bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Overview of Bayesian Methods for Neural Spike Train Analysis
Authors: Chen Zhe
Published: November 2013

Neural spike train analysis is an important task in computational neuroscience which aims to understand neural mechanisms and gain insights into neural circuits. With the advancement of multielectrode recording and imaging technologies, it has become increasingly demanding to develop statistical tools for analyzing large neuronal ensemble spike activity. Here we present a tutorial overview of Bayesian methods and their representative applications in neural spike train analysis, at both single neuron and population levels. On the theoretical side, we focus on various approximate Bayesian inference techniques as applied to latent state and parameter estimation. On the application side, the topics include spike sorting, tuning curve estimation, neural encoding and decoding, deconvolution of spike trains from calcium imaging signals, and inference of neuronal functional connectivity and synchrony. Some research challenges and opportunities for neural spike train analysis are discussed.
Changes in Maternal Serum Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 during Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Singh Mandeep , Orazulike Ngozi C. , Ashmore Jill , Konje Justin C.
Published: November 2013

Changes in circulating levels of maternal serum transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), collected from 98 women (AGA) at different gestational ages (10–38 weeks) were measured and comparisons were made between levels in pregnant and nonpregnant controls and also between 10 women with small-for-gestational age (SGA) and 7 with appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) fetuses. Maternal serum TGF-β1 levels at all stages of pregnancy were higher than those in normal healthy nonpregnant adults. The mean TGF-β1 levels in SGA pregnancies at 34-week gestation (32.5 + 3.2 ng/mL) were significantly less than those in AGA pregnancies (39.2 + 9.8 ng/mL) while at 38-week gestation, the levels were similar in the two groups (36.04 + 4.3 versus 36.7 + 7.0 ng/mL). This differential change in TGF-β1 levels is probably an important modulating factor in the aetiopathogenesis of abnormal intrauterine fetal growth.
Helicobacter pyloriInfection and Anemia in Taiwanese Adults
Authors: Shih Hsiang-Yao , Kuo Fu-Chen , Wang Sophie S. W. , Liu Yi-Chang , Wu Meng-Chieh , Chang Yang-Pei , Chiu Guei-Fen , Chang Pi-Yu , Wu Deng-Chyang , Hsieh Ming-Chia , Chen Yao-Li
Published: November 2013

Background. ChronicHelicobacter pyloriinfection and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) are common in adults. Although the most common causes of IDA usually arise from the gastrointestinal tract, the association between chronicHelicobacter pyloriinfection and anemia remains unclear.Aim. To evaluate the association of chronicHelicobacter pyloriinfection and IDA.Materials and Methods. We enrolled 882 patients from January 2010 to April 2013. The status ofHelicobacter pylori(H.p) infection was confirmed and blood samples from the same participants were taken on the same day to check the level of hemoglobin, serum iron, ferritin, and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC).Results. No significant difference was noted from the demographic data. The average level of hemoglobin (Hb) was not different between negative and positive groups, pos 13.57 g/dL versus neg 13.65 g/dL (P=0.699). Although the levels of serum IDA related parameters were expected in positive group (lower serum iron and ferritin and higher TIBC) these differences did not reach statistical significance (P=0.824for iron,P=0.360for ferritin, andP=0.252for TIBC).Conclusion. ChronicHelicobacter pyloriinfection is not attributed to IDA. The levels of hemoglobin, serum iron and ferritin, and TIBC remain unaffected after chronic H.p infection. Large-scale clinical studies are needed to prove the association.
Impacts of Light Rail Transit Tram on the Voltage and Unbalance of the Distribution System
Authors: Hsu Cheng-Ting , Huang Hung-Ming , Cheng Tsun-Jen , Tsai Lian-Jou
Published: November 2013

This paper presents the three-phase voltage and unbalance analysis for the distribution system with the loading of a light rail transit (LRT) tram. To investigate the dynamic responses of the system voltage and current, this paper adopts the Alternative Transients Program (ATP) software to model and simulate a multigrounded four-wire distribution system with an LRT loading. Two different definitions about unbalance are used to evaluate the problem. In this paper, the traction supply substation (TSS) with a single-phase transformer configuration is designed first for providing the electric power to the trams of LRT. However, it may result in the significant neutral line current and unbalance phenomenon to deteriorate the power quality of the distribution system. A Le-Blanc connection transformer in the TSS is therefore proposed to solve the problems.
Second-Order Leader-Following Consensus of Multiagent Systems with Time Delays
Authors: Xia Hong , Huang Ting-Zhu , Shao Jin-Liang , Yu Jun-Yan
Published: November 2013

