bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Concept of Post-Racial: How Its Easy Dismissal Obscures Important Questions
Authors: Hollinger David A.
Published: January 2011

Nearly all of today's confident dismissals of the notion of a “post-racial” America address the simple question, “Are we beyond racism or not?” But most of the writers who have used the terms post-racial or post-ethnic sympathetically have explored other questions: What is the significance of the blurring of ethnoracial lines through cross-group marriage and reproduction? How should we interpret the relatively greater ability of immigrant blacks as compared to standard “African Americans” to overcome racist barriers? What do we make of increasing evidence that economic and educational conditions prior to immigration are more powerful determinants than “race” in affecting the destiny of population groups that have immigrated to the United States in recent decades? Rather than calling constant attention to the undoubted reality of racism, this essay asks scholars and anti-racist intellectuals more generally to think beyond “the problem of the color line” in order to focus on “the problem of solidarity.” The essay argues that the most easily answered questions are not those that most demand our attention.
A Picture Postcard View of the Persian Constitutional Revolution
Authors: Pejhan Sassan
Published: January 2011

A narrative of the Persian Constitutional Revolution of 1906-09 is provided as seen through about forty picture post cards privately printed in the immediate aftermath of that event. Privately printed post cards have only recently received attention by postal historians and included in postal history exhibits. Iranian postal history itself has been flourishing in the past twenty years with the publication of numerous books on the subject and the display of several award winning exhibits at major shows.
Is Developmental Education Helping Community College Students Persist? A Critical Review of the Literature
Authors: Melguizo Tatiana , Bos Johannes , Prather George
Published: January 2011

There is considerable debate about the effects and benefits of developmental/basic skills/remediation education in college. Proponents argue that it enables poorly prepared high school students to attain the necessary preparation to succeed in college while critics contend that the benefits of remediation are not clear. The main objective of the article is to provide a critical review of the literature on the impact of developmental math on the educational outcomes and persistence of community college students. The authors first describe three types of summative quantitative evaluations. The authors then review a number of studies that have used these techniques to evaluate the impact of developmental math on a number of educational outcomes of community college students nationwide. In the last section, the authors propose the use of regression discontinuity (RD) design as a feasible evaluation tool that institutional researchers at community colleges can use to identify the level (i.e., number of levels below college level courses), subpopulations (i.e., gender, race/ ethnicity, and age), and institutions (i.e., multicampus district) that are doing a better job in teaching the developmental courses needed to persist in college.
Adaptation to Windowlessness: Do Office Workers Compensate for a Lack of Visual Access to the Outdoors?
Authors: Bringslimark Tina , Hartig Terry , Grindal Patil Grete
Published: January 2011

If office workers lack a view to natural features outdoors, do they compensate by bringing plants and pictures of nature indoors? The authors used cross-sectional survey data from 385 Norwegian office workers to investigate whether such compensation occurs. The authors found that workers without windows had roughly five times greater odds of having brought plants into their workspaces than workers with windows, independent of age, gender, type of office, job demands, control over work, and personalization. Windowless workers also had three times greater odds of having brought pictures of nature into their workspaces. The authors consider implications of the findings for environmental design that offers contact with nature to people who spend much of their time indoors.
Fixed Dosing Versus Body Size—Based Dosing of Therapeutic Peptides and Proteins in Adults
Authors: Zhang Shuzhong , Shi Rong , Li Chunze , Parivar Kourosh , Wang Diane D.
Published: January 2011

Therapeutic biologics are often administered based on body size. A previous study has found that fixed dosing performs similarly to body size—based dosing in reducing intersubject variability in drug exposure across the mAbs studied. This study extended this evaluation to other therapeutic proteins and peptides. Eighteen therapeutic proteins and peptides with published population pharmacokinetic (PK) and/or pharmacodynamic (PD) models were selected for dosing approach evaluation. The relationships between body size and drug exposure (and PD end point when available) were evaluated, and simulation studies were conducted to compare the performance of the 2 dosing approaches. The results showed that fixed dosing performed better for 12 of 18 selected biologics in terms of reducing intersubject variability in exposure at both population and individual levels, whereas body size—based dosing performed better for the other 6 molecules. This result is consistent with the findings for mAbs. Therefore, fixed dosing is recommended for first‐in‐human studies of proteins and peptides along with mAbs. The final dosing approach for phase 3 studies should be determined based on a full assessment of body size effect on PK/PD when data are available and the therapeutic window of the drug.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Pegylated Liposomal CKD‐602 (S‐CKD602) in Patients With Advanced Malignancies
Authors: Wu Huali , Ramanathan Ramesh K. , Zamboni Beth A. , Strychor Sandra , Ramalingam Suresh , Edwards Robert P. , Friedland David M. , Stoller Ronald G. , Belani Chandra P. , Maruca Lauren J. , Bang Yung‐Jue , Zamboni William C.
Published: January 2011

