bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infections and inflammatory diseases as risk factors for venous thrombosis
Authors: Kluin-Nelemans Hanneke J. C. , Meijer Karina , Tichelaar Y. I. G. Vladimir
Published: March 2012

Inflammation and venous thrombosis are intertwined. Only in the recent 15 years clinical epidemiological studies have focussed on inflammatory or infectious diseases as risk factors for venous thrombosis. Although a few reviews and many case reports or studies on these topic has been written, a review reporting relative or absolute risks for venous thrombosis has not been published yet. We performed a systematic review using Medline, Pubmed and Embase and found 31 eligible articles. Inflammatory bowel disease, ANCA-associated vasculitis, infections in general and more specifically, human immunodeficiency virus, pneumonia and urinary tract infections are associated with an increased risk of venous thrombosis.
Prasugrel inhibits platelet-leukocyte interaction and reduces inflammatory markers in a model of endotoxic shock in the mouse
Authors: Totani Licia , Dell’Elba Giuseppe , Martelli Nicola , Di Santo Angelomaria , Piccoli Antonio , Amore Concetta , Evangelista Virgilio
Published: March 2012

Prasugrel, through its active metabolite, reduces atherothrombosis and its clinical manifestations by inhibiting platelet activation and aggregation. Platelets also contribute to inflammation through interaction with different classes of leukocytes. We investigated whether the inhibitory effect of prasugrel on platelets also counteract inflammatory responses. The effect of prasugrel active metabolite, R-138727, was investigated on platelet P-selectin expression, platelet adhesion to polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and monocytes (MN) and Mac-1 expression in PMN and MN, in vitro, in human cells. The ex vivo effect of prasugrel administration on P-selectin, thromboxane (TXB)2 formation, platelet-PMN conjugates and Mac-1 expression in PMN triggered by PAR-4 agonist peptide was examined in whole blood from healthy mice as well as from mice in which an acute inflammatory reaction was induced by treatment with endotoxin. The effect of prasugrel on inflammatory markers in endotoxin-treated animals was also tested in vivo. R-138727 inhibited agonist-stimulated expression of platelet P-selectin, platelet-PMN and platelet-MN adhesion and platelet-dependent Mac-1 expression in leukocytes. Addition of aspirin did not modify the inhibitory effect elicited by R-138727. Treatment of mice with prasugrel resulted in a profound inhibition of platelet P-selectin expression, TXB2 production, platelet-PMN adhesion and Mac-1 expression in PMN induced by ex vivo stimulation with PAR-4 agonist peptide of whole blood from healthy or endotoxin-treated mice. Measurement of markers revealed that prasugrel reduced TXB2 and tumour necrosis factor-α synthesis and increased nitric oxide metabolites in endotoxin-treated mice in vivo. In conclusion, prasugrel reduces platelet interactions with PMN and MN. Through these effects prasugrel may curb platelet-mediated inflammatory responses.
Short- Versus Long-Term Duration of Dual-Antiplatelet Therapy After Coronary Stenting
Authors: Valgimigli Marco , Campo Gianluca , Monti Monia , Vranckx Pascal , Percoco Gianfranco , Tumscitz Carlo , Castriota Fausto , Colombo Federico , Tebaldi Matteo , Fucà Giuseppe , Kubbajeh Moh'd , Cangiano Elisa , Minarelli Monica , Scalone Antonella , Cavazza Caterina , Frangione Alice , Borghesi Marco , Marchesini Jlenia , Parrinello Giovanni , Ferrari Roberto
Published: March 2012

Background—

The optimal duration of dual-antiplatelet therapy and the risk-benefit ratio for long-term dual-antiplatelet therapy after coronary stenting remain poorly defined. We evaluated the impact of up to 6 versus 24 months of dual-antiplatelet therapy in a broad all-comers patient population receiving a balanced proportion of Food and Drug Administration–approved drug-eluting or bare-metal stents.

Methods and Results—

We randomly assigned 2013 patients to receive bare-metal, zotarolimus-eluting, paclitaxel-eluting, or everolimus-eluting stent implantation. At 30 days, patients in each stent group were randomly allocated to receive up to 6 or 24 months of clopidogrel therapy in addition to aspirin. The primary end point was a composite of death of any cause, myocardial infarction, or cerebrovascular accident. The cumulative risk of the primary outcome at 2 years was 10.1% with 24-month dual-antiplatelet therapy compared with 10.0% with 6-month dual-antiplatelet therapy (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.74–1.29;
P
=0.91). The individual risks of death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, or stent thrombosis did not differ between the study groups; however, there was a consistently greater risk of hemorrhage in the 24-month clopidogrel group according to all prespecified bleeding definitions, including the recently proposed Bleeding Academic Research Consortium classification.

