bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypertension Is Associated With Preamyloid Oligomers in Human Atrium: A Missing Link in Atrial Pathophysiology?
Authors: Sidorova Tatiana N. , Mace Lisa C. , Wells K. Sam , Yermalitskaya Liudmila V. , Su Pei‐Fang , Shyr Yu , Atkinson James B. , Fogo Agnes B. , Prinsen Joseph K. , Byrne John G. , Petracek Michael R. , Greelish James P. , Hoff Steven J. , Ball Stephen K. , Glabe Charles G. , Brown Nancy J. , Barnett Joey V. , Murray Katherine T.
Published: December 2014

Background

Increasing evidence indicates that proteotoxicity plays a pathophysiologic role in experimental and human cardiomyopathy. In organ‐specific amyloidoses, soluble protein oligomers are the primary cytotoxic species in the process of protein aggregation. While isolated atrial amyloidosis can develop with aging, the presence of preamyloid oligomers (
PAO
s) in atrial tissue has not been previously investigated.

Methods and Results

Atrial samples were collected during elective cardiac surgery in patients without a history of atrial arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or amyloidosis. Immunohistochemistry was performed for
PAO
s using a conformation‐specific antibody, as well as for candidate proteins identified previously in isolated atrial amyloidosis. Using a myocardium‐specific marker, the fraction of myocardium colocalizing with
PAO
s (
PAO
burden) was quantified (green/red ratio). Atrial samples were obtained from 92 patients, with a mean age of 61.7±13.8 years. Most patients (62%) were male, 23% had diabetes, 72% had hypertension, and 42% had coronary artery disease. A majority (n=62) underwent aortic valve replacement, with fewer undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (n=34) or mitral valve replacement/repair (n=24). Immunostaining detected intracellular
PAO
s in a majority of atrial samples, with a heterogeneous distribution throughout the myocardium. Mean green/red ratio value for the samples was 0.11±0.1 (range 0.03 to 0.77), with a value ≥0.05 in 74 patients. Atrial natriuretic peptide colocalized with
PAO
s in myocardium, whereas transthyretin was located in the interstitium. Adjusting for multiple covariates,
PAO
burden was independently associated with the presence of hypertension.

Conclusion

PAOs are frequently detected in human atrium, where their presence is associated with clinical hypertension.
Habitual Sleep Duration and Predicted 10‐Year Cardiovascular Risk Using the Pooled Cohort Risk Equations Among US Adults
Authors: Ford Earl S.
Published: December 2014

Background

The association between sleep duration and predicted cardiovascular risk has been poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to examine the association between self‐reported sleep duration and predicted 10‐year cardiovascular risk among
US
adults.

Methods and Results

Data from 7690 men and nonpregnant women who were aged 40 to 79 years, who were free of self‐reported heart disease and stroke, and who participated in a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005 to 2012 were analyzed. Sleep duration was self‐reported. Predicted 10‐year cardiovascular risk was calculated using the pooled cohort equations. Among the included participants, 13.1% reported sleeping ≤5 hours, 24.4% reported sleeping 6 hours, 31.9% reported sleeping 7 hours, 25.2% reported sleeping 8 hours, 4.0% reported sleeping 9 hours, and 1.3% reported sleeping ≥10 hours. After adjustment for covariates, geometric mean–predicted 10‐year cardiovascular risk was 4.0%, 3.6%, 3.4%, 3.5%, 3.7%, and 3.7% among participants who reported sleeping ≤5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and ≥10 hours per night, respectively (
P
Wald chi‐square
<0.001). The age‐adjusted percentages of predicted cardiovascular risk ≥20% for the 6 intervals of sleep duration were 14.5%, 11.9%, 11.0%, 11.4%, 11.8%, and 16.3% (
P
Wald chi‐square
=0.022). After maximal adjustment, however, sleep duration was not significantly associated with cardiovascular risk ≥20% (
P
Wald chi‐square
=0.698).

Conclusions

Mean‐predicted 10‐year cardiovascular risk was lowest among adults who reported sleeping 7 hours per night and increased as participants reported sleeping fewer and more hours.
Carl Schmitt’s ‘Hegel and Marx’
Authors: Furner James
Published: December 2014

Carl Schmitt’s radio broadcast ‘Hegel and Marx’, aired on 13 November 1931, and newly translated here, recapitulates the account of Marxism that Schmitt started to develop in the 1920s. Beginning from Schmitt’s early theory of adjudication inLaw and Judgement(1912), the concepts of decision, representation and the friend/enemy distinction are analysed, connected, and shown to structure Schmitt’s critique of Marxism, both in the broadcast, and in his other writings during this period. Some concluding remarks are offered on the substantive issues Schmitt’s critique raises for Marx’s political theory.
Lenin, Bolshevism, and Social-Democratic Political Theory
Authors: Marot John
Published: December 2014

