bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religion and Support for Adoption by Same-Sex Couples
Authors: Whitehead Andrew L. , Perry Samuel L.
Published: May 2014

This article examines the relative impact of religious factors on Americans’ attitudes toward adoption by same-sex couples. Drawing upon national survey data, we fit logistic regression models and compute standardized logistic regression coefficients to estimate the relative net effects of religious tradition, practices, and beliefs about the Bible on support for same-sex adoption. Findings reveal that religious factors are among the strongest predictors of opposition to same-sex adoption, but that religious tradition has no significant effect on support for same-sex adoption once frequency of religious practice and beliefs about the Bible are held constant. Americans who more frequently engage in practices such as religious service attendance and sacred text reading are less supportive of same-sex adoption, and compared to biblical literalists, those who believe the Bible requires interpretation, contains human error, or is a book of history/legends are all more likely to support same-sex adoption. Findings suggest that religious affiliations matter less for predicting same-sex adoption attitudes than how Americans practice and hold their faith.
Inhibitory Potential of Postnatal Treatment with Cyclopamine, a Hedgehog Signaling Inhibitor, on Medulloblastoma Development in Ptch1 Heterozygous Mice
Authors: Matsuo Saori , Takahashi Miwa , Inoue Kaoru , Tamura Kei , Irie Kaoru , Kodama Yukio , Nishikawa Akiyoshi , Yoshida Midori
Published: May 2014

Medulloblastomas (MBs) are thought to be derived from granular cell precursors in the external granular layer (EGL) of the developing cerebellum. Heterozygous patched1 (Ptch1) knockout mice develop MBs that resemble those in humans when the sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway is activated. The present study was conducted to evaluate postnatal effects of a Shh signaling inhibitor, cyclopamine, on the development of MBs in Ptch1 mice. Ptch1 and wild-type mice were treated daily with subcutaneous cyclopamine at 40 mg/kg or vehicle from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND14, and the subsequent development of MBs and preneoplastic lesions was examined up to week 12 (W12). Proliferative lesions in the cerebellum, MBs, and preneoplastic lesions were only detected in Ptch1 mice. Cyclopamine treatment resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the incidence and/or area of proliferative lesions at PND14 and 21. The trend of decreasing preneoplastic lesions persisted up to W12. At PND7, cyclopamine treatment reduced the width and proliferation of the EGL regardless of genotype. These results indicate that inhibition of Shh signaling during cerebellar development has prolonged inhibitory potential on MB development in Ptch1 mice. This inhibitory potential might be related to inhibition of EGL proliferation, including preneoplastic MB cells.
Regulatory Forum Opinion Piece
Authors: Foster Paul M. D.
Published: May 2014

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has developed a new flexible study design, termed the modified one generation (MOG) reproduction study. The MOG study will encompass measurements of developmental and reproductive toxicity parameters as well as enable the setting of appropriate dose levels for a cancer bioassay through evaluation of target organ toxicity that is based on test article exposure that starts during gestation. This study design is compared and contrasted with the new Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 443 test guideline, the extended one generation reproduction study. The MOG study has a number of advantages, with a focus on F1 animals, the generation of adequately powered, robust data sets that include both pre and postnatal developmental toxicity information, and the measurement of effects on reproductive structure and function in the same animals. This new study design does not employ the use of internal triggers in the design structure for the use of animals already on test and is also consistent with the principles of the 3R’s.
Interspecies Differences in Reaction to a Biodegradable Subcutaneous Tissue Filler
Authors: Ramot Yuval , Touitou Dan , Levin Galit , Ickowicz Diana E. , Zada Moran Haim , Abbas Randa , Yankelson Lior , Domb Abraham J. , Nyska Abraham
Published: May 2014

Soft tissue filler products have become very popular in recent years, with ever-increasing medical and aesthetic indications. While generally considered safe, the number of reported complications with tissue fillers is growing. Nevertheless, there is no specific animal model that is considered as the gold standard for assessing safety or efficacy of tissue fillers, and there are very little data on interspecies differences in reaction to these products. Here, we report on interspecies differences in reaction to a subcutaneous injectable co-polyester, composed of castor oil and citric acid. Comparison of the histopathological local tissue changes following 1-month postimplantation, indicated that in rats the reaction consisted of cavities, surrounded by relatively thin fibrotic enveloping capsule. In contrast, an unexpected severe inflammatory granulomatous reaction was noticed in Sinclair minipigs. To our knowledge, this is the first report on significant interspecies differences in sensitivity to tissue fillers. It emphasizes the importance of using the appropriate animal model for performing preclinical biocompatibility assays for biodegradable polymers, tissue fillers, and implanted medical devices in general. It also makes the Sinclair minipig subject for scrutiny as an animal model in future biocompatibility studies.
A case of incomplete Carney’s triad
Authors: Ujiie Hideki , Okada Daisuke , Nakajima Yuki , Kinoshita Hiroyasu , Akiyama Hirohiko
Published: May 2014

