bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A qualitative path planner for robot navigation using human-provided maps
Authors: Shah Danelle C. , Campbell Mark E.
Published: September 2013

A method for controlling a mobile robot using qualitative inputs in the context of an approximate map, such as one sketched by a human, is presented. By defining a desired trajectory with respect to observable landmarks, human operators can send semi-autonomous robots into areas for which a true map is not available. Waypoint planning is formulated as a quadratic optimization problem which takes advantage of the probabilistic representation of the observed environment and the uncertain human input, resulting in robot trajectories in the true environment that are qualitatively similar to those provided by the human. This paper formally presents a methodology in which waypoints are extracted from a hand-drawn sketch, and obstacle avoidance is naturally accommodated through the addition of constraints in the optimization problem. A sensitivity analysis is performed to study how map distortions, sensor constraints, and a priori knowledge of the map orientation affect the performance of the planner. Lastly, a set of user studies is presented to demonstrate the robustness of the planner to different users’ sketched maps and to illustrate the efficacy of such a method for mobile robot control.
MRI evaluation of the four tunnels of double-bundle ACL reconstruction
Authors: Kiekara Tommi , Järvelä Timo , Huhtala Heini , Paakkala Antti
Published: September 2013

Background

The double-bundle (DB) reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has gained popularity in recent years. The positioning of anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) tunnels is aimed at the anatomic femoral and tibial attachments of AM and PL bundles of the native ACL.

Purpose

To use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the tunnel locations and tunnel findings in DB ACL reconstruction.

Material and Methods

Sixty-six patients with DB ACL reconstruction were evaluated with 1.5-T MRI 2 years postoperatively. Two musculoskeletal radiologists separately measured the locations and the diameters of the tunnels. Inter-observer agreements were estimated according to the method of Bland and Altman.

Results

In the femur, the mean AM tunnel location was 32% from the proximal condylar surface and 18% from the notch roof. The mean PL tunnel location was 42% and 43%, respectively. In the tibia, the mean AM tunnel location was 54% of the lateral-to-medial tibial width and 42% of the anterior-to-posterior tibial depth. The mean PL tunnel location was 54% and 56%, respectively. The mean tunnel enlargement was 3.8 mm (56%). Tunnel communication was seen in seven patients (11%) in the femur and in 19 patients (29%) in the tibia. Greater femoral AM tunnel distance from the proximal condylar surface was associated with more tunnel enlargement, and more posterior tibial PL tunnel location was associated with less tunnel enlargement.

Conclusion

The tunnel locations of DB ACL reconstruction can be evaluated with MRI. Tunnel location was associated with tunnel enlargement that in turn was associated with tunnel communication.
Explanations for the heterogeneity of splenic enhancement derived from blood flow kinetic measurements using dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (DCE-CT)
Authors: Sauter Alexander W , Spira Daniel , Schulze Maximilian , Horger Marius S
Published: September 2013

Background

The heterogeneity of splenic computed tomography (CT) attenuation is still not fully understood. A differentiation of these enhancement patterns and other conditions such as diffuse spleen infiltration can be challenging.

Purpose

To understand the underlying physiological mechanisms of flow heterogeneity in normal and cirrhosis patients by quantifying perfusion parameters such as blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), time to peak (TTP), flow extraction product (Ktrans), and mean transit time (MTT) using dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (DCE-CT).

Material and Methods

Sixteen patients without splenic or hepatic disease and 16 patients with liver cirrhosis were retrospectively analyzed. Perfusion assessment included rapidly and slowly enhancing areas of the spleen, the entire splenic volume, as well as intra- and inter-observer reliability analysis.

Results

Significant differences between rapidly and slowly enhancing areas were found in controls for BF (109.8 mL/100 mL/min vs. 63.5 mL/100 mL/min), BV (37.1 mL/100 mL vs. 18.9 mL/100 mL), MTT (10.1 s vs. 13.0 s), but not for TTP (17.6 s vs. 18.6 s) and Ktrans (40.3 mL/100 mL/min vs. 44.7 mL/100 mL/min). In cirrhotic patients, differences proved significant for BF (90.5 mL/100 mL/min vs. 58.7 mL/100 mL/min), BV (17.5 mL/100 mL vs. 8.8 mL/100 mL), but not for Ktrans (60.9 mL/100 mL/min vs. 50.5 mL/100 mL/min), TTP (18.8 s vs. 20.0 s), and MTT (11.4 s vs. 14.2 s). Differences between rapidly enhancing areas in controls and cirrhotic patients reached a significant level for BV and Ktrans.

