bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detecting Confusion Using Facial Electromyography
Authors: Durso Francis T. , Geldbach Kaitlin M. , Corballis Paul
Published: January 2012

Objective: The ability to detect confusion using facial electromyography (EMG) was evaluated.

Background: Facial EMG has been useful in detecting various emotional states. Another state potentially detectable from facial musculature is confusion. Confusion reflects a loss of understanding or, in a dynamic environment, a loss of situation understanding or situation awareness.

Method: For this study, 24 participants listened to a confusing and a neutral audio passage while they were monitored with EMG. Electrical activity of the right and left corrugator supercilii, the right zygomaticus major, and right depressor anguli oris was recorded. Participants also reported whether they felt confused during the experimental passage. Finally, they were asked to pose facial expressions. Two raters assessed responses in the graphed EMG data for evidence of activation near a confusing sentence in the passage.

Results: EMG revealed confusion in 21 of 24 (87.5%) participants, even in some participants who did not admit confusion. Posed expressions of confusion differed somewhat from spontaneous expressions elicited during the experimental passage.

Conclusion: EMG was effective in detecting confusion, regardless of operator self-report. Not all muscles in the face were important for the detection of confusion: The zygomaticus major led to a large number of false positives.

Application: EMG can be an effective addition to a sensor suite designed to monitor the cognitive state of operators of systems.
Pentecost and Trinity Sunday: Preaching and Teaching New Creation
Authors: Lord Jennifer L.
Published: January 2012

Any renewal of preaching and teaching on Pentecost and Trinity Sundays will be helped by revisiting the nature of these feasts as inseparable from the larger paschal cycle. From the perspective of the larger feast cycle, the preacher and teacher can see these feast days as eschatological proclamation: the ongoing gift of the Holy Spirit is the work of new creation; all creation’s existence, redemption, and sanctification are the results of the ongoing work of the holy Trinity for the life of the world.
The Holy Spirit at Work in the Arts: Learning from George Herbert
Authors: Begbie Jeremy S.
Published: January 2012

If we want some clarity about the relation of the arts to the Holy Spirit of the Christian faith, it is wise to let the arts have proper space to operate theologically. The remarkable poem by George Herbert, “Ephes. 4. 30,” along with material from some of his other poems, gives a fair sense of what Herbert would have assumed about the relation of the arts to the third person of the Trinity, and is especially enlightening for the theology–arts discussion today.
The Feast of Pentecost and Trinity Sunday: Liturgical Art in Context
Authors: Hornik Heidi J. , Parsons Mikeal C.
Published: January 2012

This article explores several visual depictions of the event of Pentecost and the doctrine of the Trinity from the history of Christian art. These images can aid contemporary faith communities seeking to reflect in liturgy and worship on the theological significance of these mysteries of the Christian faith.
Influence of the dry woven fabrics meso-structure on fabric/fabric contact behavior
Authors: Allaoui S. , Hivet G. , Wendling A. , Ouagne P. , Soulat D.
Published: January 2012

The first stage of the RTM process concerns the preforming of the part. During the preforming of multilayered reinforcements, frictions between the plies occur. An experimental device designed to analyze the ply/ply, ply/tool, and yarn/yarn frictions has been built. Specific contact behavior for ply/ply friction is directly related to shocks taking place between overhanging yarns of each sample. Within the signal, two particular periods can be exhibited. This work shows for four different architecture woven fabrics that the two periods are directly related to the meso-architecture of the studied woven fabrics and more precisely to the characteristics of the fabric unit cell. The friction response appears to be very sensitive to the relative positioning and orientation of the samples. It can also lead to manufacturing defects such as unweaving or wrinkles. Up to now, finite element codes predicting the forming behavior of woven reinforcement fabrics do not take into account this friction coefficient evolution to model accurately the process. This point could therefore be addressed in future works on this topic with the view to optimize the multi-ply forming of composite parts.
Modeling composite high temperature behavior and fire response under load
Authors: Gibson AG , Browne TNA , Feih S , Mouritz AP
Published: January 2012

This paper discusses the characterization and modeling of thermoplastic and thermosetting matrix composites under load in fire. Small-scale tests were found to provide a cost-effective means of characterizing load-bearing behavior of composites in fire and a useful framework for materials development. This paper demonstrates the modeling of thermal and decomposition behavior during the test and the extension of this modeling to include mechanical response and failure behavior. The work necessitated measurement of strength and stiffness over a wide temperature range, with interesting results up to the point of resin decomposition. The approach was applied to three 12 mm thick glass reinforced systems: vinyl ester, polyester, and polypropylene. The laminates were subjected to a one-sided 50 kW·m−2 heat flux, using a propane burner. Thermal behavior was modeled using a simplified version of the Henderson equation to predict the evolution of temperature and residual resin content through the thickness. These parameters were then used, along with a material model, to predict the mechanical response in fire.
Variations of mechanical properties of jute/polyester composite aged in various media
Authors: Sen Ibrahim , Aral Ayse , Seki Yoldas , Sarikanat Mehmet , Sever Kutlay
Published: January 2012

