bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study between felted and triaxial compressed polymer foams on cushion performance
Authors: Ge Changfeng
Published: September 2013

A widely used industrial felted foam was compared to a volumetrically heated and compressed foam in this study in terms of cushion performance. The off-the-shelf melamine open cell foam and polyurethane open cell foam were triaxially heated and compressed via an in-house-made device, and energy dissipation was then compared to the felted off-the-shelf open cell melamine and the polyurethane foam. The hysteresis cycle compression test and impact test, in conjunction with a high-speed video camera, were conducted to measure the energy dissipation, G-value, and the Poisson’s ratio. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the cellular morphology before and after the felting and volumetric heat and compression. The study showed that both felted foam and triaxial compressed foam demonstrated reasonably well the cushion performance due to the presence of auxetic and microcell structures.
Biographical Narratives of Encounter: The Significance of Mobility and Emplacement in Shaping Attitudes towards Difference
Authors: Valentine Gill , Sadgrove Joanna
Published: September 2013

This paper is located within work in urban studies about the significance of contact with difference as a means for reducing prejudice and achieving social change. Recent approaches, influenced by theories of affect, have emphasised non-conscious everyday negotiations of difference in the city. In this paper it is argued that such approaches lose sight of the significance of the subject: of the reflective judgements of ‘others’ made by individuals; of our ability to make decisions around the control of our feelings and identifications; and of the significance of personal pasts and collective histories in shaping the ways we perceive and react to encounters. Rather, this paper uses a biographical approach focusing on interviewees’ narratives of encounter. Through its attention to processes of mobility and emplacement, it contributes to debates about when contact with difference matters by highlighting the importance of everyday social normativities in the production of moral dispositions.
Toxicities Associated with 1-month Treatment with Propylthiouracil (PTU) and Methimazole (MMI) in Male Rats
Authors: Nambiar Prashant R. , Palanisamy Gopinath S. , Okerberg Carlin , Wolford Angela , Walters Karen , Buckbinder Leonard , Reagan William J.
Published: September 2013

Thionamides such as propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (MMI) have been used for more than 50 years to treat the more common causes of thyrotoxicosis/hyperthyroidism such as Graves’ disease. Serious adverse effects associated with thionamides in humans include idiosyncratic liver damage, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, and vasculitis. Both prospective and retrospective clinical studies with these drugs have failed to identify predictive biomarker for these adverse effects. To assess whether rat is a good model for predicting drug-related adverse events in the liver and in the bone marrow, we conducted a comprehensive study in male rats with multiple doses of PTU and MMI. As expected, euthyroid animals became hypothyroid along with several secondary changes associated with hypothyroidism. There were slight reductions in red blood cell parameters along with some marginal effects on the bone marrow elements. However, there was no evidence of significant neutropenia and liver injury in both PTU-treated and MMI-treated cohorts. MMI-related effects were noted in the seminiferous tubules of the testes. Overall, 1-month daily treatment of euthyroid rats with PTU or MMI resulted in hypothyroidism, minor bone marrow effects, and several secondary effects associated with hypothyroidism, but without any evidence of adverse effects reported in humans including liver injury and agranulocytosis.
Carbaryl-induced Histopathologic Alterations in the Digestive Tract of the Levantine Frog, Pelophylax bedriagae (Anura: Ranidae)
Authors: Çakici Özlem
Published: September 2013

In this study, histopathologic changes following carbaryl exposure for 96 hr were investigated in the digestive tract of Levantine frog, Pelophylax bedriagae. Adult frogs were exposed to carbaryl once by oral gavage in concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/g. Histopathological changes were more prominent in medium- (0.1 mg/g) and high-dose (0.2 mg/g) groups than in the low-dose (0.05 mg/g) group. Esophageal cells showed vacuolization, cellular swelling, nuclear pyknosis, karyolysis, and necrosis. Additionally, esophageal glandular atrophy and infiltration of inflammatory cells around esophageal glands were observed at medium and high doses. In the stomach, there were prominent histopathologic defects such as cellular swelling and necrosis in gastric glands, necrotic cells within the interstitial spaces, separation of epithelial cell layer, congested vessels, and hemorrhage at medium and high doses. In the intestine, detachment of epithelial layer, epithelial cell disorganization, inflammation, and necrosis were detected at medium and high doses. The results of this study showed that carbaryl caused adverse effects on the digestive tract of the Levantine frog, P. bedriagae.
Cyberbullying
Authors: Hvidston David J. , Hvidston Brynn A. , Range Bret G. , Harbour Clifford P.
Published: September 2013

