bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Cultural Construction of Self and Well-Being
Authors: Plaut Victoria C. , Markus Hazel Rose , Treadway Jodi R. , Fu Alyssa S.
Published: September 2012

Does local context (e.g., city of residence) matter for self and well-being? We theorized that it does because local contexts diverge in prevalent historically-derived ideas, norms, and products. Through historical analysis, studies of norms (tightness-looseness; Study 1) and cultural products (content analyses of newspaper headlines, venture capital firm websites, hospital websites; Studies 2-4), and studies assessing individuals’ self and well-being (Studies 5-7), we compared Boston and San Francisco—similar cities on many metrics. We find that self and well-being are, in some important part, local. Reflecting themes of “old and established,” Boston’s history and cultural products emphasize tradition, status, and community, and social norms are relatively tight; accordingly feelings and selves are socially contingent. In contrast, reflecting themes of “new and free,” San Francisco’s history and cultural products emphasize unlimited possibility, egalitarianism, and innovation, and social norms are relatively loose; accordingly feelings and selves are relatively less contingent on others.
A Social Model of Persistent Mood States
Authors: Doan Long
Published: September 2012

Researchers have used moods to explain a variety of phenomena, yet the social causes of a mood are unknown. In this article, I present a social model of persistent mood states that argues that interactional characteristics such as the status differences between actors, the perceived responsibility of the other actor, and the reason for an emotional response influence the persistence of an emotional response to a situation. The mechanisms through which these factors cause an emotion to become a mood are the intensity of the emotional reaction and how much the actor reflects on the situation as a result of the interaction. I use data from the 1996 General Social Survey to test this model for anger; the results of the analyses provide support for many aspects of the model. The proposed model is a first step in explaining social factors that cause persistent mood states, and I discuss possible directions for future scholarship.
Time and the Political Economy of Financial Television
Authors: Lee Micky
Published: September 2012

This article calls attention to the importance of time as a vantage point from which the intersection between finance, media, and information can be critiqued. The neoliberal temporality is constituted by both abstract time and historical time of the media. The sense of abstract time constructed by financial television is critiqued: the paradox of low production cost of television programs and high commercial value of advertisement spots illustrates the inherent contradictions of capitalism. The existence of financial television relies on the creation of new financial markets and the centralization of information to financial transaction—both phenomenon ought to be understood in the context of the historical time marked by neoliberalism since 1970s.
Validation of the Polish version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care in patients with advanced cancer
Authors: Leppert Wojciech , Majkowicz Mikolaj
Published: September 2012

Background:

Limited data exist on the validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care in advanced cancer patients.

Aim:

To adapt the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care to the Polish clinical setting and to evaluate its psychometric properties in advanced cancer patients.

Design:

Two quality-of-life measurements were performed at baseline and after 7 days. The concurrent validity of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care was established by the Pearson correlation coefficients with the modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, the Karnofsky Performance Status and the Brief Pain Inventory – Short Form. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and the Spearman correlation coefficients of the baseline and of the second measurement of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care items.

Setting/participants:

A total of 160 consecutive patients in one academic palliative medicine centre were included.

Results:

A total of 129 patients completed the study. The concurrent validity revealed significant correlations of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care pain scale with the Brief Pain Inventory – Short Form, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care symptom items with the modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care functional scales with the Karnofsky Performance Status scores. High Cronbach’s alpha and standardised Cronbach’s alpha values were found in the case of both functional (range: 0.830–0.925; 0.830–0.932) and symptom scales (range: 0.784–0.940; 0.794–0.941) of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care, respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficients between the first and the second measurements were significant ( p < 0.0001) for all European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care items.

Conclusions:

Polish version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – Core 15 – Palliative Care is a valid and reliable tool recommended for quality-of-life assessment and monitoring in advanced cancer patients.
Model Parameter Estimation and Uncertainty Analysis
Authors: Briggs Andrew H. , Weinstein Milton C. , Fenwick Elisabeth A. L. , Karnon Jonathan , Sculpher Mark J. , Paltiel A. David
Published: September 2012

A model’s purpose is to inform medical decisions and health care resource allocation. Modelers employ quantitative methods to structure the clinical, epidemiological, and economic evidence base and gain qualitative insight to assist decision makers in making better decisions. From a policy perspective, the value of a model-based analysis lies not simply in its ability to generate a precise point estimate for a specific outcome but also in the systematic examination and responsible reporting of uncertainty surrounding this outcome and the ultimate decision being addressed. Different concepts relating to uncertainty in decision modeling are explored. Stochastic (first-order) uncertainty is distinguished from both parameter (second-order) uncertainty and from heterogeneity, with structural uncertainty relating to the model itself forming another level of uncertainty to consider. The article argues that the estimation of point estimates and uncertainty in parameters is part of a single process and explores the link between parameter uncertainty through to decision uncertainty and the relationship to value-of-information analysis. The article also makes extensive recommendations around the reporting of uncertainty, both in terms of deterministic sensitivity analysis techniques and probabilistic methods. Expected value of perfect information is argued to be the most appropriate presentational technique, alongside cost-effectiveness acceptability curves, for representing decision uncertainty from probabilistic analysis.
Five African American spirituals and Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time
Authors: Hudson Martyn
Published: September 2012

