bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
REFLECTIONS ON THE STATE OF CONSENSUS‐BASED DECISION MAKING IN CHILD WELFARE
Authors: Mayer Bernie
Published: December 2008

Consensus approaches to child protection decision making such as mediation and family group conferencing have become increasingly widespread since first initiated about 25 years ago. They address but are also constrained by paradoxes in the child protection system about commitments to protecting children and to family autonomy. In a series of surveys, interviews, and dialogues, mediation and conferencing researchers and practitioners discussed the key issues that face their work: clarity about purpose, system support, family empowerment, professional qualifications, and coordination among different types of consensus‐building efforts. Consensus‐based decision making in child protection will continue to expand and grow but will also continue to confront these challenges.
FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCING AND CHILD PROTECTION MEDIATION: ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR PRIORITIZING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN CHILD WELFARE CASES
Authors: Olson Kelly Browe
Published: December 2008

Family group conferencing (FGC) and child protection mediation maximize family engagement in child welfare cases by prioritizing families’ roles in discussions and decisions. This article examines how FGC helps professionals to focus on family and community strengths, encourages family engagement, and provides targeted case plans for families and timely, permanent placements for children. It explores how courts and agencies use these interventions to empower families to contribute to resolutions in ways that are not possible in traditional litigation processes. These complementary processes help children and families by providing forums where families are allowed to make informed choices and take an active role in creating plans for their future.
EMPOWERING PARENTS IN CHILD PROTECTION MEDIATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Authors: Firestone Gregory
Published: December 2008

One of the greatest challenges that parents face in child protection mediation (CPM) is to voice their concerns and negotiate on a relatively equal basis with the other mediation participants. This article considers how imbalances of power, limited confidentiality protection, and the personal problems that bring parents into the child protection process can limit a parent's ability to exercise self‐determination in mediation and offers guidance for mediators seeking to conduct CPM in a manner that effectively empowers parents to meaningfully and collaboratively participate in mediation.
TRENDS IN CHILD PROTECTION MEDIATION: RESULTS OF THE THINK TANK SURVEY AND INTERVIEWS
Authors: Kathol Joan
Published: December 2008

Several child protection conflict resolution program directors and researchers talked about how best to initiate a networking effort for their field. In September 2007, their conversations culminated in a Think Tank in Columbus, Ohio. This was a collaboration of judges, program directors, researchers, and representatives from national organizations that work in child protection. Participants felt this was a successful effort and that the meeting provided networking opportunities and many provocative discussions. In order to facilitate a meeting that would be meaningful for the Think Tank participants, input was solicited from as many constituent groups as possible. Surveys and interviews were completed in the summer of 2007, which shed light on themes that were ripe for discussion and improvement. This article details the survey and interview results and includes some brief comments from the Think Tank itself. Thoughts about future research in child protection conflict resolution are also provided.
ARE WE REALLY LOOKING OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD? APPLYING THE NEW ZEALAND MODEL OF FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCES TO CASES OF CHILD NEGLECT IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Lubin Jesse
Published: December 2008

This Note advocates for state laws to be amended to implement family group conferencing (FGC) as the first step in cases of alleged child neglect. FGC was developed in New Zealand nearly twenty years ago and have since become a realistic method of balancing the best interests of the children, families, agencies, courts, and communities involved in the child welfare system. A FGC is a meeting among family members and professionals that is conducted in order to develop a plan for a child who is the victim of neglect. FGC places the family at the center of the welfare proceedings and empowers them to reach a solution without having to resort to the often lengthy and expensive adversarial court system. If FGC is incorporated into the child welfare systems throughout the United States, communication between the parents, social services, and the courts could increase, helping families adequately address the problem of neglect and getting the children out of the child welfare system quickly and more efficiently.
Occurrence of the Transition of Apical Architecture and Expression Patterns of Related Genes during Conversion of Apical Meristem Identity in G2 Pea
Authors: Wang Da‐Yong , Li Qing , Cui Ke‐Ming , Zhu Yu‐Xian
Published: December 2008

G2 pea exhibits an apical senescence delaying phenotype under short‐day (SD) conditions; however, the structural basis for its apical development is still largely unknown. In the present study, the apical meristem of SD‐grown G2 pea plants underwent a transition from vegetative to indeterminate inflorescence meristem, but the apical meristem of long‐day (LD)‐grown G2 pea plants would be further converted to determinate floral meristem. Both SD signal and GA3 treatment enhanced expression of the putative calcium transporter PPF1, and pea homologs of TFL1 (LF and DET), whereas LD signal suppressed their expression at 60 d post‐flowering compared with those at 40 d post‐flowering. Both PPF1 and LF expressed at the vegetative and reproductive phases in SD‐grown apical buds, but floral initiation obviously increased the expression level of PPF1 compared with the unchanged expression level of LF from 40 to 60 d post‐flowering. In addition, although the floral initiation significantly enhanced the expression levels of PPF1 and DET, DET was mainly expressed after floral initiation in SD‐grown apical buds. Therefore, the main structural difference between LD‐ and SD‐grown apical meristem in G2 pea lies in whether their apical indeterminate inflorescence meristem could be converted to the determinate structure.
Association of Heart Valve Calcification With Malnutrition‐Inflammation Complex Syndrome, β2‐Microglobulin, and Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Patients on Hemodialysis
Authors: Ikee Ryota , Honda Kenjiro , Oka Machiko , Maesato Kyoko , Mano Tsutomu , Moriya Hidekazu , Ohtake Takayasu , Kobayashi Shuzo
Published: December 2008