Cyberbullying has been identified by school leaders and researchers as one of the most serious adverse consequences of incorporating information technology into the classroom. This article examines the legal status of cyberbullying by conducting an analysis of selected federal appellate court opinions. This analysis identifies a set of legal considerations that school leaders must attend to in confronting cyberbullying in order to protect students, teachers, and the interests of the school district. The article concludes with recommendations to district and school leaders before and during investigations of off-campus cyberbullying.
Meta-Analysis of Surgical Safety Checklist Effects on Teamwork, Communication, Morbidity, Mortality, and Safety
Authors: Lyons Vanessa E. , Popejoy Lori L.
Published: September 2013

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of surgical safety checklists on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and compliance with safety measures through meta-analysis. Four meta-analyses were conducted on 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The effect size of checklists on teamwork and communication was 1.180 ( p = .003), on morbidity and mortality was 0.123 ( p = .003) and 0.088 ( p = .001), respectively, and on compliance with safety measures was 0.268 ( p < .001). The results indicate that surgical safety checklists improve teamwork and communication, reduce morbidity and mortality, and improve compliance with safety measures. This meta-analysis is limited in its generalizability based on the limited number of studies and the inclusion of only published research. Future research is needed to examine possible moderating variables for the effects of surgical safety checklists.
Growing old together
Authors: Rauer Amy J. , Sabey Allen , Jensen Jakob F.
Published: September 2013

The health benefits associated with marriage are disproportionately large in older adulthood, due in part to the powerful role spouses play in promoting each other’s well-being. What remains unclear is what motivates this caretaking. To determine whether compassionate love plays a role, the current study used an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to examine how 64 older couples’ compassionate love is linked to their health. Feeling compassionate love was linked to better health for wives. The partner effects, however, painted a more complicated picture, with the receipt of compassionate love appearing to undermine health. Given the unprecedented growth in the number of older adults in the United States, we have a vested interest in determining how compassionate love may help or hinder well-being in later-life marriages.
Dyadic perceptions of goals, conflict strategies, and perceived resolvability in serial arguments
Authors: Bevan Jennifer L.
Published: September 2013

Romantic partners’ dyadic perceptions of their goals and conflict strategies in ongoing, unresolved conflict are examined in relation to one another and to these serial arguments’ perceived resolvability. Specifically, elements of Bevan, Finan, and Kaminsky’s ((2008) Modeling serial arguments in close relationships: The serial argument process model, Human Communication Research, 34, 600–624) serial argument process model were considered here as dyadic perceptions. Eighty-four romantic partners completed surveys that measured their self-reports of perceived resolvability and self- and perceived partner reports of serial argument goal importance and conflict strategy usage. Whereas there were relatively more self-perception/actor effects for goal importance and conflict strategy usage, there were more partner perception/partner conflict strategy usage effects on perceived resolvability. The implications of these findings for the dyadic consideration of serial arguments and Bevan et al.’s model are presented.
Storming or performing? Local Enterprise Partnerships two years on
Authors: Pugalis Lee , Bentley Gill
Published: September 2013

Local Enterprise Partnerships are a key feature of the Coalition Government’s attempts to support economic growth. In light of each of the 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships reaching their second birthday by 2013 there is merit in considering what advances have been made in the intervening period. Viewed by the state, amongst others, as the latest intended policy fix in a complex lineage of ‘adjourned’ agencies, the article looks at how they might evolve over future years, including analysing whether they will survive institutional oblivion beyond the next general election. It is clear that each Local Enterprise Partnership is at a different stage of development, but why is this so? The article utilises Tuckman’s theory of group development to explore the characteristics of economic partnerships and provide some explanations pertaining to their varied development trajectories. It concludes that if Local Enterprise Partnerships receive more tangible responsibilities and resources over the coming years then, in order to perform, some may deem it necessary to establish more formal arrangements, not too dissimilar to the ‘economic development agency’ model. Yet for those economic partnership configurations that remain mired in the ‘storming’ phase, they may need to consider ‘adjourning’ and/or ‘(re)forming’.
The origins of ‘5-HT and mechanisms of defence’ by Deakin and Graeff: A personal perspective
Authors: Deakin JFW
Published: September 2013

In this brief reflection I outline how Fred Graeff and I came to integrate our ideas and findings concerning the behavioural functions of serotonin (5-HT) over 20 years ago in ‘5-HT and mechanisms of defence’, reproduced in this volume (pp. 000-000). The principal insight was that different 5-HT pathways mediate distinct adaptive responses to aversive events of different types. It emerged from a number of strands in neuropsychopharmacology: the functional implications of the still-fresh images of monoamine neuroanatomy of the 1970s; the ethological differentiation of behavioural responses to proximal and distal threats; and the seemingly contradictory effects of 5-HT drugs in unconditioned, Pavlovian and instrumental paradigms of reward and aversion. The article has been cited over 600 times and continues to be cited. The evidence was mainly from the animal literature but included some experimental psychopharmacological tests in humans. Some more recent and notable human corroborations are highlighted in this perspective.
Superior vena cava (SVC) filters placed over central lines – analysis of line trapping and difficulties with line retrieval: an in-vitro experimental study
Authors: Lopera Jorge E , Shapiro Murray , Sanchez Darlene , Maya Carolina , Kroma Ghazwan , Garza-Berlanga Andres , Suri Rajeev
Published: September 2013