Woven roving jute fiber-reinforced unsaturated polyester composites were subjected to water absorption tests in order to study the effects of water ageing on the mechanical properties. Composite specimens were immersed in distilled water and salt water up to 2736 h. The water absorption of specimens reached to an equilibrium level after an immersion time of 300 h. It was observed that tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear strengths (ILSSs) of jute/polyester composites decreased depending on the immersion time. The ILSS values of the composites were reduced by more than 53% for both the distilled water and the salt water after an immersion time of 2736 h.
Optically transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) composite films reinforced with electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers
Authors: Wu Meiyu , Wu Yiqiong , Liu Zhen , Liu Haiqing
Published: January 2012

In this study, randomly organized and uniaxially aligned polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers with an average diameter of ∼550 nm were prepared by electrospinning. They were embedded into poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) to fabricate reinforced composite films by solution impregnation technique. Though the PAN nanofibrous mats were white in color, and fiber contents in composites were as much as 16 wt%, and the refractive index (RI) was different between PAN (RI = 1.5187) and PMMA (RI = 1.489), the composite films showed excellent optical transparency with as high as 90% light transmittance in the visible light range, regardless of the fiber orientation. The mechanical properties of composite films steadily improved with nanofiber contents, and were dependent on the fiber orientation. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the composite film containing 16% aligned fibers were respective 40% and 30% more than that with the corresponding amount of randomly organized fibers. The embedding of PAN nanofibers displayed no effect on the glass transition temperature of PMMA matrix, but increased the stiffness of the composite films in the glassy and glass–rubber transition state, as demonstrated by the dynamic mechanical analysis. This optically transparent PMMA composite with improved mechanical strength may be potentially used as the windshield for the highly moving objects.
Impact evaluation of composite-antenna-structure with embedded dual-band annular ring patch antenna
Authors: Kim Jinyul , Kim Dongseob , Shin Dongsik , Park Wee-Sang , Hwang Woonbong
Published: January 2012

In this study, a composite-antenna-structure (CAS) for a dual band of global positioning system (1.575 GHz) and digital multimedia broadcasting (2.63–2.655 GHz) was designed and fabricated as a part of a structural skin. The annular ring antenna type is available in two frequency bands, depending on the critical point view at the feeding and resonant areas. Consequently, the CAS was investigated by impact tests because the efficiency of using a protective layer needed to be confirmed. Embedding an antenna within a structural surface is an excellent way to improve both mechanical efficiency and electrical performance. The measured results not only show the impact characteristics at critical points of this CAS but also the degradation in its electrical performance after the impact test. The experimental results indicated that impact tolerance was significantly increased by the use of composite laminates. The radiation pattern strongly depended on whether composite laminates protected the antenna elements. When 20 J of impact energy was applied to the CAS surface, the specimen with the composite laminates gave twice as much contact force. The antenna performance, as measured by the return loss and radiation pattern, remained excellent after the impact tests. These electrical performance results suggest that antennas with composite laminates will function properly despite local damage.
Community-oriented Administration of Fluoride for the Prevention of Dental Caries
Authors: Petersen P.E. , Baez R.J. , Lennon M.A.
Published: January 2012

Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic disease affecting human populations around the world. It is recognized that fluoride plays a significant role in dental caries reduction. Meanwhile, several low- and middle-income countries of Asia have not yet implemented systematic fluoride programs; contributing factors relate to misconceptions about the mechanisms of fluoride, low priority given to oral health in national health policy and strategic plans, and lack of interest among public health administrators. A workshop on the effective use of fluoride in Asia took place in Phang-Nga, Thailand, in 2011. A series of country presentations addressed some of the topics mentioned above; in addition, speakers from countries of the region provided examples of successful fluoride interventions and discussed program limitations, barriers encountered, and solutions, as well as possibilities for expanding coverage. Participants acknowledged that automatic fluoridation through water, salt, and milk is the most effective and equitable strategy for the prevention of dental caries. Concerns were expressed that government-subsidized community fluoride prevention programs may face privatization. In addition, the use of affordable fluoride-containing toothpastes should be encouraged. The workshop identified: strengths and weaknesses of ongoing community-based fluoride programs, as well as the interest of countries in a particular method; the requirement for World Health Organization (WHO) technical assistance on various aspects, including fluoridation process, feasibility studies, and implementation of effective epidemiological surveillance of the program; exchange of information; and the need for inter-country collaboration. It was acknowledged that program process and evaluation at the local and country levels need further dissemination. The meeting was co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, the International Association for Dental Research, and the World Dental Federation.
Infiltrating/Sealing Proximal Caries Lesions
Authors: Martignon S. , Ekstrand K.R. , Gomez J. , Lara J.S. , Cortes A.
Published: January 2012