Heart valve calcification is an important predictor for all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients. Recently, serum β2‐microglobulin has been associated with cardiovascular disease in the non‐hemodialysis population, but the relationship between serum β2‐microglobulin and valve calcification remains unknown. In this cross‐sectional study, we recorded the patients' clinical parameters, including serum β2‐microglobulin, and related these parameters to the number of calcified valves detected by echocardiography. The patients included 80 males and 35 females (age 67 ± 10 years; duration on hemodialysis 96 ± 67 months). Calcification of the aortic and mitral valves was observed in 89 (77.4%) and 59 patients (51.3%), respectively. Fifty‐one patients (44.3%) showed calcification of both valves. In univariate analysis, age (r = 0.301, P = 0.001), serum albumin (r = −0.219, P = 0.01), calcium (r = 0.205, P = 0.02), high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (r = 0.209, P = 0.02), and β2‐microglobulin (r = 0.206, P = 0.02) significantly correlated with the number of calcified valves. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that age (β = 0.389, P < 0.001) and calcium (β = 0.223, P = 0.01) were independent determinants for valve calcification (r2 = 0.195). In addition, carotid intima media thickness was significantly higher in patients with valve calcification compared with those without valve calcification. Our results suggested the impacts of calcium metabolism and malnutrition‐inflammation complex syndrome on valve calcification. In addition, serum β2‐microglobulin may be another potential marker of cardiovascular complications in patients on hemodialysis.
Reduction of Plasma Levels of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor and Interleukin‐2 Receptors by Means of a Novel Immunoadsorption Column
Authors: Lentz Meredith , Kumar Kiran
Published: December 2008

This non‐randomized open clinical study investigated the safety and efficacy of extracorporeal fractionated plasma adsorption using the Oncosorb immune adsorption column. The column selectively bound soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors 1 and 2 (sTNF‐R1 and sTNF‐R2) and soluble interleukin‐2 receptors (sIL2‐R) by lowering plasma levels in patients with metastatic cancer. Nine patients (three men and six women; mean age 48 years, aged 41–68 years) with metastatic cancer received at least 12 immune adsorption procedures. Thrice‐weekly immune adsorption separated a low molecular weight (150 000 D) plasma fraction from the patients' blood, passing the plasma fraction through the column in an extracorporeal plasma perfusion circuit. Respective plasma receptor mean concentrations before and after 167 procedures were: sTNF‐R1: 1936 ± 788 pg/mL before treatment vs. 1312 ± 989 pg/mL after treatment; sTNF‐R2: 3140 ± 1173 pg/mL before treatment vs. 1816 ± 1 ± 1677 pg/mL after treatment (P < 0.01 for each inhibitor). Mean reductions in sTNF‐R1 (48%), sTNF‐R2 (55%), and sIL2‐R levels (72%) were observed for treatments 3–12 (P < 0.001). Clinical findings indicated tumor inflammation and necrosis in most patients. Side‐effects were low‐grade fever, flu‐like symptoms; tumor pain and redness, warmth, tenderness, and edema. The column demonstrated safety and efficacy in lowering plasma sTNF‐R1, sTNF‐R2, and sIL2‐R levels. Minor clinical adverse effects common to the use of extracorporeal devices were seen.
A Case Report of Double‐Filtration Plasmapheresis for the Treatment of Age‐related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Yeh Jiann‐Horng , Cheng Cheng‐Kuo , Chiu Hou‐Chang
Published: December 2008

An 85‐year‐old man with dry type age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) in his right eye and a disciform scar in his left eye received double‐filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) for the treatment of his right eye. The protocol for plasmapheresis followed the Multicenter Investigation of Rheopheresis for AMD (MIRA) trial and consisted of four pulses of paired sessions of plasmapheresis with a two‐day interval within 10 weeks. The pre‐DFPP best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for the right eye was 6/15 (0.4). Six months after DFPP treatment, the BCVA of the right eye was 6/10 (0.6) and remained unchanged at the 12th month; however, comparison of the right eye fundus picture, fluorescein angiogram, and optical coherence tomography of the macular area before and 6 and 12 months after plasmapheresis revealed no discernable changes. The per‐session and per‐course clearance rates were highest for IgM (63.8% and 90.8%) and lowest for albumin (11% and 15.4%). No plasmapheresis‐related complications, such as hypotension, hemolysis or infection, occurred. Thus, DFPP treatment can provide effective treatment for dry type AMD with minimal side‐effects.
Prognostic Study of Cardiac Events in Japanese High Risk Hemodialysis Patients Using 123I‐BMIPP‐SPECT: B‐SAFE Study Design
Authors: Hasebe Naoyuki , Moroi Masao , Nishimura Masato , Hara Kazuhiro , Hase Hiroki , Hashimoto Akiyoshi , Kumita Shinichiro , Haze Kazuo , Momose Mitsuru , Nagai Yoji , Sugimoto Tokuichiro , Kusano Eiji , Akiba Takashi , Nakata Tomoaki , Nishimura Tsunehiko , Tamaki Nagara , Kikuchi Kenjiro
Published: December 2008

