bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control Strategies for Accurate Force Generation and Relaxation
Authors: Ohtaka Chiaki , Fujiwara Motoko
Published: August 2016

Characteristics and motor strategies for force generation and force relaxation were examined using graded tasks during isometric force control. Ten female college students ( M age = 20.2 yr., SD = 1.1) were instructed to accurately control the force of isometric elbow flexion using their right arm to match a target force level as quickly as possible. They performed: (1) a generation task, wherein they increased their force from 0% maximum voluntary force to 20% maximum voluntary force (0%–20%), 40% maximum voluntary force (0%–40%), or 60% maximum voluntary force (0%–60%) and (2) and a relaxation task, in which they decreased their force from 60% maximum voluntary force to 40% maximum voluntary force (60%–40%), 20% maximum voluntary force (60%–20%), or to 0% maximum voluntary force (60%–0%). Produced force parameters of point of accuracy (force level, error), quickness (reaction time, adjustment time, rate of force development), and strategy (force wave, rate of force development) were analyzed. Errors of force relaxation were all greater, and reaction times shorter, than those of force generation. Adjustment time depended on the magnitude of force and peak rates of force development and force relaxation differed. Controlled relaxation of force is more difficult with low magnitude of force control.
The Simplest Chronoscope V
Authors: Montare Alberto
Published: August 2016

Extending work by Montare, visual simple reaction time, choice reaction time, discriminative reaction time, and overall reaction time scores obtained from college students by the simplest chronoscope (a falling meterstick) method were significantly faster as well as significantly less variable than scores of the same individuals from electromechanical reaction timers (machine method). Results supported the existence of dual reaction time systems: an ancient primary reaction time system theoretically activating the V5 parietal area of the dorsal visual stream that evolved to process significantly faster sensory-motor reactions to sudden stimulations arising from environmental objects in motion, and a secondary reaction time system theoretically activating the V4 temporal area of the ventral visual stream that subsequently evolved to process significantly slower sensory-perceptual-motor reactions to sudden stimulations arising from motionless colored objects.
Gaze Control in One Versus One Defensive Situations in Soccer Players With Various Levels of Expertise
Authors: Krzepota Justyna , Stępiński Miłosz , Zwierko Teresa
Published: August 2016

Experienced and less experienced soccer players were compared in terms of their gaze behavior (number of fixations, fixation duration, number of fixation regions, and distribution of fixations across specific regions) during frontal 1 vs. 1 defensive situations. Twenty-four men (eight experienced soccer players, eight less experienced players and eight non-players) watched 20 video clips. Gaze behavior was registered with an Eye Tracking System. The video scenes were analyzed frame-by-frame. Significant main effect of the group (experience) was observed for the number of fixation regions. Experienced soccer players had a lower number of fixation regions than the non-soccer players. Moreover, the former group presented with significantly larger percentage of fixations in the ball/foot region. These findings suggest that experienced players may use a more efficient search strategy than novices, involving fixation on a lesser number of areas in specific locations.
Participation in Team Sports Can Eliminate the Effect of Social Loafing
Authors: Czyż Stanisław H. , Szmajke Andrzej , Kruger Ankebé , Kübler Magdalena
Published: August 2016

The effect known as Ringelmann effect states that as group size increases, individual behavior may be less productive. If this decrease in productivity in groups is attributed to a decrement in individual motivation, it is called social loafing. We tested hypotheses that the collectivism associated with participation in team sports would reduce the level of social loafing compared to people who were not involved in team sports. In one experiment, participants ( n = 72; M age = 21.7 years, SD = 2.0) had to pull a rope individually and collectively. Groups of two, three, four, and six persons were formed from among individuals with no previous sports experience, and of those who had engaged in individual and team sports. For each team, the sum of individual achievements of the individuals constituting a team was computed. This sum served as the anticipated result (expected value). The expected values were later compared to the actual achievements, i.e., the value achieved by the whole team. The results of the study suggested that previous experience in collective (team) sports eliminated the effect of social loafing.
Lay Perceptions of Inequality and Social Structure
Authors: Irwin Sarah
Published: August 2016

Lay perceptions of social structure and economic distribution have a particular salience in the current era of widening inequalities which has characterised Britain since the 1980s. Research into subjective beliefs has generated puzzles: people underestimate the extent of inequalities, see themselves as being situated ‘near the middle’ irrespective of their objective position, and allegedly hold an a-social view of the underpinnings of socio-economic inequalities. This article presents a new qualitative analysis of lay perceptions of inequality. It does so with a particular focus on context, biographical experience and social change. The qualitative and temporal perspectives reveal that people are more sophisticated analysts of social process, and of their own situatedness within the wider social structure, than often thought. This has implications for sociological understanding but also holds relevance for renewing political options for intervention. Additionally, the evidence offers insights into lived experiences of inequality through a period of significant restructuring.
Policing Research and the Rise of the ‘Evidence-Base’: Police Officer and Staff Understandings of Research, its Implementation and ‘What Works’
Authors: Lumsden Karen , Goode Jackie
Published: August 2016

