bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indentation of composite sandwich panels with aluminum foam core: An experimental parametric study
Authors: Li Zhibin , Zheng Zhijun , Yu Jilin , Yang Jie
Published: July 2014

Quasi-static indentation tests were carried out to investigate the mechanical responses of sandwich panels with composite face sheets and aluminum foam core. The energy absorption, specific energy absorption and energy-absorbing effectiveness factor of rigid-supported composite sandwich panels were evaluated and compared. The deformation of upper face sheets, foam cores and lower face sheets was captured. The effects of several key parameters, including the face sheet thickness, the core thickness and relative density, and the indenter nose shape, on the energy absorption behavior of the rigid-supported sandwich panels were explored. The dependency of the load–displacement response of sandwich panels on boundary conditions was also discussed. It was found that the rigid-supported sandwich panels absorb the greatest energy and own the highest energy absorption efficiency, while fully fixed panels absorb the least energy and own the lowest energy absorption efficiency.
Employment Isn’t Enough
Authors: Pogrebin Mark , West-Smith Mary , Walker Alexandra , Unnithan N. Prabha
Published: July 2014

One of the greatest needs for persons leaving prison and returning to their communities is immediate employment. Although this has been researched and written about by many in the field of criminology and criminal justice, this study, based on interview data obtained from seventy men and women on parole in Colorado, expands on the recognized need for employment by identifying and analyzing the additional collateral financial obligations that are rarely addressed by researchers and correctional practitioners. In addition to describing barriers to obtaining employment, we explore financial obligations that may significantly prevent ex-offenders from gaining an economic foothold, even when employed, including mandatory parole expenses and other debts incurred prior to and after incarceration. Without the ability to meet these financial obligations, many returning former prisoners came to believe they will never achieve economic success. A lack of financial stability and little hope for a better future may significantly affect the ability of many persons leaving prison to successfully reenter society.
The management challenge for household waste in emerging economies like Brazil: Realistic source separation and activation of reverse logistics
Authors: Fehr M
Published: July 2014

Business opportunities in the household waste sector in emerging economies still evolve around the activities of bulk collection and tipping with an open material balance. This research, conducted in Brazil, pursued the objective of shifting opportunities from tipping to reverse logistics in order to close the balance. To do this, it illustrated how specific knowledge of sorted waste composition and reverse logistics operations can be used to determine realistic temporal and quantitative landfill diversion targets in an emerging economy context. Experimentation constructed and confirmed the recycling trilogy that consists of source separation, collection infrastructure and reverse logistics. The study on source separation demonstrated the vital difference between raw and sorted waste compositions. Raw waste contained 70% biodegradable and 30% inert matter. Source separation produced 47% biodegradable, 20% inert and 33% mixed material. The study on collection infrastructure developed the necessary receiving facilities. The study on reverse logistics identified private operators capable of collecting and processing all separated inert items. Recycling activities for biodegradable material were scarce and erratic. Only farmers would take the material as animal feed. No composting initiatives existed. The management challenge was identified as stimulating these activities in order to complete the trilogy and divert the 47% source-separated biodegradable discards from the landfills.
Evaluating the Mathematics Interest Inventory Using Item Response Theory
Authors: Wei Tianlan , Chesnut Steven R. , Barnard-Brak Lucy , Stevens Tara , Olivárez Arturo
Published: July 2014

As the United States has begun to lag behind other developed countries in performance on mathematics and science, researchers have sought to explain this with theories of teaching, knowledge, and motivation. We expand this examination by further analyzing a measure of interest that has been linked to student performance in mathematics and intention to enroll in advanced mathematics classes. Using Item Response Theory (IRT), the purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Mathematics Interest Inventory (MII). Six hundred sixty-six students (47.6% Hispanic, 48.2% Male) formed the sample. Results revealed minimal differential item functioning (DIF) between genders. Substantial DIF emerged between Hispanic and White students. Implications of the differential functioning and the measurement of interest in mathematics are discussed.
Incidence of Mechanical Complications of Central Venous Catheterization Using Landmark Technique
Authors: Calvache Jose-Andres , Rodríguez Maria-Virginia , Trochez Adolfo , Klimek Markus , Stolker Robert-Jan , Lesaffre Emmanuel
Published: July 2014

Purpose:

Central venous catheterization is a standard procedure in intensive care therapy. In developing countries, this intervention is frequently performed by physicians in training and without the availability of ultrasound guidance. Purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and potential risk factors for mechanical complications during central venous catheterization in an intensive care setting performed by a mixed group of practitioners without the use of adjunct ultrasound.

