bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Sensitivities of a Distributed Snow Model to Forcing Data Resolution
Authors: Winstral Adam , Marks Danny , Gurney Robert
Published: March 2014

Highly heterogeneous mountain snow distributions strongly affect soil moisture patterns; local ecology; and, ultimately, the timing, magnitude, and chemistry of stream runoff. Capturing these vital heterogeneities in a physically based distributed snow model requires appropriately scaled model structures. This work looks at how model scale—particularly the resolutions at which the forcing processes are represented—affects simulated snow distributions and melt. The research area is in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in southwestern Idaho. In this region, where there is a negative correlation between snow accumulation and melt rates, overall scale degradation pushed simulated melt to earlier in the season. The processes mainly responsible for snow distribution heterogeneity in this region—wind speed, wind-affected snow accumulations, thermal radiation, and solar radiation—were also independently rescaled to test process-specific spatiotemporal sensitivities. It was found that in order to accurately simulate snowmelt in this catchment, the snow cover needed to be resolved to 100 m. Wind and wind-affected precipitation—the primary influence on snow distribution—required similar resolution. Thermal radiation scaled with the vegetation structure (~100 m), while solar radiation was adequately modeled with 100–250-m resolution. Spatiotemporal sensitivities to model scale were found that allowed for further reductions in computational costs through the winter months with limited losses in accuracy. It was also shown that these modeling-based scale breaks could be associated with physiographic and vegetation structures to aid a priori modeling decisions.
Difficulties in Early Ice Detection with the Small Ice Detector-2 HIAPER (SID-2H) in Maritime Cumuli
Authors: Johnson Alexandria , Lasher-Trapp Sonia , Bansemer Aaron , Ulanowski Z. , Heymsfield Andrew J.
Published: March 2014

The Small Ice Detector, version 2 (SID-2), High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER; SID-2H) was used to detect small ice particles in the early stages of ice formation in the high liquid water environment of tropical maritime cumulus clouds sampled during the Ice in Clouds Experiment—Tropical (ICE-T) field campaign. Its performance in comparison to other probes and the development of new corrections applied to the data are presented. The SID-2H detected small ice crystals among larger particles. It correctly identified water drops, and discriminated between round and irregular particle shapes in water-dominated clouds with errors less than 5%. Remaining uncertainties in the sensing volume and the volume over which coincidence of particles occurred, result in the data being used here in a qualitative manner to identify the presence of ice, and its habits and sizes.
The renal channelopathies
Authors: Loudon KW , Fry AC
Published: March 2014

Specific channels permit movement of selected ions through cellular membranes, and are of vital importance in a number of physiological processes, particularly in excitable tissues such as nerve and muscle, but also in endocrine organs and in epithelial biology. Disorders of channel proteins are termed channelopathies, and their importance is increasingly recognised within medicine. In the kidney, ion channels have critical roles enabling sodium and potassium reuptake or excretion along the nephron, in magnesium homeostasis, in the control of water reabsorption in the collecting duct, and in determining glomerular permeability. In this review, we assess the channelopathies encountered in each nephron segment, and see how their molecular and genetic characterisation in the past 20–30 years has furthered our understanding of normal kidney physiology and disease processes, aids correct diagnosis and promises future therapeutic opportunities.
Examining Hand-Washing Rates and Durations in Public Restrooms
Authors: Berry Thomas D. , Mitteer Daniel R. , Fournier Angela K.
Published: March 2014

Guided by Social Learning Theory, competing hypotheses tested whether personal, environmental, or behavioral factors influenced gender differences in hand washing. A total of 170 observations were made in public restrooms on a university campus. Results suggested that differentiating patron use of urinals and commodes was appropriate for examining hand-washing differences between women and men. The research found hand-washing rates of men and women were similar if both had just used a commode. In contrast, after using urinals, men’s hand-washing rates were substantially lower than commode users. Although environmental factors appear to have an overriding influence over men’s hand washing, duration data suggest that the specific behavior performed in a restroom (e.g., urination or defecation) was a better predictor of hand-washing rates and durations. These findings contradict gender-socialization theory as the explanation for differences in hand washing and warrant further investigation of environmental and behavioral influences.
Analyzing pedestrian merging flow on a floor–stair interface using an extended lattice gas model
Authors: Huo Feizhou , Song Weiguo , Lv Wei , Liew K M
Published: March 2014