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Such patients frequently develop complications such as asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). Accordingly, CAD must ideally be diagnosed at an early stage to improve prognosis. Although myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is valuable for diagnosing CAD, the stress test is not always applicable to patients on hemodialysis. Thus, we proposed a multicenter, prospective cohort study called “B‐SAFE” to investigate the applicability of resting 123I‐labeled beta‐methyl‐iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I‐BMIPP)‐SPECT will be used to diagnose cardiac disease and evaluate the prognosis of hemodialysis patients by imaging myocardial fatty acid metabolism. B‐SAFE began enrolling patients from June 2006 at 48 facilities. We performed 123I‐BMIPP‐SPECT on 702 hemodialysis patients with risk factors for CAD until 30 November 2007 and plan to follow up for three years. The primary endpoints will be cardiac death and sudden death. This study should end in 2010.
Halo mass functions in early dark energy cosmologies
Authors: Francis Matthew J. , Lewis Geraint F. , Linder Eric V.
Published: December 2008

We examine the linear density contrast at collapse time, δc, for large-scale structure in dynamical dark energy cosmologies, including models with early dark energy. Contrary to previous results, we find that as long as dark energy is homogeneous on small scales, δc is insensitive to dark energy properties for parameter values fitting current data, including the case of early dark energy. This is significant since using the correct δc is crucial for accurate Press–Schechter prediction of the halo mass function. Previous results have found an apparent failing of the extended Press–Schechter approach (Sheth–Tormen) for early dark energy. Our calculations demonstrate that with the correct δc, the accuracy of this approach is restored. We discuss the significance of this result for the halo mass function and examine what dark energy physics would be needed to cause significant change in δc, and the observational signatures this would leave.
Masses, beaming and Eddington ratios in ultraluminous X-ray sources
Authors: King A. R.
Published: December 2008

I suggest that the beaming factor in bright ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) varies as , where is the Eddington ratio for accretion. This is required by the observed universal Lsoft∝T−4 relation between soft-excess luminosity and temperature, and is reasonable on general physical grounds. The beam scaling means that all observable properties of bright ULXs depend essentially only on the Eddington ratio , and that these systems vary mainly because the beaming is sensitive to the Eddington ratio. This suggests that bright ULXs are stellar-mass systems accreting at Eddington ratios of the order of 10–30, with beaming factors b≳ 0.1. Lower luminosity ULXs follow bolometric (not soft-excess) L∼T4 correlations and probably represent sub-Eddington accretion on to black holes with masses ∼10M⊙. High-mass X-ray binaries containing black holes or neutron stars and undergoing rapid thermal- or nuclear-time-scale mass transfer are excellent candidates for explaining both types. If the scaling for bright ULXs can be extrapolated to the Eddington ratios found in SS433, some objects currently identified as active galactic nuclei at modest redshifts might actually be ULXs (‘pseudo-blazars’). This may explain cases where the active source does not coincide with the centre of the host galaxy.
FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF RED MULLET (MULLUS BARBATUS): A SEASONAL DIFFERENTIATION
Authors: POLAT ABDURRAHMAN , KUZU SOLMAZ , ÖZYURT GÜLSÜN , TOKUR BAHAR
Published: December 2008

Seasonal variations in the fatty acid compositions of red mullet (Mullus barbatus) captured from Iskenderun bay, northeastern Mediterranean, were investigated. In all sampling seasons, the major fatty acids of red mullet were palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1), palmitoleic acid (16:1), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5ω3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6ω3). The fatty acid contents of red mullet were influenced by seasonality. The levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid were 17.32% in autumn, 17.69% in winter and 20.13% in spring. The levels of DHA in the total fatty acids in autumn, winter and spring were 4.36, 8.25 and 10.89%, while those of EPA were 7.93, 4.59 and 4.56, respectively. The present study suggest that red mullet is a good source of ω3 series fatty acids, and the weekly consumption of 300 g of red mullet in autumn, winter or summer could meet EPA + DHA requirements of people.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Red mullet is one of the most commercially important fish species in many Mediterranean countries. Little information is available on the fatty acid composition of red mullet. Therefore, seasonal proximate analysis and the fatty acid composition of red mullet were determined and discussed in this paper. There is much interest in the beneficial effects on human health that is related to consumption of marine lipids. Determination of the effects of different fishing seasons on the fatty acid composition of red mullet will provide valuable information concerning the nutrient value of this seafood for both consumers and the researchers working on nutrient tables. In addition, this basic information will be obtained for the fish processing industry.
Design of a Low‐Cost Bamboo Well
Authors: Shakya S.K. , Singh S.R. , Anjaneyulu B. , Vashisht A.K.
Published: December 2008