Methods:

Prospective observational cohort study in a university teaching hospital. Three hundred critically ill patients requiring their first central venous catheter insertion were enrolled. All patients were observed for 24 hours for mechanical complications (pneumothorax, hemothorax, arterial puncture, incorrect tip position, cardiac dysrhythmia, and/or subcutaneous hematoma). Potential associations with mechanical complications were adjusted using multivariable analysis. Main outcome was the cumulative incidence of mechanical complications.

Results:

The incidence of mechanical complications was 17% (n = 51). After covariate adjustment, the number of punctures was significantly related to mechanical complications. Compared with 1 puncture, 3 or more attempts were significantly associated with mechanical complications (odds ratio 3.62 [95% confidence interval 1.34-9.8]; P = .011). Experience of the operator was not associated with mechanical complications.

Conclusions:

The incidence of mechanical complications is affected by the number of punctures performed. After adjustment, the risk increases substantially with more than 3 attempts. Limiting the number of attempts, appropriate supervision and the use of ultrasound guidance when available are recommended for the further reduction in mechanical complications of central venous catheterization.
The taming of the aristoi – an ancient Greek civilizing process?
Authors: Jørgensen Jon Ploug
Published: July 2014

The aim of this article is to discuss how the increasing social control of violence and aggression, which characterized the period from the Archaic to the Classical Age in ancient Greece, can be explained as an Eliasian civilizing process. Particularly crucial for this development is the question of how the city-state’s distinctive urban-political structures were the locus of this civilizing process. Accordingly, it is argued that not only are Elias’s key concepts analytically relevant to the ancient Greek civilizing process, but also that they are to be reassessed in the light of the ancient Greek city-state culture. Thus, by the advancing of the argument that the civilizing process is not a uniquely western phenomenon, which occurred in western Europe from the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century, the analytical relevance of Elias is re-evaluated and augmented.
Figurational sociology and the rhetoric of post-philosophy
Authors: Dunne Stephen
Published: July 2014

Norbert Elias’s early work – specifically ‘Idea and Individual’ – offers a positive account of philosophy’s potential contribution towards historically oriented concrete sociological investigation. His later work, on the other hand, characterizes philosophical investigation as little more than a distraction from the myth-exposing vocation of the (figurational) sociologist. This later ‘post-philosophical’ account of figurational sociology predominates today. Within this article, however, I suggest it has come to prominence through a series of dubious rhetorical strategies, most notably subtextual hearsay and disingenuous caricature. By dispensing with the post-philosophical rhetoric, I argue, figurational sociologists might again, following the Elias of ‘Idea and Individual’, take the possibility of a philosophically grounded sociology seriously. If the article does not convince figurational sociologists to revisit philosophy as a potentially positive sociological resource, however, my effort will not have been wasted for as long as it demonstrates the presently dubious nature of their post-philosophical rhetoric.
Growing up beside you
Authors: Gabriel Norman
Published: July 2014

This article will begin by outlining influential attempts by historians and sociologists to develop a more adequate theoretical understanding of past and contemporary childhoods, focusing on the major problems that stem from the pivotal role that ‘developmentalism’ plays in their arguments. I will argue that sociologists can overcome some of their deepest fears about the role of developmental psychology by developing a relational approach that integrates the biological and social aspects of children’s development. In the development of a relational sociology of early childhood we need to make important connections with closely related disciplines, but at the same time draw on and integrate research findings from relevant areas within the social and natural sciences. An alternative perspective drawn from the writings of Norbert Elias will be put forward and illustrated by discussing some of the key concepts that Elias and Vygotsky used to explain the language development of young children.
‘Human beings in the round’
Authors: Gabriel Norman , Kaspersen Lars Bo
Published: July 2014

In this introduction we highlight Norbert Elias’s bold attempt to build a general model of the human sciences, integrating the social and natural sciences. We point to a range of different disciplines, emphasizing how he rarely developed a consistent critique of individual disciplines, though he often made some very fruitful suggestions about they should be reconceptualized in a relational and more integrative way. Based on our own research on survival units and the contributions to this special issue, we discuss the innovative potential of his ambition for transdisciplinary research, while at the same time offering an overview of some of the limitations in his theoretical perspective. We reassess his attempt to integrate the natural and social sciences within one universal testable model, and, at the same time, we consider areas like religion and economics that were rarely systematically investigated in his own theoretical approach.
Oxidation degradation of polyphenylene sulfide needle felt at different sulfuric acid dew point temperatures
Authors: Cai Weilong , Hu Gongren
Published: July 2014