Conclusions—

A regimen of 24 months of clopidogrel therapy in patients who had received a balanced mixture of drug-eluting or bare-metal stents was not significantly more effective than a 6-month clopidogrel regimen in reducing the composite of death due to any cause, myocardial infarction, or cerebrovascular accident.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00611286.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and the Risk of Stroke
Authors: Sun Qi , Pan An , Hu Frank B. , Manson JoAnn E. , Rexrode Kathryn M.
Published: March 2012

Background and Purpose—

Despite evidence suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may lead to elevated cardiovascular disease risk, results regarding the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels with stroke risk are inconclusive. We aimed to examine this association in a prospective study in women and to summarize all existing data in a meta-analysis.

Methods—

We measured 25(OH)D levels among 464 women who developed ischemic stroke and an equal number of control subjects who were free of stroke through 2006 in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for articles published through March 2011 that prospectively evaluated 25(OH)D levels in relation to stroke.

Results—

After multivariable adjustment for lifestyle and dietary covariates, lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with an elevated risk of ischemic stroke in the NHS: the OR (95% CI) comparing women in the lowest versus highest tertiles was 1.49 (1.01–2.18;
P
trend
=0.04). We found 6 other prospective studies that examined 25(OH)D in relation to stroke outcomes. After pooling our results with these prospective studies that included 1214 stroke cases in total, low 25(OH)D levels were associated with increased risk of developing stroke outcomes in comparison to high levels: the pooled relative risk (95% CI) was 1.52 (1.20–1.85;
I

2

=0.0%,
P
heterogeneity
=0.63). In 2 studies that explicitly examined ischemic stroke, this association was 1.59 (1.07–2.12;
I

2

=0.0%,
P
heterogeneity
=0.80).

Conclusions—

These data provide evidence that low vitamin D levels are modestly associated with risk of stroke. Maintaining adequate vitamin D status may lower the risk of stroke in women.
Association of Statins and Statin Discontinuation With Poor Outcome and Survival After Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Dowlatshahi Dar , Demchuk Andrew M. , Fang Jiming , Kapral Moira K. , Sharma Mukul , Smith Eric E.
Published: March 2012

Background and Purpose—

Studies suggest a protective role for statins after intracerebral hemorrhage, but many failed to assess statin discontinuation, did not include postdischarge outcomes, or did not account for withdrawal of care. We studied the relationship between preintracerebral hemorrhage statin use and in-hospital statin discontinuation on stroke severity and 30-day mortality.

Methods—

We analyzed data from the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network and determined the adjusted ORs for statin use and outcomes, controlling for stroke severity and other covariates.

Results—

We analyzed 2466 consecutive patients with intracerebral hemorrhage from 2003 to 2008: median age was 71 years, 53.6% were male, and 30-day mortality rate was 36.5%. Overall, 537 (21.7%) were taking statins before presentation. Compared with nonusers, statin users were less likely to have severe strokes on presentation (54.7% versus 63.3%) but had similar rates of poor outcome (70% versus 67%) and 30-day mortality (36% versus 37%). Statins were discontinued on admission in 158 of 537 (29.4%); these patients were more likely to have severe stroke (65% versus 27%,
P
<0.01), poor outcome (90% versus 62%,
P
<0.01), and to have died by 30 days (71% versus 21%,
P
<0.01). After adjusting for stroke severity, statin discontinuation was still associated with poor outcome (adjusted OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.13–4.56) and higher mortality (adjusted OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.30–3.04). However, these associations were attenuated and no longer significant after excluding patients treated palliatively.

Conclusions—

We found no association between preadmission statin use and outcomes in intracerebral hemorrhage. Statin discontinuation may worsen outcomes or may simply be a marker of worse underlying prognosis.
Clinical Prediction Rule to Estimate the Absolute 3-Year Risk of Major Cardiovascular Events After Carotid Endarterectomy
Authors: van Lammeren Guus W. , Catanzariti Louise M. , Peelen Linda M. , de Vries Jean-Paul P.M. , de Kleijn Dominique P.V. , Moll Frans L. , Pasterkamp Gerard , Bots Michiel L.
Published: March 2012

Background and Purpose—

Prognosis after carotid endarterectomy is mainly determined by the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Optimal medical treatment to reduce risk is the mainstay of MACE prevention. The level of risk of MACE may determine the initiation and aggressiveness of medical treatment, yet a prediction rule to assess that absolute MACE risk after carotid endarterectomy is currently unavailable.

