bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Diurnal Variation of Mountain Waves
Authors: Jiang Qingfang , Doyle James D.
Published: April 2008

The diurnal variation of mountain waves and wave drag associated with flow past mesoscale ridges has been examined using the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) and an analytical boundary layer (BL) model. The wave drag exhibits substantial diurnal variation in response to the change in the atmospheric BL characteristics, such as the BL depth, shape factor, and stability. During daytime, a convective BL develops, characterized by a shallow shear layer near the surface and a deep well-mixed layer aloft, both of which tend to decrease the wave drag. As a result, the convective BL could significantly weaken mountain waves and reduce the momentum flux by up to 90%. Near the surface, the flow pattern resembles a potential flow with a surface wind maximum located near the ridge crest. During nighttime, a shallow stable BL develops, and the modulation of wave drag by the stable nocturnal BL is governed by the BL Froude number (Fr). If the BL flow is supercritical, the drag increases as Fr decreases toward unity and reaches the maximum around Fr = 1, where the drag could be several times larger than the corresponding free-slip hydrostatic wave drag. If the BL flow is subcritical because of excessive cooling, the drag decreases with decreasing Froude number and the flow pattern near the surface resembles a typical subcritical solution with the wind maximum located near the ridge crest.
CO2 Condensation in Baroclinic Eddies on Early Mars
Authors: Sabato Jude S.
Published: April 2008

The efficacy of a cloud-radiative feedback on early Mars is reexamined in the context of the theory of baroclinic waves in midlatitudes. The feedback has been proposed to explain fluvial features on the surface of Mars. The radiative–convective models used to calculate the magnitude of the feedback require knowledge of the cloud depth, thickness, and areal coverage. Using a quasigeostrophic model and primitive equation simulations, it seems that less than 50% areal cloud cover is likely for early Mars, at least in midlatitudes. In accordance with previous studies for Earth, when condensational heating is included, the updraft region is narrower than in dry eddies. This results in reduced cloud cover and the feedback being weaker than previously thought. The simulations also show that condensation in eddies may have been important on a thick but cold early Mars but that its effects are much weaker for warmer climates.
How Essential is Hydrologic Model Calibration to Seasonal Streamflow Forecasting?
Authors: Shi Xiaogang , Wood Andrew W. , Lettenmaier Dennis P.
Published: April 2008

Hydrologic model calibration is usually a central element of streamflow forecasting based on the ensemble streamflow prediction (ESP) method. Evaluation measures of forecast errors such as root-mean-square error (RMSE) are heavily influenced by bias, which in turn is readily reduced by calibration. On the other hand, bias can also be reduced by postprocessing (e.g., “training” bias correction schemes based on retrospective simulation error statistics). This observation invites the question: How much is forecast error reduced by calibration, beyond what can be accomplished by postprocessing to remove bias? The authors address this question through retrospective evaluation of forecast errors at eight streamflow forecast locations distributed across the western United States. Forecast periods of length ranging from 1 to 6 months are investigated, for forecasts initiated from 1 December to 1 June, which span the period when most runoff occurs from snowmelt-dominated western U.S. rivers. ESP forecast errors are evaluated both for uncalibrated forecasts to which a percentile mapping bias correction approach is applied, and for forecasts from an objectively calibrated model without explicit bias correction. Using the coefficient of prediction (Cp), which essentially is a measure of the fraction of variance explained by the forecast, the authors find that the reduction in forecast error as measured by Cp that is achieved by bias correction alone is nearly as great as that resulting from hydrologic model calibration.
Application of the Multigrid Data Assimilation Scheme to the China Seas’ Temperature Forecast
Authors: Li Wei , Xie Yuanfu , He Zhongjie , Han Guijun , Liu Kexiu , Ma Jirui , Li Dong
Published: April 2008

Correlation scales have been used in the traditional scheme of three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) to estimate the background (or first guess) error covariance matrix (the 𝗕 matrix in brief) for the numerical forecast and reanalysis of ocean for decades. However, it is challenging to implement this scheme. On the one hand, determining the correlation scales accurately can be difficult. On the other hand, the positive definite of the 𝗕 matrix cannot be guaranteed unless the correlation scales are sufficiently small. Xie et al. indicated that a traditional 3DVAR only corrects certain wavelength errors, and its accuracy depends on the accuracy of the 𝗕 matrix. Generally speaking, the shortwave error cannot be sufficiently corrected until the longwave error is corrected. An inaccurate 𝗕 matrix may mistake longwave errors as shortwave ones, resulting in erroneous analyses.

