bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Substance use initiation: The role of simultaneous polysubstance use
Authors: OLTHUIS JANINE V. , DARREDEAU CHRISTINE , BARRETT SEAN P.
Published: May 2012

Introduction and Aims. Simultaneous polysubstance use (SPU) is a common phenomenon, yet little is known about its role in substance use initiation.

Design and Methods. In the present study, 226 cannabis users completed structured interviews about their substance use history. For each substance ever used, participants provided details of their age of first use, their use in the preceding 30 days and whether they co‐administered any other licit or illicit substances the first time they used the substance.

Results. For most illicit substances [powder cocaine, crack, amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy), heroin, opium, gamma‐hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), ketamine, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), mescaline, phencyclidine (PCP), peyote and inhalants], results showed that a clear majority of participants (≥75%) reported SPU during their first‐ever use of the substance. While SPU was less common on occasions of first use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, a high proportion of SPU on occasions of first use of ‘harder’ drugs could be accounted for by the co‐use of alcohol, tobacco and/or cannabis.

Discussion and Conclusions. Such findings raise the possibility that specific alcohol, tobacco and/or cannabis use episodes might directly contribute to the initiation of new substance use. Understanding the role of SPU on occasions of first use might help better identify risk factors for substance use progression and improve intervention efforts.[Olthuis JV, Darredeau C, Barrett SP. Substance use initiation: The role of simultaneous polysubstance use. Drug Alcohol Rev 2013;32:67–71]
Earnings Variability and Disclosure of R&D: Evidence from Press Releases
Authors: Weiss Dan , Falk Haim , Zion Uri Ben
Published: May 2012

This study explores press releases in the pharmaceutical industry to expand our understanding of how investments in R&D outlays influence uncertainty of future earnings. The findings make two contributions to the literature. First, they provide evidence that equal investments in different R&D ventures are associated with differential variability of future earnings. This result suggests that non‐financial information contained in press releases captures attributes of firm‐specific R&D investments that are not revealed through R&D expenditures reported in financial statements. Second, prior studies have indicated that investments in pharmaceutical R&D are associated with the highest variability of future earnings among all industries. The results, however, suggest that for a large class of low‐risk pharmaceutical R&D investments, the relative variability of future earnings is low and similar to that generated by capital expenditures. The findings hold when we control for endogeneity in voluntary disclosure of press releases.
A multiparent advanced generation inter‐cross population for genetic analysis in wheat
Authors: Huang Bevan E. , George Andrew W. , Forrest Kerrie L. , Kilian Andrzej , Hayden Matthew J. , Morell Matthew K. , Cavanagh Colin R.
Published: May 2012

We present the first results from a novel multiparent advanced generation inter‐cross (MAGIC) population derived from four elite wheat cultivars. The large size of this MAGIC population (1579 progeny), its diverse genetic composition and high levels of recombination all contribute to its value as a genetic resource. Applications of this resource include interrogation of the wheat genome and the analysis of gene–trait association in agronomically important wheat phenotypes. Here, we report the utilization of a MAGIC population for the first time for linkage map construction. We have constructed a linkage map with 1162 DArT, single nucleotide polymorphism and simple sequence repeat markers distributed across all 21 chromosomes. We benchmark this map against a high‐density DArT consensus map created by integrating more than 100 biparental populations. The linkage map forms the basis for further exploration of the genetic architecture within the population, including characterization of linkage disequilibrium, founder contribution and inclusion of an alien introgression into the genetic map. Finally, we demonstrate the application of the resource for quantitative trait loci mapping using the complex traits plant height and hectolitre weight as a proof of principle.
If You Don't Count, You Don't Count: Monitoring and Evaluation in South African NGOs
Authors: Mueller‐Hirth Natascha
Published: May 2012

Non‐Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are increasingly challenged to demonstrate accountability and relevance, with reporting, monitoring and evaluation arguably having become development activities in their own right. Drawing on interviews and observation research, this article examines the impact of intensified monitoring and evaluation (M&E) requirements on a number of South African NGOs. M&E — and the types of expertise, vocabularies and practices it gives rise to — is an important area that is usually neglected in the study of NGOs but that significantly impacts on NGOs’ logic of operation. By focusing on three areas — data that are considered appropriate to conduct M&E, staffing and organizational cultures, and NGOs’ reformist relationships with other civil society organizations (CSOs) — M&E is revealed as a central discursive element in the constitution of NGOs appropriate to neoliberal development. By engaging a neo‐Foucauldian framework of governmentality, M&E practices are thus understood as technologies through which governing is accomplished in the trans‐scalar post‐apartheid development domain.
Democratic Assertions: The Making of India's Recognition of Forest Rights Act
Authors: Kumar Kundan , Kerr John M.
Published: May 2012