A 62-year-old woman, who had multiple pulmonary nodules noted 6 years earlier, and surgery for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor 2 years earlier, was found to have enlargement of her pulmonary nodules. Surgery was selected to make a definite diagnosis. Thoracoscopic segmentectomy of right segments 9 and 10 was performed, and pulmonary chondroma was diagnosed. Carney designated the combination of 3 rare soft tissue tumors (gastric leiomyosarcoma, pulmonary chondroma, and extraadrenal paraganglioma) as a syndrome. This patient may have had an incomplete type of Carney’s triad with 2 lesions in the stomach and lung.
The fallout of forgiveness
Authors: DiDonato Theresa E. , McIlwee Laurette J. , Carlucci Marianna E.
Published: May 2014

Forgiveness within romantic relationships may have broader consequences. Two studies investigated how forgiveness decisions predict outsiders’ perceptions of individuals and their relationships. Study 1 ( n = 364) used an experimental between-subject design and hypothetical vignettes to manipulate forgiveness, offense severity, and offense frequency. As hypothesized, participants perceived forgiving targets as more committed and satisfied, and the relation between forgiveness and person perceptions depended on offense frequency (competence) and severity (competence and warmth). In Study 2, participants ( n = 134) recalled friends’ offenses. Forgiveness predicted perceived commitment, satisfaction, investment, warmth, and competence, at times interacting with severity and frequency, while accounting for intent and apologies. The findings are discussed in light of the importance of perceptions and social networks.
Meet Joe Black? The effects of mortality salience and similarity on the Desire to Date in-group versus out-group members online
Authors: Frischlich Lena , Rieger Diana , Dratsch Thomas , Bente Gary
Published: May 2014

Online dating has become an important resource for building intimate relationships. Similarity and group membership have been found to be as important for online and off-line dating. Research on terror management theory has shown that both factors shield against death anxieties, indicating difficulties for dissimilar and intergroup couples. Yet, no study—so far—has investigated both factors simultaneously after mortality salience (MS). To close this gap, the current study presented German participants ( N = 249) with a dating app that randomly assigned them to a MS or control condition. Afterward, a candidate following a 2(group membership) × 2(similarity) design was suggested. After MS, in contrast to the control group, similarity increased and dissimilarity decreased the Desire to Date in-group but not out-group members.
Effects of a thermal load on the wheel/brake-block subsystem: The thermal conicity of railway wheels
Authors: Mańka Adam , Sitarz Marek
Published: May 2014

This paper describes the phenomenon of thermal conicity (TC) of railway wheels that occurs as the result of excessive thermal loads generated in the process of braking using brake blocks and then cooling to ambient temperature. The TC phenomenon is described using a standard BA004 railway wheel and load values derived from the TSI ‘Rolling stock’ guidelines. A methodology for determining the thermal loads created during braking is described, as well as the individual stages of the creation of a model based on the finite element method.
A hybrid Bayesian hierarchical model combining cohort and case–control studies for meta-analysis of diagnostic tests: Accounting for partial verification bias
Authors: Ma Xiaoye , Chen Yong , Cole Stephen R , Chu Haitao
Published: May 2014

To account for between-study heterogeneity in meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies, bivariate random effects models have been recommended to jointly model the sensitivities and specificities. As study design and population vary, the definition of disease status or severity could differ across studies. Consequently, sensitivity and specificity may be correlated with disease prevalence. To account for this dependence, a trivariate random effects model had been proposed. However, the proposed approach can only include cohort studies with information estimating study-specific disease prevalence. In addition, some diagnostic accuracy studies only select a subset of samples to be verified by the reference test. It is known that ignoring unverified subjects may lead to partial verification bias in the estimation of prevalence, sensitivities, and specificities in a single study. However, the impact of this bias on a meta-analysis has not been investigated. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid Bayesian hierarchical model combining cohort and case–control studies and correcting partial verification bias at the same time. We investigate the performance of the proposed methods through a set of simulation studies. Two case studies on assessing the diagnostic accuracy of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in detecting lymph node metastases and of adrenal fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in characterizing adrenal masses are presented.
Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Among Youth
Authors: Brackney Dana E. , Cutshall Michael
Published: May 2014

Childhood obesity and the early development of type 2 diabetes (T2 DM) place students at risk for chronic health problems. The school nurse is uniquely situated to promote school health initiatives that influence health behavior. The purpose of this review was to determine effective nonpharmacological interventions for prevention of T2 DM in youth. Researchers from 35 reports modified T2 DM risk factors. These nonpharmacological interventions often include increasing daily activity, decreasing caloric intake, and increasing muscle mass. Some researchers also included psychological and social support interventions intended to strengthen initiating and/or maintaining health behavior. Characteristics of effective nonpharmacological T2 DM prevention interventions are discussed. Findings from this review are a useful guide for the implementation of T2 DM prevention strategies in the school setting. Few school-based studies included high school students; therefore, further research is needed among older adolescents on the efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions in the high school.
Demystifying Digitalk
Authors: Turner Kristen Hawley , Abrams Sandra Schamroth , Katíc Elvira , Donovan Meredith Jeta
Published: May 2014