Sulfuric acid dew point is an important parameter in coal-fired power plants as it affects many equipments, materials, and pipes, including filter bags. This article puts forward a new method to test the effect of different sulfuric acid dew points on the performance of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) needle felt. Oxidation reaction mechanisms were predicted using Fourier transform infrared analysis. The results show that the degradation starts with S atoms in the PPS molecular chain; first, the thioether bond is broken, followed by sulfonation of benzene, and finally concluding with the carbonization of PPS. Furthermore, PPS thermal properties also show a decrease in the melting temperatures and thermal decomposition temperatures as well as an increase in the residual mass of the initial weight with increasing sulfuric acid dew point. Changes in the thermal properties of PPS further confirmed that different reaction mechanisms exist under different acid dew points.
Preparation, characterization, and properties of poly(thioether ether imide)s from isomeric bis(chlorophthalimide)s and bis(4-mercaptophenyl) ether
Authors: Liu Jiangtao , Chen Guofei , Fang Xingzhong
Published: July 2014

A series of isomeric poly(thioether ether imide)s (PTEIs) containing both thioether and ether linkages were prepared by aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction of isomeric bis(chlorophthalimide)s (BCPIs) with bis(4-mercaptophenyl) ether (BMPE). The inherent viscosities of synthesized polymers were found in the range of 0.41–0.86 dL g−1 in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at 30°C. The glass transition temperature ( Tg) of the isomeric PTEIs were 210–242°C and increased by increasing the content of 3-substituted phthalimide unit in the polymer backbone. The 5% weight loss temperature values reached up to 525–539°C under nitrogen and 523–534°C in air atmospheres, respectively, which indicated this kind of polyimide possessed excellent thermal stability. Flexible films could be cast from the polymer solution. The PTEI films exhibited moderate mechanical properties with tensile strengths of 106–127 MPa, elongations at break of 8.6–11.5%, and tensile moduli of 2.2–2.8 GPa, respectively. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis results illustrated that the storage moduli ( E′) of PTEI (a–e) almost completely maintained at about 2.3 GPa before reaching the corresponding Tg. It is noted that the minimum melt viscosity of isomeric PTEIs (a′–e′) decreased by increasing the content of unsymmetrical 3,4′-substituted phthalimide unit in the polymer main chain.
Thermal and mechanical effects of high-speed impinging jet in orthogonal machining operations: Experimental, finite elements and analytical investigations
Authors: Bareggi Andrea , O’Donnell Garret E
Published: July 2014

Changing environmental awareness has led manufacturing industry to give critical consideration to the use of conventional coolants and traditional cooling techniques in machining processes. This research shows that impinging gas jets have a much greater potential for reducing the temperature in cutting operations than previously suspected. In this work, the mechanical effect produced by a high-speed air jet impinging on the cutting area at different directions and pressures was critically investigated. Experimental tests with different pressures and nozzle directions indicate that the mechanical effect of the air jet contributes significantly to the reduction in cutting temperature. The tests were carried out on AISI 1020 workpiece and the temperature was measured by a K-type thermocouple embedded in the WC insert. Better performance in terms of cooling is shown when the air jet is directed onto the top face of the chip. The air jet impinging on the surface of the workpiece in the contact zone, on the tool and on the chip introduces both thermal and mechanical effects. Heretofore, these influences have not been examined together. Finite element analysis shows that the mechanical effect of the air jet, impinging on the chip, causes an alteration of the state of stress on the rake face. A theoretical explanation based on this observation is proposed, and the results of experimental, finite elements and analytical modeling are compared.
Development of a novel high-speed dynamic length measurement system for mobile and large-scale cylinder workpiece
Authors: Yongcai Guo , Sen Zhou , Chao Gao
Published: July 2014

A high-speed length measuring system for mobile and large-scale cylinder workpiece was designed and constructed. This measuring system is characterized by two stationary laser scanning systems placed on two sides of workpiece responsible for the acquisition of points of key parts. Meanwhile, for making the measuring process faster and more flexible, the virtual measurement datum planes play an important role, and are step-by-step generated according to various features of measured surface in an online virtual inspection environment. Moreover, modeling and identification of end point of workpiece are established based on height variations in its nearest neighborhood. The three-dimensional dynamic length measurement data are then obtained by calculating the displacement between end point and corresponding datum plane. The prototypal system has been tested on different real cases with several typical cylinder workpieces (length 1000 ± 20 mm, diameter 50 ± 25 mm). Compared with the measurement results of coordinate measuring machine, the root-mean-square errors of the measurement data are smaller than 0.035 mm. The system measurement uncertainty is better than ±0.040 mm. The measuring time is less than 2 s. The proposed measuring system features high automation and high efficiency, and is most promising for on-machine applications in large geometric dimensional measurement.
Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody as a marker of erosive arthritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Budhram A , Chu R , Rusta-Sallehy S , Ioannidis G , Denburg JA , Adachi JD , Haaland DA
Published: July 2014

Objective

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody is an established marker in the diagnosis and prognostication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Infrequently, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients also develop a deforming erosive arthritis, similar to that of RA. Our objective was to determine whether anti-CCP antibody is a useful marker of erosive disease in SLE patients presenting with arthritis.