Lars Lih has contributed to our knowledge of Russian Social Democracy lately. However, serious methodological flaws bedevil this advance in knowledge. Lih’s overall approach displays a very static understanding of political ideas in relation to political movements. In the first section, ‘Lenin, the St Petersburg Bolshevik Leadership, and the 1905 Soviet’, I challenge Lih’s position that Lenin never changed his mind about bringing socialist consciousness into the working class ‘from without’. In the second section, ‘Lenin, “Old Bolshevism” and Permanent Revolution: The Soviets in 1917’, I challenge Lih’s revisionist view that Old Bolshevism’s pre-1917 goal of ‘democratic revolution to the end’ drove Lenin’s partisans to make a working-class, socialist revolution in 1917. On this singular account, Lenin’s April Theses, which called for the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the transfer of all power to the soviets, was merely a further expression of Old Bolshevik politics, not a break with it, as has almost universally been held.
Satanic Mills: On Robert Kurz
Authors: Leslie Esther
Published: December 2014

A critical overview of the contribution of German Marxist Robert Kurz (1943–2012), focussing in particular on The Black Book of Capitalism: A Farewell to the Market Economy (first ed. 1999) and War for World Order: The End of Sovereignty and the Transformations of Imperialism in the Age of Globalisation (2003). This review explores the genesis and the main tenets of Kurz’s theory – especially his concept of value, the automatic subject, crisis and anti-Semitism – and tracks how they are mobilised in his writings over time. It also touches on the legacy of these ideas in political groups such as the Anti-Germans.
The Comintern in 1922
Authors: Riddell John
Published: December 2014

The Fourth Congress of the Communist International, held in November–December 1922, shows evidence of member parties outside Soviet Russia taking initiatives and exerting significant influence on central political questions before world communism. On at least three issues, all related to united-front policy, non-Russian delegates’ pressure substantially altered Comintern Executive Committee proposals to the Congress. A central role in this process was played by leaders of the German Communist Party. The record of the Congress, newly available in English, also contains many calls for increasing the authority of the Comintern Executive. Still, the influence of non-Russian delegations, in a context of frequent division among leading Bolsheviks, suggests that influence of front-line parties was significant and possibly growing in 1922, little more than a year before the Comintern took a sharp turn toward Russian-dominated bureaucratisation.
icann’s New Generic Top-Level Domain Names Dispute Resolution Procedure Viewed Against the Protection of the Public Interest of the Internet Community: Litigation Regarding Health-Related Strings
Authors: Vezzani Simone
Published: December 2014

icann’s decision to liberalize the market for Internet Generic Top-Level Domain Names has been giving rise to many concerns, related in particular to the registration of health-related strings, which may favour fraud and the dissemination of misleading health information. However, a very sophisticated mechanism has been put into place by icann, intended to prevent the registration of strings which face opposition from a significant portion of the community they purportedly aim to serve, or which are contrary to generally accepted principles related to morality and public order. Tailored after the model of commercial arbitration, icann rules of procedure are noteworthy in that they give standing to all interested Internet users and to an Independent Objector. Though underlining some of its procedural deficiencies, this article emphasizes the importance of the icann mechanism in the “constitutionalization” of the Internet. It also discusses the contribution of icann expert panels to international human rights discourse, as illustrated by the expert panel determinations walking the tightrope between freedom of expression and the right to health.
Airy Curtains
Authors: Henrich-Franke Christian
Published: December 2014

After the Second World War, the infrastructural connections between the Western and the Eastern part of Europe were subsequently cut. The sealing of the passages through the Iron Curtain did not, however, succeed entirely. One increasingly important breach was generated by radio frequencies, which carried broadcasting programs, for example, from Radio Free Europe, straight across the Iron Curtain. This paper analyses the negotiations on the broadcasting map of Europe by focusing on the broadcasting conference of Geneva 1974/75, which moved the “Airy Curtains” much more westward. Three factors explain the Eastern European success. First, Eastern European delegations followed a coordinated strategy in contrast to the Western European ones. Second, the hierarchical ussr leadership made sure that the Eastern European countries stuck to their strategy, whereas Western European countries preferred to depend on themselves. Third, the Eastern bloc let politics and politicians rule, while in Western Europe, to the contrary, frequency allocation was a battle that was largely fought by technicians. The gap between the “political East” and the “technical West” was an important advantage for the East. Focus in this article is put on the radio stations which were situated in Berlin because the city was an important bridgehead for Western broadcasters on socialist territory.
“The Miracle on the Oder”
Authors: Opiłowska Elżbieta
Published: December 2014

This article aims to analyze the impact of the policy of détente in the 1970s on the development of the German-Polish borderland and on grassroots cooperation. Opening the border for non-visa and non-passport traffic on 1 January 1972 was of great importance to mutual relations between the residents of the border regions. In the first period, German citizens used the opened border mainly for traveling to the so-called native land in order to look at their former households and houses, to “one more time cover the way back home from school.” The Polish, in turn, started shopping, mainly for children’s goods and food. It soon turned out that the German Democratic Republic had not been prepared for such a large number of Polish customers. Because of this conflicts arose and new prejudices appeared. Even so, for the first time since the war had ended the open border enabled direct contacts. New acquaintances were made. The number of Polish-German marriages significantly increased. Based on archive sources and written memoirs as well as narrative interviews this paper will investigate what influence this period had on the Polish-German relations in the border regions and how it is reflected in the memories of the border area residents.
The Aesthetics of a Collapsing Border
Authors: Pedersen Sune Bechmann
Published: December 2014