Bamboo wells are an economical alternative for water supply wells in developing countries. The design of the bamboo well described in this article was developed based on field tests. Following field experiments, the screen in the bamboo well was fabricated with seven 3‐m‐long bamboo strips, each 2 cm wide and 1 cm thick. The strips were bolted on 1‐cm‐wide mild steel rings spaced 30 cm along the length of the bamboo strips, with 9‐cm‐long galvanized iron pipe end pieces. Pipes used in the bamboo well were fabricated by wrapping polythene sheets on the bamboo screens. Excellent performance, low cost, and good service life justify the use of a bamboo well for ground water withdrawal in developing countries.
Humanitarian Intervention and the Distribution of Sovereignty in International Law
Authors: Macklem Patrick
Published: December 2008

Legal debates about humanitarian intervention—military intervention by one or more states to curb gross human rights violations occurring in another state—tend to assume that its legitimacy is irrelevant to its legality. Debates among philosophers and political theorists often assume the inverse, that the legality of humanitarian intervention is irrelevant to its legitimacy. This paper defends an alternative account, one that sees the legality and legitimacy of humanitarian intervention as intertwined. This account emerges from a conception of international law as a legal domain that structures global politics by treating sovereignty as a legal entitlement that it distributes among the multitude of legal actors that it recognizes as states. Drawing on a long standing debate among domestic legal theorists about the rule of law, it first identifies formal constraints on the UN Security Council‘s discretion to authorize the use of force to end human rights violations. Developing a distributive conception of international human rights, it then identifies substantive considerations that shed further light on the legality of intervention. It suggests that members of the Security Council must give reasons when exercising their discretion to authorize the use of force and that some reasons might divest a member's vote of legal validity.
Site fidelity and association patterns of a rare species: Pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) in the main Hawaiian Islands
Authors: McSweeney Daniel J. , Baird Robin W. , Mahaffy Sabre D. , Webster Daniel L. , Schorr Gregory S.
Published: December 2008

Abstract

Most of what we know about cetacean biology and ecology comes from studies of relatively common species. Despite their distribution throughout the tropics and sub‐tropics, pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) are rare throughout their range and are one of the most poorly‐known species of odontocetes. During a 22‐yr study of short‐finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) off the island of Hawai‘i, we opportunistically photo‐identified pygmy killer whales whenever encountered. As part of a directed multi‐species study throughout the main Hawaiian Islands from 2000 through 2007, we also photo‐identified individuals and obtained information on habitat use and behavior. This species was extremely uncommon (representing only 1.2% of odontocete sightings in directed efforts). Given the low encounter rates, assessing trends of this population cannot be feasibly done with line‐transect surveys. Despite their rarity, 80% of the distinctive individuals within groups documented off the island of Hawai‘i were seen on multiple occasions, individuals were resighted over periods of up to 21 yr, and there was evidence of year‐round use of the area. Association analyses indicate stable long‐term associations in mixed‐sex groups. High resighting rates indicate a small population of island‐associated individuals that may be at risk from anthropogenic impacts.
Prosody in First Language Acquisition – Acquiring Intonation as a Tool to Organize Information in Conversation
Authors: Speer Shari R. , Ito Kiwako
Published: December 2008

Recent research on children's acquisition of prosody, or the rhythm and melody in language, demonstrates that young children use prosody in their comprehension and production of utterances to a greater extent than was previously documented. Spoken language, structured by prosodic form, is the primary input on which the mental representations and processes that comprise language use are built. Understanding how children acquire prosody and develop the mapping between prosody and other aspects of language is crucial to any effort to model the role of prosody in the processing system. We focus on two aspects of prosody that have been shown to play a primary role in its use as an organizational device in human languages, prosodic phrasal grouping, and intonational prominence.
Semantic Underspecification in Language Processing
Authors: Frisson Steven
Published: December 2008

It is commonly assumed that when we encounter a word in a text, we automatically and immediately activate specific, detailed semantic information associated with that word and instantly integrate this information in the unfolding interpretation of the text. On‐line evidence of how we process polysemous words, that is, words with multiple semantically related interpretations or senses, suggests that instead of accessing a specific sense, language users initially activate a word's meaning that is semantically underspecified. Context can then help to make this meaning more specific, if there is a need for it. I will present an overview of the available evidence for this view, including new work that indicates that the type of task can influence how quickly we home‐in on a specific sense, address evidence that, at first sight, seems to contradict the underspecification view, and outline a number of issues that require further attention.
Remote Sensing of Mountain Environments
Authors: Weiss Daniel J. , Walsh Stephen J.
Published: December 2008