This randomized split-mouth controlled clinical trial aimed at assessing the therapeutic effects of infiltration vs. sealing for controlling caries progression on proximal surfaces. Out of 90 adult students/patients assessed at university clinics and agreeing to participate, 39, each with 3 proximal lesions identified radiographically around the enamel-dentin junction to the outer third of the dentin, were included. Lesions were randomly allocated for treatment to test-A (Infiltration: ICON-pre-product; DMG), test-B (Sealing: Prime-Bond-NT; Dentsply), or control-C (Placebo). Primary outcome after 1, 2, and 3 yrs of radiographically observed lesion progression was assessed by an independent examiner blinded to groups, using pair-wise and digital-subtraction readings. No adverse events occurred. In 37 participants assessed after 3 yrs, 10 lesions (A-4; B-2; C-4) progressed deep into dentin and needed operative treatment. The 3-year therapeutic effect, based on pair-wise radiographic readings between infiltration and placebo, was 37.8% (95%CI: 20.5-55.2%) and that between sealing and placebo was 29.7% (95%CI: 20.2-35.0%). One-year follow-up digital-subtraction readings showed significant differences in lesion progression between infiltration and placebo (P = 0.0012) and between sealing and placebo (P = 0.0269). The study showed that infiltration and sealing are significantly better than placebo treatment for controlling caries progression on proximal lesions. No significant difference was seen between infiltration and sealing (ClinicalTrials.gov number CT01417832).
Functional Properties of Tooth Pulp Neurons Responding to Thermal Stimulation
Authors: Ahn D.K. , Doutova E.A. , McNaughton K. , Light A.R. , Närhi M. , Maixner W.
Published: January 2012

The response properties of tooth pulp neurons that respond to noxious thermal stimulation of the dental pulp have been not well-studied. The present study was designed to characterize the response properties of tooth pulp neurons to noxious thermal stimulation of the dental pulp. Experiments were conducted on 25 male ferrets, and heat stimulation was applied by a computer-controlled thermode. Only 15% of tooth pulp neurons (n = 39) responded to noxious thermal stimulation of the teeth. Tooth pulp neurons were found in both the superficial and deep nuclear regions of the subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and in the interface between the nucleus caudalis and interpolaris (Vc/Vi). Thirty-seven neurons had cutaneous receptive fields and were classified as either NS (16) or WDR (21) neurons. Repeated heat stimulation of the dental pulp sensitized and increased the number of electrically evoked potentials of tooth pulp neurons. These results provide evidence that both the Vc and Vc/Vi regions contain neurons that respond to noxious thermal stimulation of the dental pulp, and that these cells may contribute to the sensitization process associated with symptomatic pulpitis.
Church Renewal by Church Planting: The Significance of Church Planting for the Future of Christianity in Europe
Authors: Paas Stefan
Published: January 2012

The current secularization of Europe faces churches with two challenges: poor contextualization and a lack of credibility. It is clear that innovation is needed to answer these challenges. Planting new churches, instead of being a rapid way to numerical growth (which it is not, at least not in Europe), can become a road to this innovation. This is an important reason to plant churches, apart from other, ecclesiological, and missiological reasons. Church plants are ecclesial laboratories: free havens for missiological experiments. This thesis is defended with an appeal to innovation theory, with historical examples, and with some promising recent developments in one of the most secular countries in Europe: the Netherlands.
Pentacostal Women: Chosen for an Exalted Destiny
Authors: Alexander Kimberly Ervin
Published: January 2012

This essay maintains that women within the Pentecostal tradition are being socialized to languish rather than flourish. Through an examination of the parallel stories of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Catherine Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, the study explores the “call narrative” of the Pentecostal female minister and the accompanying need for affirmation from the community. The essay explores this narrative within the context of the ecclesial community and its failure to create an environment where women may flourish. This failure on the Church’s part has contributed to its own languishing.
The Legitimacy of a Federal Commission as a Deliberative Democratic Process
Authors: Kihl Lisa A. , Soroka Mathew
Published: January 2012

In 2002, the Secretary of Education established a commission to examine ways to strengthen enforcement of the Title IX law and expand opportunities for school sports. This article examined the legitimacy of the commission in terms of realizing deliberative democratic process ideals. Interviews and document analysis revealed that degrees of legitimacy were reached in terms of representation, quality of deliberations, and credibility that led to various tensions felt by citizens. Citizens believed in the importance of participating in Title IX policy discussions but, overall, were suspicious of the government and thus questioned the commission’s legitimacy.
Challenges and Strengths of Immigrant Latino Families in the Rural Midwest
Authors: Raffaelli Marcela , Wiley Angela R.
Published: January 2012