This article is a diachronic study of the fall of the Berlin Wall as it has been represented in German fiction films from 1989 until 2010. The focus is on the formal features of the inclusion of the event in filmic narratives and on the reactions by film critics to the representations. By studying the aesthetics of representation and the reactions and expectations expressed by critics, it is possible to trace the ways in which the event has changed from a sacrosanct experience, vividly remembered, to a historical affair of little controversy. At the same time, the article also depicts a change in the representations themselves. Starting with gritty realism, the films turn to ironic hyperbole in their depictions of the fall from around 1999. After 2003, however, the unreal representations give way to generic dramas that adhere to strictly conventional narratives and aesthetics. This, the article concludes, coincided with the transformation of the memories of the event from communicative to cultural.
The Effect of the Bulgarian Occupation on the Muslim Minority in Western Thrace
Authors: Niarchos Georgios
Published: December 2014

The Axis campaign in the Balkans resulted in the occupation of Greece (1941–1944) by German, Italian, and Bulgarian forces. During the occupation, a number of ethnic groups raised secessionist demands and aligned themselves with those, who they thought, would better serve their aspirations for greater autonomy. The Muslim minority of Western Thrace stands in sharp contrast to this paradigm, as despite its numerical strength and its proximity with the Turkish “motherland,” as well as its segregation from the Christian majority and the state authorities, it made no organized attempt to secede and followed a pacifist policy. The events of the Axis occupation of Greece have attracted a great deal of academic attention in recent years. The Muslim minority of Thrace by comparison has been the subject of less systematic investigation. In particular, its involvement in these turbulent events has been almost completely neglected by the literature. The present paper seeks to address this gap through the examination of the effect of the Bulgarian occupation on the Muslim population.
Lachenalia arenicola (Asparagaceae: Scilloideae), a new species from western South Africa
Authors: DUNCAN GRAHAM , HELME NICK A.
Published: December 2014

Lachenalia Jacquin in Murray (1784: 314) is a deciduous, geophytic genus endemic to western, southern, southeastern and central South Africa and to western and southern Namibia (Duncan et al. 2005). All South African members produce leaves in the winter, including those from essentially summer-rainfall areas, and L. pearsonii (Glover 1915: 105) Barker (1969: 321) from southern Namibia is the only summer-growing species (Duncan & Condy 2013). Flower and seed characters are most important for identification of Lachenalia, especially perianth shape including the perianth tube shape and length, relative position of outer and inner tepals, stamen orientation, seed shape and strophiole length. A recent monograph of Lachenalia provided a new classification for the genus based on a phylogenetic study of morphological characters and recognized 133 species (Duncan 2012). Living material of a new species from the Namaqualand coastal plain became available for study in 2013, although pressed specimens were first gathered in 2006. The total number of species for the genus now stands at 134.
A cladistic re-analysis of the Gadiformes (Teleostei, Paracanthopterygii) using three-item analysis
Authors: GRAND ANAÏS , BAGILS RENE ZARAGÜETA , VÉLEZ LINA MARÍA , UNG VISOTHEARY
Published: December 2014

In the present paper, we describe LisBeth, a newly published phylogenetic program. LisBeth implements the cladistic three-item analysis for systematics and biogeography. We show how LisBeth handles character representation, character analysis, exact search functions, reconstruction of the intersection tree and other features, such as retention index, completeness index, character history and link with other programs such as PAUP*, version 4.0b10, TNT and Xper2. Using LisBeth, we reanalyze the phylogeny based on morphological characters of the order Gadiformes (Teleostei, Paracanthopterygii) published by Endo (2002) and compare our results. We also describe the generation of hypotheses of homology following Endo's guidelines versus 3ia representation schemes. We compare the topologies of all results and show the implications of the interpretation of character history.
Two new species of Encarsia Förster (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) and first description of the male E. plana Viggiani & Ren from China
Authors: WANG ZHU-HONG
Published: December 2014

Two new species of Encarsia Förster (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) are described from China, Encarsia floralis Wang, Huang & Polaszek, sp. nov. and Encarsia maculiformis Wang, Huang & Polaszek, sp. nov., and the male of Encarsia plana Viggiani & Ren (1987) is newly described.
Progressive failure analysis of CFRP laminate with interacting holes under compressive loading
Authors: Khedkar Sourabh , Chinthapenta Viswanath , Madhavan Mahendrakumar , Ramji M
Published: December 2014

