bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma Level of IL-4 Differs in Patients Infected with Different Modern Lineages ofM. tuberculosis
Authors: Mihret Adane , Bekele Yonas , Loxton Andre G. , Aseffa Abraham , Howe Rawleigh , Walzl Gerhard
Published: September 2012

Epidemiological evidence from tuberculosis outbreaks revealed that some genotypes ofM. tuberculosisare more transmissible and capable of causing disease than others. We analysed the plasma cytokine levels of pulmonary tuberculosis patients infected with different strains ofM. tuberculosisto test the hypothesis that immune responses would be linked to the bacterial genotype. Spoligotyping was carried out for genotyping, and we used Luminex technology to measure 17 cytokines (EGF, fractalkine, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IP-10, MCP-1, MCP-3, MIP-1β, TNF, and VEGF) from plasma samples of tuberculosis patients. The levels of IL-12 (p40), IL-4, IL-7, and MIP-1beta were higher in patients infected with lineage 3, however, it was only IL-4 which showed statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between lineage 3 and lineage 4. We further grouped the lineages into families (CAS, H and T families), and we found that the plasma level of IL-4 was significantly higher in patients infected with the CAS family (P<0.05) in comparison with T and H families. However, there was no difference between T and H families. Therefore, the higher level of IL-4 in lineage 3 families might indicate that possible differences in the response elicited from host depend on strain lineages in the studied population.
New Second‐Order Finite Difference Scheme for the Problem of Contaminant in Groundwater Flow
Authors: Zhu Quanyong , Wang Quanxiang , Fu Ju , Zhang Zhiyue
Published: September 2012

We develop a new efficient second‐order finite difference scheme for
two‐dimensional problem of contaminant in groundwater flow. Theoretical analysis shows that
the scheme is second‐order convergence in the L2 norm and is unconditionally stable. Numerical
results demonstrate that the error measures of the second‐order scheme are several times smaller
than those of the standard implicit finite difference scheme.
On the Nonlinear Instability of Traveling Waves for a Sixth‐Order Parabolic Equation
Authors: Li Zhenbang , Liu Changchun
Published: September 2012

We study the instability of the traveling waves of a sixth‐order parabolic equation which arises naturally as a continuum model for the formation of quantum dots and their faceting. We prove that some traveling wave solutions are nonlinear unstable under H4 perturbations. These traveling wave solutions converge to a constant as x → ∞.
Weight Status in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Implications for Mobility Outcomes
Authors: Pilutti Lara A. , Dlugonski Deirdre , Pula John H. , Motl Robert W.
Published: September 2012

The accumulation of excess body weight may have important health and disease consequences for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study examined the effect of weight status on mobility using a comprehensive set of mobility outcomes including ambulatory performance (timed 25-foot walk, T25FW; 6-minute walk, 6MW; oxygen cost of walking,Cw; spatiotemporal parameters of gait; self-reported walking impairment, Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12); and free-living activity, accelerometry) in 168 ambulatory persons with MS. Mean (SD) BMI was 27.7 (5.1) kg/m2. Of the 168 participants, 31.0% were classified as normal weight (BMI = 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), 36.3% were classified as overweight (BMI = 25.0–29.9 kg/m2), and 32.7% were classified as obese, classes I and II (BMI = 30–39.9 kg/m2). There were no significant differences among BMI groups on T25FW and 6MW,Cw, spatiotemporal gait parameters, MSWS-12, or daily step and movement counts. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in this sample was almost 70%, but there was not a consistent nor significant impact of BMI on outcomes of mobility. The lack of an effect of weight status on mobility emphasizes the need to focus on and identify other factors which may be important targets of ambulatory performance in persons with MS.
Basal but not Luminal Mammary Epithelial Cells Require PI3K/mTOR Signaling for Ras-Driven Overgrowth
Authors: Plichta Kristin A. , Mathers Jessica L. , Gestl Shelley A. , Glick Adam B. , Gunther Edward J.
Published: September 2012

