bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resourcefulness Training for Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren
Authors: Zauszniewski Jaclene A. , Musil Carol M. , Burant Christopher J. , Standing Theresa S. , Au Tsay-Yi
Published: August 2013

Over one million American grandmothers raise grandchildren, and many experience stress that adversely affects their mental health. Teaching resourcefulness skills can minimize this stress. However, before testing effectiveness of resourcefulness training (RT), its fidelity must be established. This pilot intervention trial examined the fidelity of two methods of RT: expressive writing (journaling) and verbal disclosure (voice recording) using a quasi-experimental design with random assignment of 80 grandmothers to RT—expressive writing, RT—verbal disclosure, or expressive writing or verbal disclosure alone. Quantitative data (Resourcefulness Scale) and qualitative data (journals, recordings) were collected. Grandmothers with RT showed greater resourcefulness over time than those without RT, with similar effects for RT—expressive writing and RT—verbal disclosure. Evidence for the use of RT skills was found in journals and recordings. The findings provide support for RT intervention fidelity and support moving forward to test RT effectiveness in reducing grandmothers’ stress and promoting their mental health.
Role of video-assisted thoracoscopy in the management of stroke
Authors: Muhammad Magdi Ibrahim Ahmad
Published: August 2013

Objective

to evaluate the role of surgery (anterior thoracotomy versus video-assisted thoracoscopy) in avoidance of stroke by obliteration of the left atrial appendage in patients with chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation.

Methods

in a prospective study, 58 patients (35 men and 23 women, aged 62±13.2 years) with chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation were divided into 2 groups: group A was 29 patients who underwent an anterior thoracotomy, and group B was 29 patients who had video-assisted thoracoscopic obliteration of the left atrial appendage. All patients were followed up for at least 2 years.

Results

the 2 groups were well matched for age, sex, and comorbidities. No stroke was observed in either group. Operative time was significantly longer in group B. There was no intraoperative or postoperative complication, except for 2 cases of superficial wound infection in group A.

Conclusions

in chronic atrial fibrillation, prophylactic left atrial appendage exclusion is suggested to prevent occurrence of stroke, which can be achieved by a surgical or thoracoscopic approach, but a video-assisted thoracoscopic approach is effective, less invasive, and avoids the complications of a surgical approach.
Prospects for ‘place-based’ industrial policy in England
Authors: Peck Frank , Connolly Stephen , Durnin Jonathan , Jackson Keith
Published: August 2013

The English regions have witnessed a dramatic shift in institutional structures for economic development since the new UK Coalition Government took office in 2010, involving the formation of 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships that have replaced the former Regional Development Agencies. These changes in the English context have occurred simultaneously with a radical review of regional policy at the European level which has focused attention on the significance of ‘place-based’ policies that are sensitive to, or even constructed upon, the nature of geographic differences. While there are parallels between the principles that underpin localism and place-based policy, in practice recent experience in the UK has been marked by increased centralisation of policy making. A review of the current priorities of the Local Enterprise Partnerships as set out in available strategies and policy documents tends to emphasise supply-side support for businesses alongside a role in place promotion. Sector groups are identified by many Local Enterprise Partnerships but very few are currently in a position to develop sector-based interventions or cluster policies that might ultimately contribute to the delivery of UK national industrial policy. Increased centralisation of industrial policy in the UK contrasts with policy directions at the European scale that have involved place-based approaches and the application of the principles of smart specialisation. It is concluded that there is a need for greater place-sensitivity in UK industrial policy and consideration of the role that Local Enterprise Partnerships might play in the design as well as delivery of national and sub-national economic strategies.
New Labour’s regional experiment: Lessons from the East Midlands
Authors: Quinn Martin
Published: August 2013

