bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Repetitive Intra-Arterial Infusion of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells in Patients With No-Option Limb Ischemia
Authors: Teraa Martin , Sprengers Ralf W. , Schutgens Roger E.G. , Slaper-Cortenbach Ineke C.M. , van der Graaf Yolanda , Algra Ale , van der Tweel Ingeborg , Doevendans Pieter A. , Mali Willem P.Th.M. , Moll Frans L. , Verhaar Marianne C.
Published: January 2015

Background—

Patients with severe limb ischemia may not be eligible for conventional therapeutic interventions. Pioneering clinical trials suggest that bone marrow–derived cell therapy enhances neovascularization, improves tissue perfusion, and prevents amputation. The objective of this trial was to determine whether repetitive intra-arterial infusion of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) in patients with severe, nonrevascularizable limb ischemia can prevent major amputation.

Methods and Results—

The Rejuvenating Endothelial Progenitor Cells via Transcutaneous Intra-arterial Supplementation (JUVENTAS) trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 160 patients with severe, nonrevascularizable limb ischemia. Patients were randomly assigned to repetitive (3 times; 3-week interval) intra-arterial infusion of BMMNC or placebo. No significant differences were observed for the primary outcome, ie, major amputation at 6 months, with major amputation rates of 19% in the BMMNC versus 13% in the placebo group (relative risk, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–3.42). The safety outcome (all-cause mortality, occurrence of malignancy, or hospitalization due to infection) was not significantly different between the groups (relative risk, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–3.38), neither was all-cause mortality at 6 months with 5% versus 6% (relative risk, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.22–2.80). Secondary outcomes quality of life, rest pain, ankle-brachial index, and transcutaneous oxygen pressure improved during follow-up, but there were no significant differences between the groups.

Conclusions—

Repetitive intra-arterial infusion of autologous BMMNCs into the common femoral artery did not reduce major amputation rates in patients with severe, nonrevascularizable limb ischemia in comparison with placebo. The general improvement in secondary outcomes during follow-up in both the BMMNC and the placebo group, as well, underlines the essential role for placebo-controlled design of future trials.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00371371.
Effect of a Moderate Fat Diet With and Without Avocados on Lipoprotein Particle Number, Size and Subclasses in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Wang Li , Bordi Peter L. , Fleming Jennifer A. , Hill Alison M. , Kris‐Etherton Penny M.
Published: January 2015

Background

Avocados are a nutrient‐dense source of monounsaturated fatty acids (
MUFA
) that can be used to replace saturated fatty acids (
SFA
) in a diet to lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol (
LDL
‐C). Well‐controlled studies are lacking on the effect of avocado consumption on cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) risk factors.

Methods and Results

A randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial was conducted with 45 overweight or obese participants with baseline LDL‐C in the 25th to 90th percentile. Three cholesterol‐lowering diets (6% to 7% SFA) were fed (5 weeks each): a lower‐fat diet (LF: 24% fat); 2 moderate‐fat diets (34% fat) provided similar foods and were matched for macronutrients and fatty acids: the avocado diet (AV) included one fresh Hass avocado (136 g) per day, and the moderate‐fat diet (MF) mainly used high oleic acid oils to match the fatty acid content of one avocado. Compared with baseline, the reduction in LDL‐C and non‐high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol on the AV diet (−13.5 mg/
dL
, −14.6 mg/
dL
) was greater (
P
<0.05) than the MF (−8.3 mg/
dL
, −8.7 mg/
dL
) and LF (−7.4 mg/
dL
, −4.8 mg/
dL
) diets. Furthermore, only the AV diet significantly decreased LDL particle number (LDL‐P, −80.1 nmol/L,
P
=0.0001), small dense LDL cholesterol (LDL
3+4
, −4.1 mg/
dL
,
P
=0.04), and the ratio of LDL/HDL (−6.6%,
P
<0.0001) from baseline.

Conclusions

Inclusion of one avocado per day as part of a moderate‐fat, cholesterol‐lowering diet has additional
LDL
‐C,
LDL
‐P, and non‐
HDL
‐C lowering effects, especially for small, dense
LDL
. Our results demonstrate that avocados have beneficial effects on cardio‐metabolic risk factors that extend beyond their heart‐healthy fatty acid profile.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01235832.
China: Socialist or Capitalist?
Authors: Schweickart David
Published: January 2015

Viewing contemporary China from the perspective of Economic Democracy, a stylized model of market socialism featuring workplace democracy, social control of investment and an entrepreneurial capitalist sector, I argue that China is not capitalist, and will not likely “go capitalist.”
Gender and Attitudes toward Women in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Alibeli Madalla A.
Published: January 2015

