bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal posture control algorithm to improve the stability of redundant haptic devices
Authors: Baser Ozgur , Konukseven E Ilhan
Published: May 2013

Stability is indispensable to haptic interfaces for the simulation of a large variety of virtual environments. On a multi-degree of freedom (multi-DOF) haptic device, the passivity condition must be satisfied in both end-effector and joint space to achieve stable interaction. In this study, a conservative passivity condition is utilized for the stability such that guaranteeing the passivity at all joints is a sufficient condition for the passivity and then stability of the whole haptic system. An optimal posture control algorithm is developed to satisfy this passivity condition and maximize the stability performance of a redundant haptic device. The algorithm optimally adjusts the device postures, which are estimated by a Golden Section Search algorithm. The proposed control algorithm was experimentally implemented on a virtual sphere by using a 7-DOF redundant haptic device. Z-width stability metric was used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that the optimal posture control approach significantly improves the stability of the redundant haptic devices.
Dynamic analysis of a functionally graded piezoelectric spherical shell under mechanical and thermal shocks
Authors: Khorsand M
Published: May 2013

Dynamic analysis of a functionally graded piezoelectric spherical shell under the effect of mechanical-electrical-thermal shocks is carried out. Thick spherical shell is transversely isotropic and material properties are assumed to be graded in the radial direction according to a power law function. The governing partial differential equations are obtained in terms of displacement, temperature and electric fields and expressed in the form of series form in space and time domains using the polynomial differential quadrature method coupled with finite difference method, respectively. A comparison of numerical results with the static and dynamic results is presented that shows an excellent agreement. Numerical results for different material parameters are calculated and presented graphically in order to show the effect of material grading parameter, thermal gradient, electric potential and thickness of the sphere on the distribution of stress, displacement, temperature and electric fields.
The Devil Is in the Specificity
Authors: Yoon Song-Oh , Suk Kwanho , Goo Jin Kyung , Lee Jiheon , Lee Seon Min
Published: May 2013

In the research reported here, we proposed and demonstrated the prediction-specificity effect, which states that people’s prediction of the general outcome of an event (e.g., the winner of a soccer match) is less accurate when the prediction question is framed in a more specific manner (e.g., guessing the score) rather than in a less specific manner (e.g., guessing the winner). We demonstrated this effect by examining people’s predictions on actual sports games both in field and laboratory studies. In Study 1, the analysis of 19 billion bets from a commercial sports-betting business provided evidence for the effect of prediction specificity. This effect was replicated in three controlled laboratory studies, in which participants predicted the outcomes of a series of soccer matches. Furthermore, the negative effect of prediction specificity was mediated by participants’ underweighting of important holistic information during decision making.
Expanding Bodies, Expanding God: Feminist Theology in Search of a ‘Fatter’ Future
Authors: Bacon Hannah
Published: May 2013

Accompanying the ‘moral panic’ about an obesity epidemic is a growth in female body dissatisfaction and dieting. This article maintains that feminist theology must play a vital role in returning the future to fat bodies at a time when the estimated spending on diet products in the US alone equals the projected costs of obesity. The theological nature of this task is essential given the way harmful theological systems and associations remerge within commercial dieting settings to help demonize food, appetite and eating and reestablish ancient associations between women, food and sin. This article develops a feminist theology of food and fat by drawing on the lived experiences of women who diet. Engaging with my own ethnography, I argue that feminist theology must challenge the discourses of sin and salvation which resource the ‘secular’ commercial dieting industry, and instead construct theologies which are ‘good to taste’ and nourishing to our bodies.
Feminism, Religion and This Incredible Need to Believe: Working with Julia Kristeva Again
Authors: Jasper Alison
Published: May 2013

In This Incredible Need to Believe (2009), philosopher Julia Kristeva identifies the present as a time of crisis identified with ‘ideality’; historically significant cultural idealizations are failing us, leading to social and cultural breakdown, which Kristeva believes is not being addressed in ‘secular’ western societies. Remarkably, she defends the universal significance of what she defines as ‘belief’, revisiting earlier work on language, literature and the unconscious, against the background of a recent revival of interest in ‘religion’. In an introductory way, this article outlines ways in which Kristeva’s analysis can help feminist readers to take bearings at this time.
Midrash for the Masses: The Uses (and Abuses) of the Term ‘Midrash’ in Contemporary Feminist Discourse
Authors: Kahn-Harris Deborah
Published: May 2013

This paper begins by attempting to define midrash as a distinct genre of classical rabbinic literature in order to understand the significance of the term in contemporary discourse. It will then examine what Jewish feminists mean when they apply the term, midrash, to their work and consider the extent to which such appropriation is useful or reasonable. The paper will then outline, with my own suggestions, how midrash might be usefully appropriated for feminist ends and the paper will conclude with a concrete example.
Secular and Religious Feminisms: A Future of Disconnection?
Authors: Llewellyn Dawn , Trzebiatowska Marta
Published: May 2013

This article identifies a disciplinary disconnection between secular and religious feminisms. While areas of study such as women’s, gender and feminist studies, and disciplines like feminist studies in religion, spirituality and theology advance understanding of gender relations, they are forms of analysis that rarely keep company. As we argue, there is a disconnection grounded in a sacred/secular divide (Magee, 1999) evident through the different stages of the women’s movement and feminist history. Not only is this disciplinary disconnection mutually unhelpful, but it has implications for the ways gendered religious and secular discourses operate in the public square and therefore, has implications for the future of feminist theology.