The language teens use in digital spaces—from social network posts to instant message chats to text messages—often does not adhere to Standard Written English (SWE). Their digital writing involves a combination of written and conversational languages and often has a digital thumbprint that distinguishes the writer. As a means to understand this digitalk, we conducted a mixed method study that not only examines the conventions of digitalk, but also explores the impetus behind teens’ languages choices. Over the course of 2 years and three rounds of data collection, we investigated the digital language use of 81 adolescents (Grades 7-12) from urban and suburban, public and private schools in a large metropolitan area. Data provide insight into the conventions of digitalk and the reasons these features of language have been conventionalized within adolescent digital communities. Ultimately, we see teens engaging in purposeful writing that may differ from SWE, but, nonetheless, shows an awareness of audience, efficiency in communication, expression of personal voice, and inclusion in a community of practice.
Value for money: Political consumerism in Israel
Authors: Ben-Porat Guy , Shamir Omri , Yuval Fany
Published: May 2014

Studies of political consumerism and of political consumers tend to ask general questions about motivations and tendencies among specific segments of society and investigate the likelihood of the political attitudes of specific social identities to affect consumer choices. In contrast, we examine how political consumerism is influenced by both individual characteristics and the communities in which these individuals live. In addition, we explore whether specific issues of political consumerism – environmental concerns, social justice, and religion – exist independently of general political consumerism. Finally, we attempt to determine the relationship between these different focuses of political consumerism. Based on a survey conducted in August 2010 in Israel of a random sample of 603 adult Jewish Israelis, we delineate the general trends of political consumerism. We then present a regression model to further explore the different paths of political consumerism. This article concludes with a model developed using structural equation modeling in which the different factors and paths are brought together in order to understand the relationship between the three paths of political consumerism.
Networks of practices in critical consumption
Authors: Bellotti Elisa , Mora Emanuela
Published: May 2014

This article proposes some theoretical and methodological advancements in the study of critical consumption within the framework of the theory of practices. It does so by applying an innovative analytic technique based on network analysis: using data from a survey of a representative sample of the Italian population, we analyze the structure of connections between variables at different levels of correlations, and then we focus on some interesting local neighborhoods that suggest elements for interpretative frameworks. The aim of this article is to explore whether it is possible to consider critical consumption as a practice, and if so what are the elements that characterize it as an entity. We also aim to observe whether these elements are connected to other (not necessarily sustainable) practices. Results do not show robust and coherent connections of elements that allow speaking of critical consumption as a practice, but they identify interesting anchor points where ethnographic approaches can be directed. These crossroads, where bundles of elements encounter, suggest the existence of loose knits of activities where competences and meanings of different practices encounter and contaminate.
Everyday consumption norms as discourses of the good life in pre-socialist and socialist Hungary
Authors: Pellandini-Simányi Léna
Published: May 2014

Everyday consumption norms are abundantly evident in empirical studies, yet focussed theoretical discussion is lacking. This article fills this gap by proposing three theoretical points, developed through the case study of changing personal consumption norms and public moralizing in pre-war and socialist Hungary. It suggests first that consumption norms draw on cosmologies that involve pragmatic beliefs alongside strong evaluations which refer to ethical visions of how to live and who to be. Second, it shows that many of these ethical visions are embedded in practices as practical ethics rather than being articulated in abstract terms. Finally, it argues that personal consumption norms are simultaneously subject to individual appropriation and constrained by collective discursive and practical conventions. Thus, norms serve as a terrain through which shared ethical visions and pragmatic beliefs are negotiated and modified.
Exploring staff perceptions on the role of physical environment in dementia care setting
Authors: Lee Sook Y , Chaudhury Habib , Hung Lillian
Published: May 2014

This study explored staff perceptions of the role of physical environment in dementia care facilities in affecting resident’s behaviors and staff care practice. We conducted focus groups with staff (n = 15) in two purposely selected care facilities in Vancouver, Canada. Focus group participants included nurses, care aides, recreation staff, administrative staff, and family. Data analysis revealed two themes: (a) a supportive physical environment contributes positively to both quality of staff care interaction and residents’ quality of life and (b) an unsupportive physical environment contributes negatively to residents’ quality of life and thereby makes the work of staff more challenging. The staff participants collectively viewed that comfort, familiarity, and an organized space were important therapeutic resources for supporting the well-being of residents. Certain behaviors of residents were influenced by poor environmental factors, including stimulation overload, safety risks, wayfinding challenge, and rushed care. This study demonstrates the complex interrelationships among the dementia care setting’s physical environment, staff experiences, and residents’ quality of life.
Research with adults with Asperger’s syndrome—participatory or emancipatory research?
Authors: Martin Jackie A
Published: May 2014