The orchestral and choral compositions of Michael Tippett often displayed his commitment to themes of social justice and political emancipation. What is little understood about his masterwork, A Child of Our Time, is its origin in the assassination of an obscure German diplomat by a German Jewish émigré in Paris in 1938, which also marked the beginning of Kristallnacht and so on to the final solution of the ‘Jewish problem’. Struggling with motifs to exemplify his commitment to a universal emancipated humanity, he discovered, for the first time, a set of African American spirituals which, in their very essence, pointed the path to liberation both artistically and also practically. Incorporating the spirituals into his work in the ‘midnight of the century’ of the Holocaust created perhaps the greatest avant-garde political/musical statement of the twentieth century.
School desegregation and the politics of ‘forced integration’
Authors: Miah Shamim
Published: September 2012

Using the programme for creating the controversial school academies, local governments in the UK have attempted to force an integration of schools with majority white and ethnic minority pupil cohorts via new mergers. This has largely been as a response to analysts’ fears about self-segregation and insufficient community cohesion, following riots in northern towns in 2001 and the spectre of radicalisation among young Muslims following 9/11 and 7/7. An examination of school mergers in Burnley, Blackburn, Leeds and Oldham reveals how they have amplified racial attacks on Muslim pupils and their feelings of insecurity, while also fuelling a backlash against what is perceived by some members of the white working class as a form of social engineering that endangers white privilege.
Can Nonprofit Organizations Increase Voter Turnout? Findings From an Agency-Based Voter Mobilization Experiment
Authors: LeRoux Kelly , Krawczyk Kelly
Published: September 2012

Through their nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) activities, nonprofit human service organizations play a critical role in promoting a more inclusive democracy by engaging low-income citizens and marginalized populations in the voting process. Previous studies of nonpartisan voter mobilization have focused on the effectiveness of door-knocking and phone calls by large community organizing groups as a strategy for increasing voter turnout. However there have been no studies to date examining the effectiveness of offering voter registration and other forms of voting support at the service delivery site, a strategy described as “agency-based” voter engagement. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study addresses this gap in the literature by examining the effects of nonprofit voter mobilization efforts on increasing voter turnout. We use voter turnout data from 505 clients of seven nonprofit human service organizations in the city of Detroit collected after the 2010 elections. The findings yield strong evidence that nonprofits’ agency-based voter mobilization efforts are effective. We find that for each voting-related contact a client receives from his or her service agency, the likelihood of turnout increases by 11.1 percentage points, even after controlling for other factors known to influence voting behavior. Moreover, we find that the most effective forms of voting-related contacts are voter registration assistance and personal voting reminders. We conclude by examining the implications of these findings for nonprofits’ voter engagement efforts.
Intensive care nurses’ involvement in the end-of-life process – perspectives of relatives
Authors: Lind Ranveig , Lorem Geir F , Nortvedt Per , Hevrøy Olav
Published: September 2012

In this article, we report findings from a qualitative study that explored how the relatives of intensive care unit patients experienced the nurses’ role and relationship with them in the end-of-life decision-making processes. In all, 27 relatives of 21 deceased patients were interviewed about their experiences in this challenging ethical issue. The findings reveal that despite bedside experiences of care, compassion and comfort, the nurses were perceived as vague and evasive in their communication, and the relatives missed a long-term perspective in the dialogue. Few experienced that nurses participated in meetings with doctors and relatives. The ethical consequences imply increased loneliness and uncertainty, and the experience that the relatives themselves have the responsibility of obtaining information and understanding their role in the decision-making process. The relatives therefore felt that the nurses could have been more involved in the process.
Defining end-of-life care from perspectives of nursing ethics
Authors: Izumi Shigeko (Seiko) , Nagae Hiroko , Sakurai Chihoko , Imamura Emiko
Published: September 2012

Despite increasing interests and urgent needs for quality end-of-life care, there is no exact definition of what is the interval referred to as end of life or what end-of-life care is. The purpose of this article is to report our examination of terms related to end-of-life care and define end-of-life care from nursing ethics perspectives. Current terms related to end-of-life care, such as terminal care, hospice care, and palliative care, are based on a medical model and are restrictive in terms of diagnosis and prognosis. Using codes of ethics for nurses as a framework, we attempt to identify people to whom nurses are responsible to provide end-of-life care and develop a definition of end-of-life care that is more inclusive and applicable to a broader range of people who would benefit from end-of-life care by nurses and other health-care providers.
Risk Management in Trading and Investment Portfolios
Authors: Al Janabi Mazin A.M.
Published: September 2012