Conclusion

Preliminary results suggest that DCE-CT-based splenic perfusion measurements enable detection of different blood flow kinetics presumed to represent the complex and characteristic architecture of splenic vascular channels. It is the separate analysis of flow kinetics through the rapidly enhancing channels that allow for additional differentiation between controls and patients with portal hypertension.
Early Controlled Tension Improves the Material Properties of Healing Human Achilles Tendons After Ruptures
Authors: Schepull Thorsten , Aspenberg Per
Published: September 2013

Background:

Weightbearing in a fixed brace after acute Achilles tendon ruptures does not necessarily lead to mechanical tension in the tendon. Early motion has a positive effect on the clinical outcome, but it is not clear if this is because of effects on tendon strength or unspecific effects. The aim of this study was to examine if tensional loading leads to an improvement in the mechanical properties of the healing Achilles tendon.

Hypothesis:

The elastic modulus of the tendon callus is increased by early tensional loading.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Thirty-five patients with an acute Achilles tendon rupture were recruited consecutively. They underwent surgery with a single suture and received metal markers in the distal and proximal parts of the tendon. After surgery, the patients were randomized to either cast immobilization for 7 weeks or tensional loading. The latter group wore a cast for 2 weeks and then a removable foam walker boot for 5 weeks. They were instructed to remove the boot twice daily and push a special training pedal to produce a predetermined, gradually increasing tensional load on the healing tendon. At 7, 19, and 52 weeks postoperatively, the patients were investigated with roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis under different loading conditions and computed tomography. The collected data allowed calculation of the modulus of elasticity. At 52 weeks, the clinical outcome was also examined using the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) and the heel-raise index.

Results:

The elastic modulus at 19 and 52 weeks was higher in the tensional loading group. There was no significant difference in the ATRS or heel-raise index at 52 weeks. As in previous studies, there was a significant correlation between the modulus at 7 weeks and the heel-raise index at 52 weeks. There were no signs of tendon elongation.

Conclusion:

Early tensional loading improves the mechanical properties of the healing Achilles tendon.
A Comparison of the Responsiveness of 4 Commonly Used Patient-Reported Outcome Instruments at 5 Years After Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation
Authors: Ebert Jay R. , Smith Anne , Wood David J. , Ackland Timothy R.
Published: September 2013

Background:

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments are employed to assess outcomes after matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI), although the PRO most responsive to change after surgery remains unknown.

Purpose:

To compare the responsiveness of 4 commonly used PRO instruments at 5 years after MACI.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), the Lysholm score, the Tegner activity scale, and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to 104 patients before and at 5 years after MACI knee surgery. The Self-administered Patient Satisfaction Scale was employed at 5 years to investigate each patient’s overall level of satisfaction as well as satisfaction with relieving pain and improving the ability to perform daily activities, partake in recreational activities, and participate in sport. The effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM) were used to compare PRO responsiveness. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the extent to which PRO changes were associated with satisfaction. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) according to the criterion of patient satisfaction was identified as the PRO instrument change score maximizing classification accuracy.

Results:

The most responsive PRO measures were the KOOS sport/recreation (ES, 1.63; SRM, 1.43) and quality of life (QOL) (ES, 1.37; SRM, 1.18) subscales. The least responsive were the SF-36 mental component summary (MCS) (ES, 0.38; SRM, 0.40) and the Tegner activity scale (ES, 0.91; SRM, 0.59). Of the 104 patients, 54 (51.9%) reported being “very satisfied,” 38 (36.5%) “somewhat satisfied,” 8 (7.7%) “somewhat dissatisfied,” and 4 (3.9%) “very dissatisfied.” A ROC curve analysis was performed using “very satisfied” as the responder criterion. The strongest association was between the change in KOOS sport/recreation with satisfaction in improving the ability to perform recreational activities (area under the curve, 0.756; 95% confidence interval, 0.663-0.849), and the change score maximizing prediction accuracy (MCID) was 40 (sensitivity, 69%; specificity, 76%).

Conclusion:

The KOOS sport/recreation and QOL subscales were the most responsive PRO measures and were most predictive of satisfaction. This information will provide a guide as to the improvements required in pertinent PRO measures to produce a satisfied patient, while allowing researchers to better structure trials in these patients using the most relevant PRO instruments.
On Marx’s Law of the Falling Rate of Profit: Disentangling Some Entangled Variables
Authors: Sinha Ajit
Published: September 2013

This paper argues that Marx’s law of the falling rate of profit applies to the problematic of choice of technique in the context of accumulation of capital, and not to the problematic of choice of technique in the context of technological change or new innovation as such. In this context, Marx’s “the law itself” is correct. It is, however, true that Marx does confuse the two contexts at times; but here he seems to be following in the footsteps of Ricardo, who had also made an identical mistake.
Prisoner Reentry Research From 2000 to 2010
Authors: Wright Benjamin J. , Zhang Sheldon X. , Farabee David , Braatz Rick
Published: September 2013

