bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A gene expression and systems pathway analysis of the effects of clozapine compared to haloperidol in the mouse brain implicates susceptibility genes for schizophrenia
Authors: Rizig Mie A , McQuillin Andrew , Ng Aylwin , Robinson Michelle , Harrison Andrew , Zvelebil Marketa , Hunt Steve P , Gurling Hugh M
Published: July 2012

Clozapine has markedly superior clinical properties compared to other antipsychotic drugs but the side effects of agranulocytosis, weight gain and diabetes limit its use. The reason why clozapine is more effective is not well understood. We studied messenger RNA (mRNA) gene expression in the mouse brain to identify pathways changed by clozapine compared to those changed by haloperidol so that we could identify which changes were specific to clozapine. Data interpretation was performed using an over-representation analysis (ORA) of gene ontology (GO), pathways and gene-by-gene differences. Clozapine significantly changed gene expression in pathways related to neuronal growth and differentiation to a greater extent than haloperidol; including the microtubule-associated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling and GO terms related to axonogenesis and neuroblast proliferation. Several genes implicated genetically or functionally in schizophrenia such as frizzled homolog 3 (FZD3), U2AF homology motif kinase 1 (UHMK1), pericentriolar material 1 (PCM1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were changed by clozapine but not by haloperidol. Furthermore, when compared to untreated controls clozapine specifically regulated transcripts related to the glutamate system, microtubule function, presynaptic proteins and pathways associated with synaptic transmission such as clathrin cage assembly. Compared to untreated controls haloperidol modulated expression of neurotoxic and apoptotic responses such as NF-kappa B and caspase pathways, whilst clozapine did not. Pathways involving lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and appetite regulation were also more affected by clozapine than by haloperidol.
Influence of the single or combined administration of cocaine and testosterone in autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to acute restraint stress
Authors: Cruz Fábio C , Engi Sheila A , Leão Rodrigo M , Planeta Cleopatra S , Crestani Carlos C
Published: July 2012

Abuse of cocaine and androgenic–anabolic steroids (AASs) has become a serious public health problem. Despite reports of an increase in the incidence of simultaneous abuse of these substances, potential toxic interactions between cocaine and AASs are poorly known. In the present study, we investigated the effects of either single or combined administration of testosterone and cocaine for one or 10 consecutive days on autonomic (arterial pressure, heart rate and tail cutaneous temperature) and neuroendocrine (plasma corticosterone) responses induced by acute restraint stress in rats. Combined administration of testosterone and cocaine for 10 days reduced the increase in heart rate and plasma corticosterone level, as well as the fall in tail skin temperature induced by restraint stress. Furthermore, repeated administration of cocaine inhibited the increase in arterial pressure observed during restraint, and this effect was not affected by coadministration of testosterone. Ten-day combined administration of testosterone and cocaine increased basal values of arterial pressure. Moreover, chronic administration of testosterone induced rest bradycardia and elevated basal level of plasma corticosterone. One-day single or combined administration of the drugs did not affect any parameter investigated.

In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that combined administration of testosterone and cocaine changed the autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to acute restraint stress. These findings suggest that interaction between AASs and cocaine may affect the ability to cope with stressful events.
A framework to avoid irrational polypharmacy in psychiatry
Authors: Zigman Daniel , Blier Pierre
Published: July 2012

Many patients with psychiatric disorders do not obtain remission from available pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments. Recent studies have demonstrated that there is a role for the rational use of ‘combination therapy’ when treating patients with serious and treatment-resistant mental illnesses. When prescribing multiple medications, it is easy, however, to fall into irrational polypharmacy. We present a framework that clinicians can use to avoid the pitfall of irrational polypharmacy. When using combination therapy, clinicians should consider: (a) pharmadynamic redundancy; (b) pharmacodynamic interactions; (c) pharmacokinetic interactions; and (d) avoid inadequate dosing of medications. Clinicians should also (e) regularly reassess the need for and benefit of continued combination therapy.
Enhanced leachate recirculation and stabilization in a pilot landfill bioreactor in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Fu-Shih , Hung Jui-Min , Lu Chih-Jen
Published: July 2012

This study focused on the treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) by modification and recirculation of leachate from a simulated landfill bioreactor. Hydrogen peroxide was added to recirculated leachate to maintain a constant oxygen concentration as the leachate passed again through the simulated landfill bioreactor. The results showed that leachate recirculation increased the dissolved oxygen concentration in the test landfill bioreactor. Over a period of 405 days, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) in the collected leachate reduced by 99.7%, whereas the chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduced by 96%. The BOD5/COD ratio at the initial stage of 0.9 improved to 0.09 under aerobic conditions (leachate recirculation with added hydrogen peroxide) compared with the anaerobic test cell 0.11 (leachate recirculation alone without hydrogen peroxide). The pH increased from 5.5 to 7.6, and the degradation rate of organic carbon was 93%. Leachate recirculation brings about the biodegradation of MSW comparatively faster than the conventional landfill operation. The addition of a constant concentration of hydrogen peroxide was found to further increase the biodegradation. This increased biodegradation rate ultimately enables an MSW landfill to reach a stable state sooner and free up the land for further reuse.
Social Media Censorship in Times of Political Unrest - A Social Simulation Experiment with the UK Riots
Authors: Casilli Antonio A. , Tubaro Paola
Published: July 2012

