bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Ocean Dynamics in the Interaction between the Atlantic Meridional and Equatorial Modes
Authors: Zhu Jieshun , Huang Bohua , Wu Zhaohua
Published: January 2012

This study examines a mechanism of the interaction between the tropical Atlantic meridional and equatorial modes. To derive robust heat content (HC) variability, the ensemble-mean HC anomalies (HCA) of six state-of-the-art global ocean reanalyses for 1979–2007 are analyzed. Compared with previous studies, characteristic oceanic processes are distinguished through their dominant time scales. Using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method, the HC fields are first decomposed into components with different time scales. The authors’ analysis shows that these components are associated with distinctive ocean dynamics. The high-frequency (first three) components can be characterized as the equatorial modes, whereas the low-frequency (the fifth and sixth) components are featured as the meridional modes. In between, the fourth component on the time scale of 3–4 yr demonstrates “mixed” characteristics of the meridional and equatorial modes because of an active transition from the predominant meridional to zonal structures on this time scale. Physically, this transition process is initiated by the discharge of the off-equatorial HCA, which is first accumulated as a part of the meridional mode, into the equatorial waveguide, which is triggered by the breakdown of the equilibrium between the cross-equatorial HC contrast and the overlying wind forcing, and results in a major heat transport through the equatorial waveguide into the southeastern tropical Atlantic. It is also shown that remote forcing from El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exerts important influence on the transition from the equatorial to meridional mode and may partly dictate its time scale of 3–4 yr. Therefore, the authors’ results demonstrate another mechanism of the equatorial Atlantic response to the ENSO forcing.
Understanding Simulated Extreme Precipitation Events in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Role of Moisture Flux Convergence during the Late Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries*
Authors: Holman Kathleen D. , Vavrus Stephen J.
Published: January 2012

Understanding extreme precipitation events in the current and future climate system is an important aspect of climate change for adaptation and mitigation purposes. The current study investigates extreme precipitation events over Madison, Wisconsin, during the late twentieth and late twenty-first centuries using 18 coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation models that participated in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3). An increase of ~10% is found in the multimodel average of annual precipitation received in Madison by the end of the twenty-first century, with the largest increases projected to occur during winter [December–February (DJF)] and spring [March–May (MAM)]. It is also found that the observed seasonal cycle of precipitation in Madison is not accurately captured by the models. The multimodel average shows a strong seasonal peak in May, whereas observations peak during midsummer. Model simulations also do not accurately capture the annual cycle of extreme precipitation events in Madison, which also peak in summer. Instead, the timing of model-simulated extreme events exhibits a bimodal distribution that peaks during spring and fall. However, spatial composites of average daily precipitation simulated by GCMs during Madison’s wettest 1% of precipitation events during the twentieth century strongly resemble the spatial pattern produced in observations. The role of specific humidity and vertically integrated moisture flux convergence (MFC) during extreme precipitation events in Madison is investigated in twentieth- and twenty-first-century simulations. Spatial composites of MFC during the wettest 1% of days during the twentieth-century simulations agree well with results from the North American Regional Reanalysis dataset (NARR), suggesting that synoptic-scale dynamics are vital to extreme precipitation events.
Nominal Weights Mean Equating
Authors: Babcock Ben , Albano Anthony , Raymond Mark
Published: January 2012

The authors introduced nominal weights mean equating, a simplified version of Tucker equating, as an alternative for dealing with very small samples. The authors then conducted three simulation studies to compare nominal weights mean equating to six other equating methods under the nonequivalent groups anchor test design with sample sizes of 20, 50, and 80 examinees. Results showed that nominal weights mean equating was generally the most effective. Nominal weights mean equating was, furthermore, never among the least effective methods in any condition, indicating its utility across a wide variety of contexts. Circle-arc equating, another recently developed method, also showed a great deal of promise. The identity function (i.e., no equating) was adequate only when test forms were nearly equivalent in difficulty.
Distribution of Caries in Children
Authors: Do L.G.
Published: January 2012

The rapid changes in social and economic conditions in many populations may have significant impacts on health, including child oral health. Understanding trends and variations between and within countries will assist in the development of effective preventive programs. This review aims (1) to document time-trends in child caries experience of countries with different levels of social and economic development, and (2) to compare factors affecting the caries experience of children in two contrasting countries. A time-trend analytical approach of ecological data from countries with different levels of social and economic development and individual data of the two contrasting Vietnamese and Australian child populations were used. The analysis found a significant decline in caries experience of children, mostly driven by the improvement in populations with high social and economic development. Significant variations in caries experience and in associations with risk factors between and within countries were observed. Socio-economic inequality in child oral health existed within developed countries and between countries with different levels of development. Population programs aimed at improving upstream factors are of priority in further improving child oral health in different populations.
Intergenerational Educational Effects of Mass Imprisonment in America
Authors: Hagan John , Foster Holly
Published: January 2012