S‐CKD602 is a pegylated long‐circulating liposomal formulation of CKD‐602, a potent topoisomerase I inhibitor. A population pharmacokinetic (PK) model for encapsulated and released CKD‐602 following administration of S‐CKD602 was developed to assess factors that may influence S‐CKD602 PK. Plasma samples from 45 patients with solid tumors were collected in a phase 1 study. S‐CKD602 was administered as a 1‐hour intravenous infusion with doses ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 mg/m2. Plasma concentrations of encapsulated and released CKD‐602 were used to develop a population PK model using NONMEM. PK of encapsulated CKD‐602 was described by a 1‐compartment model with nonlinear clearance, and PK of released CKD‐602 was described by a 2‐compartment model with linear clearance for all patients. Covariate analysis revealed that tumor in the liver was a significant covariate for clearance of encapsulated CKD‐602 and that age significantly influenced the release rate of CKD‐602 from S‐CKD602. Maximum elimination rate in patients with liver tumor is 1.5‐fold higher compared with patients without liver tumor. Release rate of CKD‐602 from S‐CKD602 in patients less than 60 years old was 2.7‐fold higher compared with patients 60 years old or older. These observations have potential implications in the optimal dosing of liposomal agents.
Deception and Its Detection
Authors: Van Swol Lyn M. , Malhotra Deepak , Braun Michael T.
Published: January 2011

The study examined detection of deception in unsanctioned, consequential lies between either friends or strangers using an ultimatum game. The sender was given an amount of money to divide with the receiver. The receiver did not know the precise amount the sender had to divide, and the sender had the ability to deceive the receiver about the monetary amount. Not surprisingly, senders were more likely to deceive strangers than friends, and receivers were more suspicious of strangers than friends. When senders lied, they stated their offer more times and gave more supporting statements for their offer. Receivers had a strong truth bias, although the majority of senders were truthful, and friends had more of a truth bias than strangers. Receivers were not able to detect deception at a rate above chance. Friends were not better at detecting deception than strangers. However, because most participants were truthful and there was a strong truth bias, a high percentage of participants were able to detect when their partner was truthful, in confirmation of the veracity effect.
Between Fixity and Fantasy: Assessing the Spatial Impact of Colonial Urban Dualism
Authors: Cunningham Bissell William
Published: January 2011

This essay seeks to historicize shifting views of colonial urbanism since the 1960s. Dualistic oppositions once dominated scholarly understandings of colonial cities, but more recently postcolonial visions of hybridity and indeterminacy have come to the fore. More than shifts in academic paradigms are at stake; indeed, such divergent discourses raise critical questions as to how we should interpret urban forms and processes more generally. Instead of championing either side, the author seeks to bring these ostensibly divergent perspectives together, arguing for a more integrated historical and analytic approach to urban landscapes. Rather than opposing colonial accounts and postcolonial narratives, materialism and discourse, social sciences and humanities, the real and the ideal, we need to articulate these frameworks in order to grasp the actual complexities of colonial urban dynamics. Analyzing flawed urban interventions in East Africa, the author shows how colonial dualities were often asserted but rarely imposed, simultaneously informed by fantasies and yet all too real.
From “In the Air” to “Under the Skin”: Cortisol Responses to Social Identity Threat
Authors: Townsend Sarah S. M. , Major Brenda , Gangi Cynthia E. , Mendes Wendy Berry
Published: January 2011

The authors examined women’s neuroendocrine stress responses associated with sexism. They predicted that, when being evaluated by a man, women who chronically perceive more sexism would experience more stress unless the situation contained overt cues that sexism would not occur. The authors measured stress as the end product of the primary stress system linked to social evaluative threat—the hypothalamic—pituitary—adrenal cortical axis. In Study 1, female participants were rejected by a male confederate in favor of another male for sexist reasons or in favor of another female for merit-based reasons. In Study 2, female participants interacted with a male confederate who they learned held sexist attitudes or whose attitudes were unknown. Participants with higher chronic perceptions of sexism had higher cortisol, unless the situation contained cues that sexism was not possible. These results illustrate the powerful interactive effects of chronic perceptions of sexism and situational cues on women’s stress reactivity.
A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Relationship of State and Trait Anxiety to Performance on Figural and Verbal Creative Tasks
Authors: Byron Kris , Khazanchi Shalini
Published: January 2011

Extensive research suggests when and how anxiety has debilitating or facilitating effects on routine cognitive tasks or motor tasks. However, research examining anxiety’s relation to performance on creative tasks such as divergent thinking and artistic tasks is less conclusive despite a rather substantial literature. The authors’ meta-analytic investigation of 59 independent samples finds that anxiety is significantly and negatively related to creative performance. In addition, the findings provide insights into factors such as task complexity, type of task (i.e., figural or verbal), and type of anxiety (i.e., state or trait) that moderate the relationship between anxiety and creativity—all of which are consistent with the idea that anxiety and creativity present competing cognitive demands. In addition to identifying gaps in the literature such as the need for research using a two-component model of anxiety in relation to creativity, the authors’ results have practical implications for those seeking to increase individual creativity.
Sex Differences in Romantic Attachment: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Del Giudice Marco
Published: January 2011