The Labour Governments of 1997–2010 introduced a range of new regional institutions in England, which were subsequently abolished after the 2010 General Election. This article re-assesses the lessons which emerged from the regional policies pursued during this period and argues the Coalition Government elected in 2010 has failed to learn those lessons. The article identifies three key lessons: that place and scale matter, that local government needs to be centrally involved, and that local economic development initiatives require effective local leadership to gain the buy-in of the private sector. The lessons contained in this article retain relevance for current and future regional development efforts.
Public Administration Research in Hong Kong and Macau
Authors: Gao Jie
Published: August 2013

The East Asian city-states of Hong Kong and Macau have followed different transitional trajectories after their return to China in the late 1990s under the political framework of “one country, two systems.” This article reviews the public administration research literature published in Hong Kong and Macau between 1999 and 2009 as a means of examining how public administration developed in the two city-states in the post-handover period and the ways in which those developments affected the study of public administration in the two jurisdictions. The review findings reveal differences between the two cities. In general, studies of Hong Kong are more engaged in testing and building theories, use rigorous methodologies, adopt a comparative outlook, and have received far better funding support than studies conducted in Macau. In Macau, the focus is different as the public administration community seeks to foster closer research-practice interaction between academicians and practitioners. However, in both communities, research studies are often descriptive. In conclusion, it is argued that more can be done to advance the study of public administration in these East Asian city-states.
Trends in pediatric imaging: ultrasound
Authors: Berg Ansgar , Greve Gottfried
Published: August 2013

For the last three decades, two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography and Doppler echocardiography have been the primary imaging modalities for the diagnosis and management of heart disease in infants, children, and adolescents. These methods are non-invasive, highly sensitive, and cost-effective, and widely available, making them very useful in clinical work. During this period, the anatomic and hemodynamic abnormalities associated with different congenital and acquired pediatric heart diseases have been well outlined by echocardiography. Recent advances in computer technology, signal processing, and transducer design have allowed the capabilities of pediatric echocardiography to be expanded beyond qualitative 2D imaging and blood flow Doppler analysis. New modalities such as three-dimensional echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging and speckle tracking echocardiography have been used to evaluate parameters such as ventricular volume, myocardial velocity, regional strain, and strain rate, providing new insight into cardiovascular morphology and ventricular systolic and diastolic function. Accordingly, a comprehensive and sophisticated quantification of ventricular function is now part of most echocardiography protocols. Use of measurements adjusted for body size and age is common practice today. These developments have further strengthened the position of echocardiography in pediatric cardiology.
Embeddedness and informal norms: Institutionalisms and anthropology
Authors: Sardan Jean-Pierre Olivier de
Published: August 2013

Institutionalisms, old and new, are multifaceted and heterogeneous but they share a desire to unshackle the economy to some extent, and open it out to an inclusive society. This gives room for a dialogue with anthropology. Two concepts are discussed here: (1) the embeddedness paradigm has been influential according two very different perspectives:economic anthropology (focusing on unequal relations) and culturalist approaches (focusing on common social values and norms), both being too unilateral and too general. (2) The informal institutions (or informal norms) issue has been promisingly raised by new-institutional economists, but the questions they posed are more interesting and stimulating than their too often formal and stereotyped answers. It is in fact between sociology of institutions on one side, anthropology of public action on the other, that the dialogue is the most fruitful, based on both sides on a strong empirical commitment, a combination of the norm-based approach and the power based approach, and an historical perspective.
Beyond the looking glass? ‘Aidland’ reconsidered
Authors: Harrison Elizabeth
Published: August 2013

This paper engages with an emerging genre in anthropology’s engagement with international development – writing about ‘Aidland’ which focus attention on the lives, motivations and personalities of ‘development professionals’. It suggests that there are two possible problems with the growing popularity of work on Aidland: first, that it rests on a reified and dated view of the worlds of aid and development; second, that an ethnographic focus on development professionals may serve to divert attention to the significance of both the politics and the material effects of development intervention and the relations of power within which they are embedded.
Amazonia as pharmacopia
Authors: Davidov Veronica
Published: August 2013