Methods

Electronic databases EMBASE, MEDLINE and non-indexed MEDLINE citations were searched through April 11, 2014, using the outlined key terms. Studies meeting predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were reviewed. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of included articles using previously described criteria. The DerSimonian-Laird random effects model was used to calculate pooled sensitivity and specificity of anti-CCP antibody for erosive arthritis in SLE.

Results

Seven articles met inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 609 SLE patients with arthritis were identified, 70 of whom had erosive disease. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of anti-CCP antibody for erosive arthritis was 47.8% (95% CI, 26.2%–70.2%) and 91.8% (95% CI, 78.4%–97.2%), respectively.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that anti-CCP antibody is a highly specific marker for erosive arthritis in SLE. Longitudinal prospective studies are needed to determine if anti-CCP antibody can be used as a predictor of erosive disease.
Genocide, Justice, and Rwanda’s Gacaca Courts
Authors: Nyseth Brehm Hollie , Uggen Christopher , Gasanabo Jean-Damascène
Published: July 2014

More than one million people participated in the 1994 genocide against the Rwandan Tutsi. How did Rwanda, whose criminal justice infrastructure was decimated by the genocide, attempt to bring the perpetrators to justice? In this article, we provide the first analysis of the outcomes of the gacaca courts, a traditional community-based justice system that was greatly modified to address crimes of genocide. After briefly reviewing the creation of the National Service of Gacaca Jurisdictions, we explain the court process. Then, we present an overview of the outcomes of the courts with a focus on the specific sanctions given to those found guilty. This article provides the first systematic analysis of these sanctions, contributing both an empirical overview and new insights into how Rwanda attempted to bring justice to the many citizens who took part in the genocidal violence. We conclude by briefly highlighting some successes and failures of the gacaca system and its broader lessons for justice in other contexts.
Dangerous Climates
Authors: Van Dyke Nella , Tester Griff
Published: July 2014

Although hundreds of American college students are the victims of bias-motivated verbal and physical assaults every year, little research explores whether there is a systematic pattern to the hate crimes that occur on college campuses. In this article, we study why some campuses experience more racist hate crimes than do others. We explore how campus demographics, tuition increases, and the presence of fraternities influence reported hate crime incidence. Through a statistical analysis of the hate crimes reported to the FBI by 349 colleges, we find that ethnic-/racial-bias hate crimes are more likely to be reported on predominantly White college campuses and those that have a large Greek population. We contribute to theory on hate crime by illustrating some of the social characteristics that make hate crime more likely in certain geographic areas than others.
The 2010 Chilean National Disability Law
Authors: Marfull-Jensen Marisol , Flanagan Tara D.
Published: July 2014

The overarching goal of the Ley Nacional de Discapacidad (LND; National Disability Law [NDL]) enacted by Chile in 2010 is to facilitate “positive effects on Quality of Life (QOL) for individuals with disabilities” through the promotion of personal relationships, personal development, social inclusion, rights, and self-determination. Of the components linked to QOL in the 2010 law, self-determination may impose the most complex challenge to implement in Chilean society. Self-determination can be viewed as a social value, an individual skill set, or a personal outcome. Self-determination is discussed in relation to Chile’s collectivistic society, its history of disability rights, and to Person-Centered Planning, an approach that may enable Chile to fulfill the mandate of its NDL while balancing collectivistic and individualistic values.
Predictors of Bully Victimization in Students With Disabilities
Authors: Blake Jamilia J. , Kim Eun Sook , Lund Emily M. , Zhou Qiong , Kwok Oi-man , Benz Michael R.
Published: July 2014

Longitudinal data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) national data set were used to examine risk of bully victimization in a sample of 4,155 students in special education. Results indicated that prior history of victimization was the greatest predictor of victimization risk across time, followed by the display of elevated internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experienced the greatest risk of victimization compared with all other children with disabilities, followed by children with emotional disturbance (ED). Overall, the results suggest that all children with disabilities are highly vulnerable to bully victimization. Implications for educational policy and future research are discussed.
A probabilistic detectability-based sensor network design method for system health monitoring and prognostics
Authors: Wang Pingfeng , Youn Byeng D , Hu Chao , Ha Jong Moon , Jeon Byungchul
Published: July 2014

