bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Inflammation Contributes to Changes in the Extracellular Matrix in Patients With Heart Failure and Normal Ejection Fraction
Authors: Westermann Dirk , Lindner Diana , Kasner Mario , Zietsch Christine , Savvatis K. , Escher F. , von Schlippenbach J. , Skurk C. , Steendijk Paul , Riad Alexander , Poller Wolfgang , Schultheiss Heinz-Peter , Tschöpe Carsten
Published: November 2010

Background—

The pathophysiology of heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) is still under discussion. Here we report the influence of cardiac inflammation on extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in patients with HFNEF.

Methods and Results—

We investigated left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in 20 patients with HFNEF and 8 control patients by conductance catheter methods and echocardiography. Endomyocardial biopsy samples were also obtained, and ECM proteins as well as cardiac inflammatory cells were investigated. Primary human cardiac fibroblasts were outgrown from the endomyocardial biopsy samples to investigate the gene expression of ECM proteins after stimulation with transforming growth factor-β. Diastolic dysfunction was present in the HFNEF patients compared with the control patients. In endomyocardial biopsy samples from HFNEF patients, we found an accumulation of cardiac collagen, which was accompanied by a decrease in the major collagenase system (matrix metalloproteinase-1) in the heart. Moreover, a subset of inflammatory cells, which expressed the profibrotic growth factor transforming growth factor-β, could be documented in the HFNEF patients. Stimulation of primary human cardiac fibroblasts from HFNEF patients with transforming growth factor-β resulted in transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, which produced more collagen and decreased the amount of matrix metalloproteinase-1, the major collagenase in the human heart. A positive correlation between cardiac collagen, as well as the amount of inflammatory cells, and diastolic dysfunction was evident and suggests a direct influence of inflammation on fibrosis triggering diastolic dysfunction.

Conclusions—

Cardiac inflammation contributes to diastolic dysfunction in HFNEF by triggering the accumulation of ECM.
Why Professions Matter: Structural Invariance, Institutional Consequences, Bias
Authors: Sciulli David
Published: November 2010

Received wisdom in the sociology of professions employs two approaches, a narrow socio-economic approach (largely in the Anglo-American world) and a much broader cultural and social-psychological approach (largely on the Continent). Both approaches agree on two points. First, professions cannot be distinguished at a conceptual level from other occupations. Second, whatever consequences either successful or failed professionalism introduces into civil society or state administration are confined to the occupational order and stratification system. They do not and cannot affect the direction of social change. The alternative approach outlined and discussed here is structural and institutional. With this approach we distinguish professions proper analytically from other occupations and we identify consequences of professionalism proper that uniquely reflect or anticipate notable shifts in the direction of social change.
The Concept of Profession Today: A Disquieting Misnomer?
Authors: Olgiati Vittorio
Published: November 2010

The aim of the paper is to go beyond current theoretical disputes about the heuristic value of notions of “profession” and “professionalism” in contemporary (western) society and try to re-assess the everlasting pillars of their epistemological foundations, the existing gap between what a professional or a professional performance is, could be or ought to be. Surely what we still call “profession” and “professionalism” are socially constructed issues. Their social meaning and their empirically testable frames of references stem from a variety of space-time conditions. However, historical evidence shows that these terms always have been referring to a particular type of social actor tailored to handle certain basic human problems according to given expertise in order to achieve trans-personal aims relevant at a broader social level. It would be seriously misleading, and even wrong, therefore, to abandon such terms now, when troublesome human experiences ‐ weakenesses, dangers, fears, risks, etc. ‐ are not withering away at all, but, on the contrary are spreading and will remain ubiquitous in the future. Accordingly, a major emphasis is put on the requirement of the social utility and necessity of the professional mandate as a “disposition of means“ to deal procedurally with occasional but socially recurrent “calls for help,” which implies a particular knowledge, a special personal committment and a highly refined relational interation as a way somewhat to “normalise” given societal dynamics.
Analyzing the Professions: The Case for the Neo-Weberian Approach
Authors: Saks Mike
Published: November 2010

This paper makes the case for the neo-Weberian approach for analyzing the professions. It starts by reviewing the difficulties of other main approaches to the sociology of professions ‐ including the trait approach, functionalism, interactionism, Marxism and Foucauldianism. It is argued that the issues they pose are largely addressed by the neo-Weberian approach, the key features of which are outlined and illustrated with reference to the pivotal case of health care. The neo-Weberian approach itself is then critically evaluated. The paper concludes that, despite the recent emergence of a broader approach to analyzing occupational groups centred on the discourse of professionalism, the neo-Weberian approach remains the most incisive and empirically fruitful perspective on the sociology of professions.
Trends and Characteristics in the Development of China’s Social Organizations
Authors: Ming () Wang , Weilin () Sun
Published: November 2010

