bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel MECP2 Change in an Indian Boy With Variant Rett Phenotype and Congenital Blindness: Implications for Genetic Counseling and Prenatal Diagnosis
Authors: Khajuria Rajni , Gupta Neerja , Sapra Savita , Gulati Sheffali , Ghosh Manju , Kalra Veena , Kabra Madhulika
Published: February 2011

Mutations in MECP2 gene are the primary cause of Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects girls, and affect 90% to 95% patients with classical Rett syndrome. MECP2 mutations, once thought to be lethal in males, now present a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in males. This article reports a family with a 9-year-old boy with Rett-like phenotype and congenital blindness, who inherited a novel MECP2 variant (p.P430S) from his asymptomatic mother. The variant was also identified in the asymptomatic maternal grandfather and maternal aunts of the proband, ruling out the possibility that the p.P430S was involved in the phenotype. Findings of the study suggest that a careful evaluation of the pathogenic nature of MECP2 variants identified in males be conducted before proposing genetic counseling or prenatal diagnosis to the family and that the interference of other factors like modifier genes, environment, epigenetics, and mosaicism be taken into account.
Fetal Exposure to Alcohol, Developmental Brain Anomaly, and Vitamin A Deficiency: A Case Report
Authors: Goez Helly R. , Scott Ori , Hasal Simona
Published: February 2011

Prenatal alcohol exposure is a cause of congenital brain malformations such as hydrocephalus; however, a complete mechanism accounting for this phenomenon has yet to be discovered. We report a case of a newborn who was exposed to alcohol throughout pregnancy and presented with low serum vitamin A and hydrocephalus. To our knowledge, the connection between prenatal ethanol exposure, vitamin A deficiency, and a developmental brain anomaly has never been described in humans before. A possible mechanism may be mediated by disruption of the homeostasis of vitamin A, an important morphogen in the developing nervous system. This, in turn, compromises the activity of the floor plate, a structure in charge of polarization and midline formation in the neural tube. We conclude that vitamin A screening and supplementation might be recommended for newborns of mothers who ingested ethanol during pregnancy.
Characteristics of Young Children Exposed to Violence: The Safe Start Demonstration Project
Authors: Kaufman Joy S. , Ortega Sandra , Schewe Paul A. , Kracke Kristen ,   Safe Start Demonstration Project Communities
Published: February 2011

The Safe Start demonstration projects, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) under the first phase of the Safe Start initiative, are primarily designed to influence change at the systems or macrolevels to reduce the incidence of and impact of exposure to violence for children aged birth to 6 years; direct services are also provided to young children and their families who were exposed to violence. The data presented in this article come from 10 communities that submitted data regarding the characteristics of young children exposed to violence to OJJDP. These data represent families who are typically not represented in the databases of state child protective services programs but instead have been identified by domestic violence advocates, early care and education providers, family members, court personnel, police, and other social service personnel as families with young children in need of intervention due to violence exposure.The purpose of this article is to describe the characteristics of young children and their parents who seek help for psychosocial problems related to exposure to family and community violence. Results indicate that one quarter of the children and nearly half of their parents evidenced clinical levels of stress, suggesting the need to intervene at the family level as well as at the individual level when working with young children exposed to violence. The information presented, including the extent of exposure to violence, the multiple types of violence to which children are exposed, the impact of this exposure on young children and their families, and the multiple ways in which families exposed to violence come to the attention of service providers is useful for policy makers and service providers who are interested in breaking the cycle of violence by meeting the needs of the children exposed to violence and their families.
Childhood Animal Cruelty Methods and Their Link to Adult Interpersonal Violence
Authors: Henderson Brandy B. , Hensley Christopher , Tallichet Suzanne E.
Published: February 2011

Recent research has begun to establish a relationship between childhood acts of animal cruelty and later violence against humans. However, few studies have focused on the influence of animal cruelty methods on later interpersonal violence. In a replication of a study by Hensley and Tallichet (2009) and based on a sample of 180 inmates at medium- and maximum-security prisons in a Southern state, the present study examines the relationship between several retrospectively identified animal cruelty methods (drowned, hit, shot, kicked, choked, burned, and sex) and interpersonal violence committed against humans. Four out of 5 inmates reported hitting animals. Over one third of the sample chose to shoot or kick animals, while 1 in 5 had sex with them. Less then one fifth of the sample drowned or choked animals, while less than one sixth of the inmates burned animals. Regression analyses revealed that the age at which offenders began committing animal cruelty and having sex with animals were predictive of adult interpersonal violence.
What Attracts Men Who Batter to Their Partners? An Exploratory Study
Authors: Saunders Daniel G. , Kurko Jennifer F. , Barlow Kirsten , Crane Colleen E.
Published: February 2011