Significant technological advances in sensing promote the use of large sensor networks to monitor engineered systems, identify damages, and quantify damage levels. Prognostics and health management technique has been developed and applied for a variety of safety-critical engineered systems, given the critical needs of system health state awareness. The prognostics and health management performance highly relies on real-time sensory signals that convey system health–relevant information. Designing an optimal sensor network with high detectability of system health state is thus of great importance to the prognostics and health management performance. This article proposes a generic sensor network design framework using a detectability measure while accounting for uncertainties in material properties and geometric tolerances. Our contributions in this article are threefold: (1) the definition of a detectability measure to quantify the diagnostic/prognostic performance of a given sensor network, (2) the development of detectability analysis based on physics-based simulation and health state classification, and (3) the formulation of a generic sensor network design optimization problem as a mixed integer nonlinear programming. We employ the genetic algorithms to solve the sensor network design optimization problem. The merit of the proposed methodology is demonstrated with a power transformer system, which suffers from core and winding joint loosening due to consistent vibration.
Preventing Drug Abuse Among Hispanic Adolescents
Authors: Schinke Steven P. , Schwinn Traci M. , Hursh Hilary A.
Published: July 2014

Intervention research is essential to help Hispanic American adolescents avoid drug use. This article describes an intervention research program aimed at preventing drug use among these youths. Grounded in salient epidemiological data, the program is informed by bicultural competence, social learning, and motivational interviewing theories. The program, called Vamos, is aimed at the risk and protective factors as well as the cultural prerogatives that demark the adolescent years of Hispanic American youths. Innovative in its approach, the program is delivered through a smartphone application (app). By interacting with engaging content presented via the app, youths can acquire the cognitive–behavioral skills necessary to avoid risky situations, urges, and pressures associated with early drug use. The intervention development process is presented in detail, and an evaluation plan to determine the program’s efficacy is outlined. Lessons for practice and intervention programming are discussed.
An Icelandic Version of McMasters Family Assessment Device (FAD)
Authors: Juliusdottir Gudlaug M. , Olafsdottir Hrefna
Published: July 2014

Purpose:

An analysis of the psychometric properties of an Icelandic version of McMasters Family Assessment Device (FAD) was conducted in this study.

Method:

Two groups, clinical and nonclinical, comprising of 529 parents answered the FAD. The study examined the internal reliability and discriminant validity of the instrument in addition to examining construct validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

Results:

The theoretically based original FAD is reliable where the total scale had high α, .95. The factors found for the Icelandic FAD were not as reliable as the original FAD. The discriminant validity showed that the clinical group scored higher (more dysfunctional) than the nonclinical group in most dimensions of both original FAD and the Icelandic FAD. The eight factors extracted in an EFA were different from the original factors.

Discussion:

The Icelandic FAD possesses good psychometric properties, although its factor structure differs from the original FAD. The results are promising and merit continued application.
Theater and Dialogue to Increase Youth’s Intentions to Advocate for LGBTQQ People
Authors: Wernick Laura J. , Kulick Alex , Dessel Adrienne B. , Graham Louis F.
Published: July 2014

Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention using theater and dialogue to raise awareness about homophobia and transphobia and increase intentions to participate in macro-level change efforts around lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) issues. Methods: Using a pretest–posttest design, this study examines changes in advocacy intentions around LGBTQQ issues among middle school and high school students who participated in the intervention ( n = 515). Results: Students reported a significant increase in intentions to advocate. Existing intervention behaviors and increased recognition of homophobia/transphobia as problems were associated with greater increases in intention to advocate. Respondents with higher existing intervention behaviors, as well as White students and cisgender women, reported higher advocacy intentions compared to students of color and cisgender men. Further, we found indication of greater awareness of homophobia/transphobia as a problem in school. Conclusions: Youth-led theater and dialogue-based interventions may be a promising strategy for addressing heterosexism and genderism in schools.
Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Parrish Danielle E.
Published: July 2014

This article provides a brief introduction to the articles presented on April 5–6, 2013, at the University of Houston’s Symposium titled, Critical Considerations, Successes, and Emerging Ideas for Bridging the Research and Practice Gap in Social Work. This conference, attended by 150 practitioners, researchers, academics, and administrators, focused on identifying novel solutions to build a more durable and complete research–practice bridge. The primary research–practice translation issues covered in this symposium and this special issue include achieving fidelity and full implementation of efficacious interventions in real settings, dealing with the discrepancy in comorbidity and complexity between the characteristics of clients in randomized controlled trials and those of the clients seen in real practice settings, addressing organizational barriers to implementation of research-supported treatments, and improving our profession’s preparation of social workers who can help build the research–practice bridge.
Measuring Therapeutic Alliance With Children in Residential Treatment and Therapeutic Day Care
Authors: Roest Jesse , van der Helm Peer , Strijbosch Eefje , van Brandenburg Mariëtte , Stams Geert Jan
Published: July 2014

Purpose:

This study examined the construct validity and reliability of a therapeutic alliance measure (Children’s Alliance Questionnaire [CAQ]) for children with psychosocial and/or behavioral problems, receiving therapeutic residential care or day care in the Netherlands.

Methods:

Confirmatory factor analysis of a one-factor model “therapeutic alliance” was conducted on two samples of 115 and 116 children, aged 4–14 years. Reliability analysis and concurrent validity were examined.