This article analyzes the commonly deployed imaginary of the Amazon as a pharmacopia – a cornucopia of ethnomedicinal cures unheard of in the West. Using several fictional narratives (two novels and a film) as a starting point, I explore how the Western imaginary of the Amazon as a pharmacopia is a discursive variation on the environmental imaginary of the Amazon as the “lungs of world” – a vulnerable entity of high import and in need of protection. Both the “lungs of the world” and the “pharmacopia” imaginaries construct the Amazon as a global commons. But I argue that while the “lungs of the world” narrative is conceptually anti-extractivist, as within it the Amazon’s value is attributed to its containment and intactness, which needs to be salvaged, the “pharmacopia” narrative legitimates certain contemporary forms of extraction in the Amazon, such as bioprospecting. Finally, I analyze the dislocations of indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge practices within these representational geographies, and connect my analysis to the experiences of an indigenous Kichwa community in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Understanding the Link Between Multiple Oppressions and Depression Among African American Women
Authors: Carr Erika R. , Szymanski Dawn M. , Taha Farah , West Lindsey M. , Kaslow Nadine J.
Published: August 2013

The purpose of our study was to examine the multiple oppression experiences of sexual objectification, racism, and gendered racism as predictors of depressive symptoms among a clinical sample of low-income African American women. In addition, we examined coping with oppression via internalization (i.e., the tendency to attribute responsibility or the cause of an oppressive event to oneself) as a mediator between these three intersecting forms of oppression and depressive symptoms. Participants included 144 African American women who sought some type of mental health treatment at a U.S. southeastern, public, urban, university-affiliated hospital that attends to a primarily indigent and underserved population. The results of our mediational analysis using bootstrapping provided support for a theorized model in which coping with oppressive events via internalization mediated the links between sexual objectification and depression and between racist events and depression but not between gendered racism and depression. In addition, a unique and direct effect of racist events on depression was found. Finally, the four variables in the model accounted for 42% of variance in depression scores. The study includes implications for future research and clinical work such as exploration of other mediators and the importance of comprehensive intake assessments and multicultural/feminist coping interventions.
Revision Osteochondral Allograft Transplantations
Authors: Horton Melissa T. , Pulido Pamela A. , McCauley Julie C. , Bugbee William D.
Published: August 2013

Background:

Primary fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation is a useful treatment option for osteochondral lesions in the knee. Clinical failure of primary osteochondral allograft transplantation may require further surgery, including revision osteochondral allograft transplantation.

Purpose:

To evaluate outcomes of patients who have undergone revision osteochondral allograft transplantation of the knee.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

This series included 33 patients (33 knees) who underwent revision osteochondral allograft transplantation between 1983 and 2012, were at least 2 years out from surgery, and had a minimum 2-year follow-up. Clinical evaluations included the International Knee Documentation Committee pain, function, and total scores; Knee Society function score; and modified Merle d’Aubigné and Postel scale. Failure of the revision allograft was defined as conversion to partial or total knee arthroplasty.

Results:

The mean follow-up after revision osteochondral allograft transplantation was 10 years, with 75% of patients having more than 5 years’ follow-up. Thirteen patients (39%) had failed results after revision osteochondral allograft transplantation, with a mean time to failure of 5.5 years. The remaining 20 patients (61%) had surviving revision allografts, with a mean graft survival of 10 years. Mean pain and function scores at the last follow-up were improved. Survivorship of the revision allograft was 61% at 10 years.

Conclusion:

Revision osteochondral allograft transplantation of the knee demonstrated acceptable clinical outcomes, although they were inferior to primary allograft transplantation procedures. Revision osteochondral allograft transplantation may be considered an option for patients with a failed primary osteochondral allograft.
Arthroscopic Suture Anchor Repair of the Lateral Ligament Ankle Complex
Authors: Giza Eric , Shin Edward C. , Wong Stephanie E. , Acevedo Jorge I. , Mangone Peter G. , Olson Kirstina , Anderson Matthew J.
Published: August 2013

Background:

Operative treatment of mechanical ankle instability is indicated for patients with multiple sprains and continued episodes of instability. Open repair of the lateral ankle ligaments involves exposure of the attenuated ligaments and advancement back to their anatomic insertions on the fibula using bone tunnels or suture implants.