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of 35 evaluations on community-based prisoner reentry programs that have been published in the past decade, between 2000 and 2010, evaluating 29 different programs. We were surprised by the small number of studies available in the literature considering the magnitude of the problem and its implications for correctional budgets, community safety, and prisoner rehabilitation. The most commonly found reentry program features were life skills and substance abuse treatment. Programs with aftercare and housing assistance were most likely to produce favorable outcomes. Most studies located in this narrative analysis used quasi-experimental designs; few employed random assignment. The vast majority of studies found in peer-reviewed journals reported favorable outcomes. Quasi-experimental studies were also far more likely to find positive outcomes than studies using random assignment. We conclude by offering some suggestions for future research.
Usability of three boron compounds for enhancement of flame retardancy in polyethylene-based cable insulation materials
Authors: Ibibikcan Esin , Kaynak Cevdet
Published: September 2013

It is known that for the production of halogen-free cable insulation materials based on polyethylene, very high amounts of traditional metal hydroxide flame retardants such as 65 wt% aluminum hydroxide are required to fulfill international directives. In this respect, the aim of this study was to reveal possible enhancement effects of three boron compounds on the flame retardancy of two cable insulation materials: low-density polyethylene and its blend with ethylene vinyl acetate both loaded with aluminum hydroxide. For this purpose, a certain fraction of aluminum hydroxide was replaced with various amounts of zinc borate, boron oxide, and boric acid. The materials were compounded by the melt mixing method with a twin-screw extruder, while specimens were shaped by compression and injection molding. Limiting oxygen index, UL-94 vertical burning and mass loss cone calorimeter analyses indicated that replacement of certain amount of aluminum hydroxide with boron compounds could lead to certain levels of enhancement in many flame retardancy parameters. Residue analyses revealed that these improvements were basically due to further contribution of boron compounds to the physical barrier mechanism of aluminum hydroxide in both gas and condensed phases.
Contribution of nanoclays to the flame retardancy of polyethylene-based cable insulation materials with aluminum hydroxide and zinc borate
Authors: Kaynak Cevdet , Ibibikcan Esin
Published: September 2013

The main aim of this study was to investigate contribution of nanoclays to the flame retardancy of two cable insulation materials: low-density polyethylene and its blend with ethylene vinyl acetate. For this purpose, nanoclays were first incorporated alone, then together with traditional flame-retardant aluminum hydroxide, and then together with aluminum hydroxide–zinc borate system. Compounds and nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing method with a twin-screw extruder, while specimens were shaped by compression and injection molding. X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy revealed that nanoclay silicate layers were mainly intercalated with certain level of exfoliation in both matrices. Limiting oxygen index, UL-94 vertical burning, and mass loss cone calorimeter analyses indicated that for both matrix materials even use of nanoclays alone could improve many flammability parameters including peak heat release rate, time to ignition, and fire growth index. Contributions of nanoclays were much more significant when they were incorporated together with traditional aluminum hydroxide or together with aluminum hydroxide–zinc borate system. Residue analysis revealed that contribution of nanoclays to the flame retardancy mechanisms of aluminum hydroxide and zinc borate was mainly by formation of strong and tough char structure via well-dispersed and intercalated/exfoliated silicate layers shielding the underlying polymer matrices from heat and mass transfer.
Neural network–based modeling to predict residual stresses during electric discharge machining of Al/SiC metal matrix composites
Authors: Sidhu Sarabjeet Singh , Batish Ajay , Kumar Sanjeev
Published: September 2013

This article reports the result of an experimental study to analyze the effect of parameters that induce residual stresses during electric discharge machining of two particulate-reinforced metal matrix composites. Several factors were varied to study their impact on the formation of residual stresses, and pulse-off time was identified as the most significant factor. Artificial neural network was implemented to predict the residual stresses. Metal matrix composites with low coefficient of thermal expansion and high reinforced particle exhibit lower residual stresses. Also, better conductive electrode materials used during machining cause lower residual stress. The artificial neural network model accurately predicts the residual stresses and is a reliable tool for predicting residual stresses. The micrographs show that the workpiece with a higher concentration of reinforced particulates results in lesser flow line in the matrix material hence less residual stresses. X-ray spectra also reveal the phase transformation on the machined surface.
Yoshida–Uemori material models in cyclic tension–compression tests and shear tests
Authors: Chang Chih-Yi , Ho Ming-Hsiung , Shen Ping-Chen
Published: September 2013

Demands for energy conservation and impact resistance have made high-strength steel a crucial material in sheet metal parts for the automotive industry. However, during metal stamping, the springback associated with high-strength steel plates is significantly greater than for mild steel. This makes numerical simulation and prediction in stamp forming extremely difficult. The Yoshida–Uemori material model comprehensively describes the Bauschinger effect and work hardening stagnation that occur in metal during cyclic large plastic deformation, making it an important model for the simulation of high-strength steel stamp forming. This study employed cyclic tension–compression tests and shear tests to explore the construction of a Yoshida–Uemori model and verify its accuracy using numerical simulation.
Experimental investigations to optimise and compare the machining performance of different coated carbide inserts during turning hardened steel
Authors: Chinchanikar Satish , Choudhury Sounak K
Published: September 2013