This study aims at examining the effect of gender on attitudes toward women in United Arab Emirates (uae). To achieve the objectives of the study, a sample of 1036 men and women were selected and interviewed by students’ research assistants. To achieve the objectives of this study, descriptive and inferential statistics were used including Independent Sample t-Test, bivariate and Ordinary Least Square regressions analyses. General findings indicate a low to relatively low attitudes toward women. As might be expected, males revealed significantly lower levels of attitudes toward women than do females. Finally, controlling for the effect of age, marital status, religiosity, education, and employment failed to inflict significant changes on the effect gender on attitudes toward women in the uae.
Counteracting Factors: The Unmaking and Remaking of Working Classes in Europe
Authors: Schmidt Ingo
Published: January 2015

Drawing on the works of E. P. Thompson, Beverly Silver, and Rosa Luxemburg this article explores the unmaking of European working classes from the 1970s until today. This unmaking was a response to the challenges that labour and new social movements represented to capital rule from the late 1960s until the later 1970s. Yet, the success of weakening workers by unmaking the social fabric and the institutions upon which their bargaining power rested produces discontent and resistance. The article also addresses the question whether workers’ experiences in diverse acts of resistance are laying the foundation for the making of new working classes in Europe.
Transistorized State: The Technique of Hegemony in the Early Cold War
Authors: Schuster Eric A.
Published: January 2015

The history of the transistor contributes to reassessments of the origins ofushegemony in the 1940s and 1950s. Areas of conflict emerged betweenuscapital and the American state during the World Wariiand in the immediate postwar years. Because the transistor evolved as a direct consequence of state investment during these years, the transistor’s history illuminates tensions over military spending and defense production, and the ways in whichmncs, academia, and the state overcame tension in the establishment of hegemony.
Globalization and the Crisis in Detroit
Authors: Presbey Gail M.
Published: January 2015

Detroit’s fiscal crisis was generated by a complex interplay of factors, including institutional racism and auto industry globalization, which stimulated the departure of businesses and residents from the city. The preferential treatment of big business in questionable deals engineered by Kevyn Orr, the emergency manager appointed by the state’s Republican governor, has deepened the crisis at the expense of the citizenry, particularly the most vulnerable populations. Protest against the scandalous mishandling of Detroit’s bankruptcy (especially in the wake of the summer 2014 water shut-offs) has arisen from many quarters, including local activists, international watchdog groups, journalists, and the United Nations.
New species of the genus Ypsiloncyphon (Insecta: Coleoptera: Scirtidae: Scirtinae)
Authors: YOSHITOMI HIROYUKI
Published: January 2015

Twenty-eight new species of the genus Ypsiloncyphon are described from Southeast Asia. The new species described in this paper are as follows: Y. laosensis sp. n., Y. myanmarnus sp. n., Y. nomurai sp. n., Y. bifurcatus sp. n., Y. bicornutus sp. n., Y. borneensis sp. n., Y. brachytrigonium sp. n., Y. garoensis sp. n., Y. kedahensis sp. n., Y. prolongatus sp. n., Y. guamensis sp. n., Y. philippinensis sp. n., Y. panayensis sp. n., Y. chlorizanoides sp. n., Y. bicolor sp. n., Y. sumatranus sp. n., Y. acer sp. n., Y. nokrekensis sp. n., Y. boukali sp. n., Y. javanicus sp. n., Y. nepalensis sp. n., Y. wallacei sp. n., Y. gedensis sp. n., Y. teruhisai sp. n., Y. chiangmaiensis sp. n., Y. flexus sp. n., Y. lanigerus sp. n., and Y. cervus sp. n. Additional specimens of Ypsiloncyphon mendosus (Klausnitzer, 1980), Y. luteoapicalis (Ruta, 2007) and Y. micans (Klausnitzer, 1973) are recorded. Species group IV is newly proposed. A species list for the genus is given.
SYLVAIN HUGEL (2014) Grasshoppers of the Mascarene Islands: new species and new records (Orthoptera, Caelifera). Zootaxa, 3900 (3): 399–414.
Authors: HUGEL SYLVAIN
Published: January 2015

The date of publication for this paper should be 23 Dec. 2014 instead of 23 Dec. 2015. The year of copyright on the first page and the year in footers and headers on the rest of pages should be 2014 instead of 2015.
First record of the genus Pseudopothea from South America, with description of a new species from Brazil (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Ectrichodiinae)
Authors: Gil-Santana Hélcio R.
Published: January 2015

Pseudopothea paulai sp. nov. from Brazil is described based on male and female specimens. Sexual dimorphism of this species is documented. A revised diagnosis and the first record of Pseudopothea Wygodzinsky, 1951 from South America are furnished.
Two new species of the genus Ectmetopterus (Hemiptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae) feeding on grass in India
Authors: YESHWANTH H. M.
Published: January 2015

Two new species, Ectmetopterus mishmiensis sp. nov. from Arunachal Pradesh and E. nandiensis sp. nov. from Karnataka, India are described. Documentation is provided to substantiate that both new species feed on the grass Paspalum (Poaceae). The genus is recorded for the first time from India. Descriptions of the new species are provided, along with digital images of the genitalia, dorsal habitus, and images of live individuals on their host plant.
Chriolepis prolata, a new species of Atlantic goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the North American continental shelf
Authors: HASTINGS PHILIP A. , FINDLEY LLOYD T.
Published: January 2015