Hypothesis:

Open and arthroscopic fixation are equal in strength to failure for anatomic Broström repair.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Seven matched pairs of human cadaveric ankle specimens were randomized into 2 groups of anatomic Broström repair: open or arthroscopic. The calcaneofibular ligament and anterior talofibular ligament were excised from their origin on the fibula. In the open repair group, 2 suture anchors were used to reattach the ligaments to their anatomic origins. In the arthroscopic repair group, identical suture anchors were used for repair via an arthroscopic technique. The ligaments were cyclically loaded 20 times and then tested to failure. Torque to failure, degrees to failure, initial stiffness, and working stiffness were measured. A matched-pair analysis was performed. Power analysis of 0.8 demonstrated that 7 pairs needed to show a difference of 30%, with a 15% standard error at a significance level of α = .05.

Results:

There was no difference in the degrees to failure, torque to failure, or stiffness for the repaired ligament complex. Nine of 14 specimens failed at the suture anchor.

Conclusion:

There is no statistical difference in strength or stiffness of a traditional open repair as compared with an arthroscopic anatomic repair of the lateral ligaments of the ankle.

Clinical Relevance:

An arthroscopic technique can be considered for lateral ligament stabilization in patients with mild to moderate mechanical instability.
Location of the Femoral Tunnel Aperture in Single-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Shin Young-Soo , Ro Kyung-Han , Lee Jong-Hee , Lee Dae-Hee
Published: August 2013

Background:

Previous 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) studies of knees after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have compared femoral tunnel positions obtained using the transtibial and anteromedial drilling techniques. This study used postoperative in vivo 3D CT analysis to compare the locations of the femoral tunnel aperture among 3 drilling techniques used in ACL reconstruction: transtibial, anteromedial portal, and outside-in.

Hypothesis:

The use of the transtibial drilling technique might result in a less anatomically accurate femoral tunnel placement than the anteromedial portal and outside-in techniques.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Immediate postoperative in vivo 3D CT was used to assess the location of the femoral tunnel aperture in 153 patients who underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction using the transtibial (n = 42), anteromedial portal (n = 73), or outside-in (n = 38) techniques. Femoral tunnel positions were measured by an anatomic coordinate axis method in the low-to-high and deep-to-shallow directions of the distal femur at 90° of knee flexion.

Results:

The low-to-high femoral tunnel positions were significantly higher in the transtibial group than in the anteromedial portal ( P < .001) and outside-in ( P < .001) groups. There were no differences among the 3 groups in the deep-to-shallow femoral tunnel positions ( P = .773).

Conclusion:

The transtibial technique of anatomic reconstruction resulted in more highly positioned femoral tunnels in the low-to-high direction than did the anteromedial portal and outside-in techniques. However, no significant differences in the femoral tunnel location were observed in the deep-to-shallow direction.
Return to Athletic Activity After Plate Fixation of Displaced Midshaft Clavicle Fractures
Authors: Meisterling Steven W. , Cain E. Lyle , Fleisig Glenn S. , Hartzell Jeffrey L. , Dugas Jeffrey R.
Published: August 2013

Background:

Recent data support primary plate fixation of displaced midshaft clavicle fractures. The safety and efficacy of this practice have not been well documented in athletes.

Hypothesis:

Plate fixation of clavicle fractures in athletes is a safe and effective procedure, resulting in a reliable and timely return to play.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A total of 29 patients with displaced midshaft clavicle fractures from athletic activity were treated with plate fixation between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2008, including 1 patient treated for each clavicle for separate injuries. All 29 patients were contacted for follow-up. At a mean follow-up of 21 months, patients completed a questionnaire focused on the time to return to athletics and treatment course. Patients also completed the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire. Radiographs were reviewed to identify fracture comminution, displacement, shortening, and angulation; radiographic union time; and malunion.