Despite the pitfalls identified in previous critiques of the evidence-based practice movement in education, health, medicine and social care, recent years have witnessed its spread to the realm of policing. This article considers the rise of evidence-based policy and practice as a dominant discourse in policing in the UK, and the implications this has for social scientists conducting research in this area, and for police officers and staff. Social scientists conducting research with police must consider organisational factors impacting upon police work, as well as the wider political agendas which constrain it – in this case, the ways in which the adoption of evidence-based policing and the related ‘gold standard’ used to evaluate research act as a ‘technology of power’ to shape the nature of policing/research. The discussion draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with police officers and staff from police forces in England.
In Support of Disciplinarity in Teaching Sociology
Authors: Haynes Amanda
Published: August 2016

This article argues for the importance of disciplinarity in the education of novice sociologists and considers the impact of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) on opportunities for undergraduate students to achieve a command of the discipline. The promotion of modularization and generic skills integral to establishing the EHEA can be understood as incrementally undermining disciplinarity. Moreover, values enshrined in the EHEA specifically disadvantage sociological disciplinarity by promoting service to the market over mastery of a discipline. This article presents the Republic of Ireland as an example of a national context in which sociology is most commonly taught within multidisciplinary degree programs and argues that the Irish experience may be portentous of more global trends, linking the structural position of sociology in Ireland to the wider European policy context. Finally, the article explores ways in which sociologists teaching in such contexts can nonetheless promote disciplinarity.
Recursive Exercises to Help Students Engage and Recognize Sociological Shifts
Authors: Whitaker Julie
Published: August 2016

Introductory sociology courses encourage students to shift from understanding social relations and inequalities through an individualistic lens toward a more sociological one. It is difficult for students to know how far they have advanced toward a sociological perspective if they do not have a good sense of where they began. This paper describes an approach intended to assess a sociological shift over the course of a semester by combining various recursive techniques that take place at the beginning and end of the semester: letters to oneself, social opinion surveys, and recorded small discussion groups. Although the shift was often not dramatic, the approach proved to be useful not only to help students keep track of their own developing sociological perspective but also as a way to improve teaching and assess student learning outcomes. Although ideal for small classes or discussion sections, I discuss ways to also adapt it for larger classes.
From System Collapse to Chavista Hegemony
Authors: Hetland Gabriel
Published: August 2016

During the 14 years Hugo Chávez was in office, Venezuela’s party system experienced a 180-degree shift. When Chávez was elected in 1998, Venezuela’s party system had collapsed because of a two-decade-long economic-cum-political crisis. His initial appeal was built, in large part, on his antiparty message, a stance that continued through the first half of his time in office. A series of factors, principally the need for a more cohesive organization to combat an intransigent opposition, led to the creation of the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (United Socialist Party of Venezuela—PSUV) in 2007. The PSUV quickly became Venezuela’s largest party and the linchpin of a new hegemonic system. The contradictions of that system are manifested in the split between the PSUV’s right and left wings, and the hegemony of Chavismo is now in doubt.

Durante los 14 años de la presidencia de Hugo Chávez, el sistema de partidos de Venezuela sufrió un giro de 180°. Cuando Chávez fue elegido en 1998, el sistema ya había colapsado debido a la larga crisis económica y política que ya llevaba dos décadas. Su llamamiento inicial se fundamentó, en gran parte, en un mensaje antipartido, una postura que continuó durante la primera mitad de su mandato. Una serie de factores—principalmente, la necesidad de una organización más cohesiva para combatir a la oposición intransigente — llevó a la creación del Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV) en 2007. El PSUV rápidamente se convirtió en el partido más grande de Venezuela y en la pieza esencial de un nuevo sistema hegemónico. Las contradicciones del sistema se manifiestan en la brecha entre el ala izquierdista y el ala derechista del PSUV y la hegemonía del chavismo ahora está en entredicho.
Everyday Crafting of the Bolivarian State
Authors: Strønen Iselin Åsedotter
Published: August 2016

Venezuela’s communal councils are legally sanctioned organs for popular participation implemented mostly in poor communities since 2006. The promotores integrales, lower-level state employees who assist the communal councils in their everyday work, serve as mediators between state policies and community politics, and study of their roles and perspectives provides important insights into the complexities of implementing policies of popular participation and transforming state practices in the context of radical social change. While the cultural politics and knowledges of the popular sectors have become imprinted on the Venezuelan state, attempts to change the state in accordance with Bolivarian ideology are subject to intense contestation and struggle.

