bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composite Cell Sheets
Authors: Bel Alain , Planat-Bernard Valérie , Saito Atsuhiro , Bonnevie Lionel , Bellamy Valérie , Sabbah Laurent , Bellabas Linda , Brinon Benjamin , Vanneaux Valérie , Pradeau Pascal , Peyrard Séverine , Larghero Jérôme , Pouly Julia , Binder Patrice , Garcia Sylvie , Shimizu Tatsuya , Sawa Yoshiki , Okano Teruo , Bruneval Patrick , Desnos Michel , Hagège Albert A. , Casteilla Louis , Pucéat Michel , Menasché Philippe
Published: September 2010

Background—

The safety and efficacy of myocardial regeneration using embryonic stem cells are limited by the risk of teratoma and the high rate of cell death.

Methods and Results—

To address these issues, we developed a composite construct made of a sheet of adipose tissue–derived stroma cells and embryonic stem cell–derived cardiac progenitors. Ten Rhesus monkeys underwent a transient coronary artery occlusion followed, 2 weeks later, by the open-chest delivery of the composite cell sheet over the infarcted area or a sham operation. The sheet was made of adipose tissue–derived stroma cells grown from a biopsy of autologous adipose tissue and cultured onto temperature-responsive dishes. Allogeneic Rhesus embryonic stem cells were committed to a cardiac lineage and immunomagnetically sorted to yield SSEA-1
+
cardiac progenitors, which were then deposited onto the cell sheet. Cyclosporine was given for 2 months until the animals were euthanized. Preimplantation studies showed that the SSEA-1
+
progenitors expressed cardiac markers and had lost pluripotency. After 2 months, there was no teratoma in any of the 5 cell-treated monkeys. Analysis of >1500 histological sections showed that the SSEA-1
+
cardiac progenitors had differentiated into cardiomyocytes, as evidenced by immunofluorescence and real-time polymerase chain reaction. There were also a robust engraftment of autologous adipose tissue–derived stroma cells and increased angiogenesis compared with the sham animals.

Conclusions—

These data collected in a clinically relevant nonhuman primate model show that developmentally restricted SSEA-1
+
cardiac progenitors appear to be safe and highlight the benefit of the epicardial delivery of a construct harboring cells with a cardiomyogenic differentiation potential and cells providing them the necessary trophic support.
Mechanism of Beneficial Effects of Restrictive Mitral Annuloplasty in Patients With Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Functional Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Takeda Koji , Taniguchi Kazuhiro , Shudo Yasuhiro , Kainuma Satoshi , Hamada Seiki , Matsue Hajime , Matsumiya Goro , Sawa Yoshiki
Published: September 2010

Background—

Restrictive mitral annuloplasty (RMA) often leads to reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with advanced cardiomyopathy and functional mitral regurgitation. However, the mechanism responsible for its favorable effects on LV ejection performance has been poorly understood. We evaluated systolic wall stress using cineangiographic multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and our developed software system to assess stress-shortening relations before and after RMA.

Methods and Results—

Twenty-four patients with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent 64-row MDCT before and 2 months after RMA. All patients underwent stringent downsizing annuloplasty with a semirigid complete ring. Reconstructed images were used to calculate LV end-diastolic index (EDVI) and end-systolic volume index (ESVI), LV ejection fraction, and regional and global end-systolic wall stress (ESS). After RMA, LVEDVI and LVESVI decreased from 151±52 to 131±53 mL/m
2
(
P
=0.0001) and from 114±48 to 92±50 mL/m
2
(
P
=0.0001), respectively. Global ESS decreased from 157±43 to 139±50 kdyne/cm
2
(
P
=0.01), and LV ejection fraction improved from 27±8.0 to 33±13% (
P
=0.0007). There were significant correlations between change in LVEDVI and LVESVI (
r
=0.88,
P
<0.0001) and change in LVESVI and global ESS (
r
=0.68,
P
=0.0002). Moreover, the magnitude of increase in LV ejection fraction significantly correlated with the degree of reduction in global ESS (
r
=−0.61,
P
=0.002). Patients without significant reverse LV remodeling had significantly higher preoperative and postoperative global ESS than those with it.

Conclusions—

Our study suggests that decrease in afterload after reduction in volume overload was responsible for postoperative reverse LV remodeling process after RMA.
The Pattern of Leptomeningeal Collaterals on CT Angiography Is a Strong Predictor of Long-Term Functional Outcome in Stroke Patients With Large Vessel Intracranial Occlusion
Authors: Lima Fabricio O. , Furie Karen L. , Silva Gisele S. , Lev Michael H. , Camargo Érica C.S. , Singhal Aneesh B. , Harris Gordon J. , Halpern Elkan F. , Koroshetz Walter J. , Smith Wade S. , Yoo Albert J. , Nogueira Raul G.
Published: September 2010

Background and Purpose—

The role of noninvasive methods in the evaluation of collateral circulation has yet to be defined. We hypothesized that a favorable pattern of leptomeningeal collaterals, as identified by CT angiography, correlates with improved outcomes.