Background

Placement of superior vena cava (SVC) filters has been shown to be both safe and effective in preventing symptomatic pulmonary embolism in patients with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis that have contraindications to anticoagulation therapy. In many patients, existing central lines pose a challenge to SVC filter placement due to the theoretical risk of line displacement and/or entrapment.

Purpose

To assess the risk of catheter entrapment by filter legs during SVC filter deployment and the risk of subsequent filter migration during catheter removal.

Material and Methods

A model was created by placing a 22 mm vascular graft inside a plastic tube and submerged in a warm saline bath. Five types of filters were deployed under fluoroscopic guidance over different types of central lines of varying calibers (5–14 Fr). Each filter was deployed five times over each type of central line. The positioning of the legs of the filters in relationship to the central lines was studied by fluoroscopic and direct inspection. The lines were then removed under fluoroscopic guidance noting any line trapping, migration, and/or tilting of the filters.

Results

Movement of the lines during filter expansion was commonly seen after deployment of all filters with varying frequencies. During line removal slight resistance was encountered with the Celect filter (10%) and the Option filter (5%), while significant resistance was only encountered when using the OptEase filter (20%). Filter migration was only observed when the OptEase filter was deployed over large (>10 Fr) caliber lines (10%).

Conclusion

When SVC filters are placed over existing central lines, the risk of catheter entrapment is very low in this in-vitro model. Filter migration during line retrieval was only observed when the OptEase filter was placed over >10 Fr caliber lines.
The predictive state: Science, territory and the future of the Indian climate
Authors: Mahony Martin
Published: September 2013

Acts of scientific calculation have long been considered central to the formation of the modern nation state, yet the transnational spaces of knowledge generation and political action associated with climate change seem to challenge territorial modes of political order. This article explores the changing geographies of climate prediction through a study of the ways in which climate change is rendered knowable at the national scale in India. The recent controversy surrounding an erroneous prediction of melting Himalayan glaciers by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change provides a window onto the complex and, at times, antagonistic relationship between the Panel and Indian political and scientific communities. The Indian reaction to the error, made public in 2009, drew upon a national history of contestation around climate change science and corresponded with the establishment of a scientific assessment network, the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment, which has given the state a new platform on which to bring together knowledge about the future climate. I argue that the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment is indicative of the growing use of regional climate models within longer traditions of national territorial knowledge-making, allowing a rescaling of climate change according to local norms and practices of linking scientific knowledge to political action. I illustrate the complex co-production of the epistemic and the normative in climate politics, but also seek to show how co-productionist understandings of science and politics can function as strategic resources in the ongoing negotiation of social order. In this case, scientific rationalities and modes of environmental governance contribute to the contested epistemic construction of territory and the evolving spatiality of the modern nation state under a changing climate.
Autologous Tenocyte Injection for the Treatment of Severe, Chronic Resistant Lateral Epicondylitis
Authors: Wang Allan , Breidahl William , Mackie Katherine E. , Lin Zhen , Qin An , Chen Jimin , Zheng Ming H.
Published: September 2013

Background:

Severe chronic lateral epicondylitis (LE) is associated with degenerative tendon changes, extracellular matrix breakdown, and tendon cell loss. On the basis of positive outcomes from preclinical studies, this study is the first clinical trial of autologous tenocyte injection (ATI) on severe tendinopathy associated with chronic LE.

Hypothesis:

Autologous tenocyte injection is a safe and effective procedure that enables a reduction in pain and improvement in function in resistant LE.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Patients with severe refractory LE underwent clinical evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before intervention. A patellar tendon needle biopsy was performed under local anesthetic, and tendon cells were expanded by in vitro culture. Tenocytes used for the injection were characterized by flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Autologous tenocytes were injected into the site of tendinopathy identified at the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon under ultrasound guidance on a single occasion. Patients underwent serial clinical evaluations and repeat MRI at 12 months after intervention.

Results:

A total of 20 consecutive patients were included in the study. Three patients withdrew consent after enrollment and before ATI. No adverse event was reported at either biopsy or injection sites. Furthermore, no infection or excessive fibroblastic reaction was found in any patient at the injection site. Clinical evaluation revealed an improvement in mean visual analog scale scores, for a maximum pain score from 5.94 at the initial assessment to 0.76 at 12 months ( P < .001). Mean quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) and grip strength scores also significantly improved over the 12-month follow-up (QuickDASH score, 45.88 [baseline] to 3.84; grip strength, 20.17 kg [baseline] to 37.38 kg; P < .001). With use of a validated MRI scoring system, the grade of tendinopathy at the common extensor origin improved significantly by 12 months ( P < .001). One patient elected to proceed to surgery 3 months after ATI following a reinjury at work.

