bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations Between Body Mass Index and Development of Metabolic Disorders in Fertile Women—A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Schmiegelow Michelle Dalgas , Andersson Charlotte , Køber Lars , Andersen Søren Skøtt , Norgaard Mette Lykke , Jensen Thomas Bo , Gislason Gunnar , Berger Siv Mari , Torp‐Pedersen Christian
Published: April 2014

Background

Metabolic disorders are relatively uncommon in young women, but may increase with obesity. The associations between body mass index (
BMI
) and risks of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia in apparently healthy, young women have been insufficiently investigated, and are the aims of this study.

Methods and Results

Women giving birth during the years 2004–2009, with no history of cardiovascular disease, renal insufficiency, pregnancy‐associated metabolic disorders, diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidemia were identified in nationwide registers. Women were categorized as underweight (
BMI
<18.5 kg/m
2
), normal weight (
BMI
=18.5 to <25 kg/m
2
), overweight (
BMI
=25 to <30 kg/m
2
), obese‐I (
BMI
=30 to <35 kg/m
2
), obese‐
II
(
BMI
=35 to <40 kg/m
2
), and obese‐
III
(
BMI
≥40 kg/m
2
). We assessed risks by Poisson regression models (adjusted for age, calendar year; reference=normal weight). The cohort comprised 252 472 women with a median age of 30.4 years (
IQR
=27.2;33.7) and a median follow‐up of 5.5 years (
IQR
=3.9;6.8). In total, 2029 women developed diabetes, 3133 women developed hypertension, and 1549 women developed dyslipidemia. Rate ratios (
RR
s) of diabetes were: 0.84 (95% confidence interval [
CI
]=0.62 to 1.14) for underweight, 2.63 (
CI
=2.36 to 2.93) for overweight, 4.83 (
CI
=4.27 to 5.47) for obese grade‐I, 7.17 (
CI
=6.10 to 8.48) for obese grade‐II, and 6.93 (
CI
=5.47 to 8.79) for obese grade‐III women. For hypertension, corresponding
RR
s were 0.86 (
CI
=0.69 to 1.09), 1.82 (
CI
=1.67 to 1.98), 2.81 (
CI
=2.52 to 3.13), 3.92 (
CI
=3.36 to 4.56), and 5.69 (
CI
=4.71 to 6.89), and for dyslipidemia,
RR
s were 1.18 (
CI
=0.85 to 1.65), 2.01 (
CI
=1.75 to 2.31), 3.11 (
CI
=2.61 to 3.70), 4.64 (
CI
=3.66 to 5.87), and 3.72 (
CI
=2.53 to 5.48).

Conclusions

In this nationwide study of fertile, apparently healthy women, pre‐pregnancy
BMI
was strongly associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia within 5.5 years following childbirth.
Perceptual Learning: Tactile Letter Recognition Transfers Across Body Surfaces
Authors: Arnold Gabriel , Auvray Malika
Published: April 2014

Visual-to-tactile sensory substitution devices are designed to assist visually impaired people by converting visual stimuli into tactile stimuli. The important claim has been made that, after training with these devices, the tactile stimuli can be moved from one body surface to another without any decrease in performance. This claim, although recurrent, has never been empirically investigated. Moreover, studies in the field of tactile perceptual learning suggest that performance improvement transfers only to body surfaces that are closely represented in the somatosensory cortex, i.e. adjacent or homologous contralateral body surfaces. These studies have however mainly used discrimination tasks of stimuli varying along only one feature (e.g., orientation of gratings) whereas, in sensory substitution, tactile information consists of more complex stimuli. The present study investigated the extent to which there is a transfer of tactile letter learning. Participants first underwent a baseline session in which the letters were presented on their belly, thigh, and shin. They were subsequently trained on only one of these body surfaces, and then re-tested on all of them, as a post-training session. The results revealed that performance improvement was the same for both the trained and the untrained surfaces. Moreover, this transfer of perceptual learning was equivalent for adjacent and non-adjacent body surfaces, suggesting that tactile learning transfer occurs independently of the distance on the body. A control study consisting of the same baseline and post-training sessions, without training in between, revealed weaker improvement between the two sessions. The obtained results support the claim that training with sensory substitution devices results in a relative independence from the stimulated body surface.
Visual-Somatosensory Integration and Balance: Evidence for Psychophysical Integrative Differences in Aging
Authors: Mahoney Jeannette R. , Holtzer Roee , Verghese Joe
Published: April 2014