In some American schools, about a fifth of the fathers have spent time in prison during their child’s primary education. We examine how variation across schools in the aggregation and concentration of the mass imprisonment of fathers is associated with their own children’s intergenerational educational outcomes and “spills over” into the attainments of other students. We assess the association of this interinstitutional and intergenerational “prison through school pathway” with downward and blocked educational achievement. Educational and economic resources and other predisposing variables partially explain school-linked effects of paternal imprisonment on measures of children’s educational outcomes. However, we find that the net negative school-level association of paternal imprisonment with educational outcomes persists even after we introduce school- and individual-level measures of a wide range of mediating processes and extraneous control variables. We discuss paternal imprisonment as a form of “marked absence.” The significance of elevated levels of paternal imprisonment in schools is perhaps most apparent in its negative association with college completion, the educational divide that now most dramatically disadvantages individuals and groups in American society.
By Community or Design? Age-restricted Neighbourhoods, Physical Design and Baby Boomers’ Local Travel Behaviour in Suburban Boston, US
Authors: Zegras Christopher , Lee Jae Seung , Ben-Joseph Eran
Published: January 2012

This article analyses the travel behaviour, residential choices and related preferences of 55+ baby boomers in suburban Boston, USA, looking specifically at age-restricted neighbourhoods. For this highly auto-dependent group, do neighbourhood-related characteristics influence local-level recreational walk/bike and social activity trip-making? The analysis aims to discern community (for example, social network) versus physical (for example, street network) influences. Structural equation models, incorporating attitudes and residential choice, are used to control for self-selection and to account for direct and indirect effects among exogenous and endogenous variables. The analysis reveals modest neighbourhood effects. Living in age-restricted, as opposed to unrestricted, suburban neighbourhoods modestly increases the likelihood of residents being active (i.e. making at least one local recreational walk/bike trip) and the number of local social trips. Overall, the age-restricted community status has greater influence on recreational and social activity trip-making than the neighbourhood physical characteristics, although some community–neighbourhood interaction exists.
Hybrid materials based on brominated copolymer isobutylene isoprene/chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber blends reinforced by nano and micro silica
Authors: Marković Gordana , Marinović-Cincović Milena , Jovanović Vojislav , Samaržija-Jovanović Suzana , Budinski-Simendić Jaroslava
Published: January 2012

The effects of different particle size of silica (nano—primary particle size 15 nm and micro—primary particle size 28 μm) on the cure, mechanical, and swelling properties of hybrid materials based on brominated copolymer isobutylene isoprene/chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber blend were studied. The enhancement in mechanical properties was supported by the data on the increased content of cross-link density obtained from swelling and stress–strain analyses. The interactions between rubber matrix and filler were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance extension and scanning electron microscope. Tg of reinforced blend shifted to −26°C and −30°C for nano and micro silica compounds, respectively.
Electrochemical polymerization of aniline using natural rubber-coated platinum electrode
Authors: Syamkrishna B. , Prasad Arun S. , Remadevi K.
Published: January 2012

The electrochemical polymerization of aniline from aqueous solutions of 1 M H2SO4 using natural rubber (NR)-coated platinum electrode was performed by cyclic voltammetry. The optimal thickness of NR coating was made as thin as 20 µm in order to obtain free-standing, highly flexible thin films. The heterogeneous polymerization of newly synthesized composite material from aniline was analyzed using the obtained cyclic voltammogram. During the repetitive cyclic voltammetry scans the presence of NR inhibits the polymer-related oxidation process and diminishes the degradation products in the composite materials. The morphological and structural analysis confirmed the effective formation of polyaniline (PANI)-NR composite. The impedance measurements revealed that electrical properties of the composite sample get comparable with doped PANI and further enhanced with temperature and frequency of the applied signal.
Electrically conductive silicone rubber–steel fibre composites
Authors: Athawale Anjali A , Joshi Aparna M
Published: January 2012

Steel fibre–silicone rubber composites were prepared by two-roll mill method. Various weight fractions of fibres ranging from 20 phr (parts per hundred parts of rubber) to 90 phr, with a diameter of 7–8 μm and length of several metres were used and its influence on the surface resistance, physical properties, short-term and dynamic stress–strain properties of the composites were investigated. Addition of steel fibres renders a sharp decrease in resistance from MΩ to ~3–0.1 kΩ with the concentration from 20 phr to 90 phr, respectively. Addition of 20 phr of steel fibres yields composite with a resistance of 5–10 kΩ, other properties being negligibly altered.
Getting Under the Skin of Clinical Inertia in Insulin Initiation
Authors: Ratanawongsa Neda , Crosson Jesse C. , Schillinger Dean , Karter Andrew J. , Saha Chandan K. , Marrero David G.
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to explore primary care providers’ (PCPs) perceptions about barriers to initiating insulin among patients. Studies suggest that many patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes do not receive insulin initiation by PCPs.