Inclusion of marginalized sections and minorities remains one of the most vexing problems for democratic politics. This article discusses the enactment of a recent Indian law, ‘The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act, 2006’, as exemplifying the possibilities of inclusion of marginalized groups in democratic processes. The law was enacted in response to a nationwide mobilization of marginalized forest dwellers and their advocates demanding rights over forests. Grassroots‐level formations representing forest dwellers came together across scales and spaces to form a network that successfully negotiated India's democratic politics to achieve the passage of the law. The case illustrates the role of grassroots mobilizations in creating alternate discourses of legitimacy, networking across scales and locations, and using spaces provided by representative democracy to include the voices and demands of the marginalized in democracies.
Audit Bodies: Embodied Participation, Disability Universalism, and Accessibility in India
Authors: Friedner Michele , Osborne Jamie
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  In this article we think critically about the role of the “access audit” in creating new forms of embodied participation, experiential and technical expertise, and imaginaries of what the modern Indian city should be. We analyze how disability activists make claims about the relationship between subjective bodily experiences and bodies of objective knowledge. We also explore the emergence of a professional access audit apparatus focused on technical standards. As neither volunteer nor professional access audits result in significant architectural or structural changes, we are interested in what other effects and affects these audits produce and what discursive authority claims of inaccessibility have.

This article analyzes the practice of conducting “access audits” by lay and professional disability rights activists and organizations in urban India. We argue that access audits are overly focused and that they have limited impact. In overly focusing on physical and technical access, auditors miss the importance of programmatic and policy interventions as well as the need for a more collective contentious politics. Our research illustrates that the contested field of access auditing appears to prevent a unified disability coalition from forming. In addition, it is important for auditors to think critically about the concept of “access” and ask what social, economic, and political processes are embedded within the concept.
Variation in subject‐verb concord in Ghanaian English
Authors: ASANTE MABEL Y.
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT:  This paper offers an insight into variation in subject‐verb concord in Ghanaian English. An analysis of authentic data demonstrates that grammatical concord occurs variably in the written language of Ghanaians in the mesolectal through the acrolectal range of educated Ghanaian English. Moreover, the paper shows that the variation is not peculiar to any educational group and that the groups set up in the study differ only in the frequency of occurrence of forms of subject‐verb concord. Several types of non‐standard subject‐verb concord are identified, and each subtype is described and exemplified, and the frequency of occurrence indicated. One type of non‐standard usage is confirmed in a questionnaire administered to similar groups of subjects. Finally, the paper discusses factors that may have influenced the variable occurrence of subject‐verb concord in the writing of Ghanaians in the study.
How Much do Chinese Applicants Fake?
Authors: König Cornelius J. , Wong Jan , Cen Guozhen
Published: May 2012

More and more organizations have applicants who come from different cultural backgrounds, and according to new research, these cultural backgrounds matter for applicants' self‐presentational behavior (i.e., faking). If applicants come from China, can organizations assume that they will present themselves modestly, as suggested by Chinese norms? Or should organizations assume that there will be much self‐presentational behavior due to the high unemployment rate, at least among Chinese graduates? To answer this question, we obtained data from 307 Chinese applicants on their self‐presentational behavior, using the randomized response technique to ensure anonymity. We compared these data with similar data sets from the United States, Switzerland, and China. Contrary to the proposed modesty hypothesis in Chinese samples, perhaps due to high unemployment, self‐presentation was as prevalent in Chinese samples as in American samples.
Factors other than genotype account largely for the phenotypic variation of the pulmonary valve in Syrian hamsters
Authors: Carmen Fernández M. , Durán Ana C. , Fernández Borja , Arqué Josep M. , Anderson Robert H. , Sans‐Coma Valentín
Published: May 2012

Understanding of the aetiology of congenitally anomalous pulmonary valves remains incomplete. The aim of our study, therefore, was to elucidate the degree to which the phenotypic variation known to exist for the pulmonary valve relies on genotypic variation. Initially, we tested the hypothesis that genetically alike individuals would display similar valvar phenotypes if the phenotypic arrangement depended entirely, or almost entirely, on the genotype. Thus, we examined pulmonary valves from 982 Syrian hamsters belonging to two families subject to systematic inbreeding by crossing siblings. Their coefficient of inbreeding was 0.999 or higher, so they could be considered genetically alike. External environmental factors were standardized as much as possible. A further 97 Syrian hamsters from an outbred colony were used for comparative purposes. In both the inbred and outbred hamsters, we found valves with a purely trifoliate, or tricuspid, design, trifoliate valves with a more or less extensive fusion of the right and left leaflets, bifoliate, or bicuspid, valves with fused right and left leaflets, with or without a raphe located in the conjoined arterial sinus, and quadrifoliate, or quadricuspid, valves. The incidence of the different valvar morphological variants was similar in the outbred and inbred colonies, except for the bifoliate pulmonary valves, which were significantly more frequent in the hamsters from one of the two inbred families. Results of crosses between genetically alike hamsters revealed no significant association between the pulmonary valvar phenotypes as seen in the parents and their offspring. The incidence of bifoliate pulmonary valves, nonetheless, was higher than statistically expected in the offspring of crosses where at least one of the parents possessed a pulmonary valve with two leaflets. Our observations are consistent with the notion that the basic design of the pulmonary valve, in terms of whether it possesses three or two leaflets, relies on genotypic determinants. They also denote that the bifoliate condition of the valve is the consequence of complex inheritance, with reduced penetrance and variable expressivity. Moreover, in showing that the incidence of the bifoliate pulmonary valve significantly differs in two different isogenetic backgrounds, our data suggest that genetic modifiers might be implicated in directing the manifestation of such specific pulmonary valvar malformations. Finally, our findings indicate that factors other than the genotype, operating during embryonic life and creating developmental noise, or random variation, play a crucial role in the overall phenotypic variation involving the pulmonary valve.
Chromatographic separation of reaction products from the choline acetyltransferase and carnitine acetyltransferase assay: differential ChAT and CrAT activity in brain extracts from Alzheimer’s disease versus controls
Authors: Bailey Jason A. , Lahiri Debomoy K.
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 672–680.

