bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Interhospital Medical Intensive Care Unit Transfer Instrument Facilitates Early Implementation of Critical Therapies and Is Associated With Fewer Emergent Procedures Upon Arrival
Authors: Malpass Howard Charles , Enfield Kyle B. , Keim-Malpass Jessica , Verghese George M.
Published: February 2014

Background:

Interhospital transportation of critically ill patients is challenging. The risk incurred by the patient is compounded when stabilization and application of appropriate therapies are delayed. The purpose of this study was to first develop an interhospital intensive care unit (ICU) transfer instrument to systematize communication and determine feasibility of use. Then, the transfer instrument was tested for effects on patient mortality, stability on arrival, and recommended therapy implementation.

Method:

The instrument was developed and pilot tested for 6 months to optimize function and applicability. Then, a before-and-after quasi-experimental study tested this instrument by assessing several key outcomes. Outcomes measured included 48-hour mortality, ICU mortality, hospital mortality, emergent intubation, emergent central venous catheter insertion, immediate change in antibiotics, and addition of vasopressors immediately on arrival. Patients were compared by age, gender, cause for admission, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score. A standardized mortality ratio was calculated using the patient’s APACHE II score. Pretransport recommendations to referring physicians and adherence to recommendations were also measured.

Results:

The preintervention group consisted of 134 patients collected continuously over 6 months. The postintervention group was collected continuously over a 6-month period and included 77 patients. The interhospital ICU transfer instrument was associated with fewer emergent central venous catheter insertions and fewer changes in antibiotics on arrival. Recommendations to transferring physicians were followed 90% of the time.

Conclusions:

The interhospital ICU transfer instrument is a tool that is effective in coordinating the transfer of medical ICU patients. Implementation leads to timely critical interventions and may reduce mortality.
Antonio Gramsci’s Impact on Critical Pedagogy
Authors: Mayo Peter
Published: February 2014

This article provides an account of Antonio Gramsci’s impact on the area of critical pedagogy. It indicates the Gramscian influence on the thinking of major exponents of the field. It foregrounds Gramsci’s ideas and then indicates how they have been taken up by a selection of critical pedagogy exponents who were chosen on the strength of their identification and engagement with Gramsci’s ideas, some of them even having written entire essays on Gramsci. The article concludes with a discussion concerning an aspect of Gramsci’s concerns, the question of powerful knowledge, which, in the present author’s view, provides a formidable challenge to critical pedagogues.
The ordeal of solitude
Authors: Blum Alan
Published: February 2014

I try to understand the ordeal of solitude by beginning with Marc Augé’s usage on transitional sites as a provocation, which leads us to rethink solitude as a condition of subjectivity and its various inflections, most conventionally as loneliness and, in sociology, as fragmentation, anonymity, alienation, privatization and the various opinions that link it to the deprivation of separation that longs for connection, or, more fundamentally in Simmel, as the ontological view of the tragedy of human limitation. Instead of restricting us to sites, Augé’s provocation suggests that if solitude is one of a family of such usages related to the experience of being alone or apart in such a space, we might then examine ways in which it is oriented to as a condition that can vary according to extremes, say, in the way Arendt and others have contrasted the pain of loneliness with the creativity of solitude. In linking solitude to transitional sites, Augé suggests that there is something about the experience of the in-between, whether of time or space, that illuminates solitude and that makes any relationship to it a potential ordeal. I test the notion by asking how the ordeal pertains to language itself and the intermediacy of a human subject in linguistic space.
Influence of morphology on the flame retardancy of polystyrene/nylon-6/ammonium polyphosphate/clay blends
Authors: Lu Chang , Yang Dian , Cao Qing-Qing , Huang Xin-Hui , Liu Ji-Cun , Zhang Yu-Qing
Published: February 2014

Ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and clay were utilized to flame retard polystyrene/nylon 6 (PS/PA6) blends. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that clay formed exfoliated structures in PS/PA6/APP/clay. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectra and TEM indicated that APP and clay were exclusively dispersed in the PA6 phase. The influences of the distribution of APP and clay in PS/PA6 blends and the continuity of the (PA6 + APP) phase on flame retardancy were investigated. The flame-retardant properties were evaluated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical flammability test, and cone calorimeter tests. For blends with a continuous PA6 + APP phase, the decrease of PA6 content caused an increase in LOI values from 26 to 34% and a remarkable reduction of the heat release rate. Results of thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the localization of APP and clay in the PA6 phase caused an increase in APP concentration in the PA6 phase with decreasing PA6 content, resulting in the rapid formation of intumescent charred layer, which augmented the flame retardancy. The transformation of (PA6 + APP) phase morphology from a continuous state to a discontinuous state at a PA6 content of below 40% (w/w) was observed. Meanwhile, the flame-retardant properties were decreased as the PA6 content decreases. The discontinuous intumescent charred layer thus formed and the inhibiting action of clay on the residue char from expanding could be responsible for the deterioration of flame-retardant properties, which were also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and the aspect of intumescent charred layer.
Review of the application of flexible, measurement-assisted assembly technology in aircraft manufacturing
Authors: Mei Zhongyi , Maropoulos Paul G
Published: February 2014

