bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Common neighbour similarity-based approach to support intimacy measurement in social networks
Authors: Seol Kwangsoo , Kim Jeong-Dong , Baik Doo-Kwon
Published: June 2015

A large amount of social data is being generated every day, as the Internet becomes more pervasive and mobile devices more ubiquitous. Accordingly, Internet users often experience difficulty finding the content they want, resulting in the popularity of personalized services that provide user-customized content. Intimacy between users of social network services can be utilized as a foundational technology for personalized services. In this paper, an intimacy measurement method for social networking services based on common neighbour similarity is proposed. The proposed method uses the link relationship between users for intimacy measurements and can be applied to general users. Further, it promotes easy data collection using publicly available data. To evaluate the proposed intimacy measurement method experimentally, a significant amount of user data was collected from Twitter. In addition, various statistical datasets were presented, and regression analyses conducted on graphs extracted from user data were collected to interpret the meaning of the intimacy index measured using the proposed method with existing social networking services.
The Impact of Fiscal Limits on State Revenue Volatility
Authors: Staley Tucker
Published: June 2015

Recent headlines suggest that state revenue volatility has important consequences regarding public administration and the choices state governments make. This work explores the connection between fiscal limits—specifically, tax and expenditure limitations (TELs), balanced-budget rules (BBRs), and super-majority voting requirements (SMRs)—and state revenue volatility. While growth is the most common measure for judging the impact of fiscal constraints, there is a growing literature that argues that volatility, or risk, of state revenue streams is equally important. This work looks at 48 states (Alaska and Nebraska are dropped) over a 37-year period (1969-2005) to assess how fiscal constraints are associated with the volatility of state revenue streams. The evidence suggests that states with strict BBRs and SMRs tend to have lower levels of revenue volatility, while strict TELs tend to be associated with higher levels of revenue volatility. However, given that states often have adopted more than one of these limits, the evidence suggests that strong BBRs have a very strong moderating effect on the impact of TELs. States with super-majority rules tend to start at lower levels of volatility; however, they have little influence on the impact of the other limits.
Sources of meaning derived from occupational engagement for people recovering from mental illness
Authors: Hancock Nicola , Honey Anne , Bundy Anita C
Published: June 2015

Introduction

Engagement in meaningful occupations is of central importance in mental health recovery. The purpose of this study was to gain a richer understanding of the relationships between occupations, sources of meaning and recovery for people living with mental illness.

Method

People living with mental illness ( n = 78) attending an Australian Clubhouse completed the recovery assessment scale and socially valued role classification scale. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using mixed methods.

Findings

The most meaningful occupations were those most likely to provide opportunities for social connection and being valued by others. The frequency with which these socially derived sources of meaning were identified far outweighed other sources: positive sense of self; skills/personal development; time use/routine; financial gain and fun/pleasure. Neither the occupations identified as most meaningful nor the source of meaning differed depending on level of recovery.

Conclusion

Irrespective of stage of recovery, socially derived aspects of meaning are most frequently prioritized by people living with mental illness. In facilitating engagement in personally meaningful occupations, occupational therapists need to understand that, for many, meaningfulness centres around inter-dependence: being with others, belonging, giving or contributing and being valued by others.
Effect of low-temperature ethylene oxide and electron beam sterilization on the in vitro and in vivo function of reconstituted extracellular matrix-derived scaffolds
Authors: Proffen Benedikt L , Perrone Gabriel S , Fleming Braden C , Sieker Jakob T , Kramer Joshua , Hawes Michael L , Murray Martha M
Published: June 2015

Reconstituted extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived scaffolds are commonly utilized in preclinical tissue engineering studies as delivery vehicles for cells and growth factors. Translation into clinical use requires identifying a sterilization method that effectively removes bacteria but does not harm scaffold function. To determine effectiveness of sterilization and impact on ECM scaffold integrity and function, low-temperature ethylene oxide and 15 kGy electron beam irradiation techniques were evaluated. Scaffold sterility was assessed in accordance to United States Pharmacopeia Chapter 71. Scaffold matrix degradation was determined in vitro using enzymatic resistance tests and gel electrophoresis. Scaffold mechanics including elastic modulus, yield stress and collapse modulus were tested. Lastly, 14 Yorkshire pigs underwent ACL transection and bio-enhanced ACL repair using sterilized scaffolds. Histologic response of ligament, synovium, and lymph nodes was compared at 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Ethylene oxide as well as electron beam irradiation yielded sterile scaffolds. Scaffold resistance to enzymatic digestion and protein integrity slightly decreased after electron beam irradiation while ethylene oxide altered scaffold matrix. Scaffold elastic modulus and yield stress were increased after electron beam treatment, while collapse modulus was increased after ethylene oxide treatment. No significant changes in ACL dimensions, in vivo scaffold resorption rate, or histologic response of synovium, ligament, and lymph nodes with either terminal sterilization technique were detectable. In conclusion, this study identifies two methods to terminally sterilize an ECM scaffold. In vitro scaffold properties were slightly changed without significantly influencing the biologic responses of the surrounding tissues in vivo. This is a critical step toward translating new tissue engineering strategies to clinical trials.
Parents’ Perceptions of Answering a Survey on Violence Against Children
Authors: Ellonen Noora , Fagerlund Monica
Published: June 2015