Following the 2011 wave of political unrest, extending from the Arab Spring to the UK riots, the formation of a large consensus around Internet censorship is underway. The present paper adopts a social simulation approach to show that the decision to “regulate”, filter or censor social media in situations of unrest changes the pattern of civil protest and ultimately results in higher levels of violence. Building on Epstein's (2002) agent-based model, several alternative scenarios are generated. The systemic optimum, represented by complete absence of censorship, not only corresponds to lower levels of violence over time, but allows for significant periods of social peace after each outburst.
Calendar Interviewing and the Use of Landmark Events – Implications for Cross-cultural Surveys
Authors: Glasner Tina , van der Vaart Wander , Belli Robert F.
Published: July 2012

This paper discusses potential methodological issues in the design and implementation of calendar recall aids such as the Life History Calendar for cross-cultural surveys. More specifically, it aims to provide insights into how the use of landmark events in calendar interviewing may be influenced by cross-cultural variability. As an example, we compare the landmark events reported by Dutch and American respondents in two studies in which calendar recall aids were used. The study discusses differences that were found between the two countries in the numbers and types of reported landmark events, as well as in the temporal distribution of those events. The outcomes suggest that it is important for researchers to examine how landmark events in calendar instruments translate in diverse cultural contexts.
Human or Machine Coding of Open-ended Questions
Authors: Popping Roel
Published: July 2012

It is argued in studies in which open-ended questions are used that the choice is not between human or machine coding. It is the position the investigator takes with regard to the coding process that is relevant: from whose perspective is the coding performed? This choice determines whether human or machine coding can be performed. The results one obtains when these approaches are used can be very different.
Synthesis, thermal and solar cell application of novel hyperbranched polyurethanes containing azomethine and aryl-ether connectivities
Authors: Shanavas A. , Vanjinathan Mahalingam , Nasar A. Sultan , Amudha S. , Suthanthiraraj S. Austin
Published: July 2012

Bis-{[(4-hydroxybutoxyphenyl)methylidene]aminophenoxyhexyl}benzene-1,3-dicarboxylate – a novel A2 diol monomer – and a series of new blocked isocyanates (B3 monomers) were synthesized in high yield and their structures were confirmed. Using these monomers, different hyperbranched polyurethanes (HBPUs) containing azomethine and aryl-ether connectivities were prepared via an A2 + B3 approach. All possible parameters were varied to study their effect on molecular weight build-up. The effects of concentrations of A2 and B3 and the A2: B3 monomer ratio were well reflected in the molecular weight of the polymer. The structure of the B3 monomer was also found to have a significant effect on the molecular weight. The polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and impedance spectroscopy. All the polymers registered unusual sub- Tg; and they invariably underwent decomposition at three distinct stages with significantly improved thermal stability at initial stage. The ionic conductivity of HBPU increased remarkably upon doping with KI and I2. The dye-sensitized solar cell fabricated using this polymer as electrolyte yielded an overall conversion efficiency of 3.5% upon illumination with visible light.
Preparation of poly(butylene terephthalate)/modified organoclay nanocomposite via in-situ polymerization
Authors: Heidarzadeh Nina , Rafizadeh Mehdi , Taromi Faramarz Afshar , Bouhendi Hossein
Published: July 2012

Nanocomposites of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/modified montmorillonite organoclay were prepared via in-situ polymerization of terephthalic acid and butanediol in the presence of different clay content. Cloisite 30B, a commercially available amino modified montmorillonite, was modified with 3-aminopropytriethoxysilane (APS) through a silylation reaction. Morphology and properties of all samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The extent of clay layers in samples was confirmed by XRD. Results of XRD and TEM showed that an exfoliation structure was produced in nanocomposites. Studies of crystallization showed that the presence of nanoclay leads to an increase in the crystallization rate and enhances the thermal stability of nanocomposites. Crystallization kinetics were described by the Avrami equation. Crystal growth was spherulitic. According to dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), storage modulus of nanocomposites was remarkably improved compared with homo PBT. Moreover, a shrinkage test was carried out. Results showed a reduction in shrinkages along and across the flow direction that means a decrease in free volume. Flammability based on the UL-94 test was applied to study the flame retardancy effect of nanoclay on the samples.
Thermal degradation, mechanical behavior and Co60 gamma-irradiation induced effects of poly(methylphenylsiloxane)/phenylene-silica hybrid material
Authors: Gao Dahai , Jia Mengqiu
Published: July 2012