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) catalyzes the reaction between choline and acetylcoenzyme A (AcCoA) to form acetylcholine (ACh) in nerve terminals. ACh metabolism has implications in numerous aspects of physiology and varied disease states, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore a specific, sensitive, and reliable method for detecting ChAT enzyme activity is of great utility in a number of situations. Using an existing radionuclide‐based enzyme activity assay, we have observed detectable ChAT signals from non‐cholinergic cells, suggesting a contaminant in the assay producing an artifactual signal. Previous reports have suggested that L‐acetylcarnitine (LAC) contaminates many assays of ChAT activity, because of difficulties in separating LAC from ACh by organic extraction. To determine the source of this hypothesized artifact and to rectify the problem, we have developed a paper chromatography‐based assay for the detection of acetylcholine and other contaminating reaction products of this assay, including LAC. Our first goal was to develop a simple and economical method for resolving and verifying the identities of various reaction products or contaminants that could be performed in most laboratories without specialized equipment. Our second goal was to apply this separation method in postmortem human brain tissue samples. Our assay successfully detected several contaminants, especially in assays using brain tissue, and allowed the separation of the intended ACh product from these contaminants. We further demonstrate that this assay can be used to measure carnitine acetyltransferase (CrAT) activity in the same samples, and assays comparing ChAT and CrAT show that CrAT is highly active in neuronal tissues and in neuronal cell cultures relative to ChAT. Thus, the simple chromatography‐based assay we describe allows the measurement of specific reaction products separated from contaminants using commonly available and inexpensive materials. Further, we show that ChAT activity is significantly reduced in brain extracts from Alzheimer’s disease compared to controls.
Modulation of bone turnover in orchidectomized rats treated with raloxifene and risedronate
Authors: Khedr Naglaa F. , El‐Ashmawy Nahla E. , El‐Bahrawy Hoda A. , Haggag Ali A. , El‐Abd Eman E.
Published: May 2012

Osteoporosis is a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD). It develops less often in men than in women. This study aimed to evaluate the bone protective effects of raloxifene (RAL), risedronate (RIS), and their combination on osteoporotic male rats. Forty male Wister rats (12 weeks) were randomly divided into five groups: sham‐operated group (n = 8), orchidectomized (ORX) group (n = 7), RAL group (n = 9), RIS group (n = 7) and RAL + RIS group (n = 7). RAL was orally administered at 3 mg/kg three times/week, and RIS was given subcutaneously at 5 μg/kg, twice weekly. After 6 weeks of treatment, serum cathepsin‐K, alkaline (ALP) and acid phosphatase activities, serum osteocalcin, serum Ca2+, and Pi were determined. Urinary Ca2+ and deoxypyridinoline levels, BMD, and Ca2+ content of femur ash were estimated. Histochemical localization of ALP activity of tibia and histomorphometry was examined. As compared to sham, ORX rats showed a significant increase in bone turnover markers, and histochemical activity of ALP was increased markedly in proximal tibia of ORX rats, whereas BMD and Ca2+ content of femur ash were reduced after ORX. These changes were modulated after treatment with RAL and RIS or both to ORX rats; BMD of femur was improved by each treatment, and bone turnover markers were reduced as compared to ORX vehicle group. We concluded that orchidectomy induced osteoporosis and increased bone turnover in male rats because of withdrawal of sex hormones. Both RAL and RIS could treat osteoporosis in ORX rats; they reduced bone turnover markers and maintained BMD.
Clinical Quality Performance in U.S. Health Centers
Authors: Shi Leiyu , Lebrun Lydie A. , Zhu Jinsheng , Hayashi Arthur S. , Sharma Ravi , Daly Charles A. , Sripipatana Alek , Ngo‐Metzger Quyen
Published: May 2012

Objective

To describe current clinical quality among the nation's community health centers and to examine health center characteristics associated with performance excellence.

Data Sources

National data from the 2009 Uniform Data System.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Health centers reviewed patient records and reported aggregate data to the Uniform Data System.

