bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning, planning, and control for quadruped locomotion over challenging terrain
Authors: Kalakrishnan Mrinal , Buchli Jonas , Pastor Peter , Mistry Michael , Schaal Stefan
Published: November 2010

We present a control architecture for fast quadruped locomotion over rough terrain. We approach the problem by decomposing it into many sub-systems, in which we apply state-of-the-art learning, planning, optimization, and control techniques to achieve robust, fast locomotion. Unique features of our control strategy include: (1) a system that learns optimal foothold choices from expert demonstration using terrain templates , (2) a body trajectory optimizer based on the Zero-Moment Point (ZMP) stability criterion, and (3) a floating-base inverse dynamics controller that, in conjunction with force control, allows for robust, compliant locomotion over unperceived obstacles. We evaluate the performance of our controller by testing it on the LittleDog quadruped robot, over a wide variety of rough terrains of varying difficulty levels. The terrain that the robot was tested on includes rocks, logs, steps, barriers, and gaps, with obstacle sizes up to the leg length of the robot. We demonstrate the generalization ability of this controller by presenting results from testing performed by an independent external test team on terrain that has never been shown to us.
Evaluation of Transtibial Double-Bundle Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using a Single-Sling Method With a Tibialis Anterior Allograft
Authors: Min Byoung-Hyun , Lee Yong Seuk , Lee Yu Sang , Jin Cheng Zhe , Son Kwang-Hyun
Published: November 2010

Background: The authors devised a double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction technique in combination with a single-sling method. However, the double-bundle technique needs more simplicity and a decreased possibility of failure.

Hypothesis: A novel surgical technique of transtibial double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a single-sling method with a tibialis anterior allograft, previously introduced, produces satisfactory results.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: Twenty-one patients who underwent double-bundle transtibial isolated posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a single-sling method between July 2003 and September 2007 were enrolled in this study. The exclusion criteria applied were (1) a multiligamentous injury, (2) posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction previously performed using another technique, and (3) the presence of any additional injury capable of affecting knee stability. The Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) knee scales were used for the clinical outcome evaluation. Stability was evaluated using a KT-2000 arthrometer. The evaluation was performed by comparing preoperative and last follow-up results.

Results: Nineteen men and 2 women were enrolled, with a mean follow-up of 49.2 months (range, 25-73 months). The mean Lysholm score was 53 ± 5.3 (range, 34-68) preoperatively and improved to 83.5 ± 13 (range, 61-97) at the last follow-up after surgery ( P < .001). The IKDC score also improved from preoperative (0 A, 0 B, 7 C, 14 D) to final follow-up (8 A, 9 B, 3 C, 1 D; P < .001). Mean side-to-side difference in posterior translation, measured using the KT-2000 arthrometer, was 13.5 ± 1.2 mm preoperatively and 3.4 ± 0.8 mm at last follow-up evaluations (mean 51.7 months postoperatively).

Conclusion: After follow-up for longer than 24 months, the transtibial double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a single sling was found to produce satisfactory clinical and stability results, which indicates that the described technique should be viewed as a viable alternative.
Emotions Contests and Reflexivity in the News: Examining Discourse on Youth Crime in Canada
Authors: Adorjan Michael C.
Published: November 2010

The author explores how three Canadian newspapers address appropriate reactions to youth crime during the 1990s. While recent scholarship has emphasized the ways in which moral panics have become more complexly represented within mass media, the author pays attention to how such representational tactics are played out, drawing particular attention to emotional reactions to youth crime. Comparing and contrasting regional and national, as well as tabloid versus broadsheet newspapers, the author draws attention to “emotions contests,” which are closely related to victim contests over young offender culpability and identity. Emotions contests occur where emotional reactions to social problems become, themselves, the source of contention. News reflexivity is a central feature of these articles, whereby references to “the media’s” representational strategies are often espoused through the media themselves. The author suggests areas for advancement of constructionist analyses of emotions discourses in relation to social problems debates.
Effect of montmorillonite content in nanocomposites of segmented polyurethanes with poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) sequences
Authors: David Geta , Simionescu Bogdan C. , Ibanescu Sorin , Vearba Felicia
Published: November 2010