This paper is concerned with a leader-following consensus problem of second-order multiagent systems with a constant acceleration leader and time-varying delays. At first, a distributed control protocol for every agent to track the leader is proposed; then by utilizing the Lyapunov-Razumikhin function, the convergence analysis under both fixed and switching interconnection topologies is investigated. For the case of fixed topology, a sufficient and necessary condition is obtained, and for the case of switching topology, a sufficient condition is derived under some assumptions. Finally, simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
The Long-Term Effects of a Kampo Medicine, Juzentaihoto, on Maintenance of Antibody Titer in Elderly People after Influenza Vaccination
Authors: Saiki Ikuo , Koizumi Keiichi , Goto Hirozo , Inujima Akiko , Namiki Takao , Raimura Masaki , Kogure Toshiaki , Tatsumi Takeshi , Inoue Hiroki , Sakai Shinya , Oka Hiroshi , Fujimoto Makoto , Hikiami Hiroaki , Sakurai Hiroaki , Shibahara Naotoshi , Shimada Yutaka , Origasa Hideki
Published: November 2013

We have performed a broad-ranging analysis of the adjuvant effect of a Kampo medicine, juzentaihoto (JTT), on influenza vaccination in a multicenter randomized controlled trial. In this study, the enhancing effect of JTT on antibody titer after influenza vaccination was studied for 28 weeks in elderly people who were in the high-risk group for influenza infection. In total, 91 subjects over 65 years old were recruited from four long-term-care facilities located in Chiba, Gunma, and Toyama prefectures in Japan. Participants were randomly assigned to the JTT and the control groups. Blood samples were taken at 4 weeks before vaccination, at the time of vaccination, and then at 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks after vaccination. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers against A/California/7/2009 (H1N1), A/Victoria/210/2009 (H3N2), and B/Brisbane/60/2008 were then manually measured. A significant increase in HI titer against H3N2 was observed at week 8 after vaccination in the JTT group compared with the control group (P=0.0229), and the HI titer of the JTT group significantly increased from 4 to 24 weeks (P=0.0468), compared with the control group. In conclusion, our results indicated that JTT increased and prolonged antibody production against A/Victoria/210/2009 (H3N2), in particular, after influenza vaccination.
Interferon Alpha Association with Neuromyelitis Optica
Authors: Asgari Nasrin , Voss Anne , Steenstrup Troels , Kyvik Kirsten Ohm , Stenager Egon , Thue Lillevang Soeren
Published: November 2013

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) has immunoregulatory functions in autoimmune inflammatory diseases. The goal of this study was to determine occurrence and clinical consequences of IFN-αin neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients. Thirty-six NMO and 41 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from a population-based retrospective case series were included. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and MRI findings determined disease activity. Linear regression was used to assess the effects of the level of IFN-αon disability (EDSS). IFN-αwas determined by sensitive ELISA assays. IFN-αwas detectable in sera from 9/36 NMO patients, significantly more often than in the MS group (2/41) (P=0.0197). A higher frequency of IFN-αwas observed in NMO patients with acute relapse compared to NMO patients in remission (P<0.001) and compared to the MS patients with relapse (P=0.010). In NMO patients, the levels of IFN-αwere significantly associated with EDSS (P=0.0062). It may be concluded that IFN-αwas detectable in a subgroup of NMO patients. Association of IFN-αlevels with clinical disease activity and severity suggests a role for IFN-αin disease perpetuation and may provide a plausible explanation for a negative effect of IFN-1 treatment in NMO patients.
Design of Polynomial Fuzzy Radial Basis Function Neural Networks Based on Nonsymmetric Fuzzy Clustering and Parallel Optimization
Authors: Huang Wei , Wang Jinsong
Published: November 2013

We first propose a Parallel Space Search Algorithm (PSSA) and then introduce a design of Polynomial Fuzzy Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (PFRBFNN) based on Nonsymmetric Fuzzy Clustering Method (NSFCM) and PSSA. The PSSA is a parallel optimization algorithm realized by using Hierarchical Fair Competition strategy. NSFCM is essentially an improved fuzzy clustering method, and the good performance in the design of “conventional” Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNN) has been proven. In the design of PFRBFNN, NSFCM is used to design the premise part of PFRBFNN, while the consequence part is realized by means of weighted least square (WLS) method. Furthermore, HFC-PSSA is exploited here to optimize the proposed neural network. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed neural network leads to better performance in comparison to some existing neurofuzzy models encountered in the literature.
High Photocatalytic Activity of Fe3O4‐SiO2‐TiO2 Functional Particles with Core‐Shell Structure
Authors: Xue Chenyang , Zhang Qiang , Li Junyang , Chou Xiujian , Zhang Wendong , Ye Hua , Cui Zhanfeng , Dobson Peter J.
Published: November 2013