Logistical challenges of conducting field research in topographically complex alpine settings, combined with the multi‐scale and multi‐thematic informational needs of earth and landscape scientists and program managers, have contributed to the development and application of remote sensing data, methods, and approaches for the study of mountain environments. This article provides a brief introduction to remote sensing science; illustrates specific challenges unique to remote sensing applications in mountainous environments, along with corresponding solutions; provides several examples of remote sensing applications in the alpine treeline ecotone; and concludes by describing recent and anticipated remote sensing developments that have the potential to improve characterizations of alpine settings through satellite surveillance techniques linked to image processing and analysis.
Organization versus Space: The Paradoxical Geographies of the Digital Economy
Authors: Moriset Bruno , Malecki Edward J.
Published: December 2008

Digital technology has permeated most sectors of the economy, a result of continuous improvement and convergence in computers and telecommunications, and the Internet revolution. Unprecedented tradability of digitized information and information‐intensiveness of business are driving the collapsing of value chains’ organizational and spatial dimensions. We are witnessing a trend of vertical disintegration followed by complex re‐arrangements that mix horizontal reintegration and spatial agglomeration with various patterns of dispersion. With the support of two empirical examples, this article endeavors to show that the territories of the digital economy are built under a permanent tension between these centripetal and centrifugal forces. Economic geography thinking should – in part – reject the traditional Christallerian hierarchy of scales, and consider instead the ability of contemporary business organizations and dynamics to squeeze out intermediary scales and places. The agglomeration theory, although still valid, is challenged by technological improvement and the evolution of the information society.
The Geographies of Intoxicants: From Production and Consumption to Regulation, Treatment and Prevention
Authors: DeVerteuil Geoffrey , Wilton Robert D.
Published: December 2008

As social geographers of health, we wish to review the field of geography and intoxicants. By intoxicants, we mean substances that have psychoactive, consciousness‐altering effects. This article defines the geography of intoxicants, and provides a selective review of geographically inclined research that has focused on (i) the consumption of intoxicants, especially its regulation within public spaces, (ii) intoxicants and public health, especially concerns over the spread of communicable diseases associated with drug use, and (iii) social geography issues such as the life experiences of addiction and users, and how treatment (and prevention) and place intersect. Part of our goal in this article is to bridge the gap between the more political and medical foci with more social and health perspectives that have thus far remained understated.
Analysis of the Repressor Element‐1 Silencing Transcription Factor/Neuron‐Restrictive Silencer Factor Occupancy of Non‐Neuronal Genes in Peripheral Lymphocytes from Patients with Huntington's Disease
Authors: Marullo Manuela , Valenza Marta , Mariotti Caterina , Di Donato Stefano , Cattaneo Elena , Zuccato Chiara
Published: January 2009

We have previously demonstrated that the transcription of neuronal repressor element‐1/neuron‐restrictive silencer element (RE1/NRSE)‐regulated genes is reduced in the brain of subjects with Huntington's disease (HD) as a result of increased binding of the repressor element‐1 silencing transcription factor/neuron‐restrictive silencer factor (REST/NRSF) to its RE1/NRSE targets. As specific non‐neuronal REST/NRSF‐regulated genes have been identified in the human genome, we exploited the possibility that the binding of REST/NRSF to its target RE1/NRSE sites may also be altered in the peripheral tissues of HD patients.

Our results show that REST/NRSF occupancy is increased in lymphocytes from HD subjects, thus indicating for the first time that the activity of the RE1/NRSE sites is dysfunctional in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) of the RE1/NRSE sites in lymphocytes may therefore be a reproducible, sensitive and specific means of searching for candidate markers of HD onset and progression.
Association of Total Cholesterol/High‐Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio With Proximal Coronary Atherosclerosis Detected by Multislice Computed Tomography
Authors: Nair Deepu , Carrigan Thomas P. , Curtin Ronan J. , Popovic Zoran B. , Kuzmiak Stacie , Schoenhagen Paul , Flamm Scott D. , Desai Milind Y.
Published: January 2009

The authors assessed the association between an elevated total cholesterol to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL‐C) ratio (≥4) and proximal coronary artery disease (CAD), as observed on multislice computed tomography. Coronary multislice computed tomographic angiography (96% on 40‐ or 64‐slice) was performed in 295 individuals (39% women; mean age, 54±13 years) without documented CAD who were referred for coronary evaluation. Significant CAD was defined as ≥50% stenosis in the left main, proximal left anterior descending, or ≥2 epicardial vessels. Proximal plaque was defined as presence of any plaque in left main or proximal left anterior descending vessels. Individuals with an elevated TC/HDL‐C ratio vs those without had a higher prevalence of proximal plaque (62% vs 48%, P=.04) and significant CAD (19% vs 9%, P=.009). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, only age, sex, and TC/HDL‐C ratio ≥4 were associated with significant CAD and proximal plaque.
Lifestyle Changes and Blood Pressure Control: A Community‐Based Cross‐Sectional Survey (2006 Ontario Survey on the Prevalence and Control of Hypertension)
Authors: Fodor George J. , McInnis Natalie H. , Helis Eftyhia , Turton Penelope , Leenen Frans H. H.
Published: January 2009