A new species of seven-spined goby of the genus Chriolepis is described from five specimens collected from the continental shelf of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean off South Carolina in depths of ca 54 to 110 m. The "Platform Goby", Chriolepis prolata, is distinguishable from all other western Atlantic species currently assigned to the genus Chriolepis and the morphologically similar genus Varicus in having pelvic-fin rays one through four branched, the fifth (innermost) pelvic-fin ray unbranched and relatively long (longer than the second ray to longer than all other pelvic-fin rays); most lateral body scales ctenoid, extending anteriorly in a wedge to a level anterior to the first dorsal-fin insertion or nearly to the pectoral-fin axil, with two or more rows of small cycloid scales extending anteriorly to near the pectoral-fin axil, cycloid scales along the bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and no scales on the belly; and the first two anal-fin pterygiophores inserted anterior to the first haemal spine. It closely resembles C. bilix but differs from that species which has a scaled belly, a shorter fifth pelvic-fin ray, prolonged dorsal-fin spines and smaller teeth in the lower jaw. An earlier report of C. bilix from Florida waters apparently refers to C. prolata.
Revisiting the Relationship between Eyewall Contraction and Intensification
Authors: Stern Daniel P. , Vigh Jonathan L. , Nolan David S. , Zhang Fuqing
Published: January 2015

In the widely accepted convective ring model of tropical cyclone intensification, the intensification of the maximum winds and the contraction of the radius of maximum winds (RMW) occur simultaneously. This study shows that in idealized numerical simulations, contraction and intensification commence at the same time, but that contraction ceases long before peak intensity is achieved. The rate of contraction decreases with increasing initial size, while the rate of intensification does not vary systematically with initial size. Utilizing a diagnostic expression for the rate of contraction, it is shown that contraction is halted in association with a rapid increase in the sharpness of the tangential wind profile near the RMW and is not due to changes in the radial gradient of the tangential wind tendency. It is shown that a number of real storms exhibit a relationship between contraction and intensification that is similar to what is seen in the idealized simulations. In particular, the statistical distribution of intensifying tropical cyclones indicates that, for major hurricanes, most contraction is completed prior to most intensification.

By forcing a linearized vortex model with the diabatic heating and frictional tendencies from a simulation, it is possible to qualitatively reproduce the simulated secondary circulation and separately examine the vortex responses to heating and friction. It is shown that heating and friction both contribute substantially to boundary layer inflow. They also both contribute to the contraction of the RMW, as the positive wind tendency from heating-induced inflow is maximized inside of the RMW, while the net negative wind tendency from friction and frictionally induced inflow is maximized outside of the RMW.
A Standardized Global Climate Model Study Showing Unique Properties for the Climate Response to Black Carbon Aerosols
Authors: Sand M. , Iversen T. , Bohlinger P. , Kirkevåg A. , Seierstad I. , Seland Ø. , Sorteberg A.
Published: January 2015

The climate response to an abrupt increase of black carbon (BC) aerosols is compared to the standard CMIP5 experiment of quadrupling CO2 concentrations in air. The global climate model NorESM with interactive aerosols is used. One experiment employs prescribed BC emissions with calculated concentrations coupled to atmospheric processes (emission-driven) while a second prescribes BC concentrations in air (concentration-driven) from a precalculation with the same model and emissions, but where the calculated BC does not force the climate dynamics. The difference quantifies effects of feedbacks between airborne BC and other climate processes. BC emissions are multiplied with 25, yielding an instantaneous top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiative forcing (RF) comparable to the quadrupling of atmospheric CO2. A radiative kernel method is applied to estimate the different feedbacks.

In both BC runs, BC leads to a much smaller surface warming than CO2. Rapid atmospheric feedbacks reduce the BC-induced TOA forcing by approximately 75% over the first year (10% for CO2). For BC, equilibrium is quickly re-established, whereas for CO2 equilibration requires a much longer time than 150 years. Emission-driven BC responses in the atmosphere are much larger than the concentration-driven. The northward displacement of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) in the BC emission-driven experiment enhances both the vertical transport and deposition of BC from Southeast Asia. The study shows that prescribing BC concentrations may lead to seriously inaccurate conclusions, but other models with less efficient transport may produce results with smaller differences.
Latitude of Eastward Jet Prematurely Separated from the Western Boundary in a Two-Layer Quasigeostrophic Model
Authors: Sue Yasunori , Kubokawa Atsushi
Published: January 2015