This study assessed challenges and strengths reported by 112 Latin American immigrant mothers in rural Illinois communities. Respondents (mean age = 34.5 years; 93% Mexican) took part in structured interviews that covered a range of topics relevant to their families and the broader Latino community. These Latina mothers emphasized language, documentation, and economic issues as key challenges for immigrants. Some challenges decreased with time in the United States but others remained salient among long-term residents. Respondents described an array of individual assets and social resources used by Latino families to confront challenges. The findings suggest opportunities for practitioners to disseminate information about available formal services and resources through existing informal networks.
Marriage Trajectories and Health Risk Behaviors Throughout Adulthood Among Urban African Americans
Authors: Green Kerry M. , Doherty Elaine E. , Fothergill Kate E. , Ensminger Margaret E.
Published: January 2012

Although previous studies have identified a protective effect of marriage on risky health behaviors, gaps remain in our understanding of how marriage improves health, particularly among African Americans. This study uses longitudinal data to take selection into account and examines whether marital trajectories that incorporate timing, stability, and duration of marriage affect health risk behaviors among a community cohort of urban African Americans followed for 35 years ( N = 1,049). For both men and women, we find six marital trajectories. Men and women in consistently married trajectories are less likely to smoke, drink heavily (women only), and use illegal drugs than those in unmarried or previously married trajectories. Late marrying men do not fare worse in midlife than men in earlier marrying trajectories, but late marrying women show increased risk of midlife drug use. Results suggest policies supporting marriage may have an impact on health but only if stable unions are achieved.
Juvenile Immunotoxicology
Authors: Holsapple Michael P. , O’Lone Raegan
Published: January 2012

Developmental immunotoxicity (DIT) testing is centered around the concern that exposure to immunotoxicants early in development may result in enhanced susceptibility of, or unique or more persistent effects on, the immune system, in comparison to adult exposure. Developmental immunotoxicity has been the focus of numerous workshops and reviews for at least fifteen years. Most of these earlier activities have focused on both environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals and have concluded that the best approach to DIT is to address the possible impacts of exposure during all of the critical windows of development. This article will emphasize the critical role played by exposure during the juvenile stage of development. This article will also highlight several key issues that distinguish DIT testing of pharmaceuticals. Representatives from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and regulatory sectors (both FDA and EMA) were brought together during a two-day workshop in May 2010 to consider the current state of the science of DIT as it pertains to the testing of pharmaceuticals. It is important to emphasize at the onset that there are currently no regulatory guidelines for either drugs or nondrug chemicals specifically focused on assessment of DIT, although some general guidelines are included in both developmental and reproductive toxicity and general immunotoxicology guidance documents.
Ultrastructural Evaluation of Semen to Assess Effects of Exposure to Toxicants
Authors: Veeramachaneni D. N. Rao
Published: January 2012

Conventional light microscopic evaluation of a semen ejaculate does not fully utilize potential indicators of functional impairment in sperm organelles. The technique described here facilitates critical evaluation of morphological features of spermatozoal organelles at an ultrastructural level and helps identify vulnerable targets. Compared with a battery of sperm function assays employed in andrology clinics, this relatively less expensive technique efficiently uses semen as biopsy material and thus serves as a comprehensive means to assess the impact of toxicants on the male reproductive system.
Sen and the Measurement of Justice and Capabilities
Authors: Walby Sylvia
Published: January 2012

Several developments in the measurement of justice have drawn on Amartya Sen’s work on capabilities. This article addresses the relationship between Sen’s theoretical work and its interpretation in the measurement of justice, in particular by the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and by the British Equality and Human Rights Commission and Government Equalities Office in its Equality Measurement Framework. It starts with a review of the diverse interpretations of Sen’s work, which range from considering it to be an innovative radical development to locating his work within the liberal tradition. Central to the article is the question of whether it is possible to develop a meaningful operationalization of Sen’s philosophical distinctions, in particular that between capabilities and functionings, so as to inform measurement frameworks. It finds that on both conceptual and methodological grounds it is not possible to sustain this distinction in practice. This is illustrated by an analysis of the changing measurement of justice in frameworks developed by the UNDP and the UK government. Changes in the content of the measurement frameworks in radical or neoliberal directions are not constrained by Sen’s theoretical analysis, despite claims that Sen’s work informs these frameworks. The openness of Sen’s work means that it can be used by forces generated by the neoliberal environment to support their redefinition of justice.
Trauma Site Museums and Politics of Memory
Authors: Violi Patrizia
Published: January 2012