Los consejos comunales de Venezuela son órganos para la participación popular establecidos legalmente y puestos en práctica mayormente en comunidades pobres desde 2006. Los promotores integrales –empleados estatales de menor rango que ayudan a los consejos comunales en su trabajo diario –sirven como mediadores entre las políticas del estado y la política comunitaria. El estudio de sus roles y perspectivas nos ofrece importantes claves para comprender la complejidad de implementar políticas de participación popular y transformar las prácticas del estado en el contexto de un cambio social radical. Mientras que las políticas culturales y los saberes de los sectores populares han quedado grabados en el estado venezolano, los esfuerzos para cambiar al estado de acuerdo con la ideología bolivariana están sujetos a una intensa impugnación y luchas constantes.
Development of a robust multi-objective history matching for reliable well-based production forecasts
Authors: Min Baehyun , Kang Joe M , Lee Hoyoung , Jo Suryeom , Park Changhyup , Jang Ilsik
Published: August 2016

This article presents a dynamic reservoir characterization using a new multi-objective optimization algorithm to quantify the reservoir uncertainties in history matching. The proposed method formulated Pareto-optimality with preference-ordering to derive multiple trade-off history-matched reservoir models for probabilistic production estimation. The integration of linear programming with multi-objective genetic algorithm enhances the efficiency of a multi-directional search by prioritizing the reservoir models that satisfy the aspiration levels on the discrepancy between the observed and the calculated production data. The preference levels are automatically adjusted in correspondence to the quality of the reservoir models for facilitating the model update process during optimization. An oil-field application result indicates the method outperforms the conventional multi-objective optimization method in terms of the relative average error for the production data despite a small loss of diversity-preservation among the reservoir models.
How Can Single-Case Data Be Analyzed? Software Resources, Tutorial, and Reflections on Analysis
Authors: Manolov Rumen , Moeyaert Mariola
Published: August 2016

The present article aims to present a series of software developments in the quantitative analysis of data obtained via single-case experimental designs (SCEDs), as well as the tutorial describing these developments. The tutorial focuses on software implementations based on freely available platforms such as R and aims to bring statistical advances closer to applied researchers and help them become autonomous agents in the data analysis stage of a study. The range of analyses dealt with in the tutorial is illustrated on a typical single-case dataset, relying heavily on graphical data representations. We illustrate how visual and quantitative analyses can be used jointly, giving complementary information and helping the researcher decide whether there is an intervention effect, how large it is, and whether it is practically significant. To help applied researchers in the use of the analyses, we have organized the data in the different ways required by the different analytical procedures and made these data available online. We also provide Internet links to all free software available, as well as all the main references to the analytical techniques. Finally, we suggest that appropriate and informative data analysis is likely to be a step forward in documenting and communicating results and also for increasing the scientific credibility of SCEDs.
Sticky Decisions: Anchoring and Equity Stakes in International Acquisitions
Authors: Malhotra Shavin , Morgan Horatio M. , Zhu PengCheng
Published: August 2016

This study proposes an anchoring perspective on international equity ownership decisions. Given the complex, uncertain nature of such decisions, we recognize the potential for heuristics such as anchoring to replace time-consuming and information-intensive analyses; specifically, top managers might draw on the recent international equity ownership decisions of others to determine how much equity stake to purchase in foreign target firms. Drawing on standard regression methods and more recently developed hedonic regression techniques, this study reveals some systematic effects of anchoring in international equity ownership decisions. Anchoring is more likely when international acquisitions occur under informational deficiencies in genuinely uncertain settings but less likely when the acquiring firms are managed by overconfident CEOs.
Impact of Alumni Connections on Peer Review Ratings and Selection Success Rate in National Research
Authors: Jang Duckhee , Doh Soogwan , Kang Gil-Mo , Han Dong-Seong
Published: August 2016

This study seeks to examine the impact of alumni connections between the evaluators and evaluatees on the results of peer review ratings for the Korean national R&D project and selection success rate. Specifically, this study analyzed the evaluation results of 8,402 research proposal entries submitted between 2007 and 2011 for the “general researchers support project,” all in the Natural Science and Engineering areas and sponsored by the National Research Foundation of Korea. Each proposal entry was evaluated by three evaluators, and approximately 39 percent of the proposals had at least one evaluator from the same university. The results of this study showed that evaluators have a tendency to give relatively high scores to research proposals submitted by the alumni of the same universities as their alma mater. Also, when an evaluator from the same university as an evaluatee was included in the evaluator group, the results of this study showed that the percentage of entry submissions was higher compared to the contrary. Such results show that in the process of peer review–based research proposal evaluations for national R&D projects, alumni connections have significant influence on evaluation results in South Korea.
Managerial Networks and Exploration in a Professional Service Firm
Authors: Rogan Michelle , Mors Marie Louise
Published: August 2016

