bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Validation of Homogeneous Rainfall Zones in India Using Correlation Analysis
Authors: Saikranthi K. , Rao T. Narayana , Rajeevan M. , Bhaskara Rao S. Vijaya
Published: September 2012

Daily rainfall data obtained from 1025 rain gauges spread across the country over 51 years (1951–2001) are subjected to correlation analysis to identify homogeneous rainfall zones over India. In contrast to earlier studies, which were based on seasonal/annual rainfall, the present study identifies homogeneous rainfall regions with the help of seasonal [southwest monsoon (SWM) and northeast monsoon (NEM)] and annual rainfall. India is divided into 26 (20) homogeneous rainfall zones using annual and SWM (NEM) rainfall. The delineated homogeneous regions are compared and contrasted with those defined by earlier studies, employing a variety of schemes. The interseries correlations of rainfall within each zone are found to be better when the zones are identified by the present study than by other studies. The tests that are performed to evaluate coherency of zones reveal that the zones are homogeneous not only at different temporal scales (interannual and intraseasonal) but also in terms of rain amount, rain frequency, and rain type. Although the delineation of coherent zones is done using interannual/seasonal rainfall data, these zones exhibit coherency in rainfall variations at intraseasonal scale. Nevertheless, the degree of homogeneity is different for rainfall variations occurring at different temporal scales. Further, the zones show better coherency in excess rainfall years than in deficit rainfall years. Longer-term utility of the delineated zones is studied by examining delineated zones and their coherency in the first and second half of the total data period. Although the regions remain the same in both the periods, the coherency is reduced in the second half, suggesting that the homogeneity of regions may vary in the future.
Hidden Error Variance Theory. Part I: Exposition and Analytic Model
Authors: Bishop Craig H. , Satterfield Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2012

A conundrum of predictability research is that while the prediction of flow-dependent error distributions is one of its main foci, chaos fundamentally hides flow-dependent forecast error distributions from empirical observation. Empirical estimation of such error distributions requires a large sample of error realizations given the same flow-dependent conditions. However, chaotic elements of the flow and the observing network make it impossible to collect a large enough conditioned error sample to empirically define such distributions and their variance. Such conditional variances are “hidden.” Here, an exposition of the problem is developed from an ensemble Kalman filter data assimilation system applied to a 10-variable nonlinear chaotic model and 25 000 replicate models. The 25 000 replicates reveal the error variances that would otherwise be hidden. It is found that the inverse-gamma distribution accurately approximates the posterior distribution of conditional error variances given an imperfect ensemble variance and provides a reasonable approximation to the prior climatological distribution of conditional error variances. A new analytical model shows how the properties of a likelihood distribution of ensemble variances given a true conditional error variance determine the posterior distribution of error variances given an ensemble variance. The analytically generated distributions are shown to satisfactorily fit empirically determined distributions. The theoretical analysis yields a rigorous interpretation and justification of hybrid error variance models that linearly combine static and flow-dependent estimates of forecast error variance; in doing so, it also helps justify and inform hybrid error covariance models.
Hidden Error Variance Theory. Part II: An Instrument That Reveals Hidden Error Variance Distributions from Ensemble Forecasts and Observations
Authors: Bishop Craig H. , Satterfield Elizabeth A. , Shanley Kevin T.
Published: September 2012

In Part I of this study, a model of the distribution of true error variances given an ensemble variance is shown to be defined by six parameters that also determine the optimal weights for the static and flow-dependent parts of hybrid error variance models. Two of the six parameters (the climatological mean of forecast error variance and the climatological minimum of ensemble variance) are straightforward to estimate. The other four parameters are (i) the variance of the climatological distribution of the true conditional error variances, (ii) the climatological minimum of the true conditional error variance, (iii) the relative variance of the distribution of ensemble variances given a true conditional error variance, and (iv) the parameter that defines the mean response of the ensemble variances to changes in the true error variance. These parameters are hidden because they are defined in terms of condition-dependent forecast error variance, which is unobservable if the condition is not sufficiently repeatable. Here, a set of equations that enable these hidden parameters to be accurately estimated from a long time series of (observation minus forecast, ensemble variance) data pairs is presented. The accuracy of the equations is demonstrated in tests using data from long data assimilation cycles with differing model error variance parameters as well as synthetically generated data. This newfound ability to estimate these hidden parameters provides new tools for assessing the quality of ensemble forecasts, tuning hybrid error variance models, and postprocessing ensemble forecasts.
Enhancing Oral Health via Sense of Coherence
Authors: Nammontri O. , Robinson P.G. , Baker S.R.
Published: September 2012