The effects of participation in research is an important ethical question in studies involving human participants. In research concerning violence, the common presumption is that participation is especially harmful for those who have personally experienced violence. In this article, parents’ perceptions of answering a violence-related survey are analyzed based on free-text comments. A total of 3,170 parents responded to the survey about their violent behavior toward their child (ages 0-12), and 45% (2,047) of those reflected on their perceptions of answering the survey. These answers are analyzed using a thematic analysis. In addition to describing the perceptions, the associations between perceptions and experiences of violence are analyzed. The vast majority of the participants perceived participating in answering as being positive. Negative perceptions, such as distress, were also reported, but these perceptions were mostly reported together with positive perceptions, especially among those who personally had experienced violence.
Mental Health Service Needs in the Prison Boom: The Case of Children of Incarcerated Mothers
Authors: Turanovic Jillian J. , Rodriguez Nancy
Published: June 2015

This study identifies the factors related to mental health service use among children of incarcerated mothers. Data on 700 children collected from a diverse sample of mothers in Arizona are used, and a two-stage probit model with sample selection is estimated to assess the various child, mother, and caregiver characteristics associated with children’s use of mental health services. Results indicate that children involved in child protective services (CPS) and children cared for by grandparents are more likely to receive mental health services, whereas children of Native American mothers and children who have been exposed to violence are less likely to receive services for their mental health needs. These findings have important implications for correctional policy regarding the intake screening of female inmates and suggest that criminal justice agencies communicate more closely with CPS and community-based services to ensure children’s mental health needs are addressed while their mothers are in prison.
Preparation and magnetic and thermal properties of flexible polyimide films with iron nitrophthalocyanine-coated magnetite microspheres
Authors: Liu Changwei , Qu Chunyan , Wang Dezhi , Yu Weimiao , Xiao Wanbao , Su Kai
Published: June 2015

To effectively utilize the one-step solvent–thermal route to prepare iron (Fe)–nitrophthalocyanine/magnetite (Fe3O4) hybrid microspheres, we have developed a novel series of flexible Fe3O4/Fe-phthalocyanine (FePc)/polyimide (PI) composite films with various Fe3O4/FePc nanoparticle loadings (15, 27, and 40 wt%) and imidized at different temperatures (200°C and 300°C). The morphology and structure of the composite films were monitored using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, and the hybrid microspheres were found uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrices without any agglomeration. Mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were also investigated. The observed results indicated enhanced thermal stabilities, dramatically increased tensile modulus, and increased glass transition temperatures of the composite films, with the increment in the content of inorganic nanoparticles. Besides that, the Fe3O4/FePc/PI magnetic films showed higher saturation magnetization (24.33 emu g−1, 27 wt% Fe3O4/FePc loading) with high-temperature treatment compared with that of the Fe3O4/PI film (18.79 emu g−1, 27 wt% Fe3O4 loading). It proved to be an effective way to prevent Fe3O4 nanoparticles from oxidizing by coating the nanoparticles with organic layer. The flexible composite films can easily be moved under a relatively low magnetic field, indicating them to be the high-performance absorbing materials in potential applications.
The not-very-rich and the very poor: Poverty persistence and poverty concentration in Sweden
Authors: Mood Carina
Published: June 2015

We question the common description of poverty in Western countries as largely brief and transient and show that the spell-based analyses from which this view stems diverts attention from the bulk of poverty, which is persistent rather than transient. Measures of poverty concentration are suggested. Using Swedish population data spanning 18 years (1990–2007, N (persons*years) = 102,754,809), we can avoid problems that plague poverty research using survey data and can give precise calculations of completed durations without relying on questionable assumptions. The majority of poverty years were experienced by people in long-term poverty: 69 percent of all poverty years over the 18-year period fell on people with 5 years or more in poverty. Half of all poverty years were borne by only 5 percent of the population, meaning that poverty was highly concentrated. This speaks in favour of the social policy efficiency in targeting a small group of long-term poor.
Union members’ attitudes towards immigrant workers: A 14-country study
Authors: Gorodzeisky Anastasia , Richards Andrew
Published: June 2015

Increasing immigration into Europe has presented unions with many dilemmas. A potentially important factor shaping their strategies is their members’ attitudes towards immigrants and immigration. However, these attitudes have not been analysed systematically in Europe. Studies in Australia and North America have assumed that union membership is associated with hostility, resulting from the alleged threat of migrants to wages and working conditions. Yet, we hypothesize that the security gained from union membership should generate less, rather than more, hostility towards migrants. Our hypothesis is confirmed analysing data from the 2012 European Social Survey for 14 Western European countries.
Supporting the expatriate social scientist: Faculty research and information access in post-Soviet Kazakhstan
Authors: Emmelhainz Celia
Published: June 2015

