bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Up and coming SIGWEB supported conferences
Authors: Deshpande Yogesh
Published: January 2012

SIGWEB supports several specialized conferences, short courses, and workshops, as well as the Annual Hypertext Conference. SIGWEB sponsored conferences focus on timely topics in applied and computational hypertext and Web disciplines and provide a place for members and the entire applied Hypermedia and Web community to exchange ideas and to meet with and expand their network of colleagues. In this article, we provide a brief overview of SIGWEB sponsored conferences, in addition to events that are in cooperation with SIGWEB.
The first international workshop on entity-oriented search (EOS)
Authors: Balog Krisztian , de Vries Arjen P. , Serdyukov Pavel , Wen Ji-Rong
Published: January 2012

The First International Workshop on Entity-Oriented Search (EOS) workshop was held on July 28, 2011 in Beijing, China, in conjunction with the 34th Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference (SIGIR 2011). The objective for the workshop was to bring together academic researchers and industry practitioners working on entity-oriented search to discuss tasks and challenges, and to uncover the next frontiers for academic research on the topic. The workshop program accommodated two invited talks, eleven refereed papers divided into three technical paper sessions, and a group discussion.
Report on the ECIR 2011 workshop on information retrieval over query sessions
Authors: Carterette Ben , Clough Paul D. , Kanoulas Evangelos , Sanderson Mark
Published: January 2012

Research in Information Retrieval has traditionally focused on serving the best results for a single query. Real users, however, often begin an interaction with a search engine with a sufficiently under-specified information need that they will need to reformulate before they find either the one thing or every thing they are looking for. We define a session as the sequence of queries and interactions that a user performs in service of an information need. The first workshop on Information Retrieval Over Query Sessions was held at ECIR 2011 in Dublin, Ireland, with the purpose of investigating questions of measuring, analyzing, and optimizing IR system behavior over a session of reformulations.
Effective focused retrieval by exploiting query context and document structure
Authors: Kaptein Rianne
Published: January 2012

The classic IR model of the search process consists of three elements: query, documents and search results. A user looking to fulfil an information need formulates a query usually consisting of a small set of keywords summarising the information need. The goal of an IR system is to retrieve documents containing information which might be useful or relevant to the user. Throughout the search process there is a loss of focus, because keyword queries entered by users often do not suitably summarise their complex information needs, and IR systems do not sufficiently interpret the contents of documents, leading to result lists containing irrelevant and redundant information. The main research objective of this thesis is to exploit query context and document structure to provide for more focused retrieval.

The short keyword query used as input to the retrieval system can be supplemented with topic categories from structured Web resources such as DMOZ and Wikipedia. Topic categories can be used as query context to retrieve documents that are not only relevant to the query but also belong to a relevant topic category. Category information is especially useful for the task of entity ranking where the user is searching for a certain type of entity such as companies or persons. Category information can help to improve the search results by promoting in the ranking pages belonging to relevant topic categories, or categories similar to the relevant categories. By following external links and searching for the retrieved Wikipedia entities in a general Web collection, we can also exploit the structure of Wikipedia to rank entities on the general Web. Wikipedia, in contrast to the general Web, does not contain much redundant information. This absence of redundant information can be exploited by using Wikipedia as a pivot to search the general Web.

A typical query returns thousands or millions of documents, but searchers hardly ever look beyond the first result page. Since space on the result page is limited, we can show only a few documents in the result list. Word clouds can be used to summarise groups of documents into a set of keywords which allows users to quickly get a grasp on the underlying data. Instead of using user-assigned tags we generate word clouds from the textual contents of documents themselves as well as the anchor text ofWeb documents. Improvements over word clouds that are created using simple term frequency counting include using a parsimonious term weighting scheme, including bigrams and biasing the word cloud towards the query. We find that word clouds can to a certain degree quickly convey the topic and relevance of a set of search results. Available online at: http://dare.uva.nl/record/39569.
Hedgehog and Notch Signaling Regulate Self-Renewal of Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcomas
Authors: Wang Chang Ye Yale , Wei Qingxia , Han Ilkyu , Sato Shingo , Azarnier Ronak Ghanbari- , Whetstone Heather , Poon Raymond , Hu Jiayi , Zheng Feifei , Zhang Phil , Wang Weishi , Wunder Jay S. , Alman Benjamin A.
Published: January 2012