Sense of coherence (SOC) has been related to oral health behaviors and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in observational studies. This cluster-randomized trial aimed to test the effect of an intervention to enhance SOC on OHRQoL in children. Twelve primary schools were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. The intervention was comprised of 7 sessions over 2 mos, focusing on child participation and empowerment. The first 4 sessions were classroom activities, and the last 3 involved working on healthy school projects. Trained teachers who received a one-day course delivered the intervention. Socio-demographic and clinical data, together with self-reported measures of OHRQoL, SOC, and oral health beliefs, were obtained from 261 total 10- to 12-year-olds (133 in the intervention and 128 in the control groups). Data were collected at baseline, 2 wks after the intervention, and at three-month follow-up. Mixed-effects models indicated that the intervention increased SOC and improved OHRQoL, together with oral health beliefs and gingival health. The findings offer experimental evidence that OHRQoL can be influenced by SOC. SOC may also provide an avenue for oral health promotion (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000547842).
Assessment of the Plasma/Serum IgG Test to Screen for Periodontitis
Authors: Kudo C. , Naruishi K. , Maeda H. , Abiko Y. , Hino T. , Iwata M. , Mitsuhashi C. , Murakami S. , Nagasawa T. , Nagata T. , Yoneda S. , Nomura Y. , Noguchi T. , Numabe Y. , Ogata Y. , Sato T. , Shimauchi H. , Yamazaki K. , Yoshimura A. , Takashiba S.
Published: September 2012

Chronic periodontitis is a silent infectious disease prevalent worldwide and affects lifestyle-related diseases. Therefore, efficient screening of patients is essential for general health. This study was performed to evaluate prospectively the diagnostic utility of a blood IgG antibody titer test against periodontal pathogens. Oral examination was performed, and IgG titers against periodontal pathogens were measured by ELISA in 1,387 individuals. The cut-off value of the IgG titer was determined in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and changes in periodontal clinical parameters and IgG titers by periodontal treatment were evaluated. The relationships between IgG titers and severity of periodontitis were analyzed. The best cut-off value of IgG titer against Porphyromonas gingivalis for screening periodontitis was 1.682. Both clinical parameters and IgG titers decreased significantly under periodontal treatment. IgG titers of periodontitis patients were significantly higher than those of healthy controls, especially in those with sites of probing pocket depth over 4 mm. Multiplied cut-off values were useful to select patients with severe periodontitis. A blood IgG antibody titer test for Porphyromonas gingivalis is useful to screen hitherto chronic periodontitis patients (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01658475).
Effect of Local Anesthesia on Trigeminal Somatosensory-evoked Magnetic Fields
Authors: Otsuka T. , Dan H. , Dan I. , Sase M. , Sano T. , Tsuzuki D. , Fujita A. , Sasaguri K. , Okada N. , Kusama M. , Jinbu Y. , Watanabe E.
Published: September 2012

For objective neurophysiological evaluation of the function of the trigeminal system, magnetoencephalography- based TSEF (trigeminal somatosensory-evoked field) assessment would be valuable in providing spatial and temporal profiles of cortical responses. However, this necessitates knowledge of how TSEF varies with trigeminal nerve dysfunctions. We introduced a conduction block of the trigeminal nerve using local anesthesia (lidocaine) to temporally mimic nerve dysfunctions, and monitored TSEF changes. Following an electrical stimulation of the lower lip, a magnetic response with peak latency of approximately 20 ms was identified in all participants. Dipole for the peak was estimated on the post-central gyrus in the participant’s own magnetic resonance image. After normalization to Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space and inter-participant data integration, the summary equivalent current dipole localization among participants remained in the post-central gyrus, suggesting validity of the use of MNI space. Partial anesthesia of the lower lip led to a loss of the waveform characteristics of TSEF for electrical stimulation to the trigeminal nerve. We verified that the 20-ms latency cortical response of TSEF components localized at the primary sensory cortex can serve as a robust neurofunctional marker of experimental trigeminal nerve dysfunction.
The economic benefits of justice
Authors: Appel Benjamin J , Loyle Cyanne E
Published: September 2012

Post-conflict states represent an important research agenda for scholars studying foreign direct investment (FDI). While leaders of post-conflict states have strong incentives for trying to attract international investments, multinational corporations (MNCs) may view these states as high-risk since the reoccurrence of violence in the aftermath of civil conflict is common. Consequently, leaders of post-conflict states desperate to receive FDI to help ignite their stalled economies must convince MNCs that their state is a stable and secure place to invest in. Drawing on the recent literature that identifies the importance of domestic and international institutions for securing FDI, this article argues that post-conflict justice (PCJ) institutions can help post-conflict states attract investment. The domestic and reputation costs associated with implementing PCJ allow states to send a costly and credible signal to international investors about the state’s willingness to pursue the successful reconstruction of the post-conflict zone. Under these conditions, uncertainty is lessened and foreign investors can feel more confident about making investments. Post-conflict states, therefore, that choose to implement PCJ are more likely to receive higher levels of FDI compared with post-conflict states that refrain from implementing these institutions. Statistical tests confirm the relationship between justice institutions and FDI from 1970–2001. Post-conflict states that implement restorative justice processes in the post-conflict period receive higher levels of FDI than those countries that do not implement a process.
Armed conflict and post-conflict justice, 1946–2006
Authors: Binningsbø Helga Malmin , Loyle Cyanne E , Gates Scott , Elster Jon
Published: September 2012