To evaluate lifestyle changes and their impact on hypertension control in a sample of hypertensive respondents in Ontario, Canada, diet, physical activity, and other nonpharmacologic measures were recorded using a structured questionnaire during the 2006 Ontario Survey on the Prevalence and Control of Hypertension. Responses were weighted to the total adult population of 7,996,653 in Ontario. The prevalence of hypertension was 21%; 42% of hypertensive persons received therapy with antihypertensive drugs and lifestyle changes, and 41% received therapy with drugs only. Blood pressure was controlled in 85% of respondents who used only drugs and in 78% of those who stated that they received therapy with combined drug treatment and lifestyle changes. Fewer than half of hypertensive respondents practiced lifestyle changes (in combination with drug treatment) for blood pressure control. Lifestyle measures in addition to medication use did not result in better control of hypertension compared to only medication use.
Progress and Controversies: Treating Obesity and Insulin Resistance in the Context of Hypertension
Authors: McGill Janet B. , Haffner Steven , Rees Tomas J. , Sowers James R. , Tershakovec Andrew M. , Weber Michael
Published: January 2009

Improvements in hypertension treatment and control are challenged by the increasing incidence of metabolic risk factors for hypertension, in particular, obesity and insulin resistance. Such risk factors can increase the severity of hypertension and can interact via a multitude of hormonal and inflammatory pathways. Their presence may affect antihypertensive agent choice with regard to antihypertensive efficacy as well as potential synergistic or antagonistic effects on inflammatory status and progression to diabetes. Furthermore, an increasing number of pharmacologic options are available to promote weight loss and insulin sensitivity that may affect blood pressure directly and indirectly. This review considers the metabolic basis for the complex interactions of hypertension with obesity and insulin resistance, and it assesses the clinical evidence for an impact of weight loss and insulin‐sensitizing treatment on blood pressure. Awareness of these pathophysiologic interrelations and their implications for treatment are likely to be of increasing importance for successful blood pressure management.
Differentiation of the Self and Posttraumatic Symptomatology Among ex‐POWs and Their Wives
Authors: Solomon Zahava , Dekel Rachel , Zerach Gadi , Horesh Danny
Published: December 2008

War captivity is a highly traumatic experience which sometimes has deleterious effects on both ex‐POWs and their wives. This study examined the relationships between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and differentiation among male ex‐prisoners of war (ex‐POWs;n = 103), their wives (n = 82), and comparable controls. Results show that ex‐POWs and their wives endorsed more PTSD symptoms than controls. Ex‐POWs endorsed more cut‐off and fusion than controls, while their wives endorsed only more fusion than control wives. Finally, the relationship between differentiation and PTSD was found to be stronger among ex‐POW couples than among control couples. The unique characteristics of war captivity and the relationships between avoidance symptoms and cut‐off were suggested as possible explanations.
Facilitated Disclosure versus Clinical Accommodation of Infidelity Secrets: An Early Pivot Point in Couple Therapy. Part 1: Couple Relationship Ethics, Pragmatics, and Attachment
Authors: Butler Mark H. , Harper James M. , Seedall Ryan B.
Published: December 2008

A critical and potentially polarizing decision in treating infidelity is whether facilitating partner disclosure or accommodating nondisclosure is most beneficial following private disclosure of infidelity to the therapist. Given couple distress and volatility following disclosure, understandably some therapists judge accommodating an infidelity secret both efficient and compassionate. Employing Western ethics and an attachment/intimacy lens, we consider ethical, pragmatic, and attachment intimacy implications of accommodating infidelity secrets. Issues bearing on the decision to facilitate disclosure or accommodate nondisclosure include (a) relationship ethics and pragmatics; (b) attachment and intimacy consequences; and (c) prospects for healing. We conclude that facilitating voluntary disclosure of infidelity, although difficult and demanding, represents the most ethical action with the best prospects for renewed and vital attachment intimacy.
Assessing Effectiveness of National Flood Policy Through Spatiotemporal Monitoring of Socioeconomic Exposure1
Authors: Patterson Lauren A. , Doyle Martin W.
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  After a century of evolving flood policies, there has been a steady increase in flood losses, which has partly been driven by development in flood prone areas. National flood policy was revised in 1994 to focus on limiting and reducing the amount of development inside the 100‐year floodplain, with the goal of decreasing flood losses, which can be measured and quantified in terms of population and property value inside the 100‐year floodplain. Monitoring changes in these measurable indicators can inform where and how effective national floodplain management strategies have been. National flood policies are restricted to the spatial extent of the 100‐year floodplain, thus there are no development regulations to protect against flooding adjacent to this boundary. No consistent monitoring has been undertaken to examine the effect of flood policy on development immediately outside the 100‐year floodplain. We developed a standardized methodology, which leveraged national data to quantify changes in population and building tax value (exposure). We applied this approach to counties in North Carolina to assess (1) temporal changes, before and after the 1994 policy and (2) spatial changes, inside and adjacent to the 100‐year floodplain. Temporal results indicate the Piedmont and Mountain Region had limited success at reducing exposure within the 100‐year floodplain, while the Coastal Plain successfully reduced exposure. Spatially, there was a significant increase in exposure immediately outside the 100‐year floodplain throughout North Carolina. The lack of consistent monitoring has resulted in the continuation of this unintended consequence, which could be a significant driver of increased flood losses as any flood even slightly higher than the 100‐year floodplain will have a disproportionately large impact since development is outside the legal boundary of national flood policy.
Optimization of Fin Performance in a Laminar Channel Flow Through Dimpled Surfaces
Authors: Silva Carlos , Park Doseo , Marotta Egidio (Ed) , Fletcher Leroy (Skip)
Published: January 2009