This article first identifies the lack of relationship between secular and religious feminisms illustrated in three interrelated ways: secular feminisms’ neglect of women’s religious experiences; feminist religious studies’ reservedness; and the sacred/secular binary operating in the academy. We then suggest this disconnection extends to the most recent expressions of feminism – the third wave. This article then discusses what both disciplines lose from a lack of dialogue and what might be gained by a closer relationship; particularly when contemporary events in the public sphere (such as the Pussy Riots) highlight the importance of paying attention to the way women’s experiences, and secular and religious discourses interact.
Divine Wo/men Are Dignitaries: Seven Billion of Them ‘Walk’ in Dignity and Flourish
Authors: Mulder Anne-Claire
Published: May 2013

In this text the author takes up Luce Irigaray’s call upon women to image their ‘God’: a quality or attribute that makes them divine women when they realize it in their lives. She presents ‘human dignity’ as such a ‘divine’ quality and as a value that is understood by many to be the ultimate of our human being. Inspired by Ina Praetorius’ expression that seven billion dignitaries walk the earth, the author connects the different aspects of the concept of human dignity with the image of the dignitary, arguing that this image evokes the idea that the subject is free to move and is meant to flourish according to their capabilities. The author also discusses the difficulties of the idea of human flourishing as an ideal for humanity, especially in the context of disability and illness. She offers the notion of ‘becoming, infinitely’ as an alternative for flourishing.
Does Feminism Need the Future? Rethinking Eschatology for Feminist Theology
Authors: Pennington Emily
Published: May 2013

This paper seeks to reconsider the value and meaning of eschatology in light of and with the hope of contributing to feminist theological discussions. More specifically, it pays heed to the work that feminist theologians have done to expose the patriarchal heart of many traditional Christian eschatological imaginings. Alongside this, it also charts an appreciation of alternative ideas offered by feminist theologians: primarily that of a sympathetic God who exercises power-in-relationship with creation in the here and now. However, in an attempt to both synthesize and add to these two theological fields, I suggest that eschatology can embrace both the sympathetic God-with-creation, and the finally redemptive God-for-creation. Ultimately, this means that feminist theology does need the future, and a particularly eschatological future, in order that the God of relationality is able, and enables creation, to experience relationality in full.
Feminist Theology and the Theology of the Eucharist – A Quantum Leap?
Authors: Rafferty Agnes
Published: May 2013

This paper is based on the findings of my PhD research into at the effect of participation in the Roman Catholic Sacrament of the Eucharist on the formation of subjectivity viewed from the perspective of Feminist Liberation Theology. Taking Eucharist as a communal manifestation of belief in communion with the divine celebrated through symbolic liturgical enactments of thanksgiving and praise I am exploring the link between Feminist Relational Theologies and new findings in Cosmology and Quantum Theology that highlight interdependence and relationality as basic to our understanding of ourselves and the nature of the divine. Subsequently the contribution of these theologies that offer the possibility of a more expansive and inclusive interpretation of the meaning transmitted by the symbols used in Eucharistic gatherings might provide a space where the indwelling of the divine in all its diverse manifestations can be recognized and celebrated.
Exploring the Process of Women’s Infant Feeding Decisions in the Early Postbirth Period
Authors: Sheehan Athena , Schmied Virginia , Barclay Lesley
Published: May 2013

Research indicates that multiple factors are associated with decisions women make about infant feeding, yet few studies have explored the decision-making process. In this article, we present the analysis that produced the core category “deconstructing best,” previously reported as part of a grounded theory exploring 37 Australian women’s infant feeding experiences and decisions in the first 6 weeks postbirth. We expand on the previous article by detailing and discussing the phases of the infant feeding decision-making process in relation to decision-making theory. Analysis demonstrates the importance of these early weeks in shaping women’s infant feeding trajectories. Findings illustrate that information gathering encompassing multiple factors occurred at this time, and that complex and often competing goals were involved in the women’s decisions. We suggest that acknowledging and assisting women to meet alternate goals in the postbirth period might help them meet their breastfeeding goals.
Potential Motivations For and Perceived Risks In Research Participation
Authors: Sikweyiya Yandisa , Jewkes Rachel
Published: May 2013