This article introduces a new dataset on post-conflict justice (PCJ) that provides an overview of if, where, and how post-conflict countries address the wrongdoings committed in association with previous armed conflict. Motivated by the literature on post-conflict peacebuilding, we study justice processes during post-conflict transitions. We examine: which countries choose to implement PCJ; where PCJ is implemented; and which measures are taken in post-conflict societies to address past abuse. Featuring justice and accountability processes, our dataset focuses solely on possible options to address wrongdoings that are implemented following and relating to a given armed conflict. These data allow scholars to address hypotheses regarding justice following war and the effect that these institutions have on transitions to peace. This new dataset includes all extrasystemic, internationalized internal, and internal armed conflicts from 1946 to 2006, with at least 25 annual battle-related deaths as coded by the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset. The post-conflict justice (PCJ) efforts included are: trials, truth commissions, reparations, amnesties, purges, and exiles. By building upon the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset, scholars interested in PCJ can include variables regarding the nature of the conflict itself to test how PCJ arrangements work in different environments in order to better address the relationships between justice, truth, and peace in the post-conflict period.
Community-Based Placements As Contexts for Disciplinary Learning
Authors: Brayko Kate
Published: September 2012

Community-based field placements have shown promise as a strategy for preparing teacher candidates to work in diverse, high-needs schools, but they have rarely been designed or researched with subject-area methods learning in mind. Drawing on data from observations, interviews, documents, and journals, the author investigated how placements in two case study community-based organizations (CBOs) shaped candidates’ learning about literacy and literacy pedagogy. Using cultural historical activity theory as an analytic framework, the author found that contextual components in CBO activity systems guided teacher candidates to take up more complex theories of literacy, demonstrate unusual proficiency in engaging language-minority students in text-based conversations (a critical strategy for promoting reading and language development), and leverage teacher–student–family relationships in ways that enhanced pupils’ literacy engagement and learning experiences. Findings highlight implications (related to literacy and other skill/subject areas) for prospective pupil learning, course-based mediation of community-based fieldwork, and placement site selection.
Shape memory and breathable waterproof properties of polyurethane nanowebs
Authors: Han Hye Ree , Chung Seung Eun , Park Chung Hee
Published: September 2012

An intelligent textile with optimal environmental responses was developed from electrospun nanowebs with controllable pore structures via the spinning conditions. The use of shape memory polyurethane allowed the material’s shape to be retained and recovered through heating. The thickness of the electrospun nanoweb was varied so as to manufacture the membrane with various pore diameters. The samples were evaluated for shape memory performance, air and water vapor permeability.

All samples showed shape recoveries of at least 99% and shape retentions of at least 94%. Increasing the thickness, increased the shape retention but slightly reduced the shape recovery. Pore size decreased with increasing thickness, thus decreasing air and water vapor permeability.

Stretched nanowebs showed the greatest differences in water vapor permeability at 10°C with 90% RH and at 15°C with 90% RH compared with original nanowebs.
Middle Alternatives Revisited
Authors: Sturgis Patrick , Roberts Caroline , Smith Patten
Published: September 2012

A persistent problem in the design of bipolar attitude questions is whether or not to include a middle response alternative. On the one hand, it is reasonable to assume that people might hold opinions which are `neutral’ with regard to issues of public controversy. On the other, question designers suspect that offering a mid-point may attract respondents with no opinion, or those who lean to one side of an issue but do not wish to incur the cognitive costs required to determine a directional response. Existing research into the effects of offering a middle response alternative has predominantly used a split-ballot design, in which respondents are assigned to conditions which offer or omit a midpoint. While this body of work has been useful in demonstrating that offering or excluding a mid-point substantially influences the answers respondents provide, it does not offer any clear resolution to the question of which format yields more accurate data. In this paper, we use a different approach. We use follow-up probes administered to respondents who initially select the mid-point to determine whether they selected this alternative in order to indicate opinion neutrality, or to indicate that they do not have an opinion on the issue. We find the vast majority of responses turn out to be what we term `face-saving don’t knows’ and that reallocating these responses from the mid-point to the don’t know category significantly alters descriptive and multivariate inferences. Counter to the survey-satisficing perspective, we find that those with this tendency is greatest amongst those who express more interest in the topic area.
The Effect of Body Mass Index on the Outcome of Critically Ill Surgical Patients
Authors: Gupta Rajeev , Villa Manuel , Agaba Emanuel , Ritter Garry , Sison Cristina , Marini Corrado P. , Barrera Rafael
Published: September 2012