Conclusion:

In this study, patients with chronic LE who had previously undergone an unsuccessful full course of nonoperative treatment showed significantly improved clinical function and structural repair at the origin of the common extensor tendon after ATI. This novel treatment is encouraging for the treatment of tendinopathy and warrants further evaluation.
Amiodarone-Induced Thyroid Dysfunction
Authors: Danzi Sara , Klein Irwin
Published: September 2013

Amiodarone is an effective medication for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Originally developed for the treatment of angina, it is now the most frequently prescribed antiarrhythmia drug despite the fact that its use is limited because of potential serious side effects including adverse effects on the thyroid gland and thyroid hormones. Although the mechanisms of action of amiodarone on the thyroid gland and thyroid hormone metabolism are poorly understood, the structural similarity of amiodarone to thyroid hormones, including the presence of iodine moieties on the inner benzene ring, may play a role in causing thyroid dysfunction. Amiodarone-induced thyroid dysfunction includes amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) and amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism (AIH). The AIT develops more commonly in iodine-deficient areas and AIH in iodine-sufficient areas. The AIT type 1 usually occurs in patients with known or previously undiagnosed thyroid dysfunction or goiter. The AIT type 2 usually occurs in normal thyroid glands and results in destruction of thyroid tissue caused by thyroiditis. This is the result of an intrinsic drug effect from the amiodarone itself. Mixed types are not uncommon. Patients with cardiac disease receiving amiodarone treatment should be monitored for signs of thyroid dysfunction, which often manifest as a reappearance of the underlying cardiac disease state. When monitoring patients, initial tests should include the full battery of thyroid function tests, thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and antithyroid antibodies. Mixed types of AIT can be challenging both to diagnose and treat and therapy differs depending on the type of AIT. Treatment can include thionamides and/or glucocorticoids. The AIH responds favorably to thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Amiodarone is lipophilic and has a long half-life in the body. Therefore, stopping the amiodarone therapy usually has little short-term benefit.
The Effect of Flow Trigger on Rapid Shallow Breathing Index Measured Through the Ventilator
Authors: Kheir Fayez , Myers Leann , Desai Neeraj R. , Simeone Francesco
Published: September 2013

Background:

The rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) has the best predictive value to assess readiness for weaning from mechanical ventilation. At many institutions, this index is conveniently measured without disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, but this method may be inaccurate. Because modern ventilators have a base flow in the flow trigger mode that may provide a substantial help to the patient, we hypothesized that the RSBI is significantly decreased when measured through the ventilator with flow trigger even without continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and pressure support (PS).

Methods:

The RSBI was calculated using the values of minute ventilation and respiratory rate obtained either through the digital display of the ventilator or from a digital ventilometer. The RSBI was measured using 3 different methods: method 1, CPAP and PS both 0 cm H2O with flow trigger; method 2, CPAP and PS both 0 cm H2O without flow trigger; and method 3, using digital ventilometer.

Results:

A total of 165 measurements per method were obtained in 80 adult patients in the medical intensive care unit (MICU). The RSBI (breaths/min/L) values were 70.2 ± 26.5 with method 1, 85.4 ± 30.3 with method 2, and 80.1 ± 30.3 with method 3. The RSBI was significantly decreased using mechanical ventilation with flow trigger as compared with mechanical ventilation without flow trigger ( P < .0001) or digital ventilometer ( P < .0001). When method 1 was compared with methods 2 and 3, the RSBI decreased by 17% and 12%, respectively.

Conclusions:

The RSBI measurement is significantly decreased by the base flow delivered through modern ventilators in the flow trigger mode. If RSBI is measured through the ventilator in the flow trigger mode, the difference should be considered when using RSBI to assess readiness for weaning from mechanical ventilation.
Lesbians’ Perceived Readiness to Parent
Authors: Wall Misty L.
Published: September 2013

Women who self-identify as lesbian are choosing to be mothers; such pursuit is full of challenges. Still many lesbian women are making deliberate choices to pursue motherhood. Thus, they are negotiating that choice within a culture which is both heterocentric and homophobic. This article explores the ways women are prioritizing factors influencing their decision to pursue motherhood utilizing phenomenological methods. Findings suggest lesbian women feel perceived parenting readiness is the paramount indicator of parenting readiness. Further, readiness is characterized by emotional and financial readiness, relationship stability, and having adequate sources of support.
Processing characteristics and mechanical and electrical properties of chlorinated styrene–butadiene rubber/fly ash composites
Authors: Ramesan Manammel Thankappan
Published: September 2013