Composite structures such as hull of a ship and wings of aircraft are subjected to compressive loading. The behavior and strength of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) panels subjected to tensile loading has been studied rigorously by various researchers, whereas compressive behavior is not well addressed. In this study, behavior of CFRP panel with multiple interacting holes of various configurations (1H, 2HL, 2HT, and 2HD) under compressive loading is studied. A three-dimensional finite element-based progressive failure analysis (PFA) is used to model the damage progression in CFRP laminates. Damage detection is carried out using both Hashin’s failure and Ye’s-delamination criterions. Using these failure criterions, failure and post failure behavior of CFRP laminate with cutouts are predicted. The material is assumed to behave as linear elastic until final failure. Sudden degradation rule of material property is employed and subsequently PFA is carried out successively. Using digital image correlation (DIC) technique, whole field surface strain is obtained experimentally and is used for validating finite element analysis (FEA) model. Load–deflection behavior as well as path of damage progression is predicted by both PFA simulation and experiment. They are found to be in good agreement thereby confirming the accuracy of PFA implementation. Among all the configurations, one with two holes along the longitudinal direction (2HL) is recommended for design application as it exhibits low stress concentration factor and sustains higher initiation and final failure load.
Identifying Overreporting in a Correctional Setting
Authors: Wall Tina D. , Wygant Dustin B. , Gallagher Robert W.
Published: December 2014

The current study examined the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) validity scales in a sample of incarcerated offenders. Utilizing an analogue simulation design, we compared a group of 36 inmates instructed to feign symptoms of mental illness with 56 inmates who had been referred for psychiatric treatment and completed the test under standard instructions. We also had a group of 63 inmates with no history of mental illness who completed the test under standard instructions. Our results indicated large effect sizes between the feigning and comparison groups for all the validity scales. Infrequent Responses (F-r) exhibited utility in discriminating between feigning and control inmates, whereas Infrequent Psychopathology Responses (Fp-r) and Infrequent Somatic Responses (Fs) exhibited the largest effect size in discriminating between the feigning and psychiatric inmate groups. Classification accuracy generally revealed greater specificity than sensitivity for the MMPI-2-RF validity scales.
Marrying “In” or “Out”? Scrutinizing the Link Between Integration and the Partner Choice of Young People of Turkish and Moroccan Origin in the Netherlands
Authors: Sterckx Leen
Published: December 2014

For the past 10 to 15 years, Dutch policy makers and researchers, the general public, and minority organizations have been preoccupied with the marital choices of the children of Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. This concern was prompted by both the continuously high incidence of transnational marriages (to a spouse who has grown up in and usually migrates from the country of origin, i.e., Turkey or Morocco) leading to marriage migration, and the low incidence of ethnic intermarriage with Dutch natives. This is because their partner choice is—rather unquestioningly—considered as an indication of their level of integration in and orientation toward Dutch society. My qualitative research into the mechanisms of partner choice, courtship, and family formation by young people of Turkish and Moroccan origin calls into question the ease with which policy makers and researchers assume partner choice and cultural integration to be linked.
Opening Government
Authors: Mergel Ines
Published: December 2014

Open government initiatives in the U.S. government focus on three main aspects: transparency, participation, and collaboration. Especially the collaboration mandate is relatively unexplored in the literature. In practice, government organizations recognize the need to include external problem solvers into their internal innovation creation processes. This is partly derived from a sense of urgency to improve the efficiency and quality of government service delivery. Another formal driver is the America Competes Act that instructs agencies to search for opportunities to meaningfully promote excellence in technology, education, and science. Government agencies are responding to these requirements by using open innovation (OI) approaches to invite citizens to crowdsource and peer produce solutions to public management problems. These distributed innovation processes occur at all levels of the U.S. government and it is important to understand what design elements are used to create innovative public management ideas. This article systematically reviews existing government crowdsourcing and peer production initiatives and shows that after agencies have defined their public management problem, they go through four different phases of the OI process: (1) idea generation through crowdsourcing, (2) incubation of submitted ideas with peer voting and collaborative improvements of favorite solutions, (3) validation with a proof of concept of implementation possibilities, and (4) reveal of the selected solution and the (internal) implementation of the winning idea. Participation and engagement are incentivized both with monetary and nonmonetary rewards, which lead to tangible solutions as well as intangible innovation outcomes, such as increased public awareness.
Theoretical modeling of tool mean temperature during ultrasonically assisted turning
Authors: Khajehzadeh Mohsen , Razfar Mohammad Reza
Published: December 2014