Librarians in America and Europe find that social scientists rely heavily on journal articles, specialized data, and feedback from colleagues in directing their research. This project uses 21 ethnographic interviews with librarians, students, and faculty at “Atameken University” in post-Soviet Kazakhstan to explore how social scientists adjust such research habits to a context of distant information sources and limited access. By developing technological adaptations to the local context, expatriate scholars can surmount most barriers to access—and yet librarians are then less able to effectively support research. Increased access to information and skilled librarians remains essential for Eurasian universities seeking to support world-class research in the developing world.
Development of International Cooperation Maps for R&D Policy: Exploring National Factors in South Korea
Authors: Yoon Byungun , Jeong Yujin
Published: June 2015

Many countries have suffered from a lack of long-term strategy for international joint R&D, which triggered foreign resources that have not been strategically utilised, through supporting short-term projects with a small sum, bottom-up approach. Thus, this article aims to develop international cooperation maps, considering relations with South Korea, through analysing factors for international cooperation and creating a strategy for international cooperation for a group of nations. In order to develop the cooperation maps, the current status of individual countries will be investigated on the basis of their science and technology policy, technical capability, scale of market and state of cooperation with South Korea. After defining cooperation-related factors in conjunction with a test of validity regarding each factor, the international cooperation map is developed by combining diverse factors for cooperation. Then, all countries are clustered with cooperative factors and international cooperation maps, and an international cooperation strategy will be created for each country by considering critical elements including technology fields and methods for cooperation. The results will be helpful for understanding new directions to go towards for international cooperation at the government and private level and for suggesting diverse strategies from the perspective of possible cooperative activities.
Solving the Supply Shortage at ICC India
Authors: Mukherjee Jaydeep
Published: June 2015

International Color Company (ICC), a multinational paint major was an established player in the paint market in India. It had launched its premium 2-pack refinish product range in January 2013. Within first six months of the launch, when the excitement of the new launch had abated, it was found that there were shortage of certain SKU’s. There were incidences of shortage in some specific locations as well as the entire country, which required to be addressed on an immediate basis. The import lead time was 12 weeks by ship and 4 weeks by air which made the solution even more difficult. The situation was becoming more acute every passing day.

Jayant, the Product Manager responsible for 2-pack refinish product range had been given two months time by the top management of ICC to get the situation under control. Apart from the mismatches in stock availability and its requirements across the retail outlets and branches, Jayant had inherited problems which were related to the structure and compensation plan of ICC, which made his task even more challenging.
Exploring the Relevance of Case Study Research
Authors: Dasgupta Meeta
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this article is to recount some highlights of a personal journey of a case study researcher. The researcher not only hopes to give a methodological and scholarly approach to the research but also intends to share some personal exciting and disappointing experiences during the journey. The article gives a detail on identifying the research problem, selection of the adequate research method, selection of the research organization, data collection, analysis and making sense of the data, publishing the results and extending research into post-doctoral research.
Book Review: Jagdish N. Sheth and John Yow, The Accidental Scholar
Authors: Shankar Raj K.
Published: June 2015

Jagdish N. Sheth and John Yow, The Accidental Scholar, India: Sage Publications, 2014, 240 pp., ₹ 695.00 [Hardback]
Book Review: Dave Ulrich, Jon Younger, Wayne Brockbank and Mike Ulrich, HR from the Outside In: Six Competencies for the Future of Human Resources
Authors: Sai M. Ganesh , Sayee M. Ramakrishna
Published: June 2015

Dave Ulrich, Jon Younger, Wayne Brockbank and Mike Ulrich, HR from the Outside In: Six Competencies for the Future of Human Resources. McGraw-Hill. 2012, 272 pp., Price: $19.33 (Hardcover). ISBN: 978-0071802666
The ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol: Obstacle or Driver of Regional Integration?
Authors: Olusegun Bolarinwa Joshua
Published: June 2015

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol relating to the Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment was approved by the ECOWAS heads of state and the government in Dakar on 29 May 1979. It was conceived as one of the bedrocks of regional integration efforts in West Africa in the firm belief that free movement of persons, goods, services and capital not only constitutes the fundamental basis for enhancing and consolidating the dividends of economic integration under the auspices of the ECOWAS but is also capable of influencing positively the harmonious development of social, economic and cultural activities within the sub-region. It is in the light of the above that this article examines the main elements and limitations of the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocols. It evaluates the degree to which the protocols have been implemented and identifies if they have served as a driver or an obstacle to regional integration in West Africa.
Book Review: Diery Seck (Ed.), Regional Economic Integration in West Africa
Authors: Tourangbam Monish
Published: June 2015