Methods—

Data from a prospective cohort study at 2 university-based hospitals where CT angiography was systematically performed in the acute phase of ischemic stroke were analyzed. Patients with complete occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery and/or the middle cerebral artery (M1 or M2 segments) were selected. The leptomeningeal collateral pattern was graded as a 3-category ordinal variable (less, equal, or greater than the unaffected contralateral hemisphere). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to define the independent predictors of good outcome at 6 months (modified Rankin Scale score ≤2).

Results—

One hundred ninety-six patients were selected. The mean age was 69±17 years and the median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score was 13 (interquartile range, 6 to 17). In the univariate analysis, age, baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, prestroke modified Rankin Scale score, Alberta Stroke Programme Early CT score, admission blood glucose, history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, site of occlusion, and collateral pattern were predictors of outcome. In the multivariate analysis, age (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93 to 0.98;
P
=0.001), baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (OR, 0.75; 0.69 to 0.83;
P
<0.001), prestroke modified Rankin Scale score (OR, 0.41; 0.22 to 0.76;
P
=0.01), intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (OR, 4.92; 1.83 to 13.25;
P
=0.01), diabetes (OR, 0.31; 0.01 to 0.98;
P
=0.046), and leptomeningeal collaterals (OR, 1.93; 1.06 to 3.34;
P
=0.03) were identified as independent predictors of good outcome.

Conclusion—

Consistent with angiographic studies, leptomeningeal collaterals on CT angiography are also a reliable marker of good outcome in ischemic stroke.
The Decline of African American Theology? A Critical Response to Thabiti Anyabwile
Authors: Yong Amos , Brogdon Lewis
Published: September 2010

Thabiti Anyabwile’s recent book, The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity, presents a historical and theological critique of developments in the African American theological tradition. Yet Anyabwile’s polemic is questionable as it is based on Reformed theology’s reading of the Bible. This essay raises questions about the methodological underpinnings of Anyabwile’s thesis, particularly its problematic and uncritical application to the African American Christian experience, and suggests in turn that the author should have written another kind of book to further the conversation about African American theology.
Numerical Investigations of Seasonal and Interannual Variability of North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water and Its Implications for Pacific Climate Variability
Authors: Davis Xujing Jia , Rothstein Lewis M. , Dewar William K. , Menemenlis Dimitris
Published: September 2010

North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (NPSTMW) is an essential feature of the North Pacific subtropical gyre imparting significant influence on regional SST evolution on seasonal and longer time scales and, as such, is an important component of basin-scale North Pacific climate variability. This study examines the seasonal-to-interannual variability of NPSTMW, the physical processes responsible for this variability, and the connections between NPSTMW and basin-scale climate signals using an eddy-permitting 1979–2006 ocean simulation made available by the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Phase II (ECCO2). The monthly mean seasonal cycle of NPSTMW in the simulation exhibits three distinct phases: (i) formation during November–March, (ii) isolation during March–June, and (iii) dissipation during June–November—each corresponding to significant changes in upper-ocean structure. An interannual signal is also evident in NPSTMW volume and other characteristic properties with volume minima occurring in 1979, 1988, and 1999. This volume variability is correlated with the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) with zero time lag. Further analyses demonstrate the connection of NPSTMW to the basin-scale ocean circulation. With this, modulations of upper-ocean structure driven by the varying strength and position of the westerlies as well as the regional air–sea heat flux pattern are seen to contribute to the variability of NPSTMW volume on interannual time scales.
Mechanisms Associated with Large Daily Rainfall Events in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Liebmann Brant , Kiladis George N. , Allured Dave , Vera Carolina S. , Jones Charles , Carvalho Leila M. V. , Bladé Ileana , Gonzáles Paula L. M.
Published: September 2010

The mechanisms resulting in large daily rainfall events in Northeast Brazil are analyzed using data filtering to exclude periods longer than 30 days. Composites of circulation fields that include all independent events do not reveal any obvious forcing mechanisms as multiple patterns contribute to Northeast Brazil precipitation variability. To isolate coherent patterns, subsets of events are selected based on anomalies that precede the Northeast Brazil precipitation events at different locations. The results indicate that at 10°S, 40°W, the area of lowest annual rainfall in Brazil, precipitation occurs mainly in association with trailing midlatitude synoptic wave trains originating in either hemisphere. Closer to the equator at 5°S, 37.5°W, an additional convection precursor is found to the west, with a spatial structure consistent with that of a Kelvin wave. Although these two sites are located within only several hundred kilometers of each other and the midlatitude patterns that induce precipitation appear to be quite similar, the dates on which large precipitation anomalies occur at each location are almost entirely independent, pointing to separate forcing mechanisms.
Relationship between the Arctic Oscillation and Cold Surges over East Asia
Authors: Park Tae-Won , Ho Chang-Hoi , Yang Song
Published: September 2010

