread myth that campaign rhetoric is becoming more and more negative over the years. Second, it theoretically advances the understanding of the determinants of negative campaigning by studying a range of contextual factors that affect the general level of negativity of campaigns. It is thus shown that campaigns get more negative as the number of running parties increases, as the ideological span in the party system widens, and as the degree of political conflict at the time of the election grows.