Research detailing multisensory integration (MSI) processes in aging and their association with clinically relevant outcomes is virtually non-existent. To our knowledge, the relationship between MSI and balance has not been well-established in aging. Given known alterations in unisensory processing with increasing age, the aims of the current study were to determine differential behavioral patterns of MSI in aging and investigate whether MSI was significantly associated with balance and fall-risk. Seventy healthy older adults ( years; 58% female) participated in the current study. Participants were instructed to make speeded responses to visual, somatosensory, and visual-somatosensory (VS) stimuli. Based on reaction times (RTs) to all stimuli, participants were classified into one of two groups (MSI or NO MSI), depending on their MSI RT benefit. Static balance was assessed using mean unipedal stance time. Overall, results revealed that RTs to VS stimuli were significantly shorter than those elicited to constituent unisensory conditions. Further, the current experimental design afforded differential patterns of multisensory processing, with 75% of the elderly sample demonstrating multisensory enhancements. Interestingly, 25% of older adults did not demonstrate multisensory RT facilitation; a finding that was attributed to extremely fast RTs overall and specifically in response to somatosensory inputs. Individuals in the NO MSI group maintained significantly better unipedal stance times and reported less falls, compared to elders in the MSI group. This study reveals the existence of differential patterns of multisensory processing in aging, while describing the clinical translational value of MSI enhancements in predicting balance and falls risk.
Auxosporulation, morphology of vegetative cells and perizonium of Fallacia tenera (Hust.) D.G. Mann (Bacillariophyceae)
Authors: LI YUHANG , SUZUKI HIDEKAZU , NAGUMO TAMOTSU , TANAKA JIRO
Published: April 2014

Specimens of Fallacia tenera were collected from the surface sediment at in a river estuary in Japan. Auxosporulation occurred in a rough culture. Morphological structures of vegetative cells and auxospores were observed in detail. The vegetative cells have one H-shaped chloroplast. The striae were interrupted by two depressed lateral sterna internally and partly covered by a finely porous conopeum on the external surface. The lateral sterna and porous conopea formed two more or less curved longitudinal canals connecting with the exterior via opening pores on both sides of a terminal fissure. This combination of characteristics is unique to the genus Fallacia. The cingulum was composed of three bands, such as an open valvocupula and two comparatively thin pleurae. The two pleurae could be distinguished by the shape of their ligulae. The second band had a triangular ligula, whereas the ligula of the third band is arc-shaped. The auxosporulation was type IA1a in Geitler’s classification. Two paired gametangia formed two anisogametes in each of them. Two auxospores formed in the thecae of the gametangia after a trans physiological anisogamy. The perizonium of the auxospore consisted of a set of transverse bands and five longitudinal bands. The primary transverse band was about twice wider than the secondary ones. The circular incunabular scales were present on the two terminals of the auxospore and on the surface of the primary transverse band. The primary longitudinal band had an acute terminal and was flanked by secondary longitudinal bands. Each side had two secondary longitudinal bands. All longitudinal bands were immediately beneath the transverse bands. Morphological comparison between Fallacia and Pseudofallaica, and the taxonomic position of F. tenera is also discussed.
Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Brasilonema roberti-lamii (Cyanophyceae, Nostocales, Scytonemataceae), from Central Mexico
Authors: RODARTE BEATRIZ , BECERRA-ABSALÓN ITZEL , MONTEJANO GUSTAVO A. , OSORIO-SANTOS KARINA , ALBA-LOIS LUISA , LEÓN-TEJERA HILDA , SEGAL-KISCHINEVZKY CLAUDIA
Published: April 2014

This paper is a contribution to the morphological and molecular characterization of the cyanobacterium Brasilonema roberti-lamii from populations found in Central Mexico. The general growth form and the morphological, morphometric and ecological characteristics of the populations studied clearly correspond to those described for Brasilonema roberti-lamii (basionym: Tolypothrix roberti-lamii) from the French Antilles. Based on molecular data from DNA sequencing of the16S rRNA gene and the IGS of the cpcB-cpcA phycocyanin operon (cpcBA-IGS), we propose that the populations that we studied are closely related to those of other Brasilonema species, including B. octagenarum UFV-OR1, UFV-E1 and HA4187-MV1-p1F, Brasilonema sennae CENA 114, B. tolantongensis, B. terrestre CENA 116, B. angustatum HA4187-MV1-B2+p1F and HA4187-MV1-B2+p1H and B. bromeliae SPC951. Our findings support the transference of Tolypothrix roberti-lamii, which was made based exclusively on morphological criteria, to Brasilonema. The use of molecular analyses in addition to traditional morphological and ecological criteria, known as polyphasic approach, is a good alternative to describe taxa of cyanobacteria, mainly at the genus and species levels.
Anoectochilus longilobus (Orchidoideae: Orchidaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China
Authors: TIAN HUAI-ZHEN , LIU QIAO-XIA , CHENG ZHI-QUAN , HU AI-QUN , JIANG HONG
Published: April 2014

Anoectochilus Blume (1825: 411; Orchidaceae) belongs to subtribe Goodyerinae (Cranichideae; Orchidoideae; Pridgeon et al. 2003). The generic name is derived from the Greek words ‘anoiktos’ (open) and ‘cheilos’ (lip), referring to the flower with prominent lip giving an open appearance (Sumathi et al. 2003, Bhattacharjee 2013). The genus consists of about 30 species according to Genera orchidacearum (Pridgeon et al. 2003), distributed in India and the eastern Himalayas, through southern and southeastern Asia to Australia and the southeastern Pacific islands (Chen et al. 2009). There are 15 species of Anoectochilus in China, eight of which were reported from Yunnan previously (Chen et al. 2009, Chen & Shui 2010, Hu et al. 2012, Ormerod 2013).
The first Amazonian species of Andranthobius Kuschel
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae), with records of new host palms for the genus
Authors: VALENTE ROBERTA DE MELO , DA SILVA PAULO AUGUSTO LIMA
Published: April 2014