This article aims to analyse one specific type of memorial site that furnishes an indexical link to past traumatic events which took place in precisely these places. Such memorials will be defined here as trauma sites. It will be shown how the semiotic trait of indexicality produces unique meaning effects, forcing a reframing of the issue of representation, with all its aesthetic and ethical dimensions. In contrast to other forms of memorial site, trauma sites exist factually as material testimonies of the violence and horror that took place there. The fact they still exist, more or less as they were, implies a precise choice on the part of post-conflict societies regarding which traces of the past ought to be preserved and in which ways. In other words, a decision is made about what politics of memory to adopt in each case. Trauma sites thus become unique, privileged observatories that allow us to understand better the emergence of post-conflict societies. The various forms of conservation, transformation, memorialization of places where slaughter, torture and horror have been carried out are key clues to better understandings of the relationship between memory and history in each post-conflict society studied. This article presents a close reading of three very different trauma sites: the Tuol Sleng Museum of the Crimes of Genocide in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Villa Grimaldi in Santiago, Chile; and a third, more recent, museum: The Ustica Memorial Museum (Museo per la Memoria di Ustica) in Bologna, Italy. These memorials represent instances of three very different traumatic memory politics: in Tuol Sleng, visitors are relocated in the trauma space, in a sort of ‘frozen past’; in Villa Grimaldi, a process of attenuation is at work, the traces of the past are less evident, and their emotional effects weaker. The Ustica Museum represents yet another option, a movement towards an artistic and creative reinterpretation of the traumatic event itself.
Introduction
Authors: Andermann Jens , Arnold-de Simine Silke
Published: January 2012

Over the last decades, in response to feminist, postmodern and postcolonial critiques of the modern museum, objects, collections and processes of museaIization have been radically re-signified and re-posited in the cultural arena. The new museums emerging from this shift have redefined their functions in and for communities not simply by changing their narratives but by renegotiating the processes of narration and the museal codes of communication with the public. They define themselves now not as disciplinary spaces of academic history but as places of memory, exemplifying the postmodern shift from authoritative master discourses to the horizontal, practice-related notions of memory, place, and community. The key feature of these new museums is that they deploy strategies of applied theatrics to invite emotional responses from visitors: to make them empathize and identify with individual sufferers and victims, or with their own contemporaries inhabiting alternative modernities in distant places. This dossier seeks to probe these new museographic and curatorial discourses, focusing in particular on the memory museum as an emergent global form of (counter)monumentality. Drawing on different geographical and historical contexts, it argues that the new museums’ apparently global aesthetics implies a danger of surrendering the very specificity of historical experiences the memorial ‘site’ offers its visitors.
Delivering on the promise of knowledge technologies for learning
Authors: Sheehan Tony
Published: January 2012

Despite the continuous evolution of new technologies, many organizations remain frustrated at user satisfaction and return on investment of e-learning initiatives. This article reflects on 12 years’ experience of designing learning solutions at Ashridge Business School, and unearths common challenges that have emerged from a portfolio of over 200 virtual clients. The article distils a model to help ensure clarity of thinking in evaluating knowledge and learning technologies in order to connect organizational drivers, from technology selection through to impact.
Protective effects of quercetine on the neuronal injury in frontal cortex after chronic toluene exposure
Authors: Kanter Mehmet
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was designed to evaluate the possible protective effects of quercetine (QE) on the neuronal injury in the frontal cortex after chronic toluene exposure in rats. The rats were randomly allotted into one of the three experimental groups, namely, groups A (control), B (toluene treated) and C (toluene-treated with QE), where each group contains 10 animals. Control group received 1 ml of normal saline solution, and toluene treatment was performed by the inhalation of 3000 ppm toluene in an 8-h/day and 6-day/week order for 12 weeks. The rats in QE-treated group was given QE (15 mg/kg body weight) once a day intraperitoneally for 12 weeks, starting just after toluene exposure. Tissue samples were obtained for histopathological investigation. To date, no histopathological changes of neurodegeneration in the frontal cortex after chronic toluene exposure in rats by QE treatment have been reported. In this study, the morphology of neurons in the QE treatment group was well protected. Chronic toluene exposure caused severe degenerative changes, shrunken cytoplasm and extensively dark picnotic nuclei in neurons of the frontal cortex. We conclude that QE therapy causes morphologic improvement in neurodegeneration of frontal cortex after chronic toluene exposure in rats. We believe that further preclinical research into the utility of QE may indicate its usefulness as a potential treatment on neurodegeneration after chronic toluene exposure in rats.
Protective effect of curcumin on acute lung injury induced by intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion
Authors: Guzel Aygul , Kanter Mehmet , Guzel Ahmet , Yucel Ahmet Fikret , Erboga Mustafa
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of curcumin on acute lung injury induced by intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R). A total of 30 male Wistar albino rats were divided into 3 groups: sham, I/R, and I/R + curcumin; each group contains 10 animals. Sham group animals underwent laparotomy without I/R injury. After I/R groups animals underwent laparotomy, 1 h of superior mesenteric artery ligation were followed by 1 h of reperfusion. In the curcumin group, 3 days before I/R, curcumin (100 mg/kg) was administered by gastric gavage. All animals were killed at the end of reperfusion and lung tissue samples were obtained for biochemical and histopathological investigation in all groups. To date, no more biochemical and histopathological changes on intestinal I/R injury in rats by curcumin treatment have been reported. Curcumin treatment significantly decreased the elevated tissue malondialdehyde levels and increased reduced superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities in lung tissue samples. Intestinal I/R caused severe histopathological injury including oedema, haemorrhage, increased thickness of the alveolar wall, and infiltration of inflammatory cells into alveolar spaces. Curcumin treatment significantly attenuated the severity of intestinal I/R injury. Furthermore, there is a significant reduction in the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase and increase in the expression of surfactant protein D in lung tissue of acute lung injury induced by intestinal I/R with curcumin therapy. It was concluded that curcumin treatment may have beneficial effects in acute lung injury, and therefore has potential for clinical use.
Struggle over Dimensionality
Authors: Rovny Jan , Edwards Erica E.
Published: January 2012