The present study reveals the changes in the characteristics of cold surges over East Asia associated with the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Based on circulation features, cold surges are grouped into two general types: wave train and blocking types. The blocking type of cold surge tends to occur during negative AO periods, that is, the AO-related polarity of the blocking type. However, the wave train type is observed during both positive and negative AO periods, although the wave train features associated with negative AO are relatively weaker. The cold surges during negative AO are stronger than those during positive AO in terms of both amplitude and duration. The cold surges during positive AO in which the extent of effect is confined to inland China passes through East Asia quickly because of weaker Siberian high and Aleutian low, leading to short duration of these cold surges. In contrast, the cold surge during negative AO, characterized by a well-organized anticyclone–cyclone couplet with high pressure over continental East Asia and low pressure over Japan, brings continuous cold air into the entire East Asian region for more than one week with long-lasting cold advection. It is also found that the tracks of the cold surges during negative AO tend to occur more frequently over Korea and Japan and less frequently over China, compared with those during positive AO. The tracks are related to a west–east dipole structure of the ratio of rain conversion to snow according to AO phase, resulting in freezing precipitation or snowfall events over inland China (Korea and Japan) are likely to occur more frequently during the positive (negative) AO periods.
Bayesian Forecasting of Seasonal Typhoon Activity: A Track-Pattern-Oriented Categorization Approach
Authors: Chu Pao-Shin , Zhao Xin , Ho Chang-Hoi , Kim Hyeong-Seog , Lu Mong-Ming , Kim Joo-Hong
Published: September 2010

A new approach to forecasting regional and seasonal tropical cyclone (TC) frequency in the western North Pacific using the antecedent large-scale environmental conditions is proposed. This approach, based on TC track types, yields probabilistic forecasts and its utility to a smaller region in the western Pacific is demonstrated. Environmental variables used include the monthly mean of sea surface temperatures, sea level pressures, low-level relative vorticity, vertical wind shear, and precipitable water of the preceding May. The region considered is the vicinity of Taiwan, and typhoon season runs from June through October. Specifically, historical TC tracks are categorized through a fuzzy clustering method into seven distinct types. For each cluster, a Poisson or probit regression model cast in the Bayesian framework is applied individually to forecast the seasonal TC activity. With a noninformative prior assumption for the model parameters, and following Chu and Zhao for the Poisson regression model, a Bayesian inference for the probit regression model is derived. A Gibbs sampler based on the Markov chain Monte Carlo method is designed to integrate the posterior predictive distribution. Because cluster 5 is the most dominant type affecting Taiwan, a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure is applied to predict seasonal TC frequency for this type for the period of 1979–2006, and the correlation skill is found to be 0.76.
Advection of the Salt Wedge and Evolution of the Internal Flow Structure in the Rotterdam Waterway
Authors: de Nijs Michel A. J. , Pietrzak Julie D. , Winterwerp Johan C.
Published: September 2010

An analysis of field measurements recorded over a tidal cycle in the Rotterdam Waterway is presented. These measurements are the first to elucidate the processes influencing the along-channel current structure and the excursion of the salt wedge in this estuary. The salt wedge structure remained stable throughout the measuring period. The velocity measurements indicate decoupling effects between the layers and that bed-generated turbulence is confined below the pycnocline. The barotropic M4 overtide structure is imposed at the mouth of the estuary, and the generation of M4 overtides within the estuary is found to be relatively small. Internal tidal asymmetry does not make a significant contribution to the M4 velocity frequency band. Instead, the combination of barotropic and baroclinic forcing, in conjunction with the suppression of turbulence at the interface, provides the main explanation for the time dependence and mean structure of the flow in the Rotterdam Waterway. This gives rise to the observed differences in the length of the flood and ebb, in the magnitudes of the flood and ebb velocities, in the length of the slack water periods, and in the timing of the onset of slack water at the surface and near the bed. It results in the formation of distinct exchange flow profiles at the head of the salt wedge around slack water and the creation of maximal velocities at the pycnocline during flood. Advection governs the displacement and structure of the salt wedge since turbulent mixing is suppressed. The tidal displacement of the salt wedge controls the height of the pycnocline above the bed at a particular site. Hence, it controls the height to which bed-generated turbulence can protrude into the water column. Consequently, the authors find asymmetries in the structure of the internal flow, turbulent mixing, and bed stresses that are not related to classical internal tidal asymmetry.
Typhoon Kai-Tak: An Ocean’s Perfect Storm
Authors: Chiang Tzu-Ling , Wu Chau-Ron , Oey Lie-Yauw
Published: September 2010