Study Design

Six measures were examined: first‐trimester prenatal care, childhood immunization completion, Pap tests, low birth weight, controlled hypertension, and controlled diabetes. The top 25 percent performing centers were compared with lower performing (bottom 75 percent) centers on these measures. Logistic regressions were utilized to assess the impact of patient, provider, and institutional characteristics on health center performance.

Principal Findings

Clinical care and outcomes among health centers were generally comparable to national averages. For instance, 67 percent of pregnant patients received timely prenatal care (national = 68 percent), 69 percent of children achieved immunization completion (national = 67 percent), and 63 percent of hypertensive patients had blood pressure under control (national = 48 percent). Depending on the measure, centers with more uninsured patients were less likely to do well, while centers with more physicians and enabling service providers were more likely to do well.

Conclusions

Health centers provide quality care at rates comparable to national averages. Performance may be improved by increasing insurance coverage among patients and increasing the ratios of physicians and enabling service providers to patients.
Prenatal Exposure to Testosterone Interacts with Lifetime Physical Abuse to Predict Anger Rumination and Cognitive Flexibility among Incarcerated Methamphetamine Users
Authors: Herschl Laura C. , Highland Krista B. , McChargue Dennis E.
Published: May 2012

The present pilot study hypothesized that degree of exposure to prenatal testosterone interacts with a history of lifetime physical abuse (LPA) to predict the cognitive (anger rumination) and behavioral (intimate partner and interpersonal violence) components of aggression within incarcerated methamphetamine (MA) users. In addition, we hypothesized that the degree of exposure to prenatal testosterone interacts with LPA to predict cognitive flexibility (Stroop Color‐Word performance). Male inmate MA users (N = 60) completed neuropsychological and paper/pencil tests. Hand photocopies were also obtained to index prenatal testosterone exposure. Five covariate‐adjusted moderation models were tested using anger rumination, intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, interpersonal violence perpetration (before and while incarcerated), and Stroop Color‐Word T‐score as the criteria, prenatal testosterone exposure as the predictor, and LPA as the moderator. Results indicated that, in individuals with a history of LPA, exposure to higher levels of prenatal testosterone exposure predicted greater anger rumination, lower Stroop Color‐Word test T‐scores, and lower frequencies of IPV perpetration. Findings were not significant in individuals without a history of LPA. This research suggests that biochemical and psychosocial vulnerabilities influence anger rumination and cognitive flexibility, which may render incarcerated MA users at greater risk to relapse or recidivate upon release from prison. (Am J Addict 2012;00:1–7)
The Politics of Opting Out
Authors: Pritchard Sara B.
Published: May 2012

See also the Editorial by McPherson
Fat‐Soluble Vitamins in Advanced CKD/ESKD: A Review
Authors: Holden Rachel M. , Ki Vincent , Morton Alexander Ross , Clase Catherine
Published: May 2012

Patients requiring dialysis often experience a significant decline in their nutritional status through a combination of chronic disease, reduced appetite, and dietary restrictions, which places them at risk for vitamin deficiencies. The concept of vitamin deficiency has evolved from obvious deficiency states to the subtle effects that suboptimal intake may have on chronic disease prevalence or progression. The purpose of this study was to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the status of the fat‐soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) in patients with chronic kidney disease receiving hemodialysis.
Infantile Osteoma Cutis as a Presentation of a GNAS Mutation
Authors: Martin John , Tucker Melissa , Browning John C.
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  We report a case of osteoma cutis associated with a GNAS mutation in a 7‐month‐old boy. The patient displayed no other laboratory or physical abnormalities to suggest other GNAS‐associated disorders of cutaneous ossification, including Albright’s hereditary osteodystrophy or pseudohypoparathyroidism 1A, although a history of intrauterine growth restriction was troubling for progressive osseous heteroplasia. A review of the clinical and laboratory manifestations of these disorders is discussed, as well as differentiating features.
Asymmetric Crying Face in a Newborn with Isotretinoin Embryopathy
Authors: Sarici Dilek , Akin Mustafa Ali , Kurtoglu Selim , Uzum Kazim , Kiraz Aslihan
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  We report a newborn with asymmetric crying face and other anomalies whose mother had taken isotretinoin during the first month of pregnancy. We hypothesize that asymmetric crying face is a finding of retinoic acid embryopathy and results from the intrauterine effects of retinoic acid on the development of the depressor anguli oris muscle or the mandibular branch of the facial nerve.
The mTOR pathway is activated in glial cells in mesial temporal sclerosis
Authors: Sosunov Alexander A. , Wu Xiaoping , McGovern Robert A. , Coughlin David G. , Mikell Charles B. , Goodman Robert R. , McKhann Guy M.
Published: May 2012