This article analyzes the impact of party strategies on the issue structure, and consequently the dimensional structure, of party systems across Europe. Conceptualizing political competition in two dimensions (economic left-right and social traditionalism versus liberalism), the authors demonstrate that political parties in both Eastern and Western Europe contest the issue composition of political space. The authors argue that large, mainstream parties are invested in the dimensional status quo, preferring to compete on the primary dimension by emphasizing economic issues. Systematically disadvantaged niche parties, conversely, prefer to compete along a secondary dimension by stressing social issues. Adopting such a strategy enables niche parties to divert voter attention and challenge the structure of conflict between the major partisan competitors. The authors test these propositions using the 2006 iteration of the Chapel Hill Expert Surveys on Party Positions. Findings indicate that while the structure of political conflict in Eastern versus Western Europe could not be more different, the logic with which parties compete in their respective systems is the same. The authors conclude that political competition is primarily a struggle over dimensionality; it does not merely occur along issue dimensions but also over their content.
Recent Developments in the Ukrainian Judicial System and the Impact of International and European Law
Authors: Tiede Wolfgang , Rennalls Oscar
Published: January 2012

Ukraine’s judicial system is still shackled by its Soviet past. Despite gaining independence in 1991, it is not surprising that this new sovereign state could not usher in overnight a new judicial system firmly based on the rule of law and the separation of powers. The author assesses current reform efforts in the Ukrainian justice sector in light of several European Union and Council of Europe recommendations for further steps in the constitutional development of Ukraine. Key reforms are analysed including the implications of the “small justice reform” of 2002 and the draft law on the judiciary and the status of judges. As Ukraine does not have an explicit strategy on Justice and Home Affairs, which makes any such analysis of recent justice reforms more difficult, its obligations in this area under several EU-Ukraine treaties and joint projects will be analysed.
Feminism and Violence: The Hegemonic Second Wave’s Encounter with Rape and Domestic Abuse in USA (1970-1985)
Authors: Martinez Pilar Rodriguez
Published: January 2012

This article, focused on violence against women, is a response to hegemonic feminists of the Second Wave in the USA (1970–85). Initially, this violence was explained by the biological difference between men and women, a difference ultimately used as a basis for the origin of the patriarchal system. And the use of violence against women came to be associated with the social and sexual control of women by men in patriarchal societies. As a result, hegemonic feminists of the Second Wave assert the following about domestic violence: 1) it is associated with biological differences between men and women, a difference which is fundamental to patriarchal systems; 2) it is unilateral, that is, only men commit acts of violence against women, and it affects all women irrespective of age, social class, education, or national origin; and 3) it is an expression of power that men hold over women in patriarchal societies. Here I will focus specifically on the cases of rape and domestic violence to show how these general theories have been applied in practice.
Warship propulsion system control
Authors: Whalley Robert , Abdul-Ameer Alaa
Published: January 2012

The modelling of a dual gas turbine, single-shaft transmission drive, for a naval propulsion system, is considered. Owing to the spatial dispersion of the arrangement, a distributed–lumped parameter approach to the dynamic analysis problem is necessary. This enables the relatively concentrated assemblies to be included as lumped, pointwise representations and the propulsion shaft to be incorporated as a dispersed inertia and stiffness element. A multivariable, least effort controller design strategy is employed to achieve the regulation required. The performance of the closed-loop system following reference input and load disturbances is evaluated and the drive shaft speed and twist angle response transients are computed.
Revisiting the inverse dynamics of the Gough–Stewart platform manipulator with special emphasis on universal–prismatic–spherical leg and internal singularity
Authors: Afroun Mohamed , Dequidt Antoine , Vermeiren Laurent
Published: January 2012