Like many solid tumors, sarcomas are heterogeneous and include a small fraction of the so-called side population (SP) cells with stem-like tumor-initiating potential. Here, we report that SP cells from a soft tissue tumor of enigmatic origin termed undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (also known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma or MFH sarcoma) display activation of both the Hedgehog and Notch pathways. Blockade to these pathways in murine xenograft models, this human cancer decreased the proportion of SP cells present and suppressed tumor self-renewal, as illustrated by the striking inability of xenograft tumors subjected to pathway blockade to be serially transplanted to new hosts. In contrast, conventional chemotherapies increased the proportion of SP cells present in tumor xenografts and did not affect their ability to be serially transplanted. SP cells from these tumors displayed an unexpectedly high proliferation rate which was selectively inhibited by Hedgehog and Notch blockade compared with conventional chemotherapies. Together, our findings deepen the concept that Hedgehog and Notch signaling are fundamental drivers of tumor self-renewal, acting in a small population of tumor-initiating cells present in tumors. Furthermore, our results suggest not only novel treatment strategies for deadly recurrent unresectable forms of this soft tumor subtype, but also potential insights into its etiology which has been historically controversial. Cancer Res; 72(4); 1013–22. ©2012 AACR.
Immune Response in the Barrier Epithelia: Lessons from the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Davis Monica M. , Engström Ylva
Published: January 2012

The barrier epithelia of multicellular organisms frequently come into direct contact with microorganisms and thus need to fulfill the important task of preventing the penetration of pathogens that could cause systemic infections. A functional immune defence in the epithelial linings of the digestive, respiratory and reproductive organs as well as the epidermis/skin of animals is therefore of crucial importance for survival. Epithelial defence reactions are likely to be evolutionarily ancient, and the use of invertebrate animal models, such as insects and nematodes, has been crucial in unravelling the mechanisms underlying epithelial immunity. This review addresses basic questions of epithelial immunity in animals and humans. It focuses on recent developments in the understanding of the immune responses in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and how the innate immune system acts locally in the epidermis and cuticle, tracheae, gut and genital organs. Both basal immune activities in epithelia that are constantly exposed to microbes as well as positive and negative regulation in response to pathogenic organisms are covered. Important immuno-physiological aspects of epithelial defence mechanisms are also discussed, such as wound healing, re-epithelialization and intestinal homeostasis.
Outcome of the ‘Drip-and-Ship’ Paradigm among Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: Results of a Statewide Study
Authors: Qureshi Adnan I. , Chaudhry Saqib A. , Rodriguez Gustavo J. , Suri M. Fareed K. , Lakshminarayan Kamakshi , Ezzeddine Mustapha A.
Published: January 2012

Background: The ‘drip-and-ship’ paradigm denotes a treatment regimen in patients in whom intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is initiated at the emergency department (ED) of a community hospital, followed by transfer within 24 h to a comprehensive stroke center. Although the drip-and-ship paradigm has the potential to increase the number of patients who receive IV rt-PA, comparative outcomes have not been assessed at a population-based level. Methods: Statewide estimates of thrombolysis, associated in-hospital outcomes, and hospitalization charges were obtained from 2008–2009 Minnesota Hospital Association data for all patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke. Patients who were assigned the drip-and-ship code [International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) V45.88] were classified under the drip-and-ship paradigm. Patients who underwent thrombolysis (ICD-9-CM code 99.10) without drip-and-ship code were classified as primary ED arrival. Patient outcomes were analyzed after stratification into patients treated with IV rt-PA through primary ED arrival or drip-and-ship paradigm. Results: Of the 21,024 admissions, 602 (2.86%) received IV rt-PA either through primary ED arrival (n = 473) or the drip-and-ship paradigm (n = 129). IV rt-PA was administered in 30 hospitals, of which 13 hospitals used the drip-and-ship paradigm; the number of patients treated with the drip-and-ship paradigm varied from 1 to 40 between the 13 hospitals. The rates of secondary intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage were higher in patients treated with IV rt-PA through primary ED arrival compared with those treated with the drip-and-ship paradigm (8.5 vs. 3.1%, respectively; p = 0.038). The in-hospital mortality rate was similar among ischemic stroke patients receiving IV rt-PA through primary ED arrival or the drip-and-ship paradigm (5.9 vs. 7.0%, respectively). The mean hospital charges were USD 65,669 for primary ED arrival and USD 47,850 for drip-and-ship-treated patients (p < 0.001). The rate of admission to a certified stroke center as final destination for acute hospitalization was higher in patients treated by drip-and-ship paradigm compared with those treated by primary ED arrival mode (p = 0.015). Conclusions: The results of the drip-and-ship paradigm compare favorably with IV rt-PA treatment through primary ED arrival in this statewide study. Our results support the recommendations of various professional organizations that the drip-and-ship method of IV rt-PA administration for stroke may be an effective option for increasing the utilization of IV rt-PA on a large scale.
Comparison Between Valsartan and Amlodipine Regarding Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Hypertensive Patients With Glucose Intolerance
Authors: Muramatsu Takashi , Matsushita Kunihiro , Yamashita Kentaro , Kondo Takahisa , Maeda Kengo , Shintani Satoshi , Ichimiya Satoshi , Ohno Miyoshi , Sone Takahito , Ikeda Nobuo , Watarai Masato , Murohara Toyoaki ,   for the NAGOYA HEART Study Investigators
Published: January 2012