This work focused on the utilization of waste fly ash (FA) as filler in the reinforcement of chlorinated styrene–butadiene rubber (CSBR) with reference to their processing characteristics, morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties, solvent resistance, and electrical resistivity measurements. Rheometric properties such as optimum cure time and scorch time decreases with increase in filler content, whereas maximum torque increases up to 30 phr for FA particles. An appreciable increase in glass transition temperature has been observed from differential scanning calorimetric study. The mechanical properties such as tensile and tear strength, modulus, hardness, compression set, and heat buildup increases, whereas elongation at break and resilience decreases with loading of filler. The observed variation in mechanical properties has been supported by the fractography of the composites obtained by scanning electron microscopy. Variation in the bound rubber formation in CSBR/FA composite has been studied. The bound rubber content decreases with increasing extraction temperature, and its activation energy is also calculated from the Arrhenius plot. The electrical properties such as alternating current conductivity, dielectric constant, and dissipation factor are higher than that of CSBR, and the values increase with increase in the content of FA in the composites.
An investigation of the pattern of kidney injury in HIV-positive persons exposed to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate: an examination of a large population database (MHRA database)
Authors: Danjuma Mohammed I , Mohamad-Fadzillah Nurul H , Khoo Saye
Published: September 2013

The potential for tenofovir to cause a range of kidney syndromes has been established from mechanistic and randomised clinical trials. However, the exact pattern of kidney involvement is still uncertain. We undertook a descriptive analysis of Yellow Card records of 407 HIV-positive persons taking tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) as part of their antiretroviral therapy regimen and submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with suspected kidney adverse effects. Reports that satisfy defined criteria were classified as acute kidney injury, kidney tubular dysfunction and Fanconi syndrome. Of the 407 Yellow Card records analysed, 106 satisfied criteria for TDF-related kidney disease, of which 53 (50%) had features of kidney tubular dysfunction, 35 (33%) were found to have features of glomerular dysfunction and 18 (17%) had Fanconi syndrome. The median TDF exposure was 316 days (interquartile range 120–740). The incidence of hospitalisation for TDF kidney adverse effects was high, particularly amongst patients with features of Fanconi syndrome. The pattern of kidney syndromes in this population series mirrors that reported in randomised clinical trials. Cessation of TDF was associated with complete restoration of kidney function in up half of the patients in this report.
Evaluating the 2008 consensus conference on genetically modified foods in Taiwan
Authors: Fan Mei-Fang
Published: September 2013

Genetically modified foods have become one of the most popular topics for deliberative exercises involving ordinary citizens worldwide. This paper examines the Taiwanese consensus conference on GM foods held in June 2008, and the implications and limitations of the public deliberations. The consensus conference facilitated multiparty dialogues and enhanced citizens’ knowledge, and affected their attitudes. This study demonstrates the ways contextual factors have influenced the outcome of the citizens’ deliberative practices, including the government’s conventional technocratic decision-making style, the strong influence of the U.S. government, the political and technological culture, the government’s framing of economic development concerns, and a lack of pressure from civil society to compel the government to formally respond to their concerns. The consensus conference had a limited effect on policy decision-making, and seemed to serve as a socio-political experiment.
Exploring and Enhancing Spatial Thinking
Authors: Uttal David H. , Miller David I. , Newcombe Nora S.
Published: September 2013

Although neglected in traditional education, spatial thinking plays a critical role in achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. We review this relationship and investigate the malleability of spatial thinking. Can spatial thinking be improved with training, life experience, or educational interventions? Can improving spatial thinking improve STEM achievement? Research indicates that the answer is “yes” to both questions. A recent quantitative synthesis of 206 spatial training studies found an average training improvement of 0.47 standard deviations. Training effects lasted for months in studies examining durability and transferred to tasks that differed at least moderately from training tasks. A few studies indicate that spatial training can improve STEM learning, although more research needs to be done on this issue. We argue that including spatial thinking in STEM curricula could substantially increase the number of Americans with the requisite cognitive skills to enter STEM careers.
Genetic and Environmental Influences on Cognition Across Development and Context
Authors: Tucker-Drob Elliot M. , Briley Daniel A. , Harden K. Paige
Published: September 2013