The mammary ducts of humans and mice are comprised of two main mammary epithelial cell (MEC) subtypes: a surrounding layer of basal MECs and an inner layer of luminal MECs. Breast cancer subtypes show divergent clinical behavior that may reflect properties inherent in their MEC compartment of origin. How the response to a cancer-initiating genetic event is shaped by MEC subtype remains largely unexplored. Using the mouse mammary gland, we designed organotypic three-dimensional culture models that permit challenge of discrete MEC compartments with the same oncogenic insult. Mammary organoids were prepared from mice engineered for compartment-restricted coexpression of oncogenic H-RASG12V together with a nuclear fluorescent reporter. Monitoring of H-RASG12V-expressing MECs during extended live cell imaging permitted visualization of Ras-driven phenotypes via video microscopy. Challenging either basal or luminal MECs with H-RASG12V drove MEC proliferation and survival, culminating in aberrant organoid overgrowth. In each compartment, Ras activation triggered modes of collective MEC migration and invasion that contrasted with physiologic modes used during growth factor–initiated branching morphogenesis. Although basal and luminal Ras activation produced similar overgrowth phenotypes, inhibitor studies revealed divergent use of Ras effector pathways. Blocking either the phosphoinositide 3-kinase or the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway completely suppressed Ras-driven invasion and overgrowth of basal MECs, but only modestly attenuated Ras-driven phenotypes in luminal MECs. We show that MEC subtype defines signaling pathway dependencies downstream of Ras. Thus, cells-of-origin may critically determine the drug sensitivity profiles of mammary neoplasia. Cancer Res; 72(22); 5856–66. ©2012 AACR.
Inactivation of the Dlc1 Gene Cooperates with Downregulation of p15INK4b and p16Ink4a, Leading to Neoplastic Transformation and Poor Prognosis in Human Cancer
Authors: Qian Xiaolan , Durkin Marian E. , Wang Dunrui , Tripathi Brajendra K. , Olson Lyra , Yang Xu-Yu , Vass William C. , Popescu Nicholas C. , Lowy Douglas R.
Published: September 2012

The tumor suppressor gene deleted in liver cancer-1 (DLC1), which encodes a protein with strong RhoGAP (GTPase activating protein) activity and weak Cdc42GAP activity, is inactivated in various human malignancies. Following Dlc1 inactivation, mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) with a conditional Dlc1 knockout allele reproducibly underwent neoplastic transformation. In addition to inactivation of Dlc1 and increased activity of Rho and Cdc42, transformation depended on the subsequent decreased expression of the Cdk4/6 inhibitors p15Ink4b and p16Ink4a together with increased expression and activation of Cdk4/6. The level of expression of these cell-cycle regulatory genes was relevant to human tumors with low DLC1 expression. Analysis of publicly available annotated datasets of lung and colon cancer with gene expression microarray profiles indicated that, in pairwise comparisons, low DLC1 expression occurred frequently together (P < 0.01) with downregulation of p15Ink4b or p16Ink4a or upregulation of CDK4 or CDK6. In addition, an unfavorable prognosis (P < 0.05) was associated with low DLC1 and low p15Ink4b in lung cancer and colon cancer, low DLC1 and low p16Ink4a in lung cancer, low DLC1 and high CDK4 in lung cancer, and low DLC1 and high CDK6 in colon cancer. Thus, several genes and biochemical activities collaborate with the inactivation of DLC1 to give rise to cell transformation in MEFs, and the identified genes are relevant to human tumors with low DLC1 expression. Cancer Res; 72(22); 5900–11. ©2012 AACR.
Effect of Acute Lung Injury on VLA-4 and CXCR4 Expression in Resident and Circulating Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells
Authors: Trotta Teresa , Di Gioia Sante , Piro Donatella , Lepore Silvia , Cantatore Santina , Porro Chiara , Castellani Stefano , Petrella Antonio , Fortunato Francesca , Maffione Angela B. , Conese Massimo
Published: September 2012

Background: The effect of acute lung injury on adhesion molecule expression in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is poorly understood. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship -between pulmonary inflammation, expression of VLA-4 (CD49d), LFA-1 (CD11a), L-selectin (CD62L), CXCR4, and chemotaxis in resident HSPCs, as well as the level of circulating HSPCs. Methods: Following intratracheal administration of a single LPS bolus in C57Bl/6 mice, the number of inflammatory cells, differential counts, and amounts of cytokines/ chemokines were studied in cytospins and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens. Expressions of adhesion -molecules and CXCR4 were analyzed in HSPCs by flow cytometry, as well as SDF-1-directed chemotaxis. Levels of HSPCs in the blood were studied in ungated and circulating subpopulations. Results: In coincidence with a peak of airway neutrophils, cytokine (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6), chemokine (KC, MIP-2, and SDF-1) levels in BALF and the number of marrow HSPCs expressing CD49d and CXCR4 significantly increased at 48 h. The number of CD49d- and CXCR4-positive HSPCs dropped at 72 h. The HSPC subset comprising bigger cells behaved the same for CD49d. Chemotaxis of the marrow HSPC subset of bigger cells was higher in LPS-treated animals than in controls at 72 h. Finally, we could detect a significant decrease in circulating Sca-1+ cells in the mononuclear population at 72 h in LPS-treated mice. Conclusions: Our data provide evidence for a temporal relationship between pulmonary inflammation, CD49d and CXCR4 expression fluctuation in resident HSPCs, and the level of circulating HSPCs.
Replication of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Is Inhibited by the Host Defense Molecule Viperin
Authors: McGillivary Glen , Jordan Zachary B. , Peeples Mark E. , Bakaletz Lauren O.
Published: September 2012