This article discusses the dynamic modeling for control of Gough–Stewart platform manipulator with special emphasis on universal–prismatic–spherical leg kinematics. Inverse dynamic model of these six degrees of freedom parallel manipulator robots is reviewed, while complete dynamics with true kinematics of universal–prismatic–spherical legs is compared with several models found in the literature. Most existing models have not taken into account some of the legs kinematical effects, namely the legs angular velocity around their axes and the internal singularities due to passive joints; some other used a simplified parameterization to describe the leg kinematics. Furthermore, some kinetic assumption can be used to reduce the computational burden. This article shows the effect of all these simplifications on the driving forces by simulating the different dynamic models for a commercial manipulator and for different sets of geometric and dynamic parameters of manipulator.
Effect of contact area variation on squeal propensity of disc modes
Authors: Kang Jaeyoung
Published: January 2012

The squeal propensity associated with the contact area variation is studied using the finite element method and the analytical contact and rotating modeling. The disc brake system is modeled as a rotating finite element disc in contact with annular sector-friction material. The squeal propensity is numerically determined with respect to the contact span angle and the radial contact length which define the contact geometry. The results show that the squeal propensity is strongly influenced by the contact area variation. Particularly, the squeal propensity of the transverse doublet mode changes periodically with the variation of the contact span angle. However, the in-plane dominant modes have the decreased squeal tendency as the span angle increases. The variation in the radial contact length is also shown to make contribution to the change in squeal propensity for both the transverse and in-plane modes.
A new approach for the linearization of dynamics in bolted joints
Authors: Khattak Abdur R
Published: January 2012

Joints are an important source of vibration damping in built-up structures. Their mathematical modelling is, however, complex due to microslip with highly nonlinear nature. This is a major reason for developing a reduced-order model of dynamics in joints. The singular value decomposition is applied to decompose the time history and arrive at a linear model for joint dynamics while preserving the physics of the model at the same time. The model, which is a linearization of joint dynamics, is obtained by the introduction of certain functions of time which replace the nonlinear forces in the reduced space for harmonic excitation. A two-fold computational advantage is achieved by (1) increasing the size of the stable time step and (2) reducing the number of generalized coordinates substantially. Several configurations of joint, having different geometry and dynamic parameters, are studied with the help of the reduced-order model. The state of the system as well as the hysteretic behaviour is successfully modelled showing very good agreement with full model.
Do Infants Have a Sense of Fairness?
Authors: Sloane Stephanie , Baillargeon Renée , Premack David
Published: January 2012

Two experiments examined infants’ expectations about how an experimenter should distribute resources and rewards to other individuals. In Experiment 1, 19-month-olds expected an experimenter to divide two items equally, as opposed to unequally, between two individuals. The infants held no particular expectation when the individuals were replaced with inanimate objects, or when the experimenter simply removed covers in front of the individuals to reveal the items (instead of distributing them). In Experiment 2, 21-month-olds expected an experimenter to give a reward to each of two individuals when both had worked to complete an assigned chore, but not when one of the individuals had done all the work while the other played. The infants held this expectation only when the experimenter could determine through visual inspection who had worked and who had not. Together, these results provide converging evidence that infants in the 2nd year of life already possess context-sensitive expectations relevant to fairness.
Overcoming the Negative Consequences of Interference From Recognition Memory Testing
Authors: Malmberg Kenneth J. , Criss Amy H. , Gangwani Tarun H. , Shiffrin Richard M.
Published: January 2012

Theories of why humans forget have been challenged by the newly discovered list-length/output-interference paradox, in which—under certain testing conditions—learning is not harmed by the amount of verbal material studied, whereas retrieval of that material becomes more difficult with increases in the number of items tested. The latter finding is known as output interference, and the results of the experiment reported here indicate that a release from output interference is obtained when the nature of the items is changed during testing. Specifically, when participants are asked to recognize items from two categories, output interference is minimized when items from each category are tested separately in large blocks. This finding supports models of forgetting that assume interference arises from information about the to-be-learned material that is stored in memory; in contrast, this finding is difficult to explain using models that assume forgetting is the result only of changing context.
Selves, societies, and social sciences: Pluralism in a changing global world
Authors: Jensen Lene Arnett
Published: January 2012

This essay reviews two books addressing the nature of the self, and relationships between self and others in the context of modernity and globalization. While each book has many merits of its own, they provide for a particularly interesting and thought-provoking joint reading. I see them as opening up a broader debate about pluralism of self and philosophy of the social sciences. Rather than a self in the singular characteristic of Adams’ post-Freudian account, the contemporary self may have a psychology, for example, of superegos, identities, and reflexivities. Furthermore, in order to address the nature of selves, relationships, and societies in a way that is valid and applicable in a global world, we also need to rethink the social sciences in plural terms. The challenge and opportunity that we face today, in my view, is one of bridging universal theories with cultural ones.
Psychological complexity and the cost of information processing
Authors: Aksentijevic Aleksandar , Gibson Keith
Published: January 2012