The floor–stair interface is a critical component of the escape stairs in high-rise buildings, and the characteristics of the merging flow in the floor–stair interface is also significant for investigating the evacuation of high-rise buildings. In this paper, the original lattice gas model is extended by considering inner-side walking preferences, turning behavior and different desired speeds. Then the merging flow in the floor–stair interface is simulated with the extended model. The fundamental diagram of the simulation results has the same tendency as the empirical data and it is found that the merging at the floor–stair interface could retard the motion of pedestrians on the incoming stairs and reduce the motion speed in the case when the corridors are adjacent to the incoming stairs. The effect of two kinds of typical structures of the floor–stair interface on pedestrian merging behavior is investigated. The results show that the evacuation process will be improved when the corridor is connected to the landing opposite to the incoming stairs. The results given in this paper may be helpful in understanding the characteristics of pedestrian merging flow in floor–stair interfaces and in designing building structures.
God, Creation, and the Possibility of Philosophical Wisdom: The Perspectives of Bonaventure and Aquinas
Authors: LaNave Gregory F.
Published: March 2014

Contemporary debates about the relationship between philosophy and theology may be illuminated by comparing Aquinas's doctrine of philosophical wisdom to Bonaventure's. For both, philosophical wisdom apprehends God as creator through the medium of creation; the resultant act is therefore distinct from that of theology, which apprehends God through revelation. But Bonaventure also speaks of the capacity of the human soul, transformed by grace, to be formed by the expressive presence of God in creation—and this too, for Bonaventure, is philosophical.
Theologies of Guadalupe: From the Spanish Colonial Era to Pope John Paul II
Authors: Matovina Timothy
Published: March 2014

Theologians writing on Our Lady of Guadalupe strive to articulate a Christian response to a momentous event: the conquest, evangelization, and struggles for life, dignity, and self-determination of the peoples of the Americas. This article critically examines theologies of Guadalupe from their colonial foundations, to their reconfiguration during the rise of the Mexican nation, and to the new interpretations in the post-Vatican II era. In the process it illuminates important parameters for the ongoing development of Guadalupan and other theologies that advance fullness of ecclesial and human life in the American hemisphere and beyond.
Social and Economic Ethics
Authors: Hinze Christine Firer
Published: March 2014

The Note surveys scholarship in social and economic ethics between 2004 and 2008, focusing on economic ethics and the financial crisis of 2008. The author analyzes the crisis through a Catholic economic-ethical lens that highlights principles of intelligibility, accountability, incarnation, solidarity, and preferential option for the most vulnerable; she also suggests trajectories for prescriptive responses along with select resources for further dialogue.
Jesus the Galilean Jew in Mestizo Theology
Authors: Elizondo Virgilio
Published: March 2014

Galilee must have had special salvific signification for the first Christians, as it played an important role in the post-Easter memory of the followers of Jesus and was part of the earliest kerygma (Acts 10:37–41). This article narrates a Mexican-American pastor's journey that led to a theological exploration of Galilee. It examines why this ethnic reference was so important to bring out the beauty and originality of the liberating way of Jesus, beginning with his very particular identity as a Jewish Galilean from Nazareth.
Jesus of Galilee and the Crucified People: The Contextual Christology of Jon Sobrino and Ignacio Ellacuría
Authors: Lassalle-Klein Robert
Published: March 2014

The author argues that the Christian historical realism of Ignacio Ellacuría and the “saving history” Christology of Jon Sobrino form a post-Vatican II contextual theology unified by two fundamental claims: the historical reality of Jesus is the real sign of the Word made flesh, and the analogatum princeps of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is to be found today among the “crucified peoples” victimized by various forms of oppression around the globe. Sobrino and Ellacuría are situated as important interpreters of Rahner, Ignatius Loyola, Augustine, Medellín, and key European phenomenologists.
Wound Made Fountain: Toward a Theology of Redemption
Authors: Miller Jerome A.
Published: March 2014

The heuristic of retributive punishment on which theology has often relied to explain the Crucifixion, argues the author, does not help us understand how this event was responsive to the wounds of the violated. A heuristic of empathetic identification, however, enables us to develop a theology of redemption that appreciates how God's loving embrace of the violated can effect what retributive punishment aspires to but cannot achieve: the miraculous liberation of both the victim and the violator from the cul-de-sac of historical evil.
God's Will or God's Desires for US: A Change in Worldview?
Authors: Bracken Joseph A.
Published: March 2014

Taking up the mystery of divine providence, the author suggests that the terms “God's will” and “God's desires” correspond to different understandings of the God-world and God-human relationship. In the former, the focus seems to be on the fulfilment of the unchanging divine plan for creation; in the latter, attention is directed to the strictly contingent decisions of creatures and God's flexibility in somehow ordering them to a higher purpose and goal. Divine providence is active in both cases but in quite different ways.
Reading Kant from a Catholic Horizon: Ethics and the Anthropology of Grace
Authors: Rossi Philip J.
Published: March 2014

For two centuries Catholic philosophers and theologians have generally treated Immanuel Kant's critical philosophy as incompatible with principles fundamental to Catholic accounts of the human condition in relation to God. This article argues that contemporary scholarship—particularly about the role of anthropological concerns in the critical project—indicates that Kant's understanding of finite human freedom provides a basis for Catholic theology to engage his thinking positively in the articulation of a theology of grace for humanity's postmodern context.
Grace Reloaded: Caritas in Veritate's Theological Anthropology
Authors: Renczes Philipp Gabriel
Published: March 2014