Background: The incidence of obesity is rising, and an increasing number of obese patients are admitted to surgical intensive care units (SICUs). However, it is not clear whether obesity is an independent risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality in SICU patients. We examined the effect of obesity on morbidity and mortality in patients admitted to the SICU in this study. Method: We reviewed prospectively acquired SICU data in normal and obese patients with an SICU length of stay >24 hours. Comparability of the groups was assessed using a χ2 test or Fisher exact test, as appropriate, for categorical variables and analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal‐Wallis test, as appropriate, for continuous variables. Results: Of the 1792 consecutive patients evaluated, 711 had a normal body mass index (BMI), and 993 were either preobese or obese. There was no statistically significant difference across the 5 BMI groups with respect to any of the 3 comorbidity indices (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III [APACHE III], Simplified Acute Physiology Score, or Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score). There was no statistically significant difference in the intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay and hospital length of stay or time‐to‐ICU mortality (log‐rank test P = .054) among the 5 BMI groups. A Cox regression analysis and backward elimination algorithm selected APACHE III to be the most important explanatory variable for survival time. Conclusion: Obesity does not affect the mortality of patients admitted to the SICU. We conclude that obesity cannot be used as an independent predictive mortality outcome variable in patients admitted to the SICU.
High Core Self-Evaluators Maintain Creativity
Authors: Zhang Hongping , Kwan Ho Kwong , Zhang Xiaomeng , Wu Long-Zeng
Published: September 2012

We present a motivational model of abusive supervision to examine the effects that exposure to abusive supervision has on creativity. In particular, we predict that intrinsic motivation mediates the negative relation between abusive supervision, as perceived by employees, and their creativity. In addition, we examine the extent to which core self-evaluations attenuate the main effect of abusive supervision and the indirect effect of intrinsic motivation. Our results, based on multiwave, multisource data collected in China, fully support our hypotheses, address unexplored theoretical predictions, and offer new directions for mistreatment, creativity, motivation, and personality research.
Ticket to the Tribes: culture shock and the ‘exotic’ in intercultural reality television
Authors: Kuppens An , Mast Jelle
Published: September 2012

In the past decade, there has been an abundance of representations of the cultural Other or the ‘exotic’ in popular factual television, often in the form of an arranged intercultural encounter. The present article elaborates a case study of a particularly meaningful instance of such highly debated ‘intercultural reality programmes’: the format Ticket to the Tribes, which has ‘ordinary’ Flemish families immerse themselves in the culture and lifestyle of so-called ‘primitive’ tribes. Based on an interpretive formal-thematic analysis of three seasons of Ticket to the Tribes and in-depth interviews with a senior production member and two Flemish participants of the programme, we argue that Ticket to the Tribes is premised on the concept of culture shock, and that this informs the exoticization and exoticism the programme radiates. We conclude that the relationship between culture shock, exoticization and exoticism explains intercultural reality television’s proliferation as a contemporary vehicle for exoticist representations.
Desire and democratic visibility: news media’s twin avatar in urban India
Authors: Udupa Sahana
Published: September 2012

Drawing on empirical explorations of rapid media expansion and urban transformation in India, this article builds a theoretical model of desire–visibility disjunction which seeks to overcome the limitations of a public–private division running through journalism literature. This framework, I suggest, could advance media theory by drawing attention to recent urban transformation, globalization and the specificities of news cultures in urban India. Insofar as urban economies are woven into the global networks of production and consumption in the latest phase of transnational capitalism, the desire–visibility framework built in relation to the Indian media could hold wider theoretical purchase for exploring the interface between journalism and the transforming urban landscapes of postcolonial societies.
‘Someone Big and Important’: Identification and Affect in an International Development Organization
Authors: Kenny Kate
Published: September 2012

Psychoanalysis has been widely used to develop our understanding of power in organizations. In this paper, I draw on a case study of a non-profit organization in the field of international development, in order to explore in depth how people engage with powerful discourses at play in this context. I use an ethnographic approach to do so, and find Lacan’s ideas on identification and affect to be useful in the analysis of the case. I show how, at first glance, people appeared to readily alter their activities and goals in response to the wishes of an important donor. However, moving deeper to examine identifications on the part of people themselves reveals complex forms of recognition that were inscribed by affective relations. I discuss the implications of these findings for the study of organizations, including the contribution of the concept of affect for studies of identification and subjection in organizations, and the value of ethnographic research approaches that draw upon Lacan’s work on recognition.
The Subordination of the Feminine? Developing a Critical Feminist Approach to the Psychoanalysis of Organizations
Authors: Vachhani Sheena J.
Published: September 2012