A new 3DVAR data assimilation scheme, called a multigrid data assimilation scheme, is proposed in this paper for quickly minimizing longwave and shortwave errors successively. By assimilating the sea surface temperature and temperature profile observations into a numerical model of the China Seas, this scheme is applied to a retroactive real-time forecast experiment and favorable results are obtained. Compared to the traditional scheme of 3DVAR, this new scheme has higher forecast accuracy and lower root-mean-square errors. Note that the new scheme demonstrates greatly improved numerical efficiency in the analysis procedure.
Quantification of the Lateral Boundary Forcing of a Regional Climate Model Using an Aging Tracer
Authors: Lucas-Picher Philippe , Caya Daniel , Biner Sébastien , Laprise René
Published: April 2008

The present work introduces a new and useful tool to quantify the lateral boundary forcing of a regional climate model (RCM). This tool, an aging tracer, computes the time the air parcels spend inside the limited-area domain of an RCM. The aging tracers are initialized to zero when the air parcels enter the domain and grow older during their migrations through the domain with each time step in the integration of the model. This technique was employed in a 10-member ensemble of 10-yr (1980–89) simulations with the Canadian RCM on a large domain covering North America. The residency time is treated and archived as the other simulated meteorological variables, therefore allowing computation of its climate diagnostics. These diagnostics show that the domain-averaged residency time is shorter in winter than in summer as a result of the faster winter atmospheric circulation. The residency time decreases with increasing height above the surface because of the faster atmospheric circulation at high levels dominated by the jet stream. Within the domain, the residency time increases from west to east according to the transportation of the aging tracer with the westerly general atmospheric circulation. A linear relation is found between the spatial distribution of the internal variability—computed with the variance between the ensemble members—and residency time. This relation indicates that the residency time can be used as a quantitative indicator to estimate the level of control exerted by the lateral boundary conditions on the RCM simulations.
Probabilistic Verification of Monthly Temperature Forecasts
Authors: Weigel Andreas P. , Baggenstos Daniel , Liniger Mark A. , Vitart Frédéric , Appenzeller Christof
Published: April 2008

Monthly forecasting bridges the gap between medium-range weather forecasting and seasonal predictions. While such forecasts in the prediction range of 1–4 weeks are vital to many applications in the context of weather and climate risk management, surprisingly little has been published on the actual monthly prediction skill of existing global circulation models. Since 2004, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts has operationally run a dynamical monthly forecasting system (MOFC). It is the aim of this study to provide a systematic and fully probabilistic evaluation of MOFC prediction skill for weekly averaged forecasts of surface temperature in dependence of lead time, region, and season. This requires the careful setup of an appropriate verification context, given that the verification period is short and ensemble sizes small. This study considers the annual cycle of operational temperature forecasts issued in 2006, as well as the corresponding 12 yr of reforecasts (hindcasts). The debiased ranked probability skill score (RPSSD) is applied for verification. This probabilistic skill metric has the advantage of being insensitive to the intrinsic unreliability due to small ensemble sizes—an issue that is relevant in the present context since MOFC hindcasts only have five ensemble members. The formulation of the RPSSD is generalized here such that the small hindcast ensembles and the large operational forecast ensembles can be jointly considered in the verification. A bootstrap method is applied to estimate confidence intervals. The results show that (i) MOFC forecasts are generally not worse than climatology and do outperform persistence, (ii) MOFC forecasts are skillful beyond a lead time of 18 days over some ocean regions and to a small degree also over tropical South America and Africa, (iii) extratropical continental predictability essentially vanishes after 18 days of integration, and (iv) even when the average predictability is low there can nevertheless be climatic conditions under which the forecasts contain useful information. With the present model, a significant skill improvement beyond 18 days of integration can only be achieved by increasing the averaging interval. Recalibration methods are expected to be without effect since the forecasts are essentially reliable.
Access To Psychoanalytic Ideas in American Undergraduate Institutions
Authors: Redmond Jonathan , Shulman Michael
Published: April 2008

To determine the prevalence of teaching about psychoanalytic ideas in the undergraduate curricula of 150 highly ranked colleges and universities, a software-based search was conducted to find references to psychoanalytic content in published course catalogues. Results showed that psychoanalytic ideas were represented somewhere in the curricula of most (though not all) of these schools, and that overall there were many times more courses featuring psychoanalytic ideas outside psychology departments than within them. The data also suggest that there are regional differences in the likelihood an undergraduate will encounter psychoanalytic ideas at these schools. Though psychoanalytic ideas are available in some form in most of these schools' psychology departments, the average number of courses per school is small. At the same time, psychoanalytic ideas have found applications in many areas of the humanities and social sciences. The nature of the presentation of psychoanalytic ideas in these areas, however, may often be unfamiliar to clinically oriented analysts, as seen in examples of the courses that were found. Challenges and opportunities of the current academic climate vis-à-vis organized psychoanalysis are described and various suggestions made regarding how analysts can engage the academic world to its benefit.
A Parametric Study on the Processing and Physical Characterization of PLGA 50/50 Bioscaffolds
Authors: Leung Linus , Chan Christine , Song Janice , Tam Billy , Naguib Hani
Published: April 2008