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key protein kinase that regulates basic cellular processes, including development and growth. Mutations in mTOR cause tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a condition that is characterized by developmental brain malformations (cortical tubers) and epilepsy. Although considerable insight has been gained recently into the pathologic dysfunction of mTOR in tubers in TSC‐related epilepsy, data on the mTOR cascade in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) are lacking. Immunohistochemical investigation with confocal microscopy was performed to evaluate mTOR cascade and to correlate its activity with cellular alterations observed in surgically resected samples of human neocortex and hippocampus in MTLE. We compared results in human tissue to findings in the rat pilocarpine model of sclerotic MTLE. In nonsclerotic and control hippocampus, many neurons in the CA1 subfield expressed high levels of phospho‐S6 (p‐S6), a reliable marker of mTOR activation. In nonsclerotic and control hippocampus, as well as in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) normal human neocortex, protoplasmic astrocytes did not express p‐S6. In contrast, in sclerotic hippocampus, prominent p‐S6 immunostaining was observed mainly in astrocytes and microglia located in the areas of neuronal loss and astrogliosis, whereas neurons in preserved areas of CA1 expressed significantly lower levels of p‐S6 immunopositivity than neurons in nonsclerotic or control CA1 subfields. In surgically resected neocortex with chronic astroglial scar tissue, only microglia revealed moderate p‐S6 immunoreactivity. Different from human sclerotic epileptic hippocampus, astrogliosis in the chronic rat pilocarpine model of epilepsy was not characterized by glial cells with mTOR activation. The mTOR cascade is activated in astroglial cells in sclerotic MTLE, but not in astrocytes in chronic neocortical scarring or in the pilocarpine model of MTLE. These findings suggest that the astroglial “scar” in sclerotic MTLE has active, ongoing cellular changes. Targeting mTOR in MTLE may provide new pathways for the medical therapy of epilepsy.
A SURVEY OF BANGIALES (RHODOPHYTA) BASED ON MULTIPLE MOLECULAR MARKERS REVEALS CRYPTIC DIVERSITY1
Authors: Kucera Hana , Saunders Gary W.
Published: May 2012

The Bangiales is a diverse order consisting of 28 species in Canada. Morphological simplicity and similarity among species has led to taxonomic confusion and the need for molecular techniques for species identification. This study is the first to employ the standardized DNA barcode marker COI‐5P in a broad floristic survey of the Bangiales in Canadian marine waters. A total of 37 species were ultimately sequenced, 29 of which occurred in Canada. Molecular results led to the synonymization of Wildemania cuneiformis with W. amplissima, as well as the description of two new species: Porphyra corallicola sp. nov. and Pyropia peggicovensis sp. nov., and discovery of another five putative new species. Comparison of the performance of COI‐5P as a species identification tool relative to rbcL (large subunit of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase) and the UPA (universal plastid amplicon) revealed that, although each marker had strengths and weaknesses, the COI‐5P showed the highest species‐discriminatory power due to its high level of interspecific variation. The rbcL was further used to place the new species into a phylogenetic context, whereas UPA was not recommended for species identification in the Bangiales owing to within‐individual heterogeneity between the two copies present in the plastid genomes in some lineages.
Analyzing Languages for Specific Purposes Discourse
Authors: BOWLES HUGO
Published: May 2012

In the last 20 years, technological advancement and increased multidisciplinarity has expanded the range of data regarded as within the scope of languages for specific purposes (LSP) research and the means by which they can be analyzed. As a result, the analytical work of LSP researchers has developed from a narrow focus on specialist terminology coupled with generic discourse analysis to a wide‐ranging set of perspectives involving multiple methods and databases. This article aims to explore this 20‐year expansion process by examining the development of the domains of LSP research in which certain methods have been particularly productive and by providing an outline of how each method has been applied within LSP research. Among the areas examined are lexical and register analysis, genre analysis, conversation analysis, ethnography, and multimethod approaches. It is argued that developments in LSP analysis have generally been in the direction of greater contextualization of discourse, moving away from a concentration on lexicogrammatical features of text to include analysis of spoken and written discourses of specific domains. The article concludes with some comments on the needs, priorities, and challenges for future research in the analysis of LSP.
Evolution of Languages for Specific Purposes Programs in the United States: 1990–2011
Authors: LONG MARY K. , USCINSKI IZABELA
Published: May 2012

This article reports the results of a national survey of LSP offerings in U.S. higher education conducted during 2011. The survey updates one carried out by Christine Über‐Grosse and Geoffrey M. Voght in 1990. The data provide: (a) a profile of institutions that offer LSP; (b) an overview of the number, type, level, and enrollment in LSP courses; (c) perceptions about the attitudes of chairs (and departments) toward these courses; (d) a prioritization of the reasons for adding or discontinuing LSP courses; (e) partnerships with other professional units; (f) a measure of the growth of the field with projections for the future; (g) offerings beyond the course level (degree tracks, minors, certificates); and (h) the tenure status and primary fields of specialization of LSP instructors. The data show that while the overall offerings of LSP have remained relatively stable at 62%, the sophistication and variety of offerings have become deeper and more focused in response to broader needs. LSP is solidly established as another curricular option, beside literature, cultural studies, and linguistics, in institutions where students demand it, thus providing the students who are motivated to enter these fields with valuable applied skills in both language and cultural understanding.
The Story Is As Good As the Real Thing: Early Customer Input on Product Applications of Radically New Technologies
Authors: van den Hende Ellis A. , Schoormans Jan P. L.
Published: May 2012

Early customer input on applications that use radically new technologies is crucial for gaining an understanding of the benefits and value of these new technologies. Potential customers should have a clear understanding of a new technology application before they give their input on it. Prototypes provide a clear picture to the customer, but are seldom available in the early (predevelopment) stage. Therefore, a customer research technique that provides valuable input is needed. The aim of the study is to show that product narratives provide valuable input from customers in the predevelopment phase of a discontinuous new product development (NPD) process.

