bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trade Environment Changes and the Expansion of Private Chinese Exports
Authors: Swenson Deborah L.
Published: March 2013

This paper examines how changes in China's trade environment contributed to the rise in private firm exports. Data from 1997 to 2009 reveal that both increased exposure to multinational firm exports in related industries and expansion in private firm imports at the broad industry level contributed to private firm export growth. The benefits of multinational exposure are particularly strong for consumer goods, and the benefits of private firm provincial imports are most strongly linked to private firm exports of capital goods and intermediate inputs. In contrast, special economic zones and technology zones did not increase private firm exports. Further investigation of the export transaction data at the product level suggest that Chinese private firm export capability was increased by (1) improvements in product quality that was fostered by proximity to multinational firms; and (2) improved access to imported intermediate inputs.
The Effect of Attention on Repetition Suppression and Multivoxel Pattern Similarity
Authors: Moore Katherine S. , Yi Do-Joon , Chun Marvin
Published: March 2013

Fundamental to our understanding of learning is the role of attention. We investigated how attention affects two fMRI measures of stimulus-specific memory: repetition suppression (RS) and pattern similarity (PS). RS refers to the decreased fMRI signal when a stimulus is repeated, and it is sensitive to manipulations of attention and task demands. In PS, region-wide voxel-level patterns of responses are evaluated for their similarity across repeated presentations of a stimulus. More similarity across presentations is related to better learning, but the role of attention on PS is not known. Here, we directly compared these measures during the visual repetition of scenes while manipulating attention. Consistent with previous findings, we observed RS in the scene-sensitive parahippocampal place area only when a scene was attended both at initial presentation and upon repetition in subsequent trials, indicating that attention is important for RS. Likewise, we observed greater PS in response to repeated pairs of scenes when both instances of the scene were attended than when either or both were ignored. However, RS and PS did not correlate on either a scene-by-scene or subject-by-subject basis, and PS measures revealed above-chance similarity even when stimuli were ignored. Thus, attention has different effects on RS and PS measures of perceptual repetition.
The New Life Movement at War: Wartime Mobilisation and State Control in Chongqing and Chengdu, 1938–1942
Authors: Ferlanti Federica
Published: March 2013

The New Life Movement is remembered in Chinese history primarily as the movement which Chiang Kai-shek launched in Jiangxi province in 1934 to change Chinese people’s habits. This paper makes a different case: it argues that the New Life Movement and its organisations were central into the Nationalist Government’s wartime mobilisation, and that the involvement of the civil servants through the NLM prevented the disintegration of society and administrative institutions under the impact of the war. This paper focuses on Chongqing and Chengdu between 1938 and 1942 and draws on archival materials and official reports to assess the scope of the Nationalists’ wartime mobilisation. It analyses the involvement of the NLM organisations in the fundraising effort, in the mobilisation of women civil servants, and in the organisation of relief work in the first phase of the war and challenge the long-held view that the Nationalists’ wartime mobilisation was insubstantial.
Mobilising Women: The Women’s Advisory Council, Resistance and Reconstruction during China’s War with Japan
Authors: Schneider Helen M.
Published: March 2013

This article uses the Women’s Advisory Council of the New Life Movement to show how educated women developed their own concepts of wartime responsibilities as they conducted resistance and social construction programmes. It particularly examines their work with rural women and efforts to improve education, production, life habits and national consciousness. In transferring their vision of China’s development to uneducated compatriots in the interior, the Council cadres attempted to bolster their social authority and prove their leadership abilities. Their work explicates another dimension of the lasting consequences to wartime relief provision.
A Chinese Beveridge Plan: The Discourse of Social Security and the Post-War Reconstruction of China
Authors: Ma Tehyun
Published: March 2013

This article explores planning for reconstruction in the Republic of China by focusing especially on the response to the British government-commissioned 1942 Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Social Insurance and Allied Services, better known as the Beveridge Plan, a blueprint for the post-war welfare state. The Beveridge Report was translated into Chinese in 1943, and its ideas were widely discussed among cosmopolitan social policy experts in the Republic of China’s Ministry of Social Affairs. Chinese delegates returned from the International Labour Organisation conference in Philadelphia in 1944 persuaded that social security was the spirit of the age, and began to draw up plans for what one policymaker called China’s own Beveridge Plan. After 1945 some of these ideas were incorporated into policy. I argue that while the debate over social welfare in the Republic of China (ROC) hinged on indigenous traditions of benevolence, labour unrest and the relative weakness of the ROC state, it was also shaped by the nation’s alliance with Britain and the US in particular, and the role of social policy experts in multinational organisations and networks.
Amnesty for War Crimes in Angola: Principled for a Day?
Authors: van Wijk Joris
Published: March 2013