The ability to control the characteristics of scaffolds is important such that scaffolds can be fine tuned for specific applications. In this study, the effects of processing parameters on cell morphology and mechanical properties of PLGA 50/50 bioscaffolds for tissue engineering applications were investigated. Specifically, the effects of salt particle sizes and salt-to-polymer mass ratios on the scaffold relative density, average pore size and density, open-cell porosity, and mechanical properties were examined. The PLGA samples were processed using a salt leaching technique in a batch-foaming setup. Experiments showed that pore size and density were dependent on the salt particle size used, and that as the salt-to-polymer mass ratio increased, the porosity increased while the relative density decreased. The results showed that by varying the salt parameters during fabrication, the scaffold characteristics and morphology can be controlled.
Characterization of Syntactic Foams — An Ultrasonic Approach
Authors: Mylavarapu Phani , Woldesenbet Eyassu
Published: April 2008

Syntactic foams are hollow particle filled composites that have recently emerged as attractive materials for use in advanced structural applications. The present study focuses on the effect of radius ratio and volume fraction of microballoons on the ultrasonic properties of syntactic foam composites. Twenty-four different types of syntactic foams, with different radius ratios and volume fractions, are used in this study. Foam slabs are fabricated by varying the volume fraction of microballoons from 10 to 60% for each type of microballoon. The pulse echo method is used for the ultrasonic imaging of these materials, and determines their ultrasonic attenuation behavior. Coefficient of attenuation, ultrasonic velocities, and modulus are observed to depend upon the radius ratio as well as the volume fraction of microballoon of the composites. A major finding in this research is the discovery of a non-destructive method to determine the dynamic modulus of particulate composites.
Effect of Mold Temperature on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Injection Molded HDPE Structural Foams
Authors: Tovar-Cisneros Carlos , González-Núñez Rubén , Rodrigue Denis
Published: April 2008

In this study, HDPE structural foams are produced by injection molding under different mold temperatures to study the effect of this variable on average cell dimension, cell density, and skin thickness ratio. Samples are also produced by setting independently the temperature of the fixed and moving plate of the mold to detect the sensitivity of foam structure to a temperature gradient in processing. The resulting foams are also characterized in terms of mechanical properties including impact and flexural tests. It has been found that for homogeneous mold temperatures, symmetrical skin thicknesses are obtained, which increase with decreasing mold temperature. On the other hand, by keeping one mold face at a constant temperature and varying the second one, asymmetric skin thicknesses are obtained. The degree of asymmetry is found to increase as the temperature difference between both molds increased. Furthermore, decreasing mold temperature produces a small increase in average cell sizes and reduced cell density. In general, both impact strength and flexural moduli of the structural foams increase with increasing skin thickness. For the particular case of asymmetric foams, the flexural moduli are slightly higher when the load is applied on the thicker skin; while much higher impact strength is obtained when the falling weight strikes the samples on the face having the smaller skin thickness.
Judging Necessity
Authors: Feldman Leonard C.
Published: April 2008

This article probes the relationship among constitutionalism, extra-legal prerogative power, and citizen judgment. While much has been written about the nature of Lockean prerogative, and while his theory serves as a direct inspiration for contemporary “normative extra-legalists,” key participants in the debate over emergency powers, less attention has been paid to how the people judge prerogative. Attention to this issue is useful because an examination of the process of political judgment of extra-legalism in Locke leads to a complication of the current extra-legalist vision of democratic mechanisms of accountability. The author argues that the extra-legal approach is right to consider the role of democratic publics in potentially constraining the exercise of emergency powers but wrong to formulate that role as one extra-constitutional power checking another extra-constitutional power. The author situates both prerogative power and citizen judgment of it at the threshold of the constitutional order.
The Answer to Suburbia: Playboy's Urban Lifestyle
Authors: Fraterrigo Elizabeth
Published: April 2008

This article examines images of urban and domestic space that appeared in Playboy magazine in the 1950s and 1960s. It argues that in crafting the bachelor's ideal habitat, Playboy engaged in a popular discourse on changing roles for men and women, transformations in the urban landscape, and a consolidating ethos of consumption. Readers encountered a vision of urban life and domesticity that served as a gendered response to the perceived “feminization” of society and widespread suburbanization while also countering images of urban decline. Playboy's representations of the bachelor pad and the city provide insight into the meanings attached to the evolution of the metropolitan landscape in the postwar period and reveal the cultural foundations for the construction of a masculine identity based on leisure and consumption.
Are altered smooth pursuit eye movements related to chronic pain and disability following whiplash injuries? A prospective trial with one-year follow-up
Authors: Kongsted Alice , Jørgensen Lars Vincents , Leboeuf-Yde Charlotte , Qerama Erisela , Korsholm Lars , Bendix Tom
Published: April 2008

Objective: To evaluate the ability of early smooth pursuit testing to predict chronic whiplash-associated disorders, and to study whether the presence of abnormal smooth pursuit eye movements at one-year follow-up is associated with symptoms at that time.

Design: Prospective cohort study with one-year follow-up.

Setting: The study was carried out at a university research centre and participants were recruited from emergency units and general practitioners.

Subjects: In all, 262 participants were recruited within 10 days from a whiplash injury.