A series of polyurethane/montmorillonite (PU/MMT) nanocomposites, based on poly(tetramethyleneglycol) (PTMG), α,ω-dihydroxylated poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) (PROZO), [4,4’-methylenebis-(phenyl isocyanate)] (MDI) or [4,4’-methylenebis-(cyclohexyl isocyanate)] (H12MDI) and montmorillonite (MMT), were investigated. The amount of added clay ranged from 3 up to 10% by weight. The influence of the MMT weight fraction in the polymer matrix on the morphology and thermal, dynamic mechanical and tensile properties was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometry, differential scanning callorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic—mechanical analysis. The results of the investigations were used to rank the nanocomposites according to their properties in relation to the polyurethane matrix structure and MMT content. It was evidenced that the silicate layers were preferentially, but not exclusively, attracted to the hydrophilic polar PROZO domains, their level of dispersion being controlled through specific intermolecular interactions and the filler loading amount. Introducing clay in the polyurethane matrix resulted in an increase of both tensile strength and thermal stability. Their non-monotonic dependence on clay content was explained by considering that concomitant and contrasting effects develop as the clay amount increases: an improvement of the filler—matrix interactions and a reduction of the matrix labile physical crosslinking degree by hydrogen bonding coupled with a lower dispersion homogeneity. For high inorganic filler amount aggregated clay particles together with regions with mixture of exfoliated and intercalated morphologies were revealed.
Dielectric properties of castor oil cross-linked polyurethane
Authors: Oprea Stefan , Potolinca Otilia , Oprea Veronica
Published: November 2010

A series of polyurethanes cross-linked with castor oil were synthesized and the influence of the polyurethane chemical structure on molecular relaxations in such systems was determined. Three different castor oil rates were used in the synthesis of the cross-linked polyurethane chains. These cross-linked polyurethanes were compared with a linear polyurethane which was obtained by chain extension with 1,4-butane diol. The dielectric properties and relaxation phenomena of the polyurethane were studied as a function of the hard segment structure and cross-linker content as structural variables and frequency and temperature as experimental variables. It was found that the formation of hydrogen bonds between urethane groups of physical networks may control the molecular mobility, but the chemical nature and content of the cross-links of the hard segments strongly influences the molecular relaxation. The relaxation peaks were observed in the temperature range of -65 to 60°C for polyurethane with different cross-linked segment contents, peaks which shifted to high temperature with the increase in frequency.
Studies on thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of organoclay filled azomethine modified epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Vengatesan M.R. , Devaraju S. , Alagar M.
Published: November 2010

Inter cross-linked networks of organoclay-filled, azomethine-modified epoxy nanocomposites have been developed. Two types of azomethine epoxies (AE1 and AE2) incorporated into diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin with varying percentages (5, 10 and 15%) were cured with diamine diphenyl methane (DDM). The azomethine epoxies were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The incorporation of azomethine epoxies into DGEBA epoxy resin improved both thermal and mechanical properties to an appreciable extent. The introduction of organoclay into DGEBA epoxy resin exhibited almost similar characteristics to that of the azomethine-modified DGEBA epoxy resin. Both azomethine epoxy and organoclay have been incorporated into DGEBA epoxy resin in order to improve the thermal and mechanical properties in comparing other modified epoxies. The glass transition temperature and thermal degradation temperature of azomethine-modified epoxies, organoclay-filled epoxy and organoclay-filled azomethine-modified DGEBA epoxies were determined by using differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis. The mechanical properties, namely the tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of the resultant nanocomposites were studied as per ASTM standards. X-ray diffraction studies of the cured nanocomposites indicate that the organophillic montmorillonite clay was exfoliated into the cured product. The homogeneous morphology of azomethine-modified DGEBA epoxy and organoclay-filled azomethine-modified epoxy were ascertained by scanning electron microscopy.
Telling stories without the words: ‘Tightrope talk’ in women’s accounts of coming to live well after rape or depression
Authors: McKenzie-Mohr Suzanne , Lafrance Michelle N
Published: November 2010

Narratives and language available within a cultural context reflect and reify power structures that are reproduced in everyday social interactions. In this article, we explore the narrative challenges and possibilities that emerged in our respective research programmes with women who have faced depression or rape. These experiences are, at least in part, products of patriarchy and are regulated by hegemonic discourses that individualize and depoliticize women’s experiences. In our studies, we faced significant challenges of conducting research when dominant narratives fail the storytellers, and came to understand these as products of what Marjorie DeVault has termed ‘linguistic incongruence’. We examine women’s attempts to negotiate the telling of their stories without adequate language and framings, and our attempts to listen carefully to the emergence of counterstories. We introduce the notion of ‘tightrope talk’ to refer to participants’ attempts to make meaning of their experiences, as they negotiate both agency and blame in ways that dominant narratives fail to do. We conclude by discussing the potential dangers of these efforts.
Body politicking and the phenomenon of ‘passing’
Authors: Medina Jameelah X
Published: November 2010

The author takes a transdisciplinary approach to the study of body politics. She careens through topics of feminism, religion, social capital, stigma, heteronormativity, whiteness, colorblind racism in her discussion of access and acceptance granted or denied. This access and acceptance are based upon how the female bodies of two women are perceived differently in the same setting, although neither woman is part of mainstream society. Using a journey with a colleague to juxtapose visible otherness from hidden otherness, the author discusses the phenomenon of ‘‘passing.’’
Negotiating oppositions and uncertainties: Gendered conflicts in creative identity work
Authors: Taylor Stephanie
Published: November 2010

