bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tales From the Crypt
Authors: Howlett Michael , Lejano Raul P.
Published: October 2012

Policy design is an area of study in the field of public policy with a curious intellectual history. It engendered a large literature in the 1980s and 1990s oriented to understanding design as both a process and an outcome with prominent figures in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia such as Lester Salamon, Patricia Ingraham, Malcolm Goggin, John Dryzek, Hans Bressers, Helen Ingram and Anne Schneider, G. B. Doern, Stephen Linder and B. Guy Peters, Renate Mayntz, Christopher Hood, Eugene Bardach, Evert Vedung, Peter May, Frans van Nispen, and Michael Trebilock writing extensively on policy formulation, policy instrument choice, and the idea of designing policy outcomes. After the early 1990s, however, this literature tailed off, and although some writings on policy design have continued to flourish in specific fields such as economics and environmental studies, in the fields of public administration and public policy, the idea of “design” was largely replaced by the study of institutional forms and decentralized governance arrangements. This article traces this decline to two related hypotheses about the changing nature of society and policy responses—the “government to governance” and “globalization” narratives—which it is argued crowded out more nuanced analyses of state options in the policy-making process in favor of decentralized market and “third” or “fourth” sector collaborative network mechanisms. Importantly, these latter designs are often seen as inevitable and “natural,” obviating the need for reflective studies of design and metadesign processes and outcomes. We argue that the denouement of design research has, in fact, hurt the scholarship on governance and institutions and call for a renewal of the notion of policy design.
Benchmarking small power energy consumption in office buildings in the United Kingdom: A review of data published in CIBSE Guide F
Authors: Menezes Anna Carolina , Cripps Andrew , Buswell Richard A , Bouchlaghem Dino
Published: October 2012

CIBSE’s Guide F is a widely recognised guidance document on energy efficiency in buildings, which includes energy consumption benchmarks for small power equipment in offices. In its recently published 3rd edition, existing power demand benchmarks for office equipment were revised to better represent appliances found in contemporary office buildings. Other key sources of data such as typical operating hours for equipment, however, have been omitted. This paper compares the benchmarks published in both the 2nd and 3rd editions of Guide F against a set of measurements of small power loads in a real UK office building. Load profiles for the monitored equipment are also presented to supplement the information included in the new Guide F.

Practical application: With the increasing demand for more realistic predictions of operational energy use in buildings, small power should not be disregarded since it typically accounts for more than 20% of total energy used in offices. Furthermore, small power loads can have a significant impact on the cooling loads of a building. This paper reviews existing benchmarks, focusing on the new update to CIBSE Guide F, comparing available benchmarks against newly gathered monitored data. Detailed load profiles for individual office equipment are also provided, which can be used by designers to inform better predictions of small power consumption in office buildings.
A review on predicted mean vote and adaptive thermal comfort models
Authors: Yau YH , Chew BT
Published: October 2012

This paper presents a literature review of the Fanger’s predicted mean vote and adaptive thermal comfort models developed in different buildings and climates. An important premise of this paper is the fact that Fanger’s model underestimates the thermal impression in the actual case and thus is no longer valid for use in certain climates. As a consequence, many researchers have developed adaptive models from field studies for different climates and countries. However, there is still no adaptive model that can be applied in designing air-conditioning systems for different buildings in all tropical climate countries. Based on this comprehensive review, an internationally recognized adaptive model is needed to achieve better thermal conditions in a variety of buildings such as hospitals, offices, factories, lecture halls, museums, hotels and libraries in the tropics.

Practical application: The new conclusions from the comprehensive review on an adaptive thermal comfort model in buildings in the tropics could be used as an important guide for building service engineers and researchers. Their intentions are to minimize energy usage in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings such as hospitals, offices and lecture halls operating in the tropics while maintaining an acceptable thermal comfort level and thus improving the performance and well-being of the occupants.
A Cohort Study of Nutrition Practices in the Intensive Care Unit Following Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Authors: Ksienski Melanie R. , Fenton Tanis R. , Eliasziw Misha , Zuege Danny J. , Petrasek Paul , Shahpori Reza , Laupland Kevin B.
Published: October 2012