This article presents the first meta-analysis of sex differences in the avoidance and anxiety dimensions of adult romantic attachment, based on 113 samples ( N = 66,132) from 100 studies employing two-dimensional romantic attachment questionnaires (Experiences in Close Relationships, Experiences in Close Relationships—Revised, and Adult Attachment Questionnaire). Overall, males showed higher avoidance and lower anxiety than females, with substantial between-study heterogeneity. Sex differences were much larger in community samples (bivariate D = .28) than in college samples ( D = .12); web-based studies showed the smallest sex differences ( D = .07) in the opposite direction. Sex differences also varied across geographic regions (overall Ds = .10 to .34). Sex differences in anxiety peaked in young adulthood, whereas those in avoidance increased through the life course. The relevance of these findings for evolutionary models of romantic attachment is discussed, and possible factors leading to underestimation of sex differences are reviewed.
Daily Cognitive Appraisals, Daily Affect, and Long-Term Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Self-Esteem and Self-Concept Clarity in the Stress Process
Authors: Lee-Flynn Sharon C. , Pomaki Georgia , DeLongis Anita , Biesanz Jeremy C. , Puterman Eli
Published: January 2011

The current study investigated how self-esteem and self-concept clarity are implicated in the stress process both in the short and long term. Initial and 2-year follow-up interviews were completed by 178 participants from stepfamily unions. In twice-daily structured diaries over 7 days, participants reported their main family stressor, cognitive appraisals (perceived stressor threat and stressor controllability), and negative affect. Results of multilevel modeling indicated that high self-esteem ameliorated the effect of daily negative cognitive appraisals on daily negative affect. Self-concept clarity also buffered the effect of low self-self-esteem on depressive symptoms 2 years later. Our findings point to the vulnerability of those having low self-esteem or low self-concept clarity in terms of both short- and long-term adaptation to stress. They indicate the need for the consideration of such individual differences in designing stress management interventions.
Cannula design reduces particulate and gaseous emboli during cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary revascularization
Authors: Lata Adrian L , Hammon John W , Deal Dwight D , Stump David A , Kincaid Edward H , Kon Neal D
Published: January 2011

Purpose: The incidence of neurocognitive deficits after coronary bypass surgery remains problematic, with atheroembolism being one of the major causes. External manipulation of aorta and the “sandblasting” effect of the high-velocity perfusion jet can cause dislodgement of atheromatous debris.

Description: A new arterial cannula features a tip configuration that diffuses the flow through multiple outlets, providing reduced velocity and shear with one central and three diverted flow streams.

Evaluation: Between March 2007 and July 2008 twenty patients having isolated coronary artery bypass operations were instrumented with an Embolus Detection and Classification transducer. These data were compared to 43 patients from a previous study using similar techniques except for a standard open-tip arterial cannula. Total embolic counts were markedly lower in the new cannula group (20±25 vs 174±378) as were both gaseous (11±15 vs 95±211) and particulate counts (9±11 vs 80±194).

Conclusions: The select 3D cannula design reduces the sandblasting effect of the perfusion jet and, also, may direct emboli from the heart and cardiopulmonary bypass equipment away from the cerebral circulation.
Tibial Tuberosity Osteotomy for Patellofemoral Realignment Alters Tibiofemoral Kinematics
Authors: Mani Saandeep , Kirkpatrick Marcus S. , Saranathan Archana , Smith Laura G. , Cosgarea Andrew J. , Elias John J.
Published: January 2011

Background: Tibial tuberosity realignment surgery is performed to improve patellofemoral alignment, but it could also alter tibiofemoral kinematics.

Hypothesis: After tuberosity realignment in the malaligned knee, the reoriented patellar tendon will pull the tuberosity back toward the preoperative position, thereby altering tibiofemoral kinematics.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Ten knees were tested at 40°, 60°, and 80° of flexion in vitro. The knees were loaded with a quadriceps force of 586 N, with 200 N divided between the medial and lateral hamstrings. The position of the tuberosity was varied to represent lateral malalignment, with the tuberosity 5 mm lateral to the normal position; tuberosity medialization, with the tuberosity 5 mm medial to the normal position; and tuberosity anteromedialization, with the tuberosity 10 mm anterior to the medial position. Tibiofemoral kinematics were measured using magnetic sensors secured to the femur and tibia. A repeated measures analysis of variance with a post hoc Student-Newman-Keuls test was used to identify significant ( P < .05) differences in the kinematic data between the tuberosity positions at each flexion angle.