Main measures: Smooth pursuit eye movements were tested with electrooculography (EOG) an average of 12 days after a whiplash trauma and again after one year. Analyses of EOG recordings were computerized. Associations between test results both from baseline and one-year tests and self-reported neck pain, headache, neck disability and working ability one year after the car collision were determined.

Results: Results of early eye movement tests were not associated with the prognosis. Reduced smooth pursuit performance when tested in static cervical rotation at the one-year follow-up was significantly associated with higher neck pain intensity at that time (regression coefficient 0.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04—1.5), but the association was too weak for the test to discriminate between recovered participants and those with lasting symptoms.

Conclusions: Although reduced smooth pursuit performance at one-year follow-up was associated with persistent neck pain, smooth pursuit eye movement tests are not useful as predictive or diagnostic tests in whiplash-associated disorders.
Does electrical stimulation reduce spasticity after stroke? A randomized controlled study
Authors: Bakhtiary Amir H , Fatemy Elham
Published: April 2008

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of electrical stimulation on plantarflexor spasticity in stroke patients.

Design: A randomized controlled clinical trial study.

Setting: Rehabilitation clinic of Semnan University of Medical Sciences.

Subjects: Forty stroke patients (aged from 42 to 65 years) with ankle plantarflexor spasticity.

Intervention: Fifteen minutes of inhibitory Bobath techniques were applied to one experimental group and a combination of 9 minutes of electrical stimulation on the dorsiflexor muscles and inhibitory Bobath techniques was applied to another group for 20 sessions daily.

Main measures: Passive ankle joint dorsiflexion range of motion, dorsiflexion strength test, plantarflexor muscle tone by Modified Ashworth Scale and soleus muscle H-reflex.

Results: The mean change of passive ankle joint dorsiflexion in the combination therapy group was 11.4 (SD 4.79) degrees versus 6.1 (SD 3.09) degrees, which was significantly higher (P = 0.001). The mean change of plantarflexor muscle tonicity measured by the Modified Ashworth Scale in the combination therapy group was -1.6 (SD 0.5) versus -1.1 (SD 0.31) in the Bobath group (P = 0.001). Dorsiflexor muscle strength was also increased significantly (P = 0.04) in the combination therapy group (0.7 ± 0.37) compared with the Bobath group (0.4 ± 0.23). However, no significant change in the amplitude of H-reflex was found between combination therapy (-0.41 ± 0.29) and Bobath (-0.3 ± 0.28) groups.

Conclusion: Therapy combining Bobath inhibitory technique and electrical stimulation may help to reduce spasticity effectively in stroke patients.
Robotic origami folding
Authors: Balkcom Devin J. , Mason Matthew T.
Published: April 2008

Origami, the art of paper sculpture, is a fresh challenge for the field of robotic manipulation, and provides a concrete example of the many difficulties and general manipulation problems faced in robotics. This paper describes our initial exploration, and highlights key problems in the manipulation, modeling, and design of foldable structures. Results include the design of the first origami-folding robot, a complete fold-sequence planner for a simple class of origami, and analysis of the kinematics of more complicated folds, including the common paper shopping bag.
Optimization of Complex Robot Applications under Real Physical Limitations
Authors: Guilbert M. , Joly L. , Wieber P.-B.
Published: April 2008

This paper deals with minimum time trajectory optimization along a specified path subject to thermal constraints. We point out here that robots are often integrated into complex robotic cells, and the interactions between the robot and its environment are often difficult or even impossible to model. The structure of the optimization problem allows us to decompose the optimization into two levels, the first being based on models and results of the theory of the calculus of variations, the second being based on measurements and derivative free algorithms. This decomposition allows us to optimize the velocity profiles efficiently without any advance knowledge of the interactions between the robot and its environment. We propose here two numerical algorithms for these two levels of the decomposition which show good convergence properties. The resulting optimal velocity profiles are 5—10% faster than classical profiles, and have been executed successfully on a real Stäubli Rx90 manipulator robot.
Forging Distinct Paths Towards Authentic Identity
Authors: Deener Andrew
Published: April 2008

This article demonstrates how boardwalk artists who arrive at Venice Beach through various biographical channels adapt to an informal market context by learning economic skills that enable them to present themselves as “Venice Beach Artists.” Although the boardwalk market blurs original biographical distinctions between people who come to share the same market identity in the eyes of visitors, individuals also pursue different versions of authentic identity as Venice Beach Artists. Interlinking studies of outsider art, public interaction, and identity transition, I examine how artists forge distinct paths towards the achievement of authentic identity. Some artists create standards of local authenticity by prioritizing their attachment to the context of Venice Beach and immersing themselves into the neighborhood counter culture. Others manufacture cosmopolitan authenticity by prioritizing their attachment to their perceptions of a successful art career.
Conspicuously Consuming
Authors: Stalp Marybeth C. , Williams Rachel , Lynch Annette , Radina M. Elise
Published: April 2008