Introduction: Enteral nutrition within 48 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission is recommended for the ICU population. Major vascular surgery patients have a higher incidence of pre‐ and postoperative malnutrition compared with the general surgical population. Our objectives were to determine if early feeding (within 48 hours of admission) is achievable and well tolerated, identify factors that predict early feeding, and determine if there is an association between early feeding and in‐hospital mortality among abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 145 postsurgical AAA repair patients admitted to the ICU within 48 hours of surgery. Kaplan‐Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard multiple regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Only 35 (24%) patients received early feeding. Patients were more likely to be fed early if they were male (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8–6.7; P = .13), had endovascular AAA repair (aHR = 2.9; 95% CI, 1.4–6.2; P = .006), had less blood loss (<4 L) during surgery (aHR = 2.3; 95% CI, 0.7–7.2; P = .14), and had shorter length of ventilation (<48 hours) (aHR = 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1–4.8; P = .048). Of 44 patients fed via enteral nutrition (EN), 27 (61%) achieved nutrition adequacy (>80% EN goal) during ICU admission. After controlling for other factors, 14‐day mortality was not related to feeding time (aHR = 1.1; P = .88). Conclusion: Early feeding was achieved in a minority of patients following AAA repair, was related to type of surgery and duration of mechanical ventilation, and was tolerated as well as later introduced feedings. Randomized trials are needed to determine safety and benefits of early feeding in this patient group.
How do you Recruit and Retain a Prebirth Cohort? Lessons Learnt from Growing Up in New Zealand
Authors: Morton Susan M. B. , Grant Cameron C. , Carr Polly E. Atatoa , Robinson Elizabeth M. , Kinloch Jennifer M. , Fleming Courtney J. , Kingi Te Kani R. , Perese Lana M. , Liang Renee
Published: October 2012

Growing Up in New Zealand, a longitudinal study following nearly 7,000 children, has faced some unique challenges in identifying, enrolling, and retaining a large and diverse antenatal cohort. Identification of a study region with population demographics that enabled enrollment of an appropriately diverse sample was required as was intensive community and participant engagement in order to promote the study. Complementary methods used included direct engagement with prospective participants and the community and indirect engagement via media. Thus far, retention rates above 95% have been achieved by maintaining a multimethod approach that includes valuing participants and building trusting relationships, strong brand recognition, community engagement, maintenance of participant contact and location records, ensuring high-quality interactions between the participants and the study, pretesting measures and methods prior to the main cohort, and using participant feedback to inform the measures and methods used in future waves of data collection.
Comparing social tags with subject headings on annotating books: A study comparing the information science domain in English and Chinese
Authors: Wu Dan , He Daqing , Qiu Jin , Lin Ruonan , Liu Yang
Published: October 2012

The literature often views the emergence of social tagging as a potential alternative method to controlled vocabulary for organizing and indexing large-scale information resources. In this paper, we present an in-depth examination of the relationship between social tagging and controlled vocabulary-based indexing and organization in two unique contexts: the information science domain and when comparing data gathered from both English and Chinese sources. Our results show that the information science domain has more overlap between social tags and controlled vocabulary-based subject terms. This is reflected in the higher percentage of overlapping terms between tags and subject terms, as well as in the strong similarity (measured by Jaccard’s coefficient) in frequently used keywords among tags and subject terms. However, social tags in the information science domain still possess limitations in terms of uncontrolled terms, where inconsistencies and noisy usages exist. Our results also show that language difference does have an impact on social tagging. The numbers of Chinese tags overall and per book are less than those of English tags. The most frequently used English tags are single-word terms, which are different from multi-word controlled vocabulary terms. In comparison, the character difference between the most frequently used Chinese tags and Chinese subject terms is just one character (3 vs 4). However, English and Chinese users do share many similar behaviours when they tag books in the information science domain. Many of the most frequently used tags are shared between the two languages and the patterns of overlap between topical tags and subject terms are also similar between the two languages. Overall, despite the application limitations for social tagging in cataloguing and indexing, we believe that tagging has the potential to become a complementary resource for expanding and enriching controlled vocabulary systems. With the help of future technology to regulate and promote features related to controlled vocabulary in social tags, a hybrid cataloguing and indexing system that integrates social tags with controlled vocabulary would greatly improve people’s organizational and access capabilities within information resources.
Interventions for children with speech, language and communication needs: An exploration of current practice
Authors: Roulstone Sue , Wren Yvonne , Bakopoulou Ioanna , Lindsay Geoff
Published: October 2012

This article reports a series of interviews with education and health practitioners. The aims were to identify interventions used in practice with children with speech, language and communication needs, to explore explanations for the choice of intervention and to identify the ways that outcomes were measured. Participants ( n = 61) included educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and education advisory staff. They talked about interventions in terms of published programmes, principles and activities, strategies, resources and training programmes. There was evidence of local adaptation of interventions and wide development of local programmes. The choice of intervention was governed by a desire to meet identified service gaps and with reference to the evidential and/or theoretical basis of the intervention and the practicalities of the intervention. Outcomes were typically measured at the level of the individual rather than a service level. The study provided insight into the range of interventions in current practice, how service managers justify intervention choices and measure outcomes. The data from this study informed a national survey to examine patterns of usage of interventions.
On-line estimation of variable stiffness in flexible robot joints
Authors: Flacco Fabrizio , De Luca Alessandro , Sardellitti Irene , Tsagarakis Nikos G
Published: October 2012

Variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) are currently explored as a new actuation approach to increase safety in physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) and improve dynamic performance of robots. For control purposes, accurate knowledge is needed of the varying stiffness at the robot joints, which is not directly measurable, nonlinearly depending on transmission deformation, and uncertain to be modeled. We address the online estimation of transmission stiffness in robots driven by VSAs in antagonistic or serial configuration, without the need for joint torque sensing. The two-stage approach combines (i) a residual-based estimator of the torque at the flexible transmission, and (ii) a recursive least squares stiffness estimator based on a parametric model. Further design refinements guarantee a robust behavior in the lack of velocity measures and in poor excitation conditions. The proposed stiffness estimation can be easily extended to multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) robots in a decentralized way, using only local motor and link position measurements. The method is tested through extensive simulations on the VSA-II device of the University of Pisa and on the Actuator with Adjustable Stiffness (AwAS) of IIT. Experiments on the AwAS platform validate the approach.
Self-Control, Negative Affect, and Young Driver Aggression
Authors: Ellwanger Steven J. , Pratt Travis C.
Published: October 2012

A large body of research reveals support for Agnew’s general strain theory (GST) and Gottfredson and Hirschi’s self-control theory, yet the two perspectives make decidedly different predictions concerning the relationships between self-control, negative affect (e.g., anger), and criminal/deviant behavior. Where GST specifies indirect and conditioning effects of self-control and negative affect on criminal/deviant behavior, self-control theory states that the independent effect of indicators of anger would be spurious and should disappear on controlling for self-control. We test these propositions using survey data from a probability sample of young adults. The structural equation models indicate that, although anger is largely the consequence of self-control, self-control and negative affect exert significant direct effects on driving aggression. These results highlight the need to integrate GST and self-control theories to better explain this form of deviant behavior.
Infrared Fiber Optic Probe Evaluation of Degenerative Cartilage Correlates to Histological Grading
Authors: Hanifi Arash , Bi Xiaohong , Yang Xu , Kavukcuoglu Beril , Lin Ping Chang , DiCarlo Edward , Spencer Richard G. , Bostrom Mathias P.G. , Pleshko Nancy
Published: October 2012

Background:

Osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative cartilage disease, results in alterations of the chemical and structural properties of tissue. Arthroscopic evaluation of full-depth tissue composition is limited and would require tissue harvesting, which is inappropriate in daily routine. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a modality based on molecular vibrations of matrix components that can be used in conjunction with fiber optics to acquire quantitative compositional data from the cartilage matrix.

Purpose:

To develop a model based on infrared spectra of articular cartilage to predict the histological Mankin score as an indicator of tissue quality.

Study Design:

Comparative laboratory study.

Methods:

Infrared fiber optic probe (IFOP) spectra were collected from nearly normal and more degraded regions of tibial plateau articular cartilage harvested during knee arthroplasty (N = 61). Each region was graded using a modified Mankin score. A multivariate partial least squares algorithm using second-derivative spectra was developed to predict the histological modified Mankin score.

Results:

The partial least squares model derived from IFOP spectra predicted the modified Mankin score with a prediction error of approximately 1.4, which resulted in approximately 72% of the Mankin-scored tissues being predicted correctly and 96% being predicted within 1 grade of their true score.

Conclusion:

These data demonstrate that IFOP spectral parameters correlate with histological tissue grade and can be used to provide information on tissue composition.

Clinical Relevance:

Infrared fiber optic probe studies have significant potential for the evaluation of cartilage tissue quality without the need for tissue harvest. Combined with arthroscopy, IFOP analysis could facilitate the definition of tissue margins in debridement procedures.
The Effect of Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit Due to Posterior Capsular Contracture on Passive Glenohumeral Joint Motion
Authors: Gates Jeffrey J. , Gupta Akash , McGarry Michelle H. , Tibone James E. , Lee Thay Q.
Published: October 2012

Background:

To date, no study has investigated the biomechanical consequences of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) at values seen in symptomatic athletes.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine the biomechanical changes that occur with a full spectrum of GIRD in a cadaveric model with passive loading. We hypothesized that there is a critical percentage of GIRD that will result in a decrease in posterior glenohumeral translation and shift of the humeral head apex at the extreme ranges of motion.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Six specimens were tested using the following conditions: (1) native state (“intact”); (2) after external rotation (ER) stretch (“stretched”); and (3) GIRD of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. For each condition, maximum ER, maximum internal rotation (IR), and total range of motion were measured. Kinematic data were obtained to determine the position of the humeral head apex (HHA), the highest point on the articular surface of the humeral head, relative to the geometric center of the glenoid. The amount of translation was measured in the anterior, posterior, superior, and inferior directions.

Results:

External rotation significantly increased compared with the intact condition for the stretched and 5% GIRD states, and IR decreased significantly beginning with 5% GIRD. At maximum ER, the HHA shifted significantly in the superior direction compared with the intact condition for all GIRD states, and at maximum IR, the HHA shifted significantly in the inferior direction compared with the intact and stretched conditions starting at 10% GIRD. The amount of posterior translation decreased significantly starting at 10% GIRD, and the amount of inferior translation decreased significantly starting at 20% GIRD.