This study compares a product narrative with a benchmark condition of a working prototype, a nonnarrative, and two conditions that have been added to make a comparison possible. Confirming this study's prediction, the analysis of variance results show that no differences are present between the narrative text with drawn images and a prototype demonstration on all dependent variables (i.e., evaluations of the product, interaction, ease of use, and aesthetics). Differences in customers' evaluations are only present when the narration is removed from the text with drawn images. Regression analysis confirms that narration is the key variable that predicts the evaluations of the product, interaction, ease of use, and aesthetics. The mediating role of narrative transportation provides explanation of these findings. Narrative transportation is a mixture of attention, imagery, and feelings that people experience when they watch a movie or read a narrative. According to narrative transportation theory, transported consumers immerse themselves in what they watch or read and have vivid images in their mind, see themselves in the scene of the action, experience emotions, and forget the world around them.

This study shows that without narration, texts with drawn images are insufficiently vivid to transport the reader to enable him or her to imagine using the really new product, and consequently, provide evaluations similar to prototype evaluations. The narrative character of the utilized technology application presentation provides vivid imagery of the technology application, thereby compensating for a lack of realism. To conclude, an easy‐to‐apply product narrative successfully explains a technology application that uses a radically new technology to a customer before prototypes have been completed.
Motivating Environmental Action in a Pluralistic Regulatory Environment: An Experimental Study of Framing, Crowding Out, and Institutional Effects in the Context of Recycling Policies
Authors: Feldman Yuval , Perez Oren
Published: May 2012

In designing a recycling policy, the regulator must choose among multiple instruments. Our study seeks to address the linkages between the choice of regulatory instruments and institutional frameworks, people's intrinsic motivation, and various attitudinal measures. We examined the behavioral repercussions of several instruments that are used widely in recycling regulation, using an experimental survey on a representative sample of the Israeli population (N = 1,800 participants). Our findings suggest that the design of recycling policies should be sensitive to the framing effects of varied regulatory instruments and to the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on the desirability and efficacy of the law. In particular, we point out the potential regulatory advantage of using deposit schemes over other instruments and of using private organizations as regulatory agents. Drawing on these findings, we discuss the potential value of using differentiated regulatory policies to provide incentives for recycling in societies characterized by broad heterogeneity in levels of intrinsic motivation.
Evidence of increased skin irritation after wet work: impact of water exposure and occlusion
Authors: Fartasch Manigé , Taeger Dirk , Broding Horst C. , Schöneweis Sandra , Gellert Beatrix , Pohrt Ute , Brüning Thomas
Published: May 2012

Background. Exposure to humid environments/water and prolonged glove occlusion are both believed to cause irritant contact dermatitis.

Objectives. To study the effects of different forms of wet work, especially the differences between water exposure and occlusion, by using an experimental model simulating occupational wet work.

Methods. The responses to water exposure and occlusion over multiple daily exposure periods for 7 days were compared in 73 volunteers. After the 1 week exposure, the sites were irritated with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Comparison was performed via visual inspection and bioengineering methods.

Results. Whereas occlusion did not induce measurable alterations in skin physiology, water exposure for more than 3 hr daily caused a significant increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) as compared with the control areas. SLS irritation of the previously occluded and the water‐exposed sites induced higher TEWL and clinical scores in a time‐dependent fashion as compared with the control areas, with more pronounced reactions in the water‐exposed sites than in the occluded sites.

Conclusion. Both previous occlusion and water exposure were capable of inducing higher susceptibility to SLS irritation. Skin hydration by occlusion had a different biological effect than water exposure. Short occlusions seem to harm the skin less than water exposure for the same duration.
Hematuria in a runner after treatment with whole body vibration: A case report
Authors: Franchignoni F. , Vercelli S. , Özçakar L.
Published: May 2012