This paper investigates the formation of eastward jets extended from western boundary currents, using a simple two-layer quasigeostrophic (QG) model forced by a wind stress curl consistent with the formation of a subtropical gyre. The study investigated the dependency of the latitude of the eastward jet on various parameters and on the meridional distribution of the Ekman pumping velocity. The parameters considered in the present study included the viscous and inertial western boundary layer width, the parameter representing the degree of the partial-slip boundary condition, the ratio of the upper- to lower-layer depth, and the bottom friction. With the parameters used, two types of stable structures are found in the time-mean field. One type of structure represented the “prematurely separated jet case,” in which the eastward extension jet was located far south of the northern boundary of the subtropical gyre, as is the Kuroshio Extension; the other type was the “gyre boundary jet case,” in which the eastward jet occurred along the northern boundary. The initial condition decides which type of structure would occur. When the prematurely separated jet case occurred, the authors found that the latitude of the eastward jet depended very little on the parameters. In addition, this study also observed that the latitude was determined by the meridional distribution of the Ekman pumping velocity. The eastward extension jet was usually located near the latitude that was half of the maximum value of the Sverdrup streamfunction and satisfied an integral condition derived from the QG potential vorticity equation.
Empirical Removal of Artifacts from the ISCCP and PATMOS-x Satellite Cloud Records
Authors: Norris Joel R. , Evan Amato T.
Published: January 2015

The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) dataset and the Pathfinder Atmospheres–Extended (PATMOS-x) dataset are two commonly used multidecadal satellite cloud records. Because they are constructed from weather satellite measurements lacking long-term stability, ISCCP and PATMOS-x suffer from artifacts that inhibit their use for investigating cloud changes over recent decades. The present study describes and applies a post hoc method to empirically remove spurious variability from anomalies in total cloud fraction at each grid box. Spurious variability removed includes that associated with systematic changes in satellite zenith angle, drifts in satellite equatorial crossing time, and unrealistic large-scale spatially coherent anomalies associated with known and unidentified problems in instrument calibration and ancillary data. The basic method is to calculate for each grid box the least squares best-fit line between cloud anomalies and artifact factor anomalies, and to let the residuals from the best-fit line be the newly corrected data. After the correction procedure, the patterns of regional trends in ISCCP and PATMOS-x total cloud fraction appear much more natural. The corrected data cannot be used for studies of globally averaged cloud change, however, because the methods employed remove any real cloud variability occurring on global scales together with spurious variability. An examination of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) total cloud fraction data indicates that removing global-scale variability has little impact on regional patterns of cloud change. Corrected ISCCP and PATMOS-x data are available from the Research Data Archive at NCAR.
Tornado Climatology of Poland
Authors: Taszarek Mateusz , Brooks Harold E.
Published: January 2015

Very few studies on the occurrence of tornadoes in Poland have been performed and, therefore, their temporal and spatial variability have not been well understood. This article describes an updated climatology of tornadoes in Poland and the major problems related to the database. In this study, the results of an investigation of tornado occurrence in a 100-yr historical record (1899–1998) and a more recent 15-yr observational dataset (1999–2013) are presented. A total of 269 tornado cases derived from the European Severe Weather Database are used in the analysis. The cases are divided according to their strength on the F scale with weak tornadoes (unrated/F0/F1; 169 cases), significant tornadoes (F2/F3/F4; 66 cases), and waterspouts (34 cases). The tornado season extends from May to September (84% of all cases) with the seasonal peak for tornadoes occurring over land in July (23% of all land cases) and waterspouts in August (50% of all waterspouts). On average 8–14 tornadoes (including 2–3 waterspouts) with 2 strong tornadoes occur each year and 1 violent one occurs every 12–19 years. The maximum daily probability for weak and significant tornadoes occurs between 1500 and 1800 UTC while it occurs between 0900 and 1200 UTC for waterspouts. Tornadoes over land are most likely to occur in the south-central part of the country known as the “Polish Tornado Alley.” Cases of strong, and even violent, tornadoes that caused deaths indicate that the possibility of a large-fatality tornado in Poland cannot be ignored.
Serum albumin-adjusted glycated albumin is a better indicator of glycaemic control in diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease not on haemodialysis
Authors: Fukami Kei , Shibata Ryo , Nakayama Hitomi , Yamada Kentaro , Okuda Seiya , Koga Masafumi
Published: January 2015

Backgrounds

Diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease who are not on haemodialysis show low concentrations of HbA1c and glycated albumin due to renal anaemia and proteinuria, respectively. In the present study, we examined whether serum albumin-adjusted glycated albumin could accurately reflect glycaemic control in these patients.

Methods

To examine the correlation between glycated albumin and serum albumin (Study 1), 49 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease not on haemodialysis were used. To evaluate the association between the glycaemic control indicators and the glycaemic control state (Study 2), 30 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease were enrolled. The estimated HbA1c and the estimated glycated albumin concentrations were calculated based on the mean blood glucose concentrations obtained from the diurnal variation. The adjusted glycated albumin concentrations were calculated from the regression formula between the serum albumin and glycated albumin obtained from Study 1.