An unusually intense sea surface temperature drop (ΔSST) of about 10.8°C induced by the Typhoon Kai-Tak is observed in the northern South China Sea (SCS) in July 2000. Observational and high-resolution SCS model analyses were carried out to study the favorable conditions and relevant physical processes that cause the intense surface cooling by Kai-Tak. Upwelling and entrainment induced by Kai-Tak account for 62% and 31% of the ΔSST, respectively, so that upwelling dominates vertical entrainment in producing the surface cooling for a subcritical storm such as Kai-Tak. However, wind intensity and propagation speed alone cannot account for the large ΔSST. Prior to Kai-Tak, the sea surface was anomalously warm and the main thermocline was anomalously shallow. The cause was a delayed transition of winter to summer monsoon in the northern SCS in May 2000. This produced an anomalously strong wind stress curl and a cold eddy capped by a thin layer of very warm surface water west of Luzon. Kai-Tak was the ocean’s perfect storm in passing over the eddy at the “right time,” producing the record SST drop and high chlorophyll-a concentration.
Microaggressions and Women in Short-Term Psychotherapy: Initial Evidence
Authors: Owen Jesse , Tao Karen , Rodolfa Emil
Published: September 2010

The current study retrospectively examined the relationship between female clients’ perceptions of microaggressions directed toward women, working alliance, and therapeutic outcomes ( N = 121). A measure, the Microaggressions Against Women Scale (MAWS), was developed specifically for this study, based on a content review of the literature, focus group, and a panel of seven female psychologists. A latent class factor analysis (returning one factor) and internal consistency estimates supported the measure. Clients’ MAWS scores were negatively correlated with working alliance and therapy outcomes, suggesting that clients’ perceptions of microaggressions can influence the process and outcome of therapy. Last, working alliance mediated the negative relationship between microaggressions and therapy outcomes. Implications for practice and further research are provided.
Examining the Probability of Identification for Gifted Programs for Students in Georgia Elementary Schools: A Multilevel Path Analysis Study
Authors: McBee Matthew
Published: September 2010

This study focused on the analysis of a large-scale data set ( N = 326,352) collected by the Georgia Department of Education using multilevel path analysis to model the probability that a student would be identified for participation in a gifted program. The model examined individual- and school-level factors that influence the probability that an individual would be identified. The probability of being identified as gifted depended strongly on student race and socioeconomic status and varied strongly across schools.

Putting the Research to Use

This study provides a comprehensive examination of racial and socioeconomic disparities in gifted program participation in one state mandating gifted education and an identification scheme designed to increase participation among traditionally underrepresented groups of students. In spite of these policies, identification rates still varied widely across race and socioeconomic status. The study found that race still exerted strong effects on the probability of identification even after socioeconomic status was controlled. Furthermore, the study found that schools varied widely in the gifted identification rate even when some student characteristics were controlled. This study suggests that much work remains to be done in terms of ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have access to advanced educational programs.
Multigroup Construct Validity Evidence of the HOPE Scale: Instrumentation to Identify Low-Income Elementary Students for Gifted Programs
Authors: Peters Scott J. , Gentry Marcia
Published: September 2010

Students with exceptional academic potential who come from low-income families are frequently not identified for and consequently are underrepresented in gifted and talented programs. Because of this, new means of identifying such children must be developed. This article presents the findings of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted on the HOPE Scale, a 13-item teacher-rating instrument designed to identify academic and social components of giftedness in elementary-aged students. Participants included 349 teachers who completed HOPE Scales on 5,995 ethnically and economically diverse students from three rural and two metropolitan school districts in the Midwest. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was also used to evaluate measurement invariance between income groups. Findings suggest a two-factor model represents good fit for the data while remaining loyal to the latent constructs of academic and social giftedness. Although showing some legitimate mean differences, invariance test results suggested equivalence of model form, factor loading, and factor variances across income groups.

Putting the Research to Use

This research has important implications for practice. Frequently, traditional measures of achievement or aptitude under-identify children from low-income families. Concerns exist about the usefulness of teacher-ratings forms or scales in gifted and talented student identification. However, when given specific items or descriptors, teachers can provide useful information concerning student performance. The HOPE Scale provides items that teachers can use to rate specific social and academic behaviors of their students. Findings from this study revealed that teaches can effectively nominate low-income students for gifted programs. Further, items on the HOPE Scale were not biased against low-income students as rated by their teachers, meaning that the social and academic scales provided similar information concerning students in either income group. However, mean scores for student from low-income families on both scales were lower than their non-low income peers, providing evidence that instruments need to be normed on the specific groups for which their use is intended. Practitioners, should not shy away from using teacher nomination instruments, but they should consider the psychometric information available concerning the use of these instruments or rating forms as used with students in demographic groups of intended use. The HOPE Scale, as developed with indicated revisions, will provide educators and researchers with a simple, psychometrically sound instrument to help with identification of underrepresented student for gifted education services.
Thermal Conductivity of Carbon Nanotube Array Laminated Composite Materials
Authors: Abot Jandro L. , Bardin Gregory , Spriegel Courtney , Yi Song  , Raghavan Vasudevan , Govindaraju Nirmal
Published: September 2010