In a South African urban-township-based ethnographic study with adult 19 women and 7 men, we explored people’s motivations for and experiences of research participation and perceptions of being asked about sensitive experiences, including gender-based violence. We also explored the implications of participation. Several informants were motivated by self-interest to participate in research, whereas others were more altruistic; yet with many there was a complex overlap. We found that altruism, as a motivation to participate in research, is a muddled and multifaceted issue that needs careful unpacking and nuanced discussion to understand. Breach of confidentiality was perceived as a main risk, and gender differences were apparent in reporting feared consequences, with women primarily fearing possible violent reprisals from partners. We conclude that the decision to participate in research seems to be a balanced and conditional process wherein individuals assess the potential benefits and risks to themselves and the potential contribution to others.
Student Incivility
Authors: Burke Lisa A. , Karl Katherine , Peluchette Joy , Evans W. Randy
Published: May 2013

A review of the literature was conducted on student incivility in higher education, with an eye toward implications for instructors in business. The incivility construct is defined in the context of numerous associated concepts that have been studied in the higher education literature. Evidence is shared about the prevalence of student incivility and its causes, both student- and instructor-related, with a targeted focus on establishing what is known (and not known) based on prior empirical research. Ultimately, practical strategies for instructors as well as meaningful, theoretically grounded directions for future research are outlined.
Walking the Global City
Authors: Goh Daniel P.S.
Published: May 2013

This article discusses the politics of rhythm and memory surrounding urban walking in Singapore. In recent years, the developmental state has organized programs to encourage ways to walk the global city it has built in the embrace of transnational capital. In the heritage trails in the city center and the inaugural Singapore Biennale of international art, which mapped the heritage trails, the state has appropriated historical space to synchronize the contradictory rhythms of the nation and globalization to cultivate cosmopolitan subjects. I show that the Biennale artists tried to subvert the state discourse on nation and heritage but only introduced alternative spectacles enhancing the visuality of walking the global city. Finally, I look at artist Amanda Heng’s work, which by tackling the very act of walking, is a critical intervention into the state’s appropriation of lifeworld rhythms and memories, bringing into question the spatial production of the global city.
Implementing an aim-based outcome measure in a psychoanalytic child psychotherapy service: Insights, experiences and evidence
Authors: Emanuel Ricky , Catty Jocelyn , Anscombe Elizabeth , Cantle Alison , Muller Helen
Published: May 2013

In this paper, we describe the use of an aim-based outcome measure used in routine outcome monitoring of child and adolescent psychotherapy within a child and adolescent mental health service. We aim to explore the clinical feasibility and implications of the routine use of this measure. We argue that use of the measure provides a simple and useful way of clarifying the focus of the clinical work and reflecting its progress, while also having the potential to illuminate the clinical picture by contributing an additional source of clinical information from a collaborative process with the patient, parents or both. We argue that while there are some cases where use of the measure may be impossible, or even perverse, in general it enhances rather than detracts from clinical work.
Incest revisited: A Mexican Catholic priest and his daughter
Authors: González-López Gloria
Published: May 2013

This article offers a feminist sociological analysis of Otilia’s incestuous relationship with her father—a Catholic priest. This case study is one in a series of Mexican women’s narratives of incestuous relationships that reveal the sexual objectification of girls and women within the context of the family and its roots in a colonial history shaped by race, class, and gender inequalities. In this case study I also explore the complex origins of double standards of sexual morality within the Catholic Church: the Church desexualizes priests by insisting on celibacy, but perpetrators of incest, who are also priests, may benefit from the historical construction of the family that positions children as vulnerable, dehumanized, and objectified servants of the father.
Same sex marriage, civil rights rhetoric, and the ambivalent politics of Christian evangelicalism in New York City
Authors: Andersson Johan , Vanderbeck Robert M , Sadgrove Joanna , Valentine Gill , Ward Kevin
Published: May 2013

This article extends recent discussions about the variegated character of American evangelicalism through a qualitative analysis of how issues of same-sex marriage (and gay rights more broadly) were viewed by one group of self-identified Christian evangelicals worshipping in New York City. Specifically, we draw on parish-based interviews and participant observation in one Episcopalian evangelical parish to discuss the extent to which its members accepted the framing of gay rights as civil rights, and how this framing allowed some parishioners to separate personal religious views from secular politics.
Alienation, ambivalence, agency: Middle-aged gay men and ageism in Manchester’s gay village
Authors: Simpson Paul
Published: May 2013