Work in the contemporary creative industries has been celebrated for offering freedom and fulfilment. An alternative interpretation is that the creative worker can be party to her own exploitation, tolerating precariousness employment and uncertain rewards for love of the work. This article explores the problems of creative working for women, looking beyond the practical difficulties of reconciling precarity and parenting responsibilities. It investigates gendered conflicts around creative identities and contemporary feminine subjectification through a narrative-discursive analysis of interview material. The article argues that for women creatives the promise of self-actualization through creative work is countered by conflicts arising from an ‘other-directedness’ that is part of a more conventional feminine identity.
H-FABP in cases of carbon monoxide intoxication admitted to the emergency room
Authors: Açıkalın Ayça , Satar Salim , Sebe Ahmet , Köse Ataman , Akpınar Onur
Published: November 2010

Introduction: Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication causes cardiovascular problems as a result of diffuse tissue hypoxia. Cardiac biochemical markers and electrocardiographic changes have been reported in CO intoxications. Human fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) has been recently used as a reliable marker in identifying early cardiac damage. In this prospective study, we aimed to investigate the advantages of the use of H-FABP, in evaluating the findings of myocardial ischemia in patients with CO intoxication in our region. Methods: Twenty four successive patients admitted to the emergency department with acute CO intoxication were included in our study. Serum traditional markers and H-FABP were also taken in the earliest period for evaluation of cardiac damage. Results: The creatinine kinase MB (CKMB) levels were positive in 11 of the patients; however, H-FABP and troponin T levels were positive in only 3 of them. One of these subjects had elevated level of H-FABP in the short-term and increasing troponin T level increasing level of troponin T during the follow-up period. Conclusion: The obtained data supports the use of H-FABP, a specific indicator in identifying the cardiotoxicity of CO intoxications at an early phase.
Gender-related difference in liver injury induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L. rhizome in mice
Authors: Wang Junming , Liang Qingning , Ji Lili , Liu Hai , Wang Changhong , Wang Zhengtao
Published: November 2010

The present study was undertaken to investigate the gender-related liver injury induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L. (DB), a traditional medicinal plant, in mice, and further explored its hepatotoxic chemical compound. Serum and liver tissue samples were collected at 0, 4, 8, 12 h, after mice were administrated orally with 640 mg/kg ethyl acetate extracts (EF) isolated from DB. After treatments, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities were both significantly elevated. Liver lipid peroxidation (LPO) level increased, while glutathione amounts, glutathione- S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities all decreased in the time-dependent manner. Further analysis demonstrated that ALT and AST activities in female mice were significantly lower than those in male. Meanwhile, liver glutathione amounts and CAT activity in female mice after giving EF for 12 h were both higher than those in male. Further, comparing the liver injury induced by Diosbulbin B isolated from DB with that induced by EF on the basis of chemical analysis for the amounts of Diosbulbin B in EF of DB, we found that Diosbulbin B could be the main hepatotoxic chemical compound in DB. Taken together, our results show that DB can induce gender-related liver oxidative stress injury in mice, and its main hepatotoxic chemical compound is Diosbulbin B, for the first time.
Novel platinum-N-heterocyclic carbene complex is more cardiotoxic than cis-platin in rats
Authors: Ciftci Osman , Ozdemir Ilknur , Vardi Nigar , Gurbuz Nevin
Published: November 2010

Cis-platin and other platinum complexes are important chemotherapeutic agents useful in the treatment of several cancers. However, therapeutic usage of cis-platin and other platinum complex are limited by their undesirable side effects including cardiotoxicity. In this context, we aimed to compare the damage caused in heart by cis-platin and novel platinum- N-heterocyclic carbene (Pt-NHC) complex. For this purpose, 35 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into five equal groups ( n = 7 for each group). Cis-platin and novel Pt-NHC complex were intraperitoneally administered at a single dose of 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg and then sacrificed 10 days after this treatment. The heart tissues were taken from all rats for determination of oxidative and myocardial damage. Cis-platin and novel Pt-NHC complex caused oxidative and histological damage in the heart tissue in a dose-dependent manner ( p < 0.05). On the other hand, at the same dose levels, cis-platin caused lower oxidative and histological damage in heart tissue compared to novel Pt-NHC complex. These results suggest that novel Pt-NHC complex is more cardiotoxic than cis-platin.
On model selection and model misspecification in causal inference
Authors: Vansteelandt Stijn , Bekaert Maarten , Claeskens Gerda
Published: November 2010