This paper outlines research conducted between three adults with Asperger’s syndrome and a neuro typical researcher (neuro typical is someone who does not have Asperger’s syndrome). The paper examines the nature of emancipatory research in terms of empowerment, reciprocity and gain. Research that is not conducted solely by ‘service users’ is usually referred to as participatory rather than emancipatory. This paper argues that the principles of emancipatory research can apply to research that involves a non-disabled researcher working alongside service users. The importance of the social model of disability is highlighted as being the basis for the approach taken in this research. The viewpoint of the neuro typical researcher is considered as well as that of the adults with Asperger’s syndrome.
Napoleon Complex
Authors: Gift Paul , Rodenberg Ryan M.
Published: May 2014

Given the vast number of observations in a transparent environment, the interaction between players and referees in the National Basketball Association (NBA) provides a real-world laboratory that allows for observation and testing of implicit height-based biases (the so-called “Napoleon Complex”). Controlling for a plethora of referee-specific characteristics and including 4,463 regular season games from 2008 to 2012, we find that (i) more personal fouls are called when a relatively shorter three-person officiating crew is working and (ii) no more or fewer fouls are called when games involve relatively taller players. Such biases are probably not large enough to impact game outcomes but could affect gambling markets. Our findings support the conclusion that relatively shorter NBA referees officiate basketball games differently than their taller peers. The analysis spotlights an oft-suggested but rarely studied bias in a workplace where employees are heavily scrutinized and monitored.
Use of airflow to improve the nanofibrous structure and quality of nanofibers from needleless electrospinning
Authors: Wang Xin , Lin Tong , Wang Xungai
Published: May 2014

Mass production of nanofibers from needleless electrospinning shows great potential in research and development of nanofibers. However, how to improve the electrospinning performance so as to achieve high quality nanofibers is still of great challenge. In this study, airflow has been applied to optimize upward needleless electrospinning from ring spinneret. Effects of airflow speed and the position of airflow on the nanofiber quality and production rate have been investigated. It has been found that thinner and more uniform nanofibers were produced when airflow was applied to needleless electrospinning system. It also improved the collected nonwoven membrane, resulting in better nanofibrous structure of the as-spun nanofibers. Application of airflow on needleless electrospinning would further benefit the development of mass production of nanofibers from needleless electrospinning.
Quantitative Evaluation of Maceration in Venous Leg Ulcers by Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) Measurement
Authors: Dini Valentina , Barbanera Sabrina , Romanelli Marco
Published: May 2014

Skin maceration is a clinical manifestation in venous leg ulcers that leads to severe consequences for patients’ quality of life and wound management. The aim of this study was to explore the use of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement technique to quantify different level of surrounding skin maceration in patients with venous leg ulcers. A total of 50 patients were recruited and TEWL measurements were taken with a portable device on different locations surrounding the leg ulcer and on control skin. A clinical score for maceration was used and correlated to the involvement of surrounding skin. Statistically significant differences of TEWL values were noted between affected skin and control site ( P < .001). Statistics showed an increase in TEWL values as the maceration clinical score increased ( r = 0.954). Objective monitoring of skin maceration in venous leg ulcer with TEWL measurement represents an useful tool to analyze morphologic changes at different time points during treatment.
Maggot Therapy for Elephantiasis Nostras Verrucosa Reveals New Applications and New Complications
Authors: Borst Gregory M. , Goettler Claudia E. , Kachare Swapnil D. , Sherman Ronald A.
Published: May 2014

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa (ENV) is a rare dermatologic condition caused by chronic nonfilarial lymphedema. The treatment for ENV is challenging and based solely on case reports. We report novel therapy for ENV with maggot debridement therapy (MDT), an effective wound therapy that has gained popularity with the rise of antimicrobial resistance. MDT, in combination with tangential surgical debridement, was effective in the treatment of ENV. In nature, sheep infested with more than 16 000 blow fly larvae exhibit ammonia toxicity. Although hyperammonemia as a side effect of maggot therapy has been theorized, its existence has not been described in human studies until this case. This patient exhibited hyperammonemia during maggot therapy; with alterations in serum ammonia reflecting changes in larval population. Maggot therapy should be considered for the treatment of ENV. Hyperammonemia with maggot therapy exists, and clinicians who employ this treatment should be aware of this potential adverse effect.
Premature menopause – Meeting the needs
Authors: Shah D , Nagarajan N
Published: May 2014