This paper describes a novel method of synthesizing Fe3O4‐SiO2‐TiO2 functional nanoparticles with the core‐shell structure. The Fe3O4 cores which were mainly superparamagnetic were synthesized through a novel carbon reduction method. The Fe3O4 cores were then modified with SiO2 and finally encapsulated with TiO2 by the sol‐gel method. The results of characterizations showed that the encapsulated 700 nm Fe3O4‐SiO2‐TiO2 particles have a relatively uniform size distribution, an anatase TiO2 shell, and suitable magnetic properties for allowing collection in a magnetic field. These magnetic properties, large area, relative high saturation intensity, and low retentive magnetism make the particles have high dispersibility in suspension and yet enable them to be recovered well using magnetic fields. The functionality of these particles was tested by measuring the photocatalytic activity of the decolouring of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) under ultraviolet light and sunlight. The results showed that the introduction of the Fe3O4‐SiO2‐TiO2 functional nanoparticles significantly increased the decoloration rate so that an MO solution at a concentration of 10 mg/L could be decoloured completely within 180 minutes. The particles were recovered after utilization, washing, and drying and the primary recovery ratio was 87.5%.
Rare Case of a Chondrosarcoma of the Mandible in a Child
Authors: Vieweg Hendryk , Deichen Jan Thiess , Scheer Fabian , Andresen Reimer , Talanow Roland
Published: November 2013

Chondrosarcoma of the mandible is rare, especially in children. The available literature consists mostly of a few case reports which are partly integrated in small studies. Growing this small pool of literature is helpful in solidifying knowledge about this disease and facilitating appropriate treatment for children. Therefore, we present such a case in a 12-year-old boy, exhibit comprehensive and relevant information concerning this entity, and discuss our findings in the context of other publications.
Peak Power Demand and Energy Consumption Reduction Strategies for Trains under Moving Block Signalling System
Authors: Gu Qing , Tang Tao , Cao Fang , Karimi Hamid Reza , Song Yongduan
Published: November 2013

In the moving block signalling (MBS) system where the tracking target point of the following train is moving forward with its leading train, overload of the substations occurs when a dense queue of trains starts (or restarts) in very close distance interval. This is the peak power demand problem. Several methods have been attempted in the literature to deal with this problem through changing train’s operation strategies. However, most existing approaches reduce the service quality. In this paper, two novel approaches—“Service Headway Braking” (SHB) and “Extending Stopping Distance Interval” (ESDI)—are proposed according to available and unavailable extra station dwell times, respectively. In these two methods, the restarting times of the trains are staggered and traction periods are reduced, which lead to the reduction of peak power demand and energy consumption. Energy efficient control switching points are seen as the decision parameters. Nonlinear programming method is used to model the process. Simulation results indicate that, compared with ARL, peak power demands are reduced by 40% and 20% by applying SHB and ESDI without any arrival time delay, respectively. At the same time, energy consumptions are also reduced by 77% and 50% by applying SHB and ESDI, respectively.
Duration of Resuscitation Efforts and Functional Outcome After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Reynolds Joshua C. , Frisch Adam , Rittenberger Jon C. , Callaway Clifton W.
Published: November 2013

Background—

Functionally favorable survival remains low after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. When initial interventions fail to achieve the return of spontaneous circulation, they are repeated with little incremental benefit. Patients without rapid return of spontaneous circulation do not typically survive with good functional outcome. Novel approaches to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have yielded functionally favorable survival in patients for whom traditional measures had failed, but the optimal transition point from traditional measures to novel therapies is ill defined. Our objective was to estimate the dynamic probability of survival and functional recovery as a function of resuscitation effort duration to identify this transition point.

Methods and Results—

Retrospective cohort study of a cardiac arrest database at a single site. We included 1014 adult (≥18 years) patients experiencing nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 2005 and 2011, defined as receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation from a professional provider. We stratified by functional outcome at hospital discharge (modified Rankin scale). Survival to hospital discharge was 11%, but only 6% had a modified Rankin scale of 0 to 3. Within 16.1 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 89.7% (95% confidence interval, 80.3%–95.8%) of patients with good functional outcome had achieved return of spontaneous circulation, and the probability of good functional recovery fell to 1%. Adjusting for prehospital and inpatient covariates, cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration (minutes) is independently associated with favorable functional status at hospital discharge (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.72–0.98;
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—

The probability of survival to hospital discharge with a modified Rankin scale of 0 to 3 declines rapidly with each minute of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Novel strategies should be tested early after cardiac arrest rather than after the complete failure of traditional measures.
Monocular Advantage for Face Perception Implicates Subcortical Mechanisms in Adult Humans
Authors: Gabay Shai , Nestor Adrian , Dundas Eva , Behrmann Marlene
Published: November 2013