Based on interviews with 27 men and 20 observation sessions, this article explores how middle-aged gay men’s accounts/experiences of Manchester’s ‘gay village’ indicate various uses of ‘ageing capital’ (at times problematic) that differentiate them from other gay men. Men’s spoken and bodily expressed accounts indicate three responses to gay ageism. First, the village represents an alienated space where middle-aged men felt subject to ageist scrutiny or else erased from ‘the scene’. Second, the village represents ambivalent space of intermixed pleasures and dangers where middle-aged gay men negotiate with age-related norms. Third, middle-aged gay men could challenge gay ageism and render parts of the village more convivial.
Organizations working on behalf of prostitutes: An analysis of goals, practices, and strategies
Authors: Oselin Sharon S , Weitzer Ronald
Published: May 2013

Views on female prostitution are diverse and often hotly contested, both inside and outside academic circles. Some contend that prostitutes are universally exploited, while others argue that they are workers and should be recognized as such. Yet there is little analysis of the role that service-providing organizations play in this larger debate. This article examines programs that offer direct services to prostitutes–which we call prostitute-serving organizations (PSOs)–in order to document both the kinds of services they provide and to assess whether they engage in efforts to change larger social or legal arrangements that impact their constituents. The article draws on data from multiple sources, including the website content of 37 PSOs, 21 in-depth interviews with PSO staff members, and published secondary sources. The organizations are categorized in terms of their core perspective on sex work, which we link to one of the three main theoretical paradigms in the sex-work literature. We distinguish the different types of organizations, describe how their ideological stance impacts their goals, identify their main actions as service and/or advocacy, and suggest factors that account for these practices.
Prevalence and risk factors of problematic Internet use: A cross-national comparison of Japanese and Chinese university students
Authors: Yang Chun Yan , Sato Takeshi , Yamawaki Niwako , Miyata Masakazu
Published: May 2013

The aim of the present study was to compare risk factors for problematic Internet use (PIU) among Japanese and Chinese university students. A sample of 267 Japanese and 236 Chinese first year university students responded to questionnaires on the severity of PIU, depression, self-image/image of others, and perceived parental child-rearing styles. The results indicated that Japanese participants were more likely to demonstrate PIU than their Chinese counterparts. Compared to Chinese students, Japanese students reported more negative self-image, lower parental care, greater overcontrol, and higher depression scores. The PIU group had a higher depression score compared to the normal Internet use group. Compared with the non-PIU group, the PIU group consisted of more male and Japanese participants. Further, they tended to have more negative self-images, saw their mothers to be less caring, and perceived their mothers and fathers as more overcontrolling. PIU is strongly associated with depression, negative self-image, and parental relations. Finally, mediation analysis revealed that such national differences in PIU between Japanese and Chinese were clarified in depression and perceived mother’s care. This cross-national study indicated that depression and perceived mother’s care were both significant risk factors that were associated with the national difference in PIU between Japanese and Chinese participants.
The rule of law at time of masculine honor: Afghan police attitudes and intimate partner violence
Authors: Baldry Anna Costanza , Pagliaro Stefano , Porcaro Cesare
Published: May 2013

This paper examines how attitudes toward violence against women (VAW)—in terms of justification—influence the behavioral intentions of Afghan police officers when dealing with a case of intimate partner violence (IPV). An experimental study was carried out with 108 Afghan police officers who took part in a training course at the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan (NTM-A) bases in Herat and Kandahar. Participants read an extract of a police intervention for an IPV case. They were faced with honor-related attitudes and possible actions to be taken to help victims and arrest perpetrators. In the experimental condition, in the questionnaire provided to police officers, there was reference to the victim admitting to an affair with another man. No such reference was present in the control condition. Results showed that admitting an infidelity produced more lenient attitudes toward the violence against the woman, which in turn reduced police officers’ intention to intervene by arresting the man and providing support to the victim. Results are discussed in terms of the role and function of the so-called culture of (masculine) honor and the rule of law and its implications.
A different kind of honor culture: Family honor and aggression in Turks
Authors: van Osch Yvette , Breugelmans Seger M. , Zeelenberg Marcel , Bölük Pinar
Published: May 2013

Masculine honor has been found to explain the relationship between insults and aggression in the USA. However, detailed accounts of Mediterranean honor cultures suggest that family honor may be more important in explaining cross-cultural differences in aggression. Two studies revealed that people from Turkish honor culture intended to aggress more after being insulted than Dutch people from a nonhonor culture (Study 1), and that this effect was driven by differences in family honor rather than differences in masculine honor (Study 2). We posit that family honor may be a key factor in explaining insult-related aggression in Mediterranean honor cultures.
A numerical analysis of airflows caused by train-motion and performance evaluation of a subway ventilation system
Authors: Yan Wu , Naiping Gao , Lihui Wang , Xiping Wu
Published: May 2013