This article summarizes the results of theoretical and experimental studies of average tool temperature in ultrasonic-assisted turning of aerospace aluminum using Al2O3-coated tools. In theoretical study, thermal modeling of heat source at the tool–work interface and the temperature distribution in the cutting tool are presented. To determine the actual performance, the sticking and slipping tool–chip contact lengths ( lc and ls) are experimentally measured and then heat source at the tool–work interface is modeled according to the analogy between shear stress distribution and heat source distribution on the rake face. Then, with respect to the kinematics of the process, the cutting velocity model is presented. The velocity model is used to define the heat flux equation and shear strain rate in ultrasonic-assisted turning. Using heat flux function and Johnson–Cook model, the temperature distribution in a semi-infinite rectangular corner, as a function of time and distance from tool tip, is presented. The analysis results are compared with experimental measurements of average cutting temperature from ultrasonic-assisted turning tests on 7075 aluminum using K-type Testo 735 thermocouple. On the other hand, results show that ultrasonic-assisted turning does not necessarily lower the average cutting temperature in all cases. The effectiveness of the technique is highly dependent on the value of vibration amplitude, work velocity, and feed rate. At low feed rates and amplitudes, the average tool temperature for ultrasonic-assisted turning is 60% of the conventional turning value while growing with an increase in feed rate and amplitude.
Influence of different temperature distributions on the fatigue life of a motorcycle piston
Authors: Giacopini Matteo , Sissa Simone , Rosi Roberto , Fantoni Stefano
Published: December 2014

In this paper, finite element analyses are performed to evaluate the stresses and the strains in a motorcycle piston. Non-linear finite element models are employed to mimic the piston behaviour when subjected to different loading conditions. In particular, the gas forces, the inertial forces and the piston-to-cylinder contact forces are considered. Appropriate temperature distributions are applied to the model to include the thermal stresses and strains in the analyses. Two different thermal configurations are considered: the first has a standard design of the oil jet hitting the underside zone of the piston crown, while the second presents modified parameters able to increase the heat transfer coefficient appreciably. The different operating temperature distributions related to the two thermal configurations considered strongly influence the piston’s thermomechanical behaviour. This paper aims to perform high-cycle fatigue analyses to show how the fatigue life and fatigue-critical points of the component change when moving from the standard configuration to the modified configuration.
Online condition monitoring of rolling stock wheels and axle bearings
Authors: Papaelias Mayorkinos , Amini Arash , Huang Zheng , Vallely Patrick , Dias Daniel Cardoso , Kerkyras Spyridon
Published: December 2014

The early detection of faults in rolling stock wheels and axle bearings is of paramount importance for rail infrastructure managers as it contributes to the safety of rail operations. In this paper we report on the key results that have arisen from the development and implementation of a novel condition monitoring system based on high-frequency acoustic emission and vibration analysis installed on a train. The novel system makes use of inexpensive and robust acoustic emission sensors and accelerometers, which can be easily installed on the axle bearing box with minimal intervention required. Experimental work carried out under actual conditions at the Long Marston rail track and on the Lisbon – Cas-Cais suburban line has proven that the developed system is capable of detecting wheel and axle bearing-related defects with various levels of severity.
A sociohistorical examination of George Herbert Mead’s approach to science education
Authors: Edwards Michelle L.
Published: December 2014

Although George Herbert Mead is widely known for his social psychological work, his views on science education also represent a significant, yet sometimes overlooked contribution. In a speech delivered in March 1906 entitled “The Teaching of Science in College,” Mead calls for cultural courses on the sciences, such as sociology of science or history of science courses, to increase the relevancy of natural and physical science courses for high school and university students. These views reflect Mead’s perspective on a number of traditional dualisms, including objectivity versus subjectivity and the social sciences versus natural and physical sciences. Taking a sociohistorical outlook, I identify the context behind Mead’s approach to science education, which includes three major influences: (1) German intellectual thought and the Methodenstreit debate, (2) pragmatism and Darwin’s theory of evolution, and (3) social reform efforts in Chicago and the General Science Movement.
Hauke Brunkhorst’s Critical Theory of Legal Revolutions
Authors: Habermas Jürgen
Published: December 2014

This article sets out a critical response to the recent work of Hauke Brunkhorst. In particular, it raises questions about the theory construction underlying this work, notably the elements of Brunkhorst's theory indebted to historical materialism and systems theory.
Developing effective feedback on quality of anaesthetic care: what are its most valuable characteristics from a clinical perspective?
Authors: D’Lima Danielle M , Moore Joanna , Bottle Alex , Brett Stephen J , Arnold Glenn M , Benn Jonathan
Published: December 2014

Objectives

Research suggests that better feedback from quality and safety indicators leads to enhanced capability of clinicians and departments to improve care and change behaviour. The aim of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of feedback perceived by clinicians to be of most value.

Methods

Data were collected using a survey designed as part of a wider evaluation of a data feedback initiative in anaesthesia. Eighty-nine consultant anaesthetists from two English NHS acute Trusts completed the survey. Multiple linear regression with hierarchical variable entry was used to investigate which characteristics of feedback predict its perceived usefulness for monitoring variation and improving care.

Results

The final model demonstrated that the relevance of the quality indicators to the specific service area (β = 0.64, p = 0.01) and the credibility of the data as coming from a trustworthy, unbiased source (β = 0.55, p = 0.01) were the significant predictors, having controlled for all other covariates.