A firm’s growth and survival depends on the ability of its managers to explore for new business and knowledge; yet, exploration is challenging for most large, established firms. Extending prior research into networks and exploration, we propose that a key characteristic of managers’ external networks – the extent to which their networks include relationships built using predominately individual rather than firm resources – is positively related to managers’ abilities to explore for new business and knowledge in large firms. We propose that networks with more individual ties provide more diverse knowledge, enable greater autonomy and ease access to resources from contacts, hence facilitating exploration. Analysis of an original dataset of external networks of 77 senior managers in a large global consulting firm provides support for our arguments. We find that individual ties are positively related to exploration and, furthermore, that the positive (negative) relationship between sparse (dense) networks and exploration increases with the number of individual ties in managers’ networks.
Drainage Patterns to Nontraditional Nodal Regions and Level IIB in Cutaneous Head and Neck Malignancy
Authors: Creighton Francis , Bergmark Regan , Emerick Kevin
Published: August 2016

Objectives

(1) Determine the frequency of nontraditional sentinel lymph node (SLN) locations in cutaneous head and neck malignancy and (2) determine the frequency of level IIB SLNs in cutaneous head and neck malignancy.

Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary academic hospital.

Subjects and Methods

In total, 145 consecutive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) specimens for cutaneous head and neck malignancies were reviewed from 2007 to 2015. Nodal regions were categorized into levels I to V, parotid, external jugular (EJ), perifacial, suboccipital, and postauricular regions. Primary locations were divided into scalp, forehead, cheek, ear, neck, nose, periocular, and lip. Frequencies of sentinel lymph node (SLN) locations for each primary location were determined.

Results

Parotid, EJ, perifacial, suboccipital, postauricular, and level IIB lymph SLNs were identified as nontraditional lymph node regions at risk in head and neck cutaneous malignancy. EJ SLNs were present in over 15% of all cases and over 25% of periocular and cheek lesions. Perifacial SLNs were frequently present in nose and lip lesions. Suboccipital and postauricular nodes were only present in scalp lesions. Level II was the most common location for a SLN. In total, 15.9% of all cases involved level IIB. Scalp and ear primary lesions were most likely to drain to level IIB.

Conclusions

Nontraditional SLN locations, such as EJ, perifacial, suboccipital, postauricular, and parotid, as well as level IIB, are important sites of drainage for head and neck cutaneous malignancy. Prediction of at‐risk lymph node regions is important to help guide SLNBs, elective and completion neck lymphadenectomy and radiation, and long‐term observation.
Does the Preoperative Administration of Steroids Reduce Intraoperative Bleeding during Endoscopic Surgery of Nasal Polyps?
Authors: Hwang Se Hwan , Seo Jae Hyun , Joo Young Hoon , Kang Jun Myung
Published: August 2016

Objectives

Corticosteroids are frequently used in a range of otorhinolaryngologic conditions due to their anti‐inflammatory and antiedematous properties. In this meta‐analysis, we aimed to assess the role of preoperative steroids for attenuating intraoperative bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery among patients with nasal polyps.

Data Sources

PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, the Web of Science, and Cochrane database.

Methods

Literature was screened from January 1980 to January 2016. Five articles comparing patients who were preoperatively administered steroids (steroid groups) with patients who received a placebo or no treatment (control group) were included for analysis, which encompassed intraoperative bleeding, endoscopic surgical field visibility, operative time, and side effects during endoscopic sinus surgery.

Results

Intraoperative bleeding and operative time during endoscopic sinus surgery in the steroid group were significantly reduced as compared with the control group. Additionally, the preoperative administration of steroids had a significant effect on improving endoscopic surgical field visibility during sinus surgery. There were no significant adverse effects reported in the enrolled studies. In subgroup analyses of these results, steroids showed similar effects on intraoperative bleeding regardless of administration type (topical or systemic).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the preoperative administration of steroids in patients with nasal polyps could effectively reduce intraoperative bleeding. However, the duration of treatment and dosing standard require further investigation, and more trials need to be included.
Patient‐Reported Outcome Measures Related to Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
Authors: Francis David O. , Patel Dhyanesh A. , Sharda Rohit , Hovis Kristen , Sathe Nila , Penson David F. , Feurer Irene D. , McPheeters Melissa L. , Vaezi Michael F.
Published: August 2016

Objectives

Patient‐reported outcome (PRO) measures are often used to diagnose laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and monitor treatment outcomes in clinical and research settings. The present systematic review was designed to identify currently available LPR‐related PRO measures and to evaluate each measure’s instrument development, validation, and applicability.

Data Sources

MEDLINE via PubMed interface, CINAHL, and Health and Psychosocial Instrument databases were searched with relevant vocabulary and key terms related to PRO measures and LPR.

Review Methods

Three investigators independently performed abstract review and full text review, applying a previously developed checklist to critically assess measurement properties of each study meeting inclusion criteria.

Results

Of 4947 studies reviewed, 7 LPR‐related PRO measures (publication years, 1991‐2010) met criteria for extraction and analysis. Two focused on globus and throat symptoms. Remaining measures were designed to assess LPR symptoms and monitor treatment outcomes in patients. None met all checklist criteria. Only 2 of 7 used patient input to devise item content, and 2 of 7 assessed responsiveness to change. Thematic deficiencies in current LPR‐related measures are inadequately demonstrated: content validity, construct validity, plan for interpretation, and literacy level assessment.