A numerical analysis of airflows caused by train-motion in one-shaft subway system and two-shaft subway system was carried out using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The dynamic mesh method was used to model the moving boundaries of the train. The geometry model and train-operation schedule employed were exactly the same as the real situation. The CFD model was validated against field measurement data. The performance of natural ventilation system impacted by the location and number of the vent shafts was evaluated by two indexes, i.e. net exhaust air volume, Ne, and net suction air volume, Ns. The result shows that a subway system with two shafts rather than that with one shaft could dramatically improve performance in air exchange efficiency. For the one-shaft system, it performed better when the shaft was located at the train-arrival side rather than at train-departure side.
Satisfaction and perception of residents towards bioclimatic design strategies: Residential college buildings
Authors: Jamaludin Adi Ainurzaman , Keumala Nila , Ariffin Ati Rosemary Mohd , Hussein Hazreena
Published: May 2013

Successful implementation of bioclimatic design strategies not only reduces energy use, but more importantly increases the resident’s satisfaction. A post-occupancy evaluation, a form of survey method, was used in assessing the satisfaction and perception of residents in two residential colleges, at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Both Case Study A (CS-A) and Case Study B (CS-B) represent the uppermost and moderate implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. The results showed that 414 questionnaires were retrieved fully filled by occupants at CS-A while 155 respondents from CS-B returned their questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents were asked to rate the levels of satisfaction and perception with various aspects of the building, including the immediate environment. A detailed survey on thermal comfort had also been done by adopting the predicted mean vote index. As initial findings, the implementations of bioclimatic design strategies at the selected residential colleges were able to provide comfort for the residents.
Study of the impact of operation distance of outdoor portable generators under different weather conditions
Authors: Wang Liangzhu (Leon) , Emmerich Steven J. , Lin Cheng-Chun
Published: May 2013

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that up to half of non-fatal carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning incidents during the hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005 involved generators operated outdoors but within 7 ft of the home. Current guidance for safe operating distances of generators is often neither specific nor consistent. A study was conducted to examine the impact of generator distance on indoor CO exposure. The study was based on computer simulations of CO transport outdoors and subsequently into a generic two-storey house. This paper presents the simulation results when using an indoor air quality model coupled with a computational fluid dynamics model to predict CO concentrations near and within the home. Fire Dynamics Simulator was validated against the measured contaminant dispersion data in a wind tunnel. A parametric study was then conducted for the two-storey house to consider the effects on indoor CO levels of generator location, distance, exhaust temperature and speed and weather conditions. It was found that in most cases, to reduce CO levels for the conditions modelled, it was more effective to point the generator exhaust away from the house and position the generator at a distance of >4.6 m.
Condensation risk of DCDV system for hot and humid Hong Kong
Authors: Jia Jie , Lee W. L.
Published: May 2013

The combined use of dry cooling air-handler and dedicated ventilation (DV) system for energy saving and better indoor condition has been confirmed effective. But the application of this system is hindered by the condensation risk on dry cooling coil. In this study, the condensation risk of the use of dry cooling air-handler and dedicated ventilation (DCDV) system in subtropical climates was examined by analysing its application in a typical office building in Hong Kong using actual equipment performance data and realistic system characteristics. Through hour-by-hour simulations it was found that the annualised cumulative frequency of occurrence of condensation (ConHR) for normal operation of the office building was acceptable. However, departures of the in-use condition from design values are inevitable. Additional parametric studies were therefore performed to evaluate the influence of five design parameters on the ConHR, and to identify the influential factors. By statistical analysis, it was found that ConHR was most sensitive to changes in system latent load, followed by (descending order) system sensible heat ratio, system total load and design moisture absorption coefficient of dry cooling coil. Furthermore, a regression model relating ConHR to latent load, sensible heat ratio, total load and design moisture absorption coefficient was established for minimising condensation risk during the design of DCDV system.
A modified tracer-gas decay model for ventilation rate measurements in long and narrow spaces
Authors: Chao Jiangyue , Mu Xuan , Xue Yu , Li Fei , Li Weijuan , Lin Chao-Hsin , Pei Jingjing , Chen Qingyan
Published: May 2013

Ventilation is essential to the health and comfort of occupants in enclosed spaces. However, it is difficult to accurately measure the ventilation rates in large, long, and narrow spaces such as aircraft cabins and train compartments. This study has proposed a modified tracer-gas-concentration decay method that combines the multi-zone technique with the genetic algorithm to determine ventilation rate in such spaces. To validate the proposed method, the investigation utilized both the modified decay method and the traditional decay method to numerically measure the ventilation rate in an MD-82 aircraft cabin by computational fluid dynamics technique. The results showed that the modified tracer-gas-concentration decay method can significantly improve the accuracy and reliability of the ventilation rate measurements in such a large, long, and narrow space. The modified tracer-gas-concentration decay method was also used to experimentally measure the ventilation rate in an actual MD-82 aircraft cabin. Although no exact ventilation rate could be measured, but compared with the traditional tracer-gas-concentration decay method, the ventilation rate determined by the modified method was much closer to that obtained by the constant tracer-gas-concentration method, which is considered to be the most accurate measurement.
Optimized control algorithm for automated Venetian blind system considering solar profile variation in buildings
Authors: Seong Yoon-Bok , Yeo Myoung-Souk , Kim Kwang-Woo
Published: May 2013