More detailed than preceding social encyclicals, Pope Benedict XVI's Caritas in veritate appears to supply a theological foundation for the Catholic Church's social doctrine. The article argues that the theological anthropology contained in the encyclical (which leads to a notable revaluation of the role of grace) complements Joseph Ratzinger's life-long reflections on the relationship between faith and reason, and provides a key to understanding choices the pope makes in his effort to offer a reliable Catholic orientation in a rapidly changing world.
Caritas in Veritate: Benedict's Global Reorientation
Authors: Cahill Lisa Sowle
Published: March 2014

Benedict's first encyclical, Deus caritas est, assigned political work to the laity and restricted the Catholic Church's social activities to charity. Benedict's Word Christology, presented in Jesus of Nazareth, coheres with his longstanding vision of a countercultural Church centered in Europe. Caritas in veritate envisions the Church and its representatives as advocates for global justice. The encyclical's concerns parallel those of the Second Synod for Africa (Rome, October 2009). The significance of this shift in focus for Benedict's Christology, ecclesiology, and politics is still unfolding.
SPE Salvi on Eschatological and Secular Hope: A Thomistic Critique of an Augustinian Encyclical
Authors: Doyle Dominic
Published: March 2014

Spe salvi emphasizes the difference between eschatological and secular hope, but does not adequately articulate their connection. Drawing on Aquinas, the article advances arguments that spell out the connection between eschatological and secular hope. Secular hopes not only participate in eschatological hope but are its means of realization. Aquinas's biblical reflections on the law and the beatitudes provide supporting examples. Finally, since an inadequate connection between eschatological and secular hope can issue in an unconvincing theological analysis of human suffering, concluding reflections reframe some of Benedict's comments on suffering.
Social Sin and Immigration: Good Fences Make Bad Neighbors
Authors: Heyer Kristin E.
Published: March 2014

The category of social sin elucidates the connection between unjust structures that contribute to undocumented immigration and pervasive ideologies that foster resistance to reform efforts and immigrants themselves. Following an exploration of the development of social sin by Pope John Paul II and Latin American liberation theologians, the author advances a conception of social sin that accounts for its personal, institutional, and nonvoluntary dimensions. The analysis seeks to clarify intersecting levels of inhospitality and injustice.
Sacrosanctum Concilium and the Meaning of Vatican II
Authors: Faggioli Massimo
Published: March 2014

The article contributes to the debate about the relationship between the liturgical reform and the hermeneutics of Vatican II. The author seeks to develop a critical understanding of the ongoing debate about the need for a “reform of the reform.” A study of the connections between Vatican II and the theology of the liturgical reform shows that any attempt to undermine Vatican II's liturgical reform reveals a reductionist view of the council itself.
“The Body of Christ: Amen!”: The Expanding Incarnation
Authors: Kelly Anthony J.
Published: March 2014

The article aims to refresh Christian sensibilities to the bodily character of ecclesial existence. It links Christ's incarnation with the continuing formation of his Body, arguing against any suggestion that the incarnation is less real following his resurrection and ascension than prior to them. Though massive changes have occurred in our understanding of the material universe, the expanding event of the incarnation remains the focus of Christian intentionality. In its commitment to the reality of God-with-us in Christ, an adequate theology of the Body of Christ can appeal to various analogical perspectives on the meaning of “bodiliness.”
Ecclesial Impasse: What Can we Learn from Our Laments?
Authors: Hinze Bradford E.
Published: March 2014

Occasioned by current challenges facing the Catholic Church, the article explores the role of lamentations and impasse in the life of the church. By drawing on resources in the Scriptures, Augustine's Expositions on the Psalms, and classic texts in spirituality, the author advances the claim that ways must be developed in ecclesiology and pastoral practice to heed and discern the meaning of ecclesial laments as a necessary complement to a phenomenological and hermeneutical interpretation of the intentions of ecclesial texts and authorities.
Paul's Use of dikaio Terminology: Moving Beyond N. T. Wright's Forensic Interpretation
Authors: Stegman Thomas D.
Published: March 2014

The article argues that Paul's use of dikaio- terminology, the language of “justification,” has been too narrowly construed by N. T. Wright in his latest monograph on the subject. Wright's position, that Paul employs the language of justification to signify a divinely bestowed change in status, tells only part of the story. This language also connotes real transformation. A unique feature of the article is that it starts with an analysis of the phrase “righteousness of God” in 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Which are the Words of Scripture?
Authors: Griffiths Paul J.
Published: March 2014

The author argues that the liturgical practice of the Church strongly supports the view that translated versions of Scripture are as much verbum Domini as untranslated versions. It follows from this that the words of Scripture, the Lord's words to his people, are found fully in every version approved for public reading by an episcopal synod. This view has implications for the Church's exegetical practice; these are briefly indicated.
Revisiting Contraception: An Integrated Approach in Light of the Renewal of Thomistic Virtue Ethics
Authors: Murphy William F.
Published: March 2014

