bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical, dielectric, and dynamic mechanical properties of conductive carbon black/epoxidized natural rubber composites
Authors: Matchawet Suradet , Kaesaman Azizon , Bomlai Pornsuda , Nakason Charoen
Published: August 2015

Electrically conductive epoxidized natural rubber filled with conductive carbon black was prepared. The AC conductivity ( σAC), dielectric constant ( ɛ′), loss factor (tan δ*) and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites were studied. It was found that the epoxide groups in epoxidized natural rubber molecules positively contributed to AC conductivity, dielectric constant, and tan δ* of the composites. Especially, the composite with epoxidized natural rubber containing 50% mol epoxide (epoxidized natural rubber–50) showed better electrical and dynamic mechanical properties than the composites with epoxidized natural rubber–25 or NR. The effects of conductive carbon black loading level on electrical conductivity and dielectric constant of the epoxidized natural rubber–50/conductive carbon black composites was also studied. The percolation threshold was found at very low content of conductive carbon black at volume fraction of 0.07 with the critical exponent value 2.04. Furthermore, the glass transition temperatures of epoxidized natural rubber–50/conductive carbon black composites were higher than those of epoxidized natural rubber–25/conductive carbon black or NR/conductive carbon black composites, and increased with conductive carbon black content.
Borrowing Support for War: The Effect of War Finance on Public Attitudes toward Conflict
Authors: Flores-Macías Gustavo A. , Kreps Sarah E.
Published: August 2015

How does the way states finance wars affect public support for conflict? Most existing research has focused on costs as casualties rather than financial burdens, and arguments that do speak to the cost in treasure either minimize potential differences between the two main forms of war finance—debt and taxes—or imply that war taxes do not dent support for war among a populace rallying around the fiscal flag. Using original experiments conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom, we evaluate the relationship between war finance and support for war. We find that how states finance wars has an important effect on support for war and that the gap in support resulting from different modes of war finance holds across the main democracies engaging in conflict, regardless of the type of war or individuals’ party identification. The findings have important implications for theories of democratic accountability in wartime and the conduct of conflict, since borrowing shields the public from the direct costs of war and in turn reduces opposition to it, giving leaders greater latitude in how they carry out war.
Pulp-dentin Regeneration
Authors: Cao Y. , Song M. , Kim E. , Shon W. , Chugal N. , Bogen G. , Lin L. , Kim R.H. , Park N.-H. , Kang M.K.
Published: August 2015

The goal of regenerative endodontics is to reinstate normal pulp function in necrotic and infected teeth that would result in reestablishment of protective functions, including innate pulp immunity, pulp repair through mineralization, and pulp sensibility. In the unique microenvironment of the dental pulp, the triad of tissue engineering would require infection control, biomaterials, and stem cells. Although revascularization is successful in resolving apical periodontitis, multiple studies suggest that it alone does not support pulp-dentin regeneration. More recently, cell-based approaches in endodontic regeneration based on pulpal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated promising results in terms of pulp-dentin regeneration in vivo through autologous transplantation. Although pulpal regeneration requires the cell-based approach, several challenges in clinical translation must be overcome—including aging-associated phenotypic changes in pulpal MSCs, availability of tissue sources, and safety and regulation involved with expansion of MSCs in laboratories. Allotransplantation of MSCs may alleviate some of these obstacles, although the long-term stability of MSCs and efficacy in pulp-dentin regeneration demand further investigation. For an alternative source of MSCs, our laboratory developed induced MSCs (iMSCs) from primary human keratinocytes through epithelial-mesenchymal transition by modulating the epithelial plasticity genes. Initially, we showed that overexpression of ΔN p63α, a major isoform of the p63 gene, led to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and acquisition of stem characteristics. More recently, iMSCs were generated by transient knockdown of all p63 isoforms through siRNA, further simplifying the protocol and resolving the potential safety issues of viral vectors. These cells may be useful for patients who lack tissue sources for endogenous MSCs. Further research will elucidate the level of potency of these iMSCs and assess their transdifferentiation capacities into functional odontoblasts when transplanted into the root canal microenvironment.
In Sickness and in Health? Physical Illness as a Risk Factor for Marital Dissolution in Later Life
Authors: Karraker Amelia , Latham Kenzie
Published: August 2015