Standard variable selection procedures, primarily developed for the construction of outcome prediction models, are routinely applied when assessing exposure effects in observational studies. We argue that this tradition is sub-optimal and prone to yield bias in exposure effect estimators as well as their corresponding uncertainty estimators. We weigh the pros and cons of confounder-selection procedures and propose a procedure directly targeting the quality of the exposure effect estimator. We further demonstrate that certain strategies for inferring causal effects have the desirable features (a) of producing (approximately) valid confidence intervals, even when the confounder-selection process is ignored, and (b) of being robust against certain forms of misspecification of the association of confounders with both exposure and outcome.
Access to Primary Care From the Perspective of Aboriginal Patients at an Urban Emergency Department
Authors: Browne Annette J. , Smye Victoria L. , Rodney Patricia , Tang Sannie Y. , Mussell Bill , O'Neil John
Published: November 2010

In this article, we discuss findings from an ethnographic study in which we explored experiences of access to primary care services from the perspective of Aboriginal people seeking care at an emergency department (ED) located in a large Canadian city. Data were collected over 20 months of immersion in the ED, and included participant observation and in-depth interviews with 44 patients triaged as stable and nonurgent, most of whom were living in poverty and residing in the inner city. Three themes in the findings are discussed: (a) anticipating providers’ assumptions; (b) seeking help for chronic pain; and (c) use of the ED as a reflection of social suffering. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the role of the ED as well as the broader primary care sector in responding to the needs of patients affected by poverty, racialization, and other forms of disadvantage.
Conflict Policing: Policing in a Time of War
Authors: Hill J.B.
Published: November 2010

Violent conflict, within countries and internationally, is a significant factor in many justice issues, most notably policing. Yet, despite this importance, there has been relatively little research into the policing issues that arise in relation to conflict and none that look at police behavior during conflict. This article examines the current literature on conflict and the justice issues surrounding it and suggests a realignment of research to specifically address the strong relationship between conflict, crime, and policing. The resulting research agenda, an area defined as ‘‘Conflict Policing,’’ is outlined and ways forward are suggested.
Do Past U.S. Acts Constitute Terrorism? Implications for Counterterrorism Policy
Authors: Lankford Adam
Published: November 2010

Internationally, there are more than 100 different definitions of terrorism, and even within the U.S. government, there are multiple standards. This lack of consistency has helped fuel a heated debate between the West and Islamic extremists about who is truly terrorizing whom. This article evaluates charges that several past U.S. acts constitute terrorism and makes specific recommendations for how the current administration should address this problematic issue in order to increase U.S. legitimacy worldwide and help it win the war of ideas. It appears that the best approach may be for leaders to admit that the United States has engaged in terrorist-like behavior in the past, but condemn such actions as unfortunate and vow that they will not be repeated. This strategy would be similar to the President’s public statements regarding past acts of U.S. torture, and would still allow for significant differences between the United States and terrorist organizations in their respect for international humanitarian law.
Support for the Death Penalty in Developing Democracies: A Binational Comparative Case Study
Authors: Brown Ben , Benedict Wm. Reed , Buckler Kevin
Published: November 2010

To assess support for the death penalty in Mexico and South Korea, surveys were administered to students at institutions of higher education. The majority of respondents in Mexico (52.3%) and South Korea (60.8%) supported the death penalty. Given that the Mexican and South Korean governments have histories of using criminal justice agencies to suppress democratic reform, the high level of support for the death penalty indicates that a history of authoritarian governance may not inculcate widespread opposition to the punishment. Concomitantly, regression analyses of the data indicate that beliefs about the treatment afforded to criminal suspects do not significantly affect support for capital punishment. Contrary to research conducted in the United States, which has consistently shown support for capital punishment is lower among females than among males, regression analyses of the data show that gender has no impact on support for the death penalty; findings that call for a reexamination of the thesis that the gender gap in support for the death penalty in the United States is the result of a patriarchal social structure.
Examining the Factor Structure and Discriminant Validity of the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) Among Spanish Postpartum Women
Authors: Aguado Jaume , Campbell Alistair , Ascaso Carlos , Navarro Purificación , Garcia-Esteve Lluïsa , Luciano Juan V.
Published: November 2010

In this study, the authors tested alternative factor models of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in a sample of Spanish postpartum women, using confirmatory factor analysis. The authors report the results of modeling three different methods for scoring the GHQ-12 using estimation methods recommended for categorical and binary data. A discriminant function analysis was also performed to test the utility of a multiple factor model. A two-phase cross-sectional study was designed: (a) 1,453 women visiting at 6 weeks postpartum completed the GHQ-12 and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire and (b) based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale outcomes, participants were stratified and randomly selected within each stratum for clinical evaluation. Using the Likert-type scoring approach, Hankins’s one-factor model with “method effects” obtained the best fit. In addition, Graetz’s three-factor model provided little discrimination between diagnostic groups, the factors being highly correlated. These results support the presence of only one latent factor in the GHQ-12.
Parent and Child Agreement on Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Using the DISC Predictive Scales
Authors: Weems Carl F. , Feaster Daniel J. , Horigian Viviana E. , Robbins Michael S.
Published: November 2010