Results: Medializing the tibial tuberosity primarily rotated the tibia externally compared with the lateral malalignment condition. The largest average increase in external rotation was 13° at 40° of flexion, with the increase significant at each flexion angle. The varus orientation also increased significantly by an average of 1.5° at 40° and 80°. The tibia shifted significantly posteriorly at 40° and 60° by an average of 4 mm and 2 mm, respectively. Shifting the tuberosity from the medial to the anteromedial position translated the tibia significantly posteriorly by an average of 2 mm at 40°.

Conclusion: After tibial tuberosity realignment in the malaligned knee, the altered orientation of the patellar tendon alters tibiofemoral kinematics.

Clinical Relevance: The kinematic changes reduce the correction applied to the orientation of the patellar tendon and could alter the pressure applied to tibiofemoral cartilage.
Neuropathological Homology in True Galloway-Mowat Syndrome
Authors: Keith Julia , Fabian Victoria A. , Walsh Peter , Sinniah Raja , Robitaille Yves
Published: January 2011

Galloway-Mowat syndrome is a rare condition that is likely hereditary though the underlying offending gene has not been identified, and is characterized by microcephaly and severe nephrotic syndrome culminating in childhood death. Some of the reported cases have abnormalities in neuronal migration and intractable seizures, but many of the described cases focus on the renal pathology and emphasize a diversity of clinical and pathological features. The case described herein includes a thorough neuropathological description, and when the neuroradiology and neuropathology of the previously published cases is scrutinized, a fairly consistent clinical and neuropathological phenotype emerges.
Using the Internet to Administer More Realistic Vignette Experiments
Authors: Caro Francis G. , Ho Teck , McFadden Daniel , Gottlieb Alison S. , Yee Christine , Chan Taizan , Winter Joachim
Published: January 2011

This article illustrates an innovative method of administering stated choice studies (or vignette experiments) using computers and the Internet. The use of video clips to deliver information to research participants makes vignettes more realistic, helps to engage interest of research participants, and can reduce framing effects. The method also provides research participants with interactive options before making judgments. A study to determine the views of older people regarding residential options is used to illustrate the method. Even older people with limited experience in using computers participated successfully. The study findings showed that research participants responded both to the audiovisual characteristics of vignette persons and to the variables in the vignette structure.
Competitiveness of Nongovernmental Organizations in Developing Countries
Authors: Domanński Jarosław
Published: January 2011

This article addresses competition between nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations operating in countries where the sector is in its early phase (e.g., Poland) do not appear focus on strengthening their competitive position as their first or even second priority. The contrasting alternative to competition strategies are strategies of cooperation. This article indicates that the key type of interaction between nonprofits is cooperation. Empirical studies conducted on a random sample of 200 organizations have revealed there is both competition and cooperation in the Polish Third Sector. These findings may have practical implications and drive further research.
Getting under their skins? Accessing young children’s perspectives through ethnographic fieldwork
Authors: Warming Hanne
Published: January 2011

This article explores ways of representing young children’s perspectives in an empathetic and empowering manner. Based on a poststructuralist reinterpretation of ethnographic field notes taken at a Danish day care institution, the article argues, first of all, that in order to represent young children’s perspectives in an ethically sound manner, it is necessary to combine the ‘voice approach’ with ethnomethodological insights and critical sociological analysis, which together enable ‘critical sociological empathy’. Second, that a methodological strategy that combines differentiated researcher participant roles with a ‘least adult role’ approach, enhances the possibilities of successfully achieving empathetic and empowering representation of young children’s perspectives.
Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of new linear conjugated arylamine copolymers
Authors: Vacareanu Loredana , Grigoras Mircea
Published: January 2011

New conjugated copolymers having linear structures were synthesized by palladium catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of bis(4-bromophenyl)phenylamine or 4-hydroxymethyl-N,N’-bis(4-bromophenyl)aniline and two bisboronic acids of fluorene or thiophene. The copolymers were obtained as fully or partially soluble materials, in chlorinated and aprotic polar solvents. Having a hydroxymethyl group attached to the para position of the triphenylamine units, the synthesized copolymers can be viewed as functional polymers which were transformed into new ones by employing suitable chemical reactions. A new copolymer was obtained by coupling the hydroxymethyl group of triphenylamine of P35 copolymer, with phenyl isocyanate. The chemical structures and the properties of copolymers were investigated by spectroscopic methods such as 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry was performed in order to obtain information about the electrochemical stability and reversibility of the redox processes of copolymers. Electrochemical studies were carried out on films cast on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) or In-Tin oxide (ITO) glass-coated electrode.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: Association with KIR and SLC11A1 polymorphisms, ethnic predisposition and influence in clinical manifestations at onset revealed by ancestry genetic markers in an urban Brazilian population
Authors: Pedroza LSRA , Sauma MFLC , Vasconcelos JM , Takeshita LYC , Ribeiro-Rodrigues EM , Sastre D , Barbosa CM , Chies JAB , Veit TD , Lima CPS , Oliveira LF , Henderson BL , Castro APG , Maia MHT , Barbosa FB , Santos SEB , Guerreiro JF , Sena L , Santos EJM
Published: January 2011