Men who batter, because of particular personality traits and sense of entitlement, may select partners whom they perceive will be dependent on them, meet their emotional needs, or be “objects” of physical attractiveness. During treatment intake, 181 offenders responded to the question, “What attracted you to her (your partner)?” We explored whether men who mentioned their own needs or her physical traits would engage in more frequent and severe violence and would have specific forms of personality disorder dimensions or personality traits. Six categories of attraction, including “her physical traits” and “his needs,” were derived from the men’s responses. The results showed that men who focused on their partners’ physical attractiveness were more likely to be violent after treatment. Men who cited their own needs for their attraction had higher scores on borderline personality, alcohol abuse, and psychotic thinking and lower scores on compulsive-conforming.
Managing Victim Status in Group Therapy for Men: A Discourse Analysis
Authors: Zverina Michaela , Stam Henderikus J. , Babins-Wagner Robbie
Published: February 2011

In contrast to the abundance of research on women victims, this article sheds light on the discourse of men who are self-identified as victims of their female partners’ abuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the most salient identity constructions and abuse conceptualizations among participants of group psychotherapy for men who have been abused in intimate, heterosexual partner relationships (i.e., Calgary Counselling Centre’s 14-week group program titled “A Turn for the Better”). The men’s identity work was examined using the methods and theoretical perspective of discourse analysis. Analysis of the talk demonstrated that the group agenda was to work through the ambiguity of abuse in the service of having the men identify themselves as victims. Thus, both the men and the group facilitators actively constructed “true victim” subject positions through their resistance to commonsense orientations of (a) “men as perpetrators” and (b) whether abuse consisted of more than physical violence. The therapeutic language of resistance was a common strategy used to manage victim status but also required further negotiation as it entailed a component of abuse (i.e., risked positioning the men as abusers rather than victims). The discussion focuses on how these findings may differ from the identity work present in women victim therapeutic groups. In addition, we note that it is difficult to uphold the victim-versus-perpetrator dichotomy in therapeutic discourse.
The Decline in Sexual Assaults in Men’s Prisons in New South Wales: A “systems” Approach
Authors: Yap Lorraine , Richters Juliet , Butler Tony , Schneider Karen , Grant Luke , Donovan Basil
Published: February 2011

Male prison rape and sexual assaults remains a serious and sensitive issue in many countries. Human rights groups claim that sexual assaults among male prisoners have reached pandemic proportions and need to be stopped. Researchers for many years have studied the causes of male sexual assault in prison and offered numerous recommendations on its prevention. Few, however, have presented evidence for a decline in male prisoner sexual assaults and investigated the reasons for the decline. This article provides evidence from population-based surveys of a steady decrease in male prisoner sexual assaults in New South Wales (NSW) between 1996 and 2009. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with former and current inmates, and using a “systems” approach they discuss the complexity of sexual assaults in prison, incorporating a multiplicity of perspectives. In particular, they bring together different sources of data and discuss this in relation to changes in power structures and control in a modern prison, the attitudes of older and younger prisoners, the concept of “duty of care,” introduction of prison drug programs, and prisoner attitudes toward gender and sexuality. In anthropology, the term “system” is used widely for describing sociocultural phenomena of a given society in a holistic manner without reducing the complexity of a given community.
Client Violence and Its Negative Impacts on Work Attitudes of Child Protection Workers Compared to Community Service Workers
Authors: Shin Junseob
Published: February 2011

This study investigated the prevalence of client violence toward child protection workers and its negative impacts on the work attitudes of those workers compared with community service workers in South Korea. This study is based on the assumption that child protection workers are more vulnerable to violence than are community service workers because of the unique characteristics of the roles they play. Results of the data, drawn from a sample of 413 child protection workers and community service workers, found that client violence was more prevalent against child protection workers and that the negative impacts of this violence on work attitudes were more clearly highlighted for child protection workers. Based on the results of this study, implications for preventing client violence and lessening its negative impacts on work attitudes of child protection workers were identified.
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Service Goal Priorities
Authors: Macy Rebecca J. , Johns Natalie , Rizo Cynthia F. , Martin Sandra L. , Giattina Mary
Published: February 2011

We investigated agency directors’ perspectives about how service goals should be prioritized for domestic violence and sexual assault service subtypes, including crisis, legal advocacy, medical advocacy, counseling, support group, and shelter services. A sample of 97 (94% response rate) North Carolina domestic violence and/or sexual assault agency directors completed a survey asking participants to rank the importance of service goals. Overall, participants considered emotional support provision to be a critical service goal priority across all service types. Social support and self-care service strategies were deemed less important. However, prioritization of other service goals varied depending on the service type. Statistically significant differences on service goal prioritization based on key agency characteristics were also examined, and agency characteristics were found to relate to differences in service goal prioritization.
Systems Theory: Irredeemably Holistic and Antithetical to Planning?
Authors: Wan Poe Yu-ze
Published: February 2011