Conclusion

Laryngopharyngeal reflux is often diagnosed according to symptoms. Currently available LPR‐related PRO measures used to symptomatically identify suspected LPR patients have disparate developmental rigor and important methodological deficiencies. Care should be exercised to understand the measurement characteristics and contextual relevance before applying these PRO measures for clinical, research, or quality initiatives.
Radiation Dose Reduction in Paranasal Sinus CT
Authors: Bang Minseo , Choi Seong Hoon , Park Jongha , Kang Byeong Seong , Kwon Woon Jung , Lee Tae Hoon , Nam Jung Gwon
Published: August 2016

Objectives

To (1) compare the radiation dose of low‐dose computed tomography (CT) to that of standard‐dose CT, (2) determine the minimum optimal radiation dose for use in patients who need endoscopic sinus surgery, and (3) assess the reliability of iterative model reconstruction.

Study Design

Prospective single‐institution study.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Subjects and Methods

We recruited 48 adults with medically refractory sinusitis. Each patient underwent 4 scans with different CT parameters: 120 kV and 100 mAs (standard dose), 100 kV and 40 mAs (low dose), 100 kV and 20 mAs (very low dose), and 100 kV and 10 mAs (ultra‐low dose). All CT scans were reconstructed via filtered back‐projection, and ultra‐low dose scans were additionally reconstructed through iterative model reconstruction. Radiation dose, image quality, and diagnostic performance were compared among the scans.

Results

Radiation doses decreased to 6% (ultra‐low dose), 12% (very low dose), and 22% (low dose) of the standard‐dose CT. The image quality of low‐dose CT was similar to that of standard‐dose CT. Ultra‐low‐dose CT with iterative model reconstruction was inferior to standard‐dose CT for identifying anatomic structures, except for the optic nerve. All CT scans had 100% agreement for diagnosing rhinosinusitis.

Conclusions

With low‐dose CT, the radiation dose can be decreased to 22% of that of standard‐dose CT without affecting the image quality. Low‐dose CT can be considered the minimum optimal radiation for patients who need surgery. Iterative model reconstruction is not useful for assessing the anatomic details of the paranasal sinus on CT.
Visualizing Junk
Authors: Hill Rosemary Lucy , Kennedy Helen , Gerrard Ysabel
Published: August 2016

The datafication of culture has led to an increase in the circulation of data visualizations. In their production, visualizers draw on historical antecedents which define what constitutes a good visualization. In their reception, audiences similarly draw on experiences with visualizations and other visual forms to categorize them as good or bad. While there are often sound reasons for such assessments, the gendered dimensions of judgments of cultural artifacts like data visualizations cannot be ignored. In this article, we highlight how definitions of visualizations as bad are sometimes gendered. In turn, this gendered derision is often entangled with legitimate criticisms of poor visualization execution, making it hard to see and so normalized. This, we argue, is a form of what Gill calls flexible sexism, and it is why there is a need not just for feminist critiques of big data but for feminist data studies–that is, feminists doing big data and data visualization.
E-waste Legislations in India— A Critical Review
Authors: Kaur Harveen , Goel Sushma
Published: August 2016

This article attempts to investigate policies, guidelines and rules concerning E-waste management in India in last few years. It also critically reviews the existing E-waste legislations on E-waste management, that is, E-waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011, which were notified in 2012 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Draft of E-waste (Management) Rules, 2015 which are yet to be notified. This article also highlights the E-waste scenario and recommendations for better E-waste management in the country.
An Econometric Exploration into the Determinants of Industrial Disputes in Indian Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Saihjpal Meenu
Published: August 2016

In the present study, an attempt is made to identify some of the determinants of disputes in Indian manufacturing industries at a two-digit level. The study covers data on 22 industries for a period of 25 years (1981–2006) at a two-digit level. The dependent variable is the man-days lost in disputes per worker and the independent variables are the degree of trade unionization, real wages and salaries per worker, average factory size and the dummies for historic textile strike and economic reforms. The study is further divided into pre- (1981–1991) and post-reform (1992–2006) period so as to identify any significant change that has taken place in the relationship of the dependent and the independent variables in the pre- and post-reform period. The econometric investigation reveals significant insights into the problem of disputes in manufacturing industries. The study reveals that the independent variables have significantly affected disputes during the time period of the analysis.
Working Capital Management and Firm Performance in Emerging Economies: Evidence from India
Authors: Bhatia Shikha , Srivastava Aman
Published: August 2016