It has not been fully examined whether angiotensin II receptor blocker is superior to calcium channel blocker to reduce cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients with glucose intolerance. A prospective, open-labeled, randomized, controlled trial was conducted for Japanese hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance. A total of 1150 patients (women: 34%; mean age: 63 years; diabetes mellitus: 82%) were randomly assigned to receive either valsartan- or amlodipine-based antihypertensive treatment. Primary outcome was a composite of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, admission attributed to heart failure, or sudden cardiac death. Blood pressure was 145/82 and 144/81 mm Hg, and glycosylated hemoglobin was 7.0% and 6.9% at baseline in the valsartan group and the amlodipine group, respectively. Both of them were equally controlled between the 2 groups during the study. The median follow-up period was 3.2 years, and primary outcome had occurred in 54 patients in the valsartan group and 56 in the amlodipine group (hazard ratio: 0.97 [95% CI: 0.66–1.40];
P
=0.85). Patients in the valsartan group had a significantly lower incidence of heart failure than in the amlodipine group (hazard ratio: 0.20 [95% CI: 0.06–0.69];
P
=0.01). Other components and all-cause mortality were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Composite cardiovascular outcomes were comparable between the valsartan- and amlodipine-based treatments in Japanese hypertensive patients with glucose intolerance. Admission because of heart failure was significantly less in the valsartan group.
Oxidative Stress Causes Mineralocorticoid Receptor Activation in Rat Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Nagase Miki , Ayuzawa Nobuhiro , Kawarazaki Wakako , Ishizawa Kenichi , Ueda Kohei , Yoshida Shigetaka , Fujita Toshiro
Published: January 2012

Overactivation of the mineralocorticoid receptor signaling is implicated in cardiovascular disease, including hypertensive heart disease. Oxidative stress is suggested to augment mineralocorticoid receptor signal transduction, but the precise mechanisms remain unclear. Mineralocorticoid receptor activity is regulated by multiple factors, in addition to plasma ligand levels. We previously identified Rac1 GTPase as a modulator of mineralocorticoid receptor activity. Here we show that oxidative stress induces mineralocorticoid receptor activation in a ligand-independent, Rac1-depenent manner in cardiomyocytes. Oxidant stress was induced in rat cultured cardiomyocytes (H9c2) by
l
-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis. BSO depleted intracellular glutathione and concomitantly increased reactive oxygen species (199%;
P
<0.01). BSO significantly enhanced the corticosterone-induced, mineralocorticoid receptor–dependent luciferase reporter activity (186%;
P
<0.01) and basal luciferase activity without ligand stimulation. These effects were inhibited by the antioxidant
N
-acetylcysteine. The ligand independency of BSO action was indicated using a mutant mineralocorticoid receptor that does not bind ligands. With this mutant mineralocorticoid receptor, BSO-evoked mineralocorticoid receptor activation remained intact, whereas ligand-induced mineralocorticoid receptor activation was abolished. We next examined the involvement of Rac1. BSO increased active Rac1 in a redox-dependent fashion, and Rac inhibition suppressed the enhancing effect of BSO. Constitutively active Rac1, indeed, potentiated mineralocorticoid receptor transactivation. Furthermore, mineralocorticoid receptor transactivation by BSO was accompanied by enhanced nuclear accumulation of mineralocorticoid receptor. We conclude that alteration of redox state modulates mineralocorticoid receptor–dependent transcriptional activity via Rac1 in the heart. This redox-sensitive, ligand-independent mineralocorticoid receptor activation may contribute to the processes by which oxidant stress promotes cardiac injury.
Australian youth still have limited awareness of headspace: Results from a national survey
Authors: Yap Marie B , Reavley Nicola J , Jorm Anthony F
Published: January 2012

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to assess Australian young people’s awareness of mental health services available for their age group. Of particular interest was awareness of headspace, which was created in 2006 to provide youth-oriented mental health services, and has expanded to 30 centres nationally in 5 years.

Method: In 2011, a telephone interview was conducted with a national sample of 3021 Australians aged between 15 and 25 years. Participants were asked questions about awareness of mental health organizations, where they would seek help for themselves and how they would assist a peer with a mental health problem.

Results: There were very low frequencies of spontaneous mentions of headspace as a mental health organization, or as a service where respondents would seek help for themselves or refer a peer to. However, when prompted, about half of respondents recognized headspace as a mental health organization. Living within a headspace service area predicted better recognition of headspace. However, past-year psychological distress was unrelated to recognition of headspace as a mental health organization.

Conclusions: In order to reach them more effectively, young people need to be aware of youth-oriented services that are available to them and their peers. Awareness campaigns need to be targeted to the subgroups of young people who have the greatest need for headspace services, namely those with recent mental health problems.
Stereotaxic localisation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for transcranial magnetic stimulation is superior to the standard reference position
Authors: Bradfield Nicholas I , Reutens David C , Chen Jian , Wood Amanda G
Published: January 2012

Objective: To determine whether the standard method of localisation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is accurate and reliable, and to develop an empirically based method for operational localisation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with reference to the motor hand area.