The aim of this article is to bridge the gap in equity trading risk management literatures and particularly from the perspective of emerging and illiquid markets, such as in the context of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) financial markets. In this article, we demonstrate a practical approach for the measurement and control of market risk exposure for financial trading portfolios that contain several illiquid equity securities during the unwinding (close-out) period. This approach is based on the renowned concept of Value-at-Risk (VaR) along with the development of an optimisation risk algorithm utilising matrix-algebra technique. Our thorough asset market risk modelling-algorithm can simultaneously handle VaR analysis under normal and severe market conditions, besides it takes into account the effects of illiquidity and short-sales of traded equity securities. In order to illustrate the proper use of VaR and stress-testing methods, real-world structured modelling techniques of trading risk management are presented for the GCC financial markets. To this end, comprehensive simulation case studies are accomplished with the objective of constructing a realistic framework for trading risk measurement and control in addition to the instigation of a risk optimisation algorithm-process for the computation of maximum authorised VaR risk-budgeting limits.

JEL Classification: C10, C13, G20, G28
Social cognition, social skill, and the broad autism phenotype
Authors: Sasson Noah J , Nowlin Rachel B , Pinkham Amy E
Published: September 2012

Social-cognitive deficits differentiate parents with the “broad autism phenotype” from non–broad autism phenotype parents more robustly than other neuropsychological features of autism, suggesting that this domain may be particularly informative for identifying genetic and brain processes associated with the phenotype. The current study examined whether the social-cognitive deficits associated with the broad autism phenotype extend to the general population and relate to reduced social skill. A total of 74 undergraduates completed the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire, three standardized social-cognitive tasks, and a live social interaction with an unfamiliar research assistant. Social broad autism phenotype traits were significantly associated with deficits in social cognition and reduced social skill. In addition, the relationship between social broad autism phenotype traits and social skill was partially mediated by social cognition, suggesting that the reduced interpersonal ability associated with the broad autism phenotype occurs in part because of poorer social-cognitive ability. Together, these findings indicate that the impairments in social cognition and social skill that characterize autism spectrum disorder extend in milder forms to the broad autism phenotype in the general population and suggest a framework for understanding how social broad autism phenotype traits may manifest in diminished social ability.
The material subject as political: Style and pointing in public performance
Authors: Sjørslev Inger
Published: September 2012

How can a material approach to public manifestations contribute to a wider understanding of performative practices and their transformative potential? The article takes two roads in illuminating answers to this question. First, a re-reading of Turner’s work on performance in the light of newer performance theory; secondly, an application of insights from materialist theory in elaborating how subjects are constituted as political and self-objectifying within the performative frame. Two ethnographic examples serve as light illustrations to the overall argument. One is a classical religious procession by The Sisterhood of the Good Death in Bahia, Brazil. The other is the Climate Demonstration at the COP 15 in Copenhagen. Style and aesthetics are discussed, and pointing is introduced as a key phenomenon. Within the performative frame the material subject brings forth the transformative potential of the liminoid in public manifestations. The material subject creates presence and materializes the virtual by pointing to a possible future.
The minimalist reading model: Rethinking reading lists in arts and education subjects
Authors: Piscioneri Matthew , Hlavac Jim
Published: September 2012

Despite reading being recognized as a core academic skill, surprisingly little research has been undertaken into university lecture reading requirements. This article reports on the trial and evaluation of a minimalist reading model developed for students in arts and education subjects. Comprising annotated extracts from full texts ‘linked’ wherever possible via hypertext mark-up language to glossaries, e-dictionaries and online translation services, the minimalist model was intended to rethink pre-lecture reading requirements and conventional approaches to designing reading lists at the tertiary level. Findings indicate that while students are generally receptive to the redesign of conventional approaches to pre-lecture reading in the disciplines sampled, several participants expressed reservations about the model. The research provides insights into the study mores of the contemporary university student and re-emphasizes the need to ensure the diversity and complexity of the student cohort is catered for by educators and university managers as far as practicable.
Personal internet archives and ethics
Authors: Lomborg Stine
Published: September 2012