This article aims to investigate the relationship between working capital management and firm performance in an emerging market. The analysis is done over a long window spanning across 2000–2014 by using ordinary least square (OLS), fixed- and random-effects model and generalized method of moments (GMM) on 2,327 firm-year observations, a panel data of 179 companies listed on the S&P BSE 500 Index of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). For robustness, in addition to accounting performance, market-based performance measure has also been employed to measure firm performance. This study based on India finds a negative relationship between the working capital management and firm performance, necessitating the need to efficiently manage the working capital for enhanced profitability.
Book Review: Theo Nichols and Huw Beynon, Living with Capitalism: Class Relations and the Modern Factory
Authors: Elembilassery Varun
Published: August 2016

Theo Nichols and Huw Beynon, Living with Capitalism: Class Relations and the Modern Factory. London and Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1977, pp. 204, US $ 20.54. ISBN 10: 0-7100-8594-X. ISBN 13: 9780-7100-8594-8.
Adsorption of uremic toxins over dealuminated zeolites
Authors: Koubaissy Bachar , Toufaily Joumana , Yaseen Zainab , Daou T Jean , Jradi Safi , Hamieh Tayssir
Published: August 2016

In this study, adsorption capacities of uremic toxins over Faujasite (HFAU) and Beta (HBEA) have been evaluated by varying the composition of solvent by using water, physiological, and sodium chloride solutions. HFAU was found to be more efficient in adsorption of these molecules. The adsorption results over HFAU were compared in various conditions to understand the adsorption mechanism. Thus, the adsorption mechanism was confirmed also by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis, and it is found to be through the interaction of creatinine by hydrogen bonding on two types of sites on zeolites. Pseudo-second-order equation described well the adsorption kinetics data. Equilibrium isotherms were determined by Fowler–Guggenheim model. Finally, hydrophobic HFAU zeolite seems to be an efficient adsorbent; it is able to be easily regenerated under air, through retention of these initial adsorption properties.
Revitalizing science and technology studies: A Marxian critique of more-than-human geographies
Authors: Arboleda Martín
Published: August 2016

This article revisits Marx’s philosophy of history with respect to technological change, outlining some elements for the elaboration of a research agenda for materialist studies of science and technology. I argue that dominant thinking on the subject has been insufficiently attentive to relations of production and to the constitutive role of practical, transformative activity. The article suggests that a focus on class relations not only foregrounds the eminently open and contested nature of technology but also renders into view the multiplicity of actors and agencies involved in the making of natures. I draw from a subterranean strand of Marxist theorists of technology to develop a more-than-human approach to political agency through an interrogation of the complex interactions between human and machine in the everyday, experiential practicalities of the labor process. On this basis, the article contends that foregrounding the class preconditions for an alternative scientific praxis should assert itself as the starting point and horizon of a materialist Science and Technology Studies.
The Impact of Diabetes-Related Complications on Preference-Based Measures of Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Type I Diabetes
Authors: Peasgood Tessa , Brennan Alan , Mansell Peter , Elliott Jackie , Basarir Hasan , Kruger Jen
Published: August 2016

Introduction. This study estimates health-related quality of life (HRQoL) or utility decrements associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using data from a UK research program on the Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) education program. Methods. A wide range of data was collected from 2341 individuals who undertook a DAFNE course in 2009–2012, at baseline and for 2 subsequent years. We use fixed- and random-effects linear models to generate utility estimates for T1DM using different instruments: EQ-5D, SF-6D, and EQ-VAS. We show models with and without controls for HbA1c and depression, which may be endogenous (if, for example, there is reverse causality in operation). Results. We find strong evidence of an unobserved individual effect, suggesting the superiority of the fixed-effects model. Depression shows the greatest decrement across all the models in the preferred fixed-effects model. The fixed-effects EQ-5D model also finds a significant decrement from retinopathy, body mass index, and HbA1c (%). Estimating a decrement using the fixed-effects model is not possible for some conditions where there are few new cases. In the random-effects model, diabetic foot disease shows substantial utility decrements, yet these are not significant in the fixed-effects models. Conclusion. Utility decrements have been calculated for a wide variety of health states in T1DM that can be used in economic analyses. However, despite the large data set, the low incidence of several complications leads to uncertainty in calculating the utility weights. Depression and diabetic foot disease result in a substantial loss in HRQoL for patients with T1DM. HbA1c (%) appears to have an independent negative impact on HRQoL, although concerns remain regarding the potential endogeneity of this variable.
MR imaging of the anatomy of the anterior horn of the medial meniscus
Authors: De Coninck Tineke , Vanrietvelde Frederik , Seynaeve Patrick , Verdonk Peter , Verstraete Koenraad
Published: August 2016

Background

In cadaveric and arthroscopic studies different insertion locations of the anterior horn of the medial meniscus (AHMM) have been described.

Purpose

To investigate if the different insertion locations of the AHMM, as described in cadaveric studies, can be determined on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Material and Methods

MR images of 100 patients without meniscal tears on MRI were retrospectively evaluated. Two observers classified the AHMM insertion based on its position relative to the anterior tibial edge and the medial tibial spine. The association between AHMM insertion and tibial plateau slope, meniscal radial displacement, and anterior intermeniscal ligament (AIL) presence was investigated.