Method: We compared stereotaxic localisation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with the commonly used operational definition of 6 cm anterior to the site of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle in healthy participants ( n = 18). We also report the average translational distance from the site of the abductor pollicis brevis to the stereotaxically defined dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Results: The stereotaxic method was less variable than the operational method of localisation and more frequently targeted the middle frontal gyrus. The average translational distance from the site of the abductor pollicis brevis to the stereotaxically targeted dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was x = −5 mm, y = 53 mm and z = −31 mm.

Conclusions: Operational localisation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with reference to the motor hand area is more variable than stereotaxic localisation. If future studies choose to use an operational definition of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, we suggest it should be 5 mm lateral, 53 mm anterior and 31 mm inferior to the site of the abductor pollicis brevis.
Childhood trauma increases the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder in response to first-episode psychosis
Authors: Bendall Sarah , Alvarez-Jimenez Mario , Hulbert Carol A , McGorry Patrick D , Jackson Henry J
Published: January 2012

Objective: To investigate the relationship between childhood trauma, post-traumatic stress symptoms due to the experience of childhood trauma, and post-traumatic stress symptoms due to the experience of psychosis.

Method: The current study assessed childhood trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as a result of both childhood trauma and psychosis using the Impact of Events Scale - Revised, in a group of 36 people with first-episode psychosis.

Results: Reported rates of clinical level post-psychotic PTSD symptoms, childhood trauma and childhood trauma-related clinical level PTSD symptoms were 47% (95% CI 31–64%), 64% (95% CI 48–80%) and 39% (95% CI 23–55%), respectively. Reporting childhood trauma increased the risk of developing post-psychosis PTSD 27-fold (95% CI 2.96–253.80, p = 0.01). Having childhood trauma-related PTSD increased the risk of developing post-psychosis PTSD 20-fold (95% CI 3.38–123.25, p = 0.01). These risks were not explained by illness factors such as duration of untreated psychosis, age of onset or severity of psychotic symptoms. Those without post-psychotic PTSD symptoms at clinical levels were unlikely to report childhood trauma (6%; 95% CI 3–8%).

Conclusions: These results suggest the cognitive, social and biological consequences of childhood trauma can prevent effective recovery from the trauma of acute first-episode psychosis resulting in post-psychotic PTSD. Treatment strategies for post-psychotic PTSD must address childhood trauma and related PTSD.
Frontotemporal dementia as a frontostriatal disorder: Neostriatal morphology as a biomarker and structural basis for an endophenotype
Authors: Looi Jeffrey CL , Walterfang Mark , Velakoulis Dennis , Macfarlane Matthew D , Svensson Leif Anders , Wahlund Lars-Olof
Published: January 2012

Objective: This article reviews the evidence for a re-conceptualisation of a subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as a frontostriatal disorder, working towards an endophenotype.

Method: We provide an overview of the role of frontostriatal circuits relevant to FTLD and FTD, as a subset of larger-scale distributed brain networks. We discuss the role of a strategic structure in these circuits, the neostriatum. Then we review the relationship of the clinical features of FTLD to frontostriatal circuits, correlating this with neuropsychological and neuropathological data.

Conclusion: The unique structure and linkages of the neostriatum make it an ideal structure for in vivo neuroimaging to understand the neuroanatomical basis of FTD. We develop a frontostriatal endophenotypic model for FTD as a platform for further investigation.
Duration of assertive community treatment and the interpretation of routine outcome data
Authors: Kortrijk Hans E , Mulder Cornelis L , Drukker Marjan , Wiersma Durk , Duivenvoorden Hugo J
Published: January 2012

Objective: Statistical inferences based on routine outcome monitoring data are susceptible to biases. Because this process may be influenced by differences in attrition and treatment duration, we wished to gain an insight into the relationship between treatment duration and clinical outcome.

Method: We enrolled 569 assertive community treatment (ACT) team patients. As part of a six-monthly routine outcome monitoring (ROM) procedure, we used the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS), and a scale to assess their treatment motivation and satisfaction with services. Duration of ACT showed that treatment duration was short for 292 patients [≤ three ROM assessments; 11.6 months (SD = 6.1)], medium for 191 [four to six ROM assessments; 26.9 months (SD = 7.3)], and long for 86 [≥ seven ROM assessments; 44.06 months (SD=7.1)]. Chi-square and ANOVA were used to compare patient characteristics and baseline values across different treatment duration groups, and structural equation modelling was used to unravel interdependencies between the baseline and outcome variables.

Results: More patients receiving long-term ACT were diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and/or substance abuse than those whose treatment was shorter. Patients whose treatment lasted longer had worse baseline GAF and HoNOS scores than those whose treatment was shorter. Structural equation modelling showed that the interdependencies between determinants and outcome variables (concerning the relationships between both identical and non-identical variables over time) were different for each of the treatment duration categories.