In April 2012, Angola celebrated ten years of a peace deal which contained an amnesty law. The Angolan government has over the past ten years demonstrated to be unwilling to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes. Potential war criminals currently (still) take important positions in the Angolan government or live as well known public figures in- and outside Angola. The author analyses that especially a lack of domestic interest in doing justice and third countries’ interests in Angola’s oil reserves might serve as an explanation why up to this moment no justice has been done. The Angolan case illustrates how international actors may react by taking a ‘one-day principled position’ when it comes to calling for prosecution. Potentially hampering fragile peace negotiations, critique on the blanket nature of the amnesty is before and immediately after the peace process voiced, not to be repeated anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
Prosecuting War Crimes at Home: Lessons from the War Crimes Chamber in the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Martin-Ortega Olga
Published: March 2013

The development of an international criminal system to provide justice for international crimes must be complemented by national processes of prosecution and adjudication. In order to guarantee international standards of justice it is necessary to support national efforts of accountability by creating infrastructure and capacity in those countries where the atrocities took place. The War Crimes Chambers of the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its accompanying Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office, represent one of the most salient examples of these complementary efforts. In their six years of existence these institutions have accumulated a solid record of prosecutions, developed a considerable practice and established themselves solidly within the Bosnian judicial system and the international network of hybrid and national tribunals. This article considers these years of practice and the lessons that can be learnt for future national processes of prosecution of mass atrocity after conflict.
Do Foreign Occupations Cause Suicide Attacks?
Authors: Collard-Wexler Simon , Pischedda Costantino , Smith Michael G.
Published: March 2013

The phenomenon of suicide attacks has dramatically expanded over the last twenty years, rising from no events in 1980 to a total of 1,398 events by 2008. A prominent theory has argued that suicide attacks are a coercive strategy aimed at ending foreign military occupation by democracies. Yet these conclusions are based on a research design that is affected by selection bias and that fails to distinguish foreign occupations from cases of groups seeking independence or autonomy, which we term domestic occupations. Analyzing an original data set that distinguishes the different types of occupation, we find that only foreign occupations have a strong and consistent effect on the incidence of suicide attacks. The reason, we argue, is that suicide attacks only become cost effective when targets are both hardened and accessible, a strategic environment that is more common to civil wars and foreign occupations than to domestic occupations.
Input–Output Efficiency of Urban Agglomerations in China: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)
Authors: Fang ChuangLin , Guan XingLiang , Lu ShaSha , Zhou Min , Deng Yu
Published: March 2013

Urban agglomerations (UAs) in China play a vital role in the distribution of productive forces and constitute the most dynamic and potentially rich core areas for future economic development. However, the rapid economic growth and high-intensity interactions seen in relation to these areas, results of the high population densities and aggregation of industries in UAs, also pose significant ecological threats to the environment. This paper attempts to analyse changing trends in the input–output efficiency of UAs in China based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. The paper investigates the DEA efficiency of UAs with different population sizes and geographical locations, explores the relationship between the elements that make up a decomposed model of efficiency and compares the efficiency performance of China’s UAs with that of 35 central cities. Moreover, the exogenous factors determining the input–output efficiency of UAs, the question of how to improve UAs’ efficiency performance, as well as the focus of future research are also discussed. A number of valuable implications have been drawn from the study, which may be helpful to the task of understanding more deeply the high-density aggregation effects of UAs in China.
Quantitative Assessment of In Vivo Breast Masses Using Ultrasound Attenuation and Backscatter
Authors: Nam Kibo , Zagzebski James A. , Hall Timothy J.
Published: March 2013

Clinical analysis of breast ultrasound imaging is done qualitatively, facilitated with the ultrasound breast imaging–reporting and data system (US BI-RADS) lexicon, which helps to standardize imaging assessments. Two descriptors in that lexicon, “posterior acoustic features” and the “echo pattern” within a mass, are directly related to quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters, namely, ultrasound attenuation and the average backscatter coefficient (BSC). The purpose of this study was to quantify ultrasound attenuation and backscatter in breast masses and to investigate these QUS properties as potential differential diagnostic markers. Radio frequency (RF) echo signals were from patients with breast masses during a special ultrasound imaging session prior to core biopsy. Data were also obtained from a well characterized phantom using identical system settings. Masses include 14 fibroadenomas and 10 carcinomas. Attenuation for the acoustic path lying proximal to the tumor was estimated offline using a least squares method with constraints. BSCs were estimated using a reference phantom method (RPM). The attenuation coefficient within each mass was assessed using both the RPM and a hybrid method, and effective scatterer diameters (ESDs) were estimated using a Gaussian form factor model. Attenuation estimates obtained with the RPM were consistent with estimates done using the hybrid method in all cases except for two masses. The mean slope of the attenuation coefficient versus frequency for carcinomas was 20% greater than the mean slope value for the fibroadenomas. The product of the attenuation coefficient and anteroposterior dimension of the mass was computed to estimate the total attenuation for each mass. That value correlated well with the BI-RADS assessment of “posterior acoustic features” judged qualitatively from gray scale images. Nearly all masses were described as “hypoechoic,” so no strong statements could be made about the correlation of echo pattern findings in BI-RADS with the averaged BSC values. However, most carcinomas exhibited lower values for the frequency-average BSC than fibroadenomas. The mean ESD alone did not differentiate the mass type, but fibroadenomas had greater variability in ESDs within the ROI than that found for invasive ductal carcinomas. This study demonstrates the potential to use attenuation and QUS parameters associated with the BSC as quantitative descriptors.
Beyond the news desk – the embeddedness of business news
Authors: Grünberg Jaan , Pallas Josef
Published: March 2013