Thermal transport of laminated composite materials in their through-the-thickness direction is known to be significantly lower than in the in-plane laminate directions. This article presents the results of a study on the thermal conductivity of a nanoreinforced laminated composite (NRLC) comprising a carbon nanotube (CNT) array polymeric nanocomposite layer that is interspersed between the interfaces of the composite laminae. This NRLC is known to exhibit higher interlaminar shear properties than laminated composite materials without the array. The in-plane and through-the-thickness thermal conductivities of the NRLC and the corresponding laminated composite without the array were measured and compared to determine the effect of the array. In addition, a unit cell model was used to determine the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite layer. It was observed that the array increases the thermal conductivity in the in-plane directions and does not significantly affect it in the through-the-thickness direction of the laminated composite.
Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Early Childhood
Authors: Atzaba-Poria Naama
Published: September 2010

The present study set out to investigate the adjustment of Former Soviet Union (FSU) children living in Israel as well as their veteran-Israeli peers. The sample consisted of 145 children (70 veteran-Israelis and 75 FSU) between the ages of 4.0 and 6.5 years old ( M = 5.54, SD = .48) and their parents. Mothers and fathers reported about the children’s problem behavior and on their own parenting behavior. Analyses revealed that FSU children exhibited more externalizing and peer problems than did their veteran-Israeli peers. No significant differences, however, were found for internalizing problems. Furthermore, FSU mothers and fathers reported significantly lower levels of authoritarian parenting behavior than did their veteran-Israeli counterparts. Finally, ethnicity was found to moderate links between parenting and children’s problem behavior for mothers but not for fathers. Specifically, for the veteran-Israeli group, the more authoritarian mothers were, the more externalizing and peer problems their children exhibited. However, for the FSU families, the more authoritarian mothers were, the more internalizing problems suffered by their children. These findings suggest that authoritarian parenting may be reflected differently in distinct cultures and cultural conditions, and they highlight the importance of considering both mothers and fathers, as they may go through different acculturation processes.
National Culture as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Managers’ Use of Guidance Sources and How Well Work Events Are Handled
Authors: Smith Peter B. , Peterson Mark F. , Thomason Stephanie J.
Published: September 2010

Managerial leadership within 56 nations is examined in terms of the sources of guidance that managers use to handle work events. Correlations between the sources of guidance that managers use and the perceived effectiveness of how well these events are handled are employed to represent their schemas and attributional propensities for effectiveness. These correlations are predicted to vary in relation to dimensions of national culture. The hypotheses are tested using data from 7,701 managers. Reliance on one’s own experience and training, on formal rules and procedures, and on one’s subordinates are positively correlated with perceived effectiveness globally, whereas reliance on superiors, colleagues, and unwritten rules are negatively correlated with perceived effectiveness. Cross-level analyses revealed support for hypotheses specifying the ways in which each of these correlations is moderated by one or more of the dimensions of national culture first identified by Hofstede (1980). These results provide an advance on prior analyses that have tested only for main effect relationships between managerial leadership and national culture.
Fire and Ice
Authors: Güss Dominik C.
Published: September 2010

Extending research on complex problem solving (CPS) and dynamic decision making (DDM), this study investigated the relationship between horizontal-vertical individualism-collectivism, complex problem-solving strategies, and performance in two computer-simulated problem scenarios with different task demands. Participants were 535 students from Germany and the United States (both high on horizontal individualism), Brazil (high on horizontal collectivism), and India and the Philippines (both high on vertical collectivism). Path analyses revealed that horizontal individualism, horizontal collectivism, and vertical collectivism were related to action orientation, and action orientation and planning strategies were related to performance. Strategies were even stronger predictors of performance than the control variables computer experience and intelligence. The structural path model was confirmed for the overall sample and for each of the five national samples. Cross-cultural differences in the process model are discussed. Results showed the importance of cultural values in cognitive processing, specifically for the selection of CPS strategies.
Traumatic Histories and Stressful Life Events of Incarcerated Parents: Childhood and Adult Trauma Histories
Authors: Carlson Bonnie E. , Shafer Michael S.
Published: September 2010

Abuse and trauma are common in the histories of prison inmates. This article presents the results of research on the trauma histories and stressful life events experienced by 2,279 male and female inmate parents in Arizona, with a particular focus on gender and ethnic differences across inmates. A sample of 838 incarcerated fathers and 1,441 mothers completed anonymous questionnaires regarding traumatic and stressful events experienced as children and/or adults. High rates of exposure to childhood and adult traumatic events, especially child abuse, were found for both males and females and across ethnic groups.
Father India and the emergence of the global nation
Authors: Vasudevan Ravi
Published: September 2010