Conclusions: Patients in ACT teams with different treatment durations constitute distinguishable groups with different outcomes. This should be taken into account when using outcome data for benchmarking purposes.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in combination with citalopram in young patients with first-episode major depressive disorder: A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial
Authors: Huang Man-li , Luo Ben-yan , Hu Jian-bo , Wang Shan-Shan , Zhou Wei-hua , Wei Ning , Hu Shao-hua , Xu Yi
Published: January 2012

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) started with citalopram in first-episode young major depressive patients.

Methods: In a 2-week double-blind study with a 2-week extended antidepressant phase, 60 first-episode young major depressive patients were randomly assigned to citalopram in combination with 2 weeks of either active or sham rTMS treatment. During the following 2 weeks, the patients continued only the citalopram treatment. The 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17) and Montgomery–Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) were used to assess the severity of depression. Moreover, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Trail-Making Test (TMT), and Stroop Color–Word Test (SCWT) were used to assess executive function.

Results: (1) There was a significantly greater number of early improvers (a reduction of HAMD-17 score ≥20% within the first 2 weeks) observed in the active rTMS group compared to the sham group (57% vs. 29%, χ2=4.667, p=0.031). (2) There was no significant difference observed in responder rates (46% vs. 36%, χ2=0.295, p=0.586) or in remission rates (39% vs. 29%, χ2=0.319, p=0.572) between the two groups at 4 weeks. (3) There was a significant difference seen in both HAMD-17 and MADRS scores between the two groups at 2 and 4 weeks. The active rTMS group showed a significantly faster score reduction compared to the sham group at 2 weeks (HAMD-17, t=13.444, p=0.001; MADRS, t=30.123, p=0.000), which was maintained at 4 weeks on both scales (HAMD-17, t=46.915, p=0.000; MADRS, t=39.996, p=0.000). (4) The patients did not deteriorate in executive performance, and even improved in categories on WCST and completed TMT faster in the active group.

Conclusions: rTMS accelerated the rapidity of the antidepressant response in first-episode young depressive patients. Our results call for future rTMS studies with larger sample sizes, high intensity of stimuli, and longer duration to draw more definitive conclusions.
Mania, homicide and severe violence
Authors: Nielssen Olav B , Malhi Gin S , Large Matthew M
Published: January 2012

Background: Mania has been reported to be a risk factor for aggression and violence in psychiatric hospitals, but the extent of any association between mania and severe interpersonal violence in community settings is not known.

Aim: To examine the association between mania and severe violence in a series of patients found not guilty by reason of mental illness (NGMI).

Methods: A review of the court documents of those found NGMI of offences involving severe violence, including homicide, attempted homicide and assault causing wounding or serious injury, in New South Wales between 1992 and 2008.

Results: Twelve of 272 people found NGMI were in a manic state when they committed a severe violence offence. Ten were diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder and two with bipolar disorder. Three patients were in the depressed phase of schizo-affective disorder and there were no patients in the depressed phase of bipolar disorder.

Conclusion: Mania, in particular the manic phase of bipolar disorder, is not strongly associated with severe violence.
Chipping Resistance of Graded Zirconia Ceramics for Dental Crowns
Authors: Zhang Y. , Chai H. , Lee J.J.-W. , Lawn B.R.
Published: January 2012

A serious drawback of veneering porcelains is a pronounced susceptibility to chipping. Glass-infiltrated dense zirconia structures can now be produced with esthetic quality, making them an attractive alternative. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that such infiltrated structures are much more chip-resistant than conventional porcelains, and at least as chip-resistant as non-infiltrated zirconia. A sharp indenter was used to produce chips in flat and anatomically correct glass-infiltrated zirconia crown materials, and critical loads were measured as a function of distance from the specimen edge (flat) or side wall (crown). Control data were obtained on zirconia specimens without infiltration and on crowns veneered with porcelains. The results confirmed that the resistance to chipping in graded zirconia is more than 4 times higher than that of porcelain-veneered zirconia and is at least as high as that of non-veneered zirconia.
A Comparison of Academic Achievement and Adherence to the Common School Ideal in Public and Catholic Schools
Authors: Hallinan Maureen , Kubitschek Warren N.
Published: January 2012

This article examines two critical questions related to equality of educational opportunity. First, does the academic advantage that was observed in Catholic high schools more than two decades ago continue to hold for contemporary students in Catholic middle schools? Second, how closely do different school sectors adhere to the common school ideal? Answers to these questions are central to efforts to reduce educational inequalities. The study reported here relies on data from sixth- and eighth-grade students in the Chicago School Study, a longitudinal survey of Chicago public schools, and the Chicago Catholic School Study, a survey of all the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. These school systems are the third largest public and largest Catholic school systems in the United States. The results show no consistent sector differences in achievement gains in sixth and eighth grades in reading and mathematics. Moreover, background characteristics vary by school sector, and neither sector eliminates all background effects on achievement. Compared to the Chicago public schools, Chicago Catholic schools reduce the effects of students’ race and socioeconomic status on reading achievement but exacerbate the effects of race on mathematics achievement.
Using Concomitant Freelisting to Analyze Perceptions of Tourism Experiences
Authors: Ribeiro Nuno Filipe
Published: January 2012