In its ethics guidelines, the Association of Internet Researchers advocates a bottom-up, case-based approach to research ethics, one that emphasizes that ethical judgement must be based on a sensible examination of the unique object and circumstances of a study, its research questions, the data involved, and the expected analysis and reporting of results, along with the possible ethical dilemmas arising from the case. This article clarifies and illustrates the mind-set and process of such a bottom-up approach to internet research ethics. Two ethics concepts to think with, namely ‘the distance principle’, and the notion of ‘perceived privacy’, are introduced and applied in a concrete empirical internet study, in which web archives based on personal communications on social media formed the main body of data. The empirical case example serves to highlight the unique challenges of internet research ethics, in light of the blurring boundaries between text and person, and between private and public on the internet, with profound implications and challenges for the definition of human subjects, privacy, and so on.
Enhancing Brain Lesions in a Renal Transplant Patient
Authors: Moscato Margaret , Boon-Unge Kritsanapol , Restrepo Lucas
Published: September 2012

Neurologists should be familiar with the spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) pathology that renal transplants patients are prone to. We are presenting a case of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder of the CNS to highlight less commonly described imaging findings and review this disease entity.
Living Smart, Living Fit
Authors: Olayiwola J. Nwando , Irizarry O. Corazon , O’Connell Kelli , Milan Stephanie
Published: September 2012

Background: Depression and obesity/overweight during pregnancy are important public health concerns, as they are frequently associated with poor birth outcomes. The Living Smart, Living Fit® (LSLF) program was an intervention program initiated in 2008 to provide comprehensive care to low-income pregnant and postpartum women with elevated body mass index (BMI) and depressive symptoms. It linked patients to clinical care coordinators trained in motivational interviewing who promoted participation in a portfolio of mental and physical wellness activities. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of LSLF in improving depression, BMI, birth weight, and smoking status among low-income perinatal patients. Methods: Women with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scores ≥10 and/or BMI >25 kg/m2 at their prenatal intake visit were eligible for enrollment into the LSLF program. Enrolled participants met with clinical care coordinators who encouraged engagement in a portfolio of LSLF activities that included pregnancy/family, physical health, and mental health interventions. Outcomes were measured at the 6-week postpartum visit and included change in PHQ-9 scores, change in BMI, birth weight, and change in smoking status. Results: Of the 107 enrollees, 86% participated in some LSLF activity. Participation in pregnancy/family related activities was significantly associated with decreased PHQ-9 scores. Participation in mental health services was significantly associated with increased birth weight. No changes in BMI or smoking status were associated with LSLF involvement. Conclusions: The findings of this pilot study indicate that pregnant women with depression or obesity/overweight can benefit from care coordination and a portfolio of activities for mental and physical wellness. The LSLF program provides a model for delivering this patient-centered comprehensive support. Further research should include more controlled trials to better evaluate the effectiveness of LSLF intervention.
Classical Music as Popular Music
Authors: VanWeelden Kimberly
Published: September 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine which “popular” classical repertoire is familiar and predictable to adolescents. Specifically, the study sought to examine (1) if students had heard the music before, (2) where they had heard the music before, and (3) if they could “name that tune.” Participants ( N = 668) for this study were middle school ( n = 220) and high school ( n = 448) students who listened to 30 classical music excerpts and answered the research questions for each piece. The majority of students (87%) reported previously hearing the music. Students also indicated the various contexts in which they had heard the repertoire, including a number of contemporary media, school music classrooms, and/or live performance situations. Even so, only 50% of the students were able to correctly identify just three of the 30 musical excerpts: Flight of the Bumblebee, Hallelujah Chorus, and Pomp and Circumstance. Further results are discussed in the article.
The Effect of Instruction on Children’s Perceived Musical Tension in Debussy’s Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maisons
Authors: Hackworth Rhonda S. , Fredrickson William E.
Published: September 2012

The study explored possible effects of instruction (highlighting a choral composition’s historical and social context) on perceived musical tension recorded by children ( N = 62). Children listened to a recording of Debussy’s Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maisons (The Christmas Carol of the Children who No Longer Have a House/Home) performed by a children’s choir in French. Responses were recorded using the Continuous Response Digital Interface. Examination of graphs showed the mean responses of groups, control (with text translation only) versus experimental (with text translation plus instruction), to be quite similar. Differences between groups were minimal, individualized by participant, and most likely, not significant. When comparing responses of the children in the current study to college music majors in a previous study using the same recording, directional similarities in the graphs were noted (consistent with other research comparing perceived tension of children and adults).
Global endometrial transcriptomic profiling: transient immune activation precedes tissue proliferation and repair in healthy beef cows
Authors: Foley Cathriona , Chapwanya Aspinas , Creevey Christopher J , Narciandi Fernando , Morris Derek , Kenny Elaine M , Cormican Paul , Callanan John J , O’Farrelly Cliona , Meade Kieran G
Published: September 2012