The use of whole body vibration (WBV) for therapeutic purposes is far from being standardized and the training protocols reported in the literature vary considerably. Currently, the optimal threshold for a beneficial effect is undetermined, and caution regarding potential health risks due to WBV is always necessary. In this case report, we present a 34‐year‐old otherwise healthy elite athlete (steeplechase runner) who suffered two episodes of hematuria (HT) after WBV training. Shortly after the third WBV, he had an episode of bright red urine. Seven days later, following the next WBV session (and again before his daily running session), a reddish‐colored urine reappeared. Our patient was advised to stop WBV training and to take fluid before and during exertion. He did not experience any episode of HT during a 1‐year follow‐up with periodic check‐ups, in spite of the continuation of his sporting career. The concomitance of the two types of trauma – daily running and WBV – could have been critical in this case for producing HT. In particular, we think that platforms providing side‐alternating vibration (such as the Galileo platform) may pose some health risks if the feet are positioned too far from the axis of rotation.
NMR study of ligand release from asialoglycoprotein receptor under solution conditions in early endosomes
Authors: Onizuka Takuo , Shimizu Hiroyuki , Moriwaki Yuka , Nakano Takayuki , Kanai Shozo , Shimada Ichio , Takahashi Hideo
Published: May 2012

Asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP‐R) is an endocytic C‐type lectin receptor in hepatocytes that clears plasma glycoconjugates containing a terminal galactose or N‐acetylgalactosamine. The carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) of ASGP‐R has three Ca2+ binding sites (sites 1, 2 and 3), with Ca2+ at site 2 being directly involved in ligand binding. Following endocytosis, the ligands are released from ASGP‐R in endosomes to allow receptor recycling to the cell membrane. Although dissociation of the receptor–ligand complex is mediated by the acidic environment within the mature endosomes, many of these complexes also dissociate in the early time of endocytosis, where pH is approximately neutral. To investigate the mechanism of ligand release from ASGP‐R in early endosomes, we examined the binding mode of Ca2+ and ligands to ASGP‐R CRD by NMR. We demonstrate that sites 1 and 2 of ASGP‐R are high affinity Ca2+ binding sites, site 3 is low affinity, and that Ca2+ ions bind to sites 1 and 2 cooperatively. The pH and Ca2+ concentration dependences of Ca2+ binding states indicated that early endosome conditions favor apo‐ASGP‐R CRD, allowing ligand release. Our results elucidated that the cooperative binding mode of Ca2+ makes it possible for ASGP‐R to be more sensitive to Ca2+ concentrations in early endosomes, and plays an important role in the efficient release of ligand from ASGP‐R. In our proposed mechanism, ASGP‐R can rapidly release Ca2+ and its ligand even at nearly neutral pH. Sequence comparisons of endocytic C‐type lectin receptors suggest that this mechanism is common in their family.
Maximum SUV on positron emission tomography and serum CEA level as prognostic factors after curative resection for non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: TOMITA Masaki , SHIMIZU Tetsuya , AYABE Takanori , ONITSUKA Toshio
Published: May 2012

Aims:  The relationship between the maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) on positron emission tomography (PET) and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients was investigated.

Methods:  Consecutively, 197 surgically resected NSCLC patients with preoperative staging including serum CEA and PET were reviewed retrospectively.

Results:  When patients were subdivided into two groups based on the median value of the SUVmax (6.6), the 5‐year survival of patients with a high SUVmax was 63.20%, which was significantly worse than patients with a low SUVmax (87.29%, P = 0.0004). The 5‐year survival of patients with normal and high serum CEA level was 82.70 and 51.08%, respectively (P < 0.0001). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated the independent prognostic impact of the SUVmax and serum CEA level. Patients with both low SUVmax and normal serum CEA level had favorable prognosis, whereas those with both high SUVmax and high serum CEA level had poor prognosis.

Conclusion:  Preoperative SUVmax and serum CEA level are independent prognostic factors for survival in NSCLC. The combined use of preoperative SUVmax and serum CEA level might be a better prognostic indicator.
Expression of hilA in Response to Mild Acid Stress in Salmonella enterica is Serovar and Strain Dependent
Authors: González‐Gil Francisco , Le Bolloch Alexandre , Pendleton Sean , Zhang Nan , Wallis Audra , Hanning Irene
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  Salmonella enterica is the leading cause of foodborne illness with poultry and poultry products being primary sources of infection. The 2 most common S. enterica serovars associated with human infection are Typhimurium and Enteritidis. However, Kentucky and Heidelburg and the 2 most prevalent serovars isolated from poultry environments. Given the prevalence of other serovars in poultry products and environments, research is needed to understand virulence modulation in response to stress in serovars other than Typhimurium and Enteritidis. Thus, the objective of this research was to compare hilA gene expression (a master regulator of the virulence pathogenicity island) in response to acid stress among different strains and serovars of Salmonella. A total of 11 serovars consisting of 15 strains of S. enterica were utilized for these experiments. Cultures were suspended in tryptic soy broth (TSB) adjusted to pH 7.2, 6.2, or 5.5 with HCl or acetic acid. Total RNA was extracted from cultures at specific time points (0, 2, 4, and 24 h). Gene expression of hilA was measured with quantitative reverse transcriptase real time PCR (qRT‐PCR). Growth and pH were measured throughout the 24 h time frame. Regulation of hilA in response to acid stress varied by serovar and strain and type of acid. The results of these experiments indicate that hilA regulation may have some impact on virulence and colonization of S. enterica. However, these results warrant further research to more fully understand the significance of hilA regulation in response to mild acid stress in S. enterica.