Methods

As part of the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes study, the authors conducted structured interviews in health systems in Indiana, New Jersey, and California, asking PCPs about the importance of insulin initiation and factors affecting this decision. The authors calculated proportions choosing each multiple-choice response option and listed the most frequently offered open-ended response categories.

Results

Among 83 PCPs, 45% were women; 60% were white; and they averaged 13.4 years in practice. Four-fifths of PCPs endorsed guideline-concordant glycemic targets, but 54% individualized targets based on patient age, life expectancy, medical comorbidities, self-management capacity, and willingness. Most (64%) reported that many patients were resistant to new oral or insulin therapies due to fears about the therapy and what it meant about their disease progression. Two-thirds (64%) cited patient resistance as a barrier to insulin initiation, and 43% cited problems with patient self-management, including cognitive or mental health issues, dexterity, or ability to adhere. Eighty percent felt that patient nonadherence would dissuade them from initiating insulin at least some of the time.

Conclusions

PCPs perceived that patient resistance and poor self- management skills were significant barriers to initiating insulin. Future studies should investigate whether systems-level interventions to improve patient-provider communication about insulin and enhance providers’ perceptions of patient self-management capacity can increase guideline-concordant, patient-centered insulin initiation.
Do Financial Analysts Add Value by Facilitating More Effective Monitoring of Firms’ Activities?
Authors: Jung Boochun , Sun Kevin Jialin , Yang Yanhua Sunny
Published: January 2012

Researchers argue that analysts’ information acquisition efforts increase firm value by facilitating monitoring of firms’ activities and, thereby, reducing agency costs. However, prior research provides limited and inconclusive empirical evidence to support this argument. This article extends the literature by examining (a) the relationship between analyst following and the value of firms’ equity securities and (b) given a positive relationship, whether that relationship reflects effectively enhanced monitoring of firms’ activities as a result of analysts’ information acquisition efforts. The authors document a positive relationship between analyst following and firms’ asset values, and they find support for two hypotheses regarding the source of the increased asset values. First, the cash component drives the positive relationship between analyst following and asset values. The authors interpret this evidence to imply a stronger monitoring effect for assets that are subject to higher agency costs or information asymmetry. Second, consistent with analyst following constraining asset mismanagement or motivating more efficient asset use, operating performance and total cash payout increase with analyst following. Overall, the results suggest that financial analysts facilitate more effective monitoring of firms’ activities and, thereby, reduce agency costs and increase shareholder value.
Spatial Experiences of High Academic Achievers
Authors: Weckbacher Lisa Marie , Okamoto Yukari
Published: January 2012

The study explored the relationship between types of spatial experiences and spatial abilities among 13- to 14-year-old high academic achievers. Each participant completed two spatial tasks and a survey assessing favored spatial activities across five categories (computers, toys, sports, music, and art) and three developmental periods (early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence). The first phase of analysis determined the percentage of favorite activities by category and developmental period; the second phase examined how participants with the highest scores on each spatial measure differed in their experiences. Findings showed that certain activities (e.g., playing video games and soccer) tended to reemerge across periods and be linked to strong spatial skills. Implications for nurturing high achievers’ potential to succeed in spatially demanding careers are discussed.
This strange institution called ‘philosophy’
Authors: Plant Bob
Published: January 2012

In 1981, after 20 years of teaching and writing philosophy, Derrida claimed that ‘less than ever’ did he ‘know what philosophy is’. Indeed, his ‘knowledge of what … constitutes the essence of philosophy’ remained ‘at zero degree’.1 These were not flippant remarks. Rather, Derrida’s avowed uncertainty is part of a more general metaphilosophical view; namely, that ‘Philosophy has a way of being at home with itself that consists in not being at home with itself’.2 In this article I will critically reconstruct and develop this view, paying particular attention to the ‘institutional’ dimension of contemporary philosophy.
Influence of Air Pollutants on Allergic Sensitization: The Paradox of Increased Allergies and Decreased Resistance to Infection
Authors: Gilmour M. Ian
Published: January 2012