Background

All cows experience bacterial contamination and tissue injury in the uterus postpartum, instigating a local inflammatory immune response. However mechanisms that control inflammation and achieve a physiologically functioning endometrium, while avoiding disease in the postpartum cow are not succinctly defined. This study aimed to identify novel candidate genes indicative of inflammation resolution during involution in healthy beef cows. Previous histological analysis of the endometrium revealed elevated inflammation 15 days postpartum (DPP) which was significantly decreased by 30 DPP. The current study generated a genome-wide transcriptomic profile of endometrial biopsies from these cows at both time points using mRNA-Seq. The pathway analysis tool GoSeq identified KEGG pathways enriched by significantly differentially expressed genes at both time points. Novel candidate genes associated with inflammatory resolution were subsequently validated in additional postpartum animals using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results

mRNA-Seq revealed 1,107 significantly differentially expressed genes, 73 of which were increased 15 DPP and 1,034 were increased 30 DPP. Early postpartum, enriched immune pathways (adjustedP < 0.1) included the T cell receptor signalling pathway, graft-versus-host disease and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways. However 30 DPP, where the majority of genes were differentially expressed, the enrichment (adjustedP < 0.1) of tissue repair and proliferative activity pathways was observed. Nineteen candidate genes selected from mRNA-Seq results, were independently assessed by qRT-PCR in additional postpartum cows (5 animals) at both time points.SAA1/2, GATA2, IGF1, SHC2,andSERPINA14genes were significantly elevated 30 DPP and are functionally associated with tissue repair and the restoration of uterine homeostasis postpartum.

Conclusions

The results of this study reveal an early activation of the immune response which undergoes a temporal functional change toward tissue proliferation and regeneration during endometrial involution in healthy postpartum cows. These molecular changes mirror the activation and resolution of endometrial inflammation during involution previously classified by the degree of neutrophil infiltration.SAA1/2, GATA2, IGF1, SHC2,andSERPINA14genes may become potential markers for resolution of endometrial inflammation in the postpartum cow.
Single cell analysis of Vibrio harveyi uncovers functional heterogeneity in response to quorum sensing signals
Authors: Anetzberger Claudia , Schell Ursula , Jung Kirsten
Published: September 2012

Background

Vibrio harveyiand closely related species are important pathogens in aquaculture. A complex quorum sensing cascade involving three autoinducers controls bioluminescence and several genes encoding virulence factors. Single cell analysis of aV. harveyipopulation has already indicated intercellular heterogeneity in the production of bioluminescence. This study was undertaken to analyze the expression of various autoinducer-dependent genes in individual cells.

Results

Here we used reporter strains bearing promoter::gfpfusions to monitor the induction/repression of three autoinducer-regulated genes in wild type conjugates at the single cell level. Two genes involved in pathogenesis -vhpandvscP, which code for an exoprotease and a component of the type III secretion system, respectively, andluxC(the first gene in theluxoperon) were chosen for analysis. Theluxoperon and the exoprotease gene are induced, whilevscPis repressed at high cell density. As controlsluxSandrecA,whose expression is not dependent on autoinducers, were examined. The responses of the promoter::gfpfusions in individual cells from the same culture ranged from no to high induction. Importantly, simultaneous analysis of two autoinducer induced phenotypes, bioluminescence (light detection) and exoproteolytic activity (fluorescence of a promoter::gfpfusion), in single cells provided evidence for functional heterogeneity within aV. harveyipopulation.

Conclusions

Autoinducers are not only an indicator for cell density, but play a pivotal role in the coordination of physiological activities within the population.
Dietary correlates of an at-risk BMI among Inuit adults in the Canadian high arctic: cross-sectional international polar year Inuit health survey, 2007-2008
Authors: Zienczuk Natalia , Young T Kue , Cao Zhirong R , Egeland Grace M
Published: September 2012

Background

The study’s objective was to investigate the dietary correlates of an at-risk body mass index (BMI) among Inuit adults from thirty-six communities across the Canadian Arctic using data from the cross-sectional International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey, conducted in 2007–2008.

Methods

The survey included assessments of 24-hr dietary recall, sociodemographics, physical activity, and anthropometry. Dietary characteristics of overweight and obesity were similar and therefore combined into one at- risk BMI category (≥25 kg/m2) for analyses. The relationship between an at-risk BMI and energy intake from macronutrients, high sugar drinks, high-fat foods, saturated fatty acids, and traditional foods were examined entering each dietary variable separately into a logistic regression model as an independent variable. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, region, kcalories, walking, smoking and alcohol consumption. Further multivariable models considered selected dietary variables together in one model.

Results

An at-risk BMI was present for 64% with a prevalence of overweight and obesity of 28% and 36%, respectively. Consumption of high-sugar drinks (>15.5% E) was significantly related with having an at-risk BMI (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.2; 2.2), whereas the % E from total carbohydrate evaluated as a continuous variable and as quartiles was inversely related to an at-risk BMI (P -trend < 0.05) in multivariable analyses. While % E from high-fat foods was positively related to an at-risk BMI, the findings were not significant in a model controlling for high-sugar drinks and % E from carbohydrates.