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important viral pathogen of otitis media, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. As infection of the upper airways is a precondition for the development of these diseases, understanding RSV pathogenesis and the host response induced by RSV in this niche may enable the development of novel therapeutic strategies against this virus. We have used a microarray approach and showed that expression of the gene that encodes the antiviral protein viperin was significantly upregulated in the chinchilla nasopharynx up to 1 week after RSV challenge. Overexpression of human viperin in vitro diminished the ability of RSV to infect HeLa or A549 cells. Furthermore, transduction of the chinchilla airways with a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector that encodes viperin resulted in reduced titers of RSV in the nasopharyngeal lavage fluid. Collectively, these data indicated that viperin plays a significant role in the innate immune defense against RSV.
Tomographic Imaging of Small Airways
Authors: King Gregory G.
Published: September 2012

Three-dimensional lung imaging has become a routine investigation in clinical medicine. The clinical needs have driven the development of tomographic imaging, as much as the research into better imaging itself has driven some of the improvements in imaging. There has been a steady stream of publications in which tomographic imaging has been used to measure small airway structure and function in obstructive airway diseases. These data provide unique insights and information on pulmonary physiology because they provide direct measurements of the airways, rather than global information from lung function, and they provide topographical information, i.e. spatial distribution. Their utility is magnified when combined with other information such as lung function. In this article, the application of topographic imaging in relation to small airway function is discussed.
Vers un catholicisme de marché ? Les jeunes et le Congrès eucharistique de Québec
Authors: Perreault Jean-Philippe
Published: September 2012

The International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec (2008) provides a number of indicators on the status of religious experience among young people and their relationship with the Catholic tradition. While the event may seem disconnected from the dominant culture, it would not be possible without its contribution. Which characteristics of youth culture and the IEC have strong enough affinities for this event not only to be possible, but also to be considered a success ? What type of Catholicism is it ? Two hypotheses are proposed to explain this “product” of secularization: a manifestation of marketed “pure religion” or manifestation of a “religion of the market.”
Violence and society: Introduction to an emerging field of sociology
Authors: Walby Sylvia
Published: September 2012

The analysis of violence is an important part of sociology. While it has sometimes been pushed to the margins of sociology, nevertheless, violence emerges repeatedly in the analysis of both everyday life and momentous social change; interpersonal relations and crime; governance and resistance; relations between states, north and south; and multiple varieties of modernity. New ways of making violence visible unsettle old notions of the nature and direction of violence; challenging assumptions that the disadvantaged are more violent than the powerful; and that modernity is increasingly less violent. The new research on violence against women and minorities and in the global South makes a powerful case for the inclusion of violence as a core issue in sociology. This article introduces the articles in this monograph issue of Current Sociology, situating them in a new paradigm of ‘violence and society’. The articles identify the specificities of violence, its non-reducibility to state, culture and biology, while outlining the interconnections within this emerging field.
Interconnected modernities, ethnic relations and violence
Authors: Doná Giorgia
Published: September 2012

The pacifist stance of western modernity that shaped the development of sociology and ethnic studies marginalises sociopolitical violence or construes it as an exceptional phenomenon of contemporary social life. The examination of the formation of Rwandan modernity and its recent history of genocidal violence highlights the connections that exist between peace and violence historically, contextually and situationally. In this article the author adopts the theoretical framework ‘interconnected modernities’ to emphasise how partial connections and selective choices made in the formation of Rwandan modernity shaped the country’s peaceful and violent ethnic relations. Subsequently, the author problematises the exceptionalism of genocidal violence through the analysis of demographic data that contextualises the Rwandan genocide as violence embedded in social life. Lastly, the author introduces the category Invisible Majority to highlight the permeable boundaries that exist between peaceful and violent relations. In conclusion, the author calls for violence to be mainstreamed in sociology and ethnic studies as a key element of the ‘dark side’ of interconnected modernities.
Decent citizenship, justice and trust as cornerstones of legitimation: tensions between generations in Finland
Authors: Salminen Ari , Lähdesmäki Kirsi , Ikola-Norrbacka Rinna
Published: September 2012

The aim of this article is to analyze ethical issues related to the problem of legitimation. The article discusses the tensions of legitimation in light of three ethical topics: decent citizenship, trust, and justice and equality. Citizens’ assessments of ethics and tensions of legitimation are described and discussed in the context of Finnish society. Special attention is paid to the question of whether generational gaps matter. Are the perceptions of the three different generations (age-groups) distinctive and can these perceptions be explained by the gap between generations? The results of this study show that there are ethical considerations where the generation seems to make a difference. The youth, in particular, differ very significantly in their attitudes and opinions from the other two age-groups. Thus explanations based on the generational factor have proven relatively strong. The differences between the generations were evident in many ethical statements which are presented in more detail in the article. The empirical evidence of the study is based on two large batches of empirical data. Both are surveys implemented in Finland in 2008 and 2009. The first one is a citizen survey of 5000 Finnish citizens. The second survey is a youth survey of 1130 Finnish school students.