Aircraft assembly is the most important part of aircraft manufacturing. A large number of assembly fixtures must be used to ensure the assembly accuracy in the aircraft assembly process. Traditional fixed assembly fixture could not satisfy the change of the aircraft types, so the digital flexible assembly fixture was developed and was gradually applied in the aircraft assembly. Digital flexible assembly technology has also become one of the research directions in the field of aircraft manufacturing. The aircraft flexible assembly can be divided into three assembly stages that include component-level flexible assembly, large component-level flexible assembly, and large components alignment and joining. This article introduces the architecture of flexible assembly systems and the principles of three types of flexible assembly fixtures. The key technologies of the digital flexible assembly are also discussed. The digital metrology system provides the basis for the accurate digital flexible assembly. Aircraft flexible assembly systems mainly use laser tracking metrology systems and indoor Global Positioning System metrology systems. With the development of flexible assembly technology, the digital flexible assembly system will be widely used in current aircraft manufacturing.
Decoupled fixturing strategies for minimized geometrical variation during cutting of stamped parts
Authors: Wärmefjord Kristina , Söderberg Rikard , Lindkvist Lars
Published: February 2014

Fixturing strategies during the different stages of manufacturing of a part strongly affect the final geometrical outcome on both part level and assembly level. Different manufacturing setups, processes and operations allow for, and put requirements on, the fixturing strategy. In this article, different fixturing strategies during cutting of stamped sheet metal parts are discussed and evaluated with respect to minimized variation in critical features. The strategies are discussed from a theoretical point of view. Geometrical decoupling philosophies are used to minimize the number of variation sources during cutting. The strategies are also illustrated using an industrial case study consisting of laser cutting of a stamped sheet metal part. Some general guidelines, based on the results, for fixturing during sequences of operations are formulated. In this article, fixturing during laser cutting followed by fixturing during assembly are in focus, but the strategies should be generalizable to other sequences of manufacturing operations as well.
Horizontal welding of aluminium alloys by soft plasma arc
Authors: Zhang Qin Lian , Yang Chun Li , Lin San Bao , Fan Cheng Lei
Published: February 2014

Horizontal welding plays an important role in manufacture of large and heavy aluminium alloy structures. But there are many problems such as bad weld formation, porosity and low efficiency. Variable polarity plasma arc welding is a low-defect and high-efficiency welding technology, but it has difficulty in horizontal position. The maximum weldable thickness is less than 6.4 mm in single-pass weld. The soft plasma arc was proposed in this article. Horizontal welding of aluminium alloy plates with 8 mm thickness was realized successfully. The joint was free of defects and had excellent mechanical properties. This is a breakthrough in single-pass horizontal welding. Moreover, the characteristic of the soft plasma arc was studied in detail and the fluid flow in weld backside was observed. Finally, the forming mechanism of a stale weld pool was discussed. Results indicated that the arc pressure with the soft plasma arc was lower than that with the ordinary plasma arc. The fluid flow was asymmetric in horizontal position. The forming of a keyhole was realized by the bridging of the molten metals in the upper and lower sides. The weld pool was stable with the soft plasma arc because the maximum diameter of keyhole was bigger than that with the ordinary plasma arc.
A nonlocal sinusoidal plate model for micro/nanoscale plates
Authors: Thai Huu-Tai , Vo Thuc P , Nguyen Trung-Kien , Lee Jaehong
Published: February 2014

A nonlocal sinusoidal plate model for micro/nanoscale plates is developed based on Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory and sinusoidal shear deformation plate theory. The small-scale effect is considered in the former theory while the transverse shear deformation effect is included in the latter theory. The proposed model accounts for sinusoidal variations of transverse shear strains through the thickness of the plate, and satisfies the stress-free boundary conditions on the plate surfaces, thus a shear correction factor is not required. Equations of motion and boundary conditions are derived from Hamilton’s principle. Analytical solutions for bending, buckling, and vibration of simply supported plates are presented, and the obtained results are compared with the existing solutions. The effects of small scale and shear deformation on the responses of the micro/nanoscale plates are investigated.
Reducing solid particle erosion of an axial fan with sweep and lean using multidisciplinary design optimization
Authors: Wen Suping , Wang Jian , Li Ting , Xi Guang
Published: February 2014

A multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) system is established to reduce solid particle erosion of an axial induced draft fan with sweep and lean. The method improves the erosion resistance of the fan blade in the aerodynamic design stage through a change of blade sweep and lean. The multidisciplinary design optimization approach takes the place of the traditional time-consuming design method by automatic calculation of the flow field, stress distribution, dynamic frequencies, and erosion distribution for blade, controlled by an optimization strategy. A multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm combined with radial basis function approximation model is employed for finding a compromise between the conflicting demands of high efficiency and low average erosion rate with constraints on the pressure ratio and structural responses for the blade. The Navier–Stokes solver, finite element method (FEM) is used to predict the aerodynamic performance and mechanical performance of the blade, respectively. Particle paths in a viscous flow are calculated using the Lagrangian method and Tabakoff rebound model. And then Tabakoff erosion model is used to predict erosion of the blade surface. Several representative designs are selected along the Pareto front to verify using computer aided engineering tools. A compromise solution is used to analyze in detail. Compared with the reference design, the optimal design increases the η/ η0 slightly by 0.53%, while decreases the ɛavg / ɛavg0 markedly by 13.7%. The result shows that the optimized blade favors a reduced total pressure due to its forward sweep. The decrease of the ɛavg/ ɛavg0 is attributed to a reduced impact velocity and impact angle. The analysis of variance technique indicates that the blade lean has a direct impact on performances with respect to efficiency, erosion, and von Mises stress of the blade, and the blade sweep law near hub has an immeasurable influence on blade von Mises stress. As a conclusion, it can be drawn that the proposed approach may open a new opportunity for the design of axial fan to reduce erosion damage of blade taking other disciplines into consideration. Meanwhile, the multidisciplinary design optimization system can be extended to other turbomachinery and erosion-resistant design fields.
Natural convection with volumetric heat generation and external magnetic field in differentially heated enclosure
Authors: Berrahil Farid , Benissaad Smail , Chérifa Abid , Médale Marc
Published: February 2014

Abstract

This work presents a numerical study of natural convection in a laterally heated cavity filled with an electrically conductive fluid ([Formula: see text]) in the presence of an external magnetic field and an internal heat source. The finite volume method with the SIMPLER algorithm is used to solve the system of equations governing the magnetohydrodynamics flow. The influence of volumetric heating SQ on the flow structure and on the heat transfer within the cavity for Gr = 104, 105, and 106 was examined. The effects of aspect ratio ( A = 1, 0.5, and 2), Prandtl number (low Prandtl number fluids), and magnetic field ([Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]) were determined in the steady state with internal heat generation. Two orientations of the magnetic field were considered in order to have better control of the flow. The strongest stabilization of the flow field with internal heat generation is found when the magnetic field is oriented horizontally.
Design and test of vehicle suspension system with inerters
Authors: Wang Ruochen , Meng Xiangpeng , Shi Dehua , Zhang Xiaoliang , Chen Yuexia , Chen Long
Published: February 2014

A vehicle suspension system with inerters is proposed and its dynamic model is established to analyse its dynamic performance. The structure of the suspension with inerters is also constructed and its form and structural parameters are optimized. Then the rack-and-pinion inerter and the bench test system of suspension are designed. Based on the simulation, bench test is conducted. It has shown that theoretical research is consistent with the test results. Moreover, the structure of the suspension with inerters is so simple, that it can be easily achieved. Consequently the passenger comfort is greatly enhanced and the comprehensive performance of the car has been coordinated. Therefore, simulated analysis and experimental tests in this paper can provide evidence for further research on suspension with inerters.
Velocity pick-up and discharge coefficient for round orifices with cross flow at inlet
Authors: Fu Debin , Chew John W , Sun Zixiang
Published: February 2014

This study investigates the flow through round orifices with cross flow at the inlet. Emphasis is placed on the change in tangential velocity component for orifices with low L/ D. A definition of velocity pick-up is developed based on the orifice exit to cross-flow tangential velocity ratio. Steady, incompressible, and 3D computational fluid dynamics models with the SST [Formula: see text] turbulent model are employed to calculate orifice flows with different geometrical and flow conditions. Stationary orifices and axial orifices in a rotating disk are considered. Computational fluid dynamics solutions are compared with experimental results and published correlations for discharge coefficients, and good agreement is generally demonstrated. It is found that the non-dimensional velocity pick-up depends strongly on the ratio of characteristic times for flow to travel across the orifice in the tangential direction and that for the flow to pass through the orifice. A correlation of velocity pick-up as a function of this ratio is given.
Design of backlash-free straight-curved guide devices
Authors: Wu Long-Iong , Shu Kuan-Lwun
Published: February 2014

This article presents a method for designing a planar guide device that can guide sliders to move along a straight-curved rail and can eliminate the backlash between the slider and the rail throughout the whole range of the slider travel. The guide device has many sliders and each slider has three rollers that can separately roll on both sides of the rail. The straight-curved rail is composed of straight sections, connection sections, and circular-arc sections. For each slider, the three normal lines through the contact points between the rollers and the rail must always intersect at a common point, which is an instant center. Using this as a basis, the side profiles of the straight-curved rail can be determined. To avoid infinite jerk of the slider motion, the pitch curve of the connection section should consist of a transition curve, which is interposed between the straight line and the circular arc.
Review of cavity-stabilized combustion for scramjet applications
Authors: Wang Zhenguo , Wang Hongbo , Sun Mingbo
Published: February 2014