Results

No significant correlation was found between the measured HbA1c and estimated HbA1c concentrations. The estimated HbA1c (inversely) and measured HbA1c/estimated HbA1c ratio (positively), but not measured HbA1c, showed a significant correlation with Hb concentrations. The estimated glycated albumin was positively associated with the measured glycated albumin and adjusted glycated albumin concentrations. Although measured glycated albumin/estimated glycated albumin ratio was positively correlated with serum albumin, there was no significant association between the adjusted glycated albumin/estimated glycated albumin ratio and serum albumin, Hb and estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Conclusions

We found for the first time that the adjustment of glycated albumin by serum albumin could be useful to determine glycaemic control in diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease not on haemodialysis. These findings suggest that adjusted glycated albumin might be a better indicator of glycaemic control than measured HbA1c and measured glycated albumin in these patients.
The Full Spectrum of Hepatic Steatosis in Children
Authors: Hourigan Suchitra K. , Torbenson Michael , Tibesar Eric , Scheimann Ann O.
Published: January 2015

Objective: We aim to identify the spectrum of etiologies of steatosis in pediatric liver biopsies. Methods: Information was collected from 155 children with steatosis on liver biopsy, including anthropometrics, laboratory, and radiologic data. Biopsies were reviewed by a liver pathologist. Results: The 4 major diagnoses associated with hepatic steatosis were nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (37%), metabolic disease (9%), oncologic disease (8%) and viral hepatitis (7%). Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease were older ( P = .0001) and more likely to have a body mass index z score >2 ( P < .0001). Patients with a metabolic diagnosis were younger ( P = .0002). Radiologic imaging of the liver yielded normal results in 44 of 108 of children (30%); 7 of these had >66% macrovesicular fatty change on biopsy, and 3 had severe fibrosis/cirrhosis. Conclusions: The range of causes of steatosis in pediatric liver biopsies is broad. Not all patients, even with advanced liver disease, had abnormalities with liver imaging, emphasizing the role for liver biopsy in certain cases.
Does Matching Quality Matter in Mode Comparison Studies?
Authors: Zeng Ji , Yin Ping , Shedden Kerby A.
Published: January 2015

This article provides a brief overview and comparison of three matching approaches in forming comparable groups for a study comparing test administration modes (i.e., computer-based tests [CBT] and paper-and-pencil tests [PPT]): (a) a propensity score matching approach proposed in this article, (b) the propensity score matching approach used by Lottridge, Nicewander, and Mitzel, and (c) a modified approach of matched samples comparability analyses (MSCA) mentioned by Way, Davis, and Fitzpatrick. Different matching approaches resulted in different matched data with differing degrees of matching quality, and matched data from each matching approach were then used in the mode comparison investigation. Construct equivalence was examined and the level of invariance was found to be consistent across modes for all three matching approaches. Raw-to-scale score conversion tables were created, and the impact on CBT students’ proficiency classification was examined. The comparison of the number of CBT students whose proficiency classification would be affected and the equality of score distributions between modes on raw scores and scale scores across the three matching approaches indicate that the propensity score matching approach delineated in this article led to the most consistent evidence for the conclusion of the mode comparison.
Response surface optimization for producing microcellular polymethyl methacrylate foam using supercritical CO2
Authors: Li Ruosong , Zeng Dan , Pan Qi , Fang Tao
Published: January 2015

A regression model constructed by response surface methodology was employed to optimize the relationships between the cell density of microcellular polymethyl methacrylate foam and three independent variables: foaming pressure, temperature, and time. A Box–Behnken Design statistical approach was employed to fit the available response data to a second-order polynomial response surface model. The analysis of variance of the model indicated that the interactions between the foaming pressure and temperature, and that between the foaming temperature and the saturation time, both positively affect the cell density. Experimental verification of the predicted optimum conditions of foaming pressure = 21 MPa, foaming temperature = 313 K, and saturation time = 6.9 h gave an actual maximum cell density of 20.86 × 109 cells/cm3, which is close to the data predicted by the regression model.
On small deformation interfacial debonding in composite materials containing multi-coated particles
Authors: Hashemi Roohollah , Spring Daniel W , Paulino Glaucio H
Published: January 2015

This paper presents an integrated theoretical and computational investigation into the macroscopic behavior of composite materials containing multi-phase reinforcing particles with simultaneous nonlinear debonding along the microconstituent interfaces. The interfacial debonding is characterized by the nonlinear Park–Paulino–Roesler potential-based cohesive zone model. The extended Mori–Tanaka method is employed as the basis for the theoretical model, which enables micromechanical formulations for composite materials with high particle volume fractions. The computational analysis is performed using a three-dimensional finite element-based cohesive zone model with intrinsic cohesive elements. To place the generality and robustness of the proposed technique in perspective, we consider several examples of composite materials with single or double separation along the interfaces of coated particles. The effects of many microstructural parameters, such as the geometry of the microstructure, the location of debonding, the material properties of the coating layer (i.e. homogenous and functionally graded coatings), and the fracture parameters, are comprehensively investigated by both theoretical and numerical approaches. We verify that both theoretical and numerical results agree well with one another in estimating the macroscopic constitutive relationship of corresponding composite materials. The strong dependence of the overall response of composite materials on their microstructure is well recognized for all hardening, snap-back, and softening stages.
Prediction of the overall Young’s moduli of clay-based polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Xu Wen , Zeng Qinghua , Yu Aibing
Published: January 2015