Growing recognition of the negative impact of anxiety disorders in the lives of youth has made their identification an important clinical task. Multiple perspective assessment (e.g., parents, children) is generally considered a preferred method in the assessment of anxiety disorder symptoms, although it has been generally thought that disagreement between parent and youth ratings of the child’s emotions is common. This study examined parent and child reports of the child’s anxiety disorder symptoms using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children—Predictive Scales (DISC-PS) in a clinic-referred sample of substance using adolescents. Parents and adolescents ( N = 480) who were referred for substance abuse treatment were screened for anxiety disorder symptoms using the DISC-PS at pretreatment. Results suggest similar (low) levels of agreement between the parent report and child report versions as found with other anxiety symptom and anxiety disorder measures. Findings provide data on multi-informant agreement and highlight issues in the use of the DISC-PS to identify anxiety problems in youth.
The Essential Role of Epstein-Barr Virus in the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Pender Michael P.
Published: November 2010

There is increasing evidence that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS. This article provides a four-tier hypothesis proposing (1) EBV infection is essential for the development of MS; (2) EBV causes MS in genetically susceptible individuals by infecting autoreactive B cells, which seed the CNS where they produce pathogenic autoantibodies and provide costimulatory survival signals to autoreactive T cells that would otherwise die in the CNS by apoptosis; (3) the susceptibility to develop MS after EBV infection is dependent on a genetically determined quantitative deficiency of the cytotoxic CD8+ T cells that normally keep EBV infection under tight control; and (4) sunlight and vitamin D protect against MS by increasing the number of CD8+ T cells available to control EBV infection. The hypothesis makes predictions that can be tested, including the prevention and successful treatment of MS by controlling EBV infection.
Validity of the displacement dependent semi-active hydraulic damper used in a structure
Authors: Sui Chung-huan , Go Cheer-germ , Shih Ming-hsiang , Sung Wen-pei
Published: November 2010

In structural engineering, the damping device is the best way to equip the structure for resisting earthquakes. The newly developed displacement dependent semi-active hydraulic damper (DSHD) is a kind of hydraulic damper to reduce the structural response. The DSHD is a fixture connecting the brace and the structure. At a seismic loading, the DSHD is functioned to dissipate the energy at the transition of bracing from the tensile constraint to the compressive constraint or in reverse. When a structure suffers a large seismic excitation, the overflow function is triggered to prevent the failure of a bracing member. That is, at the stress in the linked brace reaching a certain value, it will start the opening of the overflow valve maintaining an aptotic pressure for confining the bracing deformation within the design value. This DSHD provides availability for resisting excessive vibration in the structural design. In this paper, the analysis modeling is set up for simulating the nonlinear behavior of DSHD. The performance of DSHD is investigated in the nonlinear analysis for seismic evaluation.
Effect of cascade methods on vibration defects detection
Authors: Chiementin X. , Kilundu B. , Dron J.P. , Dehombreux P. , Debray K.
Published: November 2010

Within the framework of monitoring rotating machines, vibration analysis remains an effective tool for fault detection. This analysis generally consists of measuring acceleration signals from critical and judiciously chosen points of a machine with the help of piezoelectric sensors. However, relevant information concerning the machine health can be masked by disturbances such as noise. The detection reliability will then be conditioned directly by the quality of the collected signal. Signal preprocessing methods, in particular denoising methods, can significantly improve the detection quality in terms of reliability. In this paper we aim to compare two methods of denoising based on signal spectral content analysis: discrete wavelet transform and empirical mode decomposition. A first study is carried out in order to optimize specific parameters related to each of the two methods, starting from experimental data obtained on degraded bearings. In fact for each parameter, one has to define conditions which allow the best detection of periodic pulses in vibration signals thanks to indicators such as kurtosis and crest factor. The second study consists of assessing the effectiveness of each denoising method on a vibration signal measured on a failed bearing. This signal is then disturbed by various noises simulated with variable levels. This study aims to show the effectiveness of each of these two methods on the early detection of impulse defects.
Vibration and sound radiation from submerged finite cylindrical shells reinforced with axially periodic stiffeners
Authors: Liao Chang-Jiang , Jiang Wei-Kang , Hao Duan  , Yun Wang
Published: November 2010