Automated blinds need to be controlled to maximize benefits of daylight to enhance occupant comfort and to reduce energy consumption. However, previous control methods focused on minimizing the negative impacts of daylight, but failed to maximize the positive impacts of daylight and solar heat gain. The objective of this study is to develop an optimized control algorithm for automated venetian blind which would reduce the negative effects of incoming daylight on visual comfort of occupants, and to minimize psychological anxieties caused by frequent motions of the blind, by maximizing the positive effects of incoming daylight and solar irradiation, by opening/closing of the blind. Through implementation of the proposed methods and algorithms, the direct glare on work-planes could be prevented at all time, and also incoming daylight and solar irradiation could be increased.
Fictive Reality
Authors: Brkich Christopher Andrew , Barko Tim
Published: May 2013

As qualitative researchers, we often wrestle with the intricacies of ontological and epistemological frameworks, the complexities of collection and analysis methods, and the difficulties associated with the dissemination cycle. Positing direct challenges to the paradigms underlying the practice of our craft is something we do rather rarely, but it is something we must do nonetheless in order to advance our field in a fundamental fashion. In this article, we argue for an expanded understanding of what constitute data, posit the need to shift away from examining the “found” world exclusively, and assert that researchers not only create their reality, but their data as well. We illustrate our point by presenting our arguments in alternatively rhyming iambic pentameter, which—as poetry is itself intrinsically a creative enterprise—reflexively positions both our text and ourselves as data to be examined, analyzed, and understood.
Brachial Artery Aneurysm With “Blue Finger Syndrome” After Ligation of a Remote Brachial Artery-Cephalic Vein Fistula
Authors: Garza Ramon , Dangleben Dale A. , Welkie John F.
Published: May 2013

Upper extremity aneurysms are relatively infrequent when compared to other vessels in the body. However, a combination of factors occurring following arteriovenous fistula (AVF) ligation can lead to dilation of the brachial artery. Periodic follow-up after AVF creation can help prevent complications. We report a case of an immunosuppressed, patient with renal transplant who presented with delayed onset digital ischemia following ligation of a remotely created brachial artery-cephalic vein fistula.
Leadership as boundary work in healthcare teams
Authors: Chreim Samia , Langley Ann , Comeau-Vallée Mariline , Huq Jo-Louise , Reay Trish
Published: May 2013

This paper proposes that boundary work is inherent to leadership practices in healthcare settings, and explores this phenomenon in interprofessional healthcare teams. Specifically, the study focuses on leading through and across boundaries in four interprofessional healthcare teams operating in the area of mental health services. We give special consideration to the specific contexts of these teams, and address the boundaries that are constructed and managed in interactions. Our qualitative study revealed that leadership can be exercised by different members and at different levels within the teams, and that it involves managing the boundaries between (a) roles of different members of the leadership constellation, (b) leadership and clinical roles, (c) formal leaders and other members of the team, (d) different professions, (e) personal life experiences and professional work, and (f) the team and what members consider to be the environment. We identify different types of boundary work tactics that involve opening, closing, and contesting/negotiating boundaries. In addition, we address the potential consequences of each of these tactics. We consider the implications of our findings to leadership research and practice in healthcare contexts and beyond.
Combating infections at Maine Medical Center: Insights into complexity-informed leadership from positive deviance
Authors: Lindberg Curt , Schneider Marguerite
Published: May 2013

A case study of how the organizational change process known as Positive Deviance was used to fight healthcare-associated infections at Maine Medical Center highlights the human and social aspects of leadership in a complex adaptive system. It illustrates that leadership can shape self-organization in a manner that facilitates creative, productive, desirable outcomes. We found influential roles of anxiety, attachment, and relationships in facilitating organizational leadership. We describe how the process of leadership permeated the Medical Center’s hierarchies and networks and reflected emergent power dynamics, which included contemporizing some aspects of traditional managerial authority. The study contributes to the management literature by clarifying the dynamics and qualities associated with change in complex human systems and illuminating what constitutes complexity-informed leadership and how it can be practiced.
Leadership practices and context: Two sides of the same coin
Authors: Endrissat Nada , von Arx Widar
Published: May 2013

This article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the recursive relationship between leadership practices and contexts to help explain the dynamics of change in a Swiss healthcare organization. Central to the paper’s argument is the assumption that leadership is not only a contextually influenced, but also a context-producing practice. We develop this argument theoretically by building on the sociology of knowledge and practice theory. Empirically, we draw on three episodes of a longitudinal case study that shows the unfolding of leadership and traces the consequences of the leader’s micro-actions for the context and overall change success. We discuss our insights and outline their implications for understanding and doing leadership in healthcare organizations.
Mutuality in Scottish healthcare: Leading for public good
Authors: Howieson Brian , Sugden Roger , Walsh Mike
Published: May 2013