In our previous work, molecular dynamics simulation was used to calculate Young’s modulus of both fully and partially exfoliated effective clay (montmorillonite, MMT) clusters. In this work, we expand that work to predict the overall Young’s moduli of nylon 6/MMT nanocomposites. First, a micromechanics method (i.e. the rule-of-mixtures) is shown to be effective in calculating the overall Young’s moduli of clay-based polymer nanocomposites. Then, the overall Young’s moduli of clay-based polymer nanocomposites with either well-aligned or randomly dispersed effective clay clusters of various clay volume fractions are calculated based on the individual Young’s moduli of effective clay clusters and polymer matrix by the rule-of-mixtures method. By comparing the simulated results with measured data in the literature, it is shown that the present approach provides an effective way to predict the overall Young’s moduli of nylon 6/MMT nanocomposites.
Enemies with benefits? Violent rivalry and terrorist group longevity
Authors: Phillips Brian J
Published: January 2015

Terrorist organizations often attack each other, but we know little about how this affects the involved groups. Some states encourage or turn a blind eye toward terrorist group interorganizational violence, hoping that it destroys at least one of the groups involved. This article argues that – contrary to the wishes of such governments – violent rivalries can contribute to the longevity of participating terrorist groups. Violent rivalries encourage civilians to take a side, inspire innovation, provide new incentives to group members, and spoil peace talks. Some of these mechanisms should be especially likely between rivals of different political goals (interfield rivalries), instead of between rivals seeking the same primary goal (intrafield rivalries). Illustrative cases in Colombia and Northern Ireland show that the theorized mechanisms occur in diverse environments. Quantitative global analysis of terrorist groups from 1987 to 2005, using original data on interorganizational violence, suggests that violent rivalries are generally associated with group longevity. Further analysis suggests that when rivalries are disaggregated by type, only interfield rivalries are positively associated with group longevity. Participation in violent rivalry is never found to increase a group’s chance of ending. The results suggest the importance of studying interorganizational dynamics, and raise questions about the notion of encouraging a violent rivalry as a way to hurt an involved terrorist group.
A dangerous discrepancy
Authors: Hillesund Solveig
Published: January 2015

This study aims to uncover how horizontal inequality affects support for violent and nonviolent resistance among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. National survey data are introduced to operationalize the mechanisms proposed in the horizontal inequality literature on the individual level. Results point to the operation of political and economic horizontal inequality mechanisms in the Palestinian case. Higher perceived status of civil and political rights is associated with a lower probability of supporting violent over nonviolent resistance. Individuals are also more likely to support violent over nonviolent resistance the larger the difference in household expenditure and consumer durable ownership between their own region and the closest Israeli subdistrict. Corresponding differences in educational attainment have no corresponding effect. The results demonstrate how economic and political horizontal inequality can increase the risk that an individual becomes part of the mobilizational potential of violent social movements. This can lead to participation in a wide range of supportive actions that increase the viability of such movements, ranging from material support to direct participation in violence. The level of public support for violent resistance in key constituencies could also influence public opinion sensitive actors like Hamas in their choice between violent and nonviolent resistance strategies.
The rise of capitalism and the roots of anti-American terrorism
Authors: Krieger Tim , Meierrieks Daniel
Published: January 2015

This contribution examines the role of capitalism in anti-American terrorism. It uses two theoretical frameworks, both of which contrast the pacifying effects of higher levels of capitalist development with the potentially destabilizing effects of a transition towards capitalism, but differ with respect to their definition of capitalism, capitalism’s interaction with anti-American terrorism, and its empirical operationalization. Using panel data for 149 countries between 1970 and 2007 and providing further system-level time-series evidence, this contribution finds no support for hypotheses derived from the classical capitalist peace literature. There is no evidence that anti-American terrorism increases with external economic liberalization or that it decreases with higher levels of economic openness. By contrast, hypotheses derived from economic norms theory find empirical support. Conceptualizing capitalism as social market-capitalism, this article finds that higher levels of market-capitalism are associated with less anti-American terrorism, while the process of marketization fuels it. Consistent with expectations from economic norms theory, the destabilizing effects of the marketization process may stem from the violent opposition of antimarket interest groups that have benefited from the pre-market order to the economic-cultural change initiated by a transition towards a market economy. These interest groups deliberately target the USA as the main proponent of market-capitalism, globalization, and modernity, where anti-American terrorism serves the purpose of consolidating their societal position, rolling back pro-market reforms and limiting the perceived Americanization of their communities. This contribution’s findings suggest that the USA may ultimately become a less likely target of transnational terrorism through the establishment of market economies, but should not disregard the disruptive economic-cultural effects of the marketization process in non-market economies.
The Ba‘athist blackout? Selective goods provision and political violence in the Syrian civil war
Authors: De Juan Alexander , Bank André
Published: January 2015