Cavities are widely used as flameholders in supersonic combustors due to their outstanding potential to stabilize combustion without excessive total pressure loss. A review of cavity-stabilized combustion for scramjet applications is provided in this article. The topics cover the fundamental problems and recent advances regarding cavity-organized combustion in high-speed flows, including combustion stabilization modes and mechanisms, flame stability analyses and correlations, combustion oscillations, and other related issues. Remarkable questions such as cavity-coupled fuel injection, flow and combustion coupling, optimal cavity geometry and scale, auto-ignition and flame propagation interactions, and unsteady effects are discussed. Then, an attempt is made to provide some guidelines for the future research of cavity flameholders.
Liquid propellant engine conceptual design by using a fuzzy-multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) optimization method
Authors: Mirshams M , Naseh H , Taei H , Fazeley HR
Published: February 2014

This paper presents an extension of fuzzy-multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) optimization methodology that could effectively be used to find the overall satisfaction of objective functions (selecting the design variables) in the early stages of design process. The coupling of objective functions due to design variables in an engineering design process will result in difficulties in design optimization problems. The primary application of this methodology is the design of a liquid propellant engine with the maximum specific impulse and the minimum weight. The independent design variables in this model are combustion chamber pressure, exit pressure, oxidizer to fuel mass flow rate. To handle the mentioned problems, a fuzzy-multi-objective genetic algorithm optimization methodology is developed based on Pareto optimal set. Liquid propellant engine, F-1 is modeled to illustrate accuracy and efficiency of proposed methodology.
Middle- to late-Holocene storminess in Brittany (NW France): Part I – morphological impact and stratigraphical record
Authors: Van Vliet-Lanoë Brigitte , Goslin Jérôme , Hallégouët Bernard , Hénaff Alain , Delacourt Christophe , Fernane Assia , Franzetti Marcaurelio , Le Cornec Erwan , Le Roy Pascal , Penaud Aurélie
Published: February 2014

Our study aims to understand the recurring climatic conditions prevailing during the largest storms reaching NW France (Brittany). These storms are responsible for the breaching of coastal barriers and major flooding of lowlands. In a first part of our work, we examine the morphological impact and stratigraphic record of storm events along Western Brittany rocky coasts, with a special focus on the southern coast of the Bay of Audierne, the most exposed coast of the region. In a second paper (‘Middle- to Late-Holocene Storminess in Brittany (NW France): Part II’), we shall focus on the chronology of storm events and their climate forcing conditions. Drilling transects and stratigraphic analyses were first undertaken to constrain chronology, strength and wind direction during the main Holocene storm events. New dates, observations and a relative sea-level (RSL) curve were then used to inform discussion of the necessary climatic and morphologic conditions leading to destructive storm events. Most recorded events appear to be linked with cooling episodes of the Holocene and a RSL close to present. Some storms are clearly responsible for breaching and dune building or remobilisation. We demonstrate that storm frequency and intensity appear to rise in a stepwise manner during the late Holocene. Maximum efficiency is reached during the ‘Little Ice Age’ with clustered events probably lasting several days, but major storms also occurred immediately prior to the ‘Medieval Warm Period’. We suggest that recent coastal dune building from c.ad 1100 until now, despite a sea level close to present and continuously rising, may be a direct consequence of the restoration of beaches after periods of recurrent storminess. This building activity often occurred during dry negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) events, in connection with the available sedimentary supply.
Middle- to late-Holocene storminess in Brittany (NW France): Part II – The chronology of events and climate forcing
Authors: Van Vliet-Lanoë Brigitte , Penaud Aurélie , Hénaff Alain , Delacourt Christophe , Fernane Assia , Goslin Jérôme , Hallégouët Bernard , Le Cornec Erwan
Published: February 2014

This study focuses on the recurring climate conditions required for the largest storms occurring in NW France (Brittany). It is based on the analysed records of storm events along Western Brittany coast (see Part I). In this manuscript (Part II), storm recurrence is explored along with forcing mechanisms. Periods of more frequent storm events over the two last centuries are analysed first in order to link these events with possible forcing mechanisms (North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) modes) triggering the most destructive storms. Then, palaeostorm events are discussed at the Holocene scale, from 6000 yr BP to present, to verify the forcing mechanisms. Most recorded events appear to be linked with cooling episodes, mostly in winter, a transition to or from a negative winter NAO mode, a positive AMO mode. Extreme storms occur immediately prior to the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ (MWP). Maximum effects are reached prior to the onset of the MWP and during the Maunder and Dalton solar minima. Low storm activity occurred during the Spörer Minimum linked to an acceleration of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Main storm triggers seem to correspond to a positive AMO mode with an unstable jetstream configuration driving a negative NAO. In this study, four specific weather configurations were defined to explain each type of recorded storminess. The strongest storms correspond to low AMO and decennial-negative NAO modes (e.g. ‘Little Ice Age’), or high AMO in association with dominant low NAO modes, as during the early Middle Age and present-day period. Fresh or warm oceans in association with a positive NAO mode are stormy but with very low sting storms frequency. Although in agreement with the orbital forcing and the Holocene glacial history, increasing storm frequency and intensity is most probably partly biased by continuous sea-level rise and resulting erosion.
How prehistoric humans use plant resources to adapt to environmental change: A case study in the western Chinese Loess Plateau during Qijia Period
Authors: An Cheng-Bang , Li Hu , Dong Weimiao , Chen Yufeng , Zhao Yongtao , Shi Chao
Published: February 2014