This article contributes to one of Patricia Uberoi’s research interests, how family films address identity conflicts in globalising India. It seeks to highlight the symbolic changes in narrative structure brought about by the shifting focus from mother to father as arbiter of national belonging in recent ‘family socials’. Particular attention is paid to the narrative and performative strategies involved in converting the father and images of the father to a more open social and multicultural design. The article analyses rhetorical modes of self-presentation and assertion, playful and ambiguous forms of characterisation and performance, and genre mixage such as inducting stunt scenes into family socials, as key resources for resolving identity conflicts and engaging spectator interest. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Aditya Chopra, 1995) and Kal Ho Na Ho (Nikhil Advani, 2004) are the main works used to analyse these changes, and special attention is devoted to the performance style of the emblematic star, Shah Rukh Khan, in traversing a plethora of identity questions.
Imagined and performed locality
Authors: Jain Kajri
Published: September 2010

A busy industrial centre in a prosperous agricultural state, the town of Ludhiana in Punjab has been a porous site for both overseas migration and an influx of workers from other parts of the country. In the early 2000s, in the wake of economic reforms in India, the city was celebrating a new sense of cultural identity, not only at the regional (Punjabi) level, but also—unexpectedly—at the level of the city itself. How did this recent self-reflexive public culture link up with the simultaneous consolidation of cable TV networks in the city? This article examines the imagined communities and self-images that foster and are fostered by this form of globalised media capitalism, through the commodification of cultural identity. At the same time, however, it argues that the establishment of a televisual regime is also accompanied by performed communities, whose political valence has remained largely unarticulated and unacknowledged. The interactions between these virtual and performative communities have unfolded in different registers, thriving on the largely informal arrangements that corporate television networks and advertisers have had to rely on to operate at the local level. Attending to interactions such as these may be a useful supplement to the emphasis on semiotic practices of ‘reading’ and meaning-making in ethnographies of the media.
‘Revolution forever’
Authors: Srivastava Sanjay
Published: September 2010

This article explores the cultures of urban spaces and consumerism at the economic and cultural margins of the city. Building upon contemporary research on the efflorescence of consumerism in the wake of economic ‘liberalisation’, it focuses on the involvement of residents of the erstwhile Nangla Matchi ‘slum’ in Delhi in the activities of the ‘multilevel marketing’ company Revolution Forever (RF). The discussion proceeds through presenting a series of ethnographic vignettes relating to those who ‘work’ for the company as well as ‘seminar’ sessions organised by it. The article suggests that poor people’s work as agents of RF allows us to explore their relationships with imagined and real spaces, commitment to the notion of ‘free enterprise’ and the ways in which the company’s operational methods reproduce and reinforce the unstable worlds of the urban poor.
A Typology of Multiple-Perpetrator Rape
Authors: Chambers Jemma C. , Horvath Miranda A.H. , Kelly Liz
Published: September 2010

Some consistency in existing typologies of rape has been found, which have extended from lone to multiple perpetrator offenses. The current study sought to explore the facets of multiple-perpetrator rape (MPR) in a sample representative of one geographical area. Seventy-five victim statements of MPR reported to an urban police force in the United Kingdom were classified into a qualitative model denoting offender actions in MPR. Four types from pathways through the model were produced: violence, criminality, intimacy, and sexuality. Analysis of the crime scene variables provided additional evidence of the four types. Finally, the associations between the four types and offense characteristics, such as victim and perpetrator age, were explored. Implications of these findings for the prevention and investigation of MPR are discussed along with suggestions for future research directions.
Exfoliation of Nanolayer Assemblies for Improved Natural Rubber Properties: Methods and Theory
Authors: Bhowmick Anil K. , Bhattacharya Mithun , Mitra Suman
Published: September 2010

Natural rubber (NR)-based nanocomposites were prepared by conventional processing techniques using various natural and modified nanoclays. For modified montmorillonite (Cloisite® 15A), the 300% modulus, tensile, and tear strength exhibited substantial increments of over the gum due to better dispersion. The unmodified montmorillonite clay (Cloisite® Na+) failed to improve the above properties significantly. The limitations of Cloisite® Na+-based NR nanocomposites prepared by the conventional method were alleviated using latex blending technique. Pre-exfoliated aqueous suspension of Cloisite® Na+ was blended with NR latex under special conditions and cured by pre-vulcanization as well as conventional curing. These showed predominantly exfoliated morphology along with substantially improved physical and mechanical properties. A simple theory based on effective surface area factor was proposed to account for the structure—property correlations.
Do Human and Social Capital Protect Young African American Mothers From Depression Associated With Ethnic Discrimination and Violence Exposure?
Authors: Lewin Amy , Mitchell Stephanie J. , Rasmussen Andrew , Sanders-Phillips Kathy , Joseph Jill G.
Published: September 2010