Many authoritarian regimes selectively provide critical segments of the population with privileged access to goods and services, expecting political support in return. This article is interested in the effects of this regime strategy: Is violent opposition less likely to occur in subnational regions bound to the ruling elite through such patron–client networks? For its empirical analysis, the article makes use of crowdsourcing data on the number and geospatial distribution of fatalities in the Syrian civil war from March 2011 to November 2012. In terms of selective goods provision, the focus is on the electricity sector. Satellite images of the earth at night are used to proxy spatial variations in the public distribution of electricity in times of power shortages. These data are complemented with information from the last Syrian population census of 2004. Estimations from fixed effect logit models lend support to the hypothesis that the risk of violence has been lower in subdistricts that have been favored by the ruling regime in terms of preferential access to material goods. This hypothesis is further corroborated with qualitative evidence from Syrian localities.
Acupuncture-induced pneumothorax: the hidden complication
Authors: Brogan RJ , Mushtaq F
Published: January 2015

Acupuncture can be associated with potentially life-threatening complications. Although rare, we feel that potential complications are not being conveyed to patients. We present a case of acupuncture-induced pneumothorax and describe some changes to acupuncture practice that we would like to see implemented.
Control of compliant legged quadruped robots in the workspace
Authors: Gor M M , Pathak P M , Samantaray A K , Yang J-M , Kwak S W
Published: January 2015

Locomotion control of a quadruped robot requires a well-defined gait pattern (i.e., a coordinated actuation of its four legs in some particular fashion with respect to time). It is of practical importance to move the leg tips in a desired trajectory in order to achieve specific objectives such as to avoid obstacles, minimize energy consumption and locomotion time. Along with body displacement, body orientation is an equally important limit parameter during each leg step of the gait pattern. There are several possible gait patterns that maintain stable and aesthetically pleasing locomotion, and most of these are biologically inspired. This article presents quadruped locomotion control in the workspace through a novel control scheme in which the leg forward motion is controlled in the workspace while the body forward motion is controlled by providing the required effort directly to the joint actuators. In this control approach, the leg tip trajectory error drives a proportional-integral controller that is then transformed through the Jacobian to generate the corrective joint torques. For the body forward motion, leg motion is arrested and the joints are provided with opposite motion, which are controlled by a proportional-integral-derivative controller. The proposed method is simple and easy to implement in the workspace. The performance of the proposed control scheme is evaluated through simulations and animations.
Numerical simulation and analysis of airflow in the condensing zone of compact-siro spinning
Authors: Han Chenchen , Wei Mengyuan , Xue Wenliang , Cheng Longdi
Published: January 2015

Compact-siro spinning is a new kind of spinning technique that combines compact spinning and siro spinning, and is widely put into practice. In this paper, a simulation and characterization of the flow field in the condensing zone are made by computational fluid dynamics software. It mainly includes the distribution rules of static pressure and velocity. According to the relative references and factory condition, several orthogonal and control experiments have been done. Through testing the strength, evenness and hairiness properties and analyzing and comparing the results with the data of three different suction slots, we select the compact-siro spinning suction device whose yarn has the best overall performance. The theory analysis gives foundation and explanation for the experiment, and also provides a theoretical basis for optimizing the properties of compact-siro yarn in production practice.
Deposition of one-dimensional zinc oxide structures on polypropylene fabrics and their antibacterial properties
Authors: Fiedot Marta , Karbownik Iwona , Maliszewska Irena , Rac Olga , Suchorska-Woźniak Patrycja , Teterycz Helena
Published: January 2015

In this article, a new method of modification of polypropylene fabric surface is presented, in order to obtain a material with antibacterial properties. The surface of the fabric is modified by direct deposition of the hexagonal zinc oxide rods onto the surface. For this reason, the influence of temperature on the size and morphology of microstructures of ZnO was investigated. Deposition was carried out at two temperatures, 75 and 90℃. The surface of the fabrics was treated with oxygen plasma. The influence of oxygen plasma on the parameters of rods was examined. The microstructure and crystalline structure of ZnO rods were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. In addition, the impact of morphology and size of obtained ZnO structures on the biological activity of modified materials was determined. The tests revealed that the modified fabric shows very good antibacterial activity.
Low-temperature bleaching of knit fabric from regenerated bamboo fibers with different peracetic acid bleaching processes
Authors: Špička Nina , Tavčer Petra Forte
Published: January 2015