The article revisits the disputed question of contraception in light of the contemporary renewal of Thomistic virtue ethics. Integrating Thomistic anthropological, action, and virtue theory, the article supports the central teaching of Humanae vitae that contraceptive acts are intrinsically evil. Its argument builds upon the philosophical work of Martin Rhonheimer, transposing it into an explicitly theological context, while also responding to the primary criticisms articulated against Rhonheimer's approach.
Bioethics: Basic Questions and Extraordinary Developments
Authors: Vicini Andrea
Published: March 2014

In the past few years, a variety of alarming narratives, global concerns addressed locally, and new biotechnological developments have shaped contemporary bioethical discourse. This note identifies (1) five of these narratives that come from other disciplines: history, journalism, surgery, literature, and personal experience; (2) original voices, particularly from Asia and Africa, that shape the innovations emerging in today's global theological bioethics; and (3) three biotechnological developments—neurosciences, oncofertility, and synthetic biology—that call for our attention. Throughout each section, one can see that an interdisciplinary approach could sustain conversations and generate transformative practices.
Christian and Jewish Tradition behind Tyconius's Doctrine of the Church as Corpus Bipertitum
Authors: Mueller Joseph G.
Published: March 2014

Tyconius, a fourth-century Donatist, believed that the Bible showed the church as composed of two parts, the righteous and the sinners, who will be clearly separated only at the final judgment. This doctrine belongs to a shared Jewish and Christian tradition attested to in Romans, the third-century Christian Jewish Didascalia apostolorum, Tyconius's Christian contemporaries in the East and the West, and talmudic and midrashic traditions attributed to fourth-century rabbis. Recognizing the exegetical tradition behind this doctrine brings a deeper understanding of it and its application to ecclesiology through the ages.
The Development of Catholic Social Teaching on Economics: Bernard Lonergan and Benedict XVI
Authors: Ormerod Neil , Oslington Paul , Koning Robin
Published: March 2014

Affected by the Great Depression and the inadequacy of the “simple-minded moralism” of church commentators on economic matters, Bernard Lonergan worked on a macrodynamic economic model in the 1940s and returned to it in the 1970s. The authors here situate Lonergan's economics in relation to economic theory then and now, as well as within his own overall project. They consider its possible contribution to the development of Catholic social teaching on economics, especially in dialogue with Benedict XVI's encyclical Caritas in veritate. Finally, they discuss the light Lonergan sheds on the importance and difficulties of interdisciplinary work.
Catholic Participation in Needle- and Syringe-Exchange Programs for Injection-Drug Users: An Ethical Analysis
Authors: Sulmasy Daniel P.
Published: March 2014

Needle- and syringe-exchange programs aim to decrease infections among those who are dependent on injection drugs. Some have questioned whether church sponsorship of such programs constitutes illicit cooperation in the evil of drug abuse. This article examines the question under classical formulations of cooperation and in light of current empirical evidence and concludes that this is not the case. Questions are also raised about whether, if substance dependence is a disease and not a moral failing, an analysis based on cooperation is actually the appropriate category of analysis.
A Catholic Response to Gavin D'costa
Authors: Pawlikowski John T.
Published: March 2014

Some ambiguity remains in the official Catholic understanding of dialogue and mission, but the basic thrust of Vatican II Catholicism definitely leans toward a nonmissionizing position with regard to Jews. This seems evident in the several statements on Christian-Jewish relations beginning with the conciliar text Nostra aetate and continuing in papal statements and the writings of individual theologians. This thrust stands in opposition to Gavin D'Costa's claim for a continued mandate of mission to the Jews.
After the Fall: Riccoldo DA Montecroce and Nicholas of Cusa on Religious Diversity
Authors: George-Tvrtković Rita
Published: March 2014

Two very different churchmen, Riccoldo da Montecroce and Nicholas of Cusa, though separated by time and place, were affected by a similar catastrophe: the fall of a Christian capital to Muslim forces. Both responded by seeking heaven's help to end interreligious strife, but Riccoldo wrote letters full of questions to the church triumphant, while Nicholas envisioned a celestial interfaith council that solved the problem. Their disparate responses exemplify the diversity of medieval perspectives on religious plurality.
A Response to Kenneth Garcia: Healthy Secularity and the Task of a Catholic University
Authors: Kalscheur Gregory A.
Published: March 2014

John Courtney Murray hoped that the Catholic university could craft a new unity between the sacral and the secular in society, a unity fully respecting the integrity of both orders. To imagine the Catholic university as a place of enlarged dialogue characterized by healthy secularity, as a community explicitly committed to risking real conversation in pursuit of the wholeness of truth driven by the dynamism of catholicity, might be one way we today can learn from Murray's reflections on the telos of the Catholic university.
“I am Joseph, Your Brother”: A Jewish Perspective on Christian-Jewish Relations since Nostra Aetate No. 4
Authors: Kessler Edward
Published: March 2014