Based on modal analysis, an approximate analytic method is developed to study sound radiation characteristics of a finite submerged axial periodically stiffened cylindrical shell excited by radial harmonic forces. Supposing axial stiffeners interact on the cylindrical shell only through normal forces, the formula for calculating the additional impedance of axial stiffeners is derived. So, the axial stiffeners reaction force on a shell can be expressed by additional impedance. The approximate solutions are derived for the vibration and sound radiation from an axially-stiffened finite cylindrical immersed in acoustic fluid, in the expression of which additional impedance due to the axial stiffeners will appear in the coupled vibration equation of the shell. As a result, the vibration and sound radiation of the shell are dependent on the mechanical impedance of the shell, the radiation sound impedance and the additional impedance of the axial stiffeners. Based on the numerical simulation, the characteristics of the acoustic radiation and radial quadratic velocity on the surface of the shell and the influence of different parameters on the results are investigated, respectively. It is found that the axial stiffener number has just a slight influence on radiated sound power, whereas structural damping has a great influence on radiated power and radial quadratic velocity on the surface of the shell. This study can give some guidelines for noise reduction of this kind of shell.
Measuring Shared Inefficiency Between Hospital Cost Centers
Authors: Murphy Sean M. , Rosenman Robert , McPherson Matthew Q. , Friesner Daniel L.
Published: November 2010

In this article, a combination of data envelopment analysis, spreadsheet modeling and regression techniques is applied to a panel of nonprofit Washington State hospitals in an effort to determine whether (and if so, to what extent) inefficiency in one hospital cost center is shared with inefficiency in other cost centers. The findings suggest that a significant amount of inefficiency is shared across hospital cost centers. The authors further determine that certain cost centers contribute more to the overall performance of a given hospital than others. As such, managerial decisions and government policies designed to enhance hospital efficiency should be implemented differently, depending on the characteristics of the hospital in question.
Translating Frontiers Into Practice: Taking the Next Steps Toward Improving Hospital Efficiency
Authors: Mutter Ryan L. , Rosko Michael D. , Greene William H. , Wilson Paul W.
Published: November 2010

Frontier techniques, including data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), have been used to measure health care provider efficiency in hundreds of published studies. Although these methods have the potential to be useful to decision makers, their utility is limited by both methodological questions concerning their application, as well as some disconnect between the information they provide and the insight sought by decision makers. The articles in this special issue focus on the application of DEA and SFA to hospitals with the hope of making these techniques more accurate and accessible to end users. This introduction to the special issue highlights the importance of measuring the efficiency of health care providers, provides a background on frontier techniques, contains an overview of the articles in the special issue, and suggests a research agenda for DEA and SFA.
Guilty Pleasure or Pleasurable Guilt? Affective Experience of Impulse Buying in Hedonic-Driven Consumption
Authors: Miao Li
Published: November 2010

Consumption of hospitality products and services is often driven by hedonic motivations. However, the affective aspect of consumption experience is not well understood in the current hospitality literature. This study explores consumers’ dynamic affective experience in a particular consumption situation—impulse buying. Results of this experimental study suggest that impulse buying leads to a state of cognitive and affective ambivalence. Specifically, cognitive ambivalence (the tension between beliefs about self-indulgence and beliefs about self-control) is positively related to affective ambivalence (a mixed feeling of positive and negative affect). Affective ambivalence is linked to consumers’ normative evaluation of impulse purchases. The results suggest that affective ambivalence manifests itself in two subtly but qualitatively different affective states: “guilty pleasure” and “pleasurable guilt.” Important managerial implications of the findings are also discussed.
A Systematic Review of Theory-Driven Evaluation Practice From 1990 to 2009
Authors: Coryn Chris L. S. , Noakes Lindsay A. , Westine Carl D. , Schröter Daniela C.
Published: November 2010

Although the general conceptual basis appeared far earlier, theory-driven evaluation came to prominence only a few decades ago with the appearance of Chen’s 1990 book Theory-Driven Evaluations. Since that time, the approach has attracted many supporters as well as detractors. In this paper, 45 cases of theory-driven evaluations, published over a twenty-year period, are systematically examined to ascertain how closely theory-driven evaluation practices comport with the key tenants of theory-driven evaluation as described and prescribed by prominent theoretical writers. Evidence derived from this review to repudiate or substantiate many of the claims put forth both by critics of and advocates for theory-driven forms of evaluation are presented and an agenda for future research on the approach is recommended.
The Sound, the Fury, and the Nonevent: Business Power and Market Reactions to the Citizens United Decision
Authors: Werner Timothy
Published: November 2010

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission , supporters of campaign finance reform argued that American politics would soon be awash in corporate cash and that public policy outcomes would reflect the desires of big business. Using event study methodology to isolate the effect of Citizens United on firms’ stock prices, this article finds that the financial markets did not share this view. Rather, key events in the case did not significantly affect the share prices of those large firms heavily engaged in and sensitive to politics, suggesting that investors expected the decision to have no effect on political and policy outcomes of concern to corporate America.
The Current State of Practice in the Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolism at an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Lee Jung-Ah , Zierler Brenda K.
Published: November 2010

Evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been recommended, yet the adoption of such guidelines into daily practice is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the current practices in the diagnosis of VTE. Medical records of 1161 adult patients who underwent lower extremity venous duplex scans (VDS), chest computerized tomographic (CT) angiography, or ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) scans during a 6-month period were retrospectively reviewed in an academic medical center. Patients who were first diagnosed by CT or V/Q scan still underwent a VDS. Nine patients at high risk had incomplete CT scans, yet no further tests were performed. Five pregnant patients had CT scans as the initial test instead of being screened with VDS or V/Q scanning. Inappropriate use of imaging tests was documented. The recommended guidelines of using clinical probability and D-dimer as the initial screening tests for VTE diagnosis were underused.
Pain as a Symptom in Patients Living With HIV/AIDS Seen at the Outpatient Clinic of a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital
Authors: Kolawole Wasiu Wahab  , Alakija Kazeem Salami
Published: November 2010

Although the negative impact of pain on the quality of life of patients living with HIV has been documented in many Western studies, there is a paucity of data on pain in HIV-infected patients in Nigeria in spite of a large disease burden. We studied the frequency of pain as a symptom and determined the body regions often affected among our cohort of patients attending the antiretroviral (ARV) clinic. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on presence of pain in the 2 weeks before the interview. Those with pain were further screened with the modified Brief Pain Inventory. There were 79 respondents—40.5% males, mean age 37.1 ± 8.6 years. Pain was present in 22 (27.8%) of the respondents. The major regions affected by pain were lower limbs (40.9%), head and neck (31.8%), and abdomen (31.8%). Only 40% of those with moderate to severe pain intensity reported being on any form of analgesia.
Pilot Study: Does Lower Extremity Night Splinting Assist in the Management of Painful Peripheral Neuropathy in the HIV/AIDS Population?
Authors: Sandoval Roberto , Runft Britt , Roddey Toni
Published: November 2010

Introduction: The pain associated with peripheral neuropathy (PN) observed in patients living with HIV/AIDS represents a difficult complication to manage. Participants: A total of 22 participants with a diagnosis of PN were recruited to assess the effects of using night splints on pain and sleep quality. Methods: For 3 weeks, the participants were instructed to use bilateral night splints and given an exercise regimen for 3 additional weeks. Scores from pain and sleep questionnaires were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The change in pain scores (F(1.16) = 13.41,η2 =.456, P = .002) and sleep index scores (z = -2.69, P = .004, 1-tailed) was found to be significant following the use of night splints. No difference was found with the use of the exercises. Discussion: The use of night splints in HIV-infected patients with PN represents an additional tool for managing pain and improving sleep.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Pre-Diabetes in HIV-1-Infected Patients in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Srivanich Nopporn , Ngarmukos Chardpraorn , Sungkanuparph Somnuek
Published: November 2010

Pre-diabetes substantially increases the risk of developing macrovascular complication and progression to diabetes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for pre-diabetes in HIV-1-infected patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted in HIV-1-infected patients who visited the infectious diseases clinic in a university hospital. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was performed. There were 149 patients, mean age 42.2 years, and 65.1% were males. Median CD4 count was 434 cells/mm3. In total, 92% have received antiretroviral therapy (ART), with a median duration of 0.8 years. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was 27.5%. From multivariate analysis, body weight ([BW] per 5 kg increase, odds ratio [OR] = 1.241; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.014-1.518; P = .036) and, tentatively, male gender (OR = 2.906; 95% CI, 0.941-8.976; P = .064) were risk factors for pre-diabetes. Nevirapine (NVP) use (OR = 0.383; 95% CI, 0.161-0.910; P = .030) was a protective factor for pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is common in HIV-1-infected patients receiving ART. Screening for pre-diabetes and active management should be performed in patients with risk factors.
Influence of Trust on HIV Diagnosis and Care Practices: A Literature Review
Authors: Graham James L. , Giordano Thomas P. , Grimes Richard M. , Slomka Jacqueline , Ross Michael , Hwang Lu-Yu
Published: November 2010

Delays in accessing HIV health care and failure to adhere to providers’ advice are common. Patient trust is critical to an individual’s willingness to seek care and follow the physician’s advice. Conversely, patient distrust can diminish the patient’s health status. The trust literature is reviewed in an attempt to determine its effect on HIV care. In the HIV literature reviewed, greater trust in health care providers was associated with improved accessing of and remaining in care. Interventions to enhance patient trust have been tested, with no changes in the levels of trust being found. Few studies were rigorous enough to assess causality or temporal relation. It is not clear whether there is a causal association between patient trust and HIV health care outcomes. As these relationships are better understood, interventions can be designed to increase health-promoting behaviors.
Modeling Security Sector Reform Activities in the Context of Stabilization Operations
Authors: Talbot Oliver , Wilde Noel
Published: November 2010