Results:

All of the patients (30/30 cases) returned to sports after open reduction internal fixation of their fracture. The mean time to return to play was 83 days with a range of 13 to 277 days. Seven (23%) of the cases returned to athletics at ≤6 weeks after surgery, and a total of 20 patients (67%) returned at ≤12 weeks after surgery. All patients (100%) were satisfied with their treatment. The QuickDASH scores revealed almost perfect recovery (mean score, 0.8 of 100). Four minor complications were identified. No patient had a refracture, plate fracture, loss of fixation, nonunion, malunion, or deep wound infection.

Conclusion:

Plate fixation of displaced clavicle fractures in athletes is a safe procedure, resulting in a high satisfaction rating and minimal disability to the upper extremity. An early return (<6 weeks) to sports is possible after this treatment; however, the time to return is highly variable.
Cerebellar model articulation controller proportional velocity parameters variations and learning schemes—A study on electrohydraulic servo system
Authors: Shafik Amro , Abdelhameed Magdy , Kassem Ahmed
Published: August 2013

Cerebellar model articulation controller neural networks is one of the computational intelligence tools that can be applied for modeling, classification, and control. Proportional velocity controller is a servo-type controller, which is commonly applied to motion control systems. This paper presents a novel combination of cerebellar model articulation controller neural networks and optimal proportional velocity controller. A simple mathematical model for applying and studying cerebellar model articulation controller is introduced, and a study of its parameters is presented individually. The effect of parameters variation on cerebellar model articulation controller performance is identified. Learning algorithms highly affect the cerebellar model articulation controller behavior even when the parameters are optimized, and proper selection of the learning scheme must be taken under consideration. Three different learning algorithms are studied for evaluating transient and steady-state cerebellar model articulation controller responses. The results showed that the change of cerebellar model articulation controller generalization size and scale of the control signal has a marked effect on the performance of cerebellar model articulation controller. Furthermore, the constant learning rate algorithm gives the best overall performance.
Effects of directional rotation radius and transmission error on the dynamic characteristics of face gear transmission system
Authors: Tang Jinyuan , Hu Zehua , Chen Siyu , Lei Duncai
Published: August 2013

The effects of directional rotation radius and transmission error excitation on the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of face gear transmission system are analyzed. First, the accurate time-varying mesh stiffness is calculated using finite element method, and the nonlinear motion equation of the system under static transmission error excitation is proposed. The frequency response curve, time history curve, dynamic mesh force curve and dynamic factor curve are given, and the phenomena of jump, multiple solutions and tooth impact are observed. The numerical results show that the effect of amplitude variation of directional rotation radius on the dynamic characteristics of face gear pair is less conspicuous than that of transmission error but actually existing. The amplitude of the dynamic response of face gear pair reduces to some extent with the uniform distribution of the loading area through enlarging the amplitude variation of directional rotation radius. The static transmission error excitation should be reduced to perfect the transmission property. The system is in periodic motion most of the time, and tooth impact occurs only near [Formula: see text] . Since its dynamic property at low velocity and high velocity is good, the system should get through the resonant area quickly in work.
Shape optimization of airfoils in transonic flow using a multi-objective genetic algorithm
Authors: Chen Xiaomin , Agarwal Ramesh K
Published: August 2013

Shape optimization of transonic airfoils requires creating an airfoil that reduces the drag due to transonic shocks by either eliminating them or reducing their strength at a given transonic cruise speed while maintaining the lift. The RAE 2822 and NACA 0012 airfoils are most widely used test cases for validation of computational modeling in transonic flow. This study employs a multi-objective genetic algorithm for shape optimization of RAE 2822 and NACA 0012 airfoils to achieve two objectives, namely eliminating shock and maintaining or increasing the lift at a given transonic Mach number and angle of attack. The commercially available software FLUENT is employed for calculation of the flow field using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations in conjunction with a two-equation turbulence model. It is shown that the multi-objective genetic algorithm can generate superior airfoils compared with the original airfoils by achieving both the objectives.
Biomechanical analysis using infrared thermography of a traditional metal plate versus a carbon fibre/epoxy plate for Vancouver B1 femur fractures
Authors: Siddiqui Faisal S , Shah Suraj , Nicayenzi Bruce , Schemitsch Emil H , Zdero Radovan , Bougherara Habiba
Published: August 2013