This study showed the benefits that can be accrued by using a common technique in cognitive anthropology—free listing—but less common in the tourism scholarship. This article discusses the use of free listing as applied to a particular tourism experience popular in North America, Spring Break. The findings of this study suggest that a cohesive cultural domain concerning this experience exists and that it was shared by the participants in this study. Results further showed that participants’ cognitive representations of Spring Break were consonant with the “Spring Bacchanal” stereotype of Spring Break but, paradoxically, were at odds with the participants’ own Spring Break experiences. This cognitive-behavioral discrepancy is discussed in light of existing literature. Implications for scholars and practitioners as well as directions for future research are suggested.
Evaluation of the Effects of a Preoperative 2‐Hour Fast With Maltodextrine and Glutamine on Insulin Resistance, Acute‐Phase Response, Nitrogen Balance, and Serum Glutathione After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Dock‐Nascimento Diana Borges , de Aguilar‐Nascimento Jose Eduardo , Magalhaes Faria Marcelo Sepulveda , Caporossi Cervantes , Slhessarenko Natasha , Waitzberg Dan Linetzky
Published: January 2012

Background: Prolonged preoperative fasting increases insulin resistance (IR). The authors investigated whether an abbreviated preoperative fast with glutamine (GLN) plus a carbohydrate (CHO)–based beverage would improve the organic response after surgery. Methods: Forty‐eight female patients (19‐62 years) were randomized to either standard fasting (control group) or to fasting with 1 of 3 different beverages before video‐cholecystectomy. Beverages were consumed 8 hours (400 mL; placebo group: water; GLN group: water with 50 g maltodextrine plus 40 g GLN; and CHO group: water with 50 g maltodextrine) and 2 hours (200 mL; placebo: water; GLN: water with 25 g maltodextrine plus 10 g GLN; and CHO: water with 25 g maltodextrine) before anesthesia. Blood samples were collected pre‐ and postoperatively. Results: The mean (SEM) postoperative homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance was greater (P < .05) in control patients (4.3 [1.3]) than in the other groups (placebo, 1.6 [0.3]; CHO, 2.3 [0.4]; and GLN, 1.5 [0.1]). Glutathione was significantly higher (P < .01) in the GLN group than in both CHO and control groups. Interleukin‐6 increased in all groups except the GLN group. The C‐reactive protein/albumin ratio was higher (P < .05) in controls than in CHO and GLN groups. The nitrogen balance was less negative in GLN (–2.5 [0.8] gN) than in both placebo (–9.0 [2] gN; P = .001) and control (–6.6 [0.4] gN; P = .04) groups. Conclusions: Preoperative intake of a GLN‐enriched CHO beverage appears to improve IR and antioxidant defenses and decreases the inflammatory response after video‐cholecystectomy.
Drivers of Oxidative Stress in Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: McClave Stephen A.
Published: January 2012

Severe acute pancreatitis is a disease process distinguished by increasing oxidative stress and potential destruction of the pancreatic gland. An initial injury to the acinar cell initiates a sentinel event, which leads to a vicious cycle of inflammation and cell death by either apoptosis or necrosis. Whether the acute inflammation resolves or goes on to a pattern of chronicity may be related to genetic predisposition, failure to remove injurious agents, and innate systems for antioxidant defense. The degree to which nutrition therapy can modulate oxidative stress, maintain intestinal function, and preserve the structure of the acinar cell is truly amazing. Understanding the mechanisms involved in this complex disease process and the manner in which these mechanisms are influenced by dietary agents affords new and exciting therapeutic options for the future.
Women Performers and Prostitutes in Medieval India
Authors: Bano Shadab
Published: January 2012

Music and dance, the esoteric performing arts, were markers of culture in medieval India. A number of these differing forms developed into well-recognized and reputed arts over time. The practitioners were, accordingly, regarded as agents of refinement and culture. At the same time, music and dance were also among the most popular forms of entertainment and physical pleasure. This aspect remained crucial in classifying musicians, singers and dancers as entertainers, alongside prostitutes. While the labelling together might have reduced the status of performers at times, the labelling hardly remained fixed. Certain practitioners, even if involved in practices otherwise considered immoral, could remain within the elite circle, while for others the ‘evil’ characteristics got emphasized. There were, within the class of women who prostituted themselves, courtesans trained in the skills of music and dancing and educated in the fine arts, who were treated more as embodiments of culture. These categories—artists, skilled entertainers, courtesans—were quite fluid, with the boundaries seemingly fused together. Still, there were certainly some distinctions among the categories and those did not totally disappear, affording sanctity and purity to certain kinds of performers and allowing them to claim distinctiveness. Notably, the class of courtesans clearly stood apart from the common prostitutes. The attempt in this article is to look at different categories of women performers and prostitutes, their apparent coalescing boundaries and specialities as a separate group, their societal position, their shifting roles and the changes that affected their status. In this, it is worthwhile to consider the state’s attitude towards them, besides societal views that remained quite diverse.
European Mercenaries in the Indian Armies
Authors: A. Zaidi S. Inayet
Published: January 2012