Diery Seck (Ed.), Regional Economic Integration in West Africa, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2014, pp. 267, ISBN-978-3-319-01281-0.
Book Review: Goran Djurfeldt, Ernest Aryeetey and Aida C. Isinika (Eds), African Smallholders, Food Crops, Markets and Policy
Authors: Tyagi Jyoti
Published: June 2015

Goran Djurfeldt, Ernest Aryeetey and Aida C. Isinika (Eds), African Smallholders, Food Crops, Markets and Policy, CABI Publishing, Chippenham, 2011, $160, pp. ix+386, ISBN 978-1-845-93-76-4.
Investigating the impact of changes in iteration-likelihoods on design process performance
Authors: Shapiro Daniel , Hamraz Bahram , Sommer Anita F , Clarkson P John
Published: June 2015

Research on changes in design has mainly focused on the product domain, which is the manifestation of the design process. This article investigates changes in the process domain, which describes the execution of coordinated and concurrent design activities through interdisciplinary teams. More specifically, this article focuses on changes in the iterative behavior of activities as one of the key levers determining the performance of complex concurrent design processes. In activity network–based models of design processes, the occurrence of such behavior is often expressed probabilistically through iteration-likelihoods. First, the impact of iteration-likelihood changes on the effort and duration of both individual activities and the overall design process is examined through stochastic analysis. Consequently, a method for the investigation of such changes is developed, which grounds on an experimental approach using Monte Carlo simulation of activity network–based process models. The method is applied to the design process of a high-speed machining device for the manufacturing of planetary-ball-bearing housings. This analysis results in a two-dimensional criticality ranking of potential iteration-likelihood changes and in the identification of the most affected individual activities. The article concludes with managerial implications for process planning and improvement and discusses which design activities need to be targeted by project management to prevent and react to critical iteration-likelihood changes.
Adjustable maneuvering time wave-form command shaping control with variable hoisting speeds
Authors: Alhazza Khaled A
Published: June 2015

Classical input shaping is based on convolving a general input signal with a sequence of timed impulses. These impulses are chosen to match certain modal parameters of the system under control to eliminate residual vibrations in rest-to-rest maneuvers. This type of input shaping is strongly dependent on the system period. In this work, an adjustable maneuvering time wave form command shaper is presented. The equation of motion of a simple pendulum model of a crane is derived and solved in order to eliminate residual vibrations at the end of motion. Several cases are simulated numerically and validated experimentally on an experimental model of an overhead crane. Results show that the proposed command shaper is capable of eliminating residual vibrations effectively with a single continuous wave form command. The work is extended to include the effect of hoisting on the shaper performance. Several functions are used to simulate hoisting. To overcome the added complexity of hoisting on the system, an approximation technique is used to determine initial shaped command parameters, which are later used in a genetic algorithm optimization scheme. Numerical and experimental results prove that the proposed command shaper can effectively eliminate residual vibrations in rest-to-rest maneuvers.
Health Care Services for Adults With ADHD: Patient Satisfaction and the Role of Psycho-Education
Authors: Solberg Berit Skretting , Haavik Jan , Halmøy Anne
Published: June 2015

Objective: To evaluate health care experiences of adults with ADHD and to identify predictors for patient satisfaction. Method: Multisite, questionnaire-based survey in a cohort of adult patients diagnosed and treated for ADHD in the Bergen area of Western Norway between 2005 and 2011. Results: Among the 171 included patients, only 61 (35.7%) reported being satisfied to a large or very large extent with the received health care. The strongest predictor for overall satisfaction, independent of duration, medication, and reported outcome of treatment, was whether they were satisfied with the information they had received from clinicians regarding ADHD and treatment options. Patients who reported that they had been offered other treatments in addition to pharmacotherapy were generally more satisfied. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the importance of consistent information routines as part of ADHD management. More teaching and training about ADHD for clinicians working in adult psychiatric health services may be needed.
Effects of ketamine and alfaxalone on application of a feline pain assessment scale
Authors: Buisman Mandy , Wagner Marika C , Hasiuk Michelle MM , Prebble Melanie , Law Laura , Pang Daniel SJ
Published: June 2015

Objectives

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of ketamine and alfaxalone on the application of a validated feline-specific multidimensional composite pain scale (UNESP-Botucatu MCPS).

Methods

In a prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover trial, 11 adult cats (weight 4.4 ± 0.6 kg) were given dexmedetomidine (15 μg/kg) and hydromorphone (0.05 mg/kg) with either alfaxalone (2 mg/kg) or ketamine (5 mg/kg) as a single intramuscular injection for the induction of general anesthesia. After orotracheal intubation, general anesthesia (without surgery) was maintained for 32 mins with isoflurane, followed by atipamezole. The following parameters were recorded at baseline, 1–8 h and 24 h post-extubation: pain (pain expression and psychomotor subscales) and sedation scale scores. Alfaxalone treatment injection sites were examined for inflammation at baseline, postinjection, and 8 h and 24 h post-extubation.