Andranthobius setirostris sp. nov. is the first species of Andranthobius Kuschel described from the Amazon. It is distinguished from other species within the genus by an anterior obtuse tubercle on the lateral margin of the pronotum, the rostrum of the males with a lateroventral row of tubercles and comb of setae, and a much larger body. Adult specimens were originally collected in flowers of the palms Syagrus vermicularis Noblick and Syagrus cocoides Mart., and additional collections suggest that this association is specific. Both species of palms are recorded for the first time as host plants of Andranthobius.
A new species, Procloeon monilistylus sp. n. (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae), from the Russian Far East
Authors: KLUGE NIKITA J. , TIUNOVA TATIANA M. , NOVIKOVA EUGENIA A.
Published: April 2014

A new, two-winged species Procloeon monilistylus sp. n. is described from the Russian Far East based on male and female imagoes reared from larvae. The larva differs from other species of Procloeon by having a deeply separated incisor and kinetodontium of the mandibles. The imago differs from all Baetidae (and mayflies in general) by the shape of the gonostyli. Formerly this species was known as "Cloeon (Centroptilum) sp. 1" sensu Kluge & Novikova 1992.
New taxa, notes and new synonymy in Neoibidionini (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera)
Authors: MARTINS UBIRAJARA R. , GALILEO MARIA HELENA M.
Published: April 2014

New taxa, notes, and new synonymy in Neoibidionini (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera) are given. New taxa are described from Ecuador: Compsibidion inflatum sp. nov., Bezarkia gen. nov. and B. suturalis sp. nov., Corimbion antennatum sp. nov. and Neocompsa muira sp. nov.; from México: Neocompsa chiapensis sp. nov., and from French Guyana: Kunaibidion giesberti sp. nov. Pygmodeon maculatum Martins & Galileo, 2012 is considered a new synonym of Heterachthes xyleus Martins, 1974 which is transferred to the genus Pygmodeon as a new combination. Notes on variability and new records of Asynapteron equatorianum (Martins, 1960) are presented.
Efficient Kill–Save Ratios Ease Up the Cognitive Demands on Counterintuitive Moral Utilitarianism
Authors: Trémolière Bastien , Bonnefon Jean-François
Published: April 2014

The dual-process model of moral judgment postulates that utilitarian responses to moral dilemmas (e.g., accepting to kill one to save five) are demanding of cognitive resources. Here we show that utilitarian responses can become effortless, even when they involve to kill someone, as long as the kill–save ratio is efficient (e.g., 1 is killed to save 500). In Experiment 1, participants responded to moral dilemmas featuring different kill–save ratios under high or low cognitive load. In Experiments 2 and 3, participants responded at their own pace or under time pressure. Efficient kill–save ratios promoted utilitarian responding and neutered the effect of load or time pressure. We discuss whether this effect is more easily explained by a parallel-activation model or by a default-interventionist model.
Information professionals in the corporate sector
Authors: Stiller Henri
Published: April 2014

Information professionals are in turmoil, directly impacted by their constantly and fast changing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) environment. Based on more than fifteen years of observation, and collaboration with information management departments of large French companies, this article aims to depict the challenges and issues of information professionals, assessing these using eight propositions that characterize current operating environments. Key success factors for information professionals as well as obstacles are presented and discussed. Finally, guidelines are suggested for the positioning of information professionals within the corporate information management system. The author recommends that the information management function is treated similarly to quality, that is to say a transversal function networked over the whole company and designed to constantly improve decision-making processes through pertinent and adequate management of information.
Reading Anger in Early Childhood Intra-Actions
Authors: Davies Bronwyn
Published: April 2014

This article is an experiment in diffractive analysis. In a diffractive analysis, research problems, concepts, emotions, transcripts, memories, and images all affect each other and interfere with each other in an emergent process of coming to know something differently. The substantive topic that is worked with to open up this experiment in thought is reading anger in early childhood intra-actions.
Community Impact of Pharmacy-Randomized Intervention to Improve Access to Syringes and Services for Injection Drug Users
Authors: Crawford Natalie D. , Amesty Silvia , Rivera Alexis V. , Harripersaud Katherine , Turner Alezandria , Fuller Crystal M.
Published: April 2014