Conclusion:

Biomechanical changes of passive glenohumeral joint motion occur in the glenohumeral joint with as little as 5% GIRD.

Clinical Relevance:

Biomechanical changes of passive glenohumeral joint motion are noted with as little as 5% GIRD in this cadaveric model, and as the amount of GIRD increases, more substantial effects are noted.
Arthroscopic Repair of Concomitant Type II SLAP Lesions in Large to Massive Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Kim Sung-Jae , Lee In-Sung , Kim Sung-Hwan , Woo Chan-Myoung , Chun Yong-Min
Published: October 2012

Background:

There are no studies examining superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) repair combined with repair of large to massive rotator cuff tears, and it is unclear whether a combined SLAP repair would lead to better outcomes than biceps tenotomy.

Hypothesis:

Tenotomy and rotator cuff repair would lead to better outcomes compared with those of combined SLAP and rotator cuff repair.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Our study population consisted of 36 patients who had undergone either combined SLAP and rotator cuff repair (when the biceps was too healthy to cut; group R = 16 patients) or tenotomy and rotator cuff repair (when any fraying or partial tear existed in the biceps tendon; group T = 20 patients) for concomitant type II SLAP lesions and large to massive rotator cuff tears. The cuff repair was performed in a single row for both groups. Outcomes were assessed by comparing range of motion as well as Simple Shoulder Test (SST), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scores between the 2 groups.

Results:

At the 2-year follow-up, both groups demonstrated significant improvements in functional shoulder scores and range of motion. However, group T had better SST scores (group T, 9.3 ± 1.6; group R, 7.8 ± 1.9; P = .012), ASES scores (group T, 88.6 ± 8.9; group R, 80.4 ±8.9; P = .009), UCLA scores (group T, 29.6 ± 3.0; group R, 26.0 ± 4.2; P = .007), and forward flexion (group T, 145.9° ± 13.0°; group R, 132.5° ± 15.3°; P = .008). The mean tear size and the degree of preoperative muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration on magnetic resonance imaging were similar between the groups.

Conclusion:

For patients with concomitant type II SLAP lesions and large to massive rotator cuff tears, the outcomes of simultaneous arthroscopic SLAP and rotator cuff repair were inferior to those of arthroscopic biceps tenotomy and cuff repair in terms of functional shoulder scores and range of motion. Biceps tenotomy and rotator cuff repair may be a more reliable method to address concomitant type II SLAP lesions and large to massive rotator cuff tears in patients, although a randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm the results.
Chaos synchronization of Yin and Yang T-S fuzzy models of Hénon map system
Authors: Ho Chun-Yen , Chen Hsien-Keng , Ge Zheng-Ming
Published: October 2012

Based on the Chinese philosophy, Yin is the decreasing, negative, historical or feminine principle in nature, while Yang is the increasing, positive, contemporary or masculine principle in nature. Yin and Yang are two fundamental opposites in Chinese philosophy. Since the discrete Hénon map system is an invertible map, Yin–Yang T-S fuzzy model of chaotic Hénon map systems with increasing and decreasing argument can be studied. The Yang T-S fuzzy model of chaotic Hénon map system is presented. The Yin T-S fuzzy model of chaotic Hénon map system and Yin T-S fuzzy rules are obtained by invertible matrix in linear system theory. Chaos synchronization of Yang T-S fuzzy model of Hénon map systems is achieved by parallel distributed compensation technique, and the fuzzy controller for chaos synchronization of Yin T-S fuzzy model of Hénon map systems is also obtained by invertible matrix in linear system theory. The design of the Yin fuzzy controller is fleetly obtained by the inverse of Yang fuzzy controller, the concern is the Yin chaotic system must be an inverse of the Yang chaotic system. T-S fuzzy model scheme is used in the nonlinear discrete chaotic map system, so the nonlinear discrete chaotic map system can be analyzed by linear system theory.
The accuracy analysis of the spacecraft autonomous navigation system based on X-ray pulsars
Authors: Wu Jinyuan , Yang Zhaohua , Yang Ningning
Published: October 2012

An autonomous and secure navigation system is needed for the spacecraft in future deep space missions. X-ray pulsar offers the possibility of autonomous navigation anywhere in the solar system. This article introduces an analysis of the spacecraft autonomous navigation system accuracy, utilizing signals emitted from the X-ray pulsars. Based on the principle of the X-ray navigation, visibility of X-ray pulsar on L1 sun-observation orbit was simulated. The influence of the geometry distribution and the pulsar angle position error was analyzed. Error sources of the navigation system were listed, including the measurement error of the X-ray detector, transformation error of time-of-arrival (TOA), and the navigation calculation error, and the simulations of their parts were shown.
Affective reactions to musical stimuli reflect emotional use of music in everyday life
Authors: Saarikallio Suvi , Nieminen Sirke , Brattico Elvira
Published: October 2012