Results

The AHMM inserted posterior to the anterior tibial edge in 93 knees and anterior to the tibial edge in seven knees (= type III). Of the 93 knees with AHMM insertion posterior to the anterior tibial edge, 63 inserted lateral to the medial tibial spine (= type I) and 30 medial (= type II). The AHMMs inserting anterior to the tibial edge had a significantly ( P < 0.05) steeper anterior tibial plateau slope and a significantly ( P < 0.05) higher presence of the AIL. No significant difference in radial displacement was observed between the three insertion types ( P > 0.05). A strong inter- and intra-observer agreement was observed.

Conclusion

Three different bony insertion locations of the AHMM, as described in cadaveric studies, could be identified on MRI. All AHMMs inserting anterior to the tibial edge displayed an AIL. Whether there is a clinical correlation with these insertion patterns remains unclear.
Prevalence of CT features of axial spondyloarthritis in patients with Crohn’s disease
Authors: De Kock Isabelle , Hindryckx Pieter , De Vos Martine , Delrue Louke , Verstraete Koenraad , Jans Lennart
Published: August 2016

Background

The sacroiliac joint and spine are seen on abdominal computed tomography (CT) and may show structural lesions as part of spondyloarthritis.

Purpose

To determine the prevalence of CT features of spondyloarthritis in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD).

Material and Methods

A retrospective study of structural lesions of spondyloarthritis on abdominal CT was performed. The sacroiliac joints and spine of 120 patients were studied: study group I consisted of 40 patients with known CD and inflammatory back pain, group II involved 40 patients with CD without inflammatory back pain, and group III consisted of 40 patients without known joint or inflammatory bowel disease. Recorded CT features included sclerosis, erosions or ankylosis of the sacroiliac joint, enthesopathy, spinal syndesmophytes, and costovertebral joint lesions.

Results

CT showed structural lesions of the sacroiliac joints in 19/40 (48%) patients with CD and inflammatory back pain (sclerosis [n = 14; 35%], erosions [n = 14; 35%], ankylosis [n = 3; 8%]), in 8/40 (8%) patients with CD without inflammatory back pain (sclerosis [n = 3; 8%], erosions [n = 4; 10%], ankylosis [n = 3; 8%]), and in 3/40 (8%) patients without known joint or bowel disease (sclerosis [n = 2; 5%], ankylosis [n = 1; 3%]). Syndesmophytes were exclusively seen in group I (n = 6; 15%).

Conclusion

CT of the abdomen in patients with CD and inflammatory back pain shows structural lesions of the sacroiliac joint, entheses, or spine in almost half of the patients. Awareness and knowledge of these findings may guide the referring clinician to further clinical evaluation, imaging, and biomarker evaluation of the disease.
Evaluation of the anticoagulant effect and timing of the concomitant use of S-1 and warfarin
Authors: Suzuki Shinya , Ikegawa Kiwako , Yamamoto Kaori , Saito Shinichiro
Published: August 2016

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of the timing of warfarin (WF) administration in patients with gastric cancer who received S-1 oral chemotherapy.

Methods

This retrospective chart review collected patient data including the prothrombin time international normalized ratio (PT-INR). Patients were categorized into three groups based on the timing of WF administration in relation to S-1 oral chemotherapy: group A patients received WF before S-1 chemotherapy; group B patients started WF during S-1 chemotherapy; and group C patients started WF after completing S-1 chemotherapy.

Results

A total of 21 patients with gastric cancer were included in the study; group A ( n = 8), group B ( n = 10) and group C ( n = 3). Seven patients (88%) in group A, seven (70%) in group B and all of the patients (100%) in group C had >2.5 PT-INR. There was no significant difference in the time-to-exceed 2.5 PT-INR between groups A and B.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the timing of WF use in relation to S-1 chemotherapy might not be an important factor for PT-INR, although the low patient numbers included in the study should be taken into consideration.
Academic judgments under uncertainty: A study of collective anchoring effects in Swedish Research Council panel groups
Authors: Roumbanis Lambros
Published: August 2016

This article focuses on anchoring effects in the process of peer reviewing research proposals. Anchoring effects are commonly seen as the result of flaws in human judgment, as cognitive biases that stem from specific heuristics that guide people when they involve their intuition in solving a problem. Here, the cognitive biases will be analyzed from a sociological point of view, as interactional and aggregated phenomena. The article is based on direct observations of ten panel groups evaluating research proposals in the natural and engineering sciences for the Swedish Research Council. The analysis suggests that collective anchoring effects emerge as a result of the combination of the evaluation techniques that are being used (grading scales and average ranking) and the efforts of the evaluators to reach consensus in the face of disagreements and uncertainty in the group. What many commentators and evaluators have interpreted as an element of chance in the peer review process may also be understood as partly a result of the dynamic aspects of collective anchoring effects.
“Saving” Coney Island: The construction of heritage value
Authors: Rivero Juan J
Published: August 2016