Points for practitioners

The article will be of interest to practitioners in describing Finnish citizens’ current perceptions about such ethical issues as decent citizenship, justice and equality as well as trust. The study reveals the differences in ethical valuations between the three age-groups. The article also provides a theoretical framework which can help in understanding tensions of legitimation through chosen ethical values.
On bureaucratic centre formation in government institutions: lessons from the European Commission
Authors: Trondal Jarle
Published: September 2012

Identifying and explaining bureaucratic centre formation within government institutions – such as the European Commission (Commission) – is essential for understanding political order and the potential and limitations for public sector governance. Benefiting from a new body of interview data this article adds two key observations: First, bureaucratic centre formation in the Commission does not profoundly penetrate the Commission as a whole. Comparing officials from the Secretariat General and DG Trade, this study suggests that bureaucratic centre formation is primarily happening within the Secretariat General and only marginally penetrating DG Trade. Two behavioural logics tend to coexist within the Commission administration, albeit embedded and layered within different organizational sub-units. Variation in bureaucratic centre formation is associated with two key variables: (i) the accumulation of relevant organizational capacities at the bureaucratic centre, and (ii) the vertical and horizontal specialization of the Commission administration. Third, these findings hold when ‘controlling for’ recent managerial reforms inside the Commission. The article illustrates that despite recent Commission reforms, some core behavioural logics among Commission officials are not profoundly transformed.

Points for practitioners

The administration of the European Commission is seen as increasingly steered from the executive centre – that is from the President and the Secretariat General. This study, however, makes two main observations: First, it shows that the strengthening of the executive centre inside the Commission administration (the Secretariat General) is not echoed throughout the services of the Commission. The ambition to make the Secretariat General the service centre for the Commission President is currently not greatly penetrating and transforming the everyday activities of the Directors General (DGs). Second, the study shows that despite historic administrative reforms of the Commission, the everyday behaviour of Commission officials remains basically unaffected.
Brute Force and Sorting Processes: Two Perspectives on World City Network Formation
Authors: Neal Zachary
Published: September 2012

The interlocking network model has provided a framework for examining world city networks for over a decade. However, it implicitly adopts a ‘brute force’ perspective in which intercity linkages are forged by cities’ sheer economic size. This paper develops a complementary ‘sorting process’ perspective in which linkages are viewed as arising from the complex process through which firms are sorted into cities. It describes a new statistical test and associated computer program (ONEMODE) that permit the identification of linkages forged by a menon-random firms-into-cities sorting process. Such linkages warrant particular attention because they are driven by deeper but often unknown forces. Networks implied by both perspectives are illustrated and shown to exhibit several expected similarities and differences. These networks provide complementary views of the global urban system that can be combined to obtain more comprehensive understandings of the world city network. The paper concludes by discussing the approach’s limitations and directions for future research.
Dissemination of Evidence-Based Practices for Anxiety Disorders in Wyoming
Authors: Hipol Leilani J. , Deacon Brett J.
Published: September 2012

Despite the well-established effectiveness of exposure-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of anxiety disorders, therapists have been slow to adopt CBT into their clinical practice. The present study was conducted to examine the utilization of psychotherapy techniques for anxiety disorders among community practitioners in a rural setting in order to determine the current status of the dissemination of CBT. A sample of 51 licensed psychotherapists from various mental health professions was recruited from online practice listings in the state of Wyoming. Participants completed a survey assessing their use of various psychotherapy techniques in the past 12 months for clients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. Nearly all psychotherapists reported providing CBT, and techniques such as cognitive restructuring, arousal-reduction strategies, and mindfulness were used by the vast majority of respondents. Therapist-assisted exposure was rarely utilized, and providers who delivered exposure therapy often did so alongside other techniques of questionable compatibility with this approach. Non-evidence-based techniques were frequently used, particularly by self-proclaimed anxiety specialists. Our findings highlight the successes and failures of efforts to disseminate exposure-based CBT to community practitioners. Implications for clinical training and practice are discussed.
Identifying Local Dependence With a Score Test Statistic Based on the Bifactor Logistic Model
Authors: Liu Yang , Thissen David
Published: September 2012

Local dependence (LD) refers to the violation of the local independence assumption of most item response models. Statistics that indicate LD between a pair of items on a test or questionnaire that is being fitted with an item response model can play a useful diagnostic role in applications of item response theory. In this article, a new score test statistic, Sb, based on the bifactor logistic model is described. To compare the performance of Sb with the score test statistic ( St) based on the threshold shift model, and the LD X2 statistic, data were simulated under locally independent, bifactor, and threshold shift conditions. The results summarize the null distributions of all three diagnostic statistics, and their power for various degrees of bifactor and threshold shift LD. Future research directions are discussed, including the straightforward generalization of Sb for polytomous item response models, and the challenges involved in the corresponding generalizations of St and LD X2.
International Sport Federations in the World City Network
Authors: Roels Jeremy , Derudder Ben , Witlox Frank
Published: September 2012