Genes account for between approximately 50% and 70% of the variation in cognition at the population level. However, population-level estimates of heritability potentially mask marked subgroup differences. We review the body of empirical evidence indicating that (a) genetic influences on cognition increase from infancy to adulthood, and (b) genetic influences on cognition are maximized in more advantaged socioeconomic contexts (i.e., a Gene × Socioeconomic Status interaction). We discuss potential mechanisms underlying these effects, particularly transactional models of cognitive development. Transactional models predict that people in high-opportunity contexts actively evoke and select positive learning experiences on the basis of their genetic predispositions; these learning experiences, in turn, reciprocally influence cognition. The net result of this transactional process is increasing genetic influence with increasing age and increasing environmental opportunity.
Addressing Driver Aggression
Authors: Wickens Christine M. , Mann Robert E. , Wiesenthal David L.
Published: September 2013

Aggressive roadway behavior contributes to motor-vehicle collisions, resulting in significant injuries, fatalities, and related financial costs. Psychological models have identified person- and situation-related variables that are predictive of driver aggression, and these have been used to develop strategies to alleviate aggressive roadway behavior. Future psychological research directions are discussed.
The Developmental Effects of Early Life Stress
Authors: Hostinar Camelia E. , Gunnar Megan R.
Published: September 2013

The field of psychobiology has two major theories for talking about stress and health: the allostatic load model, which grew out of biological and neuroscience approaches to understanding health and disease, and the adaptive calibration model, which developed out of an explicitly evolutionary-developmental framework. Both are based on assumptions that the brain coordinates a distributed and dynamic set of neural circuits that regulate behavior and stress physiology to help the organism adapt to the demands of the environment. Both models support the notion that experiences early in life are embedded into the regulation of stress systems in ways that shape the organism’s future responses. These two paradigms differ in their emphasis on whether changes in how stress systems function are viewed as adaptive or maladaptive. The goal of this review is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each framework and to discuss some implications for future studies and for policy.
Validation in Reading Comprehension
Authors: Singer Murray
Published: September 2013

Language comprehension involves analysis at the level of the word, sentence, and message and the integration of message meaning with the prior discourse and world knowledge. Contemporary research converges on another facet of comprehension: the validation of message consistency. Existing evidence already favors several principles in validation of reading and listening. Validation is initiated immediately and is routine rather than requiring intentional strategies. Successful validation is a precondition to updating the situational representation of the message. Validation applies to discourse inferences as well as explicit assertions. Finally, the memory-retrieval processes that enable validation closely resemble those of intentional discourse memory. Competing observations of people’s validation failures are proposed to systematically stem from features of the message, understander, and comprehension task. Therefore, theoretical analysis that accommodates both successful and deficient language validation ought to be attainable.
Do Communication Abilities Affect Promotion Decisions? Some Data From the C-Suite
Authors: Reinsch N. Lamar , Gardner Jonathan A.
Published: September 2013

Senior U.S. business executives reported that in making recent promotion decisions, they had placed a great deal of weight on candidates’ interpersonal skills, less weight on oral communication skills, and even less weight on writing skills. Older business managers ranked communication skills as more important than did the younger managers. If this age-related difference is a maturation effect, younger managers may place more emphasis on communication as they mature. If the age-related difference is a cohort effect, the relative importance of communication skills for advancement may shift as Generation X executives replace boomer executives in top-level positions at U.S. corporations.
Consequences of 9/11 and the war on terror on children’s and young adult’s mental health: A systematic review of the past 10 years
Authors: Rousseau Cecile , Jamil Uzma , Bhui Kamaldeep , Boudjarane Meriem
Published: September 2013

This mixed method systematic review appraises the individual, familial and systemic effect of 9/11 and the war on terror for majority and minority children and youth in North America. The results highlight the broad social consequences of the socio-political transformations associated with the terror context, which cannot be understood only through a trauma focus analysis. The social stereotypes transformed youth experiences of belonging and exclusion. The difference between the consequences for majority and minority youth suggests the need for a broader appraisal of this societal context to support the development of prevention and intervention intersectorial programs.
Is code speech? Law and the expressivity of machine language
Authors: Petersen Jennifer
Published: September 2013

This article examines Universal City Studios v. Reimerdes and its appeal ( Universal v. Corley), which tackle the question of whether code is speech, protected under First Amendment law. Computer code raises problems for free speech law, as code can be seen as both expression and conduct. The legal decisions in the case created an expression/function dichotomy that limited recognition of expressivity to communication among programmers through unexecuted code. This dichotomy creates a low bar for the regulation of code, including uses of code as political expression and dissent. Cultural definitions of computers and legal notions of authorship and agency rooted in old media kept the judges from considering the functional capacities of code as speech. However, legal consideration of this functional expressivity is necessary in order to recognize the actual political and cultural uses of digital media and to enable a more nuanced regulatory framework.
The prediction of torque in a diesel engine using ion currents and artificial neural networks
Authors: Rao Rahul , Honnery Damon
Published: September 2013