The ability to recognize faces accurately and rapidly is an evolutionarily adaptive process. Most studies examining the neural correlates of face perception in adult humans have focused on a distributed cortical network of face-selective regions. There is, however, robust evidence from phylogenetic and ontogenetic studies that implicates subcortical structures, and recently, some investigations in adult humans indicate subcortical correlates of face perception as well. The questions addressed here are whether low-level subcortical mechanisms for face perception (in the absence of changes in expression) are conserved in human adults, and if so, what is the nature of these subcortical representations. In a series of four experiments, we presented pairs of images to the same or different eyes. Participants' performance demonstrated that subcortical mechanisms, indexed by monocular portions of the visual system, play a functional role in face perception. These mechanisms are sensitive to face-like configurations and afford a coarse representation of a face, comprised of primarily low spatial frequency information, which suffices for matching faces but not for more complex aspects of face perception such as sex differentiation. Importantly, these subcortical mechanisms are not implicated in the perception of other visual stimuli, such as cars or letter strings. These findings suggest a conservation of phylogenetically and ontogenetically lower-order systems in adult human face perception. The involvement of subcortical structures in face recognition provokes a reconsideration of current theories of face perception, which are reliant on cortical level processing, inasmuch as it bolsters the cross-species continuity of the biological system for face recognition.
Two new species of Cosmos section Discopoda (Coreopsideae: Asteraceae) from Jalisco, Mexico
Authors: Castro Castro Arturo , Vargas-Amado Georgina , Harker Mollie , Rodríguez-Contreras Aarón
Published: November 2013

Recent botanical explorations in western Mexico, as part of a taxonomic revision and a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Cosmos, have resulted in the discovery of two new species. The novelties belong to Cosmos section Discopoda and are described and illustrated. Morphologically, Cosmos pseudoperfoliatus resembles C. jaliscensis, C. peucedanifolius, C. palmeri and C. scabiosoides, but differs from them in having 4–7 leaf pairs on the stem, leaves tomentose on both faces, trullate external phyllaries, yellow disk florets with 4–5 lobes, and corky-tuberculate achenes. On the other hand, Cosmos ramirezianus is morphologically similar to C. montanus, but differs by its coriaceous and pinnatisect leaves, yellow internal phyllaries, yellow disk florets with light purple lobes, and by the persistence of paleae during fruiting. Phenology, distribution and habitat are provided as well as a key for the identification of the species in Cosmos section Discopoda. Recent botanical explorations in western Mexico, as part of a taxonomic revision and a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Cosmos, have resulted in the discovery of two new species. The novelties belong to Cosmos section Discopoda and are described and illustrated. Morphologically, Cosmos pseudoperfoliatus resembles C. jaliscensis, C. peucedanifolius, C. palmeri and C. scabiosoides, but differs from them in having 4–7 leaf pairs on the stem, leaves tomentose on both faces, trullate external phyllaries, yellow disk florets with 4–5 lobes, and corky-tuberculate achenes. On the other hand, Cosmos ramirezianus is morphologically similar to C. montanus, but differs by its coriaceous and pinnatisect leaves, yellow internal phyllaries, yellow disk florets with light purple lobes, and by the persistence of paleae during fruiting. Phenology, distribution and habitat are provided as well as a key for the identification of the species in Cosmos section Discopoda.
Four new leaf-mining Acalyptris species from Guatemala and Belize, with new data on bionomics of Stigmella pruinosa (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae)
Authors: STONIS JONAS R. , DIŠKUS ARŪNAS , REMEIKIS ANDRIUS , NOREIKA REMIGIJUS , SCHUSTER JACK
Published: November 2013

This paper describes four new species: Acalyptris basicornis Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., A. peteni Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. caribbicus Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (host-plant: Lantana involucrata L., Verbenaceae), and A. statuarius Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. Another species, Stigmella pruinosa Puplesis & Robinson, is re-described, with new distribution records in Guatemala and with the first documentation of leaf-mines on Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Malvaceae). All five species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf-mines, adults, and genitalia.
A Numerical Method Based on Leapfrog and a Fourth-Order Implicit Time Filter
Authors: Moustaoui Mohamed , Mahalov Alex , Kostelich Eric J.
Published: November 2013

A time-stepping scheme is proposed. It is based on the leapfrog method and a fourth-order time filter. The scheme requires only one evaluation per time step and uses an implicit filter, but the effort needed to implement it in an explicit manner is trivial. Comparative tests demonstrate that the proposed scheme produces numerical approximations that are more stable and highly accurate compared to the standard Robert–Asselin (RA) and the Robert–Asselin–Williams (RAW) filtered leapfrog scheme, even though both methods use filter coefficients that are tuned such that the 2Δt modes are damped at the same rate. Formal stability analysis demonstrates that the proposed method generates amplitude errors of O[(Δt)4], implying third-order accuracy. This contrasts with the O[(Δt)2] errors produced by the standard RA and RAW filtered leapfrog. A second scheme that produces amplitude errors of O[(Δt)6] is also presented. The proposed scheme is found to do well at controlling numerical instabilities arising in the diffusion equation and in nonlinear computations using Lorenz’s system and the global shallow-water spectral model. In addition to noticeably improving the resolution of the physical modes, the proposed method is simple to implement and has a wider region of stability compared to the existing time-filtered leapfrog schemes. This makes the proposed method a potential alternative for use in atmospheric, oceanic, and climate modeling.
Vasily Grossman and the myths of the Great Patriotic War
Authors: Finney Patrick
Published: November 2013