Fossilized charcoals can document how prehistoric humans used wood resources. Here, we present a quantitative result of charcoal fossil records, compiled with archaeobotanical data of Qijia Culture (4.3–3.8 cal. kyr BP) in the western Chinese Loess Plateau, to study how prehistoric people used plant resources and adapted to their environment. The charcoal records showed that Quercus, Ulmus, Pyrus, Acer, Picea, Prunus, and Bambusoideae were abundant during the Qijia Period, implying a warmer and wetter environment at that time. It also clearly showed that Qijia people had a strong preference to select woods in their daily life. Quercus was the most favorable wood, and thus, it was found in all samples. Many fruit trees planted in the Chinese Loess Plateau today were found in charcoal records. These fruit trees were, during the Qijia Period, at least in the process of being domesticated. Qijia people expanded the scope of using plant resources, and many new crops appeared during that time. These results provide a new insight into economic management and human adaption strategies in the Neolithic Age.
Differential expression pattern of microRNAs in CD4+ and CD19+ cells from asymptomatic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Martínez-Ramos R , García-Lozano J-R , Lucena J-M , Castillo-Palma M-J , García-Hernández F , Rodríguez M-C , Núñez-Roldán A , González-Escribano M-F
Published: February 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of microRNA (miRNA) expression in CD19+ and CD4+ cells from asymptomatic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

A screening of the expression of 377 miRNAs was performed in human CD4+ and CD19+ cells isolated from the peripheral blood by using a TaqMan Human MicroRNA Array. Validation of differential expression pattern of those was performed using TaqMan assays in these cell populations obtained from a larger cohort of patients and controls.

Results

According to the screening assays, three miRNAs were differentially expressed ( p value <0.1) in cell populations from both patients and controls: hsa-miR-143, hsa-miR-224 and hsa-miR-576-5p for CD4+ cells, and hsa-miR-10a, hsa-miR-31 and hsa-miR-345 for CD19+ cells. After validation, significant differences ( p value <0.05) were confirmed only for hsa-miR-143 and hsa-miR-224 in CD4+ cells and for hsa-miR-10a and hsa-miR-345 in CD19+ cells. In all cases, the miRNAs were over expressed in SLE patients compared with healthy donors.

Conclusions

Our results support a different pattern of miRNA expression in SLE patients.
(Im-)Mobile policies: Why sustainability went wrong in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi
Authors: Müller Martin
Published: February 2014

This paper proposes a tripartite framework of transportation, transformation and translation to conceptualise the circulation, mutation and impacts of mobile policies as translocal, socio-material networks. Drawing on material from semi-structured interviews, participant observation and documents it considers the value of this framework by examining the mobility of the sustainability agenda of the Winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The paper shows how sustainability policies were packaged and mobilised to flow to Russia ( transportation), how ineffective governance arrangements, a lack of institutional controls and time pressure altered them ( transformation) and how the results fell far short of initial bid commitments ( translation). As such, it sheds light onto the multiple immobilities and mutations that come with the attempts to mobilise policies.
The morphing bi-stable glass fiber–reinforced polymer laminates actuated by embedded electrothermal alloy
Authors: Li Hao , Dai Fuhong , Du Shanyi
Published: February 2014

This article develops and proves the concept of morphing bi-stable glass fiber–reinforced polymer laminates using electrothermal alloys to trigger the snap-through from one stable configuration to another. The presented concept considers an alternative to existing morphing bi-stable concepts wherein actuators are used to elastically actuate bi-stable laminates to snap between stable configurations. These existing concepts are restricted to some bi-stable laminates with certain layups and sizes. For the concept discussed here, the electrothermal alloys are embedded in the laminates and are used as internal heating sources. Morphing can be achieved by heating and subsequently cooling the local region of the laminate, and no energy is needed to maintain the deformation. One-way and a two-way morphing bi-stable laminates are designed and manufactured. The finite element simulation is performed to predict the thermally induced morphing process. The experimental morphing process is compared with the simulated process, and good agreement between experiments and predictions is found. The basic principle of this morphing bi-stable structure is discussed. Based on the same principle, more different forms of morphing bi-stable structures can be designed and manufactured.
A vibrating cantilever footfall energy harvesting device
Authors: Gilbert James M , Balouchi Farouk
Published: February 2014