Results:

Results showed a good fit to the data, indicating construct validity of the measures. Cronbach’s α reliability coefficients were good for both alliance measures. Concurrent validity was supported by significant relations between the alliance scale and positive group climate (Group Climate Instrument for Children [GCIC]) and treatment motivation (Adolescent Treatment Motivation Questionnaire). No correlations with negative group climate (GCIC) were found.

Discussion:

The CAQ can be used as an assessment tool for therapeutic alliance within both residential treatment and therapeutic day care settings for children.
Research–Practice Integration in Real Practice Settings
Authors: Cheung Monit , Ma Anny K. , Thyer Bruce A. , Webb Ann E.
Published: July 2014

At the National Bridging the Research and Practice Gap Symposium to discuss evidence-based practice (EBP) in social work, 150 participants attended five breakout groups to address real practice setting applications. These participants from social work academia and practice communities addressed issues and looked for solutions to promote research–practice integration. Their discussions of EBP implementation issues identified five areas of focus, including the urgent need to (1) provide training, (2) design interventions based on developmental and cultural competence, (3) plan research-informed strategies with an effective infrastructure, (4) initiate research–practice integration in the process of developing social work interventions, and (5) prepare future practitioners and educators to begin collaborative work. Their recommendations focused on people-oriented, skills-based preparations, such as the provision of consumer-oriented EBP information, intervention applications and observations, development of formal training programs to connect academia to field practice, and a planning process to develop competence-based EBP curricula and practice bases.
Improvement of a Woman’s Alcohol-Related Dementia via Off-label Memantine Treatment
Authors: Bonnet Udo , Taazimi Behnaz , Borda Thorsten , Grabbe Heinz-Dieter
Published: July 2014

Objective: To report a case of long-term treatment of moderate alcohol-related dementia (ARD) with memantine. Case Summary: We present the case of a 48-year-old German woman with a long history of alcohol dependence and cognitive impairments, who was diagnosed with moderate ARD (according to ICD-10 criteria) after having ruled out other dementias. Her cognitive functioning improved with off-label use of memantine (up to 20 mg/d) under abstinent conditions. Discontinuation and reinstitution of memantine were associated with a worsening and an improving of her cognitive performance, respectively, which was documented in neuropsychiatric tests. The patient had 2 alcohol relapses during this study. Only the first relapse was associated with discontinuation of memantine and cognitive deterioration. The second relapse happened during receiving of memantine and was not associated with a decline in cognitive functioning. After 16 months of treatment, moderate ARD had been improved to the grade of an amnestic mild cognitive impairment (according to DemTect) and to mild dementia (according to Clinical Dementia Rating Scale), respectively. Discussion: The on-off-on pattern of the memantine treatment supports the assumption that this antidementia agent played a key role in the improvement of ARD. An alcohol relapse did not attenuate the improvement of cognition with memantine. Conclusion: The use of memantine improved cognitive functioning of a female patient with ARD.
From Political Pathways to Legislative Folkways
Authors: MacKenzie Scott A.
Published: July 2014

The Seventeenth Amendment transferred responsibility for selecting senators from state legislatures to voters. Scholars argue that voters’ ability to sanction performance ex post altered senators’ legislative activities. I focus on voters’ ex ante screening of senators. Using original data on senators’ political experiences, I show that direct elections increased the professionalization of pre-Senate careers. I then use sequence analysis methods to identify career paths to the Senate. Pre-Senate career paths help explain which senators received important committee assignments. These findings challenge claims that direct elections had minimal effects on the Senate’s composition and that recruitment is unrelated to legislative behavior.
Prolonged Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time
Authors: Ames Paul R. J. , Graf Maria , Archer Jeremy , Scarpato Nicola , Iannaccone Luigi
Published: July 2014

To review the diagnostic difficulties of a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) when 2 inhibitors with opposite clinical presentations coexist, we searched MEDLINE from January 1970 to November 2013 using acquired, factor VIII (FVIII), factor IX, hemophilia A and B, inhibitor, lupus anticoagulant (LA), antiphospholipid, anticardiolipin, anti-β2-glycoprotein I, antibodies, syndrome, bleeding, and thrombosis. We identified 13 articles for a total of 15 cases of possible coexistence of FVIII inhibitor and LA. The presenting clinical manifestation was thrombosis in 6 cases and bleeding in 9 cases. Activated partial thromboplastin time was the presenting laboratory abnormality in all cases, and first-line investigations suggested the coexistence of LA and acquired FVIII inhibitor. None of the articles addressed the diagnostic accuracy of the screening tests by performing “second line” assays. We reviewed the diagnostic pitfalls of the cases under study and provide some guidance for alternative tests when facing a prolonged aPTT that may have a double meaning.
N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Level is Associated With Severity and Complexity of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Kurtul Alparslan , Yarlioglues Mikail , Murat Sani Namik , Duran Mustafa , Acikgoz Sadik Kadri , Sensoy Baris , Ergun Gokhan , Cetin Mustafa , Ornek Ender
Published: July 2014