Premature menopause is characterized by amenorrhea, elevated gonadotropin levels and sex steroid deficiency occurring in women below 40 years of age. Heterogeneity of premature ovarian failure is reflected by various causes, both spontaneous and iatrogenic. X chromosomal abnormalities remain the main cause of primary ovarian insufficiency. Women with primary ovarian insufficiency present with amenorrhea, irregular cycles, signs of estrogen deficiency and infertility. They are at increased risk for non-communicable diseases such as, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteoporosis. Management includes use of menopausal hormone therapy till the age of natural menopause and customized as per the needs. In women having fertility issues, IVF with donor oocytes remains the treatment of choice with the best results. With advances in assisted reproductive technologies, cryopreservation of oocytes/embryos should be utilized, whenever impending primary ovarian insufficiency is anticipated either due to therapy or biological reasons.
Implications of off-label use: An example from the final results of an observational cohort study on Intrinsa® (testosterone patch)
Authors: Osborne Vicki , Layton Deborah , Shakir Saad AW
Published: May 2014

Introduction

Off-label use is where a medicinal product is used for a medical purpose not in accordance with the authorised product information. Intrinsa® is a transdermal testosterone patch, which is indicated for use in hypoactive sexual desire disorder in bilaterally oophorectomised and hysterectomised women receiving concomitant estrogen therapy.

Objectives

To describe the utilization characteristics of patients prescribed testosterone patch (Intrinsa®) and to assess, where possible, if the product is being used according to the authorised product information.

Study design

Patients identified from dispensed prescriptions issued by general practitioners for Intrinsa® between March 2007 and August 2010. Postal questionnaires were sent to general practitioners six months following the date of the first prescription for Intrinsa® for each patient, requesting information including patient demographics and drug utilization.

Main outcome measures

Menopausal status and use of concomitant estrogen therapy.

Results

The final cohort consisted of 3073 patients; the majority were females (3017, 98.2%). The most commonly reported indication was hypoactive sexual desire disorder in 2324 female patients (77.0%). Only 43.5% female patients ( n = 1313) were reported to have been hysterectomised and bilaterally oophorectomised. For 1029 (34.1%) female patients there was no evidence that the patient was using concomitant estrogen therapy. Overall, only 643 patients (20.9%) in the cohort were being prescribed Intrinsa® according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Conclusions

Evidence obtained solely from clinical trials might not be generalisable where off-label prescribing occurs in real-life, so evidence from post-marketing observational studies is important to provide complimentary data on a product’s safety and effectiveness.
Reinventing the general practitioner menopause clinic – personal experiences
Authors: Mehra Anu
Published: May 2014

Menopause is accompanied by a plethora of symptoms. The 10 minute general practitioner consultation is ineffective in addressing all these symptoms. My experience of offering a 1 hour assessment and management has very positive and encouraging results. Should this be made available in general practice and will it prove more cost effective in the long run and also lead to greater patient satisfaction?
A study of the use of carbamazepine, pregabalin and alpha lipoic acid in patients of diabetic neuropathy
Authors: Patel Niral , Mishra Vishal , Patel Prakruti , Dikshit Ram K
Published: May 2014

Background

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common, symptomatic, long-term complication of diabetes mellitus. Many of the agents used to treat DN have not been compared with each other. This study was, therefore, undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of carbamazepine, pregabalin and alpha-lipoic acid in diabetic neuropathy patients.

Methods

This was a prospective, observational study. The patients were categorized into three groups, Group I included those patients who were prescribed carbamazepine while group II included those on pregabalin and group III patients received alpha-lipoic acid. Each patient was followed up at every month for total duration of 6 months. Demographic details, presenting symptoms, history of diabetes, laboratory values pertaining to diabetes (Fasting blood sugar, Post prandial blood sugar and HbA1c) were recorded. Intensity of pain, using a visual analogue scale (VAS), diabetic neuropathy symptom (DNS) score and diabetic neuropathy examination (DNE) score were assessed at baseline and then at each monthly follow-up. Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) was also measured at baseline and then at the end of 3 and 6 months.

Results

A total of 101 patients were enrolled out of them 96 completed the study. Regarding VAS, the number of patients having pain was reduced substantially however, the speed and the quantum of this reduction were best in group II (pregabalin). Regarding DNS, also group II showed the best response in terms of number of patients as well as the speed of improvement. The results also imply that the relief from diabetic neuropathy (as per DNE score) is superior with pregabalin administration. However, no improvement in NCV was evident in any group.