Ion currents in engines contain important information on combustion that sensors that are currently used are unable to detect. This study focuses on the analysis of ion current signals in a diesel engine. The various features of the ion current signal are described in the context of the heat release rate and in-cylinder pressure signal to better understand the components of the ion current. A variety of back-propagation artificial neural networks are used to predict expansion work, net indicated mean effective pressure and engine out torque from the ion current signal. The factors affecting the performance of the artificial neural networks that were investigated were the number of hidden layers, number of hidden nodes and the desired training error. It was found that more complex networks were better able to predict engine out torque and took longer to train. A reduction in the desired training error improved performance up to a point when the network was no longer able to converge. The effect of averaging on the signal was also tested. Averaging signals at the input to the network was found to reduce the accuracy of predictions of the network, as a result of the reduction in size of the training set.
Influence of fuel properties on operational range and combustion characteristics of premixed diesel combustion with high volatility fuel
Authors: Xiong Qian , Inaba Kazuki , Li Tie , Shibata Gen , Ogawa Hideyuki
Published: September 2013

The effects of fuel properties including ignitability, volatility, and compositions on operational range and combustion characteristics of premixed diesel combustion with various high volatility model fuels and an ordinary diesel fuel were examined in a direct injection diesel engine. The indicated mean effective pressure was limited by knocking with high-intake oxygen concentrations and by unstable combustion or significant increases in CO and total hydrocarbon emissions with low-intake oxygen concentrations regardless of fuels. The fuel volatility has little effect on the combustion characteristics and the stable operational range in premixed diesel combustion. With increasing octane number, the combustion phasing is retarded, and higher intake oxygen concentrations can be employed within the tolerance limits of rapid combustion, expanding the stable premixed diesel combustion indicated mean effective pressure range. The operational range of premixed diesel combustion with normal heptane and toluene blend fuels shifts to higher intake oxygen concentrations when compared with primary reference fuels with the same research octane numbers, showing lower ignition characteristics than primary reference fuel. The silent, low-NOx, and smokeless operation with high thermal efficiency was possible with both primary reference fuel and normal heptane and toluene blend fuel when the intake oxygen concentration is optimized corresponding to indicated mean effective pressure.
Dynamic modeling of a piezoelectric fuel injector during rate shaping operation
Authors: Le Dat , Shen Jin , Ruikar Neha , Shaver Gregory M
Published: September 2013

Piezoelectric fuel injectors provide a means to lower emissions, noise, and fuel consumption in advanced internal combustion engines by enabling complex injection rate profiles—referred to as “rate shaping.” Consideration of flow rate nonlinearities, piezostack hysteresis, and hydromechanical dynamics is required to achieve precise control of rate shaping. The goal of the effort described here was to develop, and experimentally validate, a dynamic, physically based model of a piezoelectric fuel injector during rate-shaping operating conditions. The model prediction captures the rate shape and demonstrates injected fuel errors of less than 5.2%.
Rethinking Mass Tourism
Authors: Vainikka Vilhelmiina
Published: September 2013

For decades, mass tourism has been a widely used term in tourism research, and it still has no clearly agreed definition and content. There has been growing interest among scholars to address mass tourism from fresh viewpoints. This article aims to analyse theoretically and reconceptualize the discursive practice of mass tourism as a socially constructed idea and its implications. Deterministic and flexible discourses of defining mass tourism were identified within the discussions on mass tourism. The first is grounded on the idea of homogeneous mass, while the latter concentrates on alternative interpretations of the phenomenon complementing its heterogeneity. Ideas of further directions of mass tourism research are discussed.
Using ethnography to explore causality in mental health policy and practice
Authors: Jobling Hannah
Published: September 2013

This article discusses the early findings of an on-going ethnographic study which is exploring the implementation of Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) in English mental health services, a process in which social work practitioners are closely involved. CTOs are present in a number of countries, and most recently in 2008 were enacted in England and Wales with the policy purposes of reducing ‘revolving door’ admissions, increasing the ability of clinicians to manage risk and encouraging recovery. They work by imposing conditions on how mental health service users live in the community as well as providing a mechanism for them to be recalled for treatment in hospital if they fail to meet those conditions. Perhaps unsurprisingly, their introduction has brought with it debate on the ethical implications of extending compulsory treatment into the community. The majority of research on CTOs has tended to ask the question, ‘Do they work?’ In this article I argue that ethnography may help to address a more ethically engaged and pertinent question for social work practice, namely, ‘Who might CTOs work for, in what circumstances and why?’ Immersion in service settings over an extended period enabled the incorporation of contextual factors and causal mechanisms into the analysis, which in turn has led to a consideration of the nature of CTO outcomes. This approach draws upon ideas about the role of qualitative research in exploring causality, and consideration is given to how the research may fit within some form of a realist framework.
“Many People Are Just Dreamers”
Authors: Ronsini Veneza Mayora
Published: September 2013