The ability to predict and evaluate the machining performance quickly and realistically is extremely valuable. In this work, experimental investigations were carried out to optimise and compare the machining performance of physical vapour deposition–applied single-layer TiAlN-coated carbide inserts with chemical vapour deposition–applied multi-layer TiCN/Al2O3/TiN-coated carbide inserts during turning of hardened AISI 4340 steel (33-35HRC). The correlations between the performance measures, namely, three components of cutting force, surface roughness and tool life were developed by multiple linear regression models. The correlation coefficients, found almost close to 0.9 for all the developed models, indicate that the developed models are reliable to predict the responses within the domain of the cutting parameters selected. Tool life was observed to be affected more by cutting speed followed by depth of cut and feed. However, this effect was more prominent for physical vapour deposition–coated tools than chemical vapour deposition–coated ones. Optimum cutting conditions were determined using response surface methodology technique and the desirability function approach. It has been observed that while using physical vapour deposition–coated inserts, benefit of availing lower cutting forces and surface roughness with a sizeable tool life can be obtained by using the cutting speed of 176 m/min and at lower values of feed and depth of cut.
An empirical study on the characterization of machined surface integrity by chip morphology in dry end-milling of titanium alloy
Authors: Arif Muhammad , Rahman Mustafizur , San Wong Yoke , Kumar Senthil
Published: September 2013

Titanium alloys manifest low thermal conductivity and high work hardenability in machining. These alloys are thus considered as difficult-to-machine at higher cutting speeds and pose serious problems in machining such as degraded machined surface and rapid tool-wear. Mostly, the integrity of the machined surface is assessed by post-process microscopic examination or by metallurgical testing techniques where machined workpiece needs to be further processed to perform subsequent testing on sophisticated equipment in usually meticulous ways. This study presents a qualitative but simple approach for the rapid characterization of the machined surface integrity in high-speed milling of titanium alloy. It has been established empirically that the chip morphology carries significant information about the machined surface integrity, and hence, can be considered as a reliable representative of the machined surface integrity.
How Have Corporate Identities Changed in India?
Authors: Sharma Suhani , Jain Varsha
Published: September 2013

The present study aims to understand why companies undergo corporate identity change, the elements that undergo change and their execution, the process of corporate identity change and its effects on the companies. A case-based research methodology was adopted and company executives, planners and consumers of Airtel, Vodafone, Dabur and Godrej Consumer Products were interviewed in-depth. The study found that corporate identity change was more effective when it was well embedded within corporate culture; consumers recalled the corporate identity changes more in the telecom industry as compared with the FMCG industry. The corporate identity change had different impacts on short as well long-term objectives.
Modelling the Members’ Intentions to Give
Authors: Kinnally William , Brinkerhoff Bobbie
Published: September 2013

Public broadcast stations in the USA are often dependent on effective fundraising for their survival. Raising money from audiences has become an important avenue through which those non-profit broadcasting organizations build their budgets. Listener/viewer support of these stations has plateaued or declined in recent years. As a result, it may help to examine how psychology theories might be used to inform our understanding of public donation behaviour. This case study involving 983 US public broadcasting donors explored the potential for using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to model their donation intentions from three perspectives: ( a) public broadcasting donors in general, ( b) public radio donors, and ( c) public television donors. Additionally, an extended model of the TPB incorporating guilt was tested. Results suggested that not all factors of the traditional TPB contributed to the donation intentions for the different modes of public broadcasting. The addition of guilt to the model increased the explanatory power of the TPB model. Findings indicate the TPB could be a useful tool for understanding the behaviour of donors to non-profit or public broadcasting organizations and has the potential to inform campaign strategies and message development.
The Impact of Coworker Support on Employee Turnover in the Hospitality Industry
Authors: Tews Michael J. , Michel John W. , Ellingson Jill E.
Published: September 2013

Employee turnover rates are among the highest for entry-level employees in the hospitality industry. Research focused on identifying the antecedents of turnover in this employment context has been limited, however. To address this gap in the literature, the present study examined the impact of coworker support on turnover with a sample of 188 servers from a national restaurant chain. Specifically, this study assessed the impact of coworker instrumental support and coworker emotional support on turnover. The results demonstrated that coworker emotional support was negatively related to turnover. However, coworker instrumental support was positively related to turnover, counter to the hypothesized relationship. This counterintuitive finding leads us to consider the role of coworker support on turnover in a new light.
Constructing Hopes and Fears Around Technology
Authors: Paulus Trena M. , Lester Jessica Nina , Britt Virginia G.
Published: September 2013