The health consequences of marital dissolution are well known, but little work has examined the impact of health on the risk of marital dissolution. We use a sample of 2,701 marriages from the Health and Retirement Study to examine the role of serious physical illness onset in subsequent marital dissolution via either divorce or widowhood. We use a series of discrete time event history models with competing risks to estimate the impact of husband’s and wife’s physical illness onset on risk of divorce and widowhood. We find that only measures of wife’s illness onset are associated with elevated risk of divorce, while measures of either spouse’s illness onset is associated with elevated risk of widowhood. Further, in the case of heart problems, we find that this gender difference is statistically significant. These findings suggest health as a determinant of marital dissolution in later life via both biological and gendered social pathways.
A Comparison of the Efficacy of Individual and Collaborative Music Learning in Ensemble Rehearsals
Authors: Brandler Brian J. , Peynircioglu Zehra F.
Published: August 2015

Collaboration is essential in learning ensemble music. It is unclear, however, whether an individual benefits more from collaborative or individual rehearsal in the initial stages of such learning. In nonmusical domains, the effect of collaboration has been mixed, sometimes enhancing and sometimes inhibiting an individual’s learning process. In music, observational studies suggest collaborative rehearsal is indeed effective. In the present study, we compared collaborative and individual rehearsal directly and experimentally. Vocalists studied some pieces alone (with or without accompaniment) and some pieces collaboratively in groups of three. Their immediate performance and memory results indicated that accompaniment in solo sessions enhanced individual learning, and more importantly, collaboration had a detrimental effect. The findings are discussed within the general framework of blocking or free-riding theories.
Effects of Conducting Plane on Band and Choral Musicians’ Perceptions of Conductor and Ensemble Expressivity
Authors: Silvey Brian A. , Fisher Ryan A.
Published: August 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine whether one aspect of conducting technique, the conducting plane, would affect band and/or choral musicians’ perceptions of conductor and ensemble expressivity. A band and a choral conductor were each videotaped conducting 1-min excerpts from Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium while using a high, medium, and low conducting plane. These six videos then were synchronized with an appropriately corresponding identical high-quality band or choral audio excerpt. College ensemble members ( N = 120; band, n = 60; choral, n = 60) viewed all six videos and rated the expressivity of both the conductor and the ensemble. Through the use of a forced-choice task, they also provided one brief comment about either the conductor or the ensemble. Results indicated that conducting plane significantly affected ratings of both conductor and ensemble expressivity. A significant interaction was found between conducting plane (high, medium, and low) and ensemble type (band or choir audio excerpt heard) with regard to conductor expressivity ratings. Participants found the choir conductor conducting at the medium plane to be slightly more expressive than the band conductor conducting at the same plane. Conversely, participants rated the expressivity of the band conductor slightly higher than the choir conductor at both the high and low conducting planes. Participants’ written comments were directed predominantly at the conductor rather than the ensemble, and the high-conducting-plane videos elicited the most negative comments.
Cardiac rupture delayed for a week in an asymptomatic child following blunt trauma
Authors: Pooniya Shashank , Behera C , Mridha Asit Ranjan , Swain Rajanikanta
Published: August 2015

A two-year-old child was hit by a car outside his home and was immediately taken to hospital. There were no external injuries present over the body except two small abrasions on the occipital region of head. A computed tomography scan of the head was performed which revealed no cranio-cerebral injury. He was discharged from the hospital within few hours apparently well. The child was absolutely asymptomatic for a week, after which he suddenly died while playing at home. Autopsy revealed left ventricular free wall rupture and pericardial haematoma. This case report discusses the rare incidence of delayed cardiac rupture due to blunt trauma resulting in haemorrhagic tamponade in an asymptomatic child.
Male Breadwinning Revisited: How Specialisation, Gender Role Attitudes and Work Characteristics Affect Overwork and Underwork in Europe
Authors: Kanji Shireen , Samuel Robin
Published: August 2015

We examine how male breadwinning and fatherhood relate to men’s overwork and underwork in western Europe. Male breadwinners should be less likely to experience overwork than other men, particularly when they have children, if specialising in paid work suits them. However, multinomial logistic regression analysis of the European Social Survey data from 2010 ( n = 4662) challenges this position: male breadwinners, with and without children, want to work fewer than their actual hours, making visible one of the downsides of specialisation. Male breadwinners wanting to work fewer hours is specifically related to the job interfering with family life, as revealed by a comparison of the average marginal effects of variables across models. Work–life interference has an effect over and beyond the separate effects of work characteristics and family structure, showing the salience of the way work and life articulate.
Causal Inference in Panel Data With Application to Estimating Race-of-Interviewer Effects in the General Social Survey
Authors: An Weihua , Winship Christopher
Published: August 2015