Traditional high-stiffness metal plates for Vancouver B1 femur shaft fractures below the tip of a hip implant can cause stress shielding, bone resorption, and implant loosening. This is the first study to compare the biomechanics of a traditional metal plate versus a low-stiffness carbon fibre/epoxy composite plate for this injury. A total hip replacement was implanted in two previously validated intact artificial femurs. Femurs were fitted with either a metal or composite plate and had a 5 mm fracture gap created to simulate a Vancouver B1 shaft fracture. Femurs were cyclically loaded using 5 Hz at 7° of adduction with an average axial load of 800 N (range = 400–1200 N). Overall mechanical stiffnesses and femur and plate thermographic stresses were obtained. Femur/metal plate stiffness (698 N/mm) was only 12% higher than femur/composite plate stiffness (625 N/mm). The femur with the composite plate had 22.7% higher combined average stress compared to the femur with the metal plate, having specific differences of 29.5% (anterior view), 33.9% (posterior view), 1.0% (medial view), and 26.4% (lateral view). The composite plate itself had an average 21.1% reduction in stress compared to the metal plate. The composite plate reduced stress shielding, yet provided adequate stiffness.
Just Post It
Authors: Simonsohn Uri
Published: August 2013

I argue that requiring authors to post the raw data supporting their published results has the benefit, among many others, of making fraud much less likely to go undetected. I illustrate this point by describing two cases of suspected fraud I identified exclusively through statistical analysis of reported means and standard deviations. Analyses of the raw data behind these published results provided invaluable confirmation of the initial suspicions, ruling out benign explanations (e.g., reporting errors, unusual distributions), identifying additional signs of fabrication, and also ruling out one of the suspected fraud’s explanations for his anomalous results. If journals, granting agencies, universities, or other entities overseeing research promoted or required data posting, it seems inevitable that fraud would be reduced.
Fear of Holes
Authors: Cole Geoff G. , Wilkins Arnold J.
Published: August 2013

Phobias are usually described as irrational and persistent fears of certain objects or situations, and causes of such fears are difficult to identify. We describe an unusual but common phobia (trypophobia), hitherto unreported in the scientific literature, in which sufferers are averse to images of holes. We performed a spectral analysis on a variety of images that induce trypophobia and found that the stimuli had a spectral composition typically associated with uncomfortable visual images, namely, high-contrast energy at midrange spatial frequencies. Critically, we found that a range of potentially dangerous animals also possess this spectral characteristic. We argue that although sufferers are not conscious of the association, the phobia arises in part because the inducing stimuli share basic visual characteristics with dangerous organisms, characteristics that are low level and easily computed, and therefore facilitate a rapid nonconscious response.
Phytolith evidence for the extent and nature of prehistoric Californian grasslands
Authors: Evett Rand R , Bartolome James W
Published: August 2013

Californian grasslands have been radically transformed by cultivation and exotic species invasions that began with European settlement in 1769. Because native species contribute only a small percentage of total vegetation cover at most grassland sites in California today, there has been a long-standing controversy regarding the extent and composition of prehistoric grasslands. We used phytolith analysis of soil samples from 153 spatially diverse grassland sites currently cultivated or dominated by exotic annual grasses to provide the first direct evidence that, except for areas near the coast, grass was generally a minor component of the vegetation. Most of the arid, non-wetland Central Valley and surrounding foothills probably had very low grass cover. Combining our data with historical accounts of vegetation encountered by early explorers in California and relict analysis of native species in existing grassland patches, it appears that while the extent of prehistoric grassland was probably similar to the current extent of exotic annual grassland, most areas were likely dominated by a highly diverse assemblage of herbaceous species, composed largely of annual forbs adapted to exploit local environmental heterogeneity. Phytolith analysis should be routinely performed in California to guide grassland restoration efforts. The technique can also be used to reconstruct prehistoric vegetation of highly altered grassland ecosystems worldwide.
Boundary violations, gender and the nature of nursing work
Authors: Chiarella Mary , Adrian Amanda
Published: August 2013