Methods—

The prediction model was developed in a consecutive cohort of 1138 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy between 2002 and 2009. Primary end point was MACE and encompassed myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Fourteen potential clinical predictors were entered into a Cox proportional hazard model. After backward stepwise regression, internal validation was conducted with bootstrapping techniques to correct for overfitting. To provide an easily applicable clinical tool, a score chart was constructed, dividing patients into 4 risk groups. Model performance was assessed in terms of discrimination, calibration, and risk stratification.

Results—

During a mean follow-up of 2.28 (±0.95) years, 148 events occurred, corresponding to a cumulative incidence of 13%. Clinical predictors in the final model were age, history of coronary or peripheral artery disease, smoking, systolic blood pressure, use of antihypertensive drugs, clinical presentation, presence of contralateral carotid stenosis, and serum creatinine levels. Discrimination of the final model, in terms of a C statistic, was 0.69 (0.64–0.73) and calibration showed a good overall fit (Gronnesby and Borgan,
P
=0.39). The observed incidence of MACE in the 4 risk groups was 6%, 9%, 19%, and 35%, respectively, indicating good overall risk stratification.

Conclusions—

The clinical prediction model for MACE in the first 3 years after carotid endarterectomy may be used to identify high-risk patients to help optimize medical treatment and risk factor management as part of secondary prevention to increase life expectancy free from MACE. Despite our success in stratifying risk among these patients, even the lowest stratum remains at high risk and all of these patients should receive maximal secondary preventive measures.
Study of Horizontally Oriented Ice Crystals with CALIPSO Observations and Comparison with Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer Simulations
Authors: Zhou Chen , Yang Ping , Dessler Andrew E. , Hu Yongxiang , Baum Bryan A.
Published: March 2012

Data from the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) indicate that horizontally oriented ice crystals (HOIC) occur frequently in both ice and mixed-phase clouds. When compared with the case for clouds consisting of randomly oriented ice crystals (ROIC), lidar measurements from clouds with HOIC, such as horizontally oriented hexagonal plates or columns, have stronger backscatter signals and smaller depolarization ratio values. In this study, a 3D Monte Carlo model is developed for simulating the CALIOP signals from clouds consisting of a mixture of quasi HOIC and ROIC. With CALIOP’s initial orientation with a pointing angle of 0.3° off nadir, the integrated attenuated backscatter is linearly related to the percentage of HOIC but is negatively related to the depolarization ratio. At a later time in the CALIOP mission, the pointing angle of the incident beam was changed to 3° off nadir to minimize the signal from HOIC. In this configuration, both the backscatter and the depolarization ratio are similar for clouds containing HOIC and ROIC. Horizontally oriented columns with two opposing prism facets perpendicular to the lidar beam and horizontally oriented plates show similar backscattering features, but the effect of columns is negligible in comparison with that of plates because the plates have relatively much larger surfaces facing the incident lidar beam. From the comparison between the CALIOP simulations and observations, it is estimated that the percentage of quasi-horizontally oriented plates ranges from 0% to 6% in optically thick mixed-phase clouds, from 0% to 3% in warm ice clouds (>−35°C), and from 0% to 0.5% in cold ice clouds.
A New Drag Relation for Aerodynamically Rough Flow over the Ocean
Authors: Andreas Edgar L , Mahrt Larry , Vickers Dean
Published: March 2012

From almost 7000 near-surface eddy-covariance flux measurements over the sea, the authors deduce a new air–sea drag relation for aerodynamically rough flow:Here u* is the measured friction velocity, and UN10 is the neutral-stability wind speed at a reference height of 10 m. This relation is fitted to UN10 values between 9 and 24 m s−1. A drag relation formulated as u* versus UN10 has several advantages over one formulated in terms of . First, the multiplicative coefficient on UN10 has smaller experimental uncertainty than do determinations of CDN10. Second, scatterplots of u* versus UN10 are not ill posed when UN10 is small, as plots of CDN10 are; u*–UN10 plots presented here suggest aerodynamically smooth scaling for small UN10. Third, this relation depends only weakly on Monin–Obukhov similarity theory and, consequently, reduces the confounding effects of artificial correlation. Finally, with its negative intercept, the linear relation produces a CDN10 function that naturally rolls off at high wind speed and asymptotically approaches a constant value of 3.40 × 10−3. Hurricane modelers and the air–sea interaction community have been trying to rationalize such behavior in the drag coefficient for at least 15 years. This paper suggests that this rolloff in CDN10 results simply from known processes that influence wind–wave coupling.
Prosumption, Transmediation, and Resistance
Authors: Cheong Pauline Hope , Lundry Chris
Published: March 2012