Conclusion

For clinicians to engage with effective quality monitoring and feedback, the perceived local relevance of indicators and trust in the credibility of the resulting data are paramount.
Weight status, negative body talk, and body dissatisfaction: A dyadic analysis of male friends
Authors: Chow Chong Man , Tan Cin Cin
Published: December 2014

This study examined the associations among weight status, body dissatisfaction, and negative body talk with a sample of young adult male friends ( N = 55 pairs). Actor–Partner Interdependence Model revealed that individuals’ body dissatisfaction was positively associated with their own body mass index, but was negatively associated with their friend’s body mass index. In addition, having a friend with low body mass index escalated the association between individuals’ own body mass index and body dissatisfaction. Further, when individuals with higher body mass index engaged in higher negative body talk, they had lower body dissatisfaction compared to those who engaged in lower negative body talk.
Brain fag: New perspectives from case observations
Authors: Ebigbo Peter O. , Lekwas Elekwachi Chimezie , Chukwunenyem Nweze Felix
Published: December 2014

Brain fag was originally described as a culture-bound syndrome among West African students. The term “brain fag” literally means “brain fatigue.” Available literature indicates that brain fag symptoms usually present in formal academic settings when African students are required to transit to a reliance on written literature (as opposed to more traditional oral forms of information transmission) and to adapt to westernized, individualistic systems of education that, at times, oppose the values of relatively collectivistic African societies. Based on detailed observation of two typical and two nontypical cases of brain fag, the authors suggest that the syndrome may not be solely related to tensions in the academic sphere, but may function more generally as an expression of psychological distress that results from societal pressures that exceed the coping capacity of the individual. The brain fag symptoms, including lack of concentration, sensations of internal heat in the head and body, heaviness, and multiple somatic complaints, may constitute a defensive process which helps prevent a full-fledged decompensation.
Why do ethnic Chinese in the Netherlands underutilize mental health care services? Evidence from a qualitative study
Authors: Liu Cha-Hsuan , Meeuwesen Ludwien , van Wesel Floryt , Ingleby David
Published: December 2014

Chinese immigrants in the Netherlands are less likely than other ethnic groups to utilize mainstream mental health care services. This study investigated the experiences of Chinese with mental health problems, to inform measures to make services more responsive to the needs of this group. Qualitative methods of analysis were applied to interview data in order to explore ways of finding help, barriers to accessing mainstream mental health care, experiences in care, factors jeopardizing the quality of care, and views on mental health services among Chinese migrants in the Netherlands. Rather than recruiting individuals with mental health problems, an indirect method was used in which ethnic Chinese participants were invited to tell us about one or more Chinese individuals in their social environment whom they regarded as having (had) mental health problems ([Formula: see text]). Although most Chinese regarded mainstream Dutch care as the appropriate resource for dealing with mental health problems, many barriers to access and threats to care quality were reported. In contrast to the widely accepted view that cultural differences in health beliefs underlie the low utilization of mental health services by Chinese in the West, the main obstacles identified in this study concerned practical issues such as communication problems and lack of knowledge of the health system. Respondents also described concerns about entitlement to care and discrimination (actual or anticipated). Measures suggested by respondents for improving care included increased use of interpreters and cultural mediators, encouraging migrants to increase their language proficiency, and better dissemination of information about the health system. The article concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of these findings.
The west and the rest of classical music: Asian musicians in the Finnish media coverage of the 1995 Jean Sibelius Violin Competition
Authors: Leppänen Taru
Published: December 2014

Western classical music is in many ways connected with Whiteness, despite the rarity of explicit expressions of race and ethnicity in connection to the culture of this musical form. However, perhaps because of the presumed abstract nature of music and the persistence of Romantic notions of music’s autonomy, music scholars have only just begun to address issues of race and raciality, Whiteness and postcolonialism. This article explores race, ethnicity and racism in a specific context – the media coverage of the 1995 International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, which was held in Finland. The case occurred during a time of increased immigration to Finland, when tensions concerning race and ethnicity were high. Issues of race and racism are problematic in connection to the idea of musical autonomy, as the ideal holds that the music itself does not have anything to do with extra-musical phenomena such as gender, nationality, race and ethnicity. The Finnish media coverage of the Sibelius Competition exhibited everyday racism, as it explicitly referred only rarely to racial or ethnic differences. When racialized estimations were expressed explicitly in the media, their connections with ethnicity or race were not articulated.
The imperative of personal journalism: James Agee and Let Us Now Praise Famous Men
Authors: Aucoin James
Published: December 2014

This article, applying the philosophy of Martin Buber, argues in support of personal journalism, because it is a form of journalism that provides for a productive and empowering dialogue with the public, as opposed to impersonal journalism’s monologic voice as that of the observer-knower expert that views sources as objects to be observed, mapped, and categorized. It builds on Matheson’s embrace of Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics to explain and analyze James Agee’s personal journalistic approach in Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. This analysis shows that Agee defends the use of personal reporting with epistemological and ethical arguments and contributes the notion of reflexivity as a necessary condition for personal journalism. Agee adopted a personal approach consciously and reflexively as more ethically and epistemologically sound than impersonal, objective journalism and in doing so developed a strong argument for personal journalism being an imperative for American journalists.
Nonideal theory and compliance—A clarification
Authors: Chahboun Naima
Published: December 2014