This article locates Vasily Grossman’s work in the context of the official collective remembrance of the ‘Great Patriotic War’ in the Soviet Union. It discusses the evolution of the official war myth and of Grossman’s own thinking about the meaning and significance of the conflict. This provides the context for a close reading of Life and Fate, elucidating how it challenged the shibboleths of official war memory, which had already become the key legitimating foundation of the post-war Soviet system. This brings into focus the key political issues at stake in the novel, yet it also reveals some ambivalences in Grossman’s attitude, belying simple generalizations about his dissidence in the last years of his life.
Ethics after Auschwitz: Vasily Grossman and senseless kindness
Authors: Danchev Alex
Published: November 2013

This article focuses on Vasily Grossman’s ethics, encapsulated as ‘small acts of senseless kindness’, exploring their origins and influence. It suggests that the significance of Grossman’s work in this sphere has yet to be fully recognized, and that it will in due course be seen as comparable to that of his fellow chemist, Primo Levi, or for that matter his revered predecessor, Anton Chekhov.
‘It is a terrible thing to condemn even a terrible man’: Vasily Grossman on judging perpetrators
Authors: Guillaume Laura , Finney Patrick
Published: November 2013

This article, drawing its title from Everything Flows, discusses the ways in which Vasily Grossman’s work can help in thinking about the problem of judging totalitarian perpetrators. Against Tzvetan Todorov’s assertion that Grossman effects a general absolution of perpetrators though his stress on the paralysing power of the totalitarian state, it offers a more nuanced reading. Grossman seeks to present a human face to the work of judgement: one which does not elide the complexities inherent in judging wrongs. To be sure, he takes seriously the suffocating power of the state, but he establishes its culpability not in order to absolve individual perpetrators but in order to affirm the primary solidarity of humanity. Grossman’s concept of ‘humanity’ emerges as a form of resistance to the state’s ideological treatment of humankind, and thus forms the ethical core of his work. Crucially, however, this does not produce a simple prescription for the treatment of perpetrators or comprehensive guidelines for the assessment of guilt and innocence. What Grossman offers instead is an encounter with the agony of judgement.
Le don dans la recherche en comportement du consommateur et marketing
Authors: Le Gall-Ely Marine
Published: November 2013

Résumé

S’inscrivant à la suite de réflexions anciennes en sciences humaines et sociales, les recherches sur le don en comportement du consommateur et en marketing sont aussi nombreuses que diverses. Cet article en propose une synthèse structurée autour de cinq thématiques : les cadres d’analyse du don, les perspectives centrées sur le contexte et celles adoptant le point de vue de l’individu, les tentatives de mesure et de modélisation. Il propose également des perspectives de recherche susceptibles d’enrichir les travaux antérieurs.
Neopositivism and the DSM psychiatric classification. An epistemological history. Part 2: Historical pathways, epistemological developments and present-day needs
Authors: Aragona Massimiliano
Published: November 2013

Little is known about the concrete historical sources for the use of neopositivist operational criteria by the DSM-III. This paper suggests that distinct sources operated implicitly. The current usefulness of the operational approach is questioned. It is shown that: (a) in epistemology, neopositivism has been replaced by more adequate accounts; (b) psychologists rejected operational definitions because these were unable to define the majority of mental phenomena; (c) mental symptoms cannot be directly described as such, because they already make part of the psychiatric diagnosis to which they belong. In conclusion, diagnosing is based on the hermeneutical co-construction of mental symptoms. The failure of the neopositivist programme suggests that it is time to reconcile scientific formalization and semiotic activity.
The relevance of the early history of probability theory to current risk assessment practices in mental health care
Authors: Large Matthew
Published: November 2013

Probability theory is at the base of modern concepts of risk assessment in mental health. The aim of the current paper is to review the key developments in the early history of probability theory in order to enrich our understanding of current risk assessment practices.
Leisure smoothing: an alternative approach to analysing care policy
Authors: Akgündüz Yusuf Emre , Plantenga Janneke
Published: November 2013

Traditionally, the success of child care policies has been studied in terms of their effects on labour force participation and fertility. We take a slightly different perspective by looking at the impact of child care policies on time allocated to leisure. If there is little time left for leisure after parenting tasks, this would indicate that parents have difficulty combining labour and care. Child care policies may potentially smooth leisure over the life course, ensuring that young parents do not face a time squeeze. Using data from the Harmonised European Time Use Surveys, perfect leisure smoothing is defined as parents having the same number of leisure hours as non-parents. The role of child care policy in smoothing leisure is analysed through a comparison across 15 European countries. The approach yields relevant results for understanding the costs of parenthood and the role of child care policy in time allocation of both mothers and fathers.
Europeanization from below: the influence of individual actors on the EU integration of social policies
Authors: Eigmüller Monika
Published: November 2013