Music is a common means for regulating affective states in everyday life, but little is known about the individual differences in this behaviour. We investigated affective reactions to musical stimuli as an explanatory factor. Forty-four young adults rated self-selected music regarding perceived and felt emotions, preference, pleasantness and beauty. The ratings were reduced into five factors representing affective response tendencies. The participants also filled in the Music in Mood Regulation (MMR) questionnaire assessing seven music-related mood regulation strategies in everyday life. High beauty and pleasantness ratings for liked music correlated with the use of music for inducing strong emotional experiences, while ratings reflecting high agreement with the emotional content of preferred musical stimuli correlated with using music as a means for dealing with personal negative emotions. Regarding musical background, informal engagement through listening, but not formal musical training, correlated with increased use of music for mood regulation. The results clarify the link between the affective reactivity to music and the individual ways of using music as a tool for emotional self-regulation in everyday life.
Fusion welding of nickel–titanium and 304 stainless steel tubes: Part I: laser welding
Authors: Hahnlen Ryan , Fox Gordon , Dapino Marcelo J
Published: October 2012

Due to their large blocking stresses, high recovery strains, and solid-state operation, nickel–titanium actuators can offer substantial weight and space savings relative to traditional electric or hydraulic systems. A challenge surrounding NiTi-based actuators is integration of the NiTi components into a given system; this alloy is difficult and expensive to machine and challenging to weld to itself and structural materials. In this research, we join NiTi and 304 stainless steel tubes of 9.53 mm (0.375 in) in diameter through laser welding to create joints with weld depths up to 1.65 mm (0.065 in). By joining NiTi to a common structural material that is easily machined and readily welded to other materials, system integration is greatly improved. The joints prepared in this study were characterized through optical microscopy, hardness mapping, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, mechanical testing, and analysis of the resulting fracture surfaces. The average ultimate shear strength of these joints is 429 MPa (62.2 103 lbf/in2) and the resulting fusion zone has a maximum width of 21.9 μm with a maximum hardness of 929 HV, while a possible heat-affected zone in NiTi is limited between 1 and 2 μm over most of the weld.
On sequencing the feature extraction techniques for online damage characterization
Authors: Yadav Susheel K , Banerjee Sourav , Kundu Tribikram
Published: October 2012

The current state of the health-monitoring technology lacks a generalized and definitive approach to the identification and localization of mechanical damage in structural materials. In past decades, several signal-processing tools have been used for solving different health-monitoring problems but the commutability of the tools between different problems has been restricted. The fundamental reasons for this shortcoming have never been investigated in detail. A thorough study is presented in this article employing almost all promising feature extraction tools on a representative problem—a plate with rivet holes. The cracks around rivet holes in a joint panel of a steel truss bridge are very difficult to detect. Although well established, Lamb wave–based nondestructive evaluation techniques are revisited and new tools are developed to address this issue. The simulation of scattered ultrasonic wave field is carried out using the finite element method. This ultrasonic wave field is further analyzed to evaluate the integrity of the structure using various feature extraction techniques. The joint time–frequency–energy representation is obtained from ultrasonic signals recorded at various locations on the plate (joint panel) and used to extract damage-sensitive features. Those features were then used to formulate a new damage parameter for better visualization of the crack. The results are shown to demonstrate the comparative effectiveness of these techniques. It is concluded that any particular feature extraction technique cannot detect all possible sizes and orientations of the crack. It is suggested that the statistical occurrence and pattern of the crack must be visualized through few selective feature extraction techniques in a sequence.
Systematic Implementation of a Tier 2 Behavior Intervention
Authors: Carter Deborah Russell , Carter Gabriel M. , Johnson Evelyn S. , Pool Juli L.
Published: October 2012

Schools are increasingly adopting tiered models of prevention to meet the needs of diverse populations of students. This article outlines the steps involved in designing and implementing a systematic Tier 2 behavior intervention within a tiered service delivery model. An elementary school example is provided to outline the identification, implementation, and data-based decision-making process. Recommendations are provided for teachers related to supporting the effective and systematic implementation of Tier 2 behavior supports.
Self-Regulated Strategy Development as a Tier 2 Writing Intervention
Authors: Johnson Evelyn S. , Hancock Christine , Carter Deborah R. , Pool Juli L.
Published: October 2012

In a response to intervention framework, the implication of limited writing instruction suggests an immediate need for Tier 2 interventions to support struggling writers while at the same time addressing instructional gaps in Tier 1. Many schools struggle with implementing writing intervention, partly because of the limited number of evidence-based writing instructional approaches. This article documents one school’s journey through the process of identifying, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of a Tier 2 writing intervention using self-regulated strategy development (SRSD).
“We Don’t Need No Education”—Or Do We? Management Education and Alumni Adoption of Strategy Tools
Authors: Jarzabkowski Paula , Giulietti Monica , Oliveira Bruno , Amoo Nii
Published: October 2012