Objectives. In an effort to reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users (IDUs), New York State deregulated pharmacy syringe sales in 2001 through the Expanded Syringe Access Program by removing the requirement of a prescription. With evidence suggesting pharmacists’ ability to expand their public health role, a structural, pharmacy-based intervention was implemented to determine whether expanding pharmacy practice to include provision of HIV risk reduction and social/medical services information during the syringe sale would (a) improve pharmacy staff attitudes toward IDUs (b) increase IDU syringe customers, and (c) increase prescription customer base in New York City neighborhoods with high burden of HIV and illegal drug activity. Methods. Pharmacies ( n = 88) were randomized into intervention (recruited IDU syringe customers into the study and delivered intervention activities), primary control (recruited IDU syringe customers only) and secondary control (did not recruit IDUs or deliver intervention activities) arms. Results. Pharmacy staff in the intervention versus secondary control pharmacies showed significant decreases in the belief that selling syringes to IDUs causes community loitering. Conclusions. Structural interventions may be optimal approaches for changing normative attitudes about highly stigmatized populations.
Likelihood of Condom Use When Sexually Transmitted Diseases Are Suspected
Authors: Crosby Richard A. , Milhausen Robin R. , Graham Cynthia A. , Yarber William L. , Sanders Stephanie A. , Charnigo Richard , Shrier Lydia A.
Published: April 2014

Objective. To determine the event-level associations between perceived risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) acquisition/transmission and condom use during penile–vaginal intercourse (PVI) among STD clinic attendees. Method. A convenience sample ( N = 622) completed daily electronic assessments. Two questions were proxies of perceived risk: suspicion that the partner might currently have an STD and that “you” might currently have an STD. Participants reported whether condoms were used with PVI events in the past 24 hours. Generalized estimating equations determined the association between each of the perceived risk variables and event-level condom use. Results. For the model pertaining to suspicion of sex partner infection, there were 16,674 events of PVI, with condom use during 10,552 of these events. The effect of current suspicion was significant after adjusting for gender and whether participants identified as African American/Black (estimated odds ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.57-3.00, P = .0001). The model pertaining to suspicion of self-infection included 16,679 events of penile–vaginal sex, with condom use during 10,557 of these events. Again, the effect of current suspicion was significant after adjusting for gender and African American/Black race (estimated odds ratio = 2.05, 95% confidence interval = 1.43-2.40, P = .0001). Tests for interactions with gender and with race were nonsignificant (all Ps > .25). Conclusion. Using an event-level research design, strong associations were found between perceptions of STD risk and condom use in a clinical population. Health care providers and other professionals may indirectly promote condom use by helping clinic patients realistically evaluate their risk of having sex with infected partners or of being a source of STD transmission to others.
Common Beliefs and Reality About PLS
Authors: Henseler Jörg , Dijkstra Theo K. , Sarstedt Marko , Ringle Christian M. , Diamantopoulos Adamantios , Straub Detmar W. , Ketchen David J. , Hair Joseph F. , Hult G. Tomas M. , Calantone Roger J.
Published: April 2014

This article addresses Rönkkö and Evermann’s criticisms of the partial least squares (PLS) approach to structural equation modeling. We contend that the alleged shortcomings of PLS are not due to problems with the technique, but instead to three problems with Rönkkö and Evermann’s study: (a) the adherence to the common factor model, (b) a very limited simulation designs, and (c) overstretched generalizations of their findings. Whereas Rönkkö and Evermann claim to be dispelling myths about PLS, they have in reality created new myths that we, in turn, debunk. By examining their claims, our article contributes to reestablishing a constructive discussion of the PLS method and its properties. We show that PLS does offer advantages for exploratory research and that it is a viable estimator for composite factor models. This can pose an interesting alternative if the common factor model does not hold. Therefore, we can conclude that PLS should continue to be used as an important statistical tool for management and organizational research, as well as other social science disciplines.
Large hydrodynamic thrust bearing: Comparison of the calculations and measurements
Authors: Wodtke M , Schubert A , Fillon M , Wasilczuk M , Pajączkowski P
Published: April 2014

Hydrodynamic thrust bearings, used to carry axial loads in heavily loaded shafts of water power plants hydro turbines, can reach outer diameters even exceeding 5 m. In such large objects scale effect could be observed. According to this, allowable bearing specific load assuring safe operation of the bearings has to be decreased, which increases thrust bearing dimensions. This effect is caused by excessive thermal deflections of bearing pads, which significantly change oil gap geometry, and in consequence, decreases bearing load-carrying ability. Design of hydrodynamic thrust bearing of large dimensions seems to be a demanding engineering challenge, and additional difficulty comes from limited possibilities of experimental testing of these systems due to high costs. Theoretical investigations, carried out with the use of specially developed computer models, remain a feasible alternative for experimental research. But the accuracy of the models is not often directly validated, because of the lack of appropriate experimental data coming from large objects. In this paper, results of calculations carried out for a large hydrodynamic thrust bearing are shown and compared to measurement data obtained at bearing commissioning stage. Pad temperatures profile sliding surface, oil pressure in hydrodynamic gap and film geometry are compared to the measured values. According to the presented comparisons, some conclusions are drawn with respect to the accuracy of models used to predict large thrust bearing performance.
Complex, but not quite complex enough: The turn to the complexity sciences in evaluation scholarship
Authors: Mowles Chris
Published: April 2014