Since the beginning of the Reform and Opening, social organizations () have proliferated rapidly, promoting, in the process, individual participation, allowing individuals to create social value, and expanding the social sphere. Social organizations are thus playing an increasingly rich social role, and have undeniably become a part of China’s social transition. At the same time, increases in the breadth and depth of social organizations are facilitating their integration into the mainstream of social progress, and helping them to become, in complement to state and market systems, a new civil society system. Analyzing the 30-year rise of social organizations as well as trends in their development from the angles of growth in number, social participation, organizational structures, and fields of activity, we can see that the appearance and growth of social organizations is a necessary result of the Reform and Opening, and of China’s social transition. After 30 years of practice, a relatively rich, diverse, and open ecosystem of associations has gradually formed. As the most populous form in the ecosystem, social organizations are becoming increasingly normalized and orderly; the scope of their activities, too, is broadening. In today’s China, economic development, social harmony, and political civilization are all increasingly inseparable from social organizations.
Self-Regulation Functions in Chinese Industry Associations: The Case of the Sanlu Incident
Authors: Hongtao () Chen
Published: November 2010

Industry associations are NPOs formed of enterprise members; they are an important bridge and node linking enterprises, society and the government. Though industry associations have many functions, the Sanlu incident made it clear how self-regulation is among the most crucial of its functions. Over the course of this case study we find that although industry associations have existed at each link of the production and marketing process for dairy products, a holistic, functional failure at self-regulation contributed greatly to the whole dairy industry’s loss of public accountability. In order to guarantee the well being of the dairy, food, and even manufacturing industries, they will need to establish a supervisory system combining both governmental supervision and industry self-regulation.
Risk Assessment of Girls
Authors: van der Put Claudia E. , Deković Maja , Hoeve Machteld , Stams Geert Jan J. M. , van der Laan Peter H. , Langewouters Femke E. M.
Published: November 2010

The aims of this study were (a) to investigate sex differences in risk factors for re-offending and (b) to provide a risk assessment model for girls. The data of 1,396 adolescents who committed a criminal offense were examined. Both generic and sex-specific risk factors for re-offending were found. The girl-specific risk factors are located mainly in the family domain. These girl-specific risk factors turn out to be by far the most important predictors for re-offending for girls. The risk assessment model divides girls into four different risk groups: a low risk group (containing 65% of the girls) and three high risk groups (girls with delinquent parents, victims of abuse, and repeat offenders), each showing a specific set of risk factors, which suggests the need for specific interventions.
Examining Officer and Citizen Accounts of Police Use-of-Force Incidents
Authors: Rojek Jeff , Alpert Geoffrey P. , Smith Hayden P.
Published: November 2010

This study contributes to the body of knowledge of police–citizen contacts by investigating perceptions and behaviors during encounters that result in physical resistance and force. The authors use the accounts literature as a way to understand police–citizen interactions. The data include interviews with citizens who resisted or were accused of resisting lawful police commands and those officers who used force to control these citizens. The goals are to understand the dynamics of police–citizen interactions that use force, to make sense of the actors’ perspectives, and, finally, to examine the processes within the deference–resistance continuum. The data show that officers and citizens focus on different issues when interacting and justify their behavior by the identification and maintenance of their self-prescribed roles.
Sustainable Change in the Public Sector: The Longitudinal Benefits of Organization Development
Authors: Wayne Boss R. , Dunford Benjamin B. , Boss Alan D. , McConkie Mark L.
Published: November 2010

This article examines the impact over a 30-year period of a 4-year organization development project in the Metro County Sheriff’s Department. Interventions included confrontation team-building sessions, management training, process consultation, survey feedback, third-party consultation, technological interventions, implementation of methods for increasing accountability, and changes in the organization structure, the physical setting, and the policy formulation procedures. Results include improved organization climate and leader effectiveness; decreased employee turnover, jail breaks, and citizen complaints; increased resources allocated to the organization; and improved organizational effectiveness, as measured by criminal justice leaders in the community. This research becomes the longest longitudinal study of the effects of organization development interventions in the behavioral science literature.
Mechanical and degradation characteristics of natural silk and synthetic phosphate glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
Authors: Shubhra Quazi T.H. , Alam A.K.M.M. , Beg M.D.H. , Khan Mubarak A. , Gafur M.A.
Published: November 2010

Degradable phosphate glass fiber is a synthetic fiber and silk is one of the strongest natural fibers. In this study, composites are fabricated from PP reinforced with phosphate glass fiber and silk fiber using compression molding. Tensile testing, flexural testing and impact testing are carried out to evaluate the composites mechanical properties. It has been found that silk fiber composites provided higher tensile strength (46 MPa), bending strength (50 MPa), and impact strength (17 kJ/m2) compared to glass fiber composites which are respectively 39 MPa, 46 MPa, and 8 kJ/m2. Degradation studies are carried out by accelerated weathering as well as by natural weathering. After weathering, the mechanical properties are evaluated and it has been found that phosphate glass fiber/PP composites degrade more rapidly compared to silk/PP composites.
Effects of high speed in the drilling of glass whisker-reinforced polyamide composites (PA66 GF30): statistical analysis of the roughness parameters
Authors: Campos Rubio J. , Panzera T.H. , Abrao A.M. , Faria Paulo E. , Paulo Davim J.
Published: November 2010