Complaints against nurses can be made on several grounds and orders, including removal from the registry of nurses, can be made as a result of these complaints. Boundary violations generally relate to complaints around criminal charges, unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct or a lack of good character. This article explores the spectrum of boundary violations in the nurse–patient relationship by reviewing disciplinary cases from the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Tribunal and Professional Standards Committees. The complaints spanned a spectrum of behaviours, from minor infringements such as inappropriate compliments to intimate touching and sexual intercourse. Furthermore, the majority of respondents were men, although men comprise a minority of the nursing profession. This phenomenon is discussed in terms of gender stereotyping and nursing work. In addition, the possibility that improved supervision may have gone some way to preventing the violations is explored.
Young people’s friendships in the context of non-standard work patterns
Authors: Woodman Dan
Published: August 2013

Non-standard patterns of paid work are increasing in Australia, and young people are among the most affected. To investigate the impact of non-standard work schedules on young people’s relationships, this article draws on data from 50 interviews conducted in 2008 and 4 surveys conducted between 2007 and 2012 with 636 young people (aged 18–24 years), all participating in the Life Patterns Project longitudinal study of youth in Australia. Over the 6 years, a majority of participants were engaged in non-standard work, working weekends, evenings or public holidays. A significant minority also faced weekly variability in their work schedules. The interview data suggest that these patterns of employment can be considered unsocial, making it more difficult to find regular periods of time together with a group of friends. Interview discussion also suggests that as a substitute for a greater quantity of shared time, some young people seek out shared experiences felt to be intense or out of the ordinary, such as that facilitated by alcohol consumption, to make the most of limited opportunities to bond with a group of close friends.
Temporary migrant nurses in Australia: Sites and sources of precariousness
Authors: Boese Martina , Campbell Iain , Roberts Winsome , Tham Joo-Cheong
Published: August 2013

Temporary migrant workers are widely regarded as a precarious group of workers. This precariousness is often traced back to the sphere of employment, though recent research also points to the implications of the limited rights entailed by temporary migrant status. This article draws on empirical work among registered nurses who have participated in the Australian 457 visa scheme – the major programme for temporary migrant workers in Australia. Using a range of empirical sources, including in-depth interviews with 26 temporary migrant nurses, we examine whether these nurses experience precariousness and locate the sites and sources of precariousness. The article draws attention to the importance of the regulatory context that defines different pathways from the country of departure to employment in the Australian healthcare system. We suggest that, although temporary migrant nurses are well integrated within the healthcare workforce in terms of formal wages and conditions, other stages in their migration pathways can be associated with precariousness. This in turn has significant impact on experiences at work and outside the workplace.
Pyramid subcontracting and moral detachment: Down-sourcing risk and responsibility in the management of transnational labour in Asia
Authors: Wise Amanda
Published: August 2013

Major transformations in the organisation of labour are having a profound effect on the moral character of the labour-capital contract. Using two small case studies undertaken in Singapore as a starting point, this article reflects on the moral economies of supply chain capitalism. Detailing examples of the human impacts of down-sourcing risk through ‘flexible’ modes of transnational employment, it analyses the strategies whereby firms and governments distance themselves from these consequences. Precarious forms of employment based on pyramid subcontracting arrangements allow a disruption of the moral relation (however tenuous) that is present in traditional face-to-face employment arrangements. The article explores four strategies of moral detachment on the part of the employers, contractors and brokers in the supply chain.
Beyond the vocational fragments: Creative work, precarious labour and the idea of ‘Flexploitation’
Authors: Morgan George , Wood Julian , Nelligan Pariece
Published: August 2013