The relations between the media and their corporate sources have become increasingly routinized and organized. In contrast to traditional perspectives on news making this article introduces an embeddedness perspective on business journalism and reports on the findings from a study of the way the major Swedish corporations and financial analysts contribute to and participate in the production of business news. Through a qualitative analysis of two cases we show that such production is organized and carried out in a stream of continuous and well-coordinated activities and structured interaction settings – that is, in a system of recursive mediation. Our analysis further illustrates how this system is maintained through the technological, relational and situational embeddedness of the activities and settings. Through our studies we show how news production has developed outside the journalistic domain. One implication of our findings is that the possibility of individual actors influencing the content of the news is likely to be limited. Instead, it is the actors’ ability to join the organizational and technological settings in which news material is generated that gives them the opportunity to actively participate in news production.
Spouse caregivers of people with advanced dementia in nursing homes: A longitudinal narrative study
Authors: Hennings Jean , Froggatt Katherine , Payne Sheila
Published: March 2013

Background:

Dementia is a life limiting illness and is becoming a major cause of death in developed countries. Many people with dementia die in nursing homes or long-term residential care settings. Spouse caregivers of people with dementia living in nursing homes find themselves in a position which is difficult to understand and live with.

Aim:

To explore the caregiving experiences of spouse carers of people with advanced dementia living in nursing homes.

Design:

Longitudinal narrative study using three sequential interviews and diary accounts.

Setting/participants:

Spouse caregivers of people with dementia nearing the end of life were recruited from two nursing homes in Northern England.

Results:

Twenty-seven interviews were conducted and seven diaries collected from 10 spouse caregivers (7 women and 3 men). We demonstrate that for this group the experience of caregiving is one of struggle to live in ‘two worlds’, the world of the nursing home and the world of wider society, where, in both settings, their role is often ambiguous and their position liminal. We also identify that feelings of guilt associated with nursing home placement of a spouse with dementia endure far beyond the time of the move.

Conclusions:

Nursing home staff need to acknowledge spouse carers in their own right, inviting them to tell their stories. We recommend that communication skills be included in educational programmes for nursing home staff. Further research is needed to determine the shape and context of carer needs assessment and support, as recommended in health policy.
Anchoring frame for intra-abdominal surgery
Authors: Salerno Marco , Tognarelli Selene , Quaglia Claudio , Dario Paolo , Menciassi Arianna
Published: March 2013

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is one of the modern surgical techniques that led to the miniaturization of surgical tools and brings the concept of inserting many robotic units into the peritoneal cavity for executing “scarless” surgical tasks. However, the development of transabdominal anchoring systems that guarantee stability is recognized as a challenging issue in the design of miniature intra-abdominal robotic devices. A dedicated platform, exploiting magnetic coupling for anchoring, has been designed by respecting anatomical constraints, maximizing the volume to increase the number of embedded magnets, and consequently incrementing operating distance. The device is equipped with a SMA (shape memory alloy) mechanism that allows configuration change from an extended cylindrical (compliant for deployment) to a compact triangular (rigid for providing stability) design. The feasibility and the potential of the proposed platform have been demonstrated both in in vitro and in in vivo conditions on a human phantom and a porcine model, respectively.
Narratives of Four Māori Ex-Inmates About Their Experiences and Perspectives of Rehabilitation Programmes
Authors: Nakhid Camille , Shorter Lily Tairiri
Published: March 2013

Māori are overrepresented in the criminal justice system in Aotearoa New Zealand. Māori offenders comprise 53% of those serving custodial sentences and 48% serving community-based sentences. The majority of Māori offenders reoffended within 2 years of serving their sentence. A number of programmes aimed at reducing recidivism among Māori have been implemented, and there is considerable debate around the effectiveness of these programmes. This qualitative study focuses on the narratives of four Māori male ex-inmates about their reoffending and their experiences of the rehabilitation programmes during their incarceration. Using a narrative approach, the study sought to hear the shared stories from the men and to determine what they believe would have reduced their reoffending. The stories revealed that a lack of financial resources and gang connections influenced reoffending; the value of prison rehabilitation programmes varied depending on their appropriateness to the inmate and to their intended outcomes; and healing programmes incorporating kaupapa Māori principles and practices assisted the participants in understanding their cultural heritage and communicating with society in more acceptable ways.
Adolescent Delinquency and Antisocial Tendencies as Precursors to Adult Violent Offending
Authors: Laubacher Arja , Rossegger Astrid , Endrass Jérôme , Angst Jules , Urbaniok Frank , Vetter Stefan
Published: March 2013