In this article, Niklas Luhmann’s pessimistic view of steering [ Steuerung] and planning in modern society is contrasted with Mario Bunge’s advocacy of ‘technoholodemocracy’ (or ‘integral democracy’) and some core ideas of the ‘critical social systems theory’ as developed by Christian Fuchs and others. Before that, the holistic leanings of Luhmann’s autopoietic approach, as exemplified by such notions as ‘structural coupling’ and ‘total exclusion’ [ Totalausschluss], are briefly examined. I argue for a systems approach that is ontologically sound (that is to say, transcending both holism and individualism), with due consideration given to the role of human actors in designing, maintaining, improving, repairing or dismantling social systems. As the writings of Bunge and critical social systems theorists bear witness, a systems approach does not have to sacrifice human agency to blindly self-unfolding ‘social systems’.
Networks, narratives and territory in anthropological race classification: towards a more comprehensive historical geography of Europe’s culture
Authors: McMahon Richard
Published: February 2011

This article aims to integrate discourse analysis of politically instrumental imagined identity geographies with the relational and territorial geography of the communities of praxis and interpretation that produce them. My case study is the international community of nationalist scientists who classified Europe’s biological races in the 1820s—1940s. I draw on network analysis, relational geography, historical sociology and the historical turn to problematize empirically how spatial patterns of this community’s shifting disciplinary and political coalitions, communication networks and power relations emerged, were structured, persisted, changed, interacted and disappeared. I focus especially on core— periphery relations. I argue that if local historical spatial patterns affect those of later phenomena, geographies like that of European integration should be understood in the context of Europe’s complex historical cultural geography. Unlike discourse deconstruction alone, this complementary relational de-essentialization of geography can identify large-scale, enduring associations of cultural patterns as well as cultural flux and ambiguity.
Dual Identities: The Question of ‘Départementalisation’ in Michel Leiris's Contacts de civilisations en Martinique et en Guadeloupe
Authors: Britton Celia
Published: February 2011

In Contocts de civilisations en Martinique et en Guadeloupe (1955) Leiris's support for ‘départementalisation’ and cultural assimilation contrasts surprisingly with his previous commitment to celebrating cultural difference and to political independence for France's colonies. It can to some extent be explained by the book's being commissioned as part of a UNESCO project to combat racism by promoting integration, and by the support of the French Communist Party for departmentalisation. But Césaire, Leiris's close friend and Antillean mentor, was already thoroughly disillusioned with departmentalisation; and there was other evidence that it was not achieving the racial and social equality that had motivated the left's support for it. Ultimately Leiris's position can be explained only on a subjective level: the ambiguous identity, simultaneously French and not-French, of the people of the ‘départements d'outre mer’ (DOMs) offered him a particular kind of psychological investment in an uncanny combination of the strange and the secretly familiar.
Autour Des Voyelles De Rimbaud: Poésie et Linguistique
Authors: Steel David
Published: February 2011