Terrorism is a mounting global threat for national security, yet the rise of social media facilitates prosumption and the spread of alternative grassroots stories in response to civic militarization and state propaganda. This article discusses the structural and cultural conditions underlying the production and spread of online user-generated content as radical media tactics. By presenting a case study on the escape and man-hunting of a key terrorist in Southeast Asia, the article examines prosumption and transmediation practices whereby official stories of the terrorist escape are appropriated, remediated, and virally disseminated across different social media–blogs, vlogs, and digital games–to help clarify how new media supports critical citizen engagement. The identification of online activities exhibiting middle-ground resistance, including rumors, political parodies, and infotaining play, illustrates counter narrative responses to mainstream media representations. Findings have implications for the management of tensions in wired global insurgency and strategic communication performances.
Alienation, Exploitation, and Social Media
Authors: Rey P J
Published: March 2012

This article is a critical examination of how capitalism has adapted to the explosion of websites devoted to user-generated content (commonly referred to as social media or Web 2.0). The author proceeds by reviewing how Marx applies the concepts of alienation and exploitation to his paradigmatic example (i.e., the factory); the author then attempts to extend the logic of both concepts to determine what they might reveal about the structural conditions of social media. A difference of prime importance between the two case studies is that factory work is wage labor coerced by economic necessity, whereas use of social networking sites is apparently voluntary and done freely. The author concludes by arguing that social media users are subject to levels of exploitation relatively consistent with industrial capitalism, whereas the structural conditions of the digital economy link profitability to a reduction in the intensity of alienation. Finally, he infers that social media is not economically beneficial to most users.
Discrepancies between parent- and adolescent-perceived problem severity and influences on help seeking from mental health services
Authors: Wahlin Tim , Deane Frank
Published: March 2012

Objectives: Attitudinal and practical barriers prevent many young people who are experiencing mental health problems from seeking professional help. The influence of others can help young people to overcome barriers to help seeking. Understanding the relative influence of parents and others on the help-seeking decision and the extent of parent–child agreement on the severity of the young person’s problems, may be helpful in facilitating intake processes in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

Methods: One hundred and nineteen parent–child (14–18-years-old) dyads attending an initial appointment at a Sydney and regional CAMHS completed the parent and youth Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) prior to their assessment interview. Parents and children also answered three equivalent questions on sources of influence in their decision to access services.

Results: Ninety-four per cent of young people reported that others had influenced their decision to access help, with parents being the strongest influence. Higher levels of parental influence in the help-seeking process were related to greater disagreement between parent and child on the severity of the problems. Parent and child ratings of influence were related to the severity of externalizing problems.

Conclusion: The findings are consistent with models that highlight help seeking as a social process involving high degrees of influence particularly from parents. Referral sources and clinicians need to be aware of the effects of discrepant views between parent and child regarding the presenting problem. To facilitate joint therapy it may be helpful for clinicians to address the level of influence involved in having the young person attend their first appointment with parents and children.
Making a difference: Linking research and action in practice, pedagogy, and policy for social justice: Introduction
Authors: Abraham Margaret , Purkayastha Bandana
Published: March 2012

The origins and chronology of linking research and action are complex and cannot be attributed to any single discipline or any part of the world. People within and outside academe have linked research and action. In this introductory article, we begin by briefly tracing the methodological background to linking research and action, focusing particularly on action research, participatory research, and feminist research in order to situate the research presented in this monograph issue of Current Sociology. We then provide an outline of the articles that showcase through specific case studies how sociologists link research and practice in diverse contexts including health, culture, education, labor, migration, violence against women, and polling. We end by commenting that linking research and action has important implications for knowledge creation, distribution, shifting power relations for achieving social change, and, ultimately, challenging social structures for social justice.
The politics of polling: Polling and the constitution of counter-publics during ‘reform’ in Iran
Authors: Shahrokni Nazanin
Published: March 2012

This article focuses on the ways in which opinion polls in Iran were conducted during the ‘reform’ in Iran (1997–2005). Instead of highlighting the various ways in which polls strategically manipulate, persuade or represent ‘the people’, the article shows how the specific modes of interpretation of polls enable different kinds of publics. Drawing on the case of the Ayandeh Polling Institute, the author demonstrates how opinion polling in Iran was utilized as a political strategy that contributed to the formation of a counter-public, which served as the backbone of the reform movement. The author highlights not just the macro-historical processes within which the practice of polling is embedded, but also the micro-interactional impact of polling on the people whose opinions are being gauged.
WikiLeaks: the illusion of transparency
Authors: Roberts Alasdair
Published: March 2012

It has been said that the 2010 WikiLeaks disclosures mark ‘the end of secrecy in the old fashioned, cold-war-era sense’. This is not true. Advocates of WikiLeaks have overstated the scale and significance of the leaks. They also overlook many ways in which the simple logic of radical transparency – leak, publish, and wait for the inevitable outrage – can be defeated in practice. WikiLeaks only created the illusion of a new era in transparency. In fact the 2010 leaks revealed the obstacles to achievement of increased transparency, even in the digital age.