Glass fiber-reinforced polyamides are promising materials especially for automotive applications, exhibiting high mechanical strength and stiffness. In order to achieve the required tolerances and surface quality, these materials must be subjected to machining operations. Drilling is one of the machining processes most widely applied to composite materials and, for this reason, this article is focused on the machinability of polyamide reinforced with glass whiskers for high speed drilling operation. A full factorial experimental design was carried out in order to identify the main effects and interaction between the factors feed speed, spindle speed and drill point angle on surface roughness (R a) and normalized peak count (Pc) responses. The work material (PA66-GF30 polyamide reinforced with 30% glass whiskers) was drilled using tungsten carbide (ISO grade K10) drills. The results indicated that the interaction between feed speed, spindle speed, and drill point angle presented a significant effect on the Ra response. In addition to that, the factor feed speed and the interaction between spindle speed and drill point angle significantly affected the peak count response.
Sintering behavior and properties of reinforced hydroxyapatite/TCP biphasic bioceramics with ZnO-whiskers
Authors: Jin Hai-Bo , Oktar Faik N. , Dorozhkin Sergey , Agathopoulos Simeon
Published: November 2010

Composite materials of hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (HA/β-TCP) biphasic bioceramics and ZnO whiskers, added in amounts up to 3 wt% to an HA/β-TCP matrix, were prepared by sintering. The sintering behavior, the mechanical reinforcement (due to ZnO), and the mineralization ability of the resulting materials in simulated body fluid (SBF) were experimentally investigated. The experimental results showed that the densification and mechanical properties were improved with increasing amounts of ZnO. The presence of ZnO appeared to affect the proportion of HA/β-TCP after sintering. Doping with a high amount of ZnO favored the dissolution of the materials in SBF.
Head and Neck Tumor Cell Radiation Response Occurs in the Presence of IGF1
Authors: Victory K. , Burd R. , Fribley A. , Sittadjody S. , Arnett D. , Klein R.R. , Limesand K.H.
Published: November 2010

Radiation therapy for head and neck cancer results in severe secondary side-effects in salivary glands. We previously demonstrated that the administration of IGF1 preserves or restores salivary gland function following radiation. Based on these findings, we propose to study the effect of IGF1 on human head and neck carcinoma cells. Head and neck tumor cells treated with radiation have significant reductions in tumor cell survival, as measured by MTT and crystal violet assays, regardless of IGF1 pre-treatment. Head and neck squamous carcinoma cell xenografts treated with concurrent radiation+IGF1 also exhibit significant tumor growth delay; however, growth rates are elevated compared with those in irradiated xenografts. In contrast, administration of IGF1 after radiation treatment has no effect on tumor xenograft growth rates. Analysis of these data suggests that localized delivery may be required for concurrent therapy to prevent secondary side-effects of radiotherapy, while post-therapy administration of IGF1 could be considered for the restoration of salivary function. Abbreviations: IGF1, insulin-like growth factor 1; MTT, 2,2,2-Tribromoethanol; CV, crystal violet; IGFR, insulin-like growth factor receptor; HN, head and neck.
Histatin 1 Resists Proteolytic Degradation when Adsorbed to Hydroxyapatite
Authors: McDonald E.E. , Goldberg H.A. , Tabbara N. , Mendes F.M. , Siqueira W.L.
Published: November 2010

Histatins are salivary proteins that exhibit a high affinity for hydroxyapatite and contribute to the acquired enamel pellicle. Previous studies have observed that, despite the high proteolytic activity in saliva, significant numbers of histatin molecules in acquired enamel pellicle are intact. Our working hypothesis was that histatins are less susceptible to proteinases present in saliva when adsorbed on the hydroxyapatite. To test this premise, we incubated histatin 1 with hydroxyapatite and human whole saliva. Proteolytic products of this incubation were then characterized by PAGE, HPLC, and mass spectrometry. This study shows for the first time that binding to hydroxyapatite confers intact histatin 1 with resistance to proteolytic degradation.
Identification of cotton and cotton trash components by Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Fortier Chanel A , Rodgers James E , Cintrón Michael S , Xiaoliang Cui  , Foulk Jonn A
Published: November 2010