Poly(methylphenylsiloxane) (PMPS)/phenylene-silica hybrid material was prepared by a two-step sol-gel process. In the structure of the hybrid system, the phenylene-silica framework was imported into the crosslinked PMPS matrix to obtain interpenetrating networks. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and mechanical tests show that the products exhibit excellent thermal stability at ~400ºC in an inert atmosphere and a tensile strength up to 25.9 ± 1.7 MPa. The investigation of thermal degradation mechanism by TGA coupled with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) reflects the linear segments unzipping (430–580ºC), the elimination of benzene (450–680ºC) and the rupture of Si-CH3 and Si-OH (620–850ºC), within which the first degradation step can be retarded by the steric effect of the phenylene-silica framework. In order to study Co60 gamma-irradiation induced effects, the hybrid products after irradiation were also studied by the same characterization, showing slightly increased crosslinking degree of PMPS and unchangeable initial degradation temperature at an irradiation dose of 1.6 × 105 Gy. The mechanical behavior for hybrid products, including tensile strength and coating film properties, was well maintained under the effect of irradiation. An increase of phenylene groups inserted in the phenylene-silica framework was confirmed to induce more significant steric interactions to polymer backbones. This effect permits the hybrid products to enhance thermal and irradiation resistance, as well as mechanical strength.
Preparation and characterization of nitrile butadiene rubber-nanoclay composites with maleic acid anhydride as compatibilizer. Part II
Authors: El-Nashar D. E. , Sadek E. M.
Published: July 2012

The influence of maleic acid anhydride-treated organoclay (MOC) content (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 phr) relative to the micrometer clay (i.e. 10, 20 phr) on the nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) compounds was analyzed through physico-mechanical properties (i.e. tensile strength, elongation at break, Young’s modulus, hardness Shore A and crosslink density). The effect of (MOC) content on aging resistance of NBR nanocomposites at 90 ± 1°C for different time intervals (namely 2, 4, 6, 7 days) was also investigated through changes in aging properties, compared to unmodified micrometer clay composites (10, 20 phr) and unfilled NBR. The constants of the relative change in the physico-mechanical properties of NBR vulcanizate compounds were calculated. Physico-mechanical properties demonstrated an increase in the crosslink density for the MOC (3 phr)-incorporated NBR compound compared to conventional composites and pure NBR. Thermal aging data of the aged samples revealed that under aerobic hot aging conditions, NBR compounds undergo crosslink reactions that lead to embrittlement and ultimately failure. Incorporation of MOC filler, however, resulted in significant improvement of the degradation profile of the nanocomposites at 90 ± 1°C. Loss of tensile strength and flexibility during aging of the NBR nanocomposites with 3 phr MOC was milder, relative to unfilled polymer, indicating a restricted degradation by the MOC-filled rubber, thus prolonging the modulus. However, beyond 3 phr MOC, a deterioration in the aging properties of the nanocomposites takes place.
Theoretical and experimental performance analysis of a synchronal rotary multiphase pump with the inlet gas volume fractions of 0–0.9
Authors: Yang Xu , Qu Zongchang , Hu Xu , Wu Yuyuan
Published: July 2012

A synchronal rotary multiphase pump is a novel positive-displacement pump which is structurally simple and has a higher mechanical efficiency. A mathematic model was developed to predict the working performance of the synchronal rotary multiphase pump when the inlet gas volume fraction of the gas–liquid working fluids varies in the range of 0–0.9. The pump working process was theoretically analyzed based on the calculated results of pressure, temperature and fluid mass in the working chamber. The experiment was conducted to test the steady state performance of the synchronal rotary multiphase pump prototype at different pressure differences and inlet gas volume fractions by using air–oil mixture as the working fluids. The measured results of temperature difference between the pump inlet and outlet, volume flow rate and shaft power consumption were shown to be in good agreement with the calculations. The calculated and experimental results showed that both the volume flow rate and the pump efficiency decreased with the increase of the pressure difference. When the inlet gas volume fraction increased from 0 up to 0.9, the volume flow rate and the pump efficiency were decreasing rapidly. It meant that the inlet gas volume fraction had a significant influence on the pump performance.
Slow–fast loop gain-scheduled switching attitude tracking control for a near-space hypersonic vehicle
Authors: Huang Yiqing , Sun Changyin , Qian Chengshan , Wang Li
Published: July 2012