The eclipse of Mughal power as the central authority began from the second half of the seventeenth century. By the time of the eighteenth century, and particularly from its second half, the local potentates began to empower themselves to defend as well as to expand their power. For this, they resorted to strengthen their armed forces. Thus, they employed Europeans as mercenaries in their armies. These mercenaries were considered superior in artillery and better in organizing the militia. Their interests also affected the colonial powers. In this article, the social and geographical background of the mercenaries has been discussed. An important part of the study is their role in the armies of their employers. The salaries and perquisites received by them have been taken into account. These payments were an additional channel of drainage of Indian wealth to Europe.
Gandhi, Dinabandhu and Din-sevak
Authors: O’Connor Daniel
Published: January 2012

Despite Anglican Christianity’s frequent close association with the state, there have always been some, inspired by Christianity’s founder, who have taken a more independent line, none more strikingly so than two English missionaries in India, C.F. Andrews and Verrier Elwin, who broke with prevailing loyalties and in the strength of profound friendships with Gandhi, identified with Indian interests and nationalist aspirations during the half century prior to Indian Independence.
Easing the conscience
Authors: Wietzker Anne , Buysse Ann , Loeys Tom , Brondeel Ruben
Published: January 2012

Guilt is an emotion commonly experienced in divorce. Although guilt has been shown to increase cooperative negotiation behavior in organizational contexts, this is the first investigation of the role of guilt in divorce negotiations. Using survey data of 457 divorcing individuals, the authors examined how guilt was related to the most relevant negotiation styles, while controlling for the guilt-overlapping emotions shame and regret. Guilt was related to cooperative negotiation behavior (i.e., more yielding and problem-solving behavior, and less forcing behavior). Shame was related to uncooperative negotiation behavior (i.e., more forcing, more avoiding, less problem-solving behavior), whereas regret had no additional explanatory value.
A Case Study of Swedish Scholars’ Experiences With and Perceptions of the Use of English in Academic Publishing
Authors: Olsson Anna , Sheridan Vera
Published: January 2012

This empirical study surveyed academic staff at a Swedish university about their experiences and perceptions of the use of English in their academic fields. The objective was to examine how the influence of English in disciplinary domains might affect the viability of Swedish in the academic sphere and to investigate how it might disadvantage Swedish scholars. The data findings were analyzed quantitatively and are complemented with a qualitative content analysis, outlining perception and attitude patterns in the responses. Findings suggest power asymmetry between English and Swedish, as the data contain indications of perceived unequal opportunities between native and nonnative speakers in the international academic community. Swedish scholars highlighted the nuanced expressions of academic discourse found in social science writing as creating particular difficulty when writing in English.
Toxic Inhalational Exposures
Authors: Chen Tze-Ming Benson , Malli Harjoth , Maslove David M. , Wang Helena , Kuschner Ware G.
Published: January 2012

Respirable toxicants are a spectrum of irritant and nonirritant gases, vapors, fumes, and airborne particles that can be entrained into the body through the respiratory tract, resulting in exposures that cause pulmonary injury and/or systemic disease. Sources of respirable toxicants include structural fires, industrial accidents, domestic mishaps, and intentional releases of injurious agents on the battleground (warfare) or in civilian settings (acts of terrorism). Acute toxic inhalational exposures may result in respiratory failure, multisystem organ dysfunction, and death. Management of victims includes assessment and protection of the airway, monitoring and treatment of systemic toxicity, and delivery of exposure-specific and nonspecific therapies that improve outcomes. Treatments may include antidotes, hyperbaric oxygen, and other nonspecific life-supporting interventions.
A Case of Severe Heatstroke and Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment
Authors: Horseman Michael A. , Rather-Conally Jacquelyn , Saavedra Crystal , Surani Salim
Published: January 2012

Heatstroke is life-threatening condition characterized by hyperthermia and central nervous system disturbances. It can also be classified as a form of systemic inflammatory response syndrome with multiple organ dysfunction and in many ways resembles sepsis. Like sepsis, most patients with heatstroke demonstrate a hyperdynamic hemodynamic response. In contrast to sepsis, rhabdomyolysis may complicate management and initial fluid resuscitation is not well defined. We present an illustrative case report and review of literature.
Advising the Family Firm
Authors: Strike Vanessa M.
Published: January 2012