The high demand for cotton production worldwide has demonstrated the need for standardized classification of foreign matter present with cotton. Cotton trash can become comingled with fiber during the ginning and harvesting processes. The conventional instrumental method used to determine the amount of cotton trash present with cotton fiber, the high volume instrument (HVI), lacks specificity in the identification of individual trash components (leaf, etc.). Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was investigated to distinguish the individual types of cotton trash from the fiber. In this study, the concept of monitoring differences in spectral bands of cotton and cotton trash by FT-NIR spectroscopy was demonstrated and provided a ‘proof of concept.’ A spectral library based on NIR spectral data and pre-processing methods was developed using cotton and cotton trash samples (hull, leaf, seed coat, and stem) yielding over 97% identification accuracy of cotton trash components in the prediction set.
Geometry modelling of warp knitted fabrics with 3D form
Authors: Renkens Wilfried , Kyosev Yordan
Published: November 2010

Warp knitted fabrics are widely used in medical and technical applications, as well as for clothing textiles. To predict their properties, it is useful to have knowledge about the yarn geometry and the yarn interactions within these fabrics. The geometrical modelling of warp knitted structures from single bed knitting machines is documented in the literature. This text concentrates on a computation of the geometry of warp knitted structures, which have complex 3D forms or which are draped over similar ones. The topological information about the structure produced on the machine, is used to create the basic geometry of this structure. After creating the basic geometry, it is transferred to a 3D deformed state of the relaxed fabric.

The paper starts with a short overview of the research papers about simulation of warp knitted structures. General theoretical remarks about the transformation from basic structure to 3D structure are given. Examples of spacer fabric with constant or non-constant thickness and tubular fabrics are included. All the results concentrate on the topological representation of the geometry and at this stage do not take into account the influence of internal and external forces exerted on the fabric.
Fabrication of carbon fibers from electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers
Authors: Ummul Khair Fatema  , Ahmed Jalal Uddin  , Uemura Keita , Gotoh Yasuo
Published: November 2010

Carbon fibers were fabricated from electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers. Electrospun PVA nanofibers were treated with iodine vapor for different periods, subsequently carbonized at different temperatures, and the structural changes of the PVA nanofibers were analyzed. The nanofibers iodinated at 80 °C for 24 h led to a good carbon yield of 21% when carbonized at 1200 °C. The influence of metal nanoparticle on the fabrication of carbon fiber and its properties was also investigated by the addition of a metal salt, nickel(II) acetate tetrahydrate [(CH3COO)2 Ni·4H2O], to the PVA spinning solution. Noticeably, after incorporation of nickel (Ni) nanoparticle continuous electrospinning was realized at lower polymer concentration than that of neat PVA. Moreover, smaller fiber diameter and a higher carbon yield (~34%) were obtained after carbonization. Transmission electron microscopy observation of the carbon fibers revealed that the addition of Ni-nanoparticles accelerated the formation of a graphitic structure at a lower carbonization temperature of 1200 °C.
Atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane for imparting water repellency to cotton fabric
Authors: Kale Kiran H , Palaskar Shital
Published: November 2010

Atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) was carried out to impart water repellent properties to 100% cotton fabric. The dielectric barrier discharge generated from a mixture of argon and HMDSO was used for the plasma polymerization. The AATCC spray test, contact angle and surface energy measurements have shown good resistance to wetting with water. SEM and FTIR analysis have revealed deposition of plasma polymer and Si containing groups respectively, on the surface of the cotton. The effect of plasma polymerization on the physical properties like air permeability, tensile strength, and water vapour transmission were also studied. The plasma process parameters like treatment time and monomer flow have shown a significant effect on the physical, chemical and morphological properties of the cotton. Ash content of plasma treated cotton samples was calculated and it was found to be higher than the untreated cotton sample. The effect of washing cycles on the water repellent properties of HMDSO plasma polymer were investigated by subjecting it to repeated number of washing cycles.
Investigation of the sound-absorbing behavior of fiber assemblies
Authors: Shu Yang  , Weidong Yu  , Ning Pan
Published: November 2010

In this work the acoustic absorption properties of four common fiber assemblies were studied in the frequency region of 800—6300 Hz using the standing wave tube method. To validate the present experimental setup, firstly the sound absorption property of a rubber foam sample commonly used for noise control was measured, and then compared with the existing data. The absorption coefficients were measured by varying the fiber type, mass, sound frequency, and air gap in the tube in order to examine the contribution of solid fiber against the air in a fibrous assembly. Using an existing theoretical analysis, the relationships between the average diameter of effective pores and the fiber assembly mass for the four fiber types were derived to illustrate certain important connections. Another theoretical model was proposed to analyze the absorption mechanism and predict the absorption coefficient as a function of frequency.
Fuzzy classification of luster of textile fabrics
Authors: Hadjianfar Mehdi , Semnani Dariush
Published: November 2010

The appearance of fabric is very important when a customer makes a choice for outer apparel. One of the factors that has an effect on the users’ judgment and on the appearance of the fabric is the luster of textiles. The luster can be considered as one of the most effective and essential factors of investigating the appearance of a fabric that is used by a consumer. In order to determine textile luster, there are different methods based on classic definitions; the ones based on image processing have results closer to human impressions of the fabric. Nevertheless, all the determining methods give numerical luster indexes which are far from the reality of a human’s impression, which is a qualitative one for luster. One method that can be used to transform numerical data to qualitative data is fuzzy logic for the classification of data for the luster index.