This article develops a slow–fast loop polytopic linear parameter-varying model and proposes a systematic gain-scheduled switching attitude tracking control scheme for a near-space hypersonic vehicle. First, the dynamics of near-space hypersonic vehicle is modeled as a slow–fast loop polytopic linear parameter-varying model using the Jacobian linearization and tensor-product model transformation approach. Open-loop simulation verification illustrates that the developed polytopic linear parameter-varying model captures the local nonlinearities of the original nonlinear system; therefore, it is suitable for model-based control. Second, for less conservative controller design purpose, the flight envelope is divided into smaller subregions, a family of slow loop and fast loop gain-scheduled controllers are designed, and each of them is suitable for a specific parameter subspace; the slow loop and fast loop gain-scheduled controllers are then switched in order to guarantee the closed-loop near-space hypersonic vehicle system to be asymptotically stable and satisfy a specified performance criteria. The resulting slow loop and fast loop gain-scheduled switching controllers are found by solving a convex constraint problem that can be efficiently solved using available linear matrix inequality techniques. Finally, numerical simulations have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Model-based control of wind turbines: look-ahead approach
Authors: Stotsky Alexander , Egardt Bo
Published: July 2012

A new composite turbine control architecture that consists of feedforward and feedback parts based on the upwind speed measurements and wind speed measurements at the turbine site, respectively, is described. The algorithm starts with preprocessing of a low-rate sampled upwind speed via the spline interpolation method. A run-ahead model driven by the signals from a preprocessing block models the turbine response and produces the feedforward part of turbine controller. The turbine control system is driven by both the feedforward part that comes from the run-ahead model and feedback part based on the wind speed measured at the turbine site. It is proved that the controller is stable despite the difference between the time-shifted preview measurements (expected wind speed) and the actual wind speed measured at the turbine site. Existing industrial proportional–integral–derivative turbine controllers can easily be upgraded with the preview part of the control architecture described in this article. Improved blade load regulation via the blade pitch angle control guarantees a hard upper bound on the flapwise bending moment. The results are confirmed by simulation with a wind speed record from the Hönö turbine outside Gothenburg, Sweden.
Urban governance and economic development in the diverse city
Authors: Syrett Stephen , Sepulveda Leandro
Published: July 2012

This paper examines the discourses and practices surrounding urban governance and cultural diversity in relation to issues of economic development and labour market inclusion. The paper sets out the conceptual and political importance of an approach to the governance of cultural diversity in relation to the urban economy that is embedded within specific historic-spatial settings, and draws together wider institutional contexts with the specificities of urban spaces and places. Through examination of recent changes in the economic governance of London, a global city characterized by a rapidly growing and highly diverse population, the paper demonstrates the conflicts and contradictory tendencies evident in contemporary governance discourses and practice towards diverse populations. The analysis presented demonstrates how governance in London has developed in face of the tensions that exist between the spatially rooted costs and benefits of diversity within the urban economic development process, and the contradictions apparent within a discourse that seeks to combine notions of community cohesion and economic inclusion with neoliberal economic practice and widening levels of inequality.
Immigration, inequality and diversity: socio-ethnic hierarchy and spatial organization in Athens, Greece
Authors: Kandylis George , Maloutas Thomas , Sayas John
Published: July 2012

This paper draws attention to the socio-spatial diversity of immigrant groups in Athens by investigating their changing hierarchical position in both society and space. The varying demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the immigrant population generate hierarchies of immigrant groups, which are reflected in intricate ways in the residential distribution of immigrants in the metropolitan area. Diversity seems to be interconnected with hierarchically unequal social positions, and these positions are in turn interconnected with the transformation of the spatial hierarchy in the Greek capital. This hierarchical diversity is expressed by a spatial typology of immigrants’ locations in Athens. The paper ultimately explores how this typology tends to alter the urban social ecology (in terms of socio-ethnic composition of distinct spatial clusters) and the urban structural dynamics (in terms of interactions between different ethnic and social groups) in an increasingly unequal city.
Return migration: Evidence from a reception country with a short migration history
Authors: Efstratios Loizou , Anastasios Michailidis , Anastasios Karasavvoglou
Published: July 2012

Much discussion can be found in the literature on the determinants of immigrants’ decisions to repatriate. Yet, missing is the identification of such determinants where the host country has become a reception country relatively recently. The main objective of this paper is to identify the determinants influencing the decisions of Albanian migrants in Greece to return home. Research is based on quantitative analysis techniques applied to a survey sample of 200 Albanian migrants returning from Greece to Albania. Results indicate that the main determinants driving them back home include the difficulty of integrating into Greek society, racism and failure to find work. Despite certain limitations of the study, the unconventional return migration determinants identified may become key considerations for migration policy makers for many related policy issues in cases where the reception country has a short history of migration.
The innovativeness of the Turkish textile industry within similar knowledge bases across different regional innovation systems
Authors: Kuştepeli Yeşim , Gülcan Yaprak , Akgüngör Sedef
Published: July 2012