Air pollution has long been associated with health risks such as increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and potentiation of asthmatic-type responses. Experimental evidence in rodents indicates that air pollutants including diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), gases, and metals cause lung injury, inflammation, reduce aspects of host defense, and may potentiate allergic airway responses. Here we present evidence that diesel exhaust particles delivered by inhalation or aspiration can exacerbate allergic lung disease depending on the material’s chemical properties. Genomic analysis of mouse lungs following instillation or inhalation of DEPs shows an alteration spectrum of pathways associated with immune signaling, cell metabolism, and oxidative stress. Diesel exposure also may worsen respiratory infections through depression of protective immune responses. Here we show that mice exposed to diesel and co-infected with influenza had increased influenza virus titers as well as higher levels of lung injury and inflammation in association with increased Th2 cytokines, and a concomitant decrease in Th1 polarization. A simplified model explains how the potentiation of the Th2 arm of immunity by diesel exhaust results in increased allergic sensitization, whereas cell-mediated (protective) immunity against viral infections is simultaneously reduced.
The working environment in small firms: Responses from owner-managers
Authors: Hasle Peter , Limborg Hans Jørgen , Kallehave Tina , Klitgaard Caroline , Andersen Tilde Rye
Published: January 2012

Limited research has been conducted on owner-managers’ responses to the working environment (occupational health and safety). This should be understood in the light of the way owner-managers develop identity from their business, and a better understanding is needed to develop preventive programmes that fit the owner-managers’ interpretation of the working environment. Qualitative interviews were carried out with the owner-managers or the managers responsible for the working environment in 23 small firms from the construction and metal industries. The interviews were analysed for attitudes on the working environment, understanding of risk, responsibility for the working environment, and attitudes towards regulation. The analysis revealed both a great heterogeneity of views on the working environment and groups of owners who share important characteristics. Most owner-managers take a positive approach to the working environment, but also try to ‘talk risk down’, criticize regulation as bureaucracy and push a part of the employer responsibility on to the employees. They try to follow what they experience as a generally acceptable standard for the working environment among the stakeholders in the sector, but some owner-managers also tend to neglect the working environment. The reason for the down grading of risk and the push to share responsibility can be found in the close social relationships and the identity work processes of the owner-managers with their business. They try to act as decent people and thus avoid personal guilt and blame if employees should get injured.
The roles of learning orientation and passion for work in the formation of entrepreneurial intention
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Honig Benson , Martin Bruce
Published: January 2012

In order to extend understanding of the drivers that underlie entrepreneurial intention formation, this article investigates the hitherto underexplored roles of people’s learning orientation and passion for work. It considers how these personal characteristics may moderate the instrumentality of their perceived ability to become a successful entrepreneur, and perceptions of the attractiveness of becoming an entrepreneur. Using a survey of 946 university students, it finds that learning orientation and passion for work invigorate the role of these feasibility and desirability considerations in enhancing entrepreneurial intention. A follow-up analysis reveals that the moderating effects of learning orientation and passion for work on the perceived attractiveness–entrepreneurial intention relationship are stronger to the extent that people value the intrinsic goal of autonomy in their future career more, but these moderating effects are immune to the importance of the extrinsic goal of earning financial rewards. Several implications for research and practice emerge.
Balancing Work With Study
Authors: D’Alessandro Steven , Volet Simone
Published: January 2012

Approximately 57% of students in the United States work while attending college. For most of these students (81%), this is more than 20 hours a week. There has been shown to be a negative relationship between hours worked and academic achievement in studies in the United States as well as the United Kingdom and Australia. There is, however, no research to the authors’ knowledge as to how the number of working hours affects student learning in groups, and whether students in groups with varying work patterns report better learning outcomes in groups where student working hours are similar. This study reports that overall, greater working hours decrease students’ perceptions of the value and their experience of group work, and this occurs more with second- and third-year students. It also reveals that students studying in groups where there is a large proportion of students working more than 2 days a week displayed significantly more negative appraisals of their experience at the end of a project than their peers in groups where few students were working.
Thiamine in Nutrition Therapy
Authors: Sriram Krishnan , Manzanares William , Joseph Kimberly
Published: January 2012

Clinicians involved with nutrition therapy traditionally concentrated on macronutrients and have generally neglected the importance of micronutrients, both vitamins and trace elements. Micronutrients, which work in unison, are important for fundamental biological processes and enzymatic reactions, and deficiencies may lead to disastrous consequences. This review concentrates on vitamin B1, or thiamine. Alcoholism is not the only risk factor for thiamine deficiency, and thiamine deficiency is often not suspected in seemingly well‐nourished or even overnourished patients. Deficiency of thiamine has historically been described as beriberi but may often be seen in current‐day practice, manifesting as neurologic abnormalities, mental changes, congestive heart failure, unexplained metabolic acidosis, and so on. This review explains the importance of thiamine in nutrition therapy and offers practical tips on prevention and management of deficiency states.
Humanbecoming
Authors: Poirier Patricia A.
Published: January 2012