Young minority mothers are particularly vulnerable to depression associated with community-level or contextual stressors such as violence exposure and ethnic discrimination. This study explores whether human and social capital act as buffers of the associations between such stressors and maternal depression. Among a sample of 230 urban, African American mothers, who were teenagers when their preschool-age children were born, both being a victim of violence and experiencing ethnic discrimination predicted increased depressive symptoms, and higher educational attainment predicted fewer symptoms. Ethnic identity moderated the association between witnessed violence and maternal depression, and community cohesion moderated the association between ethnic discrimination and depression. Social support protected against depressive symptoms associated with witnessed violence but seemingly exacerbated depression associated with victimization. The specific roles that forms of human and social capital play in moderating the effects of contextual stressors suggest the need for nuanced programmatic efforts to reduce maternal depression among young African American mothers living in violence-prone, urban neighborhoods.
The Social Origins of Military Dictatorship in Ethiopia
Authors: Kebede Alem
Published: September 2010

The thesis of this study is that dictators cannot be made in spite of socially propitious circumstances for their existence. Accordingly, transcending person-centered approaches – which limit themselves to intra-individual dynamics in the explanation of the origin of authoritarianism – I demonstrate how four important factors in concert have contributed to the making of Mengistu HaileMariam of Ethiopia as a dictator. First, the social and political basis for Mengistu’s dictatorship was grilled by his predecessor, Emperor HaileSelassie, who, in order to augment his political position, was deeply interested in the centralization of power. Second, the absence of strong civil society, which could have acted as a counterweight to state power, set the condition for Mengistu’s dictatorial regime. Third, Mengistu and his table companions justified their rule by an emergent ideology whose premises were drawn from the political philosophy of Marxism–Leninism and the social history of Ethiopia. Finally, favorable international context created a structurally conducive atmosphere for dictatorship through the acquisition of appropriate resources that reinforced Mengistu’s militaristic establishment. However, none of these conditions by itself effectively addresses the issue under discussion without aligning it with the remaining set of conditions. Future study needs to focus on other cases in order to see if the same state of affairs were operative in the rise of a dictator.
Islamic Revivalism and Politics in Contemporary Pakistan
Authors: Mukherjee Kunal
Published: September 2010

The article tries to examine the rise of Islamism in Pakistan and argues that much of Islamic revivalism in Muslim countries like Pakistan is strongly related to power politics and personal gains of politicians and how political leaders use religion to suit their own needs to consolidate their own power base, especially when it lacks political legitimacy. The more democratic the regime, the less politicians feel the need to incorporate Islamist groups in their own power base and vice versa. We see this process of using Islamist groups to further one’s own needs happening since the creation of Pakistan and it reaches a peak during the times of General Zia-ul-Haque in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The article is especially interested in the role of the Jamaat-i-Islami and its interactions with different political leaders from independence till Musharraf. Although the article acknowledges that Islamism is multidimensional and that there are many factors associated with its rise but because much of it is inextricably linked with power politics and personal gains of both political and religious leaders and both groups benefiting from this symbiotic relationship, the problem of Islamism could be solved to some degree by making the government more accountable to the people by responding to demands coming from below and the need for stronger democratizing tendencies. The article makes use of a range of both primary and secondary sources to substantiate its key arguments.
Coercive Diplomacy and Press Freedom: An Empirical Assessment of the Impact of Economic Sanctions on Media Openness
Authors: Peksen Dursun
Published: September 2010

Despite the central role the media play in the domestic and foreign policy-making processes, very little research examines the influence of international factors on media openness. This article investigates the impact of coercive diplomacy (in the form of economic sanctions) on press freedom. It is argued that foreign economic coercion will likely deteriorate press freedom by (1) restricting a sanctioned country’s interactions with the outside world, thereby allowing the target regime to have greater control over the free flows of information, and (2) inflicting significant economic damage on the sustainability and development of independent media outlets. Using time-series, cross-national empirical data over a large number of countries for the period 1980—2000, the findings confirm economic sanctions’ negative effect on media openness. Extensive sanctions, in particular, have a greater negative impact on press freedom than more selective sanctions. Furthermore, multilateral sanctions will likely have a greater corrosive impact on media openness than unilateral sanctions.
Anti-amnesic and neuroprotective potentials of the mixed muscarinic receptor/sigma1(σ1) ligand ANAVEX2-73, a novel aminotetrahydrofuran derivative
Authors: Villard Vanessa , Espallergues Julie , Keller Emeline , Vamvakides Alexandre , Maurice Tangui
Published: September 2010

Tetrahydro-N, N-dimethyl-2, 2-diphenyl-3-furanmethanamine hydrochloride (ANAVEX2-73) binds to muscarinic acetylcholine and sigma1(σ1) receptors with affinities in the low micromolar range. We characterized its anti-amnesic and neuroprotective potentials in pharmacological and pathological amnesia models. Spatial working memory was evaluated using spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze and non-spatial memory using passive avoidance procedures. ANAVEX2-73 (0.01–3.0 mg/kg i.p.) alleviated the scopolamine- and dizocilpine-induced learning impairments. ANAVEX2-73 (300 µg/kg) also reversed the learning deficits in mice injected with Aβ25-35peptide, a non-transgenic Alzheimer’s disease model. When the drug was injected simultaneously with Aβ25-35, 7 days before the tests, it blocked the appearance of learning impairments. This protective activity was confirmed since ANAVEX2-73 blocked the Aβ25-35-induced oxidative stress in the hippocampus. This effect was differentially sensitive to the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine or the σ1protein antagonist BD1047, confirming the mixed muscarinic/σ1pharmacological action. Finally, its unique demethyl metabolite, ANAVEX19-144, was also effective and ANAVEX2-73 presented a longer duration of action, effective 12 h before Aβ25-35, than its related compound ANAVEX1-41. The neuroprotective activity of ANAVEX2-73, its mixed cholinergic/σ1activity, its low active dose range and its long duration of action together reinforce its therapeutic potential in Alzheimer’s disease.
Sounds of Silence
Authors: Shaghaghi Negar
Published: September 2010