This paper examines the various ways in which nonideal theory responds to noncompliance with ideal principles of justice. Taking Rawls’ definition of nonideal theory as my point of departure, I propose an understanding of this concept as comprising two subparts: Complementary nonideal theory responds to deliberate and avoidable noncompliance and consists mainly of theories of civil disobedience, rebellion, and retribution. Substitutive nonideal theory responds to nondeliberate and unavoidable noncompliance and consists mainly of theories of transition and caretaking. I further argue that a special case of substitutive nonideal theory may arise when noncompliance is a result of a lack of motivation among citizens. This situation, I suggest, calls for nonideal theorizing (1) when our aim is to evaluate the political actions undertaken by specific members of a society (in particular the ruling elite) whose set of feasible options is constrained as a result of others’ lack of motivation and (2) when a situation of mutually reinforcing distrust and noncooperation—sometimes called a “social trap”—constrains the feasible option set of the entire population. The main advantage of the twofold conceptualization of nonideal theory is that it bridges the theoretical gap between actor-oriented and situation-based accounts of justice: It allows us to preserve the term ideal justice for justice under minimal feasibility constraints, while recognizing that a situation where all agents comply with their duties must in some sense be characterized as just.
Shallow Gamification
Authors: Lieberoth Andreas
Published: December 2014

This article experimentally dissociates the psychological impact of framing versus game mechanics, when presenting a serious activity as a game. Studies of game elements in nongame contexts tend to describe full packages, with no way of assessing their individual psychological and functional impact. To isolate the effects of framing, students ( N = 90) were assigned to either discuss study environment issues through a list of questions, via a competitive discussion board game, or though the same game artifacts but with no game mechanics. Task engagement and self-reported intrinsic motivation were compared between groups. Results demonstrate that the effects of simply framing the activity as a game though vernacular and artifacts holds almost as much psychological power as the full game mechanics. In both game conditions, interest and enjoyment were significantly superior to controls, but other intrinsic motivation variables remained unchanged. Implications for game design in nongame contexts are discussed, and a framework for differentiating “deep and shallow gamification” in terms of mechanics and framing is developed.
Emerging Treatments for Motor Rehabilitation After Stroke
Authors: Claflin Edward S. , Krishnan Chandramouli , Khot Sandeep P.
Published: December 2014

Although numerous treatments are available to improve cerebral perfusion after acute stroke and prevent recurrent stroke, few rehabilitation treatments have been conclusively shown to improve neurologic recovery. The majority of stroke survivors with motor impairment do not recover to their functional baseline, and there remains a need for novel neurorehabilitation treatments to minimize long-term disability, maximize quality of life, and optimize psychosocial outcomes. In recent years, several novel therapies have emerged to restore motor function after stroke, and additional investigational treatments have also shown promise. Here, we familiarize the neurohospitalist with emerging treatments for poststroke motor rehabilitation. The rehabilitation treatments covered in this review will include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications, constraint-induced movement therapy, noninvasive brain stimulation, mirror therapy, and motor imagery or mental practice.
Living with a 100 ml prostate: Outcomes over a decade
Authors: Hobbs Catherine P , Henderson John M , Malone Peter R
Published: December 2014

Objective:

The objective of this article is to determine outcomes and guide the management of patients with a prostate volume of 100 ml or greater.

Patients and methods:

A database of patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy from 1994 to 1999 was analysed. Records of those with a prostate of 100 ml or greater were reviewed.

Results:

A total of 63 patients were included in the study with a mean follow-up of 11 years. Initial TRUS-guided biopsy yielded prostate cancer (CaP) in six of 63 (10%). Twenty-six of 63 (41%) underwent repeat biopsies. CaP was ultimately diagnosed in 13/63 (21%). Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were erratic over time, making monitoring difficult. The PSA coefficient of variation in benign prostates ranged from 8.9% to 48.6% in the year following biopsy. Twenty-one of 50 (42%) with benign prostates experienced acute urinary retention (AUR), 31/50 (62%) haematuria and 43/50 (86%) received treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Twenty-six of 50 (52%) received 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5ARI), 11/50 (22%) α-blockers and 28/50 (56%) surgery. Thirteen of 15 (87%) experienced further symptoms when treated for less than two years with 5ARI versus five of 16 (31%) receiving long-term treatment (mean duration 8.1 years). Fifteen of 25 (60%) experienced haematuria following TURP and 14/25 (56%) required further treatment.