Nurses have been identified as key players in moving quality of care forward. Nursing knowledge guides nurses as they provide that care. The author in this column explores Parse’s theory of humanbecoming and nursing’s engagement in health policy. Current focus on the person as primary decision maker in healthcare is congruent with the theory’s key concept of quality of life as defined by the person or community. The author provides several examples of how humanbecoming has been used to guide policy activities and decisions and offers suggestions for the future.
The Lived Experience of Feeling Disappointed
Authors: Bunkers Sandra Schmidt
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study was to enhance understanding of the lived experience of feeling disappointed. The research question was: What is the structure of the lived experience of feeling disappointed? Parse’s phenomenological-used to answer the research question. Participants included 7 women and 2 men ranging in age from 46 to 80 years of age. The major finding of this study is: feeling disappointed is disheartening discontent with diminishing aspirations, as diverse affiliations surface in prevailing with struggle. New knowledge emerging from the study is presented along with recommendations for future research and implications for nursing practice.
Thoughts About Nursing Science and Nursing Sciencing on the Event of the 25th Anniversary of Nursing Science Quarterly
Authors: Fawcett Jacqueline
Published: January 2012

This paper presents an essay about nursing science and asks readers to consider terminology that will encompass all types of nursing discipline-specific knowledge. The essay was written to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the founding of Nursing Science Quarterly.
Stories and Programs of Research
Authors: Florczak Kristine L.
Published: January 2012

In this column, humanbecoming theory will be considered from a concrete perspective using stories about Katie written by Dr. Kristine Florczak. It will also be discussed as it relates to more scholarly endeavors in the form of programs of research conducted by Dr. Steven Baumann and Dr. Thomas Doucet.
Probabilistic voting equilibria under nonlinear candidate payoffs
Authors: Zakharov Alexei
Published: January 2012

The ‘mean voter theorem’ implies that candidates should choose identical policy positions in a two-candidate race if voting is probabilistic. This result is in fact an artifact of the assumption that the candidates maximize expected vote share or probability of win, which is not true for many real-world elections. In this paper I analyze a probabilistic voting model in which the candidates have preferences other than the maximization of the expected number of votes or the probability of win maximization. I derive the comparative statics for two voters and one-dimensional policy space. Each voter cares about both the policy platform and the identity of the candidate. It is shown that an increase in the value of exactly one vote causes each candidate to choose a position closer to that of its partisan voter. Numeric computation of equilibria show that these results can be generalized to three or more voters. The results imply that the nonlinearity and non-symmetry of payoffs can affect the policy positions of the candidates.
Design method of planar three-degrees-of-freedom serial compliance device with desired compliance characteristics
Authors: Hong Man Bok , Choi Yong Je
Published: January 2012

In this article, a novel method for the systematic design of a planar three-degrees-of-freedom compliance device with desired compliance characteristics is presented. For the realization of desired compliance, the synthesis method of stiffness of a planar mechanism is first derived. The compliance device may be directly realized by means of parallel connections of the synthesized springs. However, the use of several mechanical elements such as joints and guides for spring assemblies for the realization may cause significant complexity in manufacturing the compliance device with high precision and in compact size. In order to resolve the problem, the form of serial connections of three torsional springs which has the same compliance as the form of parallel connections of the synthesized line springs is proposed. The serial form of torsional springs can be physically realized by designing proper shape of the circular flexure hinge corresponding to each of the torsional springs. For the illustration of the proposed design method, a planar serial compliance device with high compliance to the normal contact force is designed and verified by finite element method analysis.
Characterization of the static behavior of micromirrors under the effect of capillary force, an analytical approach
Authors: Moeenfard Hamid , Darvishian Ali , Zohoor Hassan , Ahmadian Mohammad Taghi
Published: January 2012

In this article, the static behavior of micromirrors under the effect of capillary force is studied. The dimensionless equations governing the static behavior and the pull-in state of the micromirror under capillary force are obtained, and the effects of different geometrical parameters on the pull-in angle of micromirrors are investigated. The static behavior of micromirrors is studied both numerically and analytically using the homotopy perturbation method. It is observed that with increasing the instability number defined in this article, the rotation angle of the micromirror is increased and suddenly the pull-in occurs. The results of the presented model are then verified by comparing them with the results of finite element simulations performed in the commercial finite element model software ANSYS. The agreement between the results of finite element model and those of the proposed analytical model shows that homotopy perturbation method can be used as a fast and accurate tool for predicting mirror’s behavior under capillary force.
Providing Interventions for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Strain Phillip S. , Schwartz Ilene S. , Barton Erin E.
Published: January 2012