Conclusions

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is of public health concern among Inuit. The current findings highlight the obesogenic potential of high-sugar drink consumption in an ethnically distinct population undergoing rapid cultural changes and raises concerns regarding carbohydrate restricted diets. Health promotion programs aimed at preventing the development of an unhealthy body weight should focus on physical activity and the promotion of healthy diets with reduced intake of sugar drinks.
Strong innate immune response and cell death in chicken splenocytes infected with genotype VIId Newcastle disease virus
Authors: Hu Zenglei , Hu Jiao , Hu Shunlin , Liu Xiaowen , Wang Xiaoquan , Zhu Jie , Liu Xiufan
Published: September 2012

Background

Genotype VIId Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates induce more severe damage to lymphoid tissues, especially to the spleen, when compared to virulent viruses of other genotypes. However, the biological basis of the unusual pathological changes remains largely unknown.

Methods

Virus replication, cytokine gene expression profile and cell death response in chicken splenocytes infected with two genotype VIId NDV strains (JS5/05 and JS3/05), genotype IX NDV strain F48E8 and genotype IV NDV strain Herts/33 were evaluated. Statistical significance of differences between experimental groups was determined using the Independent-Samples T test.

Results

JS5/05 and JS3/05 caused hyperinduction of type I interferons (IFNs) (IFN-α and -β) during detection period compared to F48E8 and Herts/33. JS5/05 increased expression level of IFN-γ gene at 6 h post-inoculation (pi) and JS3/05 initiated sustained activation of IFN-γ within 24 h pi, whereas transcriptional levels of IFN-γ remained unchanged at any of the time points during infection of F48E8 and Herts/33. In addition, compared to F48E8 and Herts/33, JS3/05 and JS5/05 significantly increased the amount of free nucleosomal DNA in splenocytes at 6 and 24 h pi respectively. Annexin-V and Proidium iodid (PI) double staining of infected cells showed that cell death induced by JS3/05 and JS5/05 was characterized by marked necrosis compared to F48E8 and Herts/33 at 24 h pi. These results indicate that genotype VIId NDV strains JS3/05 and JS5/05 elicited stronger innate immune and cell death responses in chicken splenocytes than F48E8 and Herts/33. JS5/05 replicated at a significantly higher efficiency in splenocytes than F48E8 and Herts/33. Early excessive cell death induced by JS3/05 infection partially impaired virus replication.

Conclusions

Viral dysregulaiton of host response may be relevant to the severe pathological manifestation in the spleen following genotype VIId NDV infection.
Sonographic cervical motion tenderness: A sign found in a patientÂ with pelvic inflammatory disease
Authors: Lewiss Resa E , Saul Turandot , Goldflam Katja
Published: September 2012

No single historical, physical, laboratory, or imaging finding is both sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Cervical motion tenderness (CMT), when present, is classically found on bimanual examination of the cervix and uterus. CMT is often associated with PID but can be present in other disease entities. We present a case report of a patient who was ultimately diagnosed with acute PID. The evaluating physician performed a trans-vaginal bedside ultrasound, and the operator appreciated ‘sonographic CMT’. In cases where the physical examination is equivocal or in patients where the exact location of tenderness is difficult to discern, performing a trans-vaginal bedside ultrasound examination can increase the physician's confidence that CMT is present as the cervix is being directly visualized as pressure is applied with the probe. Bedside ultrasound and specifically sonographic CMT may prove useful in diagnosing PID in patients with equivocal or unclear physical examination findings.
A recyclable PEG-crowned potassium tribromide [{K+PEG}·Br3−] for the synthesis of tetrabromobisphenol A
Authors: Verma Sanny , Jain Suman L , Sain Bir
Published: September 2012

Polyethylene glycol-bound potassium tribromide [{K+PEG}·Br3
−] was found to be an efficient brominating agent for the bromination of bisphenol A to tetrabromobisphenol A of a very high purity in excellent yield. The brominating agent was easily prepared by reacting the PEG400 with KBr3 using the host-guest chemistry concept. The effect of various reaction parameters such as solvent, temperature, and concentration of brominating agent on the yield and purity of tetrabromobisphenol A was studied. The key advantages of the developed method are the use of inexpensive, non-volatile poly(ethylene)glycols, facile regeneration, and inbuilt recycling of generated HBr waste.
Strategy for automated analysis of passive microseismic data based on S-transform, Otsu’s thresholding, and higher order statistics
Authors: Tselentis G-Akis , Martakis Nikolaos , Paraskevopoulos Paraskevas , Lois Athanasios , Sokos Efthimios
Published: September 2012