While the continuing obscurity surrounding the genesis, composition and meaning of Rimbaud's Voyelles only enhances the poem's lyrical charisma, there exists a coincidence between the writer's concern with vowels and the work of his early linguistician contemporaries into the evolution of vowel sounds and their phonetic relationship. Alongside serious pioneering work by Bopp, Bréal and Saussure are to be found, complete with diagrams, more phantasmagorical excursions into sound–colour correspondences. How aware was the poet of esoteric work by the philologists Lucien Adam and Honoré Chavée, presented here? Charles Cros's interest in Sanskrit, his work on the mechanical recording of sound, his links with Rimbaud and purported relationship with Bréal foreshadow the semantician's influence on Paulhan's linguistic investigations and the poetics of the Surrealists.
Penile anthropometry in systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Authors: Vecchi AP , Borba EF , Bonfá E , Cocuzza M , Pieri P , Kim CA , Silva CA
Published: February 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate penile anthropometry in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients compared with healthy controls and the possible relevant pubertal, clinical, hormonal and treatment factors that could influence penile dimensions. Twenty-five consecutive SLE patients were assessed by urological examination, sexual function, testicular ultrasound, hormones, sperm analysis, genetic analysis, clinical features and treatment. The control group included 25 age-matched healthy males. SLE patients had a lower median penis length and circumference [8 (7.5–10) vs. 10 (8–13) cm, p = 0.0001; 8 (7–10) vs. 10 (7–11) cm, p = 0.001; respectively], lower median testicular volume by right and left Prader [15 (10–25) vs. 20 (12–25) ml, p = 0.003; 15 (10–25) vs. 20 (12–25) ml, p = 0.006; respectively], higher median of follicle-stimulating hormone [5.8 (2.1–25) vs. 3.3 (1.9–9) IU/l, p = 0.002] and lower morning total testosterone levels (28% vs. 0%, p = 0.009) compared with controls. In spite of that, erectile dysfunction was not observed in patients or controls. Analyses of lupus patients revealed that the median penis circumference was lower in patients with disease onset before first ejaculation compared with those with disease onset after first ejaculation [7.8 (7–10) vs. 9.0 (7.5–10) cm, p = 0.026]. No differences were observed in the median penile anthropometry regarding sexual dysfunction ( p = 0.610), lower morning total testosterone levels ( p = 0.662), oligo/azoospermia ( p = 0.705), SLE Disease Activity Index ≥ 4 ( p = 0.562), Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index ≥ 1 ( p = 0.478), prednisone cumulative dose ( p = 0.789) and intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy ( p = 0.754). Klinefelteŕs syndrome (46XY/47XXY) was diagnosed in one (4%) SLE patient with decreased penile size whereas Y-chromosomal microdeletions was absent in all of them. In conclusion, we have identified reduced penile dimensions in SLE patients with no deleterious effect in erectile function. Disease onset before first ejaculation seems to affect penis development in pre-pubertal lupus.
Hypercalcaemia in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Del Porto F , Proietta M , Koverech A , Trappolini M , Aliberti G
Published: February 2011

Hypercalcaemia is found in more than 90% of the cases of primitive hyperparathyroidism and malignancies. Rarely, D hypervitaminosis, sarcoidosis, other granulomatous diseases, some drugs, and endocrine diseases may be responsible. Nine patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and hypercalcaemia, without evidence of primary hyperparathyroidism, have been previously described. Here we report the 10th patient with SLE and hypercalcaemia, along with a brief review of the literature.
An embodied response: Ethics and the nurse researcher
Authors: Clancy Anne
Published: February 2011

The aim of this study is to reflect on situational ethics in qualitative research and on a researcher’s embodied response to ethical dilemmas. Four narratives are presented. They are excerpts from field notes taken during an observational study on Norwegian public health nursing practice. The stories capture situational ethical challenges the author experienced during her research. The author’s reflections on feelings of uncertainty, discomfort and responsibility, and Levinas’ philosophy help to illuminate the ethical challenges faced. The study shows that the researcher always participates, to some degree, and is never merely a spectator making solely rational choices. Ethical challenges in field research cannot always be solved, yet must be acknowledged. Feelings of vulnerability are embodied responses that remind us of the primacy of ethics. More so, it is the primacy of ethics that gives rise to feelings of vulnerability and embodied responses.
Staff and family relationships in end-of-life nursing home care
Authors: Gjerberg Elisabeth , Førde Reidun , Bjørndal Arild
Published: February 2011

This article examines the involvement of residents and their relatives in end-of-life decisions and care in Norwegian nursing homes. It also explores challenges in these staff—family relationships. The article is based on a nationwide survey examining Norwegian nursing homes’ end-of-life care at ward level. Only a minority of the participant Norwegian nursing home wards ‘usually’ explore residents’ preferences for care and treatment at the end of their life, and few have written procedures on the involvement of family caregivers when their relative is in the terminal phase. According to the respondents, most staff seem to comfort relatives well. However, several challenges were described. The study revealed a need for better procedures in the involvement of residents and relatives in nursing home end-of-life care. The findings emphasize a need to strengthen both the involvement of nursing home physicians and staff communication skills.
Can supervising self-harm be part of ethical nursing practice?
Authors: Edwards Steven D , Hewitt Jeanette
Published: February 2011

It was reported in 2006 that a regime of ‘supervised self harm’ had been implemented at St George’s Hospital, Stafford. This involves patients with a history of self-harming behaviour being offered both emotional and practical support to enable them to do so. This support can extend to the provision of knives or razors to enable them to self-harm while they are being supervised by a nurse. This article discusses, and evaluates from an ethical perspective, three competing responses to self-harming behaviours: to prevent it; to allow it; and to make provision for supervised self-harm. It is argued that of these three options the prevention strategy is the least plausible. A tentative conclusion is offered in support of supervised self-harm.
Justice, efficiency and economic geography: should places help one another to develop?
Authors: Storper Michael
Published: February 2011