Graduate students often receive their first training in qualitative methods during an introductory course. The textbook that is chosen often sets the tone for how qualitative research is understood. We conducted a discourse analysis of the ways in which 11 introductory qualitative methods texts took up the relationship between technology and qualitative research. One text included virtually no mention of technology use; five discussed technology only in relation to the data collection, transcription, and analysis domains of research; and the remaining five discussed technology primarily in relation to those three domains with minimal attention to how it could support the additional domains of researcher reflexivity, literature review, representation of findings, ethics, and collaboration. We contrasted texts that took up a discourse of possibility with those that took up a discourse of caution around technology use. We call for greater dialogue around how emergent technologies might inform the qualitative research process.
Experiencing the end and afterlives of International Relations/theory
Authors: Sylvester Christine
Published: September 2013

Having raised the question of whither the international at the end of International Relations a few years ago, this article treats the state of International Relations theory as a continuing endist issue for discussion. Of interest is the restructuring of the field in the post-Cold War years, partly as a result of debates about epistemologies and partly in light of the failure of realisms to lead International Relations to the door of the Soviet and Eastern Bloc collapse, which many thought it could. As the world globalized, so did International Relations, turning itself into a field of differences — theoretical, geographical, philosophical, methodological, and so on. Is this the end of International Relations or its new afterlife? I argue that there are signs that old topics of International Relations, like war, are being taken up in new ways and in new collaborations, such as those that feminist International Relations has forged. At the same time, many camps display the old International Relations tendency to elevate abstract thinking above quotidian international relations, even in the face of clear evidence that the agency of people played a major role in shifting Cold War and Middle East configurations of power. International Relations’ camps should strive less for their own distinctive analysis and more for communication with colleagues, ordinary people making today’s international relations and policy proponents.
The mother of all isms: Causal mechanisms and structured pluralism in International Relations theory
Authors: Bennett Andrew
Published: September 2013

Theorizing under the rubric of paradigmatic ‘isms’ has made important conceptual contributions to International Relations, but the organization of the subfield around these isms is based on flawed readings of the philosophy of science and has run its course. A promising alternative is to build on the philosophical foundation of scientific realism and orient International Relations theorizing around the idea of explanation via reference to hypothesized causal mechanisms. Yet in order to transform the practice of International Relations theorizing and research, calls for ‘analytic eclecticism’ must not only demonstrate that scientific realism is a defensible epistemology amenable to diverse methods; they must provide a structured and memorable framework for diverse and cumulative theorizing and research, field-wide discourse, and compelling pedagogy. I Introduce a ‘taxonomy of theories about causal mechanisms’ as a structured pluralist framework for encompassing the theories about mechanisms of power, institutions, and legitimacy that have been providing the explanatory content of the isms all along. This framework encourages middle-range or typological theorizing about combinations of causal mechanisms and their operation in recurrent contexts, and it offers a means of reinvigorating the dialogue between International Relations, the other subfields of political science, and the rest of the social sciences.
Time to embrace Francis recommendations on regulation
Authors: Burge Anne
Published: September 2013

The Francis Report made an achievable and sensible recommendation of a single regulator to ensure future quality of patient care. Anne Burge, Chair of the Alliance for Patient Safety, argues that it is high time the Government took forward this specific recommendation, while taking the opportunity to regulate currently unregulated healthcare professionals for the sake of patients’ safety.
What can we say about the future of social science?
Authors: Turner Stephen
Published: September 2013

Social science has for the most part lost its ambition to be ‘science’, as shown in the recent change in the American Anthropological Association statement of purpose. The new term is expertise. The change points to something fundamental: social science methods are now largely stable; they have well-developed uses for public and policy audiences; because they are user-friendly they are unlikely to radically change, and new problems arise for them to be applied to. New concepts are developed, but they do not develop into ‘theories’ in a scientific sense. So what is expertise? It is something other than fact generation: it is the result of aggregating and assessing research in an area. Experts engage with one another, so there is a community of expertise. Yet there is also another sense of ‘scientific’: using the tools of natural science and extending them to the social. The current means of doing this for social science is through neuroscience. These methods could serve to filter and validate social science concepts.
Toward transnational care interdependence: Rethinking the relationships between care, immigration and social policy
Authors: Zhou Yanqiu Rachel
Published: September 2013

The intersections of international migration, care and welfare states have attracted increasing attention from social policy scholars, yet the focus on the commodification of care has led them largely to ignore kin-based unpaid care. Based on a study of Chinese grandparents’ caregiving experiences in Canada, this article shows how transnational families of Chinese skilled immigrants have participated in redistributing care resources, including emotion, time and cultural knowledge, across generations and countries. The article argues that states – in particular, the government of Canada as the host country – still have a crucial role to play in untangling the contradictions of immigration and care and addressing the inequalities embedded in transnational caregiving. To pursue global social justice, social policy makers need to take into account policy effects that go beyond the nation-state and its citizenry and intersect with such aspects of immigration as the spatial reconfiguration of the family, cultural change and ageing.
Unveiling the Work–Life System
Authors: Munn Sunny L.
Published: September 2013

The Problem

Individuals, organizations, and government are the primary forces studied in a work–life scenario. Too often these forces are studied independently of one another when they should instead be examined as a system. The most frequently discussed piece of the work–life system is work–life balance. Understanding how concepts of work–life balance are intertwined with meaningful work is important to individual and organizational development in human resource development (HRD).