Points for practitioners

Some commentators have regarded the WikiLeaks disclosures of 2010 as evidence of a broader breakdown in the conventional mechanisms for controlling government-held information. This new world has been described as one of ‘radical transparency’. But claims about the breakdown of old-style secrecy are overwrought. This article says that the significance of the WikiLeaks disclosures has been exaggerated, and provides reasons why it will be harder to achieve radical transparency, especially in the security sector of government.
Open government: connecting vision and voice
Authors: Meijer Albert J. , Curtin Deirdre , Hillebrandt Maarten
Published: March 2012

The term open government is often used to describe initiatives of putting government information on the Internet. This conceptualization is too restricted since open government is not only about openness in informational terms ( vision) but also about openness in interactive terms ( voice). On the basis of an analysis of 103 articles, this article provides insight into the concepts of openness, transparency and participation, their interactions, and the manner in which they have been discussed in the literature. This analysis shows the differences and similarities between economic, political science and legal perspectives on open government and argues that a multidisciplinary approach needs to be taken. The authors conclude that open government is much too important to leave it to the ‘techies’: scientists and practitioners with backgrounds in law, economics, political science and public administration should also get involved to build sound connections between vision and voice that facilitate active citizenship.

Points for practitioners

This article provides guidelines for the realization of open government: (1) design open government for synergistic or complementary relationships between transparency and participation, (2) design open government for a diverse population, (3) design open government for direct and indirect effects, (4) design open government acknowledging a variety in desirables and (5) design for continuous learning about effects and side-effects. The authors emphasize that a diversified approach to the design of open government will be more fruitful in the long run than merely understanding it in terms of making information publicly available.
Linking transparency, knowledge and citizen trust in government: an experiment
Authors: Grimmelikhuijsen Stephan
Published: March 2012

Declining citizen trust in government is an important driver for NPM-style reforms. Increasing people’s knowledge by providing factual knowledge about government performance outcomes is seen as an important way of increasing citizen trust in government. Does this promise hold or is knowledge about performance outcomes not that important? Two rivalling hypotheses are being investigated. One proposition postulates a link between knowledge and trust, whereas the alternative hypothesis borrows from social-psychological research arguing that subconscious and affective cues are more important. In order to investigate this question, this article presents the results of an experiment ( N = 658) investigating the effect of performance outcome transparency on citizen trust in a specific government organization. Four groups visited different websites with varying degrees of transparency and performance outcome. The results demonstrate that the link between transparency and trust in a government organization is determined by a mix of knowledge and feelings. Further, the overall effect of transparency is limited. Pre-existing and fundamental ideas about what government does and whether it is benign or not are far more determining than a single experience with a government organization. This article concludes that knowledge about performance outcomes is only part of the link between transparency and trust, and that more realistic views about transparency’s effects should be developed.

Points for practitioners

Transparency is generally hailed by many as the key to trust in government. This study shows that the magnitude of transparency on citizens’ trust in government is often exaggerated as most people have pre-existing, fundamental beliefs about government which are only marginally influenced by transparency. However, transparency can contribute to maintaining existing trust levels through a mix of people’s cognition and feeling about government. Transparency is necessary, yet professionals in public management and administration should develop realistic expectations about what transparency can really achieve for trust in government.
Why is transparency about public expenditure so elusive?
Authors: Heald David
Published: March 2012

Fiscal transparency is fundamentally important but difficult to achieve. The conceptualization of transparency has to be more sophisticated than current rhetoric implies. Analytical tools relating to the generic concept of transparency can be applied to public expenditure. Achieving transparency about public expenditure presents challenges that require explicit strategies in the context of what can be very different sets of local conditions. This article identifies the specific meaning of transparency about public expenditure, defined in terms of the four directions of transparency: inwards, outwards, upwards and downwards. It identifies barriers to the effective transparency of public expenditure, characterizing these as intrinsic or constructed. Tackling these barriers, especially those constructed by policy actors, constitutes a route towards more effective transparency, not only about public expenditure itself but about surrogates for it. It is not just quantity that matters: different varieties of transparency will have differential effects on the achievement of public policy objectives. How transparency mechanisms are structured will therefore shape their impact on public policy – on efficiency, on equity and on democratic accountability.