What is a ‘just’ or ‘equitable’ territorial distribution of resources or economic and social development? As in the other social sciences, the normative dimensions of territorial development — of what would constitute ‘just’ cities, regions and global patterns of development — cover the process of resource creation and allocation, as well as the geographical (place) and interpersonal (people) outcomes of such processes. A geographical approach to justice and equity must consider the interaction of place distributions and people distributions of income and opportunity. Place and people distributions may conflict with one another. Moreover, different such distributions have different impacts on economic efficiency and thus on aggregate output. This article confronts theories of justice with results in economic geography about the territorial basis of economic efficiency. It then opens up a research agenda on the normative bases of inter-territorial relations and on the possible criteria for redistribution of development resources among territories.
Thirty-Five Years of End-of-Life Issues in US Medical Schools
Authors: Dickinson George E.
Published: February 2011

The objective of this study was to examine US medical school offerings on end-of-life issues between 1975 and 2010. Data were obtained from a mailed survey to the US medical schools in 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. Survey response rates for the 8 points in time (in percentages) were 95, 96, 90, 90, 93, 92, 81, and 79, respectively. Between 1975 and 2010, the overall offerings in death and dying increased so that 100% of US medical schools, beginning in 2000, offered something on death and dying. A multidisciplinary-team approach continued over the 35-year period. Palliative care is offered to some extent in 99% of US medical schools today. Numerous end-of-life topics are currently covered in the curriculum. Increased attention to end-of-life issues in medical schools should enhance medical students' relationship with terminally ill patients and their families.
Adding ROS Quenchers to Cold K+ Cardioplegia Reduces Superoxide Emission During 2-Hour Global Cold Cardiac Ischemia
Authors: Aldakkak Mohammed , Stowe David F. , Heisner James S. , Riess Matthias L. , Camara Amadou K. S.
Published: February 2011

We reported that the combination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) quenchers Mn(III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin (MnTBAP), catalase, and glutathione (MCG) given before 2 hours cold ischemia better protected cardiac mitochondria against cold ischemia and warm reperfusion (IR)-induced damage than MnTBAP alone. Here, we hypothesize that high K+ cardioplegia (CP) plus MCG would provide added protection of mitochondrial bioenergetics and cardiac function against IR injury. Using fluorescence spectrophotometry, we monitored redox balance, ie reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide (NADH/FAD), superoxide (O2•−), and mitochondrial Ca2+ (m[Ca2+]) in the left ventricular free wall. Guinea pig isolated hearts were perfused with either Krebs Ringer’s (KR) solution, CP, or CP + MCG, before and during 27°C perfusion followed immediately by 2 hours of global ischemia at 27°C. Drugs were washed out with KR at the onset of 2 hours 37°C reperfusion. After 120 minutes warm reperfusion, myocardial infarction was lowest in the CP + MCG group and highest in the KR group. Developed left ventricular pressure recovery was similar in CP and CP + MCG and was better than in the KR group. O2•−, m[Ca2+], and NADH/FAD were significantly different between the treatment and KR groups. O2•− was lower in CP + MCG than in the CP group. This study suggests that CP and ROS quenchers act in parallel to improve mitochondrial function and to provide protection against IR injury at 27°C.
Isolated mucinous adrenal metastasis in a breast cancer patient
Authors: Demirci Umut , Buyukberber Suleyman , Cakir Tansel , Poyraz Aylar , Baykara Meltem , Karakus Esra , Tufan Gulnihal , Benekli Mustafa , Coskun Ugur
Published: February 2011

Mucinous breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare histological type of breast cancer and rarely associated with advanced disease. We report a case that had MBC with an isolated adrenal metastasis which was removed by laparoscopic adrenelectomy. This case is unique due to the unexpected metastasis of pure mucinous carcinoma developed after 4 years of hormone therapy.
Facilitating Knowledge Translation in the “Real World” of Community Psychiatry
Authors: Goldie Catherine L. , Malchy Leslie , Johnson Joy L.
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use disproportionately affects the well-being of individuals with mental illness. In community psychiatric settings, there are culturally embedded attitudes and behaviors regarding smoking that enable practitioners to remain ambivalent about their clients’ tobacco use. OBJECTIVES: Given these cultural norms, the authors aimed to introduce evidence-informed smoking cessation interventions to a variety of interdisciplinary mental health care providers by using an innovative approach to knowledge translation. DESIGN: The authors used a case study design in which six community psychiatric settings were targeted. The organizational culture related to smoking was examined at each site before tailored tobacco reduction interventions were delivered. The study design was guided by the knowledge-to-action (KTA) process and two supplementary approaches to change: motivational interviewing (MI) and appreciative inquiry (AI). RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: The principles of the KTA process, MI, and AI helped the authors to meaningfully engage with practice groups and change the organizational culture surrounding tobacco use in several community psychiatric settings.
Adolescent Sexual Abstinence: A Test of an Integrative Theoretical Framework
Authors: Buhi Eric R. , Goodson Patricia , Neilands Torsten B. , Blunt Heather
Published: February 2011