The effect of the dimple shape and orientation on the heat transfer coefficient of a vertical fin surface was determined both numerically and experimentally. The investigation focused on the laminar channel flow between fins, with a Re=500 and 1000. Numerical simulations were performed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics code to analyze optimum configurations, and then an experimental investigation was conducted on flat and dimpled surfaces for comparison purposes. Numerical results indicated that oval dimples with their “long” axis oriented perpendicular to the direction of the flow offered the best thermal improvement, hence the overall Nusselt number increased up to 10.6% for the dimpled surface. Experimental work confirmed these results with a wall-averaged temperature reduction of up to 3.7K, which depended on the heat load and the Reynolds number. Pressure losses due to the dimple patterning were also briefly explored numerically in this work.
Modeling of Solids and Gas Mixing Effects in Large-Scale CFB Combustors
Authors: Luecke Karsten , Hartge Ernst-Ulrich , Werther Joachim
Published: January 2009

In a CFB combustor the reacting solids are locally fed into the combustion chamber. These reactants have to be dispersed across the reactor’s cross-sectional area. Since the rate of mixing is limited this leads to a mal-distribution of the reactants and to locally varying reaction conditions. In order to describe the influence of mixing a three-dimensional model of the combustion chamber is suggested here. The model is divided into three sub-topics. First, the flow structure in terms of local gas and solids velocities and solids volume concentrations is described. Second, mixing of the solids and the gas phase has to be quantified by defining dispersion coefficients, and finally the combustion process itself, i.e. the reaction kinetics, has to be modeled. Employing the information of the three sub-models mass balances for the reactants at each finite control volume inside the CFB combustion chamber can be formulated. The model was validated against data from measurements in the large-scale combustor of Chalmers University of Technology in Go¨teborg/Sweden. Concentration gradients concerning the char phase are only moderate. However, the spatial distribution of the oxygen shows strong non-uniformities, especially under conditions of staged combustion. In further predictive calculations, the influence of the fuel supply arrangement on the emissions of industrial sized CFB boilers was studied. Furthermore, the influence of the fuel composition on the feeding technique has been examined. High volatile fuels tend to form plumes of unburned hydrocarbons near the fuel feed point, and might therefore need more feed points per square meter cross-section area. Since the average gas residence time in the primary cyclone of a CFB plant is about 30–40% of the total gas residence time, a considerable burn-off of not completely oxidized gas species may occur here. An effectively used cyclone may remedy to a certain extent the negative impacts of incomplete mixing in the combustion chamber.
Hydration of Partially Sulphated CFBC Ash With Saturated Steam
Authors: Wu Yinghai , Anthony Edward J. , Jia Lufei
Published: January 2009

The hydration of partially sulphated fluidized bed combustion (FBC) ash with saturated steam was carried out in the laboratory. The ash samples were obtained from a commercial-scale 165 MWe circulating fluidized bed combustor (CFBC) firing a petroleum coke and coal blend. Both bottom ash and fly ash were tested, and in addition the bottom ash was also separated into five size fractions and tested. These solid streams and the “as-received” fly ashes were hydrated by steam produced in a pressure bomb for different lengths of time at different saturated temperatures. Samples of the ashes were analyzed for free lime and calcium hydroxide content before and after the hydration process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray system (EDX) was employed to determine physical characteristics of the samples. X-ray diffractograms (XRD) were also used to determine the phase composition. These results show that after hydration treatment with saturated steam at elevated pressures, the unreacted CaO in the partially sulphated material can be quantitatively converted to Ca(OH)2. However, the free lime content is also observed to change throughout the hydration process, which indicates that the hydration of CaO is not the only reaction occurring in this system. It is also clear that for fines, i.e., fly ash and <75 μm size fraction bottom ash, the effectiveness of the hydration depends much more strongly on hydration time and temperature than for coarser ashes and it is also clear that the behaviour of each particle size fraction is different.
A Discussion of the Temperature Maximum for Sulfur Capture Efficiency in Fluidized Bed Combustion Systems
Authors: Wang Jinsheng , Anthony Edward J.
Published: January 2009