Conclusion:

Large prostates cause considerable symptoms prompting multiple medical consultations and investigations. PSA monitoring in this group is difficult, leading to repeated biopsies of benign prostates. Long-term 5ARI treatment should be considered to reduce progression to AUR, the incidence of haematuria and to facilitate PSA monitoring. Newer treatment modalities such as holmium laser enucleation (HoLEP) should be considered ahead of TURP. When TURP is performed, 5ARI treatment should be considered post-operatively. This group of men should have close urological follow-up.
DVR and Its Impact on Indian Market
Authors: Kalia Shalini
Published: December 2014

The television viewing experience has been completely revolutionized with the advent of digital video recorder (DVR). The comfort and ease of watching programs at one’s own convenience and saving time by fast forwarding the commercials have completely changed the viewers’ life style. Considering the fact, that fast forwarding of commercials defeats the ultimate purpose of reaching out to TV viewers, a lot is at stake for the advertisers who ignore the impact of DVRs on advertising. International advertising market has already started adopting creative ways to hold the viewers’ attention in this time-shifted world. The available literature review on impact of DVRs is mainly related to the United States and European countries; hardly any research has been done in this regard in context to India. This study is based on literature review to understand the threats and opportunities of DVRs in global market, identify the creative strategies adopted by other countries to combat these threats, analyze the current situation of impact of DVRs in Indian market, and make recommendations for future in context to India.
Urban Growth and Land-Use Structure in Two Mediterranean Regions
Authors: Salvati Luca , Carlucci Margherita
Published: December 2014

The present study develops an Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) with the aim to assess changes over time in the distribution of selected uses of land in two Mediterranean urban regions (Rome and Athens) with different morphology and economic functions. The study uses global and local Moran’s indexes of spatial autocorrelation to describe the land-use structure observed in the two cities in mid-1970s and late-2000s, and debates on the divergent contribution of compact growth and scattered urban expansion to changes in land use. The analysis identifies fringe landscapes as a key target for urban containment policies in sprawling cities.
The transmission of craft technologies in the Bronze Age
Authors: Menon Jaya
Published: December 2014

The Bronze Age was a period when the notion of ‘frontiers’ was fluid and contacts were wide ranging. In a situation of considerable movements of people and objects, what probably also travelled were technologies. This article looks at different drilling technologies in the Bronze Age from Egypt to the Indian subcontinent. The adoption or rejection of different types of drilling mechanisms in different regions reminds us that technologies have to be socially acceptable in the first place before they could be adopted.
The legend of Akbar: Images from a fading tradition
Authors: Khan Iqtidar Alam
Published: December 2014

Akbar is a historical figure about whom legend began to accumulate almost in his life-time, and varied forms of it developed as time passed. How Akbar has been seen, whether through hostile or admiring eyes, tells us much about the different ideological trends that have prevailed since Akbar’s time.
Periodic nano/micro-hole array silicon solar cell
Authors: Lai Guan-Yu , Kumar Dinesh P , Pei Zingway
Published: December 2014

In this study, we applied a metal catalyst etching method to fabricate a nano/microhole array on a Si substrate for application in solar cells. In addition, the surface of an undesigned area was etched because of the attachment of metal nanoparticles that is dissociated in a solution. The nano/microhole array exhibited low specular reflectance (<1%) without antireflection coating because of its rough surface. The solar spectrum related total reflection was approximately 9%. A fabricated solar cell with a 40-μm hole spacing exhibited an efficiency of 9.02%. Comparing to the solar cell made by polished Si, the external quantum efficiency for solar cell with 30 s etching time was increased by 16.7%.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Activation of c-Src tyrosine kinase mediated the degradation of occludin in ventilator-induced lung injury
Authors: Zhao Tao , Liu Mengjie , Gu Changping , Wang Xin , Wang Yuelan
Published: December 2014

Background

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is characterized by increased alveolar permeability, pulmonary edema. The tyrosine kinase, c-Src, is involved in VILI but its role has not been fully elucidated. This study examined the relationship between c-Src activation and occludin levels in VILI both in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

For the in vivo study, Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (group C); normal tidal volume (group M); normal tidal volume + c-Src inhibitor (PP2) (group M + P); high tidal volume (group H); and high tidal volume + c-Src inhibitor (PP2) (group H + P). Rats in all groups but group C underwent mechanical ventilation for 4 h. For the in vitro study, MLE-12 cells pretreated with PP2 and siRNA underwent cyclic stretching at 8% or 20% for 0, 1, 2 and 4 h. The expressions of occludin, c-Src, and p-c-Src were analyzed by western blotting, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and immunofluorescence.

Results

For the in vivo study, rats in group H showed decreased occludin expression and activated c-Src compared with group C. HE staining and lung injury score showed more severe lung injury and alveolar edema in group H compared with group M and group C. Group H + P had less pulmonary edema induced by the high tidal volume ventilation. For the in vitro study, occludin expression decreased and c-Src activation increased as indicated by the phosphorylation of c-Src over time. Consistently, PP2 could restore occludin levels.

Conclusions

Mechanical ventilation can activate c-Src by phosphorylation and increase the degradation of occludin. c-Src inhibitor can ameliorate barrier function and lung injury by up-regulating occludin.