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels are associated with short- and long-term mortality in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We investigated whether baseline NT-proBNP levels are associated with burden of coronary atherosclerosis assessed by SYNTAX score (SXScore). We enrolled 509 patients with ACS who underwent coronary angiography. The patients were divided into tertiles according to the SXScore: low SXScore (≤22), intermediate SXScore (23-32), and high SXScore (≥33). The NT-proBNP levels demonstrated an increase from low SXScore tertile to high SXScore tertile. The NT-proBNP levels according to the SXScore tertiles are as follows: low and intermediate (median 635 vs 1635, P = .014), low and high (median 635 vs 4568, P < .001), and intermediate and high (median 1635 vs 4568, P < .001). In multivariate analysis, NT-proBNP remained an independent predictor of high SXScore (odds ratio: 2.688, 95% confidence interval: 1.315-5.494, P = .007) together with age ( P = .002), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio ( P = .017), and presence of non-ST-segment elevation ACS ( P = .002). The NT-proBNP was independently associated with burden of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with ACS.
A More Nuanced View of Reliability
Authors: McCrae Robert R.
Published: July 2014

Retest reliability is a better predictor of validity than is internal consistency. One explanation for this is item-specific variance, which distinguishes different nuances of a facet and contributes to retest reliability but not internal consistency. Specific variance at the facet level is temporally stable, consensually validated, and heritable; a consideration of the role of specific variance in personality measures leads to a distinction between traits as the intersection (∩) versus the union (∪) of their constituents. I discuss specific variance at the item level and its implications for scale development and argue that retest reliability outpredicts internal consistency because item-specific variance has been shown to be observable, and is probably heritable and stable. I consider some implications of these ideas for the use of single-item scales, the causal interpretation of traits, and the notion of scalar equivalence. Finally, I note that the sources of random error in scales are still poorly understood.
A “Triple A” Typology of Responding to Negative Consumer-Generated Online Reviews
Authors: Sparks Beverley A. , Bradley Graham L.
Published: July 2014

Increasingly, consumers are posting online reviews about hotels, restaurants, and other tourism and hospitality providers. While some managers are responding to these reviews, little is known about how to respond and how to do so effectively. Drawing on the service recovery, justice, and electronic word-of-mouth literatures, we developed a typology of management responses to negative online reviews of hotel accommodation. An initial version of the typology was verified through interviews with eight industry experts. The final “Triple A” typology comprised 19 specific forms of managerial responses subsumed within the three higher-level categories of acknowledgements, accounts, and actions. The typology was tested on a sample of 150 conversations drawn from the website, TripAdvisor. Most responses included an acknowledgement of the dissatisfying event, an account (explanation) for its occurrence, and a reference to action taken. Responses differed between top- and bottom-ranked hotels. Propositions for extending this area of research are provided.
Developing Culturally Responsive Surveys
Authors: Bowen Merle L. , Tillman Ayesha S.
Published: July 2014

Considerable empirical research, along with a growing body of conceptual and theoretical literature, exists on the role of culture and context in evaluation. Less scholarship has examined culturally responsive surveys in the context of international evaluation. In this article, the authors present lessons learned from the development, implementation, and analysis of surveys used to evaluate the struggle of Brazil’s quilombos, or former fugitive slave communities, for land rights and livelihood. The authors begin with a brief review of the culturally responsive evaluation literature, making the case for culturally responsive surveys. Following a brief introduction to quilombo communities, they discuss their survey work, including their efforts to be culturally responsive and the challenges they confronted. The article concludes with the lessons learned for culturally responsive survey inquirers.
Experiment on box-section sandwich beams in three-point bending
Authors: Mai Son Phu
Published: July 2014

The structural stiffness is explored for box-section beams in three-point bending. Four hollow tubes of various topologies are designed, manufactured and tested. The observed results show that a significant local compliance exists at the centre of the upper tube wall under the loading patch, in addition to the macroscopic bending of the hollow tube. The predicted and measured stiffnesses are in good agreement for a hollow tube with monolithic walls, and a hollow tube with foam-cored sandwich walls. However, the predicted stiffnesses are much greater than the measured values for two hollow tubes with sandwich walls comprising lattice corrugated cores. This can be ascribed to the imperfections introduced by the manufacturing route either by welding or adhesive bonding, and to the local yielding and large plastic deformations of the upper tube walls under the loading patch.
Efficacy and safety of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate in patients newly diagnosed with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)
Authors: Gold Ralf , Giovannoni Gavin , Phillips J Theodore , Fox Robert J , Zhang Annie , Meltzer Leslie , Kurukulasuriya Nuwan C
Published: July 2014

Background:

Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF) demonstrated efficacy and safety in the Phase 3 DEFINE and CONFIRM trials.