This paper offers an alternative paradigm to healthcare, and its delivery, by introducing the concepts of mutuality and empowerment into the existing NHS model of a public health system. In this paper, we will: revisit what is meant by mutuality; advance the meaning of the ‘public interest’ in this context; explore empowerment and community empowerment and their relationship to health; and introduce leading for the public good, which links these concepts and terms together via a dual development approach. It is suggested that this dual development approach will enable policy makers, practitioners in the NHS, and citizens to explore and evolve ways of leading and managing a mutual NHS, with public interest fora becoming the engines that will lead the development of mutuality. Our approach has not been taken from an observation of practice as such; rather, we suggest it as something to pursue as a consequence of theoretical reasoning applied to observations of practice in terms of policy ideas and outcomes of varied healthcare models that suggest inadequacies with existing approaches. It is hoped that this analysis will help researchers and practitioners alike to appreciate further the important concept of mutuality, and to suggest the importance of empowerment and leadership into the existing public health system paradigm.
Pathogenic mechanisms linking benign prostatic hyperplasia, lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction
Authors: Glina Sidney , Glina Felipe Placco Araujo
Published: May 2013

Introduction:

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are clinical entities very prevalent in men aged over 50 years. There is evidence that both may have a common pathophysiology.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review aiming to show theories and hypotheses that justify a single pathophysiology for ED and LUTS/BPH.

Methods:

A search in Medline using the keywords of the Medical Subject Headings (MESH) ‘erectile dysfunction’ and ‘lower urinary tract symptoms’ in all fields of the database up to 15 December 2012. This search found 198 relevant articles that were analyzed.

Results:

The data and articles were divided according to the type of evidence found. There are strong epidemiological data showing that LUTS/BPH is a risk factor for developing ED. Several experimental models demonstrated partial obstruction of the bladder in animals causes voiding disorders as well as a negative impact on erectile function of the operated animals. The increased adrenergic tonus in animals leads to prostate growth and urodynamic conditions similar to those found in men with LUTS and ED. Arteriosclerosis may lead to loss of vesical complacency, urinary tract obstruction and fibrosis of the cavernous bodies. The use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) and/or alpha-adrenergic blockers to treat ED and LUTS/BPH reinforces the hypothesis that, at least in some patients, both clinical pictures may have the same pathophysiology.
Treatment of clozapine-induced priapism by goserline acetate injection
Authors: Kashyap Gursharan Lal , Nayar Jitendra , Bashier Adnan , Varghese Soosamma
Published: May 2013

Clozapine (Denzapine) is a treatment for resistant schizophrenia. Among the serious but rare side effects of clozapine are agranulocytosis and priapism. We hereby present the case of a 30-year-old man with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who has spent nearly 12 years of his adult life on various psychiatric in-patient units including open wards, secure units, psychiatric intensive care units and rehab wards. Diagnosed at the age of 15, he only responded to clozapine at the age of 18. Whilst being on clozapine he developed priapism in June 2010 and needed emergency surgical treatment in the form of surgical decompression. He again responded only to clozapine and fortunately he did not redevelop priapism; however, he was readmitted in February 2011 due to relapse, and he remained resistant to other antipsychotics. He was rechallenged with clozapine and recovered, but unfortunately redeveloped priapism which required emergency surgical and medical intervention (goserline acetate and tinzaperin injection). In order to relieve the recurrent priapism, he agreed to continue clozapine and goserline acetate injection. This decision was made by the patient in a compos mentis state. As far as we are aware, this is the first time goserline acetate has been reported as a successful treatment for clozapine-induced priapism.
Unplanned urology readmissions in a district general hospital: are we meeting the standard?
Authors: Raslan M , Floyd Ms , Itam S , Mukherjee R , Irwin Pp , Maddineni Sb
Published: May 2013

Background

Recent changes in practice standards and remuneration to UK Trusts have been refined to penalise institutions for patient readmission within 30 days of discharge. The purpose of this study was to determine if the target rate of less than 6.5% was attained within the setting of a district general hospital (DGH) and also to comment on readmission trends.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was performed over 12 months examining all unplanned readmissions to hospital 30 days following discharge from Urology. Elective as well as emergency cases were audited.

Results

A total of 4124 patients were treated and discharged by the department over 12 months. One hundred and eighty-four (4.4%) patients were readmitted: 93 (51%) patients following acute presentations and 91 (49%) following elective procedures. The commonest causes for unplanned readmission were haematuria, 29 cases (16%), acute urinary retention, 28 cases (15%) and ureteric colic, 25 cases (14%). Readmission rates following flexible cystoscopy and TRUS biopsy were 1% and 3%, respectively. Only six of 70 patients (9%) were readmitted following TURP. Five (3%) of the 184 readmissions required a second procedure.