Security Sector Reform (SSR) activities are used within the context of a stabilization operation in order to develop and secure the host nation from internal and external threats to its stability. This article examines four means of modeling SSR within the context of a stabilization operation for use within the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s suite of stabilization models. It examines the means to represent the improvement of host nation units, represent security sector capability building activities, measure the progress of high-level SSR and represent Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration.
Pharmacologic modulation of the calcium-sensing receptor enhances hematopoietic stem cell lodgment in the adult bone marrow
Authors: Lam Ben S. , Cunningham Cynthia , Adams Gregor B.
Published: November 2010

The ability of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to undergo self-renewal is partly regulated by external signals originating from the stem cell niche. Our previous studies with HSCs obtained from fetal liver of mice deficient for the calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) have shown the crucial role of this receptor in HSC lodgment and engraftment in the bone marrow (BM) endosteal niche. Using a CaR agonist, Cinacalcet, we assessed the effects of stimulating the CaR on the function of murine HSCs. Our results show that CaR stimulation increases primitive hematopoietic cell activity in vitro, including growth in stromal cell cocultures, adhesion to extracellular matrix molecules such as collagen I and fibronectin, and migration toward the chemotactic stimulus, stromal cell-derived factor 1α. Receptor stimulation also led to augmented in vivo homing, CXCR4-mediated lodgment at the endosteal niche, and engraftment capabilities. These mechanisms by which stimulating the CaR dictates preferential localization of HSCs in the BM endosteal niche provide additional insights into the fundamental interrelationship between the stem cell and its niche. These studies also have implications in the area of clinical stem cell transplantation, where ex vivo modulation of the CaR may be envisioned as a strategy to enhance HSC engraftment in the BM.
Mesenchymal stem cells express serine protease inhibitor to evade the host immune response
Authors: El Haddad Najib , Heathcote Dean , Moore Robert , Yang Sunmi , Azzi Jamil , Mfarrej Bechara , Atkinson Mark , Sayegh Mohamed H. , Lee Jeng-Shin , Ashton-Rickardt Philip G. , Abdi Reza
Published: November 2010

Clinical trials using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been initiated worldwide. An improved understanding of the mechanisms by which allogeneic MSCs evade host immune responses is paramount to regulating their survival after administration. This study has focused on the novel role of serine protease inhibitor (SPI) in the escape of MSCs from host immunosurveillance through the inhibition of granzyme B (GrB). Our data indicate bone marrow–derived murine MSCs express SPI6 constitutively. MSCs from mice deficient for SPI6 (SPI6−/−) exhibited a 4-fold higher death rate by primed allogeneic cytotoxic T cells than did wild-type MSCs. A GrB inhibitor rescued SPI6−/− MSCs from cytotoxic T-cell killing. Transduction of wild-type MSCs with MigR1-SPI6 also protected MSCs from cytotoxic T cell–mediated death in vitro. In addition, SPI6−/− MSCs displayed a shorter lifespan than wild-type MSCs when injected into an allogeneic host. We conclude that SPI6 protects MSCs from GrB-mediated killing and plays a pivotal role in their survival in vivo. Our data could serve as a basis for future SPI-based strategies to regulate the survival and function of MSCs after administration and to enhance the efficacy of MSC-based therapy for diseases.
Structure of the leukemia oncogene LMO2: implications for the assembly of a hematopoietic transcription factor complex
Authors: El Omari Kamel , Hoosdally Sarah J. , Tuladhar Kapil , Karia Dimple , Vyas Paresh , Patient Roger , Porcher Catherine , Mancini Erika J.
Published: November 2010

The LIM only protein 2 (LMO2) is a key regulator of hematopoietic stem cell development whose ectopic expression in T cells leads to the onset of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Through its LIM domains, LMO2 is thought to function as the scaffold for a DNA-binding transcription regulator complex, including the basic helix-loop-helix proteins SCL/TAL1 and E47, the zinc finger protein GATA-1, and LIM-domain interacting protein LDB1. To understand the role of LMO2 in the formation of this complex and ultimately to dissect its function in normal and aberrant hematopoiesis, we solved the crystal structure of LMO2 in complex with the LID domain of LDB1 at 2.4 Å resolution. We observe a largely unstructured LMO2 kept in register by the LID binding both LIM domains. Comparison of independently determined crystal structures of LMO2 reveals large movements around a conserved hinge between the LIM domains. We demonstrate that such conformational flexibility is necessary for binding of LMO2 to its partner protein SCL/TAL1 in vitro and for the function of this complex in vivo. These results, together with molecular docking and analysis of evolutionarily conserved residues, yield the first structural model of the DNA-binding complex containing LMO2, LDB1, SCL/TAL1, and GATA-1.