In this article, we review popular parametric models for analyzing panel data and introduce the latest advances in matching methods for panel data analysis. To the extent that the parametric models and the matching methods offer distinct advantages for drawing causal inference, we suggest using both to cross-validate the evidence. We demonstrate how to use these methods by examining race-of-interviewer effects (ROIE) in the 2006 to 2010 panel data of the General Social Survey. We find that ROIE mostly concentrate on race-related outcomes and may vary by respondent’s race for some outcomes. But we find no statistically significant evidence that ROIE vary by the interview mode (i.e., in person vs. by phone). Our study has both methodological and substantive implications for future research.
Prevalence rates of comorbid disorders in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adults
Authors: Burke Alban , Vorster Adri
Published: August 2015

Although there has been extensive research on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a clinical disorder in adulthood, many clinicians remain sceptical about the validity of this disorder. Among the many reasons for this are comorbid conditions which may complicate the disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rates of other disorders among a group of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, based on participants’ scores on the Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III. In order to meet this aim, the Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory -III results of a group of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( n = 51) were analysed. In terms of Cluster B personality disorders, the following prevalence rates were found for the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group: 23% Borderline, 27.4% Antisocial, 19.6% Histrionic, and 19.6% Narcissistic. As far as comparing prevalence rates of possible comorbid conditions, as found in this study, with those of previous studies, the results compare well to those conditions that are reported as the most prevalent in other studies. However, the wide range of clinical and personality disorders that are associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder indicate that there are no typical comorbid disorders.
The Interrelated Roles of Mass Media and Social Media in Adolescents’ Development of an Objectified Self-Concept
Authors: Vandenbosch Laura , Eggermont Steven
Published: August 2015

Previous research has shown that mass media stimulate the development of an objectified self-concept. However, we know little about the role social networking sites (SNS) play in these relationships. The current longitudinal study ( N = 1,041) aimed to fill this gap by studying adolescents’ frequency of SNS use in general and their use of SNS to monitor attractive peers in particular. The results showed that the use of sexualizing mass media was associated with considering the appearance ideals promoted in mass media as one’s own standards to pursue. This internalization of appearance ideals, in turn, was related to the tendency to monitor attractive peers on SNS. Both the use of SNS to monitor attractive peers and the use of sexualizing mass media stimulated self-objectification and body surveillance over time. The frequency of SNS use played a limited role in the relationship between mass media and an objectified self-concept.
The Relationship Between Psychological Distress, Negative Cognitions, and Expectancies on Problem Drinking
Authors: Obasi Ezemenari M. , Brooks Jessica J. , Cavanagh Lucia
Published: August 2015

Few studies have sought to understand the concurrent relationship between cognitive and affective processes on alcohol use and negative alcohol-related consequences, despite both being identified as predictive risk factors in the college population. More research is needed to understand the relationships between identified factors of problem drinking among this at-risk population. The purpose of this study was to test if the relationship between psychological distress and problem drinking among university students ( N = 284; M–age = 19.77) was mediated by negative affect regulation strategies and positive alcohol-related expectancies. Two latent mediation models of problem drinking were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The parsimonious three-path mediated latent model was supported by the data, as evidenced by several model fit indices. Furthermore, the alternate saturated model provided similar fit to the data, but contained several direct relationships that were not statistically significant. The relationship between psychological distress and problem drinking was mediated by an extended contributory chain, including negative affect regulation and positive alcohol-related expectancies. Implications for prevention and treatment, as well as future directions, are discussed.
Team Political Skill Composition as a Determinant of Team Cohesiveness and Performance
Authors: Lvina Elena , Johns Gary , Vandenberghe Christian
Published: August 2015

This study examines the role of team political skill in predicting team effectiveness. Extending the current paradigm of individual political skill and contributing to the team effectiveness literature, we offer a theoretical framework for team political skill composition and test a model whereby task and social cohesion mediate the relationship between team political skill and team performance. On the basis of the results obtained from 189 student project teams and 28 business work teams, we demonstrate that team political skill benefits extend to groups. In both samples, team political skill directly related to subjective and objective team performance. Among several team political skill composition models, the interaction between the group skill mean and standard deviation (“skill strength”) was found to be the best predictor of team emergent states and outcomes. Team political skill was related to objective team performance via social and task cohesion in the student teams and via task cohesion in the work teams. Finally, we investigated the potential dark side of high team political skill but failed to support the too-much-of-a-good-thing hypothesis. Given the social focus of the construct, an aim for future research is to further understand how the composition of individual political skill influences team dynamics and outcomes. Multiple organizational implications extend to recruitment, training, development, and team building.
Patients’ experiences of a new integrated breathlessness support service for patients with refractory breathlessness: Results of a postal survey
Authors: Reilly Charles C , Bausewein Claudia , Pannell Caty , Moxham John , Jolley Caroline J , Higginson Irene J
Published: August 2015

Background:

We developed a new single point of access to integrated palliative care, respiratory medicine and physiotherapy: the breathlessness support service for patients with advanced disease and refractory breathlessness. This study aimed to describe patients’ experiences of the service and identify the aspects valued.