The purpose of this study was to test an integrative theoretical framework in explaining adolescents’ sexual abstinence and intentions to remain abstinent and refine the framework to reflect which elements contribute more powerfully to the explanation of abstinence and intentions. We administered an anonymous, theory-based questionnaire to two nonrandom samples of seventh- and eighth-graders ( n = 451 and 447, respectively). Measurement modeling provided sufficient evidence for establishing construct validity. A refined structural equation model demonstrated good fit. Pro-abstinence standards predicted stronger beliefs toward staying abstinent, stronger perceptions that others endorse pro-abstinence norms, and a greater self-efficacy to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. In turn, beliefs, norms, and self-efficacy were predictive of intentions, which predicted sexual abstinence at a later time point. Similar findings emerged in a replication using a second set of sample data. Results suggest that this integrative theoretical framework is useful in explaining adolescents’ intention and their subsequent sexual abstinence.
Fast iterative solution of large sparse linear systems on geographically separated clusters
Authors: Collignon TP , van Gijzen MB
Published: February 2011

Parallel asynchronous iterative algorithms exhibit features that are extremely well-suited for Grid computing, such as lack of synchronization points. Unfortunately, they also suffer from slow convergence rates. In this paper we propose using asynchronous methods as a coarse-grained preconditioner in a flexible iterative method, where the preconditioner is allowed to change in each iteration step. A full implementation of the algorithm is presented using Grid middleware that allows for both synchronous and asynchronous communication. Advantages and disadvantages of the approach are discussed. Numerical experiments on heterogeneous computing hardware demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm on Grid computers, with application to large 2D and 3D bubbly flow problems.
“Honor the Context”
Authors: Prado Jose
Published: February 2011

Racial minority evaluators increase the democratic capacity and potential of institutions to the extent that they draw on their experiences and those of other marginalized communities. Their reflection on these experiences helps to disclose institutional power dynamics that are often veiled in neutrality. Of course, this depends on sound consideration of the context in and around institutions. This essay has two general aims. The first is to outline the components of this argument in relation to pertinent scholarship. The second is to demonstrate the ways that the author might bring this understanding to bear on the evaluation of new school systems such as charter schools. Along the way, the author hopes to contribute to the discussion on culturally competent evaluation.
Intrathecal baclofen in multiple sclerosis: Too little, too late?
Authors: Erwin April , Gudesblatt Mark , Bethoux Francois , Bennett Susan E , Koelbel Stephen , Plunkett Robert , Sadiq Saud , Stevenson Valerie L , Thomas Ann-Marie , Tornatore Carlo , Zaffaroni Mauro , Hughes Mary
Published: February 2011

The majority of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have symptoms of spasticity that increasingly impair function as the disease progresses. With appropriate treatment, however, quality of life can be improved. Oral antispasticity medications are useful in managing mild spasticity but are frequently ineffective in controlling moderate to severe spasticity, because patients often cannot tolerate the adverse effects of increasing doses. Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy can be an effective alternative to oral medications in patients who have a suboptimal response to oral medications or who cannot tolerate dose escalation or multidrug oral regimens. ITB therapy may be underutilized in the MS population because clinicians (a) are more focused on disease-modifying therapies rather than symptom control, (b) underestimate the impact of spasticity on quality of life, and (c) have concerns about the cost and safety of ITB therapy. Delivery of ITB therapy requires expertly trained staff and proper facilities for pump management. This article summarizes the findings and recommendations of an expert panel on the use of ITB therapy in the MS population and the role of the physician and comprehensive care team in patient selection, screening, and management.
Statistical Evaluation of Indoor Air Quality Changes after Installation of the PSD System in Seoul’s Metro
Authors: Min Jeong Kim  , Yong Su Kim  , Ataei Abtin , Jeong Tai Kim  , Jung Jin Lim  , Chang Kyoo Yoo
Published: February 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the concentration of air pollutants in the indoor environments, which could be caused by seasonal changes or changes in operating conditions of subway metro stations. In fact, there are many different types of pollution that can cause contamination in subway stations, and changes in operating conditions can also lead to changes in the indoor air quality (IAQ). Therefore, in order to establish a proper management of IAQ, it would be necessary to evaluate the changes in IAQ according to the changes in conditions. To do this, the present study used a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results of testing the hypothesis proved that two groups, divided by the condition of a platform screen door (PSD) system, could differ statistically. Furthermore, those multidimensional differences were caused by installation of a PSD system. When applied to a real-time tele-monitoring system, MANOVA could clearly identify the daily and weekly variations of IAQ in the subway station, as well as the PSD system’s condition. Accordingly, this method could be useful for developing a multivariate system to statistically evaluate the experimental IAQ results in order to optimise operating conditions in a subway metro station to improve IAQ, and to minimise adverse health effects on passengers by exposure to harmful substances.
Trustworthiness is a social norm, but trusting is not
Authors: Bicchieri Cristina , Xiao Erte , Muldoon Ryan
Published: February 2011