European political integration has largely been described as a process that is driven by elites rather than citizens. This does not apply to the field of European social policy, which is often influenced by individual actors and their particular interests. This specific involvement of individuals is based on politically created roles, such as European Consumer, European Worker and European Citizen, and the rights related to them. EU citizens now adopt these roles and actively refer to entitlements that emerge for them from EU Law, especially when asserting their rights in court. As an unintended effect we can indeed observe a transfer of competences from the national to the European level in the field of social policy – even against the expressed will of national governments. The evolution of European social policy can therefore only be explained by including the individual citizen in the analysis.
From Access to Utilization
Authors: Jung Jaemin , Chan-Olmsted Sylvia , Kim Youngju
Published: November 2013

This study examines the mobile divide from the perspective of perception of information and knowledge inequity due to smartphone usage, exploring factors that may influence the use of smartphone applications and assessing discrepancies in social and human capital due to usage differences. A survey of smartphone users revealed that gender, age, personal innovativeness, and consumption skills were significant predictors of the frequent use for applications. Simply having more smartphone applications does not contribute to increases social or human capital; it is usage of these apps that makes a difference.
Drug Abuse Violations in Communities
Authors: Yamamoto Masahiro , Ran Weina
Published: November 2013

This study conceptualizes community newspapers as a unique community-level resource that promotes community social control. Specifically, community newspapers were hypothesized to have negative effects on drug abuse violations, both directly and indirectly, as mediated by civic engagement. Results indicate that a macro-level measure of community newspapers had an indirect negative effect on drug abuse violations through its positive effect on civic engagement. Implications are discussed for the role of community newspapers in building a healthy community.
Prejudice
Authors: Bissell Kim , Parrott Scott
Published: November 2013

Numerous studies document the existence of bias: bias against gender, race, sexual orientation, age, mental illness, and body shape or weight. This article presents a model of bias development, which helps explain the influence of mediated, individual, social, and ideological influences on the development of bias. This article applies the proposed model using four experimental studies that examine weight bias in children and adults. The results from the four studies lend empirical support for the model. Data from the studies suggest the explication of a theoretical model is necessary to understand the factors related to the development of bias against a variety of groups, character traits, or attributes in others. It is difficult to argue that any one factor whether it be media, individual, social, or ideology “trumps” other factors as the development of bias seems to be very individualistic. Therefore, a model that represents the myriad of factors identified above is proposed.
Castration-induced testosterone deficiency increases fasting glucose associated with hepatic and extra-hepatic insulin resistance in adult male rats
Authors: Xia Fangzhen , Xu Xiao , Zhai Hualing , Meng Ying , Zhang Huixin , Du Shichun , Xu Hui , Wu Hui , Lu Yingli
Published: November 2013

Background

Testosterone deficiency is associated with insulin resistance. However, how testosterone deficiency affects insulin actions remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of castration-induced testosterone deficiency on the metabolic kinetics of glucose and to evaluate the hepatic and extra-hepatic insulin sensitivity, in advanced-age male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods

Ten-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: (1) a control group (n = 10) in which the rats underwent sham castration (2) a castrated group (TD group for testosterone deficiency, n = 10) in which the rats underwent bilateral orchidectomy surgery and (3) a castrated group given testosterone propionate via intraperitoneal injection (25 mg/kg/day) to supplement androgen (TD + TP group, n = 10). At ten weeks after castration in the noted groups, all rats were subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), a pyruvate tolerance test (PTT) and an insulin tolerance test (ITT). Twenty weeks following that treatment, all rats underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure in conjunction with isotope--labeled glucose and glycerol tracer infusions. The rate of appearance (Ra) of glucose, glycerol and gluconeogenesis (GNG), hepatic glucose production and the rate of glucose disappearance (Rd) were assessed. Glucose uptake was determined by measuring the 2-deoxy-D-14C-glucose in the gastrocnemius muscles.

Results

Ten weeks after castration in the TD group, the fasting blood glucose and insulin levels were significantly increased (p < 0.01), the glucose-- induced insulin secretion was impaired and ITT revealed a temporarily increased whole body insulin sensitivity compared with the control group; 30 weeks after castration, the Ra of glucose, Ra of glycerol, as well as the HGP and GNG were also increased (p < 0.01), while the exogenous glucose infusion rate and uptake glucose in the muscle markedly decreased (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Castration-induced testosterone deficiency primarily increases fasting blood glucose levels. The clamp experiments revealed a clear insulin resistance both at the hepatic and extra-hepatic levels.
The Oncology Ecosystem: Oncology Practice Trends From the National Practice Benchmark
Authors: Barr Thomas R. , Towle Elaine L.
Published: November 2013

Practices that participate in the National Practice Benchmark and are engaged in the management of their business in their local market will exhibit greater resilience, adaptability, and transformability than those who do not actively measure and manage.
Central Bank Design
Authors: Reis Ricardo
Published: November 2013