Design:

We attempted to survey all patients who had attended and completed the 6-week breathlessness support service intervention by sending them a postal questionnaire to self-complete covering experience, composition, effectiveness of the BSS and about participation in research. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of free text comments.

Results:

Of the 70 postal questionnaires sent out, 25 (36%) returned. A total of 21 (84% (95% confidence interval: 69%–98%)) responding patients reported that they definitely found the breathlessness support service helpful and 13 (52% (95% confidence interval: 32%–72%)) rated the breathlessness support service as excellent. A total of 21 (84% (95% confidence interval: 69%–98%)) patients reported that the breathlessness support service helped with their management of their breathlessness along with additional symptoms and activities (e.g. mood and mobility). Four key themes were identified: (1) personalised care, (2) caring nature of the staff, (3) importance of patient education to empower patients and (4) effectiveness of context-specific breathlessness interventions. These were specific aspects that patients valued.

Conclusion:

Patients’ satisfaction with the breathlessness support service was high, and identified as important to this was a combination of personalised care, nature of staff, education and empowerment, and use of specific interventions. These components would be important in any future breathlessness service.
Self-Estimated Correlates of Lay Views About Reversal Multiple Intelligences
Authors: Neto Félix , Mullet Etienne , Furnham Adrian
Published: August 2015

This study looked at the self-estimation of the new “reversal multiple intelligences.” A sample of 200 adults completed a questionnaire that asked them to estimate their “overall” intelligence and their scores on the Apter’s eight multiple intelligences for self: telic, paratelic, negativistic, conformist, autic mastery, autic sympathy, alloic mastery, and alloic sympathy intelligence. They also completed a short measure of the Big Five, as well as six questions on their beliefs about intelligence. Sex differences were found regarding self-estimate of autic sympathy. A regression showed that participants think only three of the eight self-estimates are related to overall IQ ( g). Regressing each self-estimate onto demography and the Big Five showed a clear interpretable pattern. Personality traits predicted self-estimated intelligence beyond demographic factors. Intelligence test experience predicted significantly overall reversal intelligence. Limitations of the study are considered.
FGF-2 Stimulates the Growth of Tenogenic Progenitor Cells to Facilitate the Generation of Tenomodulin-Positive Tenocytes in a Rat Rotator Cuff Healing Model
Authors: Tokunaga Takuya , Shukunami Chisa , Okamoto Nobukazu , Taniwaki Takuya , Oka Kiyoshi , Sakamoto Hidetoshi , Ide Junji , Mizuta Hiroshi , Hiraki Yuji
Published: August 2015

Background:

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)–2 has the potential to enhance tendon-to-bone healing after rotator cuff (RC) injury.

Hypothesis:

FGF-2 stimulates tenogenic differentiation of progenitors to improve the biomechanical strength and histological appearance of repaired RCs in rats.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 156) underwent unilateral surgery to repair the supraspinatus tendon to insertion sites. The FGF-2-treated group (gelatin hydrogel containing 5 μg of FGF-2) and a control group (gelatin hydrogel only) were compared to investigate the effects of FGF-2 at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively. Biomechanical testing was performed at 6 and 12 weeks. Semiquantitative histological analysis and immunohistochemical analysis for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were performed, and the expression of tendon-related markers, including Scleraxis ( Scx) and Tenomodulin ( Tnmd), was monitored by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. SRY-box containing gene 9 ( Sox9) expression was monitored by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis. At 2 and 4 weeks, immunohistochemical analysis for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers was also performed.

Results:

The FGF-2-treated group demonstrated a significant improvement in mechanical strength at 6 and 12 weeks and significantly higher histological scores than the control group at ≥4 weeks. The average incidence of PCNA-positive cells was significantly higher at 2 and 4 weeks, and more cells expressing MSC markers were detected at the insertion site in the FGF-2-treated group. The expression level of Scx increased significantly in the FGF-2-treated group from 4 to 8 weeks, while the Tnmd level increased significantly from 4 to 12 weeks postoperatively. The localization of Tnmd overlapped with the locations of reparative tissues accompanying collagen fibers with an aligned orientation. Sox9 expression was significantly upregulated at 4 weeks in the FGF-2-treated group.

Conclusion:

FGF-2 promotes growth of the tenogenic progenitor cells, which participate in tendon-to-bone healing, resulting in biomechanical and histological improvement of the repaired RC.