Small-magnitude seismic events, either natural or induced microearthquakes, have increasingly been used in exploration seismology with applications ranging from hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoir exploration to high-resolution passive seismic tomography surveys. We developed an automated methodology for processing and analyzing continuously recorded, single-channel seismic data. This method comprised a chi-squared-based statistical test for microseismic event detection and denoising filtering in the S-transform domain based on the Otsu thresholding method. An automatic P-phase picker based on higher order statistics criteria was used. The method was used with data from a surface seismic station. The performance of the method was tested and evaluated on synthetic and real data from a microseismic network used in a high-resolution PST survey and revealed a high level of consistency.
Advances in Immuno–Positron Emission Tomography: Antibodies for Molecular Imaging in Oncology
Authors: Knowles Scott M. , Wu Anna M.
Published: September 2012

Identification of cancer cell–surface biomarkers and advances in antibody engineering have led to a sharp increase in the development of therapeutic antibodies. These same advances have led to a new generation of radiolabeled antibodies and antibody fragments that can be used as cancer-specific imaging agents, allowing quantitative imaging of cell-surface protein expression in vivo. Immuno–positron emission tomography (immunoPET) imaging with intact antibodies has shown success clinically in diagnosing and staging cancer. Engineered antibody fragments, such as diabodies, minibodies, and single-chain Fv (scFv) –Fc, have been successfully employed for immunoPET imaging of cancer cell–surface biomarkers in preclinical models and are poised to bring same-day imaging into clinical development. ImmunoPET can potentially provide a noninvasive approach for obtaining target-specific information useful for titrating doses for radioimmunotherapy, for patient risk stratification and selection of targeted therapies, for evaluating response to therapy, and for predicting adverse effects, thus contributing to the ongoing development of personalized cancer treatment.
Improving Safety of Glucose Control in Intensive Care using Virtual Patients and Simulated Clinical Trials
Authors: Fisk Liam M. , Le Compte Aaron J. , Shaw Geoffrey M. , Chase J. Geoffrey
Published: September 2012

Despite the potential clinical benefits of normalizing blood glucose in critically ill patients, the risk of hypoglycemia is a major barrier to widespread clinical adoption of accurate glycemic control. To compare five glucose control protocols, a validated insulin‐glucose system model was employed to perform simulated clinical trials. STAR, SPRINT, UNC, Yale and Glucontrol protocols were assessed over a medical‐surgical intensive care unit patient cohort. Results were interpreted separately for patients with low to high sensitivity to insulin, and low to high variability in metabolic state. STAR and SPRINT provided good glucose control with risk of severe hypoglycemia less than 0.05% across all patient groups. UNC also achieved good control for patients with low and medium levels of insulin sensitivity (SI), but risk of severe hypoglycemia was raised for patients with high SI. Glucontrol showed degradation of performance for patients with high metabolic variability.
Fire Scenario and Structural Behaviour in Underground Parking Garages
Authors: Bamonte Patrick , Felicetti Roberto
Published: September 2012

The objective of this paper is to investigate the main factors governing the fire behaviour of a typical underground garage roof consisting of a flat concrete slab supported by a number of relatively slender columns. On the basis of the available literature, and of reasonable assumptions, the fire scenario is worked out first, by properly modelling the temperature evolution in the ambient surrounding the structural members. This preliminary step is instrumental in solving the heat transfer problem from the ambient to the structural members. The calculated thermal field makes it possible to evaluate the decay of the mechanical properties as a function of the temperature. The stiffness decay, together with the thermal deformations, often brings in significant redistributions of the internal forces. The main factors are studied, and some general considerations are drawn on the overall safety of the structure under examination.
Analysis of Industrial Steel Portal Frames in Fire
Authors: Huang Zhaohui , Song Yuanyuan
Published: September 2012

This paper presents a robust numerical model for dealing with temporary instabilities which occur in the numerical analysis of steel structures under fire conditions. The model adopts the combined static-dynamic solution procedure to model ‘snap-through’ behaviour of industrial steel portal frame in fire. This new method allows solution procedure automatically switch between static and dynamic approaches, with the objective mainly for overcoming a transitory stage of instability in structural modelling. The current model is computationally very efficient compared to conducting full dynamic analysis of the structures for the whole duration of fire. The method could easily be applied for modelling composite and reinforced concrete buildings under fire conditions. The snap-through instability of the pitched portal frame has been modelled successfully by the new procedure. The method could provide a very useful modelling tool for the perform-based fire safety design of industrial buildings, as a much more realistic alternative to the highly simplified design methods which are currently in use.
Developing Media Literacy by Teaching Citizens the Standards of Professional Journalism
Authors: Negreyeva Iryna , Prasad Revati
Published: September 2012