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder of the connective tissue with a wide and heterogeneous spectrum of manifestations, with renal and neurological involvement usually related to worse prognosis. SLE more frequently affects females of reproductive age, and a high prevalence and renal manifestation seem to be associated with non-European ethnicity. The present study aims to investigate candidate loci to SLE predisposition and evaluate the influence of ethnic ancestry in the disease risk and clinical phenotypic heterogeneity of lupus at onset. Samples represented by 111 patients and 345 controls, originated from the city of Belém, located in the Northern Region of Brazil, were investigated for polymorphisms in HLA-G, HLA-C, SLC11A1, MTHFR, CASP8 and 15 KIR genes, in addition to 89 Amerindian samples genotyped for SLC11A1. We also investigated 48 insertion/deletion ancestry markers to characterize individual African, European and Amerindian ancestry proportions in the samples. Predisposition to SLE was associated with GTGT deletion at the SLC11A1 3’UTR, presence of KIR2DS2 +/KIR2DS5 +/KIR3DS1 + profile, increased number of stimulatory KIR genes, and European and Amerindian ancestries. The ancestry analysis ruled out ethnic differences between controls and patients as the source of the observed associations. Moreover, the African ancestry was associated with renal manifestations.
Connectivity, Extremes, and Adaptation: A Power-Law Perspective of Organizational Effectiveness
Authors: Boisot Max , McKelvey Bill
Published: January 2011

Managers are often required to respond in adaptive ways to the threats and opportunities presented by rare, extreme outcomes. Given these, management scholars frequently face a stark choice: say something useful to practitioners using narratives in which dramatic effects are often achieved at the expense of academic rigor or maintain the latter by sacrificing practitioner relevance. Recent developments in complexity science offer a new perspective. The article distinguishes between the simplicities achieved by reductionism (equilibrium, law-like equations, linearity, and predictability) and the complexity triggered by initiating “butterfly events”—nonlinearity, scale-free causes, and power laws (PLs). Schema formation and adaptation within Gaussian and PL ontologies are framed in terms of Ashby’s law of requisite variety. Variety perceived to be requisite is sensitive to the type of ontological assumptions that are made. PL approaches to management inquiry focusing on rank/frequency distributions, fractal structures, and scale-free dynamics are outlined.
Thoughts From William R. Torbert
Authors: Torbert William R.
Published: January 2011

My story about the early years of my career leads to the advice: make big mistakes early and often, just be sure you reap some rewards from them later. More specifically, if we wish social science to make a transforming contribution to humankind, we will seek to triangulate among: 1) the third-person, objectified research of virtually all of today’s scholarly journals; 2) the first-person research/practices of researchers studying ourselves in action; and 3) the divergent second-person voices of intersubjective, interactive teams, families, and other meetings. I recommend that young scholars create their own changing/enduring communities of inquiry as developmental sites for improving their first-, second-, and third-person research research methods and teaching practices, especially methods for engaging in double-loop, transforming learning and change. Finally, I invite the field to give itself a real kick in the pants in terms of third-person research standards by requiring that principal variables in quantitative studies explain at least 25% of the variance, and that we treat non-parametric rather than parametric statistics as most meaningful.
On the Identification and Validation of an Anisotropic Damage Model Using Full-field Measurements
Authors: Ben Azzouna Mouldi , Périé Jean-Noël , Guimard Jean-Mathieu , Hild François , Roux Stéphane
Published: January 2011

Two different mechanical tests are performed on a laminated composite coupon to induce an anisotropic damage affecting essentially shear modulus softening. The first test is a uniaxial tension loading on a straight coupon, which is used to evaluate the damage law using a conventional approach, while the second contains a notch that enhances dramatically the strain (and hence damage) heterogeneity. A global digital image correlation approach is used to quantify the kinematic fields all along the loading path of the second experiment. Displacement fields are hence evaluated based on a finite element type discretization. A further exploitation based on the reconditioned equilibrium gap method (and without any further information) gives access to a quantitative measurement of the damage law. The latter approach makes use of a finite element model based on the very same mesh and element shape function. This full-field-based identification method compares very well with traditional techniques, up to the stage where macroscopic localization prevents their subsequent exploitations. Moreover, it is shown that neither the type of mechanical test, nor the discretization of the displacement field, affects the identification of the damage law.
Impact Damage Resistance, Response, and Mechanisms of Laminated Composites Reinforced by Through-Thickness Stitching
Authors: Tan K. T. , Watanabe N. , Iwahori Y.
Published: January 2011