Over the past 25 years, we have learned a great deal about the diagnosis, treatment, and impact of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on young children and their families. The authors describe several overarching themes that have emerged in the educational research on young children with ASD. The focus of their article is on education-based research because public education remains the one comprehensive service to which all children with ASD are entitled to free of charge. Four themes (i.e., inclusion, systematic and effective instruction, intensity, and social context) are described in terms of the major findings and impact on policy and practices. The authors conclude with a summary of implications for future research for the next 25 years.
Missing Each Other
Authors: Adams Tony E.
Published: January 2012

In “Seeking Father” ( Adams, 2006 ), I used a relational perspective to understand the relationship I have with my father—a perspective that conceived of our relationship as a co-constitutive endeavor in which we each affected the other, and a perspective that showed how our conflict emerged as a product of joint interaction, of us being, working, and relating—together. In this project, I continue a similar trajectory. I use a relational perspective to describe moments when my father and I miss each other—moments when I long for him and when I perceive him to long for me, moments when we fail to connect, moments when we hurt and are hurt by each other but neither one of us ever deciding to quit, moments in which we practice stifling communicative patterns and moments in which we both seek love. May be we’re both in love, somehow.
Taylor expansion of the inverse function with application to the Langevin function
Authors: Itskov Mikhail , Dargazany Roozbeh , Hörnes Karl
Published: January 2012

A Taylor power series is a powerful mathematical tool, which can be used to express an inverse function especially if it is given in an implicit form. This is for example the case for the inverse Langevin function, which is an indispensable ingredient of full-network rubber models. In the present paper, we propose a simple recurrence procedure for calculating Taylor series coefficients of the inverse function. This procedure is based on the Taylor series expansion of the original function and results in a simple recurrence formula. This formula is further applied to the inverse Langevin function. The convergence radius of the resulting series is evaluated. Within this convergence radius the obtained approximation of the inverse Langevin function demonstrates better agreement with the exact solution in comparison to different Padé approximants.
On the inhomogeneous shearing of a new class of elastic bodies
Authors: Bustamante R , Rajagopal KR
Published: January 2012

Recently, it has been shown that the class of bodies that can be called ‘elastic’ is far larger than classical Cauchy and Green elastic bodies. In order to assess the usefulness and viability of this new class of elastic bodies, it is necessary to evaluate solutions to typical initial-boundary-value problems and to see if the predictions of these models agree with observed phenomena. With this in mind, we studied members of the new class of elastic bodies within the context of a physically meaningful boundary-value problem, namely that of an infinite slab subject to a state of simple shear. Even though the problem that we consider seems very simple, we found a richness of solutions that was quite surprising. We used a non-standard semi-inverse method and looked for a special form for the solution of the problem. We found that, depending on the choice of models for the new class, this simple problem presents the most interesting outcomes: the possibility that there exists only one solution to the problem, the possibility that there exists more than one solution to the problem, and the possibility that there exists no solution, of the form sought within the context of the semi-inverse form to the problem. The non-uniqueness that is encountered is different from the traditional sense, as will be explained in the text. We were able to establish several exact solutions, which in addition to being useful solutions can also be used to check the efficacy of numerical solutions to more complicated problems. We also find the interesting possibility that solutions exhibit pronounced layers where the strain gradient is significantly larger than in the rest of the domain.
On the torsion of inhomogeneous and anisotropic bars
Authors: Ieşan Dorin
Published: January 2012

This paper is concerned with the torsion of anisotropic, linearly elastic cylindrical bars. The solution of the problem in the case where the medium has a plane of elastic symmetry which contains the axis of the cylinder is established. We consider the case of inhomogeneous cylinders where the elastic coefficients are independent of the axial coordinate. We prove that, in general, the torsion induces extension and bending. The solution is new even for homogeneous bodies. The results are used to study the torsion of an anisotropic circular cylinder.
Neurological lameness in the cat
Authors: Garosi Laurent
Published: January 2012

Practical relevance Neurological causes of lameness are infrequently seen in cats but they are an important consideration when an obvious orthopaedic cause cannot be identified. Monoparetic cats are also frequently presented for veterinary investigation with the main complaint being lameness.