In this article, we analyze the transnational urban geographies produced by international sport federations (ISFs) through their global, regional, and national headquarter locations. Data on the global urban presence of 35 major ISFs are examined through connectivity analysis and principal component analysis. The connectivity analysis reveals the relative dominance of cities in Europe and Pacific Asia, whereby Seoul, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Cairo, and Lausanne stand out. The principal component analysis reveals the main subnetworks produced through ISF location decisions, which includes inter alia a “winter sports subnetwork” centered on Ankara, Belgrade, Helsinki, and Stockholm; an “Olympic subnetwork” centered on Lausanne; and a decentered subnetwork with truly “global sports.”
Young children’s musical explorations: The potential of using Learning Stories for recording, planning and assessing musical experiences in a preschool setting
Authors: Nyland Berenice , Acker Aleksandra
Published: September 2012

This article focuses on the early childhood years and describes research that has examined children’s music experiences in formal care and education settings in Melbourne, Australia. This research uses a contextual view of children and their learning and is based on an assumption that learning is social, involves engagement with others and is appropriated by children as protagonists in their own learning and development. The children’s experiences have been recorded using Learning Stories. These have become an increasingly popular method of recording and analyzing children’s activities for both practitioners and researchers. Learning Stories are a sociocultural analytic tool that emphasize children’s dispositions for engaging in relationships with the social and physical context. The concept is derived from Bruner’s notion of story to record and interpret children’s emerging narratives about their learning. The authors have investigated the use of Learning Stories as a way of sharing children’s explorations of music with early childhood educators in a setting where there was little evidence of musical activity and staff felt they lacked expertise and confidence in this area of practice.
Credit and Credibility
Authors: Collins Brian K.
Published: September 2012

Financial crises, municipal bankruptcies, and fear of contagious sovereign default have raised questions about the competency and character of politicians and public managers, but the credibility of private sector credit rating agencies and bond ratings may be the more relevant target of scrutiny. This article examines the credibility of government bond ratings in light of market institutions creating incentives to inflate ratings. Using yield spreads as interval indicators of bond ratings and historical ratings of state general obligation (GO) bonds from 1975 to 2002, a Granger-causality and vector autoregression analysis of the average ratings in the Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s portfolio of state GO bond ratings indicate that ratings are sensitive to market dynamics. Such market endogeneity confirms concerns about the credibility of government bond ratings and points to the necessity of considering institutional reform in the bond rating market.
Out-of-Home Behavior and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults
Authors: Wettstein Markus , Wahl Hans-Werner , Shoval Noam , Oswald Frank , Voss Elke , Seidl Ulrich , Frölich Lutz , Auslander Gail , Heinik Jeremia , Landau Ruth
Published: September 2012

This study explores differences in the out-of-home behavior of community-dwelling older adults with different cognitive impairment. Three levels of complexity of out-of-home behavior were distinguished: (a) mostly automatized walking behavior (low complexity), (b) global out-of-home mobility (medium complexity), and (c) defined units of concrete out-of-home activities, particularly cognitively demanding activities (high complexity). A sample of 257 older adults aged 59 to 91 years ( M = 72.9 years, SD = 6.4 years) included 35 persons with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 76 persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 146 cognitively healthy persons (CH). Mobility data were gathered by using a GPS tracking device as well as by questionnaire. Predicting cognitive impairment status by out-of-home behavior and a range of confounders by means of multinomial logistic regression revealed that only cognitively demanding activities showed at least a marginally significant difference between MCI and CH and were highly significant between AD and CH.
Use of Adult Day Care Service Centers in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Older Adults
Authors: Brown Ellen L. , Friedemann Marie-Luise , Mauro Ana C.
Published: September 2012

Our nation is aging and unprepared to meet the needs of community-dwelling seniors and their caregivers. This study explored the perceived need for and use of adult day care services (ADS) in a low-income population. A random sample of 537 patient–caregiver dyads were recruited in home care agencies, and separate in-home surveys were conducted. Patients and caregivers were primarily women and 50.2% were of Hispanic origin. Although half ( n = 267/537, 49.7%) of the caregivers had a perceived need for using ADS, only 19.1% of these caregivers used these services, mostly in the context of severe patient cognitive impairment. There were no racial or ethnic differences among ADS users and nonusers. The overall low use of ADS in a growing ethnically diverse senior population with a perceived need for services warrants further investigation and action as states seek to decrease nursing home placement and find solutions for our looming caregiving crisis.
Individual Differences in Circadian Waveform of Siberian Hamsters under Multiple Lighting Conditions
Authors: Evans Jennifer A. , Elliott Jeffrey A. , Gorman Michael R.
Published: September 2012