Conclusion

Results of this study suggest that treatment with pregabalin gives faster and better improvement in diabetic neuropathy.
Fetal outcome in the critically ill
pregnant woman
Authors: Aoyama Kazuyoshi , Seaward P Gareth , Lapinsky Stephen E
Published: May 2014

Management of the critically ill pregnant woman is complicated by potential
adverse effects of both maternal illness and ICU interventions on the fetus. This
paper reviews the potential risks to the fetus of maternal critical illness,
including shock, hypoxemia, and fever, as well as the effects of critical care
management, such as drug therapy and radiological investigations. The authors’
recommended approach to management is provided. Prior publications and new data
presented identify that there is insufficient information to prognosticate
accurately on fetal outcome after maternal critical illness, although maternal
shock, hypoxemia and early gestational age are likely significant risk
factors.
Simulation of the effect of stress-induced anisotropy on borehole compressional wave propagation
Authors: Fang Xinding , Fehler Michael C. , Cheng Arthur
Published: May 2014

Formation elastic properties near a borehole may be altered from their original state due to the stress concentration around the borehole. This can lead to an incorrect estimation of formation elastic properties measured from sonic logs. Previous work has focused on estimating the elastic properties of the formation surrounding a borehole under anisotropic stress loading. We studied the effect of borehole stress concentration on sonic logging in a moderately consolidated Berea sandstone using a two-step approach. First, we used an iterative approach, which combines a rock-physics model and a finite-element method, to calculate the stress-dependent elastic properties of the rock around a borehole subjected to an anisotropic stress loading. Second, we used the anisotropic elastic model obtained from the first step and a finite-difference method to simulate the acoustic response of the borehole. Although we neglected the effects of rock failure and stress-induced crack opening, our modeling results provided important insights into the characteristics of borehole P-wave propagation when anisotropic in situ stresses are present. Our simulation results were consistent with the published laboratory measurements, which indicate that azimuthal variation of the P-wave velocity around a borehole subjected to uniaxial loading is not a simple cosine function. However, on field scale, the azimuthal variation in P-wave velocity might not be apparent at conventional logging frequencies. We found that the low-velocity region along the wellbore acts as an acoustic focusing zone that substantially enhances the P-wave amplitude, whereas the high-velocity region caused by the stress concentration near the borehole results in a significantly reduced P-wave amplitude. This results in strong azimuthal variation of P-wave amplitude, which may be used to infer the in situ stress state.
Fast algorithms for elastic-wave-mode separation and vector decomposition using low-rank approximation for anisotropic media
Authors: Cheng Jiubing , Fomel Sergey
Published: May 2014

Wave-mode separation and vector decomposition are significantly more expensive than wavefield extrapolation and are the computational bottleneck for elastic reverse time migration in heterogeneous anisotropic media. We have expressed elastic-wave-mode separation and vector decomposition for anisotropic media as space-wavenumber-domain operations in the form of Fourier integral operators and developed fast algorithms for their implementation using their low-rank approximations. Synthetic data generated from 2D and 3D models demonstrated that these methods are accurate and efficient.
Printing Native History in David Cusick’s Sketches of Ancient History of the Six Nations
Authors: Radus Daniel M.
Published: May 2014

As channels of print distribution and production widened in the early nineteenth century, Native Americans employed print as a means of expressing their pasts and thus their historical claims to territories coveted by the United States. In this essay, Radus shows how the nature of print in this period was at times incommensurate with the values and practices of Native historiography. Through an analysis of Sketches of Ancient History of the Six Nations (1827), Radus argues that Cusick, a Tuscarora historian, used various rhetorical and narrative techniques to alter the conventions of print so that the medium better conformed to the ideals of Haudenosaunee history telling. Sketches at once archives a history of Haudenosaunee territorial possession and subverts the presumption that printed texts afford access to any authoritative sense of the Haudenosaunee past. Cusick thereby assents to print modernity even as he refashions its premises in accord with his timely support for his nation’s territorial sovereignty.
How to Map with Ink: Cartographic Materials from Colonial Oaxaca
Authors: Hidalgo Alexander
Published: May 2014

Material technology played a key role in the making of indigenous maps. This article analyzes the use of ink to explore the chemical and botanical practices used by native painters and Spanish officials to make and authenticate maps. This underexamined aspect of indigenous cartography enhances our understanding of a painter's technical skills, allowing us to gain insight into the complex process of selecting and preparing a variety of organic and inorganic ingredients to illustrate them. Spanish scribes and regional judges used their own formulas to make ink, applying the liquid substance to review and annotate maps to fit legal protocols. Combining a sample of maps from Oaxaca with botanical histories, chronicles, and orthographic treatises, this article traces the use of ingredients such as rocks, plants, liquids, roots, and soil as they made their way from the physical world to the hands of an Indian painter or a Spanish official who skillfully transformed them into ink. The interaction between different substances contributed to the distinct style and function of indigenous mapmaking.
Ane Detectioun of Mary Stewart, Queen of Scots, and the Languages of Royal Imprisonment in Medieval and Early Modern England and Scotland
Authors: Sokolov Danila
Published: May 2014