Drawing from interviews and fieldwork with Red Hat Society members (RHS), we consider the growing consumer culture of the RHS, how members conspicuously consume red and purple dress, and for what purposes they do so. RHS members in this study develop visible group identity, reinforce traditional gendered behavior, and challenge publicly what it means to be “old.” We investigate consumption as a means of discerning whether midlife women's participation in RHS is a commodity to be marketed, bought, and sold. Is the public space that RHS women take up collectively challenging the ageist ways in which society views aging women? We investigate the consumer culture of the RHS to determine possible links between conspicuous consumption and group identity within the cultural context of aging women's social invisibility.
An Examination of Lesbian/Queer Bathhouse Culture and the Social Organization of (Im)Personal Sex
Authors: Hammers Corie
Published: April 2008

Physical features of space shape the sex and sexual interaction that occurs within bathhouses. Although there is scholarly interest in and documentation of male public sexual cultures, lesbian/queer public sexualities have been sorely neglected. In examining two Canadian lesbian/queer bathhouses— Pussy Palace in Toronto and SheDogs in Halifax—this article fills some of this gap. Utilizing ethnographic methods (in-depth interviews and participant observation), this article accomplishes two objectives: first, it describes the bathhouse setting and how modifications of space affect lesbian/queer sexualities; second, it compares these findings to what has been documented in the way of the gay male bath scene.
Wood Fiber Reinforced Polyethylene and Polypropylene Composites with High Modulus and Impact Strength
Authors: Qiang Yuan  , Donglyang Wu  , Gotama Januar , Bateman Stuart
Published: April 2008

Wood plastic composite with high modulus and impact strength were manufactured by combining polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) with wood fiber (WF) using twin-screw extruder techniques. The advantage of using low melt viscosity polymer matrices is that it enhances the modulus and reduces the overall viscosity of the system. SEM analysis of the composites indicates that the polymer molecules penetrate into the vessels and cracks of the cellulose fiber, which decreases the number of voids and produces a higher density composite with improved mechanical performance. The addition of maleic anhydride-grafted polyolefin as a compatibilizer improves the level of adhesion between the wood fiber and the polyolefin matrix. The impact strength of the composites with compatibilizer is 60% higher than those without. Young's moduli of WF/PE and WF/PP with compatibilizer were 4.4 and 5.4 GPa, respectively, meanwhile the impact strengths of WF/PE and WF/PP were 44 and 24J/m, where the WF content was 50wt%.
Taxation of Nonprofit Associations in an International Comparison
Authors: Dehne Anita , Friedrich Peter , Chang Woon Nam  , Parsche Rüdiger
Published: April 2008

The objective of this study is an investigation of tax regulations for nonprofit associations (NPAs) in EU countries, Japan, and the United States. Following a brief description of qualification principles for NPAs, treatment of business units, or liability issues, a particular focus is put on a comparison of regulations concerning the taxation of current profits, inheritance, and gift taxes and the tax treatment of contributions and membership fees. In general, a strong similarity among the examined developed countries can be found for the different aspects considered, but significant differences also exist.
Validation of Scales From the Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory in a Sample of Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans
Authors: Vogt Dawne S. , Proctor Susan P. , King Daniel W. , King Lynda A. , Vasterling Jennifer J.
Published: April 2008

The Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory (DRRI) is a suite of scales that can be used to assess deployment-related factors implicated in the health and well-being of military veterans. Although initial evidence for the reliability and validity of DRRI scales based on Gulf War veteran samples is encouraging, evidence with respect to a more contemporary cohort of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans is not available. Therefore, the primary goal of the present study was to validate scales from the DRRI in a large sample of OIF army personnel diversified in occupational and demographic characteristics. In general, results supported the use of these DRRI scales in this population. Internal consistency reliability estimates were quite strong. Additionally, support was obtained for criterion-related validity, as demonstrated by associations with mental and physical health measures, and discriminative validity, as demonstrated by differences between key military subgroups.
A Benefit-Based Approach To Market Segmentation: A Case Study of an American Specialty Coffeehouse Chain in Hong Kong
Authors: Tan Amy Y. F. , Lo Ada S. Y.
Published: April 2008

Specialty coffeehouses have become an increasingly important segment of the foodservice industry in Hong Kong. The exponential growth of this segment has generated keen competition. Without a good understanding of their customers, these coffeehouses may end up losing market share to competitors. The purpose of this study is to identify the market segments in Hong Kong specialty coffeehouses based on the benefits sought by customers when they visit specialty coffeehouses. A survey of 1,000 customers was conducted. The results of this study support the effectiveness of segmenting the specialty coffeehouse customers in Hong Kong using the benefits variable. Four distinct segments of customers were identified: service seekers, atmosphere seekers, quality coffee seekers, and marketing-oriented customers. Based on the differences in coffeehouse selection factors, sociodemographic variables, and coffee consumption behaviors among the four segments, managers of specialty coffeehouses in Hong Kong can customize their strategies to meet the needs of these four market segments.
Transient Liquid Phase Diffusion Bonding of Steel Sandwich Panels under Small Plastic Deformation: Lab Experiment, Modeling, and Application
Authors: Hong Li  , Li Zhuo-Xin
Published: April 2008