Rapid technological and economic development in the world economy and the systematic and complex nature of innovation processes require specific innovation policy activities, such as having access to new knowledge. Through networking, individuals and organizations can become aware of new technologies and information by engaging in boundary-extending activities. Because there are dissimilarities between knowledge bases, each industrial activity is assumed to have specific types of innovation logics, innovative processes and innovation outcomes. In addition, the generation, diffusion, application and exploitation of knowledge are closely related to a region’s ability to undertake innovations. The objective and contribution of this paper is to compare the innovativeness of two textile-related industries in two cities (Denizli and Adıyaman) in Turkey with similar knowledge bases but differences in regional innovation systems. Denizli is a networked region, but it also shows properties of lock-in deficiency, whereas Adıyaman is an organizationally thin and peripheral region. The results reveal that there are significant differences in the knowledge generation and exploitation structures of the two regions, although they have similar knowledge bases. Such dissimilarities between the regions are explained by their respective knowledge-generating subsystems. The network maps of the Denizli and Adıyaman textile firms show that firms in Denizli have denser regional network ties than those in Adıyaman. The strong network ties of textile firms in Denizli allow the firms to be superior in innovative performance to Adıyaman firms, albeit with the danger of technological lock-in in the Denizli region. Adıyaman, being an organizationally thin region, lacks the necessary institutional structure for networking. Policy tools that are unique to each region are needed to enhance innovativeness.
Diversity, inequality and urban change
Authors: Arapoglou Vassilis P
Published: July 2012

This introduction to the special issue ‘Diversity, inequality and urban change’ provides a brief historical overview of assimilative, politico-economic and multicultural approaches in the USA and Europe. It focuses on representations of diversity in cities and highlights processes of theory transference, which are often silenced in debates about city paradigms. It draws attention to how the cities discussed in the special issue (London, Berlin and southern European cities) can contribute to the relational framing of the migration experience and multicultural life.
Australian Rotary Health: a major contributor to mental illness research and mental health awareness in Australia
Authors: Jorm Anthony , Sawyer Michael , Gillett Joy
Published: July 2012

Objective:

Australian Rotary Health (ARH) was established in 1981 with the goal of supporting family health research in Australia. Since 2000, ARH has supported research relevant to mental health and mental illness. This article describes the early history of the fund, the reasons for the move to mental illness research, some examples of research projects that have had a beneficial impact and the branching out into mental health community awareness raising and stigma reduction.

Conclusions:

ARH has emerged as a major non-government supporter of mental illness research. It has also effectively engaged Rotary clubs at a local level to increase community awareness of mental illness and to reduce stigma.
Better laws for coercive psychiatric treatment: lessons from the Waterlow case
Authors: Ryan Christopher , Callaghan Sascha , Large Matthew
Published: July 2012

Objective:

The purpose of this paper is to use the circumstances surrounding the trial of Antony Waterlow to consider the statutory mechanisms for coercive treatment of people with mental illness in Australasia.

Method:

The facts in R v Waterlow are examined in the light of a review of Australasia’s mental health legislation and recent empirical work on the ability to usefully categorise patients by their likelihood to harm others.

Results:

Arguably a major reason for Mr Waterlow’s not receiving effective psychiatric treatment prior to the killings was that the doctors who examined him did not think they had reasonable grounds for believing that detention was necessary for the protection of others from serious harm.

Conclusions:

The tragedy of the Waterlow matter provides further impetus to a much wider call for the move to capacity-based mental health legislation.
‘Theory of mind’ II: difficulties and critiques
Authors: Plastow Michael
Published: July 2012

Objective:

‘Theory of mind’ will be further examined firstly by looking at the experimental situation that was used to put forward this notion. A fundamental difficulty regarding the failure of ‘theory of mind’ to account for the misunderstandings of everyday life will be discussed. Other difficulties in the experimental conceptualisation of this notion will then be studied. Critiques that have previously been made of ‘theory of mind’ will also be examined.

Conclusions:

‘Theory of mind’ proposes an ideal of limpid understanding of the other. It is argued here that this notion of mind-reading is belied by its failure in our everyday lives. The experimental results by which this notion was proposed are neither sensitive nor specific. It is argued that there is also a fundamental error in this conception and its experimental design due to assessing a second-person phenomenon by a third-person method. Critiques of ‘theory of mind’ emphasise the epistemological difficulties and the fact that it is a poor explanation for the interactions of non-autistic subjects.
Trends in the use of Emergency Examination Orders in Queensland since the implementation of the Mental Health Intervention Project
Authors: Meehan Tom , Stedman Terry
Published: July 2012

Objective:

The Mental Health Intervention Project (MHIP) was established in Queensland in 2005 to improve interagency collaboration in the management of mental health crisis situations. The aim of this present study was to assess changes in the use of Emergency Examination Orders (EEOs) by police and ambulance officers since the commencement of the MHIP.

Method:

Information concerning the use of EEOs was analysed to highlight changes that have occurred since the inception of the MHIP.