The Solution

This article introduces the work–life system as a means to examine the three forces, individuals, organizations, and government, and the three work–life dimensions, balance, initiatives, and policy. The first force and the first dimension, individuals and work–life balance, are discussed to demonstrate connections between work–life balance, meaningful work, and organizational culture. Using data from the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce, a preliminary ordinary least squares regression analysis illustrates these relationships and provides insight for future research.

The Stakeholders

Work–life balance is increasingly relevant to HRD researchers and practitioners. This discussion seeks to illuminate key facets of the work–life dialogue and their impact on meaningful work to encourage further integration of the work–life system within HRD research and practice in the United States.
A Conversation About Spectral Data
Authors: Nordstrom Susan Naomi
Published: September 2013

Spectral data emerge from a relationship formed between a living researcher and a deceased person in a qualitative study. That relationship generates a variety of data (e.g., St. Pierre’s [1997] emotional and dream data, embodied moments, and writing) and creates a territorial assemblage, or place of passage into other assemblages, or other spaces of thought and being. To illustrate and explain spectral data, I use a photo-text—a continuous narrative of alternating pages of texts and photographs developed by Morris (1946, 1948, 1968). The text is a conversation about spectral data that I had with my deceased grandmother while I wrote this article. The photographs are those of my grandmother’s objects (e.g., photographs, documents, and artifacts) and are from my personal collection. This photo-text highlights my haunted scholarship of speaking, writing, and acting with my grandmother. Moreover, the article seeks to open a passageway to think about how the living and dead generate data in qualitative inquiry.
Seeking Safety
Authors: Christensen Janelle J. , Richey Elizabeth Danforth , Castañeda Heide
Published: September 2013

This article explores how dyads of 186 community-dwelling individuals with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder (ADRD) and their caregivers (dyads) plan to respond to hurricane evacuation warnings in South Florida. Predictors of dyad evacuation for a category 1-3 storm include (1) a younger age of the person with an ADRD diagnosis, (2) the caregiver living in a different residence than the person with ADRD, (3) lack of hurricane shutters, and (4) lower income. A dyad is more likely to evacuate in a category 4 or 5 hurricane if there is (1) a younger age person with an ADRD diagnosis, (2) a more recent diagnosis of ADRD, (3) a residence in an evacuation zone, and if (4) they report needing a shelter. Emergency management teams, especially those who assist with special needs shelters or other outreach programs for people with cognitive disabilities, can use these guidelines to estimate service usage and needs.
Geranylgeraniol suppresses the viability of human DU145 prostate carcinoma cells and the level of HMG CoA reductase
Authors: Fernandes Nicolle V , Yeganehjoo Hoda , Katuru Rajasekhar , DeBose-Boyd Russell A , Morris Lindsey L , Michon Renee , Yu Zhi-Ling , Mo Huanbiao
Published: September 2013

The rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase, provides essential intermediates for the prenylation of nuclear lamins and Ras and dolichol-mediated glycosylation of growth factor receptors. The diterpene geranylgeraniol downregulates the level of HMG CoA reductase and suppresses the growth of human liver, lung, ovary, pancreas, colon, stomach, and blood tumors. We evaluated the growth-suppressive activity of geranylgeraniol in human prostate carcinoma cells. Geranylgeraniol induced dose-dependent suppression of the viability of human DU145 prostate carcinoma cells (IC50 = 80 ± 18 µmol/L, n = 5) following 72-h incubations in 96-well plates. Cell cycle was arrested at the G1 phase with a concomitant decrease in cyclin D1 protein. Geranylgeraniol-induced apoptosis was detected by flow cytometric analysis, fluorescence microscopy following acridine orange and ethidium bromide dual staining, and caspase-3 activation. Geranylgeraniol-induced viability suppression was accompanied by concentration-dependent decrease in the level of HMG CoA reductase protein. As a nonsterol molecule that downregulates HMG CoA reductase in the presence of sterols, geranylgeraniol may have potential in the chemoprevention and/or therapy of human prostate cancer.
Characterization of vasomotor responses in different vascular territories of C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Kleinbongard Petra , Schleiger Anastasia , Heusch Gerd
Published: September 2013