The bleaching of textile fibers with peracetic acid (PAA) results in adequate whiteness at low temperature and neutral pH media. PAA can be added to the bleaching bath in the form of a commercial solution or can be produced in situ in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with the addition of a bleach activator, tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), or arylesterase enzymes. In the present study, a knit fabric from regenerated bamboo fibers was bleached with four different PAA bleaching processes: with only PAA, with PAA or H2O2 in combination with TAED, and with H2O2 in combination with arylesterase enzymes. The knit fabric was also bleached conventionally with H2O2 for comparison purposes. Whereas the conventional H2O2 process was carried out at 90℃ and in highly alkaline pH media, the bleaching processes with PAA were carried out at 65℃ and in neutral to slightly alkaline pH media. The bleaching processes with PAA have a strong whitening ability that is comparable to that of the conventional bleaching process with H2O2. The highest whiteness index of the bamboo knit fabrics bleached by different processes was measured after the bleaching process with PAA in combination with TAED (WI 71.2). Overall, with PAA bleaching processes, bamboo knit fabrics with a high degree of whiteness, high water absorbency, and high tenacity can be obtained with low water and energy consumption.
Salient indicators of mobile instant messaging addiction with selected socio-demographic attributes among tertiary students in South Africa
Authors: Dlodlo Nobukhosi
Published: January 2015

The scholarship of addiction has metamorphosed over the years with a trajectory of social psychology studies focusing on technology-based addictions. Relatedly, the nascency of mobile messenger applications has not left the South African student community with immunity from the problematic and psychological effects of excessive reliance on mobile technology. An adoption of the Internet addiction test led to the identification of four factors, namely, withdrawal, compulsion, control disorder, and lifestyle disturbance as the underlying indicators of addictive tendencies among tertiary students. Analysis of variance was performed with Dunnette and Scheffe post hoc tests with a view to identifying possible existence of statistically significant differences among selected biographic variables. While gender had been shown to be a predictor of mobile messaging overuse in past studies, no gender differences were established in this study. Significant differences were noted with age and academic programme (specifically, engineering and social sciences). These results could have implications on the future development of novel, mobile software applications with discipline-specific and age-appropriate usability functions. It should also be noted that mobile phones are becoming more varied in their use, and new messaging applications appear to be more attractive to selected demographic segments rather than others.
The Role of Self-Affirmation and User Status in Readers’ Response to Identity-Threatening News
Authors: Wang Xiao , Hickerson Andrea A. , Arpan Laura M.
Published: January 2015

Recent research suggests that the effect of self-affirmation on readers’ responses to media messages is not uniform across groups. The present experiment examined whether self-affirmation and group/user status interacted in influencing participants’ responses to a news article with identity-threatening information related to Apple sweatshops in China. Results revealed that for non-Apple users, self-affirmation influenced their appraisal of emotional responses, led them to perceive more news slant and more negative influence of the article on neutral Americans, and lowered their future purchase intentions. The effect of self-affirmation was nonsignificant among Apple users, which could have been thwarted by Apple users’ high defensiveness. Both theoretical implications for future self-affirmation research and practical implications are discussed.
On the Conditional Cueing of Credibility Heuristics
Authors: Van Der Heide Brandon , Lim Young-shin
Published: January 2015

When seeking information, Internet users often find multiple communicators co-presenting and expressing their opinions. This study examined how people judge message senders’ credibility in a multi-source environment based on system-generated cues, the consensus among multiple sources, and the effect of receiver’s familiarity with the online platform. Moreover, this research examined the mediating role of source credibility in attitude change in an online consumer-review community. Results indicated that users familiar with a platform were more likely to use system-generated cues for their judgment of credibility along with consensus heuristics, and the combination of heuristics influenced attitude through credibility. However, unfamiliar users relied on consensus heuristics but not system-generated cues. These findings and their theoretical implications are discussed.
Do Adolescent Perceptions of Parents’ Alcohol Consumption Undermine or Enhance What Parents Say About Alcohol? The Interaction Between Verbal and Nonverbal Messages
Authors: Kam Jennifer A. , Basinger Erin D. , Abendschein Bryan
Published: January 2015

Utilizing a focus theory of normative conduct and primary socialization theory, this study hypothesized that parents’ references to the negative consequences of alcohol use, to their own past use, to conditional permissive messages about use, and to drinking responsibly (all from the adolescents’ perspectives) are indirectly related to adolescents’ intention to drink alcohol through their pro-alcohol norms. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that parents’ alcohol consumption, as perceived by the adolescents, would moderate these indirect associations. Using cross-sectional survey data from 259 high school students, parents’ references to the negative consequences of alcohol use were related to weaker pro-alcohol norms, and in turn, weaker alcohol-use intention. By contrast, parents’ conditional permissive messages and references to drinking responsibly were related to stronger pro-alcohol norms, and in turn, stronger alcohol-use intention. Adolescents’ perceptions of their mother’s and father’s alcohol consumption were significant moderators of what they said to their children about alcohol.