Points for practitioners

Public expenditure transparency is fundamentally important, but elusive. The difficulty stems from technical complexities and from the political process. Governments that genuinely wish to improve public expenditure transparency must address intrinsic barriers (such as low public understanding of budgeting numbers and their relationship to national accounts) and desist from building constructed barriers (such as misleading spinned numbers and substituting surrogates for direct public expenditure). It is not just the quantity of transparency that matters: different varieties of transparency will have differential effects on the achievement of public policy objectives. How transparency mechanisms are structured will shape their impact on public policy – on efficiency, on equity and on democratic accountability.
Thermal models for MTM45-1 and Cycom 5320 out-of-autoclave prepreg resins
Authors: Kratz James , Hsiao Kevin , Fernlund Goran , Hubert Pascal
Published: March 2012

Out-of-autoclave prepregs require a two-step cure cycle. The first step is a low temperature cure to consolidate the laminate and build sufficient green strength to proceed to the second step, a free-standing post-cure at traditional autoclave temperatures to fully cross-link the resin. Process modeling can help design a robust cure cycle to avoid scrapping large parts in production. The focus of this article is to develop the cure kinetics, viscosity, and glass transition temperature models for two commercially available out-of-autoclave epoxy resins. Since the cure kinetics model is the basis for all other thermal models, the cure kinetics model was validated using a one-dimensional heat transfer analysis on thick prepreg laminates. Finally, the out-of-autoclave resin models were compared to a traditional autoclave resin system to highlight the difference in resin reactivity for out-of-autoclave processing.
Clean wet-filament winding – Part 1: design concept and simulations
Authors: Pandita SD , Irfan MS , Machavaram VR , Shotton-Gale N , Mahendran RS , Wait CF , Paget MA , Harris D , Leek C , Fernando GF
Published: March 2012

This is a two-part paper where part 1 presents details of a modified wet-filament winding process. Here, the resin bath was replaced with a resin injection system that impregnated the fibres prior to winding them onto a rotating mandrel. The resin and hardener were stored in separate containers and pumped on-demand via a pair of precision gear-pumps to a static mixer. The mixed resin system was then supplied to a custom-designed resin impregnation unit. The theoretical basis for the design of the resin impregnation unit is presented along with simulations of the various parameters that influence the impregnation time and the degree of impregnation. Part 2 of this series papers presents the experimental data on the performance of the resin impregnation unit and a comparison of the physical and mechanical properties of the tubes manufactured using the conventional and modified wet-filament winding techniques.
What Works in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for Offenders?
Authors: Bahr Stephen J. , Masters Amber L. , Taylor Bryan M.
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this article is to review current empirical research on the effectiveness of drug treatment programs, particularly those for prisoners, parolees, and probationers. The authors reviewed empirical research published after the year 2000 that they classified as Level 3 or higher on the Maryland Scale. Participants in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), therapeutic communities, and drug courts had lower rates of drug use and crime than comparable individuals who did not receive treatment. Several different types of pharmacological treatments were associated with a reduced frequency of drug use. Those who received contingency management tended to use drugs less frequently, particularly if they also received cognitive-behavioral therapy. Finally, researchers reported that drug use and crime were lower among individuals whose treatment was followed by an aftercare program. Effective treatment programs tend to (a) focus on high-risk offenders, (b) provide strong inducements to receive treatment, (c) include several different types of interventions simultaneously, (d) provide intensive treatment, and (e) include an aftercare component.
U.S. Prisoner Reentry Health Care Policy in International Perspective
Authors: Mears Daniel P. , Cochran Joshua C.
Published: March 2012

More than 735,000 inmates are released from U.S. prisons annually, many of whom have mental and physical health problems that go largely unaddressed during incarceration and on return to society. That has led some scholars and policy makers to imply this is specific to the United States and to call for reducing the health needs–services gap among inmates and ex-prisoners. The goal of this article is to argue that (a) the magnitude of this gap, while likely large, remains unknown, (b) the United States is far from unique in having a needs–services gap, (c) the decision to provide health care to inmates and ex-prisoners constitutes a moral policy decision with potentially profound public health and cost impacts on offenders, their families, and the communities to which they return, and (d) research on health care needs–services gaps among inmate and reentry populations should become a priority for developing cost-effective, evidence-based responses to address such gaps. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for research and policy.
Thermal-image-based wildfire spread simulation using a linearized model of an advection–diffusion–reaction equation
Authors: Kim Eun Heui , Tran Minh N , Yang Karen
Published: March 2012

This paper models the fire spread at Cleveland National Forest in California using a partial differential equation (PDE) in two space dimensions and observed data. We consider the linearized model of the advection–diffusion–reaction equation to test the feasibility with the available sparse wind data and the thermal images. The model equation is simple enough to be executed in minutes on a desktop or laptop to provide immediate and effective fire-fighting planning during a crisis. We incorporate the real time update and reinitialization with the available thermal images and wind data for the simulation. The update is done by fitting the solution and the coefficients of the model equation. We implement the linear regression and second-order finite difference methods with Strang splitting. We consider several possible scenarios to test the feasibility of the model equation and present the numerical results. With adequate data, our simple model is effective enough to produce accurate results within a minute for short time intervals, which may be sufficiently long for immediate fire-fighting planning.
Victim Sensitivity and the Accuracy of Social Judgments
Authors: Gollwitzer Mario , Rothmund Tobias , Alt Bianca , Jekel Marc
Published: March 2012