Results:

The use of EEOs by police and ambulance officers increased by 262% since 2002. The proportion of EEOs completed by ambulance officers has increased from 14.5% in 2004 to 38% in 2010. Involuntary assessment was deemed necessary for less than half of the individuals presented by police and ambulance officers.

Conclusions:

Police continue to generate two-thirds of all EEOs completed. Police and ambulance officers may benefit from additional training in the use of EEOs. Providing alternative accommodation/treatment options for those under the influence of alcohol and other drugs may help to reduce the inappropriate use of EEOs and subsequent demand for Emergency Department services.
Sexuality in the Context of Prostate Cancer Narratives
Authors: Klaeson Kicki , Sandell Kerstin , Berterö Carina M.
Published: July 2012

In this study we explored how men diagnosed with prostate cancer experienced their sexuality from a lifeworld perspective. One essential meaning was identified: “having the elixir of life stolen.” This essential meaning had four constituents: “something that no longer exists,” “the threat to manhood,” “intimacy,” and “staged manhood.” The lifeworld for these men comprised the dynamic interaction between being deprived of their “life’s elixir” and their ability to have and experience intimacy. The men were preoccupied with embodied experiences unfamiliar to them. They mourned the loss of sexuality in connection with their new life situation that threatened their identity. Their female partner was a great support, and with her the man could picture himself and at best renegotiate his sexuality. In the future, cancer care should be organized so as to enable all aspects of sexuality to be acknowledged and discussed.
African American Parents’ Experiences Navigating Breast Cancer While Caring for Their Children
Authors: Davey Maureen P. , Niño Alba , Kissil Karni , Ingram Mary
Published: July 2012

African American parents who are navigating breast cancer while parenting their school-age children are an understudied population. We used family systems and sociocultural theories to conduct three focus groups with a total sample of 9 African American parents to understand how they cared for their school-age children (ages 11 to 18) while coping with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Our content analysis of these focus groups yielded themes that described a variety of ways they protected their children from the emotional consequences of breast cancer. Seven primary themes emerged: (a) increased desire to protect their children, (b) parental concerns for children’s coping, (c) openness and transparency with children, (d) reliance on children for support, (e) calibration of their own responses, (f) use of the illness experience as a teachable moment for children, and (g) reliance on others for parenting support. Clinicians and researchers can improve their care by developing culturally sensitive family intervention programs that promote family resilience.
Emotional Distress and Disordered Eating Practices Among Southern Italian Women
Authors: Cheney Ann M.
Published: July 2012

This study is one of the first to examine the narrative links connecting social change, contested gender norms, body image, and eating disordered practices among southern Italian women. The research is based on 16 months of fieldwork, and I compare and contrast the stories of 23 educated women in southern Italy to highlight the contentious realities of entering adolescence in conservative social contexts where gender relations and value systems are undergoing rapid transformations. I examine how these young women dealt with conflicting cultural expectations of womanhood and whether it affected their emotional, psychological, and physical well-being. Their stories shed light on how parental control, community surveillance, and conflicts in developing gender identities and maturing womanly bodies contributed to their emotional distress. Distressed young women used rebellion and manipulation and control of food and the body to negotiate unjust social relations, specifically gender relations, that delegitimized their selves and, in some cases, their bodies.
Anti-windup linear parameter varying control of structural systems with magneto-rheological dampers
Authors: Meisami-Azad Mona , Grigoriadis Karolos M , Song Gangbing
Published: July 2012

Magneto-rheological (MR) dampers are a family of semi-active devices widely used for vibration attenuation in space and civil engineering structures. In this paper, we study the use of MR dampers for seismic protection of a model two-story structure in the presence of actuation saturation. A modified Bingham model is considered for linear parameter varying (LPV) modeling and control of the system. The main contribution of the paper is the design and experimental validation of a LPV anti-windup compensator to tackle the effect of actuator saturation on the control design performance. The designed LPV anti-windup control scheme is advantageous from the implementation standpoint because it can be considered as an addition to the existing control system. Experimental results demonstrate the ability of the design method to attenuate the effects of seismic excitation by controlling the MR damper and simultaneously avoid the adverse effects of actuator saturation by taking advantage of the designed anti-windup compensator and leading to savings in power consumption.
Effect of elastic deformation of bearing liner on the performance of an inverted three-lobe pressure dam bearing
Authors: Batra NK , Bhushan Gian , Mehta NP
Published: July 2012