Clinical Relevance:

These findings provide clues regarding the clinical development of regenerative repair strategies for RC injury.
Beginners’ Anxiety and Group Dreams
Authors: Petrić Daniela , Nemčić Moro Iva
Published: August 2015

Anxiety is present at the beginning of everyone’s education. Trainees are generally aware of their fears and attempt to cope with them. Trainees use various methods to make themselves feel better as a member of a group and as a conductor. The authors of this article present the manners in which conductors use group dreams during training, even when the dreams are not analysed by the group. Vignettes from sessions depict group dreams and the conductors’ association with these dreams. The authors observed that, with group process development and because of the maturing of the conductors, the group dreams provoked a less associative course of their own, and the conductors became capable of experiencing the group dreams in the same manner they would experience any type of group content.
Group Analysis and Music: Similarities and Differences between Conducting a Group-Analytic Group and Conducting an Orchestra
Authors: Koukis Anastassios E.
Published: August 2015

Based on the author’s dual identity as group analyst and musician, this study extrapolates on Foulkes’s (1964, 1990) metaphor of the two fields and shows how the art of conducting a group-analytic group resembles that of conducting an orchestra. These arts are similar in that they constitute a means of strengthening the power of the group on the one hand, and the orchestra on the other, as the basic vehicles of therapeutic efficiency and musical performance respectively, through the functioning of their conductors as symbolic ‘dead’ fathers, favouring ‘servant’ leadership. A group-analytic group and an orchestra, although differing significantly, both serve the melody as extracted by either the score or the improvised prosody of human vocalisations in free-floating group discussion. The group evolves as an orchestra playing baroque rather than classical music, as its development follows the pattern of a baroque overture or symphony, or that of a classical forma-sonata. It is the conductor’s duty to facilitate the melodic evolution of the group/orchestra primarily by monitoring its tempo (Wagner, 1869), thereby fostering its therapeutic effectiveness.
Group Analytic Training and the Social Context: Who is influencing Whom?
Authors: Dalal Farhad
Published: August 2015

This article inquires into the group analyst’s capacity to influence the social sphere. To this end, I begin by introducing the principles of ‘managerialism’, or ‘New Public Management’, as this is the norm that currently prevails in the social sphere. This is followed by a critical excursion into the values of classical psychoanalysis, which I argue continues to prevail within group analysis. Next, I critically reflect on contemporary group analytic trainings in the light of these two ways of thinking, managerialism and the analytic orthodoxy. I conclude that there is a real danger that group analytic trainings concede to and imbibe bureaucratic managerialist norms, producing group analysts who are more likely to be deferential to established authorities rather than being able to question and challenge them.
Introduction
Authors: Perry Barbara , Perry Joanna , Schweppe Jennifer , Walters Mark
Published: August 2015

In 2013, a group of scholars from Europe and North America came together to form the International Network for Hate Studies (INHS). The key aims of the network included bridging gaps between academics and policy makers/practitioners in the field, and “internationalizing” our understanding of hate crime generally. In the spring of 2014, INHS held its inaugural conference at the University of Sussex in Brighton, the United Kingdom. In this special edition of Criminal Justice Policy Review ( CJPR), we bring together expanded versions of four of the keynote speeches from that conference. In distinct ways, each speaks to the key themes noted above, as this brief introduction will illustrate.
Thermoplastic carbon fibre-reinforced polymer recycling with electrodynamical fragmentation
Authors: Roux Maxime , Eguémann Nicolas , Dransfeld Clemens , Thiébaud Frédéric , Perreux Dominique
Published: August 2015

The end of life of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) structures represents a major challenge to the aerospace industry, as new European regulations are demanding recycling solutions that can be complicated and expensive to apply. This study aims to address new practical ways to recycle CFRP materials. CFRP materials with a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) matrix were fragmented via electrodynamical fragmentation, which exhibits several benefits compared to mechanical shredding processes, especially for composites commonly found in the aerospace industry. The fragments are characterized and reused to produce new CFRP aerospace parts. Structural testing of recycled composite parts revealed a 17% decrease of the mechanical properties compared to the novel material. The combination of these manufacturing and recycling techniques closes the cradle to cradle loop of thermoplastic CFRP.
Predicting College Women’s Career Plans
Authors: Savela Alexandra E. , O’Brien Karen M.
Published: August 2015

This study examined how college women’s instrumentality and expectations about combining work and family predicted early career development variables. Specifically, 177 undergraduate women completed measures of instrumentality (i.e., traits such as ambition, assertiveness, and risk taking), willingness to compromise career for family, anticipated work–family conflict, traditionality of career choice, leadership aspirations, and occupational engagement. High levels of instrumentality were associated with strong leadership aspirations and occupational engagement. An inverse relationship emerged between the selection of a more traditional career and less anticipation that work would interfere with time spent with family, and a positive relationship emerged between high leadership aspirations and more anticipation that family would be a strain on work. Additionally, anticipating that work would interfere with time spent with family had a positive relationship with occupational engagement. Findings are discussed, and recommendations for career counseling for young women are provided.
Understanding Nonprofit Financial Health
Authors: Prentice Christopher R.
Published: August 2015