Practical Applications:  In the industry, some treatments or marinades used for poultry meat utilize a low pH that may also kill bacteria. However, if bacteria survive these treatments, they can endure further stress because genes to survive stresses are activated and may remain activated. In this research, we show that a virulence gene (hilA) is regulated in response to acid stress in Salmonella. If upregulation is sustained, this may have an effect on the virulence of Salmonella of the bacteria. Thus, we show that some acid based treatments could have an effect on the potential virulence of S. enterica.
Dietary Vitamin D3 Supplementation at 10× the Adequate Intake Improves Functional Capacity in the G93A Transgenic Mouse Model of ALS, a Pilot Study
Authors: Gianforcaro Alexandro , Hamadeh Mazen J
Published: May 2012

Background

Vitamin D has antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, and may mitigate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology.

Aims

To determine the effects of dietary vitamin D3 (D3) at 10‐fold the adequate intake (AI) on functional and disease outcomes and lifespan in the transgenic G93A mouse model of ALS.

Methods

Starting at age 40 days, 32 G93A mice (21 M, 11 F) were provided ad libitum with either an adequate (AI; 1 IU/g feed) or high (HiD; 10 IU/g feed) D3 diet. Differences were considered significant at P≤ 0.10, as this was a pilot study.

Results

For paw grip endurance, HiD mice had a 7% greater score between 60–133 d versus AI mice (P= 0.074). For motor performance, HiD mice had a 22% greater score between 60–133 days (P= 0.074) versus AI mice due to changes observed in male mice, where HiD males had a 33% greater score (P= 0.064) versus AI males. There were no significant diet differences in disease onset, disease progression, or lifespan.

Conclusion

Although disease outcomes were not affected, D3 supplementation at 10‐fold the AI improved paw grip endurance and motor performance in the transgenic G93A mouse model of ALS, specifically in males.
Presolar silicate and oxide abundances and compositions in the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite Adelaide and the K chondrite Kakangari: The effects of secondary processing
Authors: FLOSS Christine , STADERMANN Frank J.
Published: May 2012

Abstract– Although it has been suggested that the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite Adelaide and the K chondrite Kakangari could be considered highly primitive, our study of their presolar grain abundances shows that both have experienced more secondary processing than other primitive chondrites with high presolar grain abundances. Presolar grains are rare in Kakangari and are present in reduced abundances in Adelaide (approximately 70 ppm for O‐anomalous grains). Thermal annealing has led to widespread crystallization of their fine‐grained matrices, and accounts for the partial to complete destruction of presolar grains. In addition, presolar silicates in Adelaide show elevated Fe abundances and Fe‐rich rims indicative of infiltration of Fe into the grains from the surrounding matrix. This process probably also took place during annealing, most likely in the solar nebula, in a region with an enhanced dust‐to‐gas ratio. The most primitive meteorites, with the highest presolar grain abundances, appear to be those whose matrices contain abundant amorphous material that has escaped any significant thermal or aqueous alteration.
The Second Arab Impact Cratering and Astrogeology Conference, Casablanca, 14–20 November 2011—A bridge between geoscientists and astronomers
Authors: BARATOUX David , REIMOLD Wolf Uwe , CHENNAOUI‐AOUDJEHANE Hassna
Published: May 2012

Abstract– We present here a report following the Second Arab Impact Cratering and Astrogeology Conference that took place in Casablanca in November 2011. It includes a summary of the main results presented at this meeting and recent developments in impact science in the Arab world. Known and potential impact structures in this region of the world are presented on a map. The conference ended with a synopsis and a list of recommendations that are reported here. We conclude with some remarkable aspects of the postconference field trip.
Rational design of a dry powder inhaler: device design and optimisation
Authors: Friebel Christian , Steckel Hartwig , Müller Bernd W
Published: May 2012

Objectives

As part of the development of a dry powder inhalation system for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, this work specifically aimed at the systematic, however, cost-effective and efficient development of an inhalation device.

Methods

Based on theoretical design considerations and an initial inhaler prototype, the concept of a modular inhaler was developed. The modular inhaler was used for the systematic evaluation of the influence of the inhaler's inner dimensions on the resistance to the air flow and the in-vitro deposition characteristics of the inhalation system by using statistical design of experiments and cascade impaction analysis.

Key findings

A reliable statistical model enabled the accurate prediction of the device resistance of any combination of inner dimensions of the inhaler. In conjunction with results from in-vitro deposition studies, this allowed for the definition of optimised inner dimensions of the inhaler to maximise the fine particle fraction and minimise oropharyngeal deposition within the desired range of the inhaler's resistance to air flow.

Conclusions

The concept of the modular inhaler and statistical design and evaluation of experiments proved to be important tools for an efficient and successful product development. Eventually, the approaches described and the knowledge obtained enabled the cost-effective development and design of a technically feasible and competitive dry powder inhaler.