Results

Psychomotor scores were higher with ketamine at hours 1 (3.5 [0–5.0], P <0.0001), 2 (2.5 [0–4.0], P <0.0001) and 3 (0.5 [0–4.0], P = 0.009) post-extubation compared with alfaxalone (hour 1, 0 [0–2]; hour 2, 0 [0–0]; hour 3, 0 [0–0]). Six cats in the ketamine group crossed the analgesic intervention threshold. In contrast, pain expression scores did not differ significantly between treatments at any time ( P >0.05); one cat from each group crossed the analgesic intervention threshold. Sedation was greater with ketamine (1 [0–3], P = 0.02) than alfaxalone (0 [0–1]) 1 h post-extubation. No cats had visible inflammation at the injection sites at any time.

Conclusions and relevance

Ketamine has a confounding effect on the psychomotor subscale of the pain scale studied, which may lead to erroneous administration of rescue analgesia. In contrast, alfaxalone was not associated with significant increases in either pain subscale. These effects of ketamine should be considered when evaluating acute postoperative pain in cats.
Rolling element bearing fault diagnostics using acoustic emission technique and advanced signal processing
Authors: Hemmati Farzad , Alqaradawi Mohammed , Gadala Mohamed S
Published: June 2015

Acoustic emission (AE) signal generated from defects in rolling element bearings are investigated using simulated defects and experimental measurements in this paper. Rolling element bearings are crucial parts of many machines and there has been an increasing demand to find effective and reliable health monitoring technique and advanced signal processing to detect and diagnose the size and location of incipient defects. Condition monitoring of rolling element bearings comprises four main stages, which are, statistical analysis, faults diagnostics, defect size calculation, and prognostics. A modified and effective signal processing algorithm is designed to diagnose localized defects on rolling element bearing components under different operating speeds, loadings, and defect sizes. The algorithm is based on optimizing the ratio of Kurtosis and Shannon entropy to obtain the optimal band pass filter utilizing wavelet packet transform (WPT) and envelope detection. Results show the superiority of the developed algorithm and its effectiveness in extracting bearing characteristic frequencies from the raw acoustic emission signals masked by the background noise under different operating conditions.
A theoretical model of how neighborhood factors contribute to medication nonadherence among disadvantaged chronically ill adults
Authors: August Kristin J , Billimek John
Published: June 2015

In addition to individual-level socioeconomic and psychological factors, the neighborhood environment has been found to be related to medication nonadherence, particularly among low-income, minority populations managing a chronic disease. In this article, we synthesize the relevant literature on how neighborhood factors contribute to engagement in health behaviors and reasons for medication nonadherence among this population. We propose a theoretical framework for understanding the mediating and moderating mechanisms whereby the neighborhood environment may impact medication nonadherence among individuals most at risk for adverse disease outcomes. Guided by this model, we provide recommendations for future research, practice, and policy.
Medicaid 1915(c) Home- and Community-Based Services waivers for children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Velott Diana L , Agbese Edeanya , Mandell David , Stein Bradley D , Dick Andrew W , Yu Hao , Leslie Douglas L
Published: June 2015

This research aims to describe the characteristics of 1915(c) Home- and Community-Based Services waivers for children with autism spectrum disorder across states and over time. While increasingly popular, little is known about these Medicaid waivers. Understanding the characteristics of these programs is important to clinicians and policymakers in designing programs to meet the needs of this vulnerable population and to set the stage for evaluating changes that occur with the implementation of health-care reform. Home- and Community-Based Services waiver applications that included children with autism spectrum disorder as a target population were collected from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website, state websites, and state administrators. A data extraction tool was used to document waiver inclusions and restrictions, estimated service provision and institutional costs, and the inclusion of four core autism spectrum disorder services: respite, caregiver support and training, personal care, and evidence-based treatments. Investigators identified 50 current or former waivers across 29 states that explicitly included children with autism spectrum disorder in their target populations. Waivers differed substantially across states in the type and breadth of autism spectrum disorder coverage provided. Specifically, waivers varied in the populations they targeted, estimated cost of services, cost control methods employed, and services offered to children with autism spectrum disorder. Home- and Community-Based Services waivers for children with autism spectrum disorder are very complex and are not consistent across states or over time. Further efforts are needed to examine the characteristics of programs that are associated with improved access to care and clinical outcomes to maximize the benefits to individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
Neo-classical sociology
Authors: Caillé Alain , Vandenberghe Frédéric
Published: June 2015

This article calls for a new theoretical synthesis that overcomes the fragmentation, specialization and professionalization within the social sciences. As an alternative to utilitarianism and the colonization of the social sciences by rational choice models, it proposes a new articulation of social theory, the Studies and moral, social and political philosophy. Based on a positive anthropology that finds its inspiration in Marcel Mauss’s classic essay on the gift, it recommends a return to classical social theory and explores articulations between theories of reciprocity, care and recognition.
Constitutive flow stress formulation for aeronautic aluminum alloy AA7075-T6 at elevated temperature and model validation using finite element simulation
Authors: Paturi Uma Maheshwera Reddy , Narala Suresh Kumar Reddy
Published: June 2015