The article reviews the impact of Nostra aetate on Christian-Jewish relations and offers a Jewish perspective, including consideration of the Jewishness of Jesus as well as proposing a covenantal theology that grapples with supersessionism. It also explores the implications of the Holy See's assertion in 1974 that “Christians must strive to learn by what essential traits the Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious experience” and suggests that the church did not know then, nor yet knows, the challenges this raises.
Religious Life in the Vatican II Era: “State of Perfection” or Living Charism?
Authors: Confoy Maryanne
Published: March 2014

Religious life has consistently played a prophetic role in the church; its post-Vatican II era is no exception. The failure of dialogue between those leaders whose ecclesiology is described as traditionalist and those labeled progressive continues to wound the Body of Christ. This article argues that it is in and through the dialogical living of their charism in service of the global church and society of the 21st century that religious offer healing and hope in and through their prophetic, ecclesial witness.
Occasional Eucharistic Hospitality: Revisiting the Question
Authors: Rausch Thomas P.
Published: March 2014

The current Roman Catholic discipline regarding sacramental sharing does not seem to express the degree of communion that now exists between and among the churches. After examining the theological implications of the concept of communio, some developments in canon law, and some recent diocesan guidelines, the article asks whether the Roman Catholic Church might offer occasional eucharistic hospitality to some non-Catholic Christians, noting that eucharistic hospitality is different from intercommunion in that it is offered not to churches but to individuals in particular circumstances.
Jacques Dupuis: The Ongoing Debate
Authors: O'Collins Gerald
Published: March 2014

The article evaluates what seven authors (from Terrence Merrigan in 2005 to Keith Johnson in 2011) have written about Jacques Dupuis's theology of religions. Dupuis died in 2004, but the debate about his views continues vigorously. When discussing the mediation of salvation, some, like Dupuis himself, attend to the church's prayers for “others.” But neither he himself nor his critics appreciate how such prayer, being inspired by love, enjoys some efficient causality, and not merely moral and final causality. Nor have other authors yet recognized the significance of Christ's priestly mediation for the theology of religions.
From Conflict to Reconciliation: Discipleship in the Theology of Jon Sobrino
Authors: Valiente O. Ernesto
Published: March 2014

Building on the theology of Jon Sobrino, the author constructs a Christian spirituality of reconciliation that empowers the human person to confront the challenges of entrenched socioeconomic conflict with honesty, hope, and faith in God's reconciling promises. Such a spirituality, he argues, urges Christians to engage in a mission of mercy that becomes practical in the transformation of oppressive structures, the restoration of personal relationships, and the pursuit of a Christian Utopia.
The Reception of Vatican II in Latin America: A North American Perspective
Authors: Pelton Robert S.
Published: March 2014

The article supplements the one by Ernesto Valiente published in the December 2012 issue of this journal. It adds information not covered by him, as well as first-hand observations on such matters as the impact of foreign religious on the region, Latin American contributions to Vatican II, the current standing of base ecclesial communities, the option for the poor, and the national missions requested at Aparecida 2007.
Organization as Information – a Space Odyssey
Authors: Child John , Ihrig Martin , Merali Yasmin
Published: March 2014

This Vita Contemplativa has been written in recognition of Max Boisot, who died in 2011. It reflects on his work and its contributions to organization studies and beyond. Boisot created a knowledge-based lens for studying complex organizational phenomena. He argued that the ways in which agents process information have fundamental implications for our understanding of groups and organizations within the emerging knowledge society. He articulated this argument with a set of elegant conceptual frameworks that have been widely used by scholars and practitioners to address the dynamics of information, knowledge and learning and the organization of social and scientific activity. We provide an overview of Boisot’s conceptual frameworks before reviewing the impact of his work in the organizational field, which included contemporary developments in China, the role of information in organizations, and more recently organizational complexity and the management of Big Science at CERN. Boisot’s analysis opens up a number of avenues for further development, which are also discussed.
Surgical Anatomy of the Infralabyrinthine Approach
Authors: Cömert Ela , Cömert Ayhan , Çay Nurdan , Tunçel Ümit , Tekdemir İbrahim
Published: March 2014

Objective

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the surgical anatomy of the infralabyrinthine approach (ILA) and ways to prevent complications based on the complex anatomy.

Study Design

Cadaveric study.

Setting

Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy.

Subjects and Methods

Temporal bones were selected from 30 sides of 20 fixed human cadaver heads. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the heads were performed and, afterward, the cadavers were dissected using a surgical microscope and electric drill.