Human footfall is an attractive source of energy for harvesting for low-power applications. However, the nature of footfall is poorly matched to electromagnetic generators. Footfall motion is characterised by high forces and low speeds, while electromagnetic generators are normally most efficient at relatively high speed. This article proposes a novel mechanism for converting the low-speed motion of footfall to a higher speed oscillating motion suitable for electromagnetic power generation. The conversion is achieved using a cantilever beam which is deflected by the footfall motion using a special ‘striker’ mechanism which then allows the cantilever to oscillate freely at a relatively high speed. An arrangement of permanent magnets attached to the cantilever causes an alternating magnetic field, and a stationary coil converts this to a usable voltage. This article describes the mechanism and provides a mathematical model of its behaviour which allows the system parameters to be optimised and its performance predicted. The performance of a prototype device is presented, and it is shown that this is capable of generating up to 60 mJ/step and that the conversion efficiency is up to 55%.
Use of Coaching and Behavior Support Planning for Students With Disruptive Behavior Within a Universal Classroom Management Program
Authors: Reinke Wendy M. , Stormont Melissa , Herman Keith C. , Wang Ze , Newcomer Lori , King Kathleen
Published: February 2014

Even with the use of effective universal classroom management practices, some students will need additional behavioral supports. However, to translate implementation of new strategies into the classroom, professional development programs need to be adaptive to the complexities teachers face in providing instruction and managing classroom behaviors among diverse learners. Teachers also need support to successfully implement universal practices as well as to develop and enact plans for supporting students with disruptive behavior. This article describes a universal classroom management program that embeds coaching within the model. The coach supported teachers both in implementing universal strategies and in developing and implementing behavior support plans for students with disruptive behavior. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the behavior support plans and the types of coaching activities used to support these plans. Findings indicated that during meetings with teachers, coaches spent time action planning and providing performance feedback to teachers on their implementation of the behavior support plans. In addition, teachers reduced their rate of reprimands with the targeted at-risk students. Students receiving behavioral supports demonstrated decreased rates of disruptive behavior, increased prosocial behavior, and a trend toward improved on-task behavior. In comparison, a matched sample of students with disruptive behaviors did not demonstrate improved outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed.
Changing with the Times
Authors: Garretson Jeremiah J.
Published: February 2014

Studies have shown that same-sex marriage (SSM) ballot measures affected voter turnout and primed voters in a manner that aided the Republican Party in 2004. However, if attitude strength plays a role in these spillover effects, then recent increases in the intensity of support for SSM on the left may have eroded—or even reversed—the pro-Republican electoral boost of these measures. Using individual- and county-level data, I demonstrate that more recent votes on SSM have mobilized more pro-Obama SSM supporters than pro-Republican social conservatives. These findings are important for understanding how ballot measures may potentially affect candidate elections.
Estrogen Receptors, the Hippocampus, and Memory
Authors: Bean Linda A. , Ianov Lara , Foster Thomas C.
Published: February 2014

Estradiol effects on memory depend on hormone levels and the interaction of different estrogen receptors within neural circuits. Estradiol induces gene transcription and rapid membrane signaling mediated by estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ), and a recently characterized G-protein coupled estrogen receptor, each with distinct distributions and ability to influence estradiol-dependent signaling. Investigations using receptor specific agonists suggest that all three receptors rapidly activate kinase-signaling and have complex dose-dependent influences on memory. Research employing receptor knockout mice demonstrate that ERα maintains transcription and memory as estradiol levels decline. This work indicates a regulatory role of ERβ in transcription and cognition, which depends on estradiol levels and the function of ERα. The regulatory role of ERβ is due in part to ERβ acting as a negative regulator of ERα-mediated transcription. Vector-mediated expression of estrogen receptors in the hippocampus provides an innovative research approach and suggests that memory depends on the relative expression of ERα and ERβ interacting with estradiol levels. Notably, the ability of estradiol to improve cognition declines with advanced age along with decreased expression of estrogen receptors. Thus, it will be important for future research to determine the mechanisms that regulate estrogen receptor expression during aging.
Threat Without Efficacy? Climate Change on U.S. Network News
Authors: Hart P. Sol , Feldman Lauren
Published: February 2014

This study investigates how U.S. network television news stories have conveyed threat and efficacy information about climate change, both directly and indirectly, through the discussion and framing of climate change impacts and actions. Results show that while impacts and actions are discussed independently in a majority of broadcasts, they are rarely discussed in the same broadcast. Moreover, while news coverage frequently conveys the threat of climate change, it provides an inconsistent efficacy message, often including both positive and negative efficacy cues. Finally, impacts are framed primarily in terms of environmental consequences, whereas actions are framed in terms of political conflict.
Experimental study of the nonlinear characteristics of an axially moving string
Authors: Xia Chunlin , Wu Yangfang , Lu Qianqian
Published: February 2014