Using Internal Revenue Service Form 990 information for all filing 501(c)(3) organizations from 1998 to 2003, this article explores the organizational and environmental factors that affect nonprofit financial health in two subsectors—human services and higher education. The results yield three noteworthy findings. First, theory and empirical data converge when four commonly used financial indicators are combined to form a single financial health construct. Second, accounting measures and revenue variables are not as clearly related to financial health as the literature suggests. Third, environmental variables including macroeconomic factors (gross domestic product and state product), community factors (median household income), as well as a nonprofit’s financial prominence in their policy area (revenue share) are strong predictors of nonprofit financial health. This research contributes to the literature in several ways, most notably by incorporating a more open-systems approach to the study of nonprofit financial health with the inclusion of several environmental variables.
Retirement Patterns and Their Relationship to Volunteering
Authors: Tang Fengyan
Published: August 2015

This study examines the relationships of volunteering behaviors with work–retirement patterns and transition among middle-aged and older Americans using the Health and Retirement Study data (1998-2008). Latent class analysis was used to identify retirement status and cluster respondents into five latent classes: the not-retired, partial retiree, full retiree, non-worker (e.g., homemakers), and the transitioned (i.e., the newly retired from paid work). Generalized linear mixed models showed those experiencing work–retirement transitions were significantly more involved in volunteering than the not-retired. Partial retirees and full retirees were more likely to start volunteering, and full retirees were also more likely to end volunteering than the not-retired over the 10-year observation period. Volunteer organizations are advised to recruit older adults who have time available and social connections with the workforce and to target the newly retired who are likely to increase their volunteer time during the transition process.
Modeling the constraint effects of compliant electrodes in dielectric elastomers under uniaxial loading
Authors: Lai Heather L , Tan Chin An
Published: August 2015

Dielectric elastomers are composite thin film structures composed of a dielectric polymer between compliant electrodes. Previous hyperelastic models have not modeled the constraint effects of compliant electrodes on the lateral contraction of the dielectric material as it stretches, and are therefore unable to fully describe the electromechanical behavior of the dielectric elastomer or provide a means to understand the constraint effects. An empirical boundary coefficient is introduced to model these constraint effects on the lateral boundaries of the material under uniaxial tension. Employing an averaged stretch ratio concept, it is shown that this coefficient can be obtained from experimentally measurable geometric variables. Values for the boundary coefficients of sample dielectric elastomer films were obtained from experiments performed on a uniaxial test stand. Incorporating the boundary coefficient into the model formulation, a specific hyperelastic stress–strain relation is derived to describe the electromechanical behavior of dielectric elastomers under combined uniaxial tension and electrical loading. Comparison of the experimental and predicted values of the induced force in the axial direction due to the Maxwell stress based on the uniaxial model shows favorable agreement.
A stress analysis of a compressor blade in partially blocked inlet condition
Authors: Drewczynski M , Rzadkowski R
Published: August 2015

A full two-way coupling aeroelasticity analysis of rotating machinery and their main components requires considerable computational analysis and central processing unit time. This is why the most common methodology for this type of problem is a one-way coupling between fluid and structure. In this case, forces acting on rotor blades that result from a flow are introduced into a structural model of a blade as a local spot load in the centre of gravity or a series of local spot points deployed along the blade length. However, this method does not take into account how the forces change in a chordwise direction (along chord). An alternative way is to use the method of directly transferring the pressure field as a surface load from the computational fluid dynamics analysis to a structural model of a blade. In this case, various interpolation methods are needed to transfer the results from the computational fluid dynamics mesh on to the structural mesh nodes. In this paper, the authors compare how both methods of load transfer affect rotor blade stress and displacement levels during one period of rotation. Calculations were carried out for the first-stage compressor blade of an aircraft engine. Ansys 12.1 was used to calculate the entire structure. Unsteady computational fluid dynamics calculations were carried out using Fluent for a 1.5-stage axial compressor model. For the numerical calculations a non-viscous flow was used. The unsteady forces were calculated on 10 control cross-sections of a rotor blade. The transient results obtained from the computational fluid dynamics calculations were transferred onto a structural rotor blade model using APDL – an ANSYS language script. For both methods of load transference, transient displacements and transient stresses for the rotor blade were calculated. The harmonic analysis results were compared. Mesh sensitivity analysis was also carried out for the structural model. In the last part of the paper, based on described above methodology a study involved to bird strike was shown in the way of how foreign object debris affects the dynamic stress level of a rotor blade. A comparison between an undisturbed engine inlet and one with an ingested foreign object was carried out. The analysis focused on the first-stage compressor blade of an aircraft engine with a partially blocked radial inlet and will be based on pressure method transferring described earlier.
Can we infer vegetation change from peat carbon and nitrogen content? A palaeoecological test from Tasmania, Australia
Authors: Fletcher Michael-Shawn , Cadd Haidee R , Haberle Simon G
Published: August 2015