This paper investigates the intersections between psychoanalysis and feminist thinking as they may be applied to organization studies by problematizing sexual difference. By critically engaging with the influence of (primarily Lacanian) psychoanalysis, I explore feminist psychoanalytic approaches with their close attention to patriarchy and phallocentrism. More specifically, I engage with the work of Luce Irigaray, whose influential role in French feminist philosophy has occupied what could be termed a difficult or sacrificial position in Lacanian psychoanalysis. I argue that the focus of psychoanalysis on the Phallus as a primary signifier may be fruitfully problematized through a feminist lens (Grosz, 1990), conceived here through Irigaray, and that its usefulness for organizational analysis depends on an ability to recognize, invite and attend to its gendered core. It is argued that Irigaray brings fruitful resources to this debate. Irigaray is concerned with the significant political and ethical dilemmas resulting from the systematic suppression of femininity and this is why her work is significant for a better understanding of gender relations in organizations relating to the exclusion of women, and for new spaces of symbolization and representation. My discussion reveals that, by scrutinizing sexual differences that constitute the subject, one is able to unearth implications for the study of organizations.
Piano pedagogy with a student who is blind: An Australian case
Authors: Power Anne , McCormack Dorothy
Published: September 2012

Teaching and learning piano poses challenges when the student is clinically blind. This article addresses the following question: What can be learned from a case study of teaching piano successfully to a student who is blind? The article has three purposes. The first is to document the achievements of a young student who met these challenges. The second is to investigate how an experienced teacher chose effective ways of describing and demonstrating music to meet the needs of her student. A third is to examine the language of teaching and learning between teacher and student using Tait’s theory of language communication in studio music lessons. This article reports on the process of teacher and student in the journey that has led to the formation of a sensitive and gifted musician.
Finding balance in a mix of culture: Appreciation of diversity through multicultural music education
Authors: Nethsinghe Rohan
Published: September 2012

This study explores the understandings of cultural diversity as enacted in multicultural music education and is located in Victoria, which is identified as the most culturally diverse state in Australia with a population that comes from various countries and speaks many languages. This cultural diversity is reflected in the schools. This phenomenological qualitative case study explores how Sri Lankan/Australian students use music in their construction of self-identity in multicultural Australia. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data that were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three themes were identified as significant to the understanding of the participants concerning multicultural music studies. These themes are: Development of respect, Construction of self-identity and tolerance through appreciation of multicultural music, and Benefits of community music-making for school students. These findings contribute to the understanding of providing multicultural music education programs for students, which appears to be a pressing global challenge.
Shoulder Range of Motion Deficits in Baseball Players With an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Tear
Authors: Garrison J. Craig , Cole Mollie A. , Conway John E. , Macko Michael J. , Thigpen Charles , Shanley Ellen
Published: September 2012

Background:

Shoulder range of motion (ROM) deficits are associated with elbow injury in baseball players.

Purpose:

To compare the ROM characteristics of baseball players with a diagnosed ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear with those of a group of age-, activity-, and position-matched healthy controls.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Sixty male competitive high school and collegiate baseball players participated. Thirty athletes (age [mean ± standard deviation], 18.20 ± 1.56 years) with a diagnosed UCL tear were compared with 30 (age, 18.57 ± 0.86 years) age-, activity-, and position-matched players without a UCL injury. Of the 60 participants, there were 44 pitchers, 4 catchers, 5 infielders, and 7 outfielders. Participants were measured for shoulder internal rotation (IR), external rotation (ER), and horizontal adduction (HA) at 90° of shoulder elevation. Participants were also measured for elbow extension in a seated position. Group comparisons were made between participants with and without a UCL injury using independent t tests with an α level set at P < .05. All measurements were taken bilaterally, and the differences (involved to uninvolved) were used to calculate means for all variables, including glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD), total rotational motion (TRM), HA, and elbow extension.

Results:

Baseball players with a UCL tear (UCLInj) exhibited significantly greater deficits in TRM compared with the control group of healthy baseball players (NUCLInj) (UCLInj = −6.67° ± 11.82°, NUCLInj = 0.93° ± 9.91°; P = .009). No group differences were present for GIRD (UCLInj = −12.53° ± 5.98°, NUCLInj = −13.63° ± 5.90°; P = .476), HA (UCLInj = −3.00° ± 5.01°, NUCLInj = −3.23° ± 5.15°; P = .860), or elbow extension (UCLInj = −2.63° ± 7.86°, NUCLInj = −1.17° ± 2.76°; P = .339). Pitchers with a UCL tear had significantly greater deficits in TRM (UCLInjPitch = −6.96° ± 11.20°, NUCLInjPitch = 1.29° ± 8.33°; P = .0087) and dominant shoulder ER (UCLInjPitch = 112.04° ± 14.35°, NUCLInjPitch = 121.85° ± 9.46°; P = .011) than pitchers without a UCL tear.