This paper presents an experimental study of the nonlinear characteristics of an axially moving string. An experimental system with a simple configuration, which is similar to a practical application, was built. Two laser sensors were used to monitor the vertical and horizontal vibrations of the moving string under different conditions. Using the Hilbert-Huang transform method, the detailed results of a typical measured data series, which include intrinsic mode decomposition, Hilbert spectrum and marginal spectrum, are introduced. For comparison, marginal spectra for almost all test cases are also given. Based on the results, several observed nonlinear phenomena, which include whirling motion, resonances, quasiperiodical and a beating motion, torus doublings and one chaotic motion, are presented. The quantitative nonlinear vibrating details and the observed rich behaviors help explain the great complexity of a single moving string.
Re: Silences—
Authors: Pearce Cathie , Patterson Rebecca , Rushton Ian
Published: February 2014

There is always a pressing need to make sense of the inexplicable. Research as teaching, writing as inquiry, texts as performative—we embark on a series of encounters and engagements. We draw and write lines in, and around, our experiences. Straightforward is not a geometry that sense, time, identity, or language takes. Usually, texts are considered to be the domain of authors but we ask that you engage with us as we explore how matter and fact warp and where theory is practice rather than applied, expressed, or attached to practice.
Old Fieldwork, New Ethnography
Authors: Smith Anne-Marie
Published: February 2014

During fieldwork for my PhD in Oaxaca, Mexico, a serendipitous encounter with a group of displaced Zapotec families triggered an emotional journey against the rules of the academy and an unwitting entrée into ethnographic writing. Via a multilayered text moving between memoir, poetry, and conversations, this retrospective telling of fieldwork reveals what the academic thesis kept hidden. Written a decade ago and stored in a bag, these stories have existed separately from the completed doctoral research, thus highlighting the apparent separateness between the heartfelt experiences of “doing fieldwork” and the academic requirements of “gathering data.”
When Qualitative Research Meets Theater
Authors: Goldstein Tara , Gray Julia , Salisbury Jennifer , Snell Pamela
Published: February 2014

In this article, we describe three areas of design that need to be considered when conceptualizing a performed ethnography/research-informed theater project in the field of education: research design, aesthetic design, and pedagogical design. We present 30 questions that performed ethnographers and research-informed theater artists might ask ourselves when we conceptualize our projects. We then provide a discussion of four recent projects that engage with the questions presented and conclude by arguing that (a) research design and aesthetic design interact with and feed into each other and (b) research and aesthetic decisions impact the pedagogical work our projects do.
Witnessing Loss
Authors: Allegranti Beatrice , Wyatt Jonathan
Published: February 2014

In this article, the authors describe and inquire into an interdisciplinary, funded, practice-based research project that investigated the experience of loss following the death of someone close. The research took place during 2010-2012 and involved several layers of investigation: facilitating workshops that combined dance movement psychotherapy and writing; creating a screendance; and interviewing participants and each other. Drawing, in particular, on the “new empiricist” theory of Karen Barad and others, and Rosi Braidotti’s call for “bodily materialism,” the authors focus on the material-discursive “entanglement” of the process of witnessing: how witnessing, throughout, within, and between the multiple aspects of a complex and affecting project, enacted a socially and ethically engaged scholarship.
Making Windows in Walls
Authors: Reiter Keramet
Published: February 2014

This article examines the relationships between prison structure, researcher access to prisons, and scholarship about prisons. Drawing on the author’s own work over more than 10 years as a prison educator, legal advocate, and prison researcher, as well as on the scholarship of other prison researchers throughout the social sciences, the article argues that prisons resist scrutiny at two stages. First, prisons are structurally and bureaucratically closed off from research; second, prison researchers are emotionally disconnected from their work. These two layers of obfuscation maintain the prison as a social “black site”: physically located outside of our communities, invisible to the public and the researcher alike. In an effort to overcome these barriers, this article outlines a mixed method, collaborative approach to prison research and discusses the ethical and emotional challenges of this approach. By identifying the major obstacles to meaningful prison research, as well as some possible strategies to overcoming these obstacles, this article seeks to make such work more feasible for investigators in many disciplines.
Sex- and Subtype-Related Differences of Personality Disorders (Axis II) and Personality Traits in Persistent ADHD
Authors: Jacob Christian P. , Gross-Lesch Silke , Reichert Susanne , Geissler Julia , Jans Thomas , Kittel-Schneider Sarah , Nguyen Trang T. , Romanos Marcel , Reif Andreas , Dempfle Astrid , Lesch Klaus-Peter
Published: February 2014