Objective:

To evaluate delayed-release DMF in newly diagnosed relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, in a post-hoc analysis of integrated data from DEFINE and CONFIRM.

Methods:

Patients included in the analysis were diagnosed with RRMS within 1 year prior to study entry and naive to MS disease-modifying therapy.

Results:

The newly diagnosed population comprised 678 patients treated with placebo ( n = 223) or delayed-release DMF 240 mg BID ( n = 221) or TID ( n = 234). At 2 years, delayed-release DMF BID and TID reduced the annualized relapse rate by 56% and 60% (both p < 0.0001), risk of relapse by 54% and 57% (both p < 0.0001), and risk of 12-week confirmed disability progression by 71% ( p < 0.0001) and 47% ( p = 0.0085) versus placebo. In a subset of patients (MRI cohort), delayed-release DMF BID and TID reduced the mean number of new or enlarging T2-hyperintense lesions by 80% and 81%, gadolinium-enhancing lesion activity by 92% and 92%, and mean number of new non-enhancing T1-hypointense lesions by 68% and 70% (all p < 0.0001 versus placebo). Flushing and gastrointestinal events were associated with delayed-release DMF.

Conclusion:

Delayed-release DMF improved clinical and neuroradiological outcomes relative to placebo in newly diagnosed RRMS patients.
Doing focus group research: Studying rational ordering in focus group interaction
Authors: Lindegaard Laura Bang
Published: July 2014

Scholars of ethnomethodologically informed discourse studies are often sceptical of the use of interview data such as focus group data. Some scholars quite simply reject interview data with reference to a general preference for so-called naturally occurring data. Other scholars acknowledge that interview data can be of some use if the distinction between natural and contrived data is given up and replaced with a distinction between interview data as topic or as resource. In greater detail, such scholars argue that interview data are perfectly adequate if the researcher wants to study the topic of interview interaction, but inadequate as data for studying phenomena that go beyond the phenomenon of interview interaction. Neither of these more and less sceptical positions are, on the face of it, surprising due to the ethnomethodological commitment to study social order as accomplished in situ, not as something that pre-exists or goes beyond the situated interaction. This article, however, challenges not only the first, but also the second position and suggests that it is, after all, possible to do committedly ethnomethodological studies of focus group data that demonstrate how members of a focus group setting accomplish certain rational orders, and, significantly, how they do so by utilizing certain available resources.
The resonance effect induced by the variable compliance vibration for an elastic rotor supported by roller bearings
Authors: Yi Jun , Liu Heng , Wang Fengtao , Li Meng , Jing Minqing
Published: July 2014

Owing to orbital rotation of the rolling element complement and depending on the state of bearing preload, the dynamic stiffness of bearing alters. This causes a vibration at a frequency equivalent to the number of rolling elements multiplied by the cage speed named as variable compliance vibration, which could be much larger than the system nature frequencies. In this paper, the resonance effect induced by the variable compliance vibration of an elastic rotor is discussed. Simplified bearing and the Timoshenko elements are employed to model the system, and then cascade plots and frequency spectrums are mainly obtained as results with two types of resonance in low-speed region. Firstly, resonance of variable compliance frequency would occur while the variable compliance frequency meets the system nature frequencies, which are different in the horizontal and vertical directions. Secondly, resonance of sub-harmonic frequencies which are close to the system nature frequencies would occur while the variable compliance frequency meets the sum of system nature frequencies.
A note on seasonal breaks in tourism demand time series
Authors: Gouveia Pedro MDCB
Published: July 2014

In this paper, a structural break test procedure proposed in literature is employed in a tourism demand analysis context. This article is the first to apply a graphical approach using seasonal surface and seasonal contour maps, which can be important tools for seasonal pattern evolution analyses. For the purpose of empirical study, total lodging figures were selected to analyze British tourism demand in the Algarve. The seasonality of tourism demand has several effects on economic activity. Identifying seasonal breaks in tourism time series allowed us to obtain evidence of efforts to lessen seasonality and that can hopefully benefit long-run policy evaluation and planning.
Adolescence and AAC
Authors: Smith Martine M.
Published: July 2014

Adolescence is a unique developmental period, spanning the gulf between childhood and adulthood. For adolescents who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), the major physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional changes associated with adolescence may have significant implications for their use of AAC. These challenges are reviewed here, and it is suggested that effective interventions targeting the needs of adolescents who use AAC address four main areas: social networks; peer relationships; language needs, particularly vocabulary; and curriculum access, including literacy development. It is proposed that interventions that harness the group connectedness of adolescents and that focus on preparing adolescents for the next life stage are most likely to be successful.