In the presented method, after indicating luster index by the use of image processing, different fabric samples are classified in six different classes based on the luster determined by judgment of ten different inspectors. The luster index is finally classified in six fuzzy classes based on fuzzy logic theory. Results show that fuzzy classification is confirmed by viewers’ judgments.
Planning Context and Urban Intensification Outcomes
Authors: Searle Glen , Filion Pierre
Published: November 2010

There is a lack of knowledge about effective implementation of intensification policies. The paper concentrates on the intensification experience of Sydney, Australia, and Toronto, Canada. Historical narratives, which document intensification efforts and outcomes since the 1950s, paint different pictures. For much of the period, Sydney adopted a medium-density strategy sustained by public-sector incentives and regulations. In Toronto, in contrast, the focus has been on high-density developments driven mostly by market trends. Lately, however, the Sydney intensification strategy has shifted to high-density projects. The paper concludes by drawing out findings that are relevant to intensification policies in the selected metropolitan regions and elsewhere: the ubiquity of NIMBY reactions; the importance of senior government involvement because less sensitive to anti-density NIMBY reactions; the possibility of framing intensification strategies in ways that avoid political party confrontation; and the role of major environmental movements in raising public opinion support to intensification.
Perspectives on Past Practices and Future Trends in Toxicologic Neuropathology
Authors: Bolon Brad
Published: November 2010

Dr. Peter S. Spencer, a pioneering neurotoxicologist of international renown, delivered the keynote address at the 2010 Joint Scientific Symposium of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) and the International Federation of Societies of Toxicologic Pathologists (IFSTP). He has made many landmark discoveries during his four-decade career. Dr. Spencer’s address communicated several fundamental principles of past and present toxicologic neuropathology research, and he also predicted future trends in the field. First, classic approaches to toxicologic neuropathology emphasized morphologic techniques such as light microscopic and ultrastructural assessment. However, neuropathology methods alone rarely reveal the mechanism(s) and etiology of neurotoxic conditions, so neurotoxicity problems are now being investigated using a multidisciplinary approach in which neuropathologic assessment is but one component of the analysis. The two primary trends for future toxicologic neuropathology investigations, in both animals and humans, will be an increased use of noninvasive neural imaging and greater preference for in situ molecular (“omic”) methods, which provide functional information in a structural context. These trends will significantly enhance the ability of scientists to translate animal data to human situations, thereby improving our understanding of disease mechanisms and facilitating efforts to design new therapies for neural diseases.
Fundamentals of Neurobiology
Authors: Greg Hall D.
Published: November 2010

Session 1 of the 2010 STP/IFSTP Joint Symposium on Toxicologic Neuropathology, titled “Fundamentals of Neurobiology,” was organized to provide a foundation for subsequent sessions by presenting essential elements of neuroanatomy and nervous system function. A brief introduction to the session titled “Introduction to Correlative Neurobiology” was provided by Dr. Greg Hall (Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN). Correlative neurobiology refers to considerations of the relationships between the highly organized and compartmentalized structure of nervous tissues and the functioning within this system.
Continuing Education Course #3
Authors: Bolon Brad , Garman Robert H. , Gundersen Hans Jørgen G. , Allan Johnson G. , Kaufmann Wolfgang , Krinke Georg , Little Peter B. , Makris Susan L. , Mellon R. Daniel , Sulik Kathleen K. , Jensen Karl
Published: November 2010

The continuing education course on Developmental Neurotoxicity Testing (DNT) was designed to communicate current practices for DNT neuropathology, describe promising innovations in quantitative analysis and noninvasive imaging, and facilitate a discussion among experienced neuropathologists and regulatory scientists regarding suitable DNT practices. Conventional DNT neuropathology endpoints are qualitative histopathology and morphometric endpoints of particularly vulnerable sites (e.g., cerebral, cerebellar, or hippocampal thickness). Novel imaging and stereology measurements hold promise for automated analysis of factors that cannot be effectively examined in routinely processed specimens (e.g., cell numbers, fiber tract integrity). The panel recommended that dedicated DNT neuropathology data sets be acquired on a minimum of 8 sections (for qualitative assessment) or 3 sections (for quantitative linear and stereological analyses) using a small battery of stains to examine neurons and myelin. Where guidelines permit discretion, immersion fixation is acceptable for younger animals (postnatal day 22 or earlier), and peripheral nerves may be embedded in paraffin. Frequent concerns regarding DNT data sets include false-negative outcomes due to processing difficulties (e.g., lack of concordance among sections from different animals) and insensitive analytical endpoints (e.g., qualitative evaluation) as well as false-positive results arising from overinterpretation or misreading by inexperienced pathologists.
Biomechanical Evaluation of 3 Arthroscopic Self-Cinching Stitches for Shoulder Arthroscopy
Authors: Ponce Brent A. , Hosemann Chad D. , Raghava Parthasarathy , Tate Janet P. , Eberhardt Alan W. , Lafosse Laurent
Published: November 2010

Background: The tissue-suture interface remains the most common site of failure in rotator cuff repairs. Improving stitch strengths may lead to lower failure rates.