Studies on adult sex and violent offenders have found high rates of adolescent delinquency, while early delinquency has been shown to be significantly associated with adult offending. The examined subsample ( n = 123) of a longitudinal prospective study ( n = 6,315) includes all men who at the age of 19 had an entry in the criminal records. During the observation period of 34 years, 68.3% of the sample had been reconvicted as adults, 23.6% for violent or sex offenses. The odds of adult sex or violent offending were 2.8 times higher for those who had committed a violent offense in adolescence and 1.05 times higher for any offense committed before the age of 19. The characteristics of criminal history showed the highest discriminative values (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.61-0.65). The most important finding of this study was that characteristics of adolescent delinquency predicted adult violent or sex offending, whereas socioeconomic and psychiatric characteristics did not.
Processing and characterization of nanographene platelets modified phenolic resin as a precursor to carbon/carbon composites—part I
Authors: Bansal Dhruv , Pillay Selvum , Vaidya Uday
Published: March 2013

Nanographene platelets have been explored as nanofillers for resole type phenolic resin (GP 486G34) with catalyst (GP 4826C) supplied by Georgia Pacific Resins. Previous studies have shown that carbon nanofillers including single-walled carbon nanotubes, vapor-grown carbon nanofibers and graphite powder are shown to increase dimensional stability, carbon content and thermomechanical properties. In the present study, 0.5%, 1.5%, 3% and 5% by weight dispersions of nanographene platelets in phenolic resin were compared with corresponding dispersions of vapor-grown carbon nanofibers in phenolic resin to investigate the effect on curing reaction and rheological and wetting behaviors. 0.5 wt% nanographene platelets increased the heat of curing of neat phenolic resin by 33% compared with 26% increase in 0.5 wt% vapor-grown carbon nanofibers. Due to the mechanism of inter-platelet sliding of nanographene platelets, 0.5 wt% nanographene platelets reduced the steady shear viscosity of phenolic resin by 48% compared with that of neat resin after 1.5 h at 1% strain rate. The lower viscosity of 0.5 wt% nanographene platelets dispersion led to lower (20°) contact angle compared with neat phenolic (29.57°) with 8-harness satin weave carbon fabric after 10 s of contact with the fabric. Due to lower viscosity of nanographene platelets/phenolic dispersions and higher heat of curing, nanographene platelets could be potential carbon nanofiller for densifying carbon/carbon composites during manufacture.
Impact evaluation of Kevlar-based angle-interlock woven textile composite structures
Authors: Zahid Bilal , Chen Xiaogang
Published: March 2013

This article is a part of the research investigating the impact evaluation of angle-interlock woven Kevlar-based composite structures. The research work focuses on energy absorption and force attenuation. This study was conducted in order to understand the behaviour of the fabric layering effect on composite properties and the effect of layering orientation in multilayer composites. In this article, Kevlar-based textile composite structures having angle-interlock weave were developed using vacuum bagging technique and impact tests were carried out on the drop weight impact testing instrument. The result shows that the thickness plays a vital role in energy absorption and force transmission capabilities.
Dynamic mechanical response and fade–recovery performance of friction composites: effect of flyash and resin combination
Authors: Jaggi Harjeet S , Tiwari Avinash , Satapathy Bhabani K , Patnaik Amar
Published: March 2013

Flyash-filled and glass fibre-reinforced phenolic composites have been fabricated by compression molding. The composites were characterized for their mechanical, thermo-mechanical, tribological and morphological attributes. Temperature dependence of mechanical properties has been investigated using dynamic mechanical analyzer. Tribological properties of the composites were evaluated by chase friction tester conforming to SAE J661a standard. An inverse relation between the storage modulus and wear has emerged, indicating wear to be mainly controlled by the fibre/filler matrix interfacial characteristics. Tribo-analysis reveals improvement in the friction fluctuations, whereas wear resistance deteriorates with increase in the ratio of flyash to resin content. Temperature-dependent reduction and revival of friction coefficient revealed the improvement in the average friction–recovery performance although the friction–fade response was found to be mostly unaffected due to compositional variation. SEM analysis is carried out to study the topography of the contact patches/friction film and associated wear mechanism of the phenolic-based composites, which has further revealed more of the secondary plateaus for composites containing more of the phenolic content. Disc rubbing intensity, as obvious from the energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (Fe content), becomes less prominent with increase in the ratio of flyash to resin content.
Mathematical modelling of the interaction between wind and aviation-fuel fire engulfing a fuselage-sized cylinder
Authors: Wang Guo D , Wang Hui Y , Most Jean M
Published: March 2013