Despite concerns about the relevance of management education, there is relatively little evidence about whether graduates use the management tools and concepts they are taught. We address this gap with evidence from a survey of business school alumni adoption of tools typically taught in strategic management courses. Our findings show that four educational characteristics—level of formal education, frequency of management training, specificity of strategic management education, and time elapsed since formal education—drive adoption of strategy tools. Specifically, features such as postgraduate over undergraduate qualifications and frequent exposure to management training predispose greater user of strategy tools. However, other factors, such as time elapsed since formal education, are not as great a predictor of variation in use. We conclude with a predictive model of the relative weight and importance of educational and demographic characteristics on strategy tool adoption and discuss our findings in light of the relevance debate.
Interaction Effect of Leadership and Communication Media on Feedback Positivity in Virtual Teams
Authors: Kahai Surinder S. , Huang Rui , Jestice Rebecca J.
Published: October 2012

Technology and contextual factors may moderate the effects of leadership in virtual teams. We conducted an experiment to study the effect of leadership styles on feedback positivity in small, ad hoc teams performing a decision-making task using a virtual world or instant messaging. We also examined the relationship of feedback positivity to team outcomes, including satisfaction, social presence, cohesion, group efficacy, consensus, decision quality, and task time. Leadership style interacted with communication medium to influence feedback positivity. Relative to transactional leadership, transformational leadership led to greater feedback positivity in the instant messaging condition but had no effect in the virtual world condition. Greater feedback positivity was positively associated with social presence, discussion satisfaction, cohesion, group efficacy, and task time, but was negatively associated with decision quality.
Sex Differences in Sports Across 50 Societies
Authors: Deaner Robert O. , Smith Brandt A.
Published: October 2012

Sports have been frequently explored in cross-cultural studies, yet scant attention has been paid to female participation. Here we coded the occurrence of sports and related activities for males and females in the societies comprising the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) probability sample. We then tested several predictions derived from evolutionary theory. As predicted, in all 50 societies with documented sports, there were more male sports than female sports; hunting and combat sports were almost exclusively male activities; and the sex difference in sports was greater in patriarchal than in nonpatriarchal societies. These results show that a robust sex difference in direct physical competition co-occurs with meaningful variation in its expression.
A geophysical application of an elastostatic contact problem
Authors: Selvadurai APS
Published: October 2012

This paper develops an analytical solution to the problem of the interaction between an elastic sealing geologic layer that is embedded within elastically dissimilar geologic media of semi-infinite extent. The axisymmetric mechanics of the elastic sealing layer during the application of pressurization of circular regions located in both halfspace regions is evaluated using an interaction analysis based on the classical theory of elasticity. In particular, the flexural behavior of the elastic sealing layer is modeled as an elastic plate that satisfies the Germain–Poisson–Kirchhoff thin plate theory. Integral expressions are developed for the deflections and stresses in the sealing layer, which are essential for establishing its sealing integrity. Specific numerical results are presented for the case where a single halfspace region is subjected to pressurization over a circular area of finite thickness.
Affine development of closed curves in Weitzenböck manifolds and the Burgers vector of dislocation mechanics
Authors: Ozakin Arkadas , Yavari Arash
Published: October 2012

In the theory of dislocations, the Burgers vector is usually defined by referring to a crystal structure. Using the notion of affine development of curves on a differential manifold with a connection, we give a differential geometric definition of the Burgers vector directly in the continuum setting, without making use of an underlying crystal structure. As opposed to some other approaches to the continuum definition of the Burgers vector, our definition is completely geometric, in the sense that it involves no ambiguous operations such as the integration of a vector field: when we integrate a vector field, it is a vector field living in the tangent space at a given point in the manifold. For a body with distributed dislocations, the material manifold, which describes the geometry of the stress-free state of the body, is commonly taken to be a Weitzenböck manifold, i.e. a manifold with a metric-compatible, flat connection with torsion. We show that for such a manifold, the density of the Burgers vector calculated according to our definition reproduces the commonly stated relation between the density of dislocations and the torsion tensor.
Surgery for Tracheobronchomalacia
Authors: Damle Sagar S. , Mitchell John D.
Published: October 2012

Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) refers to a weakening of the anterior tracheal rings leading to splaying and collapse of the central airways. In this report, we review the treatment of TBM, including preoperative workup, intraoperative anesthesia management, and surgical technique for posterior splinting tracheobronchoplasty. Imperative in the preoperative preparation is a stent trial in which an airway stent is placed to temporarily relieve the TBM and reassess for improvement in symptoms. Definitive therapy is then carried out with posterior splinting tracheoplasty or tracheobronchoplasty. Surgical results are generally excellent with the majority of patients having significant improvements in breathing.
Growth measures among preschool-age Inuit children living in Canada and Greenland
Authors: Galloway Tracey , Niclasen Birgit V.L. , Muckle Gina , Young Kue , Egeland Grace M.
Published: October 2012