In a culture where pop music can only thrive underground, Iranians have to defy convention to create their own music. Negar Shaghaghi reports
Tradition of Protest
Authors: Woeser
Published: September 2010

Performing political songs can lead to severe punishment in Tibet. Woeser celebrates a singer who is not afraid to confront taboos
Control Shift
Authors: Fairley Jan
Published: September 2010

Cuban musicians and artists are pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo. Jan Fairley interprets the counterpoint of free speech and censorship
Body and Soul
Authors: Charafeddine Chaza
Published: September 2010

Artist Chaza Charafeddine explains how popular notions of beauty were the inspiration for her series of portraits Divine Comedy
Bring Music, Bring Life
Authors: Barenboim Daniel
Published: September 2010

Daniel Barenboim tells Clemency Burton-Hill why music provides a model for living and governments continue to fear the power of its influence
In Vivo Visualization of Vascular Patterns of Rotator Cuff Tears Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
Authors: Funakoshi Tadanao , Iwasaki Norimasa , Kamishima Tamotsu , Nishida Mutsumi , Ito Yoichi , Kondo Makoto , Minami Akio
Published: September 2010

Background

Hypoxia and decreased blood supply have been proposed as risks for tendon rupture. Visualization of the vascularity of intact and torn rotator cuffs would be useful for improving treatments for rotator cuff tear.

Purpose

To assess vascularity inside a tendon or an adjacent rotator cuff insertion point in patients differing in age and extent of damage to the tendon.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Ten volunteers (all men) and 15 patients (10 men, 5 women) consented to participate in the study. Contrast agent for enhanced ultrasound was injected intravenously. Enhanced ultrasound images of the torn cuff and the contralateral shoulder were recorded for 1 minute. Four small regions of interest, the articular and bursal sides of the tendon and the medial and lateral sides of the bursa, were studied in all shoulders.

Results

There was a significant decrease in blood flow in the intratendinous region in elderly subjects compared with young subjects, but age had no effect on blood flow in bursal tissue. Blood flow in ruptured rotator cuffs did not differ from that in intact rotator cuffs. The intraclass correlation coefficient for intraobserver reproducibility was 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.86).

Conclusions

The findings of this investigation were the hypovascular pattern in intratendinous tissue compared with the subacromial bursa, the age-related decrease in intratendinous vascularity, and the hypovascular pattern in the tendon, regardless of rupture of the tendon. Clarification of vascular patterns inside or around the torn ends of a rotator cuff will assist in the development of successful treatments for torn rotator cuffs.
Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for Treatment of Focal Cartilage Defects in Patients Age 40 Years and Older
Authors: Niemeyer Philipp , Köstler Wolfgang , Salzmann Gian M. , Lenz Philipp , Kreuz Peter C. , Südkamp Norbert P.
Published: September 2010

Background

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is an accepted surgical treatment in patients with isolated cartilage defects of the knee. Age has been considered as a limiting factor and the technique has not been recommended in patients older than 40 to 50 years. Nevertheless, some more recent studies report satisfying clinical results in middle-aged patients.

Hypothesis

Analogous to the microfracture technique, age over 40 years is associated with inferior clinical outcome after ACI.

Study Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

Thirty-seven patients with an average age of 47.8 years (group 1) were matched with 37 patients with an average age of 31 years (group 2). Both groups underwent ACI for treatment of isolated cartilage defects of the knee. All patients were enrolled prospectively and followed for a period of 24 months using International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Lysholm scale, Cincinnati sports scale, and Tegner activity evaluation instruments.

Results

Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase in function after ACI in both groups as early as 6 months after surgery until the end of the study period. There was only a slight tendency for better clinical outcome in younger patients (IKDC at 24 months: group 1, 72.2 ± 15.8 [standard deviation]; group 2: 76.1 ± 14.1; P = .261; Lysholm at 24 months: group 1: 80.42 ± 15.37; group 2: 80.65 ± 12.01), no statistical significant differences were found between patients of group 1 and group 2 at any of the time points investigated.

Conclusion

In contrast to other cartilage repair techniques, patients 40 years and older do not have an inferior outcome up to 24 months after ACI for isolated cartilage defects when compared with younger patients.