Objective: Despite growing awareness of adult ADHD and its comorbidity with personality disorders (PDs), little is known about sex- and subtype-related differences. Method: In all, 910 patients (452 females, 458 males) affected with persistent adult ADHD were assessed for comorbid PDs with the Structured Clinical Interview of DSM-IV and for personality traits with the revised NEO personality inventory, and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. Results: The most prevalent PDs were narcissistic PD in males and histrionic PD in females. Affected females showed higher Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Agreeableness scores as well as Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependence scores. Narcissistic PD and antisocial PD have the highest prevalence in the H-type, while Borderline PD is more frequent in the C-type. Conclusion: Sex- and subtype-related differences in Axis II disorder comorbidity as well as impairment-modifying personality traits have to be taken into account in epidemiological studies of persistent ADHD.
Toxicity Study of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles in Human Neuroblastoma Cells
Authors: Kumari Monika , Singh Shailendra Pratap , Chinde Srinivas , Rahman Mohammed Fazlur , Mahboob Mohammed , Grover Paramjit
Published: February 2014

The present study consisted of cytotoxic, genotoxic, and oxidative stress responses of human neuroblastoma cell line (IMR32) following exposure to different doses of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs; nanoceria) and its microparticles (MPs) for 24 hours. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assays whereas genotoxicity was assessed using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus and comet assays. A battery of assays including lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydrogen peroxide, reduced glutathione, nitric oxide, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase were performed to test the hypothesis that ROS was responsible for the toxicity of nanoceria. The results showed that nanosized CeO2 was more toxic than cerium oxide MPs. Hence, further study on safety evaluation of CeO2 NPs on other models is recommended.
It’s Not Me, It’s You
Authors: Hardy Ben , Ford Lucy R.
Published: February 2014

The ubiquity of surveys in organizational research means that their quality is of paramount importance. Commonly this has been addressed through the use of sophisticated statistical approaches with scant attention paid to item comprehension. Linguistic theory suggests that while everyone may understand an item, they may comprehend it in different ways. We explore this in two studies in which we administered three published scales and asked respondents to indicate what they believed the items meant, and a third study that replicated the results with an additional scale. These demonstrate three forms of miscomprehension: instructional (where instructions are not followed), sentential (where the syntax of a sentence is enriched or depleted as it is interpreted), and lexical (where different meanings of words are deployed). These differences in comprehension are not appreciable using conventional statistical analyses yet can produce significantly different results and cause respondents to tap into different concepts. These results suggest that item interpretation is a significant source of error, which has been hitherto neglected in the organizational literature. We suggest remedies and directions for future research.
Feline ischaemic myelopathy with a predilection for the cranial cervical spinal cord in older cats
Authors: Simpson Katherine M , De Risio Luisa , Theobald Anita , Garosi Laurent , Lowrie Mark
Published: February 2014

All previous studies on feline ischaemic myelopathy (IM) have reported an acute onset of a single event with no recurrence of clinical signs. This study aimed to evaluate clinical and long-term follow-up data in cats presumptively diagnosed with cervical IM in the territory of the ventral spinal artery (VSA). Eight cats (four females and four males) were included with a mean age of 14 years and 2 months. Neurological status at the time of presentation ranged from ambulatory tetraparesis to tetraplegia with nociception present. Six cats had marked cervical ventroflexion. All eight cats were diagnosed with one or more concurrent medical conditions, including chronic kidney disease (n = 2), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n = 2) and hypertension (n = 6). Median time to ambulation was 5.7 days (range 2–14 days). Long-term follow-up ranged from 7 months to 3 years and 3 months (median 1 year and 2 months). Five cats had no reported recurrence of clinical signs and 3/8 had a chronic relapsing disease course. One cat had an acute recurrence of clinical signs 4 months after the first event and was euthanased. Two cats had acute onsets of suspected intracranial infarctions, one of which had further suspected intracranial infarcts every 3 months and was euthanased after one of these. This study highlights the importance of performing ancillary diagnostic tests in older cats presenting with IM, particularly when VSA embolisation is suspected.
Comparative study of aural microflora in healthy cats, allergic cats and cats with systemic disease
Authors: Pressanti Charline , Drouet Clémence , Cadiergues Marie-Christine
Published: February 2014

Twenty healthy cats (group 1) with clinically normal ears, 15 cats with systemic disease (group 2) and 15 allergic cats (group 3) were included in a prospective study. The experimental unit was the ear. A clinical score was established for each ear canal after otoscopic examination. Microbial population was assessed on cytological examination of smears performed with the cotton-tipped applicator smear technique. Fungal population was significantly more prominent in allergic cats ( P <0.001) and in diseased cats compared with healthy cats ( P <0.02). Bacterial population was significantly higher in allergic cats than in healthy cats ( P <0.001) and cats suffering from systemic disease ( P <0.001). Bacterial overgrowth was also higher in cats with systemic disease than healthy cats. In cats from group 2, only fungal overgrowth was associated with otitis severity. In group 3, only bacterial overgrowth was associated with otitis severity.