Aim: The present study reports findings from a study of preschool-age Inuit children living in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland. Methods: We compare stature and obesity measures using cutoffs from the Centers for Disease Control and the International Obesity Task Force references. The sample is comprised of 1121 Inuit children (554 boys and 567 girls) aged 3–5 years living in Nunavut ( n=376) and Nunavik ( n=87), Canada, in the capital city of Nuuk, Greenland ( n=86), and in Greenland’s remaining towns and villages ( n=572). Results: Greenland Inuit children were significantly taller than their Canadian counterparts, with greatest height and weight observed among children from Nuuk. Overall prevalence of stunting was low with the three cutoffs yielding similar values for height-for-age z-scores. Obesity prevalence was higher among Canadian Inuit children than their Greenland counterparts. Conclusions: Inuit children have stature values consistent with those of the Centers for Disease Control reference and low prevalence of stunting, though geographic variability in mean stature values between Canadian and Greenlandic samples likely reflects differences in both socioeconomic status and genetic admixture. Obesity prevalence is high among both Canadian and Greenland Inuit preschoolers, with children living in the city of Nuuk exhibiting lower obesity prevalence than children living in either Nunavut or Nunavik, Canada or Greenland’s towns and villages. Varying obesity prevalence may reflect varying degrees of food security in remote locations as well as the influence of stature and sitting height which have not been well studied in young Inuit children.
Hypnotic drug use among 0–17 year olds during 2004–2011: A nationwide prescription database study
Authors: Hartz Ingeborg , Furu Kari , Bratlid Trond , Handal Marte , Skurtveit Svetlana
Published: October 2012

Aims: To (a) describe the prevalence, trend, and amount of hypnotic drug use, (b) determine the prevalence of chronic diseases among hypnotic drug users, and (c) determine levels of recurrent hypnotic drug use (2007–2011), among 0–17 year old Norwegians. Methods: Data were obtained from the nationwide Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD) in the period 2004–2011. Results: Hypnotic drug use in 0–17 year olds increased during the period, from 8.9 to 12.3 per 1000, mainly owing to doubling of melatonin use. Hypnotic drug use peaked at 15 per 1000 among those aged 1–2 years. Melatonin use increased steadily from 6 to 12 years of age, most pronounced in males. Among females, hypnotic drug use increased threefold from 13 to17 years of age. Melatonin was dispensed in the highest annual amount of all hypnotic drugs; accounting up to a median of 360 defined daily doses in 9–13 year old boys. A total of 62% and 52% of all male and female hypnotic drug users were co-medicated with reimbursable drugs for chronic diseases. Levels of recurrent use (2007–2011) were 12% in boys and 8% in girls, of whom 76–77% were co-medicated with drugs reimbursed for chronic diseases. Conclusions: There is a trend of increasing use of hypnotic drugs among 0–17 year olds, mainly owing to increasing use of melatonin, used in high amounts. Still, melatonin is not recommended in Norway for use in this age group because of insufficient data on safety and efficacy. A threefold increase in hypnotic drugs among females from 13 to 17 years of age warrants attention.
Levels of NT-proBNP, markers of low-grade inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction during spironolactone treatment in patients with diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Nielsen Stine E , Schjoedt Katrine J , Rossing Kasper , Persson Frederik , Schalkwijk Casper G , Stehouwer Coen DA , Parving Hans-Henrik , Rossing Peter
Published: October 2012

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade may reduce levels of biomarkers of chronic low-grade inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. We investigated the effect of spironolactone added to standard RAAS blockade on these biomarkers in an analysis of four original studies.

Materials and methods:

The studies were double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled studies in 46 type 1 and 23 type 2 diabetic patients with micro- or macroalbuminuria treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), and randomised to additional treatment with spironolactone 25 mg and placebo daily for 60 days.

Outcome measures:

Changes in inflammatory (hsCRP, s-ICAM, TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, Serum amyloid A, IL1β), endothelial dysfunction (sE-selectin, s-ICAM1, s-VCAM1, VWF, p-selectin, s-thrombomodulin) and NT-proBNP after each treatment period.

Results:

During spironolactone treatment, u-albumin excretion rate was reduced from 605 (411–890) to 433 (295–636) mg/24 h, as previously reported. Markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction did not change; only changes in NT-proBNP (reduced by 14%, p=0.05) and serum amyloid A (reduced by 62%, p=0.10) were borderline significant.