Results

An appropriate tract could be achieved in 73.3% of the dissections by applying slight pressure to the jugular bulb (JB). The narrowest portion of the ILA was defined as the inner window, which was located superior‐inferiorly between the inferior border of the cochlea and the inferior wall of the petrous apex and anterior‐posteriorly between the posterior wall of the carotid canal and the cochlear opening of the cochlear aqueduct. The ILA could not be performed when the distances between the facial nerve‐JB and JB‐cochlea were less than 2.9 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively, on CT scan.

Conclusion

Close attention should be paid to the access and inner window during preoperative temporal bone imaging to assess for ILA. The detailed anatomy of the route, measurements of the topography of the cochlea from the mastoid view, and angles of the route are defined to prevent complications.
Combining X-ray microtomography and three-dimensional digital volume correlation to track microstructure evolution during sintering of copper powder
Authors: McDonald Samuel A , Withers Philip J
Published: March 2014

Optimising the manufacture, and ultimately the mechanical performance, of powder-processed components requires an understanding of how the state of the material evolves during processing and in particular during the final sintering stage. Synchrotron X-ray microtomography has been employed to follow in situ the evolution of particle microstructure during sintering of copper powder. In particular, three-dimensional digital volume correlation of a time-lapse computed tomography image sequence allows accurate quantification of the three-dimensional movements of the particles and thereby local strain for the first time. Strains are quantified both at a coarse scale across the whole powder assembly and at higher magnification for a smaller local region of interest. Unsurprisingly, the rate of shrinkage is observed to decrease with sintering time in accordance with changes in the overall density. Heterogeneities in straining within the body are observed at the several particle level, often associated with anisotropic shrinkage in part associated with non-uniform movement and densification of small aggregates of particles between which significant changes in shrinkage are observed. These differences in shrinkage could be responsible for cracking on further densification.
Soft Tissue Knee Injury With Concomitant Osteochondral Fracture Is Associated With Higher Degree of Acute Joint Inflammation
Authors: Swärd Per , Struglics André , Englund Martin , Roos Harald P. , Frobell Richard B.
Published: March 2014

Background:

Osteochondral fractures are often seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of acutely injured knees, but their existence has gained little interest because of a lack of knowledge of their relation to treatment options and outcome. It is not clear whether acute phase synovial fluid (SF) concentrations of cartilage and bone markers and proinflammatory cytokines are different between traumatically injured knees with or without osteochondral fracture.

Hypothesis:

Acutely injured knees with an osteochondral fracture, particularly fractures with disrupted cortical bone, have higher concentrations of bone markers and cytokines than do knees without an osteochondral fracture.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Synovial fluid (hemarthrosis) was aspirated (median 1 day after injury) and 1.5-T MRI was performed (median 8 days after injury) in the acutely injured knee of 98 individuals (26% women; mean age, 23 years). As visualized on MRI, 39% knees had an osteochondral fracture with disrupted cortical bone, 30% had an osteochondral fracture with intact cortical bone, and 32% did not have an osteochondral fracture. Concentrations of sulfated glycosaminoglycan, ARGS aggrecan, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, osteocalcin, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), osteopontin and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]–1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]–α) were analyzed.

Results:

After adjusting for days between injury and SF aspiration, age at injury, and sex, knees with any osteochondral fracture (with or without disrupted cortical bone) had significantly higher SF concentrations of TNF-α (median [interquartile range (IQR)] = 9 [7-12] pg/mL vs 7 [5-14] pg/mL; P = .013), whereas knees with an osteochondral fracture with disrupted cortical bone had significantly higher SF concentrations (medians [IQRs]) of SPARC (492 [328-754] ng/mL vs 407 [140-685] ng/mL; P = .030), IL-8 (278 [148-628] pg/mL vs 138 [67-413] pg/mL; P = .028), and TNF-α (11 [7-15] pg/mL vs 7 [5-14] pg/mL; P = .004) compared with knees without an osteochondral fracture.

Conclusion:

In acutely injured knees with hemarthrosis, a concomitant osteochondral fracture with disrupted cortical bone is associated with a higher degree of joint inflammation.
The design of contact lens based ocular drug delivery systems for single-day use: Part (I) Structural factors, surrogate ophthalmic dyes and passive diffusion studies
Authors: Mahomed Anisa , Tighe Brian J
Published: March 2014