Conclusion:

A deficit in TRM is associated with a UCL tear in baseball players. Although GIRD may be prevalent in throwers, it may not be associated with a UCL injury. When examining ROM in baseball players, it is important to assess both TRM and GIRD.
Reducing Inequality and Insecurity
Authors: Appelbaum Eileen
Published: September 2012

In Good Jobs, Bad Jobs, Arne Kalleberg examines the institutional changes in the United States that led to a polarization of income and job quality, a rising share of poor quality jobs, and the increasing precariousness of work across the educational spectrum. He proposes reversing these developments through a new social contract that builds on the design principles that underlie flexicurity policies in the Netherlands and Denmark—flexicurity with an American face. This article discusses the roots and promise of flexicurity to address the problems Kalleberg has identified. It also examines the limits to flexicurity and proposes additional policies to fulfill this promise.
The Role of Labor Market Regulation in Rebuilding Economic Opportunity in the United States
Authors: Bernhardt Annette
Published: September 2012

In the search for policy solutions to rising inequality and precariousness in the United States, this essay argues for the central role of labor market regulation. It presents research and policy evidence for a three-pronged approach: (a) strengthening the floor of labor standards (wages, health and safety, and right to organize chief among them); (b) vigorously enforcing that floor; and (c) leveraging government contracting and grants to build a base of good jobs on top of that floor. The essay concludes that getting to scale in the current political climate will require ratcheting up from state and local policy campaigns to federal reform.
Prediction of workpiece dynamic motion using an optimized artificial neural network
Authors: Vishnupriyan S , Muruganandam A , Govindarajan L
Published: September 2012

A machining fixture is an element used to hold the workpiece in the desired position and orientation during machining. The overall machining error in a workpiece is a result of different sources of errors in a workpiece–fixture system. One among them is the motion of the workpiece under the action of cutting forces. Evaluation of this dynamic motion is essential for the determination of the overall machining error. Most commonly, the finite element method is employed to compute the workpiece dynamic motion. During optimization of fixture layout, a large number of layouts are generated and the workpiece dynamic motion must be computed for each of the layouts. In such cases, use of the finite element method is prohibitive because of the long computation time required. Also, the results of the finite element analysis are susceptible to different parameters used in the analysis. Hence, an alternate and efficient methodology is necessary to determine the workpiece displacement for a given fixture layout. This article proposes a method of using an artificial neural network for the prediction of workpiece dynamic motion. Different layouts are obtained using a modular fixture and actual machining is performed on the workpiece. For each layout, the workpiece dynamic motion is computed at select datum points and an artificial neural network is trained with these data. To achieve better prediction capability of the artificial neural network and minimize different forms of errors in training and generalization, critical parameters of the artificial neural network are optimized using a genetic algorithm. Then, this optimized network is employed to predict the workpiece dynamic motion for any arbitrary layout. Results show that the optimized artificial neural network is capable of predicting the workpiece dynamic motion with acceptable accuracy (maximum absolute relative error 9.71%). This method, hence, can serve as an economical means of computing the overall machining error during optimization of fixture layouts.
Chemosignals Communicate Human Emotions
Authors: de Groot Jasper H. B. , Smeets Monique A. M. , Kaldewaij Annemarie , Duijndam Maarten J. A. , Semin Gün R.
Published: September 2012

Can humans communicate emotional states via chemical signals? In the experiment reported here, we addressed this question by examining the function of chemosignals in a framework furnished by embodied social communication theory. Following this theory, we hypothesized that the processes a sender experiences during distinctive emotional states are transmitted to receivers by means of the chemicals that the sender produces, thus establishing a multilevel correspondence between sender and receiver. In a double-blind experiment, we examined facial reactions, sensory-regulation processes, and visual search in response to chemosignals. We demonstrated that fear chemosignals generated a fearful facial expression and sensory acquisition (increased sniff magnitude and eye scanning); in contrast, disgust chemosignals evoked a disgusted facial expression and sensory rejection (decreased sniff magnitude, target-detection sensitivity, and eye scanning). These findings underline the neglected social relevance of chemosignals in regulating communicative correspondence outside of conscious access.
Impact of DNA polymorphisms in key DNA base excision repair proteins on cancer risk
Authors: Karahalil B , Bohr VA , Wilson DM
Published: September 2012

Genetic variation in DNA repair genes can modulate DNA repair capacity and may be related to cancer risk. However, study findings have been inconsistent. Inheritance of variant DNA repair genes is believed to influence individual susceptibility to the development of environmental cancer. Reliable knowledge on which the base excision repair (BER) sequence variants are associated with cancer risk would help elucidate the mechanism of cancer. Given that most of the previous studies had inadequate statistical power, we have conducted a systematic review on sequence variants in three important BER proteins. Here, we review published studies on the association between polymorphism in candidate BER genes and cancer risk. We focused on three key BER genes: 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase ( OGG1), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease ( APE1/ APEX1) and x-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 ( XRCC1). These specific DNA repair genes were selected because of their critical role in maintaining genome integrity and, based on previous studies, suggesting that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes have protective or deleterious effects on cancer risk. A total of 136 articles in the December 13, 2010 MEDLINE database (National Center for Biotechnology Information, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/) reporting polymorphism in OGG1, XRCC1 or APE1 genes were analyzed. Many of the reported SNPs had diverse association with specific human cancers. For example, there was a positive association between the OGG1 Ser326Cys variant and gastric and lung cancer, while the XRCC1 Arg399Gln variant was associated with reduced cancer risk. Gene–environment interactions have been noted and may be important for colorectal and lung cancer risk and possibly other human cancers.
Comparison of VAERS fetal-loss reports during three consecutive influenza seasons
Authors: Goldman GS
Published: September 2012