Because the circadian clock in the mammalian brain derives from a network of interacting cellular oscillators, characterizing the nature and bases of circadian coupling is fundamental to understanding how the pacemaker operates. Various phenomena involving plasticity in circadian waveform have been theorized to reflect changes in oscillator coupling; however, it remains unclear whether these different behavioral paradigms reference a unitary underlying process. To test whether disparate coupling assays index a common mechanism, we examined whether there is covariation among behavioral responses to various lighting conditions that produce changes in circadian waveform. Siberian hamsters, Phodopus sungorus, were transferred from long to short photoperiods to distinguish short photoperiod responders (SP-R) from nonresponders (SP-NR). Short photoperiod chronotyped hamsters were subsequently transferred, along with unselected controls, to 24-h light:dark:light: dark cycles (LDLD) with dim nighttime illumination, a procedure that induces bifurcated entrainment. Under LDLD, SP-R hamsters were more likely to bifurcate their rhythms than were SP-NR hamsters or unselected controls. After transfer from LDLD to constant dim light, SP-R hamsters were also more likely to become arrhythmic compared to SP-NR hamsters and unselected controls. In contrast, short photoperiod chronotype did not influence more transient changes in circadian waveform. The present data reveal a clear relationship in the plasticity of circadian waveform across 3 distinct lighting conditions, suggesting a common mechanism wherein individual differences reflect variation in circadian coupling.
A Mechanism for Circadian Control of Pacemaker Neuron Excitability
Authors: Ruben Marc , Drapeau Mark D. , Mizrak Dogukan , Blau Justin
Published: September 2012

Although the intracellular molecular clocks that regulate circadian (~24 h) behavioral rhythms are well understood, it remains unclear how molecular clock information is transduced into rhythmic neuronal activity that in turn drives behavioral rhythms. To identify potential clock outputs, the authors generated expression profiles from a homogeneous population of purified pacemaker neurons (LNvs) from wild-type and clock mutant Drosophila. They identified a group of genes with enriched expression in LNvs and a second group of genes rhythmically expressed in LNvs in a clock-dependent manner. Only 10 genes fell into both groups: 4 core clock genes, including period ( per) and timeless ( tim), and 6 genes previously unstudied in circadian rhythms. The authors focused on one of these 6 genes, Ir, which encodes an inward rectifier K+ channel likely to regulate resting membrane potential, whose expression peaks around dusk. Reducing Ir expression in LNvs increased larval light avoidance and lengthened the period of adult locomotor rhythms, consistent with increased LNv excitability. In contrast, increased Ir expression made many adult flies arrhythmic and dampened PER protein oscillations. The authors propose that rhythmic Ir expression contributes to daily rhythms in LNv neuronal activity, which in turn feed back to regulate molecular clock oscillations.
Directors’ Opinions About Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Service Strategies That Help Survivors
Authors: Macy Rebecca J. , Rizo Cynthia F. , Johns Natalie B. , Ermentrout Dania M.
Published: September 2012

Little evidence is available regarding recommended practices for domestic violence and sexual assault services. Although there is a literature concerned with these services, few studies have investigated recommended practices from the perspective of community providers. In addition, researchers have not yet investigated the utility of specific domestic violence and sexual assault service delivery strategies. To help address these knowledge needs, the authors investigated agency directors’ perspectives on six types of services typically offered by domestic violence and sexual assault agencies including crisis, legal advocacy, medical advocacy, support group, individual counseling, and shelter. The authors also examined the extent to which directors’ opinions about service delivery practices differed based on key agency’s characteristics, specifically the services offered (i.e., domestic violence, sexual assault, or both) and agency location (i.e., rural, suburban, or urban). A sample of 97 (94% response rate) North Carolina agency directors completed a survey on recommended service delivery practices. The authors conducted descriptive analyses to identify directors’ overall opinions about service delivery practices and used multivariate analysis of variance to examine whether directors’ opinions about service delivery practices differed according to agency characteristics. Findings showed differences in directors’ opinions about service delivery practices based on their agency’s service location. Practice recommendations were garnered from the study’s results.
Precision motion control of permanent magnet linear synchronous motor servo system based on an integrated controller with inertia variation compensation
Authors: Li Zhijun , Liu Chengying , Meng Fanwei , Zhou Kai
Published: September 2012

To achieve high robustness and precise motion control of permanent magnet linear synchronous motor servo system, an integrated controller is presented, including a velocity feed forward controller, a zero phase error tracking controller, a disturbance observer and inertia variation compensator. The velocity feed forward controller and the zero phase error tracking controller are included to improve tracking performance and the disturbance observer is involved to enhance disturbance rejection. However, both the zero phase error tracking controller and the disturbance observer are sensitive to inertia variation which often occurs in servo systems. So, an inertia compensator, which consists of a perfect tracking controller for the current loop and a compensation gain, is proposed to retain tracking performance. Detailed experiments are conducted on a PMLSM servo system to confirm the effectiveness of the integrated controller.
Crashworthiness-based lightweight design problem via new robust design method considering two sources of uncertainties
Authors: Zhang Siliang , Zhu Ping , Chen Wei
Published: September 2012