This study reviews the literature on advising family firms and integrates past contributions in such a way that scholars can use the findings as a foundation to launch future research. It reviews 105 articles and other research contributions published since 1983. The findings suggest that although advisors play a crucial role within family firms, there remains to date a lack of rigorous academic research. These past contributions are integrated into a framework that provides a first step toward developing theoretical arguments and charting directions for future research that address the nature of the family firm–advisor relationship.
Managing expectations
Authors: Lindstädt René , Staton Jeffrey K
Published: January 2012

Followers of law, politics and business commonly relate stories of individuals who appear to predict an expected performance level below what they believe themselves to be capable of. The standard explanation for such rhetoric is that it hedges against the negative consequences of unanticipated failures and takes advantage of unexpected successes. Although the strategy appears highly attractive, some individuals do provide honest evaluations of their abilities, and some overpromise. We develop a model of strategic communication designed to explain this variation. Underpromising is especially attractive when observers have strong incentives to watch a preliminary performance; however, when high-quality individuals are in large supply and when the costs of performing badly are neither too high nor too low, underpromising can result in individuals being ignored. To ensure that they are not, individuals must give up the opportunity to outperform a promise and risk an underperformance.
Thermal post-buckling of laminated and isotropic rectangular plates with fixed edges: Comparison of experimental and numerical results
Authors: Amabili Marco , Tajahmadi Mohammad Reza Sareban
Published: January 2012

Post-buckling behaviors of laminated composite and isotropic rectangular plates subjected to various thermal changes are studied. Geometric imperfections are taken into account since they play a fundamental role. The plate is modeled using a nonlinear, higher order shear deformation theory. Plates with clamped edges are considered. A pseudo-arc length continuation method is used to obtain numerical results. Laboratory experiments have been performed in order to compare to the numerical calculations.
Accurate modeling of preload discontinuity in the analytical approach of the nonlinear free vibration of beams
Authors: Sedighi Hamid M , Shirazi Kourosh H , Reza Arash , Zare Jamal
Published: January 2012

This article attempts to investigate the dynamical analysis of beam vibrations in the presence of preload discontinuity and proposes an innovative accurate equivalent function for this well-known nonlinearity. This approach enables us to overcome the inherent computational difficulty of the preload nonlinearity in the analytical investigations. At first, the nonlinear equation of beam vibration with preload boundary condition is considered and analytical solution is obtained using He’s parameter expanding method. The precision of the proposed equivalent function has been elucidated by comparison of our results with the obtained solutions using numerical method. Finally, the accuracy of the obtained results in the vibration analysis of suspension bridges as a realistic problem, verifies the strength of the presented modeling.
Turbulence and additive effects on ignition delay in supersonic combustion
Authors: Tahsini Amir M
Published: January 2012

Numerical study of two-dimensional supersonic hydrogen–air mixing layer is performed to investigate the effects of turbulence and chemical additive on ignition distance. Chemical reaction is treated using detail kinetics. Advection upstream splitting method is used to calculate the fluxes, and one-equation turbulence model is chosen here to simulate the considered problem. Hydrogen peroxide is used as an additive and the results show that inflow turbulence and chemical additive may drastically decrease the ignition delay in supersonic combustion.
Experimental and numerical analyses of gas–solid-multiphase jet in cross-flow
Authors: Fu Yao , Wang Tong , Gu Chuangang
Published: January 2012

In this article, jet influence on a gas–solid-multiphase channel flow was experimentally and numerically studied. The jet flow was found to have a diameter-selective controlling effect on the particles’ distribution. Jet flow formed a gas barrier in the channel for particles. While tiny particles could travel around and large particles could travel through, only particles on the 10 -µm scale were obviously affected. Three different calculation methods, Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes, unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes, and detached eddy simulation, were used to simulate this multiphase flow. By comparing the calculation results to the experimental results, it is found that all the three calculation methods could capture the basic phenomenon in the mean flow field. Nevertheless, there exist great differences in the transient flow field and particle distribution.
On-line trajectory generation for autonomous unmanned vehicles in the presence of no-fly zones
Authors: De Lellis Ettore , Morani Gianfranco , Corraro Federico , Di Vito Vittorio
Published: January 2012

In this article, an algorithm for three-dimensional path generation and tracking for unmanned air vehicles in the presence of no-fly zones is proposed. The algorithm is based on a local optimization procedure aimed to find the shortest path between the waypoints in compliance with all path constraints. Vehicle structural and envelope limitations are accounted for by simple geometric constraints such as minimum curvature radius and flight path angle limitations, while no-fly zones are defined as cylindrical objects with infinite altitude. The algorithm is simple and it has a limited computational burden, at most quadratic with the number of zones to avoid. This makes the algorithm very suitable for real-time applications even in case of a high number of forbidden zones. Algorithm effectiveness has been demonstrated by means of numerical simulations in scenarios including the presence of no-fly zones not known before flight (for instance, in the case of sudden changes of weather conditions and/or detection of new fixed obstacles).