The poor retention and efficacy of instilled drops as a means of delivering drugs to the ophthalmic environment is well-recognised. The potential value of contact lenses as a means of ophthalmic drug delivery, and consequent improvement of pre-corneal retention is one obvious route to the development of a more effective ocular delivery system. Furthermore, the increasing availability and clinical use of daily disposable contact lenses provides the platform for the development of viable single-day use drug delivery devices based on existing materials and lenses. In order to provide a basis for the effective design of such devices, a systematic understanding of the factors affecting the interaction of individual drugs with the lens matrix is required. Because a large number of potential structural variables are involved, it is necessary to achieve some rationalisation of the parameters and physicochemical properties (such as molecular weight, charge, partition coefficients) that influence drug interactions. Ophthalmic dyes and structurally related compounds based on the same core structure were used to investigate these various factors and the way in which they can be used in concert to design effective release systems for structurally different drugs. Initial studies of passive diffusional release form a necessary precursor to the investigation of the features of the ocular environment that over-ride this simple behaviour. Commercially available contact lenses of differing structural classifications were used to study factors affecting the uptake of the surrogate actives and their release under ‘passive’ conditions. The interaction between active and lens material shows considerable and complex structure dependence, which is not simply related to equilibrium water content. The structure of the polymer matrix itself was found to have the dominant controlling influence on active uptake; hydrophobic interaction with the ophthalmic dye playing a major role.
Profile and Programming Needs of Federal Offenders With Histories of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Stewart Lynn A. , Power Jenelle
Published: March 2014

This study presents data on male perpetrators of domestic violence (DV) in the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) using two samples: (a) a snapshot of all male offenders in CSC who had been assessed for DV ( n = 15,166) and (b) a cumulative sample of male offenders in CSC from 2002-2010 who had been assessed as moderate or high risk for further DV ( n = 4,261) DV offenders were compared to a cohort sample of non-DV offenders ( n = 4,261). Analyses were disaggregated for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders. Results indicated that 40% of the federal male population had a suspected history of DV and were therefore screened in for in-depth DV risk assessment. Of these, 45% were assessed as moderate or high risk for future DV. DV offenders had higher risk and criminogenic need ratings, more learning disabilities, more mental health problems, and more extensive criminal histories than those without DV histories. Aboriginal DV offenders had high levels of alcohol dependence, suggesting a need for substance abuse treatment as part of DV programming. Most federal offenders with DV histories would be described as belonging to the Antisocial/Generalized Aggressive typology and, therefore, adhering to the Risk-Need-Responsivity principles of the effective correctional literature, cognitive-behavioral treatment that focuses on teaching skills of self-management, and changing attitudes supporting relationship violence would be recommended.
High-Risk Sex Offenders May Not Be High Risk Forever
Authors: Hanson R. Karl , Harris Andrew J. R. , Helmus Leslie , Thornton David
Published: March 2014

This study examined the extent to which sexual offenders present an enduring risk for sexual recidivism over a 20-year follow-up period. Using an aggregated sample of 7,740 sexual offenders from 21 samples, the yearly recidivism rates were calculated using survival analysis. Overall, the risk of sexual recidivism was highest during the first few years after release, and decreased substantially the longer individuals remained sex offense–free in the community. This pattern was particularly strong for the high-risk sexual offenders (defined by Static-99R scores). Whereas the 5-year sexual recidivism rate for high-risk sex offenders was 22% from the time of release, this rate decreased to 4.2% for the offenders in the same static risk category who remained offense-free in the community for 10 years. The recidivism rates of the low-risk offenders were consistently low (1%-5%) for all time periods. The results suggest that offense history is a valid, but time-dependent, indicator of the propensity to sexually reoffend. Further research is needed to explain the substantial rate of desistance by high-risk sexual offenders.
Left Feels Right
Authors: Lenzner Timo , Kaczmirek Lars , Galesic Mirta
Published: March 2014

The literature on human-computer interaction consistently stresses the importance of reducing the cognitive effort required by users who interact with a computer in order to improve the experience and enhance usability and comprehension. Applying this perspective to web surveys, questionnaire designers are advised to strive for layouts that facilitate the response process and reduce the effort required to select an answer. In this article, we examine whether placing the answer boxes (i.e., radio buttons or check boxes) to the left or to the right of the answer options in closed questions with vertically arranged response categories enhances usability and facilitates responding. First, we discuss a set of opposing principles of how respondents may process these types of questions in web surveys, some suggesting placing the answer boxes to the left and others suggesting placing them to the right side of the answer options. Second, we report an eye-tracking experiment that examined whether web survey responding is best described by one or another of these principles, and consequently whether one of the three layouts is preferable in terms of usability: (1) answer boxes to the left of left-aligned answer options, (2) answer boxes to the right of left-aligned answer options, and (3) answer boxes to the right of right-aligned answer options. Our results indicate that the majority of respondents conform to a principle suggesting placing the answer boxes to the left of left-aligned answer options. Moreover, respondents require less cognitive effort (operationalized by response latencies, fixation times, fixation counts, and number of gaze switches between answer options and answer boxes) to select an answer in this layout.
Internet Use, Welfare, and Well-Being
Authors: James Jeffrey
Published: March 2014