Metamodel-based robust design methods are commonly used to mitigate the influence of parametric uncertainty associated in sheet gauges and material properties in crashworthiness-based vehicle lightweight design. Since the crash performances are highly nonlinear and high-dimensional responses, the prediction error of metamodels inevitably introduces the so-called metamodeling uncertainty in robust design that may mislead to a wrong solution. In this article, a new robust design method considering both parametric uncertainty and metamodeling uncertainty is proposed in the autobody lightweight design problem. Six crash responses in side impact and roof crush are defined as the constraint responses. The results demonstrate that the proposed robust design method is superior to the conservative-surrogate-based robust design method. The final confirmed robust solution achieves 14.39% weight reduction. The method provides an efficient way to reduce the risk of constraint violation and avoids an over-conservative design due to metamodel uncertainty in crashworthiness-based lightweight design problems.
Improving high efficiency reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion with diesel and gasoline direct injection
Authors: Lim Jae Hyung , Reitz Rolf
Published: September 2012

Computational studies of heavy-duty diesel engine reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion employing both high pressure common rail diesel and low pressure gasoline direct injection were conducted to examine the benefits of using gasoline direct injection compared to port injected gasoline in improving engine performance. In the current study, multi-dimensional modeling using a discrete multi-component fuel vaporization version of the KIVA-3V code was used to examine gasoline direct injection strategies to improve CO and unburned hydrocarbon emissions while maintaining low indicated specific fuel consumption. For a 9 bar indicated mean effective pressure, 1300 r/min operating condition the engine-out CO and unburned hydrocarbonons were reduced by 27.1% and 7.1%, respectively, while engine-out NOx and soot emissions were maintained low. The predicted indicated specific fuel consumption was 159 g/kW h and the maximum pressure rise rate was 6.1 bar/°, which are comparable to or lower than those of the port injected reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion case. Although further study is needed to find optimum injection strategies to improve the combustion efficiency of reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion using gasoline direct injection, the current results show that direct-injecting both high and low reactivity fuels has the potential to reduce CO and unburned hydrocarbon emissions without sacrificing the thermal efficiency benefit of reactivity controlled compression ignition. Moreover, the reduced maximum pressure and pressure rise rate indicates the possibility of improved brake efficiency in reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion and lowered exhaust gas recirculation requirements. The study also explored the use of a low pressure gasoline direct injection injector for the diesel fuel and found that similar results were obtained to those with the high pressure common rail injector. This indicates that reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion is controlled by the global equivalence ratio and fuel reactivity stratification rather than by the location of the stratification in the combustion chamber. This indicates that the complexity and cost of the injection system can be reduced considerably.
Investigation on the anti-regulation characteristic of variable flow ducted rocket
Authors: Ma Li-Kun , Xia Zhi-Xun , Hu Jian-Xin , Huang Li-Ya
Published: September 2012

A so-called ‘anti-regulation’ characteristic was detected to exist in the gas flow regulation process of variable flow ducted rocket. Anti-regulation of gas flow is harmful to the performance enhancement of variable flow ducted rocket and also increases difficulties in the control system design. This article focuses on the anti-regulation characteristic of variable flow ducted rocket, and aims at revealing the physical mechanism of this phenomenon. Some basic concerns, such as the definition, the reason and the termination condition of anti-regulation, were theoretically analysed. A concept of critical changing rate of throat area was introduced and defined to analytically explain the anti-regulation phenomenon. Based on this, the critical regulation process was defined and demonstrated to be the best compromise between the rapid response and stability of variable flow ducted rocket. Programming calculations and direct-connected variable flow ducted rocket tests were conducted to validate the conclusions obtained in this article. The results demonstrated that the appearance of the gas flow anti-regulation during the regulation process can be precisely predicted by the relationship between the critical changing rate of throat area and the actual changing rate of the throat area.
True Love Waits? A Sibling-Comparison Study of Age at First Sexual Intercourse and Romantic Relationships in Young Adulthood
Authors: Harden K. Paige
Published: September 2012