This paper examines a historic preservation controversy that surrounded redevelopment efforts in Coney Island during the late 2000s. This longstanding amusement district in Brooklyn, New York inspired widespread agreement about its importance as a heritage destination. The apparent agreement, however, belied profound differences over the aspects of the neighborhood that contributed to its iconic stature and about how they should relate to plans for the area's redevelopment. Because heritage value is not an inherent attribute of the built environment, these divergent cultural claims raise questions about how this value comes about. The literature on heritage finds answers to these questions in processes of community formation. This explanation, however, offers limited insight into the classification of Coney Island features as objects of heritage. I make sense of the valorization of these features in terms of experiential qualities that cast an anachronistic glow over Coney Island and that inspired in preservation advocates a sense of the neighborhood's heritage. By looking beyond community dynamics and examining alternative ways in which heritage value arises, my research contributes to our understanding of the contentiousness that surrounds the redevelopment of historic places. It also poses a challenge to preservation efforts that assume the centrality of communities to heritage value claims, bypassing the anterior question of how people experience and understand places of heritage in the first place.
State–Family Relations under Negotiation
Authors: Smith Karen M.
Published: August 2016

This article explores the manner in which the boundaries between state and family were negotiated in the course of parliamentary debates on school attendance legislation in the Irish Free State. Of particular interest are the representations of children and parents which informed competing ideas about the extent and limitations of state power over families. Representations of ordinary parents as ignorant and “careless” legitimized an authoritarian approach to the regulation of school attendance, albeit one in which compulsion was balanced with a degree of compassion and parents with the wherewithal to exercise choice were granted a high degree of autonomy.
Linguistic barriers and bridges: constructing social capital in ethnically diverse low-skill workplaces
Authors: Thuesen Frederik
Published: August 2016

The influence of language on social capital in low-skill and ethnically diverse workplaces has thus far received very limited attention within the sociology of work. As the ethnically diverse workplace is an important social space for the construction of social relations bridging different social groups, the sociology of work needs to develop a better understanding of the way in which linguistic diversity influences the formation of social capital (i.e. resources such as the trust and reciprocity inherent in social relations in such workplaces). Drawing on theories about intergroup contact and intercultural communication, this article analyses interviews with 31 employees from two highly ethnically diverse Danish workplaces. The article shows how linguistic barriers such as different levels of majority language competence and their consequent misunderstandings breed mistrust and hostility, while communication related to collaboration and ‘small talk’ may provide linguistic bridges to social capital formation.
A novel DOPO-containing flame retardant for epoxy resin
Authors: Gu Liqiang , Qiu Jianhui , Sakai Eiichi
Published: August 2016

A novel halogen-free flame retardant (6,6′-(((methylenebis(4,1-phenylene))bis(azanediyl))bis((4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methylene))bis(6H-dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine 6-oxide)(DP-DDM))) was synthesized via a one-pot procedure based on the Pudovik reaction between 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene 10-oxide and imine directly resulting from 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with 4,4′-methylenedianiline (DDM). The thermal curing behaviors of epoxy resins with different contents of DP-DDM were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry under a nonisothermal condition, aimed to suggest an optimized curing procedure in accordance with the property of DP-DDM. These DP-DDM-modified epoxy thermosets under optimized curing procedure showed high glass transition temperature and thermal degradation activation energy. Moreover, their high flame-retarding performance has been found: the epoxy thermosets with a relatively low addition amount of DP-DDM (on account of the phosphorus content of 0.75 wt%) can reach UL 94 V-0 (Instrumental analysis and measurements) rating with limiting oxygen index value of 34.5.
An extended system-theoretic hazard analysis method for the safety of high-speed railway train control systems
Authors: Liu Jin Tao , Tang Tao , Zhu Jie Bei , Zhao Lin
Published: August 2016

A high-speed railway train control system plays a key role in ensuring the safe operation of the trains. To ensure the safety of high-speed railway train control systems, it is vital to perform hazard analysis on them. In this context, this paper proposes a novel hazard analysis method which extends a previously reported system-theoretic hazard analysis method “system-theoretic process analysis.” The proposed method improves the standard system-theoretic process analysis to capture the temporal relations between inadequate control actions leading to hazards. These temporal relations are crucial for investigating the causes of hazards. To depict the temporal relations of control actions of high-speed railway train control systems, a new temporal logic called “control action temporal logic” is proposed first. Then based on this temporal logic, a new control action relation model is added into the process of system-theoretic process analysis. This model depicts the relations (including temporal relations) between control actions. In order to identify both the inadequate control actions and their temporal relations, an algorithm is designed and used. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through the hazard analysis on the Chinese Train Control System level 3.