Purpose: To compare biomechanical properties of 3 self-cinching stitches to the simple, mattress, modified Mason-Allen, and massive cuff stitches.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: In sum, 336 sheep infraspinatus tendon grafts were randomized among 7 stitches. Each graft was cyclically loaded on a mechanical testing system from 5 to 30 N for 20 cycles and then loaded to failure. A mixed-effect multivariate regression model was used to test significance of suture type on cyclic elongation, peak-to-peak displacement, and ultimate load. Estimated means and standard deviations are reported from the regression model.

Results: Ultimate load for the simple stitch was significantly lower than for the other stitches. The lasso-loop and mattress stitch demonstrated similar ultimate loads. The double-cinch had a higher ultimate load than the lasso-loop or mattress stitch, although it was significantly weaker than the modified Mason-Allen, lasso-mattress, and massive cuff. The lasso-mattress had a superior ultimate load to the modified Mason-Allen and a similar ultimate load to the massive cuff stitch. One significant difference was found in cyclic elongation (1.42 mm for the simple to 1.80 mm for the double-cinch), and the cinching mechanism accounted for 0.2-mm higher elongation.

Conclusion: Self-cinching stitches lead to superior tissue-holding strength at the tissue-suture interface when compared with equivalent non-self-cinching stitches. Self-cinching stitches have greater elongation values. How these differences in cyclic elongation clinically influence gap formation at the repair site is unknown. The greater displacement seen in the self-cinching stitches is a potential concern because minimal gap formation is desired for a strong repair.

Clinical Relevance: The lasso-loop stitch is a stronger alternative to a simple stitch, and the double-cinch and lasso-mattress stitches are stronger alternatives to a mattress stitch.
Mountain Biking–Related Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States, 1994-2007
Authors: Nelson Nicolas G. , McKenzie Lara B.
Published: November 2010

Background: Injury research on mountain biking has been mostly limited to examining professional riders and off-road biking. Mountain bikes represent the largest segment of bike sales in the United States. Recreational mountain bike use is popular and understudied.

Purpose: To describe the scope, distribution, and trends of mountain bike–related injuries treated in US emergency departments.

Study Design: Descriptive epidemiologic study.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted with data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for patients aged ≥8 years from 1994 through 2007. Sample weights provided by the system were used to calculate national estimates of mountain bike–related injuries based on 4624 cases. Bivariate comparisons between categorical variables were assessed with injury proportion ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: Nationwide, an estimated 217 433 patients were treated for mountain bike–related injuries in US emergency departments from 1994 to 2007, an average of 15 531 injuries per year. The annual number of injuries decreased 56%, from a high of 23 177 in 1995 to 10 267 in 2007 ( P < .001). The most common injuries were upper extremity fractures (10.6%) and shoulder fractures (8.3%). Patients aged 14 to 19 years sustained a greater proportion of traumatic brain injuries (8.4%) than did patients aged 8 to 13 years and ≥20 years combined (4.3%). A greater proportion of female riders (6.1%) than male riders (4.5%) were hospitalized.

Conclusion: Mountain bike–related injuries decreased from 1994 to 2007. Upper extremity fractures were the most common injury. Girls and women may be more likely than boys and men to sustain more severe injuries requiring hospitalization. Despite the decline over the past decade, more can be done to improve safety and reduce injuries in this popular recreational activity.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome in a Population-Based Sample of Brazilian Adolescents
Authors: de Lucena Gildásio Lucas , dos Santos Gomes Cristiano , Guerra Ricardo Oliveira
Published: November 2010

Background: Osgood-Schlatter (OS) syndrome is a disease of the musculoskeletal system often observed during the bone growth phase in adolescents.

Hypothesis/Purpose: Demographic and anthropometric factors and those linked to the practice of sports may be related to the prevalence of OS. The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiologic profile and associated factors of individuals with OS syndrome in a population-based sample of Brazilian adolescents.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 956 adolescent students (474 boys, 482 girls) from 2008 to 2009 enrolled in the school system of Natal, Brazil. The age ranged between 12 and 15 years (13.7 ± 1.04 years). Tests were performed to assess the anthropometric and clinical aspects related to OS. To confirm the diagnosis of OS syndrome, the participant had to fulfill all the following clinical criteria: pain with direct pressure on the tibial apophysis; aforementioned pain before, during, and after physical activities; enlargement or prominence of the tibial apophysis; pain with resisted knee extension; and pain from jumping.