Discussions:

Our results indicate that the renoprotective effect of spironolactone when added to RAAS blockade is not mediated through anti-inflammatory pathways since markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are not affected during treatment.
Can Protests Make Latinos “American”? Identity, Immigration Politics, and the 2006 Marches
Authors: Silber Mohamed Heather
Published: October 2012

This article takes advantage of a quasi-experiment in the 2006 Latino National Survey (LNS) to examine the effects of exogenous events on identity. Roughly halfway through the survey’s data collection, millions of Latinos mobilized to protest HR 4437, an immigration bill advancing in the U.S. Congress. This event provides the opportunity to examine differences in self-identification among comparable populations. I divide the LNS into a control group interviewed prior to these demonstrations and a treatment group interviewed after. My analysis shows respondents in the latter group were more likely to identify as American, with effects concentrated among Spanish speakers, and particularly Mexicans and Dominicans. I find no difference in identification as Latino or with one’s ancestral subgroup. These findings run contrary to the expectations of much existing literature, which assumes an increased sense of group threat results in heightened pan-ethnic sentiment across the Latino population.
Predicting Presidential Appearances During Midterm Elections
Authors: Mellen Rob , Searles Kathleen
Published: October 2012

Due to limitations in both time and resources, presidents who wish to assist their copartisans’ electoral endeavors must make strategic choices when offering their assistance. Much research has attempted to explain why presidents devote their limited resources during a midterm election, yet we know little about the factors that lead to a presidential visit to a particular congressional district. Our research addresses this gap in the literature by narrowing the focus to the congressional district level. We ask the following: Are the same factors that lead to a presidential visit at the state level operational at the district level? The results suggest they are not. Moreover, we find that while presidents do indeed behave rationally when they make appearances for their copartisans, visits are more likely to occur when there are multiple higher-level competitive races in a district, and presidents are more likely to go where they are already popular.
Oral challenge with increasing doses of LPS modulated the patterns of plasma metabolites and minerals in periparturient dairy cows
Authors: Zebeli Qendrim , Mansmann Dominik , Sivaraman Shanti , Dunn Suzanna M , Ametaj Burim N
Published: October 2012

We showed recently that repeated oral exposure to LPS stimulated humoral immune responses in periparturient dairy cows. Here, metabolic and mineral responses to repeated oral administration of LPS were investigated. Sixteen clinically healthy, pregnant Holstein cows were orally administered 3 ml of saline solution (control) or 3 ml of saline solution containing 3 increasing doses of LPS, at 07:00 h, as follows: (i) 0.01 µg/kg body mass (BM) on d −14 and −10, (ii) 0.05 µg/kg BM on d −7 and −3, and (iii) 0.1 µg/kg BM on d 3 and 7 relative to parturition. Blood samples were measured shortly before, and at 8 different time-points after (up to 6 h), the first challenge of each LPS dosage to evaluate the post-challenge plasma profile, as well as weekly up to 4 wk postpartum. Results showed that oral administration of LPS lowered concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids ( P < 0.01) and β-hydroxy-butyrate ( P < 0.01) in the plasma, particularly after the third LPS challenge. Also, after the third oral LPS challenge, treatment tended to increase plasma glucose. Plasma calcium did not change, but concentrations of insulin ( P < 0.01) and zinc ( P < 0.01) were greater, while that of copper was lower ( P < 0.01) in the plasma of treated cows. This is the first report to indicate a potential role for repeated oral administration of LPS around parturition to modulate the profile of plasma metabolites and minerals postpartum.
New treatment approaches in melanoma: current research and clinical prospects
Authors: Rughani Milap G. , Gupta Avinash , Middleton Mark R.
Published: October 2012

Ipilimumab and vemurafenib have changed the clinical landscape in melanoma. Both drugs offer effective treatment for metastatic melanoma, but with limitations. Ipilimumab benefits only a minority of those treated, with no means to identify them prospectively. The efficacy of vemurafenib is tied to the presence of an activating mutation in BRAF, and so is more predictable. However, acquired resistance develops within months. As we understand these, and similar, agents better, the means to select patients for treatment, to increase the duration of response and to identify the best stage at which to intervene will lead to improved outcomes for patients. Several trials are already under way or being developed to build upon these exciting discoveries.
Iodine doped, semi-conducting nylon 6 polymers
Authors: Sreelatha K , Predeep P
Published: October 2012

An attempt has been made to develop intrinsically conducting nylon 6 films by iodine doping and investigate the doped material in terms of electrical, structural and optical characteristics. The electrical conduction increases with increasing iodine content as iodine forms charge transfer complexes with the polymer matrix and conductivity of the order of 10−3 Scm−1 is obtained with films that contained 200 wt% iodine. The extent of crystallinity reduced from 53% for pristine nylon 6 films to 47% for iodine doped nylon 6 films (200 wt% iodine). The band gap reduced from 5 eV to 2.40 eV for iodine doped nylon 6 films (200 wt% iodine). The melting point of the matrix polymer reduced from 220°C to approximately 200°C for iodine doped nylon 6 films (200 wt% iodine).