Clinical challenges Neurological causes of lameness may be difficult to determine without access to advanced imaging modalities, electrodiagnostics or cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

Audience This review, aimed at all veterinarians who treat cats, sets out to describe the specific approach to cats with lameness that cannot be attributed to an orthopaedic cause. It describes the diagnosis and management of the most common neurological conditions responsible for lameness or monoparesis in cats.
Additives for lubricants containing poly(tetrafluoroethylene). Part 1: Synthesis and rheological characterization
Authors: Hoffmann T , Lehmann D , Schäffler M
Published: January 2012

This article describes the synthesis of dispersions consisting of irradiated poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) micropowder in an ester oil (Synative ES TMP 05) and presents their results of the characterization in terms of stability and rheology.

The degree of PTFE micropowder in the dispersion was gradually increased from 10 wt% to 25 wt%. In addition, two additives based on phosphoric acid were used to study whether they are able to affect the properties of the dispersion with the lowest concentration of PTFE micropowder.

The amount of irradiated PTFE micropowder affects the stability against separation. The dispersion with the lowest concentration of PTFE micropowder (10 wt%) showed the highest stability due to the pronounced high fine fraction of PTFE particles (Ø: 0.2–0.5 µm). On the other hand, the PTFE/oil dispersions with higher concentrations own a distinctive amount of greater particles (Ø: 0.3–3.0 µm), suggesting a negative influence on the stability of the dispersions. Nevertheless, these dispersions can stabilize themselves by these structures.
Elastohydrodynamic lubrication of hypoid gear pairs at high loads
Authors: Mohammadpour Mahdi , Theodossiades Stephanos , Rahnejat Homer
Published: January 2012

Differential hypoid gear pairs have been the mechanism of choice for high-torque capacity final drives in all forms of vehicles, at least since mid-19th century. Transmission efficiency as well noise and vibration concerns requires combined elastohydrodynamic and tooth contact analysis of hypoid gear teeth pairs through mesh. Although such analyses have been reported for general cases of elliptical point contact conjunctions with angled flow entrainment, they do not comply with the prevailing load and kinematic conditions in differential gears. In particular, teeth pair contacts are subject to significant loads of order of several kilo Newtons requiring solution to the elastohydrodynamic lubrication problem at such high loads. The current analysis reports solutions for rolling and sliding elastohydrodynamics of hypoid gear teeth pairs at realistic drive torques, not hitherto reported in literature.
STAR
Authors: McAllister Margaret
Published: January 2012

Contemporary nursing education in Australia needs to respond to the imperatives facing clinical practice (A* that nurses be work-ready, resilient, multi-skilled, good team communicators, compassionate and responsive to the diverse needs of clients and families. Transformative learning principles combined with effective, action-based learning experiences can provide a focused pedagogical basis for cultivating and achieving these graduate outcomes. In this paper, a novel framework is presented that provides a structure to support educators and curriculum development. The STAR framework, which stands for Sensitivity, Taking action and reflection, is easily remembered and embodies key aspects of transformative learning.
Linking Process and Outcome in the Study of Emotion and Aging
Authors: Isaacowitz Derek M. , Blanchard-Fields Fredda
Published: January 2012

Current theory and research on emotion and aging suggests that (a) older adults report more positive affective experience (more happiness) than younger adults, (b) older adults attend to and remember emotionally valenced stimuli differently than younger adults (i.e., they show age-related positivity effects in attention and memory), and (c) the reason that older adults have more positive affective experience is because the positivity effects they display serve as emotion regulatory strategies. It is suggested that age differences in cognitive processes therefore lead to the outcome of positive affective experience. In this article, we critically review the literature on age differences in positive affective experience and on age-related positivity effects in attention and memory. Furthermore, we question the extent to which existing evidence supports a link between age-related positivity effects and positive affective outcomes. We then provide a framework for formally testing process-outcome links that might explain affective outcomes across adulthood. It may be that older adults (and others) do sometimes use their cognition as a regulatory tool to help them feel good, but that can only be demonstrated by specifically linking cognitive processes, such as age-related positivity effects, with affective outcomes. These concepts have implications for cognition–emotion links at any age.
Meta-Analysis and the Development of Knowledge
Authors: Chan MeowLan Evelyn , Arvey Richard D.
Published: January 2012

With the widespread application of meta-analysis, it is important to examine the role of meta-analysis in the development of knowledge. Researchers have proposed that meta-analysis provides us with an overview of where the research field has been, summarizes and integrates extant research findings, and suggests directions for future research efforts. Some researchers further argue that meta-analysis can contribute to the accumulation of knowledge and the progress of science. In this article, these claims are examined from an epistemological perspective. Using Kuhn’s (1962 , 1970b ) framework, the authors discuss how meta-analysis contributes to the progress of both normal science and extraordinary science and thus plays an important role in knowledge development in a field.
The Consequences of Predicting Scientific Impact in Psychology Using Journal Impact Factors
Authors: Hegarty Peter , Walton Zoe
Published: January 2012