The aim of this study was to compare the number of inactivated-influenza vaccine–related spontaneous abortion and stillbirth (SB) reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database during three consecutive flu seasons beginning 2008/2009 and assess the relative fetal death reports associated with the two-vaccine 2009/2010 season. The VAERS database was searched for reports of fetal demise following administration of the influenza vaccine/vaccines to pregnant women. Utilization of an independent surveillance survey and VAERS, two-source capture–recapture analysis estimated the reporting completeness in the 2009/2010 flu season. Capture–recapture demonstrated that the VAERS database captured about 13.2% of the total 1321 (95% confidence interval (CI): 815–2795) estimated reports, yielding an ascertainment-corrected rate of 590 fetal-loss reports per million pregnant women vaccinated (or 1 per 1695). The unadjusted fetal-loss report rates for the three consecutive influenza seasons beginning 2008/2009 were 6.8 (95% CI: 0.1–13.1), 77.8 (95% CI: 66.3–89.4), and 12.6 (95% CI: 7.2–18.0) cases per million pregnant women vaccinated, respectively. The observed reporting bias was too low to explain the magnitude increase in fetal-demise reporting rates in the VAERS database relative to the reported annual trends. Thus, a synergistic fetal toxicity likely resulted from the administration of both the pandemic (A-H1N1) and seasonal influenza vaccines during the 2009/2010 season.
Relational Experiences of Family Caregivers Providing Home-Based End-of-Life Care
Authors: Ward-Griffin Catherine , McWilliam Carol L. , Oudshoorn Abram
Published: September 2012

The multiple relationships involved in home-based end-of-life care have received little systematic analysis. As part of a focused ethnographic study examining client–caregiver–provider relational care experiences within the sociocultural context of home-based end-of-life care, this article describes the provision of end-of-life care to older adults with advanced cancer from the perspective of family caregivers. Data were collected through in-depth interviews ( n = 16) with 4 family caregivers and participant observations in each of the 4 households over a 6- to 8-month period. Family caregiving in home-based end-of-life care was portrayed in this study as 3 dialectical relational care experiences: (1) prioritizing care recipient needs–ignoring own needs, (2) feeling connected–feeling isolated, and (3) juggling to manage–struggling to survive. Study findings suggest that the sociocultural context of end-of-life care is not conducive to quality care and provide several insights for future directions in nursing practice, policy, and research.
The Experience of Anxiety in Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Trembath David , Germano Carmela , Johanson Graeme , Dissanayake Cheryl
Published: September 2012

Anxiety is known to be common among young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), yet little is known about the nature of their experiences or the strategies they use to live and cope with their reported anxiety. In this qualitative study, we began to address this issue through two focus groups involving 11 young adults with ASD, and 10 parents and professionals. Participants in each group were asked to discuss the triggers for anxiety, the consequences of anxiety, and strategies they have used, would like to use, or have seen individuals with ASD use to manage their anxiety. The participants identified multiple personal and environmental sources of anxiety, noting the substantial impact they have on their everyday lives at home, work, university, and in the community. Their individual experiences and strategies for living and coping with anxiety are presented.
Children With Autism
Authors: Tudor Megan E. , Hoffman Charles D. , Sweeney Dwight P.
Published: September 2012

Relationships between the specific sleep problems and specific behavioral problems of children with autism were evaluated. Mothers’ reports of sleep habits and autism symptoms were collected for 109 children with autism. Unlike previous research in this area, only children diagnosed with autism without any commonly comorbid diagnoses (e.g., intellectual disability, epilepsy) were included in the analysis. Consistent with prior work, a positive correlation between the severity of sleep problems and the severity of autism symptoms was obtained. Sleep onset delay and sleep duration were positively correlated with autism symptoms and autism severity. Sleep onset delay was the strongest predictor of communication deficit, stereotyped behavior, and autism severity. These results provide support for specific sleep problem and symptom relationships that are unique to autism and suggest the importance of including the treatment of sleep problems as part of a comprehensive behavioral intervention for children with autism.
Felon Disenfranchisement
Authors: Schaefer Brian P. , Kraska Peter B.
Published: September 2012