Results: The prevalence of OS in the sample was 9.8% (11.0% of boys and 8.3% of girls; boys, 13.5 ± 1.07 years; girls, 13.6 ± 1.01 years). The results showed that 74.6% of the students suffered from muscle shortening. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression showed that the factors associated with the presence of OS were the regular practice of sport activity (odds ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-3.10) and the shortening of the rectus femoris muscle (odds ratio, 7.15; 95% confidence interval, 2.86-17.86).

Conclusions: The regular practice of sports in the pubertal phase and the shortening of the rectus femoris muscle were the main factors associated to the presence of OS syndrome in the students.
Patellar Maltracking Correlates With Vastus Medialis Activation Delay in Patellofemoral Pain Patients
Authors: Pal Saikat , Draper Christine E. , Fredericson Michael , Gold Garry E. , Delp Scott L. , Beaupre Gary S. , Besier Thor F.
Published: November 2010

Background: Delayed onset of vastus medialis (VM) activity compared with vastus lateralis activity is a reported cause for patellofemoral pain. The delayed onset of VM activity in patellofemoral pain patients likely causes an imbalance in muscle forces and lateral maltracking of the patella; however, evidence relating VM activation delay to patellar maltracking is sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between VM activation delay and patellar maltracking measures in pain-free controls and patellofemoral pain patients.

Hypothesis: Patellar tilt and bisect offset, measures of patellar tracking, correlate with VM activation delay in patellofemoral pain patients classified as maltrackers.

Study Design: Case control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: Vasti muscle activations were recorded in pain-free (n = 15) and patellofemoral pain (n = 40) participants during walking and jogging. All participants were scanned in an open-configuration magnetic resonance scanner in an upright weightbearing position to acquire the position of the patella with respect to the femur. Patellar tilt and bisect offset were measured, and patellofemoral pain participants were classified into normal tracking and maltracking groups.

Results: Correlations between VM activation delay and patellar maltracking measures were statistically significant in only the patellofemoral pain participants classified as maltrackers with both abnormal tilt and abnormal bisect offset ( R2 = .89, P < .001, with patellar tilt during walking; R2 = .75, P = .012, with bisect offset during jogging). There were no differences between the means of activation delays in pain-free and all patellofemoral pain participants during walking ( P = .516) or jogging ( P = .731).

Conclusion: There was a relationship between VM activation delay and patellar maltracking in the subgroup of patellofemoral pain participants classified as maltrackers with both abnormal tilt and abnormal bisect offset.

Clinical Relevance: A clinical intervention such as VM retraining may be effective in only a subset of patellofemoral pain participants—namely, those with excessive tilt and excessive bisect offset measures. The results highlight the importance of appropriate classification of patellofemoral pain patients before selection of a clinical intervention.
Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication: What Does Theory Tell Us and What Have We Learned so Far?
Authors: Rhoads Mohja
Published: November 2010

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have not had the predicted effect of substantially altering work and work-based travel patterns. Some researchers argue that one of the reasons may be the inability of ICT to effectively replicate characteristics of face-to-face communication. To examine the differences between computer-mediated and face-to-face communication, this article explores theories of face-to-face communication and synthesizes lessons from studies of virtual and face-to-face teams and groups. Findings on the comparative production outcomes and performance of virtual versus face-to-face teams are mixed, suggesting that it is not clear whether face-to-face communication is necessarily superior to computer-mediated communication for many collaborative processes. Planning can gain from a better understanding of the advantages and limitations of computer-mediated communication so that it may more effectively implement virtual strategies.
Synthesis, characterization of poly(4, 4’-diaminophenylethanepyromellitimide) and its use as immobilized enzyme polyimide membrane
Authors: Paşahan Aziz , Köytepe Süleyman , Ekinci Ergun
Published: November 2010

A novel polyimide prepared from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 1,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)ethane was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and gel permeation chromatography. Thermal properties of the poly(4,4’-diaminophenylethane-pyromellitimide) (PDP) were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry. The PDP exhibited high decomposition temperature Td (°C), good thermal stability and good adhesive properties. Moreover, that the possibility of whether the chemically-prepared polyimide film could be used as a membrane for immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) was investigated. The amperometric response of the PDP/GOx/Pt electrode to hydrogen peroxide, formed as the product of enzymatic reaction, was measured at a potential of 700 mV (vs. SCE) in phosphate buffer solution by means of the TB technique. The amperometric glucose sensor was very high R-value (0.9995). The structure of the GOx micelles contained in polyimide membrane was observed by scanning electron microscopy. From the amperometric responses, it was also demonstrated that PDP film could be used as a solid-state immobilized enzyme polyimide membrane for biosensor design because of its strong adherence to electrode surface and chemical stability.
Preparation and characterization of PVAc-MMT-DOAB
Authors: Cui Hui-wang , Du Guan-ben
Published: November 2010

Polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) is considered to be a type of environmental friendly adhesive, and montmorillonite (MMT) is a cheap and accessible natural nanomineral. MMT was first organically activated by dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DOAB). The intercalated nanocomposite of MMT-DOAB was added during the synthesis of PVAc in conventional laboratory conditions. The PVAc-MMT-DOAB was mainly studied by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, static tension, and the rheology was also investigated by the power-law function equation and the Cross—Williamson model viscous equation. The exfoliated nanocomposite of PVAc-MMT-DOAB could be obtained. Linear macromolecular chains of PVAc were formed in the layers of MMT-DOAB. MMT-DOAB was exfoliated into nanoparticles of layers or sheets, randomly dispersed in the matrix of PVAc. The particle diameter of MMT-DOAB ranged from 25 to 75 nm, they randomly dispersed with PVAc particles. In addition, the smaller MMT-DOAB particles were adsorbed around the bigger PVAc particles; they formed the ‘strawberry’ structure. PVAc and PVAc-MMT-DOAB were pseudo-plastic non-Newtonian fluids and they all possessed the normal stress effect (or Weissenberg effect), that was the pole-climbing phenomenon. The reasonable addition of MMT-DOAB in polymerization was found to be not more than 2.0 wt.% of VAc.
Lesbian mothers’ constructions of the division of paid and unpaid labor
Authors: Downing Jordan B , Goldberg Abbie E
Published: November 2010

Do lesbian couples resist the (re)gendering of divisions of paid and unpaid labor within the context of biological and nonbiological parenting? In this study we explore how primarily Caucasian, North American lesbian mothers of three-and-a-half-year-old children construct divisions of paid and unpaid labor. We analyze 30 lesbian couples’ narrative constructions of their labor arrangements, examining the ways in which they both transgress and accept traditionally masculine and feminine gendering. At the same time that biological mothers and nonbiological mothers often described differences in their contributions to paid and unpaid labor, they rarely invoked biology as a salient factor in explaining their work/family roles. Our analysis suggests that the ‘egalitarian ethic’ of lesbian women is an over-simplification of the multiple ways that women develop their divisions of labor.
The effect of high-fat diet-induced obesity on cardiovascular toxicity in wistar albino rats
Authors: Bhandari Uma , Kumar Vinay , Khanna Naresh , Panda Bibhu Prasad
Published: November 2010

The consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) is considered a risk factor for obesity development. Nonetheless, a causal role of dietary fat has never been documented, because of inadequate animal models. In our study, one group of rats was fed with standard rat diet, while other group of rats fed with high-fat diet for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks of feeding, the hemodynamic parameters in the rats fed with HFD were significantly increased as compared with control rats. Rats fed with HFD had elevated levels of serum lipids, insulin, leptin, glucose and apolipoprotein B. Lipid peroxides and caspase-3 levels were increased while serum apolipoprotein A1 and antioxidant enzymes levels in heart tissues were decreased in HFD-induced obesity in rats as compared to normal healthy control rats fed on standard rat pellet diet. This model of diet-induced obesity will be a useful tool for studying the mechanisms by which dietary fat induces the obesity in humans.
Gendered Violence: An Analysis of the Maquiladora Murders
Authors: Pantaleo Katherine
Published: November 2010

This study analyzes the social construction of a wave of female homicides surrounding the maquiladora plants in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Specifically, it explores the social construction of the murders by three different groups, the news media, human rights organizations, and academic researchers. The research begins with a content analysis of 35 narratives from newspapers, human rights reports, and academic journals. Sixteen of these narratives discuss North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in relation with the violence in Juarez. Analysis indicates that gender issues are intertwined with the trade agreement and concludes that the policy has aided in the disruption of the social fabric of Mexican society.
Design of a robust nonlinear observer for constrained systems
Authors: Kfoury G.A. , Chalhoub N.G.
Published: November 2010

In control applications, a full knowledge of the state variables is generally required for the computation of the control signals. This often translates into using an observer to estimate the state variables that are not readily available through measurements. The focus of this work is to develop a nonlinear robust observer for constrained systems whose dynamics are governed by a set of highly nonlinear differential-algebraic (D-A) equations. For fairly complicated and nonlinear constraint equations, the substitution method is not feasible to eliminate the superfluous coordinates. Therefore, the D-A form of the equations of motion of the system has to be dealt with in the design of the observer. The current study presents a general procedure for developing a robust nonlinear observer capable of accurately estimating all the state variables of a constrained system, including the superfluous ones. To assess the performance of the proposed observer, the multi-body dynamics of a piston/connecting-rod/crankshaft mechanism for a single cylinder internal combustion engine is considered. The equations of motion account for both the rigid and flexible motions of the crank-slider mechanism. The simulation results illustrate the capability of the proposed observer in accurately estimating all the state variables of the system. They demonstrate the robustness of the observer to modeling uncertainties and external disturbances. Moreover, the estimated state variables are shown to satisfy the nominal constraint equations.