This essay investigates the rhetoric of royal imprisonment in Ane Detectioun of the duinges of Marie Quene of Scottes (1571), one of the most famous contemporary texts associated with the Marian controversy. This Anglo-Scots pamphlet not only invokes Mary’s actual incarceration but also represents her as a captive of erotic desire, a slave of unruly passion, and a prisoner of the law. This multifaceted vision of royal incarceration is animated by a heterogeneous tradition of ideological writing in medieval and early modern England and Scotland. Three strands of a rich mosaic of interlocking discourses are analyzed: the imagery of a ruler imprisoned by passions found in Boethius’s Consolatio; a courtly love allegory in which royal eros submits to the bondage of legal constraint in The Kingis Quair; and the figurations of limited monarchy as royal incarceration in the Anglo-Scots political philosophy of John Fortescue and George Buchanan. Much more than a broadly gendered metaphor for queenly submission, this language of royal imprisonment derives its legitimacy from discourses that touch upon the very ideological foundations of English and Scottish monarchy.
Geographies of Charity: Women and the Vita mista in Renaissance Italy
Authors: Tylus Jane
Published: May 2014

This article addresses the role of two late fifteenth-century Florentine writers, Lucrezia Tornabuoni de’Medici and Antonia Pulci, in articulating what was at stake for women who sought to engage in meaningful ways in their city’s charitable economy. The emerging role of female tertiaries or those who belonged to the so-called terzo stato, troubled the medieval distinctions between active and contemplative lives. Tornabuoni, Pulci, and their contemporaries found ways to contribute to the public sphere by combining features of active and contemplative lives into a form of vita mista, a mixed life that valued both public acts of charity and vernacular religious writing. Probing the intersection between religious and secular vocabularies in Renaissance humanism, the article argues that lay piety had a significant influence on fifteenth-century thought. Women in the early modern period, despite various limitations imposed on them, nevertheless created spaces for their expression and personal activity. This focus on women’s interest in lay organizations and the third orders in the Trecento and Quattrocento contributes to recent scholarship that challenges the notion of a thoroughly secular Renaissance.
Caught Looking: Under the Gaze of Inca Atawallpa, 15 November 1532
Authors: Herring Adam
Published: May 2014

This article examines vision and cultural authority among the leadership of the Inca Empire of Andean South America. In Inca political society, seeing was cultural being. The essay addresses the spaces in which Inca acts of perception took place, as well as the architectural frameworks that defined the wider mise-en-scène of visual experience there. On 15 November 1532, the the Inca ruler Atawallpa received a group of about twenty Spanish soldiers at a residential complex outside Cajamarca, Perú. When he first saw the Inca king, one soldier recalled, the native ruler was seated “behind a sheet which completely covered him.” Raising a thin veil before the Europeans’ eyes, the Inca marked the sensory faculty of vision, giving it a cultural mode. The Inca ruler’s European antagonists were woven into the fabric of the Inca cultural order, caught looking.
Neural progenitors, neurogenesis and the evolution of the neocortex
Authors: Florio Marta , Huttner Wieland B.
Published: May 2014

The neocortex is the seat of higher cognitive functions and, in evolutionary terms, is the youngest part of the mammalian brain. Since its origin, the neocortex has expanded in several mammalian lineages, and this is particularly notable in humans. This expansion reflects an increase in the number of neocortical neurons, which is determined during development and primarily reflects the number of neurogenic divisions of distinct classes of neural progenitor cells. Consequently, the evolutionary expansion of the neocortex and the concomitant increase in the numbers of neurons produced during development entail interspecies differences in neural progenitor biology. Here, we review the diversity of neocortical neural progenitors, their interspecies variations and their roles in determining the evolutionary increase in neuron numbers and neocortex size.
Dynamic clonal analysis based on chronic in vivo imaging allows multiscale quantification of growth in the Drosophila wing disc
Authors: Heemskerk Idse , Lecuit Thomas , LeGoff Loïc
Published: May 2014

In the course of morphogenesis, tissues change shape and grow. How this is orchestrated is largely unknown, partly owing to the lack of experimental methods to visualize and quantify growth. Here, we describe a novel experimental approach to investigate the growth of tissues in vivo on a time-scale of days, as employed to study the Drosophila larval imaginal wing disc, the precursor of the adult wing. We developed a protocol to image wing discs at regular intervals in living anesthetized larvae so as to follow the growth of the tissue over extended periods of time. This approach can be used to image cells at high resolution in vivo. At intermediate scale, we tracked the increase in cell number within clones as well as the changes in clone area and shape. At scales extending to the tissue level, clones can be used as landmarks for measuring strain, as a proxy for growth. We developed general computational tools to extract strain maps from clonal shapes and landmark displacements in individual tissues, and to combine multiple datasets into a mean strain. In the disc, we use these to compare properties of growth at the scale of clones (a few cells) and at larger regional scales.
Application of Visible-near Infrared Spectral Imaging for Monitoring Biological Materials
Authors: Kobori Hikaru
Published: May 2014