This numerical study focuses on the fire phenomenology associated with the presence of a cylindrical object immersed, at one particular location and orientation, within a large aviation-fuel fire in a moving fluid medium. An extension of the eddy dissipation concept is incorporated, allowing to investigate the roles of the wind speed and its direction on the fire growth, heat flux distribution and smoke products, such as carbon monoxide and soot. The predicted flame shape compares well with the measurements. Moreover, the study has shed new light on the effect of the variation, which is erratic in nature, from the average wind direction on the heat flux distribution. The outcome of the study is interesting, and the interaction model between turbulence and combustion is indeed adequate. The prediction indicates that the interaction between the large object and fire environment combined with the influence of wind conditions affects the location of the continuous flame zone dramatically. The increase in the wind speed results in an alteration of the distribution of the incident heat fluxes to the surface of the engulfed cylinder for a case where the fire and object are of comparable size. The highest heat flux occurs on the windward side of the cylinder for the low and medium winds but on the leeward side of the cylinder for the high wind. The peak heat fluxes to the medium or high wind are almost equal in magnitude but about 50% beyond the ones to the low wind.
Why do poor countries suffer costly conflict? Unpacking per capita income and the onset of civil war
Authors: Jakobsen Tor Georg , De Soysa Indra , Jakobsen Jo
Published: March 2013

Empirical studies on the causes of civil war robustly show that poor countries are more likely to suffer civil war than rich ones. However, the interpretations of this finding differ. The literature proposes three different causal mechanisms: (1) poverty leads to grievances; (2) income proxies the opportunity-cost of rebelling; and (3) income proxies state capacity. Using factor analysis, logistic modeling and multiple imputation, we test which of the three possible explanations can best explain the link between poverty and conflict. We find per capita income to belong to a wealth/poverty dimension, and to have little in common with “pure” measures of grievance and state capacity. Thus our findings support the opportunity-cost argument. The wealth dimension is also shown to be the most important underlying cause of civil war.
Why do states formally invoke the right of individual self-defense? Legal-, diplomatic- and aid-politics to motivate states to respect international law
Authors: Tago Atsushi
Published: March 2013

The use of force is prohibited under the UN Charter. An exception is written in Article 51, which allows a state to conduct an act of self-defense. This study explains why only some states invoke it. The author claims that the baseline probability of claiming the right remains low because explicit reference to Article 51 accompanies the uncertainty of justification success and poses legal and diplomatic costs. However, balanced escalation and no alliance relationship negate those costs and increase the likelihood of self-defense justification. Moreover, under the strict conditionality, minor powers receiving American military aid frequently and promptly claim self-defense.
Analysis for optimal decisions on turning Ti–6Al–4V with Taguchi–grey method
Authors: Satyanarayana Kosaraju , Gopal Anne Venu , Babu Popuri Bangaru
Published: March 2013

The problem of machining titanium is one of the ever-increasing magnitudes due to its low thermal conductivity and work-hardening characteristic. In the present work, experimental studies have been carried out to obtain the optimum conditions for machining titanium alloy. The effect of machining parameters such as speed, feed, depth of cut and back rake angle on cutting force, and surface roughness were investigated. The significance of these parameters, on cutting force and surface roughness, has been established using the analysis of variance. The degree of influence of each process parameter on individual performance characteristic was analyzed from the experimental results obtained using the grey relational grade matrix. The back rake angle was identified as the most influential process parameter on cutting force and surface roughness. The cutting speed is identified as the most significant parameter for the turning operation according to the weighted sum grade of the cutting force and surface roughness.
Comparative study of impact and static indentation tests on particulate-filled thermoplastic fluoropolymer coatings
Authors: Xu Y , Mellor BG
Published: March 2013