This article offers a critical review of the way in which some scholars have taken up the complexity sciences in evaluation scholarship. I argue that there is a tendency either to over-claim or under-claim their importance because scholars are not always careful about which of the manifestations of the complexity sciences they are appealing to, nor do they demonstrate how they understand them in social terms. The effect is to render ‘complexity’ just another volitional tool in the evaluator’s toolbox subsumed under the dominant understanding of evaluation, as a logical, rational activity based on systems thinking and design. As an alternative I argue for a radical interpretation of the complexity sciences, which understands human interaction as always complex and emergent. The interweaving of intentions in human activity will always bring about outcomes that no one has intended including in the activity of evaluation itself.
A critical analysis of a randomized controlled trial evaluation in Mexico: Norm, mistake or exemplar?
Authors: Faulkner William N.
Published: April 2014

During the early stages of their flagship anti-poverty program, Progresa, Mexican officials contracted an evaluation team from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). This article critically revisits the narrative of how this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was implemented, finding a number of significant omissions and ambiguities. By profiling the available information against the intellectual background of RCTs in international development evaluation and the political context of the project, the analysis extracts lessons about how results may be shaped, both during and after their production, by socio-political forces. These lessons derive two invitations: (1) for the proponents of RCTs in the field of international development evaluation to critically and reflexively consider the problematic framing of the methodology in this case study and what the implications might be for other similar projects; (2) for evaluators critical of how RCTs have been presented in the field to narrow their analyses to specific case studies, known econometric issues with familiar labels, and living institutions.
‘Beauty and bullets’: A content analysis of female offenders and victims in four Canadian newspapers
Authors: Collins Rachael E.
Published: April 2014

Media-generated discourse can provide a framework for its consumers to construct representations of the world they live in. These representations, however, are often disproportionate to the true incidence of crime or risk of victimization. In order to examine the extent to which the gender of the offender or victim impacts portrayals of crime, content and discourse analyses were carried out on four Canadian city newspapers over a span of 30 years. The results from the 1190 sampled crime articles revealed that, although portrayals of female offenders accurately depict them as generally lower-risk, both female offenders and female victims were treated equivocally. Women offenders were dichotomized into sexualized bad girls or malicious black widow archetypes. Similarly, female victims were depicted either as bad victims who were blamed for their circumstances, or good victims who garnered sympathy through negative portrayals of the offenders. The findings are discussed within the context of gender differences surrounding the social discourse of violence, particularly chivalry.
Laser and GTAW torch processing of Fe–Cr–B coatings on steel
Authors: Idriss A. N. Md. , Mridha S. , Baker T. N.
Published: April 2014

A comparison has been made of the relationship between microstructure and microhardness developed by surface melting Nanosteel SHS 7170 Fe–Cr–B alloy powder onto a plain carbon steel surface. This powder was initially developed as a high velocity oxyfuel sprayed coating, giving a strength 10 times that of mild steel, and is particularly suitable for surface protection against wear and corrosion. In the present study, the alloy powder was injected into the laser melted surface, while a preplaced powder was melted using the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) technique. The laser track consisted of fine dendrites and needle-like microstructures, which produced a maximum hardness value of over 800 HV, while the GTAW track produced a mixture of equiaxed and columnar grain microstructures with a maximum hardness value of 670 HV. The lower hardness values are considered to be associated with dilution and grain size.
Inhibitors of endopeptidase and angiotensin-converting enzyme lead to an amplification of the morphological changes and an upregulation of the substance P system in a muscle overuse model
Authors: Song Yafeng , Stål Per S , Yu Ji-Guo , Lorentzon Ronny , Backman Clas , Forsgren Sture
Published: April 2014

Background

We have previously observed, in studies on an experimental overuse model, that the tachykinin system may be involved in the processes of muscle inflammation (myositis) and other muscle tissue alterations. To further evaluate the significance of tachykinins in these processes, we have used inhibitors of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), substances which are known to terminate the activity of various endogenously produced substances, including tachykinins.

Methods

Injections of inhibitors of NEP and ACE, as well as the tachykinin substance P (SP), were given locally outside the tendon of the triceps surae muscle of rabbits subjected to marked overuse of this muscle. A control group was given NaCl injections. Evaluations were made at 1 week, a timepoint of overuse when only mild inflammation and limited changes in the muscle structure are noted in animals not treated with inhibitors. Both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles were examined morphologically and with immunohistochemistry and enzyme immunoassay (EIA).

Results

A pronounced inflammation (myositis) and changes in the muscle fiber morphology, including muscle fiber necrosis, occurred in the overused muscles of animals given NEP and ACE inhibitors. The morphological changes were clearly more prominent than for animals subjected to overuse and NaCl injections (NaCl group). A marked SP-like expression, as well as a marked expression of the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) was found in the affected muscle tissue in response to injections of NEP and ACE inhibitors. The concentration of SP in the muscles was also higher than that for the NaCl group.