Here at NIR news we are delighted to present this article which is a summary of some recent research by Dr Hikaru Kokobori and for which he was awarded the Japanese NIR Advance Award for 2013. Congratulations Dr Kokobori!
The Novosibirsk region territory tourism zoning as the regional tourism development basis
Authors: Комарова Лидия , Komarova Lidiya , Феденева Ирина , Fedeneva Irina
Published: May 2014

The article look at the basic framework, fundamental principles, and operation potential of tourism zoning as

applied to the Novosibirsk region territory. Land-use planning is defined as a tool for territorial development,

long-range strategic planning of types of activity, as well as for socioeconomic problem-solving. A tourism

zone is a territory identified to facilitate the tourism industry development, tourist resources conservation and

sustainable use. For the purposes of tourist-recreational zoning, the authors conduct a detailed analysis of

the natural and socioeconomic settings characterizing the Novosibirsk region, and the status of the current

system of assigning location to tourist-oriented objects. The zoning of the Novosibirsk region was based

on the analysis of the recreation resources distribution and the assessment of the functional recreational

specialization of individual districts, which enable an identification of the zones with the highest potential

for individual tourist activity development. In this regard, the authors analyse the tourist potential of the

region and describe the general status of the tourism industry. The zone-forming factors considered are the

degree of tourist-and-recreation development of the area and the tourist zones specialization, that is, the

structure of tourist and recreational functions. Thus, in accordance with the degree of tourist-and-recreation

development, the authors identify well-developed, moderately-developed, inadequately-developed, and

potential tourist zones. In regards the tourist and recreational resourced, the authors classify zones as

business, primary wellness, sporting, mountaineering, cultural-educational, and scientific. Besides, the

authors identify the most relevant courses of development as tailored to individual areas of the region, and

conclude that the most promising areas are those located in the immediate proximity to the metropolital city

of Novosibirsk, with is account for by their accessibility and an adequately high development of the tourist

infrastructure.
Relevant objectives of modern design
Authors: Ермилова Дарья , Ermilova Darya
Published: May 2014

The article is devoted to the identification of objectives that relevant for modern design. The author considers

the characteristics of design as creative activity directed at satisfying the material and spiritual needs of people

and focusing on the needs of the consumer. The author also traces the radical changes in the perspective on

the methods and objectives of design activity that have manifested themselves since the beginning of the 20th

century, when design acquires the status of a universal creative activity driven by a multitude of human and

social needs as turned into meaningful objects and images. Following the general trend towards customization

of consumption, design is highly needs-driven. It is recognized as a means of mass communication which

is active in the sphere of consumption, regulated consumer activity, and serves as a mediator between the

consumer and the producer. The need for the environmentally safe world is regarded by the author as a

major social need of the modern consumer. The article outlines the tasks and objectives of modern design as

imposed by the ecological orientation, the ecology of culture and human ecology, and which are to be met

in the context of an increasing customization and greening of consumption. The author analyses the current

design trends towards the natural needs of people and substantiates the validity of design in finding solutions

to cultural- and human-ecology-related problems by pointing to the status of the need for cultural continuity,

ethnic identification, and cultural diversity of the environment as essential human needs. The author sees

it as relevant to develop the aspect of sustainable design that is directly connected with the issues of human

ecology, oriented at creating the object environment conducive to creative talents development, favourably

influencing the human and reflecting human values, as well as meeting the natural needs of people. One of

the peculiarities of the current perspective on design is continuous adjustment of individual objectives, which

is accounted for by the ever-changing demands of the individual and the society, and which can be viewed

as a foundation for the effective development of design activity
Freedom of Creation for Culture, Business, Innovation
Authors: Новичков Николай , Novichkov Nikolay
Published: May 2014

The article raises a range of issues concerning innovations and their contribution to the development of

modern society and presents the author’s stance in the debate on the importance of freedom of creation for

the development of culture and innovations, as well as the role of innovation policy in the development of

various aspects of creative activity in Russia. Innovations are defined as new developments or pioneering

work that are applicable, valuable for the consumer, obviously productive and utilitarian, and commercially

feasible. The author emphasizes that the major essence of innovations lies in their exclusiveness, orientation

on and commitment to future market development, as, in the author’s view, it is the only approach to

defining innovation that spares national economies the also-ran status by enhancing their competitiveness

in the global goods and services market. The author gives special focus to the role of higher education in

the process of knowledge production and innovations, stressing the need for a reappraisal of values and a

shift of emphasis – from the degree run-of-the-mill towards knowledge production and innovations. The

article dwells on the current philosophical perspective on innovations as an individual’s isolated actions,

processes and an activity outcome, rather than an individual’s immanent need and the ends and means

of life. The author pays special attention to innovations in the humanities, whose in-demand rating in the

spheres of public production and consumption is frequently higher than that of innovations in technology

and engineering. In this regard, the author emphases the role of culture, which, along with science, serves

as a foundation for innovative and creative components of the economy of knowledge (or, the new economy)