A judicious material constitutive model used as input to the numerical codes to denote elastic, plastic, and thermomechanical behavior under elevated temperatures and strain rates is essential to analyze and design a process. This work describes the formulation of different constitutive models, such as Johnson–Cook, Zerilli–Armstrong, Arrhenius, and Norton–Hoff models for high-strength aeronautic aluminum alloy AA7075-T6 under a wide range of deformation temperatures and strain rates. The adeptness of the formulated models is evaluated statistically by comparing the value of the correlation coefficient and average absolute error between experimental and predicted flow stress results, and numerically when simulating AA7075-T6 machining process. Though all the models show a reasonable degree of accuracy of fit, based on the average absolute error of the data and finite element predictions when simulating the AA7075-T6 machining process, Zerilli–Armstrong model can offer an accurate and precise estimate and is very close to the experimental results over the other models.
Pyruvate stabilizes electrocardiographic and hemodynamic function in pigs recovering from cardiac arrest
Authors: Cherry Brandon H , Nguyen Anh Q , Hollrah Roger A , Williams Arthur G , Hoxha Besim , Olivencia-Yurvati Albert H , Mallet Robert T
Published: June 2015

Cardiac electromechanical dysfunction may compromise recovery of patients who are initially resuscitated from cardiac arrest, and effective treatments remain elusive. Pyruvate, a natural intermediary metabolite, energy substrate, and antioxidant, has been found to protect the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. This study tested the hypothesis that pyruvate-enriched resuscitation restores hemodynamic, metabolic, and electrolyte homeostasis following cardiac arrest. Forty-two Yorkshire swine underwent pacing-induced ventricular fibrillation and, after 6 min pre-intervention arrest, 4 min precordial compressions followed by transthoracic countershocks. After defibrillation and recovery of spontaneous circulation, the pigs were monitored for another 4 h. Sodium pyruvate or NaCl were infused i.v. (0.1 mmol·kg−1·min−1) throughout precordial compressions and the first 60 min recovery. In 8 of the 24 NaCl-infused swine, the first countershock converted ventricular fibrillation to pulseless electrical activity unresponsive to subsequent countershocks, but only 1 of 18 pyruvate-treated swine developed pulseless electrical activity (relative risk 0.17; 95% confidence interval 0.13–0.22). Pyruvate treatment also lowered the dosage of vasoconstrictor phenylephrine required to maintain systemic arterial pressure at 15–60 min recovery, hastened clearance of excess glucose, elevated arterial bicarbonate, and raised arterial pH; these statistically significant effects persisted up to 3 h after sodium pyruvate infusion, while infusion-induced hypernatremia subsided. These results demonstrate that pyruvate-enriched resuscitation achieves electrocardiographic and hemodynamic stability in swine during the initial recovery from cardiac arrest. Such metabolically based treatment may offer an effective strategy to support cardiac electromechanical recovery immediately after cardiac arrest.
Faster Reaching in Chronic Spastic Stroke Patients Comes at the Expense of Arm-Trunk Coordination
Authors: Mandon Laurence , Boudarham Julien , Robertson Johanna , Bensmail Djamel , Roche Nicolas , Roby-Brami Agnès
Published: June 2015

Background. The velocity of reaching movements is often reduced in patients with stroke-related hemiparesis; however, they are able to voluntarily increase paretic hand velocity. Previous studies have proposed that faster speed improves movement quality. Objective. To investigate the combined effects of reaching distance and speed instruction on trunk and paretic upper-limb coordination. The hypothesis was that increased speed would reduce elbow extension and increase compensatory trunk movement. Methods. A single session study in which reaching kinematics were recorded in a group of 14 patients with spastic hemiparesis. A 3-dimensional motion analysis system was used to track the trajectories of 5 reflective markers fixed on the finger, wrist, elbow, acromion, and sternum. The reaching movements were performed to 2 targets at 60% and 90% arm length, respectively, at preferred and maximum velocity. The experiment was repeated with the trunk restrained by a strap. Results. All the patients were able to voluntarily increase reaching velocity. In the trunk free, faster speed condition, elbow extension velocity increased but elbow extension amplitude decreased and trunk movement increased. In the trunk restraint condition, elbow extension amplitude did not decrease with faster speed. Seven patients scaled elbow extension and elbow extension velocity as a function of reach distance, the other 7 mainly increased trunk compensation with increased task constraints. There were no clear clinical characteristics that could explain this difference. Conclusions. Faster speed may encourage some patients to use compensation. Individual indications for therapy could be based on a quantitative analysis of reaching coordination.
Spinal Rhythm Generation by Step-Induced Feedback and Transcutaneous Posterior Root Stimulation in Complete Spinal Cord–Injured Individuals
Authors: Minassian Karen , Hofstoetter Ursula S. , Danner Simon M. , Mayr Winfried , Bruce Joy A. , McKay W. Barry , Tansey Keith E.
Published: June 2015