In this article, the study of impact damage of laminated composites reinforced by through-thickness stitching is investigated and presented in threefold. Specimens stitched with varying stitch density and stitch thread thickness are subjected to low-velocity impact via a drop-weight machine. Impact damage resistance is first studied by examining the extent of delamination area in damaged specimens using ultrasonic C-scan analysis. It is revealed that higher stitch density is more capable of impeding delamination growth by arresting cracks at closer interval and suppressing crack propagation. The use of thicker stitch thread offers slight improvement to damage resistance by marginal reduction in delamination propagation, and is more pertinent at high impact energy levels. Impact damage response is then analyzed from the impact history response curves of impacted laminates. The impact response of load–time graphs demonstrates that the onset of delamination is not influenced by stitch density and stitch thread thickness, but the maximum residual impact force is related to the delamination size of the laminates, which is sequentially related to stitch parameters. Finally, impact damage mechanisms are elucidated by employing X-ray radiography and micro-Computed Tomography to reveal subsurface damages, primarily dominated by intralaminar matrix cracks, interlaminar delamination, and stitch fiber/matrix debonding. It is revealed that stitches act as crack initiation sites, due to the presence of weak resin-rich pockets around stitch threads, thus inadvertently resulting in densely stitched composites having more stitch-induced matrix cracks upon impact loading. Contrarily, specimens with higher stitch density and thread thickness are more capable of impeding delamination growth by effectively bridging delamination cracks and arresting crack propagation. Principal mechanisms responsible for impact resistance performance of stitching namely crack arresting and crack bridging are presented and discussed.
Empowerment for continuous agent—environment systems
Authors: Jung Tobias , Polani Daniel , Stone Peter
Published: January 2011

This article develops generalizations of empowerment to continuous states. Empowerment is a recently introduced information-theoretic quantity motivated by hypotheses about the efficiency of the sensorimotor loop in biological organisms, but also from considerations stemming from curiosity-driven learning. Empowerment measures, for agent—environment systems with stochastic transitions, how much influence an agent has on its environment, but only that influence that can be sensed by the agent sensors. It is an information-theoretic generalization of joint controllability (influence on environment) and observability (measurement by sensors) of the environment by the agent, both controllability and observability being usually defined in control theory as the dimensionality of the control/observation spaces. Earlier work has shown that empowerment has various interesting and relevant properties, for example, it allows us to identify salient states using only the dynamics, and it can act as intrinsic reward without requiring an external reward. However, in this previous work empowerment was limited to the case of small-scale and discrete domains and furthermore state transition probabilities were assumed to be known. The goal of this article is to extend empowerment to the significantly more important and relevant case of continuous vector-valued state spaces and initially unknown state transition probabilities. The continuous state space is addressed by Monte Carlo approximation; the unknown transitions are addressed by model learning and prediction for which we apply Gaussian processes regression with iterated forecasting. In a number of well-known continuous control tasks we examine the dynamics induced by empowerment and include an application to exploration and online model learning.
Cultural Transformation, Art, and Collective Action in Polity Building
Authors: Blanton Richard E.
Published: January 2011

Data coded from a worldwide sample of 30 premodern states demonstrate that collective action was an important social force in political regime building across civilizational traditions, regions, and time periods. Collectivity brought advantages, for example, overall increases in material standard of living, but also entailed the potential for cooperation problems such as free riding and agency. These problematic aspects of collectivity were addressed, in part, through cultural innovation aimed at developing new ways to understand the roots of moral capacity and the nature of the morally virtuous person. Here, I analyze one aspect of cultural innovation by investigating figural representation in the coded societies. From this comparative study, I propose that two artistic processes were concomitants of collective governance: the emergence of naturalism, including portraiture, and representation that highlights the commoner and the quotidian elements of commoner life ways.
Perturbed eigenvalue problem with the Davidon-Fletcher-Powell quasi-Newton approach for damage detection of fixed-fixed beams
Authors: Chun Nam Wong  , Huang Hong-Zhong , Jingqi Xiong  , Tianyou Hu  , Hua Long Lan
Published: January 2011

A damage detection method is formulated to estimate damage location and extent from non- kth perturbation terms of a specific set of eigenvectors and eigenvalues. The perturbed eigenvalue problem is established from the perturbations of stiffness matrix, eigenvector, and eigenvalue. Then stiffness parameters are estimated from this equation using the Davidon—Fletcher—Powell quasi-Newton approach. The optimization algorithm is iterative, and its process is monitored by d-norm and t-norm indicators. A fixed—fixed beam with an odd number of elements is used as a test structure to investigate the applicability of the method. In a five elements beam, t-norm convergences of the second-order algorithm are more effective for small and large-percentage damages. In medium-percentage damages, convergences of the first-order algorithm are faster for both indicators. Convergences of the general-order perturbation method are more effective for small and medium-percentage damages. Meanwhile, convergences of this method are slightly more effective in large-percentage damages. For seven elements medium-percentage damage and nine elements small-percentage damage, the second-order algorithm converges faster to the t-norm indicator. It is proven that convergence rate increases with the order of the algorithm.
Clinical approach to the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy
Authors: Hovaguimian Alexandra , Gibbons Christopher H.
Published: January 2011