The mouse is a quickly reproducing, inexpensive animal and often used for transgenic approaches. Due to its small size, only the aorta is frequently taken to assess vascular function. However, atherosclerosis is a generalized disease and becomes symptomatic when the perfusion of specific organs is impaired. We have therefore compared the thoracic and abdominal aorta with carotid, femoral, mesenteric, renal and coronary arteries to see whether aortic vasomotion can indeed serve as a surrogate for other, organ-specific vascular territories. Arterial segments of male C57BL/6J mice were dissected and mounted on a myograph for isometric force measurement. Vasoconstriction was determined in response to depolarization by potassium chloride (KCl), which was not different with or without an α-adrenoceptor antagonist. Vascular responses were determined in response to receptor activation by the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (±inhibition of nitric oxide synthase; ±α- and β-adrenoceptor antagonists) and the platelet-derived mediator serotonin (±inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis; ±5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist). Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation was determined in response to carbachol and nitroprusside after norepinephrine-induced pre-constriction (±β-adrenoceptor antagonist). Vasoconstriction in response to KCl, norepinephrine and serotonin differed in magnitude between thoracic and abdominal aorta and between aorta and the other arterial segments. Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation differed also in magnitude between the arterial segments. Thus, the murine aorta is not a general surrogate to assess vascular function of organ-specific vascular territories.
Intravascular Radiocontrast Iodixanol Increases Permeability of Proximal Tubule Epithelium
Authors: Yao Luyu , Kolluru Gopi K. , Kevil Christopher G. , Zhang Wayne W.
Published: September 2013

Purpose:

To investigate the effect of Iodixanol on kidney proximal tubular cell line human kidney 2 (HK-2).

Methods:

The HK-2 cells were treated with Iodixanol. A Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling ( TUNEL) assay was used to evaluate apoptosis. Cell viability was measured by proliferation assay kit. Cell permeability changes were assessed by transwell assay and intercellular gaps measurement. Expression of claudin-2 was assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot.

Results:

Iodixanol reduced tubule cell viability ( P < .01) but did not cause apoptosis. The intercellular gap formation ( P < .01) and transwell ( P < .05) assays revealed that cell permeability significantly increased after Iodixanol treatment of monolayer cells. Western blot and qRT-PCR showed significant upregulation of claudin-2 protein ( P < .05) and messenger RNA expression ( P < .01).

Conclusions:

Our in vitro data do not support the hypothesis that direct kidney cell death from Iodixanol is a major mechanism of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). However, increased permeability of proximal tubule epithelium caused by Iodixanol may play an important role in CIN.
Meta-Analysis of the Correlation Between Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency and Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Zwischenberger Brittany A. , Beasley Mary M. , Davenport Daniel L. , Xenos Eleftherios S.
Published: September 2013

Purpose:

To determine whether a correlation exists between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Materials and Methods:

A meta-analysis of the current literature was performed to evaluate the frequency of CCSVI, diagnosed by echo color Doppler criteria, in patients with MS and in normal controls.

Results:

In all, 19 studies were identified from January 2005 through February 2013; however, 3 studies were excluded due to duplicate data and 3 additional studies because 0 patients fulfilled CCSVI criteria in both MS and control groups. In order to improve homogeneity, 4 outlier studies were also removed from the analysis. Analysis of the remaining 9 studies demonstrated a significant correlation between CCSVI and MS (odds ratio 1.885, P < .0001) with no significant heterogeneity of the studies ( I2 = 18, P = .279).

Conclusions:

The meta-analysis demonstrated a correlation between CCSVI and MS. However, there was no evidence that CCSVI has a causative role in MS.
Clinical trial participation improves outcome: A matched historical cohort study
Authors: Baker John R , Vandal Alain C , Yeoh Joey , Zeng Irene , Wong Selwyn , Ryan Stuart N
Published: September 2013

Background

Well-conducted, investigator-led randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy of new treatments and are a key component of evidence-based medicine. It is unclear whether participating in an RCT is beneficial to the individual before the results of RCTs are known.

Purpose

In a matched historical cohort study, we examined whether participation in RCTs was associated with improved health outcomes.

Methods

Participants in the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE), Ongoing Telmisartan Alone and in Combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial (ONTARGET), or Telmisartan Randomized Assessment Study in ACE-intolerant Subjects with Cardiovascular Disease (TRANSCEND) studies and non-participant controls were selected from patients attending outpatient clinics at Middlemore Hospital between 2001 and 2003.