The elasticity of liner significantly affects the performance of a hydrodynamic bearing. Study of elastohydrodynamics of some of the bearings such as circular, elliptical, offset- halves pressure dam, four-lobe pressure dam, etc. has already been reported. In this article, the effect of elastic deformation on the performance characteristics of an inverted three-lobe pressure dam bearing, which is produced by incorporating a pressure dam in the upper lobe and two relief tracks in the lower two lobes of an ordinary inverted three-lobe bearing is analyzed . The results indicate that liner flexibility considerably affects the stability of an inverted three-lobe pressure dam bearing. The minimum threshold speed decreases whereas the zone of infinite stability increases with increase in the liner flexibility.
HIV/AIDS and discourses of denial in sub-Saharan Africa: An Afro-optimist response?
Authors: Mulwo Abraham K , Tomaselli Keyan G , Francis Michael D
Published: July 2012

This article re-examines HIV/AIDs discourses within the global imagining of Africa. It focuses on official responses which, between 1999 and 2007, were characterized by denialism, when South African President Thabo Mbeki, questioned the origin of the disease. The historical factors that shaped arguments locating African AIDS discourses as a counter-ideological response to Afro-pessimism are examined. It is argued that the controversy generated by debates on the origin and spread of HIV/AIDS, the denial of the link between HIV and AIDS, and the resistance against the roll-out of antiretroviral therapy, was a contestation especially of the Euro-American image of Africa, rather than of the epidemic itself.
Lifestyling Asia? Shaping modernity and selfhood on life-advice programming
Authors: Lewis Tania , Martin Fran , Sun Wanning
Published: July 2012

This article discusses the early findings of a research project examining the role of lifestyle television in Asia. Life-advice programming in East Asia includes a range of ‘popular factual’ formats from cooking and health shows to makeover and consumer advice shows. A growing body of Anglo-American scholarship emphasizes the cultural importance of lifestyle programming, suggesting that the explosion of lifestyle formats at this particular cultural-historical moment connects to broader transformations in western neoliberal states, especially the rise of individualized, consumer-based models of identity and citizenship. Focusing on Singapore, China and Taiwan, this article offers a discussion of the potential of such arguments in these contexts, in light of our findings about the forms of life-advice programming prevalent in these three television industries. In particular, it explores the relevance (or not) of Anglo-American theories of neoliberal selfhood in these sites as read through the lens of lifestyle television.
Social cohesion and economic competitiveness
Authors: Pichierri Angelo
Published: July 2012

This article stems from an awareness that the ‘European social model’ is marked – in the discourse that proposes it and in the policies that attempt to implement it – by an original combination of the dimensions of economic competitiveness and social cohesion. Today, this combination is in the midst of a crisis whose nature and outcome are variously interpreted, in politics as in social sciences. The current debate would have much to gain from the use of several classic analytical categories, which, though well enough known, are rarely if ever applied in this context. After a schematic presentation of the characteristics that discussion of the European model has now assumed, an institutional approach to interpreting it will be proposed which revolves around the Weberian concept of ‘legitimate order’. Particular attention will be devoted to the organizational means whereby policies are formulated and pursued, and the territorial dimension of policies and their effects will be discussed. The concluding remarks will present policy implications and considerations concerning the present crisis and possible developments of the European model, elaborated on the basis of the proposed methodological approach.
The development of an enhanced finite element tire model for roadside safety hardware assessment
Authors: Bolarinwa Emmanuel O , Mahadevaiah Umashankar , Marzougui Dhafer , Opiela Kenneth S
Published: July 2012

Various types of roadside safety hardware are deployed along highways to safely redirect or contain errant vehicles such that there is no intrusion into a hazardous area or on-coming traffic that may cause harm to the drivers or occupants. Primary factors for the crashworthiness evaluation of these hardwares include structural adequacy, occupant risk, and after-collision vehicle trajectory. Suspension characteristics of the vehicle and tires interaction with safety hardware and surface conditions could influence all these factors. Simulation efforts have resulted in increasingly better replications of crash events, but it has been noted that tire behaviors and failures are still not predicted well. This article will describe efforts to improve the finite element modeling technique of a vehicle tire. A new tire model, having the physical structure of a tire that could influence the nature of operational and crash-induced loading of the tire is presented. Techniques for characterizing the tire material and suspension properties are discussed. Correlation between the simulation results and the full-scale crash testing data is discussed. Measures for assessing occupant injury risk and occupant impact severity are evaluated for both sets of data. Finally, preliminary results using the new tire model in vehicle impact simulations to investigate the effect on vehicle stability, subject to variations in impact conditions such as speed and angle, are presented.
Examining Latinos/as’ Graduate School Choice Process
Authors: Ramirez Elvia
Published: July 2012

Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, this study examined the factors that influenced Latino/a students’ decision to matriculate at a particular doctoral institution. Findings reveal that Latinos/as are influenced by several factors in their selection of a doctoral program, including location (proximity to home), faculty influences, financial considerations, campus climate concerns, and circumscribed choices. Guided by multiracial feminist theory, this study illustrates that Latinos/as’ graduate school choice process is mediated by race, class, and gender inequalities.
Thermal performance of wall assemblies with low emissivity
Authors: Saber Hamed H
Published: July 2012