Starting with a blank slate, how could one design the institutions of a central bank for the United States? This paper explores the question of how to design a central bank, drawing on the relevant economic literature and historical experiences while staying free from concerns about how the Fed got to be what it is today or the short-term political constraints it has faced at various times. The goal is to provide an opinionated overview that puts forward the trade-offs associated with different choices and identifies areas where there are clear messages about optimal central bank design.
Trimmed Opinion Pools and the Crowd's Calibration Problem
Authors: Jose Victor Richmond R. , Grushka-Cockayne Yael , Lichtendahl Kenneth C.
Published: November 2013

We introduce an alternative to the popular linear opinion pool for combining individual probability forecasts. One of the well-known problems with the linear opinion pool is that it can be poorly calibrated. It tends toward underconfidence as the crowd's diversity increases, i.e., as the variance in the individuals' means increases. To address this calibration problem, we propose the exterior-trimmed opinion pool. To form this pool, forecasts with low and high means, or cumulative distribution function (cdf) values, are trimmed away from a linear opinion pool. Exterior trimming decreases the pool's variance and improves its calibration. A linear opinion pool, however, will remain overconfident when individuals are overconfident and not very diverse. For these situations, we suggest trimming away forecasts with moderate means or cdf values. This interior trimming increases variance and reduces overconfidence. Using probability forecast data from U.S. and European Surveys of Professional Forecasters, we present empirical evidence that trimmed opinion pools can outperform the linear opinion pool.

This paper was accepted by Rakesh Sarin, decision analysis.
Experiences of non-dyslexic and dyslexic nursing and midwifery students: how best can their needs be met by Personal Academic Tutor support?
Authors: Crouch Anna
Published: November 2013

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008a; 2008b) not only requires employers to support non-dyslexic students but also requires evidence of how disabled ‘students would be supported both in clinical practice and in the academic environment to help facilitate safe and effective practice sufficient for future registration’ (NMC 2004,p12). Limited research on personal tutor support in nursing and midwifery led to the need for a qualitative study which explored the experiences and needs of 15 non-dyslexic and 7 dyslexic nursing and midwifery students, in relation to personal academic tutor support.

Data was collected by one-to one face to face tape recorded interviews which were then transcribed using semi-structured questions. Analysis of the data by constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss 1999) assisted by the computer software Nvivo8 were used to analyse data. Themes generated suggest that many of the dyslexic and non-dyslexic students in this study view their experience of their personal tutor as ‘supportive’ but Professional needs for both dyslexic and non-dyslexic students and their perception of how tutors could help seem to vary.
Assessing the Causal Effect of Policies: An Example Using Stochastic Interventions
Authors: Díaz Iván , van der Laan Mark J.
Published: November 2013

Assessing the causal effect of an exposure often involves the definition of counterfactual outcomes in a hypothetical world in which the stochastic nature of the exposure is modified. Although stochastic interventions are a powerful tool to measure the causal effect of a realistic intervention that intends to alter the population distribution of an exposure, their importance to answer questions about plausible policy interventions has been obscured by the generalized use of deterministic interventions. In this article, we follow the approach described in Díaz and van der Laan (2012) to define and estimate the effect of an intervention that is expected to cause a truncation in the population distribution of the exposure. The observed data parameter that identifies the causal parameter of interest is established, as well as its efficient influence function under the non-parametric model. Inverse probability of treatment weighted (IPTW), augmented IPTW and targeted minimum loss-based estimators (TMLE) are proposed, their consistency and efficiency properties are determined. An extension to longitudinal data structures is presented and its use is demonstrated with a real data example.
Tetrahydrobiopterin compounds modulate intracellular signaling and reactive oxygen species levels in an in vitro model of ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Santer Peter , Ratschiller Thomas , Ashraf Muhammad Imtiaz , Werner Ernst R. , Werner-Felmayer Gabriele , Maglione Manuel , Brandacher Gerald , Troppmair Jakob
Published: November 2013

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and 4-amino-tetrahydrobiopterin (ABH4) prevent acute rejection after solid organ transplantation. Moreover, BH4 also attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). The mechanisms underlying these protective effects are poorly defined. Activation of intracellular signaling proteins, including the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) ERK, p38, and JNK, and the excessive production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) are observed mainly during early reperfusion. While the role of ROS in the initiation and progression of IRI is well understood, the contribution of individual signaling pathways is less clear. Here, we tested the potential effects of BH4 and ABH4 on MAPK activity and mitochondrial ROS levels. During hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R), all three MAPKs were activated during early reoxygenation in cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. p38 and JNK activation were further augmented by BH4 and ABH4, whereas ERK activation was not affected. Pretreatment with BH4 and ABH4 reduced the basal mitochondrial ROS levels as well as the H/R-induced increase in ROS. Prolonged incubation with ABH4, however, showed pro-apoptotic effects in cardiomyocytes. These data suggest that a protective effect of BH4 and ABH4 pretreatment may be attributed mainly to their antioxidant capacity. The effects on intracellular signaling are complex and warrant further investigations.
The Work of Art
Authors: Harter Lynn M.
Published: November 2013