Painful neuropathy is a common and often progressive complication of diabetes. Patients frequently report symptoms of tingling, burning, lancinating pain, hyperesthesia, and allodynia. The natural history of the disease may vary from intermittent mild symptoms to severe chronic daily pain; the latter is often associated with diminished quality of life. There are a variety of pharmaceutical agents from different medicinal categories available for the symptomatic treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy, however selecting an agent is often challenging given the breadth of choices and lack of consistent guidelines. As a result, many patients remain untreated or undertreated. This article presents a practical clinical approach to the treatment of pain in diabetic neuropathy. Recommendations for first-, second-, and third-line medications are based on specific evidence for the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy as well as safety, tolerability, drug interactions, and cost. Additional topics of discussion include breakthrough pain, opioid use, and topical therapies. This review does not comprehensively discuss all possible treatments for painful neuropathy, but provides a systematic approach designed to guide clinicians in tailoring therapies to the individual patient.
Up-regulation of cytolytic functions of human Vδ2− γδ T lymphocytes through engagement of ILT2 expressed by tumor target cells
Authors: Harly Christelle , Peyrat Marie-Alix , Netzer Sonia , Déchanet-Merville Julie , Bonneville Marc , Scotet Emmanuel
Published: January 2011

In humans, the majority of peripheral blood γδ T cells expresses Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell receptors (TCR) and recognize nonpeptidic phosphorylated antigens. In contrast, most tissue-derived γδ T cells, which are located mainly in spleen and epithelia, preferentially use Vδ1 or Vδ3 chains paired with diverse Vγ chains to form their TCR. Our knowledge about the antigenic specificity and costimulation requirements of human Vδ2− γδ T cells remains limited. In an attempt to address this important issue, we characterized the specificity of a monoclonal antibody (mAb 256), screened for its ability to specifically inhibit cytolytic responses of several human Vδ2− γδ T-cell clones against transformed B cells. We show that mAb 256 does not target a TCR ligand but blocks key interactions between non-TCR molecules on effector γδ T cells and ILT2 molecule, expressed by tumor targets. In line with the previously reported specificity of this NK receptor for classic and nonclassic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules, blockade of MHC class I/ILT2 interactions using MHC class I- or ILT2-specific mAbs and ILT2-Fc molecules inhibited tumor-induced activation of Vγ8Vδ3 T-cell clones. Therefore, this study describes a new cytotoxic T lymphocyte activation pathway involving MHC class I engagement on γδ T cells.
Identifying adult asthma phenotypes using a clustering approach
Authors: Siroux V. , Basagaña X. , Boudier A. , Pin I. , Garcia-Aymerich J. , Vesin A. , Slama R. , Jarvis D. , Anto J.M. , Kauffmann F. , Sunyer J.
Published: January 2011

There is a need to improve asthma characterisation by integrating multiple aspects of the disease. The aim of the present study was to identify distinct asthma phenotypes by applying latent class analysis (LCA), a model-based clustering method, to two large epidemiological studies.

Adults with asthma who participated in the follow-up of the Epidemiological Study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (EGEA2) (n = 641) and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHSII) (n = 1,895) were included. 19 variables covering personal characteristics, asthma symptoms, exacerbations and treatment, age of asthma onset, allergic characteristics, lung function and airway hyperresponsiveness were considered in the LCA.

Four asthma phenotypes were distinguished by the LCA in each sample. Two phenotypes were similar in EGEA2 and ECRHSII: active treated allergic childhood-onset asthma and active treated adult-onset asthma. The other two phenotypes were composed of subjects with inactive or mild untreated asthma, who differed by atopy status and age of asthma onset (childhood or adulthood). The phenotypes clearly discriminated populations in terms of quality of life, and blood eosinophil and neutrophil counts.

The LCAs revealed four distinct asthma phenotypes in each sample. Considering these more homogeneous phenotypes in future studies may lead to a better identification of risk factors for asthma.
Multidisciplinary Versus One-on-One Setting: A Qualitative Study of Clinicians' Perceptions of Their Relationship With Patients With Prostate Cancer
Authors: Bellardita Lara , Donegani Simona , Spatuzzi Andrea L. , Valdagni Riccardo
Published: January 2011

The authors' evaluation of the pros and cons of the multidisciplinary approach indicates that the dynamism inherent in multidisciplinary care represents a challenge, which may explain why clinicians appear to prefer communication in a one-on-one setting.
Safe Handling of Oral Chemotherapeutic Agents in Clinical Practice: Recommendations From an International Pharmacy Panel
Authors: Goodin Susan , Griffith Niesha , Chen Beth , Chuk Karen , Daouphars Mikael , Doreau Christian , Patel Rinku A. , Schwartz Rowena , Tamés Maria José , Terkola Robert , Vadnais Barbara , Wright Debbie , Meier Klaus
Published: January 2011