Plastic deformation was newly introduced in transient liquid phase (TLP) diffusion bonding of steel sandwich panels. The effect of plastic deformation on bonding strength was investigated through lab experiments. It was assumed that three factors, including newly generated metal surface area, deformation heat and lattice distortion all contribute to the acceleration of interface atoms diffusion and increase of diffusion coefficients. A numerical model of isothermal solidification time was developed for TLP bonding process under plastic deformation and applied to carbon steel sandwich panels bonding with copper interlayer. A reasonable isothermal solidification time was obtained when an effective diffusion coefficient was used. Based on lab experiments, the effects of plastic deformation on interlayer film thickness and isothermal solidification time were studied through theoretical calculation with the new model. The evolution of interlayer film thickness indicates a good agreement between the calculation and experimental measurement. The results show that the isothermal solidification time is obviously reduced due to the effect of plastic deformation. Furthermore, a new steel sandwich cooling panel for heat exchanger was fabricated by TLP diffusion bonding under 13.1% plastic deformation. The test results suggest that a steel sandwich panel of inequidistant fin structure can provide enhanced heat transfer efficiency.
The Neuroscience of Stigma and Stereotype Threat
Authors: Derks Belle , Inzlicht Michael , Kang Sonia
Published: April 2008

This article reviews social neuroscience research on the experience of stigma from the target's perspective. More specifically, we discuss several research programs that employ electroencephalography, event-related potentials, or functional magnetic resonance imaging methods to examine neural correlates of stereotype and social identity threat. We present neuroimaging studies that show brain activation related to the experience of being stereotyped and ERP studies that shed light on the cognitive processes underlying social identity processes. Among these are two projects from our own lab. The first project reveals the important role of the neurocognitive conflict-detection system in stereotype threat effects, especially as it pertains to stereotype threat `spillover'. The second project examines the role of automatic ingroup evaluations as a neural mediator between social identity threats and compensatory ingroup bias. We conclude with a discussion of the benefits, limitations, and unique contributions of social neuroscience to our understanding of stigma and social identity threat.
Overcoming health inequalities: a participative evaluation framework fit for the task
Authors: Themessl-Huber Markus , Lazenbatt Anne , Taylor Julie
Published: April 2008

Aims: Healthcare providers are confronted with the claim that the distribution of health and healthcare provision is inherently unfair. There is also a growing awareness that the tools and methodologies applied in tackling health inequalities require further development. Evaluations as well as interventions usually focus on population-based indicators, but do not always provide guidance for frontline service evaluation and delivery. That is why the evaluation framework presented here focuses on facilitating local service development, service provider and user involvement, and the adequate representation of different population groups.

Methods: A participative evaluation framework was constructed by drawing on six common success characteristics extrapolated from the published literature and policies on health inequalities. This framework was then applied to an intervention addressing women's psychosocial health needs in order to demonstrate its utility in practice.

Results: The framework provides healthcare professionals with an evidence-based tool for evaluating projects or programmes targeting health inequalities in ways that are responsive to local contexts and stakeholders.

Conclusion: This participative evaluation framework supports the identification of meaningful psychosocial and contextual indicators for assessing the diverse health and social needs of service users. It uses multi-dimensional indicators to assess health and social care needs, to inform local service development, and to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between researchers, service providers, and service users. The inherent responsiveness enables rigorous yet flexible action on local health inequalities.
Architecture of low-income widow housing: 'spatial opportunities' in Madipur, West Delhi
Authors: Datta Ayona
Published: April 2008

This article is based on a study of Madipur widow colony in west Delhi, built as part of the UN International Year of Shelter for the Homeless in 1987. Designed to accommodate widows from squatter settlements in Delhi, very few of the original houses now survive and very few of the original owners remain. The spatial stories of the participants suggest how and why and under what circumstances a State's visions of empowerment as translated into utopian architectural projects are transformed by the people who inhabit them. They illustrate how a particular set of `spatial opportunities' built into the widow colony are manipulated and seized upon by the participants to produce an uneven geography of architecture and empowerment. This article thus extends the important work on critical geographies of architecture to the architecture of low-income housing in the global South.
Evidence-Based Hand Surgery: The Role of Cochrane Reviews
Authors: SCHÄDEL-HÖPFNER M. , WINDOLF J. , ANTES G. , SAUERLAND S. , DIENER M. K.
Published: April 2008

A detailed literature search was performed to investigate whether the increasing importance of evidence-based hand surgery is reflected in the actual status of Cochrane reviews. Fourteen Cochrane reviews were found and evaluated. Of these, five reviews were in the field of distal radial fractures and four concerned carpal tunnel syndrome. Cochrane reviews were also found for antibiotic treatment, rehabilitation after flexor tendon injuries, mallet finger injuries, little finger metacarpal neck fractures and thumb joint arthritis. All 14 reviews were compromised by methodological flaws and significant clinical heterogeneity of the included studies. Within most reviews the underlying evidence was insufficient and only a very limited number of clinical recommendations could be made. In conclusion, the existing Cochrane reviews in the field of hand surgery show both an increasing interest in establishing systematically summarised knowledge and an enormous demand for good-quality randomised controlled trials.
The Clinical Significance of the Scaphoid Cortical Ring Sign: A Study of Normal Wrist X-Rays
Authors: ABE Y. , DOI K. , HATTORI Y.
Published: April 2008