We set out to test the ability to detect vegetation change from organic soil nutrient (carbon and nitrogen) composition in the fire-determined forest/non-forest mosaic of western Tasmania, Australia. We find no relationship between organic soil nitrogen and carbon content, despite widely varying local vegetation and fire regimes. Pollen evidence supports the role of fire in driving an initial vegetation state change from forest to non-forest, while carbon and nitrogen analysis of the peat section suggest that factors other than peat nutrient (carbon and nitrogen) content are responsible for the observed meta-stability of non-forest at the site for 7000 years. We find that we cannot validate the use of organic soil nitrogen and carbon content for inferring vegetation type and question the degree of post-European vegetation change inferred from this method.
An improved procedure for estimation of malignant breast cancer prevalence using partially rank ordered set samples with multiple concomitants
Authors: Hatefi Armin , Jafari Jozani Mohammad
Published: August 2015

Rank-based sampling designs are widely used in situations where measuring the variable of interest is costly but a small number of sampling units (set) can be easily ranked prior to taking the final measurements on them and this can be done at little cost. When the variable of interest is binary, a common approach for ranking the sampling units is to estimate the probabilities of success through a logistic regression model. However, this requires training samples for model fitting. Also, in this approach once a sampling unit has been measured, the extra rank information obtained in the ranking process is not used further in the estimation process. To address these issues, in this paper, we propose to use the partially rank-ordered set sampling design with multiple concomitants. In this approach, instead of fitting a logistic regression model, a soft ranking technique is employed to obtain a vector of weights for each measured unit that represents the probability or the degree of belief associated with its rank among a small set of sampling units. We construct an estimator which combines the rank information and the observed partially rank-ordered set measurements themselves. The proposed methodology is applied to a breast cancer study to estimate the proportion of patients with malignant (cancerous) breast tumours in a given population. Through extensive numerical studies, the performance of the estimator is evaluated under various concomitants with different ranking potentials (i.e. good, intermediate and bad) and tie structures among the ranks. We show that the precision of the partially rank-ordered set estimator is better than its counterparts under simple random sampling and ranked set sampling designs and, hence, the sample size required to achieve a desired precision is reduced.
Iranian nurses’ professional competence in spiritual care in 2014
Authors: Adib-Hajbaghery Mohsen , Zehtabchi Samira , Fini Ismail Azizi
Published: August 2015

Background:

The holistic approach views the human as a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual being. Evidence suggests that among these dimensions, the spiritual one is largely ignored in healthcare settings.

Objectives:

This study aimed to evaluate Iranian nurses’ perceived professional competence in spiritual care, the relationship between perceived competence and nurses’ personal characteristics, and barriers to provide spiritual care.

Research design:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the year 2014.

Participants and research context:

The study population consisted of nurses working in teaching hospitals in Kashan city. Using a stratified, systematic random method, 250 samples were selected from a total of 1400 nurses. An indigenous instrument was used to assess the nurses’ competencies in spiritual care.

Ethical considerations:

A research ethics committee approved the study. All the participants were briefed on the study aims, were assured of the confidentiality of their personal information, and signed a written informed consent.

Results:

Among a total of 250 nurses, 239 answered the questionnaire completely, and in total, 23%, 51%, and 26% had poor, moderate, and favorable competence in spiritual care, respectively. No significant differences were found between the mean competence scores of spiritual care in terms of gender, marital status, employment status, and level of qualification. Significant difference was found between nurses’ overall score of competence in spiritual care and receiving training on spiritual care, nurses’ position, and the ward they worked in.

Discussion:

Confirming the findings of the international literature, this study puts light on the situation of nurses’ perceived competence and barriers to providing spiritual care in Iran as an eastern and Islamic context.