Although oral chemotherapy is associated with ease of administration, it has the same exposure risks as intravenous formulations. However, the general misconception seems to be that exposure risk is low, therefore oral chemotherapeutic agents are safer to handle.
Reliability and reproducibility of a clinical application of a simple technique for repeated circumferential leg measurements
Authors: te Slaa A , Mulder P , Dolmans D , Castenmiller P , Ho G , van der Laan L
Published: January 2011

Objective

The aim of this study is to determine the reliability and reproducibility of repeated tape measurements to assess the leg circumference during a long period.

Methods

A tape measure is a simple instrument that is applicable in the presence of oedema. Measurements were performed by four observers on 11 volunteers. Four measurements were done in the first week (short term), a fifth measurement at two weeks (medium term) and a sixth measurement was done at 12 weeks (long term).

Results

The short-, medium- and long-term intra-class correlation coefficients for repeated measurements were 0.90, 0.89 and 0.78, respectively. The short-term and long-term reproducibility indices equalled 4.4% and 6.5%. If only a single observer would be involved, the short-term intra-class correlation coefficients would improve to 0.94 (reproducibility index 3.3%).

Conclusion

Tape measurements have been proved to be a reliable and reproducible method to asses the lower limb circumference.
Impact of variation in limb shape on sub-bandage interface pressure
Authors: Al Khaburi J , Nelson E A , Hutchinson J , Dehghani-Sanij A A
Published: January 2011

Background

Sub-bandage interface pressure generated by medical compression bandages (MCB) and hosiery changes in mobile patients as they move due to the change in the limb size. However, the amount of variation in the interface pressure is dependent on the stiffness of the compression material. Researchers have proposed several indices to describe this change in interface pressure, including the static stiffness index (SSI) and the dynamic stiffness index (DSI). These indices can also be used to classify compression products.

Objectives

To explore the different proposed indices to describe the stiffness of a compression material and compare it to the engineering stress-strain modulus which is used for the same purpose; To estimate theoretically the change in the interface pressure which is caused by the change in the limb shape as a consequence of calf muscle activity and the associated transient variation in limb dimensions.

Method

Use Chord modulus to classify compression material; Use thin and thick cylinder wall theory to estimate the variation in the interface pressure due to changes in the limb shape secondary to muscle contraction; Use tensile test devices to obtain the Chord modulus for two different MCB at two different dynamic ranges.

Results

Chord modulus (E) describes the change in tension in a dynamic situation, and this is labelled as stiffness in the bandaging literature; Chord modulus, with the help of a mathematical model that was developed based on thick wall cylinder theory, can be used to predict the change in sub-bandage interface pressure caused by the change in limb shape secondary to calf muscle activity; Chord modulus can be used to classify bandages and describe how they will behave when they are applied to a leg.

Conclusion

The dynamic pressure can be predicted using a simple mathematical model using Chord modulus, which can be calculated in vitro using standard tensile testing equipment. In addition, Chord modulus can be used to classify compression bandages and hosiery.
The roles of S1 RNA-binding domains in Rrp5's interactions with pre-rRNA
Authors: Young Crystal L. , Karbstein Katrin
Published: January 2011

RNA-binding proteins mediate the function of all RNAs. Since few distinct RNA-binding domains (RBDs) exist, with most RBDs contacting only a few nucleotides, RNA-binding proteins often combine multiple RNA-binding motifs to achieve a higher affinity and selectivity for their targets. Rrp5, a ribosome assembly factor essential for both 40S and 60S ribosome maturation, is an extreme example as it contains 12 tandem S1 RNA-binding domains. In this study, we use a combination of RNA binding and DMS probing experiments to probe interactions of Rrp5 with pre-rRNA mimics. Our data localize Rrp5's binding site to three distinct regions within internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), the sequence between 18S and 5.8S rRNAs. One of these regions is directly adjacent to a recently uncovered helical structure, which prevents premature cleavage at the 3′-end of 18S rRNA. This finding, together with previous results, suggests a role for Rrp5 in regulating the above-mentioned helical element. Furthermore, we have produced two truncated forms of the protein, Rrp5N and Rrp5C, which together encompass the entire protein and fully restore growth. Quantitative analysis of the RNA affinity of these Rrp5 fragments indicates that the first nine S1 motifs contribute much of Rrp5's RNA affinity, while the last three domains alone provide its specificity for the pre-rRNA. This surprising division of labor is unique, as it suggests that S1 domains can bind RNA both specifically as well as nonspecifically with high affinity; this has important implications for the molecular details of the Rrp5•pre-rRNA complex.