The scaphoid cortical ring sign, identified as a radiological indicator of rotary subluxation of the scaphoid, is frequently seen on normal wrist X-rays. This study examined the clinical significance of this sign in 139 normal wrists in 114 patients, with a mean age of 52 (range 15–81) years. In this study, there were no significant relationships between the appearance of a cortical ring sign and age, gender or hand dominance. Consequently, a cortical ring sign indicates scaphoid flexion, but may be visible in the normal wrist at any age or gender and in either hand and is not necessarily an indicator of pathology in the wrist.
Open Reduction and Cerclage Wire Fixation for Long Oblique/Spiral Fractures of the Proximal Phalanx of the Fingers
Authors: AL-QATTAN M. M. , AL-ZAHRANI K.
Published: April 2008

Fifteen cases of long oblique/spiral fractures of the shaft of the proximal phalanx of the fingers treated by open reduction, cerclage wire fixation and immediate postoperative mobilisation were studied prospectively. Twelve patients presented early (within 24 hour of injury) and the remaining three cases were treated initially elsewhere by closed reduction and percutaneous oblique K-wire fixation with failure of the fixation. The latter three patients presented to our clinic late (10–14 days after injury). Following internal fixation with cerclage wires, no cases of infection, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Type 1, fracture re-displacement, wire migration or extrusion were noted. One patient complained of a palpable wire which was removed 4 months after surgery. All fractures united and all patients returned to work at a mean of 8 (range 7–11) weeks after surgery. Twelve patients obtained a full range of motion (total active motion–TAM = 260°) and the remaining three patients had a mild (5–15°) flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint. Cerclage wire fixation is an acceptable technique of fixation for these fractures.
The Gliding Force and Work of Flexion in the Early Days after Primary Repair of Lacerated Flexor Tendons: an Experimental Study
Authors: XIE R. G. , CAO Y. , XU X. F. , ZHU B.
Published: April 2008

We measured the resistance to tendon mobilisation within the first 5 days after primary repair of digital flexor tendons of chickens. Forty-six long toes of 23 chickens were assigned to six surgical groups and one unoperated control group. The tendons were partially lacerated and surgically repaired. The resistance to simulated active digital flexion was assessed in six operated groups at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days postoperatively. The force of tendon motion and work of flexion increased gradually from day 0 to day 5. The force and work at days 4 and 5 were significantly higher than those at days 0 and 1. No statistical difference was found in the resistance at days 0, 1, 2 and 3. Our results indicate that the gliding resistance gradually increases over the first 5 days after surgery and suggest that tendon motion may be started after the first 3 days, to avoid moving during this period of increased resistance with increased risk of tendon rupture.
Relocation of Painful Neuromas in Zone III of the Hand and Forearm
Authors: ATHERTON DUNCAN D. , FABRE JAN , ANAND PRAVEEN , ELLIOT DAVID
Published: April 2008

Painful nerves are a difficult and complex clinical problem. We describe the result of treatment by proximal relocation of 51 painful end neuromas and scarred nerves of the forearm in 33 patients. The relocated nerves included 29 superficial radial nerves, 16 lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerves, two medial cutaneous nerves and four posterior cutaneous nerves. These relocations achieved no, or only mild, pain in 100% of nerves at the original site and 94% of nerves at the relocation site. It also achieved no, or only mild, hypersensitivity in 96% of nerves at the original site and 98% of nerves at the relocation site. The technical difficulties encountered in this region, in particular on the radial aspect of the wrist, are discussed.
Role of decorin in the antimyeloma effects of osteoblasts
Authors: Li Xin , Pennisi Angela , Yaccoby Shmuel
Published: April 2008

Building on our previous report that osteoblasts and increased bone formation have a negative impact on myeloma cell growth in a subset of patients, we investigated the role of decorin, the main small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) expressed and produced by osteoblasts, in the antimyeloma effects of osteoblasts. In coculture experiments with osteoblasts, primary myeloma cell survival was significantly higher when decorin expression in osteoblasts was knocked down by short-hairpin RNA. Coculture experiments of myeloma cells and supporting osteoclasts in the presence of osteoblast-conditioned medium showed reduced myeloma cell survival, an effect that was attenuated by decorin-neutralizing antibody. Decorin overexpression in mesenchymal stem cells or use of recombinant decorin in coculture with osteoclasts reduced the ability of osteoclasts to support primary myeloma cell survival. The antimyeloma effect of decorin involved direct induction of apoptosis and activation of p21WAF. Decorin also inhibited myeloma cell-induced tube formation and osteoclast differentiation. Decorin expression was insignificantly lower in patients' than donors' osteoblasts and slightly increased by bortezomib. Certain SLRPs are involved in the antimyeloma effect of osteoblasts directly and indirectly through inhibition of angiogenesis and osteoclastogenesis; therefore, increasing endo-genous or exogenous SLRPs in myelomatous bone may help control myeloma.
H3 K79 dimethylation marks developmental activation of the β-globin gene but is reduced upon LCR-mediated high-level transcription
Authors: Sawado Tomoyuki , Halow Jessica , Im Hogune , Ragoczy Tobias , Bresnick Emery H. , Bender M. A. , Groudine Mark
Published: April 2008