Previous literature has demonstrated the important role that trust plays in developing and maintaining well-functioning societies. However, if we are to learn how to increase levels of trust in society, we must first understand why people choose to trust others. One potential answer to this is that people view trust as normative: there is a social norm for trusting that imposes punishment for noncompliance. To test this, we report data from a survey with salient rewards to elicit people’s attitudes regarding the punishment of distrusting behavior in a trust game. Our results show that people do not behave as though trust is a norm. Our participants expected that most people would not punish untrusting investors, regardless of whether the potential trustee was a stranger or a friend. In contrast, our participants behaved as though being trustworthy is a norm. Most participants believed that most people would punish someone who failed to reciprocate a stranger’s or a friend’s trust. We conclude that, while we were able to reproduce previous results establishing that there is a norm of reciprocity, we found no evidence for a corresponding norm of trust, even among friends.
Wavelet domain principal feature analysis for spindle health diagnosis
Authors: Yan Ruqiang , Gao Robert X
Published: February 2011

This article introduces a hybrid signal processing technique for spindle health monitoring and diagnosis, through the integration of wavelet packet transform and principal feature analysis. Vibration signals measured from a spindle test system with different defect conditions are first decomposed into multiple sub-frequency bands by means of the wavelet packet transform. Statistical parameters such as energy and Kurtosis of these sub-frequency bands are then calculated. Subsequently, Principal Feature Analysis, which is an extension of the Principal Component Analysis, is performed on the statistical parameters to aid in the selection of the most representative features, which can be distinctively separated from each other, as inputs to a diagnostic classifier. Experimental analysis of sensor data measured from the spindle test system has verified the effectiveness of the developed technique.
Multi-image stitching and scene reconstruction for evaluating defect evolution in structures
Authors: Jahanshahi Mohammad R , Masri Sami F , Sukhatme Gaurav S
Published: February 2011

It is well-recognized that civil infrastructure monitoring approaches that rely on visual approaches will continue to be an important methodology for condition assessment of such systems. Current inspection standards for structures such as bridges require an inspector to travel to a target structure site and visually assess the structure's condition. A less time-consuming and inexpensive alternative to current visual monitoring methods is to use a system that could inspect structures remotely and also more frequently. This article presents and evaluates the underlying technical elements for the development of an integrated inspection software tool that is based on the use of inexpensive digital cameras. For this purpose, digital cameras are appropriately mounted on a structure (e.g., a bridge) and can zoom or rotate in three directions (similar to traffic cameras). They are remotely controlled by an inspector, which allows the visual assessment of the structure's condition by looking at images captured by the cameras. By not having to travel to the structure's site, other issues related to safety considerations and traffic detouring are consequently bypassed. The proposed system gives an inspector the ability to compare the current (visual) situation of a structure with its former condition. If an inspector notices a defect in the current view, he/she can request a reconstruction of the same view using images that were previously captured and automatically stored in a database. Furthermore, by generating databases that consist of periodically captured images of a structure, the proposed system allows an inspector to evaluate the evolution of changes by simultaneously comparing the structure's condition at different time periods. The essential components of the proposed virtual image reconstruction system are: keypoint detection, keypoint matching, image selection, outlier exclusion, bundle adjustment, composition, and cropping. Several illustrative examples are presented in this article to demonstrate the capabilities, as well as the limitations, of the proposed vision-based inspection procedure.
Structural health monitoring of bolted joints using linear and nonlinear acoustic/ultrasound methods
Authors: Amerini F , Meo M
Published: February 2011