This study investigates the performance of particulate-filled thermoplastic fluoropolymer coatings under both dynamic impact tests and static indentation tests. An instrumented impact testing rig was used to measure the impact energy, impact velocity, acceleration and impact force during the impact tests. Coating samples with different thicknesses of coating layers and steel substrate were impact tested to investigate the effect of coating and substrate thickness on the impact response and damage to the coatings. The data obtained from the dynamic tests were used to calculate the Meyer hardness values of the coating and compared with the Meyer hardness results obtained from Brinell indentation tests on the coating. The Meyer index m was similar under dynamic impact and static indentation testing conditions. The Meyer hardness calculated from the impact tests does not change markedly as a function of depth of penetration normalised to the thickness of coating, whereas the Brinell hardness increases with the depth of penetration to coating thickness ratio. For a given value of indentation strain, the Meyer hardness calculated from the maximum force measured in the impact test is approximately 2.5 times that resulting from the Brinell test. This reflects the fact that the higher strain rate in the impact test would give rise to a higher flow stress and thus hardness.
Comparison of the combustion and exhaust emissions of a compression ignition engine fuelled with diesel from direct coal liquefaction and diesel blends
Authors: Zhuang Jian , Qiao Xinqi , Wang Zhen , Bai Jinlong , Hu Yunjian , Jin Huannian , Shi Yulin
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study is to compare the combustion and exhaust emissions of a four-stroke diesel engine with supercharging and a high-pressure common-rail injection system fuelled with diesel from direct coal liquefaction, with diesel and with their blends. The operating conditions are set at an engine speed of 1450 r/min, an engine torque of 112 N m (low load; a brake mean effective pressure of 0.2964 MPa) and an engine torque of 224 N m (medium load; a brake mean effective pressure of 0.5928 MPa). The injection pressure is set at 1000 bar, and the injection timing is set at 2.5° crank angle after top dead centre and 3.5° crank angle after top dead centre for the low load and the medium load respectively. The experimental results show that, for the two loads, the phases of the peak pressure and the maximum heat release rate are retarded on increasing the proportion of diesel from direct coal liquefaction; meanwhile, the ignition delay increases significantly, and the combustion duration decreases obviously. The nitrogen oxide and soot emissions decrease simultaneously and the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions increase significantly on increasing amount of diesel from direct coal liquefaction. The trade-off relationship between nitrogen oxide emissions and soot emissions can be improved when the diesel engine is fuelled with diesel from direct coal liquefaction instead of with diesel. An artificial neural network is used to predict accurately the exhaust emissions (nitrogen oxide, soot, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon) and the fuel consumption of the blend containing 50% diesel and 50% diesel from direct coal liquefaction over the European Stationary Cycle.
Effects of the injection timing on the engine performance and the exhaust emissions of a diesel engine fuelled by tyre pyrolysis oil–diesel blends
Authors: Lin Geng-Hung , Kuo Chun-Pao
Published: March 2013

In this study, the production of tyre pyrolysis oil using pyrolysis between the temperatures of 673 K and 873 K is reported. The effects of the injection timing on the performance and the exhaust emissions of a four-cylinder in-line diesel engine using tyre pyrolysis oil blends (in 10% increments from 0% to 20%) are experimentally investigated. The engine speeds are set at 1440 r/min, 2160 r/min and 3600 r/min under a constant engine load (85 N m). Adjusting the shim thickness adjusts the injection timings at 10° crank angle before top dead centre, 14° crank angle before top dead centre and 18° crank angle before top dead centre. The experimental results indicate that tyre pyrolysis oil blends with identical injection timings generate higher levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions and increased the brake specific fuel consumption, as well as reducing the oxygen emission, compared with the corresponding situation when diesel is used. An advanced injection timing in all the test situations resulted in lower carbon monoxide and oxygen concentrations than the default injection timing did. However, the nitrogen oxide concentration is higher than that for the default injection timing. In contrast, although a delayed injection timing can reduce the nitrogen oxide and oxygen emission concentrations, the carbon monoxide emission concentrations are increased. Regarding the brake specific fuel consumption, the advanced and the delayed injection timings result in negative effects for all the test situations and oil samples.
The effects of tamping on railway track geometry degradation
Authors: Audley M , Andrews JD
Published: March 2013

The UK rail industry remains a safe, reliable and competitive alternative to other forms of transport. Maintaining such an ageing, increasingly utilized, railway network with limited financial resources is a major challenge. By utilizing data on the UK network track geometry collected over six years, along with available records of maintenance performed during this period, the effects of tamping on track geometry degradation have been analysed. This paper presents a Weibull approach to analyse the distributions of times for the track geometry to degrade to specified states following maintenance. Track quality is given by the standard deviation of the averaged vertical position of the rails taken over a 35 m wavelength. The quality of the track geometry is also investigated after tamping has been performed. The results of this study show that traffic speed and the maintenance history of any line have an effect on geometry deterioration. Furthermore, support is provided to the argument that tamping damages track ballast.
Internal model control of switched reluctance motor with torque observer for plant–model mismatches
Authors: Shang Wanfeng , Ma Hongwei , Wang Chuanwei
Published: March 2013

As it is difficult to develop an accurate switched reluctance motor model for its highly nonlinear magnetization characteristics, the control system of switched reluctance motor ought to be robust to model inaccuracies. This article presents an internal model control scheme integrating with an internal model, feedback linearization technique, and filter technique such that the control system of switched reluctance motor is convergent and robust against parameter disturbances and plant–model mismatches. An internal model of switched reluctance motor is established based on the estimated derivative of speed and torque, so the speed ripple can be reduced. Furthermore, a torque observer is equipped with the model for compensating a disturbance torque. Simulation results demonstrate that internal model control in switched reluctance motor drive system can effectively reduce torque and speed ripple, and it is highly robust to plant–model mismatches. Experimental results further verify the effectiveness of internal model control as an alternative control technique for a flexible process of a mechanical press driven by switched reluctance motor.
Adjusted inference procedures for the interobserver agreement in twin studies
Authors: Dixon Stephanie N , Donner Allan , Shoukri Mohamed M
Published: March 2013