Conclusion

Our department met the predetermined standard in achieving an unplanned readmission rate of less than 6.5%. This study also highlighted the need for discharge policies for common acute presentations.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Change in Health-Related Behaviors
Authors: Salmoirago-Blotcher Elena , Hunsinger Matthew , Morgan Lucas , Fischer Daniel , Carmody James
Published: May 2013

How best to support change in health-related behaviors is an important public health challenge. The role of mindfulness training in this process has received limited attention. We sought to explore whether mindfulness training is associated with changes in health-related behaviors. The Health Behaviors Questionnaire was used to obtain self-reported data on dietary behaviors, drinking, smoking, physical activity, and sleep quality before and after attendance at an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. T-tests for paired data and χ2 tests were used to compare pre–post intervention means and proportions of relevant variables with P = .05 as level of significance. Participants (n = 174; mean age 47 years, range 19-68; 61% female) reported significant improvements in dietary behaviors and sleep quality. Partial changes were seen in physical activity but no changes in smoking and drinking habits. In conclusion, mindfulness training promotes favorable changes in selected health-related behaviors deserving further study through randomized controlled trials.
The relationships between crystallization characteristics and heat sealing properties of high-density polyethylene films
Authors: Miyata Ken , Ozama Taku , Nishioka Akihiro , Koda Tomonori , Murasawa Go
Published: May 2013

The relationships between crystallization characteristics and heat sealing properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films were determined. HDPE with a 1.1 g/10 min melt flow index (MFI) (190℃, 2.16 kg) was melt mixed in a twin-screw extruder with a 0.04 g/10 min MFI HDPE. The high molecular weight HDPE (HMW HDPE) concentration was varied between 1 and 20 wt%. The HDPE blends were cast into a 50 µm thick film. The films were heat sealed at 125℃ and 128℃. The seal bar pressure was kept constant at 0.13 MPa. The heat seal time was varied from 0.5 to 2.0 s. Heat-sealed strength was measured by T-peel test. The molecular structure development during the heat seal process was evaluated by differential scanning calorimeter and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The HMW HDPE decreased the film heat seal strength when sealed at 125℃. However, at 128℃ the presence of up to 10 wt% reduced the heat sealing time.
Adult T-cell leukemia cells overexpress Wnt5a and promote osteoclast differentiation
Authors: Bellon Marcia , Ko Nga Ling , Lee Min-Jung , Yao Yuan , Waldmann Thomas A. , Trepel Jane B. , Nicot Christophe
Published: May 2013

Key Points

Profiling of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway reveals overexpression of Wnt5a, LEF-1 and TCF-1 in ATL patient cells. ATL cells overexpress Wnt5a, which enhances osteoclastogenesis and may contribute to the osteolytic bone lesions and hypercalcemia.
Genome-wide association study of antibody response to Newcastle disease virus in chicken
Authors: Luo Chenglong , Qu Hao , Ma Jie , Wang Jie , Li Chunyu , Yang Chunfen , Hu Xiaoxiang , Li Ning , Shu Dingming
Published: May 2013

Background

Since the first outbreak in Indonesia in 1926, Newcastle disease has become one of the most common and contagious bird diseases throughout the world. To date, enhancing host antibody response by vaccination remains the most efficient strategy to control outbreaks of Newcastle disease. Antibody response plays an important role in host resistance to Newcastle disease, and selection for antibody response can effectively improve disease resistance in chickens. However, the molecular basis of the variation in antibody response to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is not clear. The aim of this study was to detect genes modulating antibody response to NDV by a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in chickens.

Results

To identify genes or chromosomal regions associated with antibody response to NDV after immunization, a GWAS was performed using 39,833 SNP markers in a chicken F2resource population derived from a cross between two broiler lines that differed in their resistance. Two SNP effects reached 5% Bonferroni genome-wide significance (P<1.26×10-6). These two SNPs,rs15354805andrs15355555, were both on chicken (Gallus gallus) chromosome 1 and spanned approximately 600 Kb, from 100.4 Mb to 101.0 Mb.Rs15354805is in intron 7 of the chickenRoundabout,axon guidance receptor,homolog 2(ROBO2) gene, andrs15355555is located about 243 Kb upstream ofROBO2.Rs15354805explained 5% of the phenotypic variation in antibody response to NDV, post immunization, in chickens.Rs15355555had a similar effect asrs15354805because of its linkage disequilibrium withrs15354805(r2=0.98).

Conclusion

The region at about 100 Mb from the proximal end of chicken chromosome 1, including theROBO1andROBO2genes, has a strong effect on the antibody response to the NDV in chickens. This study paves the way for further research on the host immune response to NDV.