An academic journal’s impact factor (hereafter JIF) is an average measure of the citation count of individual articles published in that journal. JIF is used to assess merit, predict impact, and allocate resources, but the actual number of citations to individual articles is only modestly correlated with the JIFs of the journals in which they are published. We counted PsycInfo citations to 1,133 articles published in nine leading psychology journals (1996–2005). Both article length ( r =.31) and reference list length ( r = .41) predicted log-transformed citation counts better than JIF ( r = .27). Articles with fewer graphs and more structural equation models were more frequently cited. Citation count was better predicted by a model based on article length and citation count rather than JIF. When JIF was used to predict citation count, the impact of women authors and social science research was underestimated. These findings distinguish impact in science, as measured by JIF, from actual impact in psychology, and they show the unintended consequences of using a measure of the former to predict the latter.
Republicans Prefer Republican-Looking Leaders
Authors: Olivola Christopher Y. , Sussman Abigail B. , Tsetsos Konstantinos , Kang Olivia E. , Todorov Alexander
Published: January 2012

Previous research suggests that voting in elections is influenced by appearance-based personality inferences (e.g., whether a political candidate has a competent-looking face). However, since voters cannot objectively evaluate politicians’ personality traits, it remains to be seen whether appearance-based inferences about a characteristic continue to influence voting when clear information about that characteristic is available. The authors examine the impact of appearance-based inferences for a characteristic that is well known about candidates: their political affiliation. Across two studies, the authors show that U.S. candidates facing conservative electorates benefit from looking more stereotypically Republican than their rivals (controlling for gender, ethnicity, and age). In contrast, no relationship between political facial stereotypes and voting is found for liberal electorates (using identical controls). The authors further show that this contrast between liberal and conservative electorates has more to do with individual-level differences between liberal and conservative voters than with macro-level differences between liberal and conservative states.
Negative effects of GM-CSF signaling in a murine model of t(8;21)–induced leukemia
Authors: Matsuura Shinobu , Yan Ming , Lo Miao-Chia , Ahn Eun-Young , Weng Stephanie , Dangoor David , Matin Mahan , Higashi Tsunehito , Feng Gen-Sheng , Zhang Dong-Er
Published: January 2012

The t(8;21)(q22;q22) is common in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The RUNX1-ETO fusion protein that is expressed by this translocation is poorly leukemogenic and requires additional mutations for transformation. Loss of sex chromosome (LOS) is frequently observed in t(8;21) AML. In the present study, to evaluate whether LOS cooperates with t(8;21) in leukemogenesis, we first used a retroviral transduction/transplantation model to express RUNX1-ETO in hematopoietic cells from XO mice. The low frequency of leukemia in these mice suggests that the potentially critical gene for suppression of t(8;21) leukemia in humans is not conserved on mouse sex chromosomes. The gene encoding the GM-CSF receptor α subunit (CSF2RA) is located on X and Y chromosomes in humans but on chromosome 19 in mice. GM-CSF promotes myeloid cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. To determine whether GM-CSF signaling affects RUNX1-ETO leukemogenesis, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells that lack GM-CSF signaling were used to express RUNX1-ETO and transplanted into lethally irradiated mice, and a high penetrance of AML was observed in recipients. Furthermore, GM-CSF reduced the replating ability of RUNX1-ETO–expressing cells. These results suggest a possible tumor-suppressor role of GM-CSF in RUNX1-ETO leukemia. Loss of the CSF2RA gene may be a critical mutation explaining the high incidence of LOS associated with the t(8;21)(q22;q22) translocation.
Fludarabine and rituximab for relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia
Authors: Gerrie Alina S. , Zypchen Leslie N. , Connors Joseph M.
Published: January 2012

The purine analogs, pentostatin and cladribine, induce high remission rates when used as first-line monotherapy for hairy cell leukemia (HCL); however, patients continue to relapse. Re-treatment with the same or alternate purine analog produces lower response rates and a shorter duration of response. Fludarabine is another purine analog widely used in indolent lymphoid cancers, often in combination with rituximab, but there are few reports of its use in HCL. We identified 15 patients treated in British Columbia with fludarabine and rituximab (FR) from 2004 to 2010 for relapsed/refractory HCL after first-line cladribine (n = 3) or after multiple lines of therapy (n = 12). All patients with available response data responded to FR. With median follow-up of 35 months, 14 patients remain progression-free, whereas 1 patient has developed progressive leukemia and died. Five-year progression-free and overall survivals are 89% and 83%, respectively. FR is a safe and effective therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory HCL.