Background. The human lumbosacral spinal circuitry can generate rhythmic motor output in response to different types of inputs after motor-complete spinal cord injury. Objective. To explore spinal rhythm generating mechanisms recruited by phasic step-related sensory feedback and tonic posterior root stimulation when provided alone or in combination. Methods. We studied stepping in 4 individuals with chronic, clinically complete spinal cord injury using a robotic-driven gait orthosis with body weight support over a treadmill. Electromyographic data were collected from thigh and lower leg muscles during stepping with 2 hip-movement conditions and 2 step frequencies, first without and then with tonic 30-Hz transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) over the lumbar posterior roots. Results. Robotic-driven stepping alone generated rhythmic activity in a small number of muscles, mostly in hamstrings, coinciding with the stretch applied to the muscle, and in tibialis anterior as stance-phase synchronized clonus. Adding tonic 30-Hz tSCS increased the number of rhythmically responding muscles, augmented thigh muscle activity, and suppressed clonus. tSCS could also produce rhythmic activity without or independent of step-specific peripheral feedback. Changing stepping parameters could change the amount of activity generated but not the multimuscle activation patterns. Conclusions. The data suggest that the rhythmic motor patterns generated by the imposed stepping were responses of spinal reflex circuits to the cyclic sensory feedback. Tonic 30-Hz tSCS provided for additional excitation and engaged spinal rhythm-generating networks. The synergistic effects of these rhythm-generating mechanisms suggest that tSCS in combination with treadmill training might augment rehabilitation outcomes after severe spinal cord injury.
Toward postheroic leadership: A case study of Gezi's collaborating multiple leaders
Authors: Eslen-Ziya Hande , Erhart Itır
Published: June 2015

This article explores how the Gezi Park protests in Istanbul, Turkey, exemplify the changing character of contemporary social movements, where teamwork and collaboration are supported and the ability to empower, support, and engage others is emphasized. We argue that the role of leadership in social movements in general and in the Turkish Gezi context specifically goes beyond the creation of traditional leaders. This new form of leadership is driven by the possibilities opened up by other democratic and collaborative social movements and also social networking sites. We look at how a horizontal, postheroic leadership message was conveyed via the posters, t-shirts, and chants used by the protestors during the Gezi Park protests, with analysis supported by interviews conducted with protesters.
Hard Labor: The Pregnant Body at Work
Authors: Grossman Joanna L.
Published: June 2015

The last forty years have seen the development of greater labor force attachments by both pregnant and postpartum women. These developing attachments have forced courts and legislatures to reimagine the pregnant body as one that is not in a state of watchful waiting, but rather is engaged in hard labor. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) of 1978 is the key statute that protects these women not only from adverse employment actions motivated by bias, but from those motivated by paternalism as well. But the meaning and scope of the PDA has been a source of great controversy in recent years, particularly when applied in the context of accommodation claims. This article considers the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Young v. United Parcel Service, in which it established a new test for evaluating an employer’s denial of an accommodation to a pregnant worker, despite offering it to at least some other employees with comparable restrictions. In a ruling for the plaintiff, the Court made it harder for employers to be so dismissive of pregnant workers’ requests for accommodation, making it more likely that the pregnant women will, while engaged in hard labor, be treated like everyone else.
Revisiting consent for health information databanks
Authors: Millett Stephan , O’Leary Peter
Published: June 2015

This paper argues that specific individual informed consent and other forms of consent predicated on a right to autonomy may not in all circumstances be appropriate for the establishment and use of large data sets of health information. We suggest that there are inherent failings in such an approach, shortcomings that we analyse below. We argue that individuals share an obligation to contribute their data, as doing so is cost-free (however cost is construed) and benefits accrue to the population as a whole. Large health data sets can be considered public goods – goods that are non-rival in consumption (they are not depleted in being used, so others are not prevented from using them) and in some cases non-exclusive in use (e.g. when large datasets of non-identifiable information are publicly-accessible without cost, such as some Australian Bureau of Statistics data) – and contributing to these goods may be an obligation, the meeting of which allows citizens to invest in knowledge infrastructure. The approach argued for here is a variation of a communitarian ethic in which people have an obligation to contribute their data but have no correlative right to expect or receive an individual benefit.
Criminology and the Anthropocene
Authors: Shearing Clifford
Published: June 2015

The article explores how criminology is responding to, and might respond to, the challenges presented by changes in earth systems, and the reasons for them, that the term ‘Anthropocene’ signals. It begins with a very brief review of these developments and the meaning of the term. It then examines the responses within criminology that have emerged under the sign ‘green criminology’. Thereafter it explores how criminology might respond to the challenges of the Anthropocene by using a ‘security governance’ lens.
Environmental security and the case against rethinking criminology as ‘security-ology’
Authors: Floyd Rita
Published: June 2015