For over 20 years, it has been known that there is a sulfur capture maximum around 850°C for limestone sorbents in FBC systems, albeit that this maximum appears to depend both on the characteristics of the FBC unit and the sorbent itself. Numerous explanations have been given for the temperature maximum at higher temperatures, including reducing reaction of CaSO4 with CO, sintering of sorbent particles which results in lower porosity and surface area. Other explanations include equilibrium between SO2 and SO3 with higher temperatures reducing the availability of SO3 for reaction with CaO, blocked sorbent pores at higher temperatures, and depletion of oxygen in the dense phase of the bed at higher temperatures. The most plausible explanation is that the temperature maximum results from a competition between sulfation and reduction of the sorbent, with reduction becoming more important at higher temperatures. Clear elucidation of the factors that affect the temperature dependence and an explicit relationship for the temperature maximum ought to permit improvements in sulfur capture efficiency to be achieved. Currently, no explicit relation appears to exist, and hence we provide an analysis for the temperature maximum based on the competition between sulfation and reduction, and derive an expression for the sulfur capture efficiency as a function of gas composition, sorbent residence time and apparent reaction rate coefficients, all of which are dependent on temperature. The expression relates operation conditions and sorbent activity to the temperature maximum, and may serve as a stepping-stone for future studies in this area.
Heat Transfer in a Simulated Downer Entrance
Authors: Wang Jieguang , Yao Jianzhong , Lin Weigang
Published: January 2009

Heat transfer experiments were performed in a reactor, which was built to simulate the mixing between particles and particles in the entrance zone of a downer reactor being applied in the ‘coal topping process’ developed at Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Superficial heat transfer coefficients were measured with a ball probe. The experimental results show that the heat transfer coefficient increases with the bed temperature and the solid holdup, and decreases with the diameter of bed materials. A semi-empirical heat transfer coefficient correlation was obtained based on dimensionless analysis, taking into account the effect of the important operating parameters under simulated downer entrance conditions. The results calculated from the correlation show a fair agreement with the experimental data. The correlation was applied to estimate the heating rate of the coal particles used in a bench scale experimental apparatus for studying the coal topping process.
Factorial Analysis on the 2-D Transient Solid Velocity in Fluidized Bed Combustor
Authors: Lee Seong W. , Liu Yun
Published: January 2009

The transient solid velocity analysis in fluidized bed combustor (FBC) freeboard has been critical in the past two decades (Haidin et al 1998). The FBC cold model (6-in ID) was designed and fabricated. The solid transient velocity in FBC freeboard was measured and analyzed with the assistance of the advanced instrumentation. The laser-based Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was applied to the FBC cold model to visualize the transient solid velocity. A series of transient particle velocity profiles were generated for factorial analysis. In each profile, the particle velocity vectors for 100 position points were in the format of Vx and Vy. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significant factors that affect the transient particle velocities, time, and position coordinates. Then, the 1010factorial design method was used to develop a specific empirical model of transient particle velocity in FBC freeboard which was in the shape of Vx = f1(t, x, y), and Vy = f2(t, x, y). This unique factorial analysis method was proved to be very effective and practical to evaluate the experimental conditions and analyze the experimental results in FBC systems.
Fuel Cells: What’s Up Next?
Authors: Hemmes Kas
Published: January 2009

Fuel cells are defined as devices that convert chemical energy into heat and electric power. However, depending on their type, fuel cells have special features that can be used advantageously in for instance the chemical process industry of which examples will be given. Nevertheless these new applications use existing fuel cells like the MCFC. This is very exiting and many new possibilities are yet to be explored. However there is no principle reason why we should limit fuel cell technology to present types and the well known fuels like hydrogen, methane and methanol and air as oxidant. Recently interest in the direct conversion of carbon as a fuel has revived which has led to the development of a DCFC (direct carbon fuel cell) based on MCFC technology. Lawrence Livermore National Lab has demonstrated the DCFC successfully on a bench scale size. Also H2S is considered as a fuel. Further ahead opportunities are to be explored by replacing exothermic reaction in the chemical process industry such as partial oxidation reactions by their electrochemical counterpart. Thereby electricity is generated instead of excessive waste heat. Now that fuel cell technology is getting mature we can think of adopting this technology in new dedicated fuel cell types, with relatively short development trajectories, for application in totally new fields where electricity may just be a by-product.
Review of Optical Properties for Lambertian Diffusers in Solar Energy Application
Authors: Neumann Andreas , Schmitt Gregor
Published: January 2009

The measurement of concentrated solar radiation is often done by using the Lambertian target and video camera technique. With these instruments the recording of two-dimensional flux maps is performed by moving a white and diffuse reflecting target into the beam and taking an image of the reflection pattern with the camera. Many of the present and past instruments are based on this principle, e.g. for analyzing dish, tower, or solar furnace performance. The method relies on white, temperature resistant target materials with good Lambertian scattering properties. Solid ceramic material, powder coatings (alumina, magnesia), or other kinds of paints may be used. Recently, Lambertian transmitting diffusers have also found application. The investigations reported in the paper revealed that many of the tested samples show good diffuse reflection and transmission properties. Only a flat PTFE sheet and two white temperature resistant paints show a distinct directional reflectance component or a higher deviation from Lambertian property. In transmission, a pronounced directional component is shown by an etched glass plate. As mainly all of the coatings or solid materials were selected with respect to sufficient thermal stability, the good Lambertian diffusers are able to meet the requirements of high flux density measurement.