Conclusions

The observations show that the local injections of NEP and ACE inhibitors led to marked SP-like and NK-1R immunoreactions, increased SP concentrations, and an amplification of the morphological changes in the tissue. The injections of the inhibitors thus led to a more marked myositis process and an upregulation of the SP system. Endogenously produced substances, out of which the tachykinins conform to one substance family, may play a role in mediating effects in the tissue in a muscle that is subjected to pronounced overuse.
Oscillatory difference equations and moment problems
Authors: Ferreira José M , Pinelas Sandra , Ruffing Andreas
Published: April 2014

In this paper, we first consider some new oscillatory results with respect to the discrete Hermite polynomials of type I, respectively, type II and the Heim-Lorek polynomials. In the second part, we investigate the oscillatory and boundedness properties of the related orthogonality measures and the functions representing them. The polynomials considered so far in this article are closely related to the concept of the Wess-Ruffing discretization.
Motor recovery patterns in arm muscles: coupled bilateral training and neuromuscular stimulation
Authors: Kang Nyeonju , Idica Jerelyne , Amitoj Bhullar , Cauraugh James H
Published: April 2014

Background

Neuromuscular stimulation coupled with bilateral movements facilitates functional motor recovery of the upper extremities post stroke. This study investigated electromyography activation patterns during training. The leading question asked: Do EMG activation patterns show rehabilitative effects of coupled bilateral movement training on wrist and fingers extension, elbow extension, and shoulder abduction?

Methods

Twelve stroke volunteers completed nine hours of coupled bilateral movement training on three sets of joints in their arms. Neuromuscular stimulation on the impaired limb assisted wrist and fingers extension, elbow extension, and shoulder abduction. Mean activation level data were analyzed in a three-way completely within-subjects ANOVA (Training Day × Movement Type × Trial Block: 3 × 3 × 3).

Results

The analysis revealed three important findings: (a) activation levels in Days 5 and 6 were significantly higher than Days 1 and 2, (b) muscle activation patterns increased across trial blocks, and (c) movements for the shoulder joint/girdle as well as wrist and fingers demonstrated higher activation than the elbow joint. Further analysis indicated that the muscle activation patterns for shoulder abduction were positively associated with force stabilization (ratio of good variability relative to bad variability) during bilateral force production.

Conclusions

The findings indicate that capability to increase muscle activity during the three joint movements was improved after training. There appears to be higher muscle activation in the primary proximal and distal muscles necessary for motor control improvement.
A New Benzylidene-based Fluorophore Polymer as “Turn on” Fluorescent Chemosensor Selectively for Heavy Metal Ions
Authors: Lim Wan Leng , Kobayashi Takaomi , Aota Hiroyuki , Oo Chuan Wei
Published: April 2014

Benzylidene polyester was successfully synthesized and highly intense fluorescence of a Cu2+–benzylidene complex was observed. The reason for the significantly enhanced fluorescence “turn on” was elucidated for efficient and effective detection of Cu2+ ion.
Regression Models Augmented with Direct Stochastic Gradient Estimators
Authors: Fu Michael C. , Qu Huashuai
Published: April 2014

Traditional regression assumes that the only data available are measurements of the value of the dependent variable for each combination of values for the independent variable. However, in many settings in stochastic (Monte Carlo) simulation, directly estimated derivative information is also available via techniques such as perturbation analysis or the likelihood ratio method. In this paper, we investigate potential modeling improvements that can be achieved by exploiting this additional gradient information in the regression setting. Using least squares and maximum likelihood estimation, we propose various direct gradient augmented regression (DiGAR) models that incorporate direct gradient estimators, starting with a one-dimensional independent variable and then extending to multidimensional input. For some special settings, we are able to characterize the variance of the estimated parameters in DiGAR and compare them analytically with the standard regression model. For a more typical stochastic simulation setting, we investigate the potential effectiveness of the augmented model by comparing it with standard regression in fitting a functional relationship for a simple queueing model, including both one-dimensional and four-dimensional examples. The preliminary empirical results are quite encouraging, as they indicate how DiGAR can capture trends that the standard model would miss. Even in queueing examples where there is a high correlation between the output and the gradient estimators, the basic DiGAR model that does not explicitly account for these correlations performs significantly better than the standard regression model.
Multiobjective Interacting Particle Algorithm for Global Optimization
Authors: Mete Huseyin Onur , Zabinsky Zelda B.
Published: April 2014

We develop a population-based algorithm for the optimization of multiple, nonconvex, nondifferentiable, and possibly discontinuous objective functions. The algorithm employs Markov kernels, Hit-and-Run, and Pattern Hit-and-Run for exploration of the solution space and Pareto ordering rules for the selection of the population and to update the approximate Pareto optimal list. Our multiobjective interacting particle algorithm asymptotically converges to the stationary distribution associated with the Pareto ordering rules. We present numerical benchmark results on test problems.
The use of TiO2 as catalyst in thin film fixed bed reactor for the treatment of landfill water
Authors: Kernani Redha , Mameri Nabil , Lounici Hakim
Published: April 2014

The main purpose of this study is the use of TiO2 as catalyst in thin film fixed bed reactor (TFBR) for the treatment of landfill water with the high initial concentration of recalcitrant organic matter. The effectiveness treatment process was determined by the evaluation of the influence of the experimental parameters such as the pH on the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and NH4+ concentration. The experimental assays were performed by varying the pH value from 5 to 6. The results obtained after treatment using this process was relevant. Indeed, a decrease of about 92% of the COD was achieved at pH maintained at 5. Moreover, the value of the BOD5/COD ratio obtained indicated that the water obtained after treatment are favorable for biological treatment. However, the NH4+ concentration was not affected by this process and remained at its high value.
Depoliticisation, governance and political participation
Authors: Fawcett Paul , Marsh David
Published: April 2014