The lifeblood of developing democracies is a well-informed and engaged electorate, which requires a free and vibrant press. However, where journalistic standards are lax, and media often face pressure from government and business, a lack of media literacy hampers a citizen’s access
to accurate and independent media. Citizens become accustomed to the poor journalistic standards and lose all trust in the fourth estate including any independent media. Just as a more informed electorate demands better governance, Internews Network, an international media development NGO,
hypothesized that a more media literate audience demands higher journalistic standards. Since 2003, Internews has implemented a comprehensive media development program in Ukraine, U-Media. Drawing on the work of experts like Renee Hobbs, Chris Worsnop, Neil Andersen, Jeff Share and Scott Sullivan,
Internews has focused on journalistic standards and their relationship with media literacy.
Dancing to the music of time: An experiential learning exercise in dementia care
Authors: Capstick Andrea
Published: September 2012

This article presents findings from an experiential learning exercise in which 34 care practitioners enrolled on a part-time B.Sc. programme in Dementia Studies were asked to identify their own favourite music, and then to investigate the musical preferences of one of their clients
with dementia. For both groups, practitioners and clients, three dominant themes influencing choice of music emerged: loving relationships; significant life events and places, and a sense of physical enjoyment. This exercise enabled the group of practitioners involved to identify commonalities
between their own musical memories and those of their clients with dementia. They also uncovered considerable amount of new information about their client’s life histories. On this basis they were able to make a number of new recommendations for improving care practice.
Photos to ‘show the world what we’re going through’: Women use images to talk about living with HIV/AIDS
Authors: Teti Michelle , Massie Jenne , Cheak-Zamora Nancy , Binson Diane
Published: September 2012

The growing number of women living with HIV/AIDS (WLH/A) underscores the importance of effective prevention programmes to help women promote their own health and protect their partners from HIV transmission. We elicited WLH/A perspectives about their health promotion and prevention
programme needs in a photovoice project called Sharing Stories. Photovoice is a qualitative, participatory research method that uses photography and critical group dialogue to help people identify their health priorities and inform practice. Ten WLH/A participated in the project and took pictures,
engaged in group discussions, and planned and held a public photo exhibit. We digitally recorded and transcribed group discussion sessions and performed a content analysis to identify key themes in the data. Women’s photos and discussions centred on the importance of: (1) support networks;
(2) living healthily with HIV/AIDS; (3) daily stressors and socio-structural challenges, and; (4) growth and transformation. Our findings suggest that prevention and health programmes for WLH/A need to focus holistically on women’s physical, mental and social health; help women identify
sources of social and emotional support; recognize WLH/A as healthy and capable; and help create healthy structural environments for WLH/A, like appropriate housing. Photovoice was a powerful strategy to motivate meaningful discussions as well as action among WLH/A.
Spectacular infrastructure: The mediatic space of Montreal’s ‘Quartier des spectacles’
Authors: Mckim Joel
Published: September 2012

Montréal’s ‘Quartier des spectacles’ development plan represents a substantial investment in the city’s creative economy and built infrastructure. A striking element of this urban initiative is the manner in which the architectural structures and public
spaces of the area are themselves in the process of becoming spectacular through the incorporation of numerous media technologies. Traditional dividing lines between public art, urban design and site branding are significantly blurred in the mediatic space of downtown Montréal. This
article will discuss a number of public art installations that have already taken form within the Quartier des spectacles and consider how these projects coincide with or challenge existing interpretative models of aesthetics, economy and public space.
The Freee Collective Don’t Want You!
Authors: Beech Dave , Hewitt Andy , Jordan Mel
Published: September 2012

Freee proposes a new conception of participation for art. We address current debates on art and participation, for example in the theories and positions of Grant Kester and Claire Bishop. These two positions set a polarized debate between a social and collaborative ethic in art, and
the shock tactics of an avant-garde art. For us, publics are not reducible to the individuals found in the marketplace or the political and cultural encounters of the spectacle (consumers, fans, viewers, customers, etc.). A public has agency, which is why we prefer performative actants (witnesses,
signatories, advocates, etc.).
‘Choreographies of nationhood’: Performing aviation as spectacle
Authors: Wilkie Fiona
Published: September 2012

In a context of the rapid development of air travel over the last century, this article posits flight as a performed spectacle and investigates the relationship between ‘aeromobility’ and ideas of national identity. It explores some of the ways in which aircraft have been
employed and addressed in arts practices from Futurism to the 2012 London Olympics. In doing so, it argues that such practices are revealing of a complex and shifting relationship to an increasingly mobile world.
EXHIBITION REVIEW
Authors: Curtin Brian
Published: September 2012

Untitled, Khvay Samnang, Sa Sa Bassac, Phnom Penh (curated by Erin Gleeson), 15 July–21 August 2011