Felon disenfranchisement is deeply rooted in U.S. history as a form of punishment and as a tool to inhibit African Americans from voting. Today, there are 5.3 million U.S. residents politically disenfranchised due to a felony conviction—about 2 million of whom are African Americans. The overrepresentation of African Americans disenfranchised, and the U.S. history of racism, brings forth the question of how these laws continue to exist. The objective of this study is to demonstrate, through a socio–legal approach, the federal court system’s role in perpetuating and maintaining the ethnoracial divisions in society through the validation and rationalization of felon disenfranchisement laws. We aim to demonstrate how over the past century many disenfranchisement laws have been “whitewashed” in order to eliminate any indication of racially motivated practices, a practice that coincides with the historic expansion of the penal state in the controlling of minority populations.
Female Lynchings in the United States
Authors: Baker David Victor
Published: September 2012

Justice scholars have failed to distinguish an accurate historical record of female lynchings in the United States. Most probably, one reason for this lapse in the lynching scholarship is that researchers lack the fact-based information required to document troubling narratives of women irrevocably harmed by mob violence. It is impractical for researchers to bring into sharper focus the fiendish torture women suffered from vigilantism without a reliable historical record of confirmed female lynchings. The present work provides an inventory of 179 confirmed cases of women and young girls murdered at the hands of mostly White terrorists from 1835 to 1965. It is equally important, however, to distinguish 57 cases of unconfirmed and factually inaccurate female lynchings that directly challenge the reliability of existing registries. The present work remedies inaccuracies in these inventories with more historically precise narratives of misidentified cases.
Afghanistan and the future of war
Authors: Roy Kaushik
Published: September 2012

Discussion about the nature of warfare in Afghanistan is related to several larger inter-related debates in the field of military history. First, is the world witnessing a military revolution, or a military technical revolution/revolution in military affairs at the dawn of the new millennium? Second, is conventional warfare dead? Third, are we witnessing a new form of insurgency, and is the new form of insurgency part of the so-called Eastern way of warfare? Fourth, does this mean that counter-insurgency in Afghanistan is part of the West’s ongoing Global War on Terror (also dubbed the Long War)? We will try to generalize the future of warfare by making a case study of the recent conflict in Afghanistan.
Managing Helmand province: From Bost to Bastion
Authors: Johnson Robert
Published: September 2012

A survey of the long history of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan suggests there are common patterns in the causes of violence amongst Afghans of the region. The hypothesis of this article is that there are three broad historical factors that influence outbreaks of violence and their resolution: patronage, control of land and preservation of local autonomy. Each element is in dynamic tension, and today the character of their inter-relationship has been altered by narco-profits, foreign military intervention and Afghan Government officials seeking to maximize their local power. The prospects for the province are linked intrinsically to these elements, so that, while foreign forces aim to provide a transition to Afghan Government control and security, there is every likelihood that traditional areas of dispute will reassert themselves.
Incidental Finding of Urothelial Cell Carcinoma in a Young Patient During an Early Obstetrical Sonogram
Authors: Walter Anna C.
Published: September 2012

Bladder cancer is a rare finding in young adults. This case demonstrates a 17-year-old female with an incidental bladder mass seen during a first-trimester obstetrical sonogram. Sonographic examination revealed a nonmobile, echogenic mass in the inferior portion of the patient’s bladder. The patient subsequently went to surgery at 18 weeks’ gestation where a cystoscopic resection was performed. The tumor was found to be a low-grade papillary urothelial cell carcinoma. The patient delivered at term without further complications. Early diagnosis of this bladder carcinoma led to prompt diagnosis and treatment for the patient. This diagnosis may not have been possible without the bladder being fully distended.
Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells overexpressing Smad4 exhibit impaired reconstitution potential in vivo
Authors: Rörby Emma , Hägerström Matilda Nifelt , Blank Ulrika , Karlsson Göran , Karlsson Stefan
Published: September 2012

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) constitute a rare population of tissue-specific cells that can self-renew and differentiate into all lineages of the blood cell system. These properties are critical for tissue regeneration and clinical applications of HSCs. Cord blood is an easily accessible source of HSCs. However, the number of HSCs from one unit is too low to effectively transplant most adult patients, and expansion of HSCs in vitro has met with limited success because of incomplete knowledge regarding mechanisms regulating self-renewal. Members of the TGF-β superfamily have been shown to regulate HSCs through the Smad signaling pathway; however, its role in human HSCs has remained relatively uncharted in vivo. Therefore, we asked whether enforced expression of the common-Smad, Smad4, could reveal a role for TGF-β in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) from cord blood. Using a lentiviral overexpression approach, we demonstrate that Smad4 overexpression sensitizes HSPCs to TGF-β, resulting in growth arrest and apoptosis in vitro. This phenotype translates in vivo into reduced HSPC reconstitution capacity yet intact lineage distribution. This suggests that the Smad pathway regulates self-renewal independently of differentiation. These findings demonstrate that the Smad signaling circuitry negatively regulates the regeneration capacity of human HSPCs in vivo.