This article critically examines the linkages between the literatures on depoliticisation, governance and political participation. To do so, it is divided into three substantive sections. The first section critiques Flinders and Wood’s article which introduces this edited volume. Subsequently, the second section examines the links between forms of depoliticisation and modes of governance, arguing that a metagovernance approach allows the best understanding of the ‘evidence’ for depoliticisation. The final section then considers the changing nature of political participation, arguing that we are witnessing both depoliticisation and repoliticisation, and that it is crucial to recognise and respond to each of these processes.
Depoliticisation as process, governance as practice: what did the ‘first wave’ get wrong and do we need a ‘second wave’ to put it right?
Authors: Hay Colin
Published: April 2014

To what extent do we need a ‘second-wave’ of writing on depoliticisation to correct the biases of the first and thereby to improve our capacity to gain analytical traction on the dynamic interplay between politicising and depoliticising tendencies in contemporary liberal democracies? In this article I welcome the debate this special issue has opened, but defend the first wave against its critics. More specifically, I argue that the first wave literature provides ample analytical and theoretical resources to capture the dynamic interplay between depoliticising tendencies and politicising or repoliticising counter-tendencies which its critics rightly place at centre stage. Indeed, I go further, suggesting that the more empirical contributions of the special issue, while bringing a series of new and important insights to the analysis of politicisation–depoliticisation dynamics, in fact do so by drawing extensively on first wave depoliticisation theory. Such work is very necessary and advances significantly our understanding of depoliticising, but it extends rather than challenges first wave perspectives and is ultimately better characterised as ‘second generation’ rather than ‘second wave’.
Predictors of Access to Sex Education for Children With Intellectual Disabilities in Public Schools
Authors: Barnard-Brak Lucy , Schmidt Marcelo , Chesnut Steven , Wei Tianlan , Richman David
Published: April 2014

Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study—2 (SRI International, 2002) were analyzed to identify variables that predicted whether individuals with intellectual disability (ID) received sex education in public schools across the United States. Results suggested that individuals receiving special education services without ID were only slightly more likely to receive sex education than students with mild ID (47.5% and 44.1%, respectively), but the percentage of students with moderate to profound ID that received sex education was significantly lower (16.18%). Analysis of teacher opinions and perceptions of the likelihood of the students benefiting from sex education found that most teachers indicated that students without ID or with mild ID would benefit (60% and 68%, respectively), but the percentage dropped to 25% for students with moderate to profound ID. Finally, across all students, the only significant demographic variable that predicted receipt of sex education was more expressive communication skills. Results are discussed in terms of ensuring equal access to sex education for students with ID in public schools.
Broadcasting and television digitization strategy in China
Authors: Shengmin Huang , Siwei Long
Published: April 2014

China’s broadcasting and TV industry has entered the new era of all-round digitization. The country’s digitization work is not only making progress in the traditional broadcasting and TV area, but is also carried on in the mobile phone and Internet market, and is now creating
an all-inclusive broadcasting and TV service system. In this process ‘Integration of Three Networks’, public service and content supervision are the three main features of broadcasting and TV’s digitization strategy in China.
The transition to digital television in Greece: Now what?
Authors: Papathanassopoulos Stylianos
Published: April 2014

This article aims to provide an overview of the current state of digital television in Greece. By examining the latest digital developments in the middle of financial crisis, it suggests that the Greek government adopted a purely market-driven approach leaving the private forces to take up digital terrestrial television. The closure of the public broadcaster, ERT, has accelerated the neo-liberal market-driven policy and Greece has ended up as one of the countries that have left the development of digital terrestrial television entirely to the private sector.
Scheduling and continuity techniques in a changing television landscape: A case study in Flanders
Authors: den Bulck Hilde Van , Tambuyzer Sil , Simons Nele
Published: April 2014

Taking the re-introduction of revamped television station VIER in the Flemish television landscape as a case in point, this article wants to contribute to the discussion about the future of linear broadcast television in what is often considered as the post-linear era. It does so by means of an empirical analysis and evaluation of the current importance of two characteristics of linear television: scheduling and continuity techniques that are key in creating and maintaining channel identity. Analysis of a diachronic sample of television schedules and of evolving continuity techniques for Flemish television channels één, VTM and VT4/VIER and these channels’ evolving continuity techniques, combined with interviews with senior management and an analysis of audience ratings reveals that scheduling and continuity techniques remain top of mind of television management and still influence audience behaviour. At the same time, there are indications that these techniques are being adjusted to the non-linear, converging television and multiplatform media environment. Disucssion of the results aim to contribute to a better understanding of the potential of linear television in the post-linear era and of the shifting communicative relationship between broadcast media and their audiences throughout broadcast history.
Changing influences on the concept of ‘media influence’
Authors: Flew Terry
Published: April 2014