We propose adjusted inference procedures for evaluating the agreement/disagreement of two raters in a clustered setting involving twins or paired body parts. These procedures include the construction of a confidence interval for the kappa statistic, a related test of statistical significance and a formula that facilitates sample size estimation. The results of a simulation study suggest that a simple adjustment using an estimated design effect will provide valid inferences. The methods proposed are illustrated using an example from the literature.
Notes on testing noninferiority in multivariate binary data under the matched-pair design
Authors: Lui Kung-Jong , Chang Kuang-Chao
Published: March 2013

Since therapeutic efficacy is often measured by multiple endpoints, it will be of use if one can incorporate the information on various variables of response into procedures for testing noninferiority to improve power of a univariate test procedure for each individual variable. On the basis of the proposed mixed effects logistic regression model for multivariate binary data under the matched-pairs design, we develop procedures for testing noninferiority with respect to the odds ratio in multivariate binary data under the matched-pair design. We discuss use of Bonferroni’s and Scheffe’s methods to control the inflation in Type I error due to multiple tests. We further employ Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate and compare the performance of these test procedures. Finally, we use the data taken from a crossover clinical trial that monitored several adverse events of an antidepressive drug to illustrate the use of test procedures derived here.
Material-induced anisotropic damage in DP600
Authors: Niazi MS , Wisselink HH , Meinders VT , van den Boogaard AH
Published: March 2013

Plasticity-induced damage development in metals is anisotropic by nature. The anisotropy in damage is driven by two different phenomena: anisotropic deformation state i.e. load-induced anisotropic damage (LIAD) and anisotropic microstructure i.e. material-induced anisotropic damage (MIAD). The contribution of second-phase particles can be anisotropic in terms of shape as well as distribution. Most of the continuum anisotropic damage models mimic the phenomenon of LIAD only. Not much attention has been paid to MIAD. This work shows the existence of MIAD in a (pre-production) grade of dual-phase steel (DP600). The aim is to see the influence of MIAD on post-localization deformation behavior and final failure mode. The deformation in this material is almost isotropic up to localization but the post-localization deformation and final failure mode is different when loaded in 0° and 90° to rolling direction. Tensile specimens were deformed up to final failure. A few specimens were stopped just before the final failure. Scanning electron microscopic analysis was carried out to study martensite morphology and damage in these specimens. The martensite morphology showed anisotropy in shape and orientation in the undeformed specimens. Significant MIAD was observed in the deformed tensile specimens due to the anisotropic martensite morphology. MIAD explains direction-dependent post-localization deformation, final failure mode, and formability of this material. Lemaitre's anisotropic damage model is modified to account for MIAD in a phenomenological manner. The MIAD parameters were determined from tensile tests carried out in 0°, 45°, and 90° to the rolling direction.
Electromigration in lead-free solder joints under high-frequency pulse current: An experimental study
Authors: Yao Wei , Basaran Cemal
Published: March 2013

The insatiable demand for miniaturization of consumer electronics has brought continuing challenges in the electronic packaging field. As a consequence, immense information processing duties, high current density and large joule heating are exerted on the package, which makes electromigration and thermomigration a serious reliability issue. In this study, high frequency pulse current electromigration degradation experiments were carried out on Sn96.5%Ag3.0%Cu0.5 (SAC305 - by weight) solder joints. During the test, frequency, current density and duty factors are used as controlling parameters. The nominal current density varied from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], pulsed direct current frequency ranged from 2 MHz to 10 MHz and duty factor varied between 30% and 80% with a controlled ambient temperature at 70℃. It was observed that mean time to failure was inversely proportional to the current density and duty factor. Higher frequency leads to a shorter lifetime within the frequency range we studied. Scanning electron microscope image shows that damage develops at both current crowding corners and the skin layer of solder joints. A mean time-to-failure relationship of lead-free solder joints under pulsed current loading is proposed based on the experimental data.
A Unique Retrorectal Tumor With Neuroendocrine Differentiation
Authors: Misawa Shun-ichi , Horie Hisanaga , Yamaguchi Takehiko , Kobayashi Shigeru , Kumano Hidetoshi , Lefor Alan T. , Yasuda Yoshikazu
Published: March 2013