Recent theorizing on the relation between victim sensitivity and unethical behavior predicts that victim sensitivity is related to an asymmetrical focus on cues associated with untrustworthiness compared to cues associated with trustworthiness. This hypothesis and its consequences for the accuracy of social predictions are investigated in this article. In Study 1, participants rated the trustworthiness of 35 computer-animated faces that differed in their emotional expression. People high in victim sensitivity rated neutral and hostile faces more untrustworthy than people low in victim sensitivity, whereas no such effect was found for friendly faces. In Study 2, participants predicted the cooperativeness of 56 targets on the basis of minimal information. The accuracy of predictions was negatively related to victim sensitivity, and people high in victim sensitivity systematically underestimated targets’ cooperativeness. Thus, the asymmetrical focus on untrustworthiness cues among victim-sensitive individuals seems to impair rather than improve their social judgments.
Two studies of pitch in string instrument vibrato: Perception and pitch matching responses of university and high school string players
Authors: Geringer John M. , MacLeod Rebecca B. , Ellis Julia C.
Published: March 2012

We investigated pitch perception of string vibrato tones among string players in two separate studies. In both studies we used tones of acoustic instruments (violin and cello) as stimuli. In the first, we asked 192 high school and university string players to listen to a series of tonal pairs: one tone of each pair was performed with vibrato and the other without. Violin tones with vibrato were judged as lower in pitch than non-vibrato stimuli with the same mean frequency, more so among high school string players than university students. In the second study string players tuned their own instrument to match stimulus tones and we tested whether there are differences when performers match tones using vibrato versus non-vibrato. Participants were 30 high school string players and 30 university string players: 20 cellists, 20 violists, and 20 violinists. Performers tuned slightly but significantly lower (about three cents) when using vibrato. This outcome was consistent for tuning conditions, instruments, and experience levels.
Prolonged use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with prone positioning in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and invasive Aspergillosis
Authors: Otterspoor LC , Smit FH , van Laar TJ , Kesecioglu J , van Dijk D
Published: March 2012

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly being used in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. In two large cohorts of such patients, the median duration of treatment with ECMO was 9 and 10 days.

We describe two patients, both with H1N1 pneumonia complicated by invasive Aspergillosis, who required ECMO support significantly longer at 45 and 52 days, but eventually made a full recovery. In both patients, prone positioning was used during ECMO treatment.
The discrepancy between survey-based victim accounts and police reports revisited
Authors: Averdijk Margit , Elffers Henk
Published: March 2012

This article investigates the discrepancy between victimization surveys and police data, or the extent to which crimes that are reported in one source can be traced back to the other. We used traditional reverse and forward record checks to investigate reciprocal validity. In addition, we designed a new, more comprehensive measure that is more optimally geared towards calculating the total discrepancy between the two data sources. We used victimization surveys and police data from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Results of the reverse record check showed that in 48% of cases a survey respondent did not mention victimization, even though it appeared in police registration. Results of the forward record check showed that only 35% of reported victimization in the survey could be traced back to police data within the reference period. Forward telescoping occurred in 28% of cases. In 7% of cases, respondents reported victimization experienced by household members. Furthermore, 29% of victimization reported to the police according to survey respondents could not be traced back to police data. Finally, we calculated the total discrepancy between the police data and the victimization survey and found that reports of 18% of respondents in the victimization survey were not congruent with the police data.
A Study of the Determinants of County E-Government in the United States
Authors: Manoharan Aroon
Published: March 2012

As governments rapidly adopt information and communication technologies to improve their service delivery, the study of e-government has emerged as an important area of research in public administration. Researchers have studied various aspects of e-government, including the factors associated with its adoption at state and municipals levels. Literature provides limited information related specifically to counties’ adoption of e-government in the United States, and although some researchers have studied the effect of institutional and contextual factors in particular states, none have studied their influence on counties nationwide. Based on a survey of county administrators primarily responsible for e-government services and a content analysis of counties’ official websites, this research examines the role of institutional, contextual, and socioeconomic factors on e-government adoption at the county level in the United States.
Treatment or Else
Authors: Zhang Sheldon X. , Roberts Robert E. L. , Lansing Amy E.
Published: March 2012