Traditionally, theories of complexity used in psychology have been based on geometric, probabilistic, and algorithmic paradigms. While these have been useful in highlighting the importance of complexity for psychology, they have not, in general, addressed the relationship between complexity and processing cost. In this paper, we review some of the classic and current complexity theories in psychology and suggest that psychological complexity and processing cost can be quantified using the notion of hierarchical change. Finally, we discuss the relationship between change, complexity, and the Gestalt principles of perceptual organization.
Ensuring that Others Behave Responsibly
Authors: Mawhinney Alison , Griffiths Iorwerth
Published: January 2012

Governance produces a complex landscape of public power that state authorities have to take account of when discharging their duties under international human rights law. A traditional model of human rights law views the state as the primary duty-holder. However, to restrict the reach of human rights law to actions carried out by state bodies is extremely problematic in a context where the private and voluntary sectors are involved in service delivery and the boundary between the public and private is hazy. This article examines the approaches taken by international and domestic human rights law to the question of the applicability of human rights law. In this examination it draws upon the recent work of Anthony Giddens as a means of illustrating the socio-political context in which human rights law must now be implemented. The article argues that an understanding of Giddens’ evolving conception of the modern state is instructive in posing questions on the appropriate response of human rights law to governance. An analytical framework comprising three possible approaches – institutional, functional or regulatory – is put forward. The article argues that the shift to what Giddens calls the ‘ensuring’ state ought to entail a corresponding shift to a ‘regulatory approach’ in the interpretation of human rights obligations.
Contesting the Bureaucracy
Authors: Lens Vicki
Published: January 2012

This article explores citizens’ use of administrative hearings to appeal adverse government decisions about their welfare benefits. It draws on interviews with 79 welfare participants and observations of hearings and interviews with administrative law judges in a state in the United States to understand what hearings, and the act of appealing, mean to citizens. I find that beyond individual redress, participants view appealing as an opportunity to expose and repair social injuries and to renegotiate social relationships, social identities and their status as citizens. Their ability to rehabilitate strained social identities and establish their deservingness as citizens is contingent and variable, with hearings sometimes reproducing appellants’ powerlessness and other times allowing for a more positive enactment of citizenship and social status. Over time, participants experience an increase in legal consciousness, using the knowledge of the law and bureaucratic practices they glean from hearings to better navigate the welfare bureaucracy. While this transformation of legal consciousness emphasizes individual gains rather than collective or systemic change, it cultivates a culture of complaining, rather than acquiescing, within the welfare bureaucracy.
Shadowed by the corpse of war: Sport spectacles and the spirit of terrorism
Authors: Atkinson Michael , Young Kevin
Published: January 2012

Since the early 2000s, there has been a groundswell of research on terrorism and sports mega-events, including investigations into the impact of ‘9/11’ on fear and risk management strategies at high profile sports events. In this article, we re-examine the case of the Salt Lake City Winter Games of 2002 around Baudrillard’s (1995) concept of the ‘non-event’. We compare the (largely British and North American) mass mediation and discursive framing of terrorism at the 2002 Games with subsequent discourses interwoven into accounts of terrorism, fear and security at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin. Of principal interest is the global framing of sports mega-events as targets of terrorism and the ways in which such events become fabricated zones of risk. To understand why there is a lingering media construction of the sports mega-event as an imagined target (and, in many ways, pre-constructed victim) of terrorism, we draw centrally on Baudrillard’s work (1995, 2001, 2002a, 2002b). Specifically, we employ Baudrillard’s concepts of the hyperreal and the non-event as a means of exploring terrorism’s relationship with sport, and the potential usage of such theoretical ideas in the sociology of sport and physical culture more broadly.
Sport mega-events and ‘terrorism’: A critical analysis
Authors: Giulianotti Richard , Klauser Francisco
Published: January 2012

The article explores critically the interplay between sport and terrorism, with particular reference to sport mega-events. Our discussion is divided into two main sections. First, we set out the main principles of a critical social theoretical approach, which enables satisfactory analysis of the ‘sport/terrorism’ couplet. We discuss the contribution of three types of critical perspective that are tied to different disciplines, namely sociology, human geography, and political science/international relations. Second, we turn to consider some of the main historical and contemporary incidents and issues with regard to terrorism at sport mega-events. On this basis, we show how and why social scientific analysis needs to move beyond common-sense understandings of the sport/terrorism couplet, to investigate critically the epistemologies and discursive constructions of terror, the logics, processes and relationships underpinning specific counter-terrorism strategies, and the wider socio-spatial implications thereof.