In wall systems, airspaces can increase thermal resistance if a reflective material such as foil with low emissivity is installed in a furred-airspace assembly. In this article, the present model, hygIRC-C, was used to investigate the steady-state thermal resistance of wall assemblies that incorporate foil adhered to expanded polystyrene foam in a furred assembly. To investigate the effect of the furring orientation, the furring was installed horizontally and vertically and compared to walls with no furring. For wall with vertical furring, the three-dimensional version of the present model was used to capture the three-dimensional effect of the thermal bridges. Because the foil emissivity can be affected by dust accumulation and/or water vapor condensation on the foil surface, consideration was given to investigate the effect of both varying foil emissivity and outdoor temperature on the thermal performance of the various wall specimens. The results showed that the thermal resistance ( R-value) of the reference wall (no furring) is greater than the wall specimens with furring. Also, the results showed that the contribution of the furred-airspace assembly to the R-value of wall specimen with vertical furring is higher than that for wall specimen with horizontal furring.
The Validity of the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) as a Measure of Emotional Intelligence
Authors: Maul Andrew
Published: July 2012

The concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has drawn a great amount of scholarly interest in recent years; however, attempts to measure individual differences in this ability remain controversial. Although the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) remains the flagship test of EI, no study has comprehensively examined the full interpretive argument tying variation in observed test performance to variation in the underlying ability. Employing a modern perspective on validation, this article reviews and synthesizes available evidence and discusses sources of concern at every level of the interpretive argument. It is argued that a focus on causal explanation of observed variation in test performance would significantly improve the validity of the MSCEIT as a measure of EI.
Surveillance swabbing for MRSA on neonatal intensive care units – is weekly nasal swabbing the best option?
Authors: Duffy Donovan , Garbash Mehdi , Sharland Mike , Kennea Nigel
Published: July 2012

Most paediatric meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections occur in neonatal units, but evidence for ongoing MRSA surveillance is lacking and practice varies.

The aim of this study was to determine the optimal strategy for neonatal MRSA screening according to swab site, gestational age and birth weight. MRSA detection on simultaneous weekly nasal and groin surveillance swabs and suspected infected sites was determined for all admissions to a tertiary neonatal unit over eight years. Twenty one thousand, seven hundred and thirty six surveillance specimens were examined (3,784 admissions). Infants colonised with MRSA were smaller and of lower gestational age compared with uncolonised infants ( p<0.0001). Infants initially positive on groin swabs alone (13/68; 19%) were of significantly greater gestational age and weight at birth compared with infants initially positive on nose swabs/both nose and groin swabs (55/68; 80%). Infants initially identified on groin swabs were all subsequently detected on nasal swabs or discharged within two weeks of age. 18/86 (21%) of MRSA cases were initially detected on swabbing suspected infected sites. Surveillance swabbing identified 43% of infants before MRSA bacteraemia. Eighty five per cent of colonised infants would be detected by weekly nasal swabs and by swabbing suspected infected sites. Groin swabs detect a small number of bigger mature babies who are discharged before two weeks of age.
Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium delivering DNA vaccine encoding duck enteritis virus UL24 induced systemic and mucosal immune responses and conferred good protection against challenge
Authors: Yu Xia , Jia Renyong , Huang Juan , Shu Bin , Zhu Dekang , Liu Qing , Gao Xinghong , Lin Meng , Yin Zhongqiong , Wang Mingshu , Chen Shun , Wang Yin , Chen Xiaoyue , Cheng Anchun
Published: July 2012

Orally delivered DNA vaccines against duck enteritis virus (DEV) were developed using live attenuatedSalmonellatyphimurium (SL7207) as a carrier andEscherichia coliheat labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) as a mucosal adjuvant. DNA vaccine plasmids pVAX-UL24 and pVAX-LTB-UL24 were constructed and transformed into attenuatedSalmonellatyphimurium SL7207 resulting SL7207 (pVAX-UL24) and SL7207 (pVAX-LTB-UL24) respectively. After ducklings were orally inoculated with SL7207 (pVAX-UL24) or SL7207 (pVAX-LTB-UL24), the anti-DEV mucosal and systemic immune responses were recorded. To identify the optimum dose that confers maximum protection, we used different doses of the candidate vaccine SL7207 (pVAX-LTB-UL24) during oral immunization. The strongest mucosal and systemic immune responses developed in the SL7207 (pVAX-LTB-UL24) (1011 CFU) immunized group. Accordingly, oral immunization of ducklings with SL7207 (pVAX-LTB-UL24) showed superior efficacy of protection (60-80%) against a lethal DEV challenge (1000 LD50), compared with the limited survival rate (40%) of ducklings immunized with SL7207 (pVAX-UL24). Our study suggests that the SL7207 (pVAX-LTB-UL24) can be a candidate DEV vaccine.