Traditional consumer theory assumes that welfare is derived at the point where goods are purchased. More recent theories however argue that what matters is dependent on what happens after goods are purchased. Such information requires surveys that are specifically designed for the purpose. Accordingly, Internet use data are few and far between in developing countries. Recently, however, such data have become available for II African countries and my intention in this article is to use them to assess welfare more realistically across the countries in question. Among the questions asked are do the patterns of use favor one set of countries over others or are the observations more random in character? Which use mechanisms are most important across the sample and why? How do these results compare with those of a developed country such as the United States?
The Use of Rubrics in Benchmarking and Assessing Employability Skills
Authors: Riebe Linda , Jackson Denise
Published: March 2014

Calls for employability skill development in undergraduates now extend across many culturally similar developed economies. Government initiatives, industry professional accreditation criteria, and the development of academic teaching and learning standards increasingly drive the employability agenda, further cementing the need for skill development in undergraduate degree programs. Principles and best practice on developing employability skills continue to emerge in international literature, yet educators grapple with ways to determine student learning in targeted employability skills. The purpose of this article is to explore the pedagogical conundrum of how employability skill attainment can be assessed through the use of rubrics. The rationale for using rubrics to promote learning and facilitate assessments through shared understanding by stakeholders of benchmark standards is outlined. Industry will have a clearer picture of what can realistically be achieved during university years, and students will gain a better appreciation of targeted skills and expected outcomes. Furthermore, rubrics may provide a tool for engaging academics and employers in an ongoing dialogue on expected skill attainment and identifying ways in which they may actively collaborate to enhance student learning. The implications of developing and implementing rubrics for determining employability outcomes for key stakeholders are also presented.
The Neurobiology of Cancer Pain
Authors: Schmidt Brian L.
Published: March 2014

The global burden of cancer pain is enormous and opioids, despite their side effects, remain the primary therapeutic approach. The cause of cancer pain is unknown. Mechanisms driving cancer pain differ from those mechanisms responsible for inflammatory and neuropathic pain. The prevailing hypothesis put forward to explain cancer pain posits that cancers generate and secrete mediators which sensitize and activate primary afferent nociceptors in the cancer microenvironment. Moreover, cancers induce neurochemical reorganization of the spinal cord, which contributes to spontaneous activity and enhanced responsiveness. The purpose of this review, which covers clinical and preclinical studies, is to highlight those peripheral and central mechanisms responsible for cancer pain. The challenges facing neuroscientists and clinicians studying and ultimately treating cancer pain are discussed.
Distress in the Desert
Authors: Batson Christie D. , Monnat Shannon M.
Published: March 2014

Using surveys collected from a sample of households nested within “naturally occurring” neighborhoods in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the 2007–2009 economic recession, this study examines the associations between real and perceived measures of neighborhood distress (foreclosure rate, physical decay, crime) and residents’ reports of neighborhood quality of life and neighborhood satisfaction. Consistent with social disorganization theory, both real and perceived measures of neighborhood disorder were negatively associated with quality of life and neighborhood satisfaction. Residents’ perceptions of neighborliness partially acted as a buffer against the effects of neighborhood distress, including housing foreclosures, on quality of life, and neighborhood satisfaction.
Severe pegfilgrastim-induced bone pain completely alleviated with loratadine: A case report
Authors: Romeo Cristina , Li Quan , Copeland Larry
Published: March 2014

Febrile neutropenia is an oncologic emergency that can result in serious consequences. Granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSFs) are often used as prophylaxis for febrile neutropenia. Bone pain is the most notorious adverse effect caused by G-CSFs. Specifically, with pegfilgrastim (Neulasta®), the incidence of bone pain is higher in practice than was observed during clinical trials. Traditional analgesics, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids, can be ineffective in severe pegfilgrastim-induced bone pain. With the high frequency of this adverse effect, it is clear that health practitioners need additional treatment options for patients who experience severe pegfilgrastim-induced bone pain. The mechanisms of bone pain secondary to G-CSFs are not fully known, but research has shown that histamine release is involved in the inflammatory process. There is scant previous clinical data on antihistamine use in the management of G-CSF-induced pain. We present the first case report in which loratadine prophylaxis completely alleviated NSAID-resistant severe pain secondary to pegfilgrastim. The result showed that loratadine may be a promising option for severe, resistant pegfilgrastim-induced bone pain. Further clinical studies are warranted and ongoing.
Assessing upper limb function in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Lamers Ilse , Feys Peter
Published: March 2014

The need to fully assess upper limb function in multiple sclerosis (MS) has become increasingly clear with recent studies revealing a high prevalence of upper limb dysfunction in persons with MS leading to increased dependency and reduced quality of life. It is important that clinicians and researchers use tailored outcome measures to systematically describe upper limb (dys)function and evaluate potential deterioration or improvement on treatment. This topical review provides a comprehensive summary of currently used upper limb outcome measures in MS, classified according to the levels of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). The clinical utility, strengths, weaknesses and psychometric properties of common upper limb outcome measures are discussed. Based on this information, recommendations for selecting appropriate upper limb outcome measures are given. The current shortcomings in assessment which need to be addressed are identified.