Retrorectal or presacral tumors are very rare. We report a unique case of a retrorectal tumor with neuroendocrine differentiation, consisting of high- and low-grade components. A 53-year-old woman treated for a perianal abscess at another clinic was referred to our hospital for continued anal pain. Digital rectal examination identified a soft tumor with a smooth surface in the lower rectum. Pelvic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging detected a large cystic tumor measuring 8 cm in diameter in the retrorectal space of the pelvis. The border between the tumor and rectal wall, levator ani and vaginal wall was obscure. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was highly suggestive of carcinoma. Abdominoperineal resection was performed, and the tumor was histologically diagnosed as a neuroendocrine carcinoma based on immunohistochemical staining. No previous case has been reported with cystic growth of a neuroendocrine carcinoma in the retrorectal space.
Miranda Rights Comprehension Instruments
Authors: Frumkin I. Bruce , Sellbom Martin
Published: March 2013

The Miranda Rights Comprehension Instruments (MRCI) constitute a revision of Grisso’s Instruments for Assessing Understanding and Appreciation of Miranda Rights (IAUAMR) original series of tests. We believe that the MRCI represents an improvement in many respects, including (but not limited to) a thorough discussion of admissibility issues in the test manual, simplification of language, the addition of a fifth warning, and updated normative data. We also review some potential challenges associated with the revised MRCI tests. These concerns include inconsistent and confusing terminology in the test manual, potentially nonrepresentative normative data, problematic reliability estimates, issues with scoring criteria for the CMR-II, item and test content representativeness for specific tests, and recommendations on how test effort and malingering should be assessed via the CMR-R-II. We conclude with a series of recommendations for forensic use of the MRCI.
Hannah Arendt, violence and vitality
Authors: Swift Simon
Published: March 2013

This article places Hannah Arendt’s fundamental view of the instrumentality of violence in dialogue with Walter Benjamin’s ‘Critique of Violence’ in order to demonstrate the importance for each of a notion of ‘mere life’ or ‘life itself’ to an understanding of the agency of violence in modernity. Arendt’s critique of vitalism is most fully developed in The Human Condition, where she describes an entanglement of the instrumental activity of homo faber with life and labour in the work of Bergson, Nietzsche and Marx. I suggest that Bergson’s treatment of life as creative evolution unexpectedly yields an accurate description of politics as spontaneous, unpredictable motion that Arendt takes as typical of modernity. Since Arendt also credits Bergson with a decisive influence on what she takes to be a growing commitment to the life-enhancing, creative potential of violence in the oppositional movements of the 1960s, which she explores in her late essay, On Violence, I trace out the continuity between Arendt’s earlier account of homo faber and her later critique of postmodern oppositional violence.
Effects of Intraperitoneal Bevacizumab Administration on Colonic Anastomosis and Early Postoperative Adhesion Formation
Authors: Karanlik Hasan , Kurt Atilla , Kunduz Enver , Serin Kursat , Saglam Sezer , Soydinc Hilal Oguz , Yasasever Vildan , Olgac Vakur , Asoglu Oktar
Published: March 2013

Aim. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of intraperitoneal (IP) bevacizumab on colonic anastomosis and evaluate the effects on early postoperative adhesion formation. Materials and Methods. A total of 24 mature female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. Rats were randomly assigned to a control group that received saline (n = 8) or to experimental groups (n = 8 each) that received bevacizumab at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg (group 1) or 5 mg/kg (group 2). Animals were killed humanely on the seventh day after operation, and measurements of anastomotic strength and biochemical variables were performed. Results. The mean adhesion grade was 2.63 ± 0.92, and 1 ± 0.93 and 0.75 ± 0.71 for the control and test groups, respectively. Bevacizumab significantly reduced adhesion formation in both low-dose and high-dose IP applications ( P < .05). When all groups were compared, it was found that VEGF levels decreased significantly only in the tissue ( P = .001), whereas there was no significant difference in the blood and the IP fluid ( P = .73 and .08, respectively). We evaluated hydroxyproline levels, anastomosis bursting pressure, and histopathological healing scores. When each of these parameters were examined, there was statistical difference between groups ( P = .01, .004, and .01, respectively). It was found that these parameters significantly decreased depending on increasing drug dose. Conclusion. IP administration of bevacizumab effectively reduced the formation of adhesions and caused significant impairment of anastomotic wound healing when standard doses were administered (5 mg/kg), but the 2.5-mg/kg dosage did not affect the anastomotic wound healing and also effectively reduced the formation of adhesions.
Efficacy and safety of rufinamide in pediatric epilepsy
Authors: Hsieh David T. , Thiele Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2013

Rufinamide is a novel anticonvulsant medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008 for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome in patients 4 years of age and older, based upon clinical trials demonstrating clinical efficacy and tolerability. Rufinamide is especially effective for tonic–atonic seizures in Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, but is subsequently proving to be safe and effective in clinical practice for a broad patient population with refractory epilepsy. Although further research and clinical experience is needed, rufinamide holds the promise to positively impact the care of children with epilepsy. In this review, we review the use of rufinamide in pediatric epilepsy, with a focus on efficacy and safety.