The concept of media influence has a long history in media and communication studies, and has also had significant influence on public policy. This article revisits questions of media influence through three short case studies. First, it critically analyses the strongly partisan position of News Corporation’s newspapers against the Labor government during the 2013 Australian Federal election to consider whether the potential for media influence equated to the effective use of media power. Second, it discusses the assumption in broadcasting legislation, in both the United Kingdom and Australia, that terrestrial broadcasting should be subject to more content regulation than subscription services, and notes the new challenges arising from digital television and over-the-top video streaming services. Finally, it discusses the rise of multi-platform global content aggregators such as Google, Apple, Microsoft and others, and how their rise necessitates changes in ways of thinking about concentration of media ownership, and regulations that may ensue from it.
Multiplicity theorems for semilinear Robin problems
Authors: Papageorgiou Nikolaos S. , Rădulescu Vicenţiu D.
Published: April 2014

We consider a semilinear Robin problem driven by the Laplacian with a reaction which does not satisfy a global growth condition, only a local one. Using variational methods coupled with truncation and perturbation techniques and Morse theory, we prove two multiplicity theorems producing four and three nontrivial solutions respectively, all with precise sign. Also, we show that our results incorporate as a special case a semilinear parametric problem which has been considered primarily in the context of Dirichlet problems.
Use of a novel, modified fishbone diagram to analyze diagnostic errors
Authors: Reilly James B. , Myers Jennifer S. , Salvador Doug , Trowbridge Robert L.
Published: April 2014

Diagnostic errors comprise a critical subset of medical errors and often stem from errors in individual cognition. While traditional patient safety methods for dissecting medical errors focus on faulty systems, such methods are often less useful in cases of diagnostic error, and a broader cognitive framework is needed to ensure a comprehensive analysis of these complex events. The fishbone diagram is a widely utilized patient safety tool that helps to facilitate root cause analysis discussions. This tool was expanded by the authors to reflect the contributions of both systems and individual cognitive errors to diagnostic errors. We describe how two medical centers have applied this modified fishbone diagram to approach diagnostic errors in a way that better meets the patient safety and educational needs of their respective institutions.
Conversion between basic density and apparent density at any moisture content in Eucalyptus grandis
Authors: Costa Vladimir Eliodoro , de Rezende Marcos Antônio , Rodrigues Valdemir Antônio
Published: April 2014

Wood basic density (BD) is related to other wood characteristics and its determination is important in forest inventory, though BD must be differentiated from the apparent density (AD), which relates to the moisture content (MC) of wood. The aim of this study is to demonstrate a reliable conversion from BD to AD for any MC of Eucalyptus grandis wood based on two exponential and linear models that relate volumetric shrinkage to MC. To this end, wood specimens were submitted to drying and the volumetric shrinkage was determined as a function of MC. The two models proved to be efficient in the conversion of BD to AD and vice versa.
Adverse perinatal outcomes related to the delivery mode in women with monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies
Authors: Yamashita Akiko , Ishii Keisuke , Taguchi Takako , Mabuchi Aki , Ota Shiyo , Sasahara Jun , Hayashi Syusaku , Mitsuda Nobuaki
Published: April 2014

Aims: The association between the planned delivery mode and adverse perinatal outcomes of monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies at ≥36 weeks’ gestation was evaluated.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included uncomplicated MCDA twin pregnancies delivered after 36 weeks’ gestation during a 10-year period. Cases were classified into the trial of labor (TOL) or cesarean section (CS) group according to the planned delivery mode. The primary outcome was a composite of adverse outcomes for at least one twin, including intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) after 36 weeks, neonatal death, umbilical artery pH<7.1, 5-min Apgar scores<7, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), or acute feto-fetal hemorrhage (AFFH). The relationship between outcomes and the planned delivery mode was evaluated using a multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results: We included the 310 pregnancies delivered after 36 weeks’ gestation. After excluding 15 patients, the final analysis included 295 MCDA pregnancies: 63% had delivered through TOL and 37% through CS. The incidences of composite adverse outcomes in the TOL and CS groups were 4.3% and 1.9%, respectively. No IUFD, neonatal death, MAS, RDS, or AFFH was observed; two infants in each group developed HIE. Adverse outcomes were not significantly associated with any risk factor, including delivery through TOL.

Conclusion: TOL may not influence the perinatal outcomes of MCDA twin pregnancies delivered at ≥36 weeks’ gestation.
Fabrication of aluminum wires treated with nanocomposite pellets
Authors: Florián-Algarín David , Padilla Alexandra , López Neshma N. , Suárez Oscar Marcelo
Published: April 2014

This study focuses on the fabrication of aluminum treated with nanocomposites made of aluminum and NbB2 and ZrB2 nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were obtained by fragmentation in a ball mill and then mechanically alloyed with pure aluminum powder to form Al/NbB2 and Al/ZrB2 nanocomposite pellets, which were then sintered at 260°C for half an hour to improve the metal/borides interface. The sintered nanocomposites were incorporated into molten pure aluminum to produce 1-mm-diameter wires after cold forming. The wire specimens were mechanically characterized and their electrical resistivity was measured. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of improving the mechanical properties of aluminum wires with the addition of nanocomposites without significantly affecting their electrical conductivity.