Results

A total of 251 RCT participants and 502 randomly selected patients not enrolled in a trial but who met study entry criteria were matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. There was a significant difference in all-cause mortality for trial participants versus non-participants over the study period (unadjusted relative risk reduction (RRR) = 63%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 28%–81%) and a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality (unadjusted RRR = 81%; 95% CI = 17%–95%) favouring RCT participants. Allowing for co-morbidity, the adjusted RRR of all-cause mortality associated with trial participation was 55% (95% CI = 10%–77%). Active treatment in an RCT was found to be less explanatory than trial participation. The adjusted RRR for cardiovascular mortality associated with active treatment in a trial was 86% (95% CI = −2% to 98%), with trial participation found to be less explanatory than active treatment.

Limitations

The main limitations of this trial relate to its design as a retrospective study with a historical cohort comparison group. Limitations include lack of complete data for some patients, bias in selection of the comparison group, and the effects of confounding variables. However, the study design and analysis were planned so as to minimize these as much as possible.

Conclusion

This study revealed significantly lower all-cause mortality among participants in industry-sponsored RCTs compared with non-participants who received routine hospital outpatient care. This effect was independent of study drug.
Expert elicitation of a navigation service implementation effects on ship groundings and collisions in the Gulf of Finland
Authors: Hänninen Maria , Mazaheri Arsham , Kujala Pentti , Montewka Jakub , Laaksonen Pekka , Salmiovirta Maija , Klang Mikko
Published: September 2013

When considering the implementation of a novel risk-control option, the estimation of its possible effects often relies on expert elicitation. This article presents an expert-knowledge–based preliminary assessment of how the deployment of Enhanced Navigation Support Information navigation service would affect the ship collisions and groundings in the Gulf of Finland. Experts probabilistically assess the service’s direct effects on various factors, which are then utilized in collision and grounding probability Bayesian network models. The results indicate that implementing the Enhanced Navigation Support Information service could decrease the number of accidents. However, a comparison of the model outcomes to the experts’ qualitative opinions reveals some discrepancies, which suggest that the elicitation procedure or the applied models might require further improvement. Nevertheless, with the proposed Bayesian approach, the model can be updated and uncertainties in the estimates reduced after more evidences are available later from longer and wider use of the service.
Lactobacillus reuteri in management of Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial
Authors: Emara Mohamed H. , Mohamed Salem Y. , Abdel-Aziz Hesham R.
Published: September 2013

Introduction:

The eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori following the standard triple therapy is declining. This study was conducted to test whether the addition of Lactobacillus reuteri to the standard triple therapy improves the eradication rates as well as the clinical and pathological aspects in H. pylori infection.

Methods:

A total of 70 treatment-naïve patients were randomly assigned into group A (the L. reuteri treated group) and group B (the placebo control group). Patients were treated by the standard triple therapy for 2 weeks and either L. reuteri or placebo for 4 weeks. They were examined by symptom questionnaire, H. pylori antigen in stool, upper endoscopy with biopsies for rapid urease test and histopathological examination before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment.

Results:

The eradication rate of H. pylori infection was 74.3% and 65.7% for both L. reuteri and placebo treated groups, respectively. There was a significant difference regarding the reported side effects, where patients treated with L. reuteri reported less diarrhea and taste disorders than placebo group. A significant difference within each group was observed after treatment regarding Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores; patients treated with L. reuteri showed more improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms than the placebo treated group. The severity and activity of H. pylori associated gastritis were reduced after 4 weeks of therapy in both groups. The L. reuteri treated group showed significant improvement compared with the placebo treated group.

Conclusion:

Triple therapy of H. pylori supplemented with L. reuteri increased eradication rate by 8.6%, improved the GSRS score, reduced the reported side effects and improved the histological features of H. pylori infection when compared with placebo-supplemented triple therapy.
Core Stabilization Exercise Prescription, Part 2
Authors: Brumitt Jason , Matheson J. W. , Meira Erik P.
Published: September 2013

Context

Therapeutic exercises are frequently prescribed to patients with low back pain. Numerous exercise programs for patients with low back pain have been described. Many of these treatment programs are based on 1 of 2 popular rehabilitation strategies: a motor control exercise approach or a general exercise approach.

Data Sources

PubMed clinical queries from 1966 to March 2013 for keyword combinations including motor control exercise, core stability exercise, therapeutic exercise, general exercise, global exercise, local exercise, transversus abdominis, segmental stabilization, and low back pain.

Study Selection

Randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of a motor control exercise approach, a general exercise approach, or both for patients with low back pain that were published in scientific peer-reviewed journals.

Data Extraction

Included studies underwent appraisal for exercise intervention and outcomes.

Results

Fifteen studies were identified (8, motor control exercise approach without general exercise comparison; 7, general exercise approach with or without motor control exercise approach comparison). Current evidence suggests that exercise interventions may be effective at reducing pain or disability in patients with low back pain.

Conclusion:

Stabilization exercises for patients with low back pain may help to decrease pain and disability. It may not be necessary to prescribe exercises purported to restore motor control of specific muscles.