The structural health monitoring (SHM) of structures is acquiring a key role in the present time. An in situ system able to assess the health state of bolted joints would save money and maintenance time, by allowing quick assessment of residual life and degradation state of structures. In the last decades, SHM systems based on linear acoustic/ultrasound methods have been investigated extensively. The scope of this study was to develop a reliable index able to assess the loosening/tightening health state of a bolted structure based on linear and nonlinear acoustic/ultrasound parameters. In particular, for the linear acoustic/ultrasound method, a tightening/loosening state index based on the first-order acoustic moment was developed. This method is based on the assumption that a change of signal energy would be recorded for different loosening/tightening states. As for the nonlinear methods, under single- and multi-frequency excitation, high-harmonics generation and sidebands modulation indices were developed. The developed tightening/loosening state index trend was very well reproduced by an analytical expression where they are expressed as function of the torque applied. In particular, the fully loosened (kissing bond) and tight state of bolted structures can be clearly identified by the measured plateau region. The proposed analytical trend approximates the experimental results with excellent correlation. By knowing this trend and measuring the proposed indices, it would be possible to know the torque applied on the bolt and therefore assess the health state of a bolted structure.
Rotor health monitoring combining spin tests and data-driven anomaly detection methods
Authors: Abdul-Aziz Ali , Woike Mark R , Oza Nikunj C , Matthews Bryan L , lekki John D
Published: February 2011

Health monitoring is highly dependent on sensor systems that are capable of performing in various engine environmental conditions and able to transmit a signal upon a predetermined crack length, while acting in a neutral form upon the overall performance of the engine system. Efforts are under way at NASA Glenn Research Center through support of the Intelligent Vehicle Health Management Project (IVHM) to develop and implement such sensor technology for a wide variety of applications. These efforts are focused on developing high temperature, wireless, low cost, and durable products. In an effort to address technical issues concerning health monitoring, this article considers data collected from an experimental study using high frequency capacitive sensor technology to capture blade tip clearance and tip timing measurements in a rotating turbine engine-like-disk to detect the disk faults and assess its structural integrity. The experimental results composed at a range of rotational speeds from tests conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center’s Rotordynamics Laboratory are evaluated and integrated into multiple data-driven anomaly detection techniques to identify faults and anomalies in the disk. In summary, this study presents a select evaluation of online health monitoring of a rotating disk using high caliber capacitive sensors and demonstrates the capability of the in-house spin system.
Dempster–Shafer evidence theory approach to structural damage detection
Authors: Bao Yuequan , Li Hui , An Yonghui , Ou Jinping
Published: February 2011

In this study, the Dempster–Shafer (D–S) evidence theory-based approach for structural damage detection is presented. First, the damage basic probability assignment (BPA) function of substructures using each data set measured from the monitored structure is calculated. Then, the D–S evidence theory is employed to combine the individual damage BPAs in order to reach the final damage detection results. To reduce the computational cost of this method when used in complex structures, the preliminary damage range is first localized by modal strain energy method. An experimental investigation on a 20-bay rigid truss structure is carried out to illustrate the identified ability of the proposed approach with considering the uncertainty of model and measurement noise. The results indicate that the damage detection results obtained by combining the damage BPAs from each test data are better than the individual results obtained by each test data separately.
Impact detection in anisotropic materials using a time reversal approach
Authors: Ciampa F , Meo M
Published: February 2011

This article presents an in situ imaging method able to detect in real-time the impact source location in reverberant complex composite structures using only one passive sensor. This technique is based on the time reversal acoustic method applied to a number of waveforms stored in a database containing the impulse response (Green’s function) of the structure. The proposed method allows achieving the optimal focalization of the acoustic emission source in the time and spatial domain as it overcomes the drawbacks of other ultrasonic techniques. This is mainly due to the dispersive nature of guided Lamb waves as well as the presence of multiple scattering and mode conversion that can degrade the quality of the focusing, causing poor localization. Conversely, using the benefits of a diffuse wave field, the imaging of the source location can be obtained through a virtual time reversal procedure, which does not require any iterative algorithms and a priori knowledge of the mechanical properties and the anisotropic group speed. The efficiency of this method is experimentally demonstrated on a stiffened composite panel. The results showed that the impact source location can be retrieved with a high level of accuracy in any position of the structure (maximum error was less than 3%).
Where Do College Students Get Health Information? Believability and Use of Health Information Sources
Authors: Vader Amanda M. , Walters Scott T. , Roudsari Bahaman , Nguyen Norma
Published: February 2011

This study aims to identify predictors of use of health information sources among U.S. college students. For this purpose, the Spring 2006 American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) database of 94,806 students at 117 colleges and universities was used. Univariate and multivariable analyses of survey data were conducted. The four most believable sources of health information as indicated by survey respondents were health center medical staff, health educators, faculty or coursework, and parents. Health center medical staff, health educators, and faculty or coursework were underutilized in relation to their perceived believability, whereas parents were both used and believed at high frequencies. In general, older students, females, full time students, and Black and Hispanic students were more likely to use information from one of the four health sources. However, there was considerable subgroup variability, especially in the use of parents as a health information source. The authors conclude that information on use and believability of health information sources can help colleges to design more effective health information campaigns.