In this article I argue against Clifford Shearing’s suggestion that in the age of the Anthropocene the discipline of criminology should be rethought as ‘security-ology’, where concerns of security as a state of being and practices of security (i.e. securitization) and not crime and criminalization dominate the agenda. My objection consists of three key points. First, contra Shearing, I argue that it is analytically weak to describe all political practices concerned with achieving greater justice and/or security as a state of being as security practices. At a minimum, I suggest, relevant actors must conceive of their own actions as security practices, for the latter to count as such. Second, by drawing on literature from Environmental Security Studies I show that elevating environmental issues to security problems does not necessarily produce a more secure environment for people. Instead the best successes – in terms of accomplishing environmental security as a state of being – have been achieved through collaborate efforts between states and key stake-holders. I suggest that Shearing’s work on New Environmental Governance can be understood in these terms as it can help to produce greater actual security. Third, the age of the Anthropocene gives renewed relevance to crime and criminalization. Not only does it necessitate the rethinking of the meaning of crime, but also criminalization can be used to achieve compliance with environmental legislation.
The Anthropocene biosphere
Authors: Williams Mark , Zalasiewicz Jan , Haff PK , Schwägerl Christian , Barnosky Anthony D , Ellis Erle C
Published: June 2015

The geological record preserves evidence for two fundamental stages in the evolution of Earth’s biosphere, a microbial stage from ~3.5 to 0.65 Ga, and a metazoan stage evident by c. 650 Ma. We suggest that the modern biosphere differs significantly from these previous stages and shows early signs of a new, third stage of biosphere evolution characterised by: (1) global homogenisation of flora and fauna; (2) a single species ( Homo sapiens) commandeering 25–40% of net primary production and also mining fossil net primary production (fossil fuels) to break through the photosynthetic energy barrier; (3) human-directed evolution of other species; and (4) increasing interaction of the biosphere with the technosphere (the global emergent system that includes humans, technological artefacts, and associated social and technological networks). These unique features of today’s biosphere may herald a new era in the planet’s history that could persist over geological timescales.
Adolescent Workers’ Experiences of and Training for Workplace Violence
Authors: Smith Carolyn R. , Gillespie Gordon L. , Beery Theresa A.
Published: June 2015

Adolescent workers may not be aware that violence is a safety concern in the workplace. As part of a larger mixed-methods pilot study, investigators used a self-administered survey and individual interviews with 30 adolescent workers from a chain of food service stores in a Midwestern metropolitan area to explore experiences of workplace violence (WPV) and ways of learning WPV-specific information. Participants reported experiencing verbal and sexual harassment and robberies. Most participants reported awareness of WPV-specific policies and procedures at their workplace; the ways participants reported learning WPV-specific information varied. Findings support the need for occupational safety training to assist adolescent workers prevent and mitigate potential WPV.
An Indian Past of the Great War: Subaltern History in Across the Black Waters
Authors: Bijral Quleen Kaur
Published: June 2015

The Indian past of the Great War is a subaltern record that either has not been investigated or left forgotten and unacknowledged in the annals of Indian history. In order to deconstruct the polemics of this intentional or inadvertent loophole of history, the objective of the paper is to invest the Indian history of the Great War in the historiography of India's independence struggle. Gayatri Spivak, in her essay Can the Subaltern Speak attempted to invest the subaltern with a historical agency. It is an indispensable notion that intends to resolve the discrepancies, the invalidity and glaring lacunae in the Indian history.
Plerixafor+G-CSF–mobilized CD34+ cells represent an optimal graft source for thalassemia gene therapy
Authors: Karponi Garyfalia , Psatha Nikoletta , Lederer Carsten Werner , Adair Jennifer Eileen , Zervou Fani , Zogas Nikolaos , Kleanthous Marina , Tsatalas Constantinos , Anagnostopoulos Achilles , Sadelain Michel , Rivière Isabelle , Stamatoyannopoulos George , Yannaki Evangelia
Published: June 2015

Key Points

Effective gene correction and long-term engraftment of human thalassemic CD34+ cells mobilized with different strategies. Plerixafor+G-CSF–mobilized CD34+ cells produce higher β-globin/VCN and superior early engraftment over single agent-mobilized cells.
Critical analysis of the stringent complete response in multiple myeloma: contribution of sFLC and bone marrow clonality
Authors: Martínez-López Joaquín , Paiva Bruno , López-Anglada Lucía , Mateos María-Victoria , Cedena Teresa , Vidríales María-Belén , Sáez-Gómez María Auxiliadora , Contreras Teresa , Oriol Albert , Rapado Inmaculada , Teruel Ana-Isabel , Cordón Lourdes , Blanchard María Jesús , Bengoechea Enrique , Palomera Luis , de Arriba Felipe , Cueto-Felgueroso Cecilia , Orfao Alberto , Bladé Joan , San Miguel Jesús F. , Lahuerta Juan José
Published: June 2015

Key Points

In MM patients, stringent CR criteria, in particular the sFLC ratio, do not predict significantly better outcome among MM patients in conventional CR.