Genome-wide analyses of the relationship between H3 K79 dimethylation and transcription have revealed contradictory results. To clarify this relationship at a single locus, we analyzed expression and H3 K79 modification levels of wild-type (WT) and transcriptionally impaired β-globin mutant genes during erythroid differentiation. Analysis of fractionated erythroid cells derived from WT/Δ locus control region (LCR) heterozygous mice reveals no significant H3 K79 dimethylation of the β-globin gene on either allele prior to activation of transcription. Upon transcriptional activation, H3 K79 di-methylation is observed along both WT and ΔLCR alleles, and both alleles are located in proximity to H3 K79 dimethylation nuclear foci. However, H3 K79 di-methylation is significantly increased along the ΔLCR allele compared with the WT allele. In addition, analysis of a partial LCR deletion mutant reveals that H3 K79 dimethylation is inversely correlated with β-globin gene expression levels. Thus, while our results support a link between H3 K79 dimethylation and gene expression, high levels of this mark are not essential for high level β-globin gene transcription. We propose that H3 K79 dimethylation is destabilized on a highly transcribed template.
Circulating alpha1-antitrypsin in the general population: Determinants and association with lung function
Authors: Senn Oliver , Russi Erich W , Schindler Christian , Imboden Medea , von Eckardstein Arnold , Brändli Otto , Zemp Elisabeth , Ackermann-Liebrich Ursula , Berger Wolfgang , Rochat Thierry , Luisetti Maurizio , Probst-Hensch Nicole M , the SAPALDIA Team
Published: April 2008

Background

Severe alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency associated with low AAT blood concentrations is an established genetic COPD risk factor. Less is known about the respiratory health impact of variation in AAT serum concentrations in the general population. We cross-sectionally investigated correlates of circulating AAT concentrations and its association with FEV1.

Methods

In 5187 adults (2669 females) with high-sensitive c-reactive protein (CRP) levels ≤ 10 mg/l from the population-based Swiss SAPALDIA cohort, blood was collected at the time of follow-up examination for measuring serum AAT and CRP.

Results

Female gender, hormone intake, systolic blood pressure, age in men and in postmenopausal women, as well as active and passive smoking were positively, whereas alcohol intake and BMI inversely correlated with serum AAT levels, independent of CRP adjustment. We observed an inverse association of AAT with FEV1 in the total study population (p < 0.001), that disappeared after adjustment for CRP (p = 0.28). In addition, the AAT and FEV1 association was modified by gender, menopausal status in women, and smoking.

Conclusion

The results of this population-based study reflect a complex interrelationship between tobacco exposure, gender related factors, circulating AAT, systemic inflammatory status and lung function.
A new protein linear motif benchmark for multiple sequence alignment software
Authors: Perrodou Emmanuel , Chica Claudia , Poch Olivier , Gibson Toby J , Thompson Julie D
Published: April 2008

Background

Linear motifs (LMs) are abundant short regulatory sites used for modulating the functions of many eukaryotic proteins. They play important roles in post-translational modification, cell compartment targeting, docking sites for regulatory complex assembly and protein processing and cleavage. Methods for LM detection are now being developed that are strongly dependent on scores for motif conservation in homologous proteins. However, most LMs are found in natively disordered polypeptide segments that evolve rapidly, unhindered by structural constraints on the sequence. These regions of modular proteins are difficult to align using classical multiple sequence alignment programs that are specifically optimised to align the globular domains. As a consequence, poor motif alignment quality is hindering efforts to detect new LMs.

Results

We have developed a new benchmark, as part of the BAliBASE suite, designed to assess the ability of standard multiple alignment methods to detect and align LMs. The reference alignments are organised into different test sets representing real alignment problems and contain examples of experimentally verified functional motifs, extracted from the Eukaryotic Linear Motif (ELM) database. The benchmark has been used to evaluate and compare a number of multiple alignment programs. With distantly related proteins, the worst alignment program correctly aligns 48% of LMs compared to 73% for the best program. However, the performance of all the programs is adversely affected by the introduction of other sequences containing false positive motifs. The ranking of the alignment programs based on LM alignment quality is similar to that observed when considering full-length protein alignments, however little correlation was observed between LM and overall alignment quality for individual alignment test cases.

Conclusion

We have shown that none of the programs currently available is capable of reliably aligning LMs in distantly related sequences and we have highlighted a number of specific problems. The results of the tests suggest possible ways to improve program accuracy for difficult, divergent sequences.