This article presents comparative results about the ways Brazilian working-class and middle-class youth interpret class messages in telenovelas. This work thus explores class differences in light of the current context of Brazilian peripheral modernization and argues for the continuing centrality of telenovelas in communicating to cross-class audiences about modernity. It further develops a systematic methodology for reception studies to account for the complexity of everyday sociocultural interactions and how hegemony functions. The conclusion suggests preferred and negotiated readings of poverty may be associated with telenovela viewing, which, in turn, promotes faith in personal merit and obscures Brazilian inequalities.
The Use of Videoconference in the Treatment of Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia in a Housebound Woman
Authors: Lindner Danielle , Lacefield Katharine , Tantleff Dunn Stacey , Dunn Michael E.
Published: September 2013

Individuals with Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia (PD/A) experience recurrent unexpected panic attacks and anxiety about the attacks along with significant anxiety about being in places or situations in which it would be difficult to escape or receive assistance if a panic attack were to occur. Feared situations are endured with extreme distress or avoided entirely. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice for PD and PD/A. In this case study, interoceptive exposure (IE) therapy and in vivo exposure therapy were used to treat a 30-year-old housebound woman. Following in-home assessment, psychoeducation, and a limited number of exposure sessions, clinical services were transitioned from in-home to using videoconferencing until in vivo exposure sessions began outside the home. The client was able to meet all behavioral goals by the end of treatment and no longer met criteria for PD/A. This case demonstrates the treatment effectiveness in an individual. Future research should seek to conduct randomized control trials to determine whether videoconference is an efficacious method of delivery for PD/A. This case demonstrates evidence for videoconferencing as an effective tool in treatment delivery for PD/A.
Neuropsychological Assessment and Treatment Following a Spinal Cord Injury and Alcohol Withdrawal
Authors: Trapp Stephen K. , Lumpkin Jennifer M. , Ellwood Michael
Published: September 2013

Mr. Wellington, a 61-year-old veteran, was referred for a neuropsychological assessment and mental health treatment by his attending physician and psychologist following a spinal cord injury (SCI) and alcohol withdrawal. According to the referral, Mr. Wellington had been experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as diminished cognitive functioning. These symptoms were considered to be interfering with his participation in SCI rehabilitation. Prior to the assessment, Mr. Wellington had sustained a tetraplegic injury due to a syrinx and partial L5 injury caused by an uncontrolled chronic bone infection and was receiving treatment at a Veteran’s Administration medical center. Results of the assessment, the related challenges in identifying the etiology of the patient’s diminished neurocognitive functioning, and mental health treatment are discussed.
Family-Based Behavioral Treatment of Pediatric Compulsive Hoarding
Authors: Ale Chelsea M. , Arnold Elysse B. , Whiteside Stephen P. H. , Storch Eric A.
Published: September 2013

Although compulsive hoarding may pose health, social, and developmental impairment for children, there are few phenomenological and treatment studies to guide assessment and treatment. Current evidence-based questions the link between hoarding and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy protocols for OCD to adequately address the unique challenges of poor insight, poor emotion regulation, and increased family accommodation in children with compulsive hoarding. This case study seeks to illustrate a family-based behavioral approach to outpatient treatment of compulsive hoarding with a 9-year-old girl (pseudonym Lily). Treatment included psychoeducation, exposure to discarding items, exposure to acquiring cues, and parent behavior management techniques.
Family Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for a Child With Autism and Comorbid Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Nadeau Joshua M. , Arnold Elysse B. , Storch Eric A. , Lewin Adam B.
Published: September 2013

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure/response prevention is effective among youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and comorbid anxiety symptoms. This case illustrates the application of a modularized family-based CBT approach with a school-aged boy with autistic disorder and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Following 16 family sessions over 21 weeks, “Jerry,” a 9-year-old Caucasian male, showed significant reduction in obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Jerry’s parents also reported improvements in emotional regulation, participation in school activities, and in his parent–child relationships. This case study illustrates the use of family-based CBT, which has been modified to account for social and behavioral deficits endemic to ASDs, for school-aged youth with autism and comorbid OCD.
All in the Family
Authors: Hughes-Scalise Abigail , Przeworski Amy
Published: September 2013

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is common in children with rates of 1% to 4% in children and adolescents. A prominent first-line treatment for pediatric OCD is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using exposure and response prevention (ERP). However, it has also been suggested that family therapy be used as an adjunct treatment in pediatric OCD cases, as family members often accommodate or contribute to the maintenance of OCD symptoms. The following case study reviews the successful treatment of a 7-year-old with comorbid OCD and oppositional defiant disorder, in which traditional CBT and ERP for OCD was integrated with family-based approaches utilizing a family systems theory framework.