This essay considers the significance of numerous story forms for engaged communication scholarship. I demonstrate the value of creative analytic practices in two interwoven ways. To begin, I draw on the work of John Dewey to position interpretive inquiry as the work of art. Meanwhile, I reflect on my experiences co-producing an ethnographic documentary on pediatric cancer care to illustrate the methodological strengths of audio-visual storytelling. The essay closes with a call to broaden interpretive inquiry to include more tangible sounds and visions in our attempts to understand all-too-human predicaments.
Principles of Judicious Antibiotic Prescribing for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatrics
Authors: Hersh Adam L. , Jackson Mary Anne , Hicks Lauri A. ,   the COMMITTEE ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Brady Michael T. , Byington Carrie L. , Davies H. Dele , Edwards Kathryn M. , Maldonado Yvonne A. , Murray Dennis L. , Orenstein Walter A. , Rathore Mobeen , Sawyer Mark , Schutze Gordon E. , Willoughby Rodney E. , Zaoutis Theoklis E.
Published: November 2013

This Clinical Report was retired July 2017.

Most upper respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses and require no antibiotics. This clinical report focuses on antibiotic prescribing strategies for bacterial upper respiratory tract infections, including acute otitis media, acute bacterial sinusitis, and streptococcal pharyngitis. The principles for judicious antibiotic prescribing that are outlined focus on applying stringent diagnostic criteria, weighing the benefits and harms of antibiotic therapy, and understanding situations when antibiotics may not be indicated. The principles can be used to amplify messages from recent clinical guidelines for local guideline development and for patient communication; they are broadly applicable to antibiotic prescribing in general.
DNA barcode of Parodontidae species from the La Plata river basin - applying new data to clarify taxonomic problems
Authors: Bellafronte Elisangela , Mariguela Tatiane Casagrande , Pereira Luiz Henrique Garcia , Oliveira Claudio , Moreira-Filho Orlando
Published: November 2013

In the past years, DNA barcoding has emerged as a quick, accurate and efficient tool to identify species. Considering the difficulty in identifying some Parodontidae species from the La Plata basin and the absence of molecular data for the group, we aimed to test the effectiveness of DNA barcoding and discuss the importance of using different approaches to solve taxonomic problems. Eight species were analyzed with partial sequences of Cytochrome c oxidase I. The mean intraspecific K2P genetic distance was 0.04% compared to 4.2% for mean interspecific K2P genetic distance. The analyses of distance showed two pairs of species with K2P genetic divergence lower than 2%, but enough to separate these species. Apareiodon sp. and A. ibitiensis, considered as the same species by some authors, showed 4.2% genetic divergence, reinforcing their are different species. Samples of A. affinis from the Uruguay and Paraguay rivers presented 0.3% genetic divergence, indicating a close relationship between them. However, these samples diverged 6.1% from the samples of the upper Paraná River, indicating that the latter represents a potentially new species. The results showed the effectiveness of the DNA barcoding method in identifying the analyzed species, which, together with the morphological and cytogenetic available data, help species identification.
Oocyte development and ovarian maturation of the black triggerfish, Melichthys niger(Actinopterygii: Balistidae) in São Pedro e São Paulo Archipelago, Brazil
Authors: Branco Ilka S. L. , Viana Danielle L. , Félix Renata T. S. , Véras Dráusio P. , Hazin Fábio H. V.
Published: November 2013

The oogenesis is a key stage in the reproductive development of an organism, which can be best understood from histological analysis of ovaries in different maturity stages. In order to provide information on the reproductive biology of the black triggerfish, M. niger, in particular on its oogenesis process, this study aimed at identifying and characterizing the oocyte development stages and its organization within the different stages of ovarian maturation based on specimens from São Pedro e São Paulo Archipelago. In this present report, a number of 294 ovaries were histologically analyzed. It was verified that they are composed of ovigerous lamellae containing oocytes at different development stages. Five different stages of oogenesis were identified: young cells, with an average size of 12.9 ìm; previtellogenic oocytes (perinucleolar), with an average size of 53.5 ìm; cortical-alveoli oocytes with an average size of 83.1 ìm; vitellogenic oocytes, with an average size of 160.4 ìm and mature oocytes, with an average size of 289.8 ìm. In addition to the germ cells, some somatic structures were also identified, such as: ovarian wall, follicular cells and blood vessels. Based on the type and number of oocytes observed, four stages of ovarian maturation were identified: early maturation, represented by only 2.2% of the sample; middle maturation, represented by 9.9%; mature, represented by 44.2% and resting, represented by 43.9%. The identification of five oocyte development stages in the ovarians from M. niger, suggested that the specie follows a pattern similar to that described for other marine fish.