Conclusion:

Three-quarters of the nurses had moderate or unfavorable competence in spiritual care. Due to the crucial role of spiritual care in quality of care and patient satisfaction, nurses should be trained and supported to provide spiritual care.
The cost of a telegram: Accounting and the evolution of international regulation of the telegraph
Authors: Richardson Alan J
Published: August 2015

The telegraph was the first practical use of electricity. It revolutionized commercial communication and facilitated the globalization of business. As the telegraph developed as a medium of international communication, regulation was needed to overcome administrative and technical issues, and, importantly, to establish accounting procedures for the distribution of the revenue to multiple national partners. This article traces the evolution of revenue allocation models through three international organizations that ultimately led to the creation of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in 1932. The shifts in revenue allocation methods are consistent with a shift in focus of regulation from growth to efficiency over the rapid development of the telegraph network. The procedures put in place are still used in the regulation of international telecommunications but with continuing conflict over their effects. The rules developed in the regulation of the telegraph also set the stage for the rise of expertise in the maintenance of international order and the development of accounting as an epistemic community in international relations.
Supporting Couples, Marriage, and Family Therapy Trainees in Need of Performance Improvement
Authors: Branson Ashley , Cardona Betty , Thomas Christina
Published: August 2015

Couples, marriage, and family therapy (CMFT) educators and supervisors are required to differentiate between typical developmental struggles and more severe competency concerns. This process has the potential to become highly subjective and supervisors may differ in their perceptions of severity of trainee concerns, the need for intervention and/or remediation efforts, types of interventions utilized, and when to discontinue remediation efforts after interventions have failed to be effective. Ethical and competency standards, Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) guidelines, and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) core competencies can be utilized in combination with a collaborative supportive approach to identify and encourage remediation of competency concerns for couples, marriage, and family therapists in training (CMFT-ITs). A composite case study is utilized to illustrate the unique demands of CMFT programs, promote early identification of ineffective trainee behaviors, consider ethical and legal mandates, and provide recommendations for intervention and remediation.
Adoptive Parents’ Suspicion and Coping With the Possibility of Child Abduction for International Adoption in China
Authors: Marn Travis M. , Tan Tony Xing
Published: August 2015

In this study, we investigated (1) whether adoptive parents suspected their children might have been victims of abduction for adoption in China and (2) for parents who were uncertain if their own children might be victims of child abduction for adoption, how they coped with the possibility. A total of 342 adoptive parents (representing 529 adopted Chinese children) completed an anonymous online survey on their experiences. Of the 342 parents, 154 (45%) described how they coped with the possibility that their children might be the victims of child abduction for adoption. In terms of suspicion, we found that for about 70% of the children, the parents responded Never; for 18.5% of the children, the parents responded Rarely; for 11.7% of the children, the parents responded Sometimes; and for about 1% of the children, the parents responded that they Always suspected that their children might be victims of abduction for adoption. In terms of coping with the possibility that their children might have been victims of child abduction for adoption, thematic analysis on the 154 parents’ descriptions revealed that parents experienced one or more of seven emotional reactions: sadness, frustration/helplessness, complicity/guilt, anger, fear/worry, hypervigilance, resolve, as well as the belief that they were not affected. Finally, we discussed contributing factors to child abduction for adoption and to adoptive parents’ suspicion of such a practice.
Family, Friends, and Romantic Partners of Eating Disorder Sufferers
Authors: Buser Juleen K. , Kearney Anne , Buser Trevor J.
Published: August 2015

Individuals who reported having a friend, family member, or romantic partner with current eating disorder symptoms ( n = 82) participated in this study. Participants documented the types of spiritual/religious coping strategies they used when coping with the stress of being close to an eating disorder sufferer. Following correlation analyses, we found a significant association between two types of negative spiritual/religious coping (spiritual discontent religious coping and punishing God/Higher Power reappraisal religious coping) and increased depression. In a regression analysis, only spiritual discontent religious coping remained significantly linked with depression. Clinicians who work with clients who are close to eating disorder sufferers can draw on these findings to inform therapeutic interventions.
Insecure Parental Attachment and Permissiveness
Authors: Dempster Darleen , Rogers Sylvia , Pope Amber L. , Snow Marilyn , Stoltz Kevin B.
Published: August 2015

The research based on attachment has shown that patterns of relating with primary caregivers in childhood and adolescence influence a person into adulthood, especially with regard to interpersonal relationships, including sexual intimacy. This study utilized a measure of adult parental attachment style to determine whether the perception of one’s patterns of relating with parental figures in childhood and one’s sexual attitudes are associated with unwanted sexual experiences, ranging from consensual unwanted sex and verbal coercion to more severe forms of coercion, including substance-related and physical coercion. The sample included 488 male and female college students, primarily in the age range of emerging adulthood. Analysis involved canonical correlation, which showed that individuals with avoidant parental attachment styles reported more occurrences of unwanted sex, with gender differences moderating the types of unwanted sex experienced. Of the sexual attitudes, permissiveness emerged as the strongest indicator of unwanted sexual experiences, at times interacting with avoidant attachment. Gender was a moderating variable. The authors conclude with practical implications and suggestions for future research.