This study tested whether the timing of first sexual intercourse in adolescence predicts romantic outcomes in adulthood, including union formation, number of romantic partners, and relationship dissatisfaction. Participants were 1,659 same-sex sibling pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, who were followed from adolescence (mean age = 16 years) to young adulthood (mean age = 29 years). The timing of participants’ first sexual intercourse was classified as early (at age 14 or earlier), on time (between the ages of 15 and 19), or late (at age 19 or older). Compared with early and on-time age at first sex, late age at first sex was associated with decreased odds of marriage or nonmarital cohabitation and fewer romantic partners in adulthood. Among individuals who had married or cohabited with a partner, late timing of first sex was associated with significantly reduced levels of relationship dissatisfaction, even after controlling for genetic and environmental differences between families (using a sibling-comparison model), demographic outcomes in adulthood, and involvement in dating during adolescence. These results underscore the contribution of a life-span approach to our understanding of romantic relationships.
Exergy-based analysis of conventional coal-fired power plant retrofitted with oxy-fuel and post-combustion CO2 capture systems
Authors: Mansouri M Tajik , Mousavian SM
Published: September 2012

Capturing and sequestering CO2 from coal-fired power plant is being proposed as one of the key solutions for stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere. Recently, absorbing system and oxy-fuel combustion technology have been proposed as attractive options for capturing CO2 in power generation systems utilizing hydrocarbon fuels. This study is focused on energy and exergy analysis to compare the oxy-fuel combustion and absorbing system from different points of view to make a better insight into the cases from different aspects. The results show that the post-combustion and oxy-fuel CO2 capture systems result in 10.5% and 9.1% decrease in exergy efficiency of the retrofitted plants, respectively, compared with the conventional coal-fired power plant (base case). Additionally, boiler is the major exergy destruction source in all investigated plants. Also, air separation unit and CO2 capture and storage system have the largest amount of exergy destruction among the additional components of retrofitted plant with oxy-fuel combustion and post-combustion CO2 capture systems, respectively.
The impact of European colonization on the late-Holocene non-volant mammals of Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Authors: McDowell Matthew C , Baynes Alexander , Medlin Graham C , Prideaux Gavin J
Published: September 2012

Over the last 200 years Australia has suffered the greatest rate of mammal species extinction of any continent. This demands extensive biodiversity research, but unfortunately has been hampered by poor documentation of Australia’s native species at the time of European colonization. Late-Holocene fossil mammal assemblages preserved in caves, rockshelters and surface lag deposits from deflated sand dunes can provide a more complete understanding of pre-European ecological conditions than can be developed from our knowledge of present biodiversity. In South Australia, few regions have experienced greater landscape modification and biodiversity loss than Yorke Peninsula. We investigate the composition, richness, evenness and age of two owl accumulations from southeastern and southwestern Yorke Peninsula and contrast them with a surface lag deposit assemblage probably accumulated by humans. We then examine the pre-European biogeography of the fauna recovered. The three assemblages have similar species richness, but differ dramatically in composition and evenness. The biases imposed by differing accumulation agents can explain compositional differences between owl and human assemblages, but not the differences between the respective owl accumulations. We argue that key substrate differences – one area is dominated by sand and the other by calcrete – have favoured distinct vegetation communities that fostered distinctly different mammal assemblages from which raptors accumulated prey. The ecological requirements of the extant mammals appear to be reflected in the fossil assemblages, providing support for the application of uniformitarian principles and confidence in the relevance of late-Holocene fossil assemblages to modern conservation and natural resource management.
Talking about a Better Place: How Shai Agassi is Creating a Mass Market for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Loock Moritz , Mueller Susan
Published: September 2012

According to creation theory, opportunities do not exist independently of entrepreneurs; instead they are created by the actions of entrepreneurs. However, little is known about the process of how opportunities are actually acted upon. We explore the role of communication in opportunity enactment by analysing an extreme case: Shai Agassi and the frequently cited business model innovation of his company Better Place, with which he wants to eliminate the car industry’s dependence on oil. For the first time, we take a look at the practice of communication of the case and find patterns that play a vital role in creating a market. The findings of our case study research can help entrepreneurs to understand communication practices for changing an established industry. The findings also further advance our understanding of entrepreneurial practices within creation theory.
The Status of International Ethnic Entrepreneurship Studies: A Co-citation Analysis
Authors: Ma Zhenzhong , Wang Tangting , Lee Yender
Published: September 2012

This article examines the literature of international ethnic entrepreneurship research and explores its historical development over the past four decades. With citation data from Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), including 627 journal articles and 25,731 cited references, we conducted a co-citation analysis to explore the intellectual structure of international ethnic entrepreneurship studies. The results show that international ethnic entrepreneurship studies focus on Chinese ethnic entrepreneurs, followed by Cubans, Koreans and blacks. The results also show that contemporary international ethnic entrepreneurship studies have shifted their foci from exploring ethnic-immigrant enclaves to studying immigrant business and self-employment as well as social embeddedness in ethnic business over the past four decades. This study thus identifies the knowledge essentials of ethnic entrepreneurship research and profiles the most influential journals, publications and scholars and their relationships in this field. The results of this study also provide a useful tool for researchers to access the literature of international ethnic entrepreneurship research.