This study evaluated a community-based correctional program in California, in which parolees tested positive on illicit drugs were given the option of going into a treatment program or having their parole revoked and returned to prison in California. Two comparison groups were constructed to assess the treatment effect—a propensity-based comparison group extracted from the general parolee population and program dropouts. Although implicitly coercive, some parolees who finished the program were less likely to be reincarcerated 12 months following release than both comparison groups. However, the observed treatment advantage quickly eroded in the second observation year. Savings realized from the incarcerations avoided were more than enough to pay for the program. Findings from this study suggest that boosting participation in reentry services through coercive measures may yield currently unrealized individual and societal benefits. However, systemic efforts are needed to extend the short-term treatment effects. Design and data limitations in the study weaken the persuasiveness of these findings. Methodological implications and policy issues about coerced treatment are discussed.
You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
Authors: Winstead Vicki , Anderson William A. , Yost Elizabeth A. , Cotten Shelia R. , Warr Amanda , Berkowsky Ronald W.
Published: March 2012

For adults in senior living communities, information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to increase and expand communication for a population that is often spatially and socially separated from the general public. Using qualitative observational data from a longitudinal study of the impact of ICT usage on the quality of life among residents in assisted and independent living communities, the authors examine whether ICTs can mitigate the effects of social and spatial barriers. The authors find that ICTs have the potential to allow individuals to transcend social and spatial barriers, providing residents with the ability to maintain and enhance social networks as well as provide a greater sense of connection to the world at large.
The Role of Religious Coping and Race in Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiving
Authors: Heo Grace Jeongim , Koeske Gary
Published: March 2012

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias are one of the most critical public health problems in elderly population. Using baseline data from the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH) II study, this study examined the relationship between religious coping, burden appraisal, depression, and race among 211 African American, 220 White, and 211 Hispanic caregivers, using structural equation modeling (SEM). Caregiver burden appraisal mediated the effect of religious coping on depression with higher religious coping resulting in lowering caregiver burden appraisal and thereby reducing depression. The results also showed that religious coping mediation model was best supported by African Americans. Greater understanding of religious coping and its role in the caregiving process helps researchers discover better ways to assist racially diverse caregivers in dealing with burdens of AD caregiving.
Skill Acquisition With Text-Entry Interfaces
Authors: Jahn Georg , Krems Josef F.
Published: March 2012

Operating information technology challenges older users if it requires executive control, which generally declines with age. Especially for novel and occasional tasks, cognitive demands can be high. We demonstrate how interface design can reduce cognitive demands by studying skill acquisition with the destination entry interfaces of two customary route guidance systems. Young, middle-aged, and older adults performed manual destination entry either with a system operated with multiple buttons in a dialogue encompassing spelling and list selection, or with a system operated by a single rotary encoder, in which an intelligent speller constrained destination entry to a single line of action. Each participant performed 100 training trials. A retention test after at least 10 weeks encompassed 20 trials. The same task was performed faster, more accurately, and produced much less age-related performance differences especially at the beginning of training if interface design reduced demand for executive control, perceptual processing, and motor control.
Caregiver Burden and Depression in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Springate Beth , Tremont Geoffrey
Published: March 2012

Little is known about contributors to burden and depression in caregivers of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) even though these patients experience cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes. We examined caregiver burden and depression in 43 caregivers for patients with MCI as well as their associations with patients’ neuropsychological status and behavioral symptoms. Almost 30% of caregivers reported clinically significant burden, whereas <5% reported significant depression. Increased caregiver burden was associated with greater disinhibited behaviors by patients, whereas increased caregiver depressive symptoms were associated with greater disinhibited behaviors as well as instrumental activity of daily living (ADL) impairments. Caregiver burden and depression were not associated with patients’ neuropsychological performance. Results suggest these caregivers would benefit from interventions addressing both practical methods to provide ADL assistance and behavioral methods to address inappropriate behaviors in patients in the predementia stages.
Age Differential Effects of Severity of Visual Impairment on Mortality Among Older Adults in China
Authors: Gu Danan , Zhou Junshan , Yong Vanessa , Sautter Jessica , Saito Yasuhiko
Published: March 2012

We use a population-based longitudinal survey in China from 2002 to 2005 to examine age differentials in the association between severity of visual impairment and mortality risk in older adults. Controlling for numerous factors and baseline health, a substantial age difference is found. Young-old women and men aged 65 to 79 with severe visual impairments have 161% (hazard ratio = 2.61) and 52% (hazard ratio = 1.52) higher risk of death respectively as compared to their unimpaired counterparts. Mild impairment does not increase mortality risk among young-old adults, while both mild and severe impairment increase mortality risk by 33% and 32% for women and 24% and 34% for men among the oldest-old as a whole when all factors are controlled for. We conclude that visual impairment is an independent predictor of mortality and severe visual impairment likely plays a stronger role in determining mortality risk among young-old adults than among the oldest-old.