The subjective experience of employment insecurity may be more contradictory than discourses of ‘fragmentation’ and ‘flexploitation’ suggest. For young people seeking careers in creative occupations, the expectation of insecure employment conditions has become normalised. This may be the combined effect of intergenerational changes in the youth labour market generally, and the nature of employment in creative industries at all career stages. The article draws from 80 life history interviews conducted in Western Sydney, Australia, a region with high concentrations of unemployment and low socio-economic status. Their perspectives problematise the common assumption that young creative workers seek to resist insecure patterns of work or long for the stable jobs of the past. Partly, they have accepted the injunction for ‘vocational restlessness’ in their industries. Both in their ‘day jobs’ and in their attempts to get into their chosen part of the creative industry, they feel that not staying in one position too long can be both liberating and adaptive. Union campaigns highlighting the perils of insecurity are unlikely to resonate with them.
Sub-nanometer active seismic isolator control
Authors: Balik Gael , Caron Bernard , Allibe Julie , Badel Adrien , Baud Jean-Philippe , Brunetti Laurent , Deleglise Guillaume , Jeremie Andrea , Le Breton Ronan , Vilalte Sebastien
Published: August 2013

Ambitious projects such as the design of the future Compact Linear Collider require challenging parameters and technologies. Stabilization of the Compact Linear Collider particle beam is one of these challenges. Ground motion is the main source of beam misalignment. Beam dynamics controls are, however, efficient only at low frequency (<4 Hz), due to the sampling of the beam at 50 Hz. Hence, ground motion mitigation techniques such as active stabilization are required. This article shows a dedicated prototype able to manage vibration at a sub-nanometer scale. The use of cutting edge sensor technology is, however, very challenging for control applications as they are usually used for measurement purposes. Limiting factors such as sensor dynamics and noise lead to a performance optimization problem. The current state of the art in ground motion measurement and ground motion mitigation techniques is pointed out and shows limits of the technologies. The proposed active device is then described, and a realistic model of the process has been established. A dedicated controller design combining feedforward and feedback techniques is presented, and theoretical results in terms of power spectral density of displacement are compared to real-time experimental results obtained with a rapid control prototyping tool.
Physical modeling and design method of the hysteretic behavior of magnetorheological dampers
Authors: Guo Pengfei , Guan Xinchun , Ou Jinping
Published: August 2013

This study aims to get a deep insight of the inherent hysteresis behavior of magnetorheological fluid dampers and to develop the method of designing such hysteresis. Taking into account the compressibility of magnetorheological fluid, a physical model of magnetorheological dampers is developed by establishing the flow rate equations for two chambers. The model is validated by a set of the experimental data from a literature. As a special case of the proposed physical model, a lumped parameter physical model which can explain the hysteresis in a more straightforward way is derived and validated too. The fact that the viscous force can be ignored compared to the Coulomb force reduces the lumped parameter physical model to its simplest form, that is, a friction element representing the Coulomb force is connected in series with a spring element representing the compressibility of fluid. It is this simple two-element physical model that captures the essence of the hysteresis behavior, on the basis of which, the mechanism of the hysteresis generation is explored in great detail, and the formula is also derived for calculating the hysteresis width. Finally, the design method of the hysteresis behavior is illustrated by a specific example.
Topology optimization of piezoelectric layers in plates with active vibration control
Authors: Zhang Xiaopeng , Kang Zhan
Published: August 2013

This article investigates topology optimization of the piezoelectric actuator and sensor layers in a plate for achieving the best vibration control performance. Therein, the actuator patches and sensor patches are symmetrically attached to the host layer, and the classical negative velocity feedback control strategy is adopted for reducing the vibration level of the structure. In the optimization model, the dynamic compliance under a specific excitation frequency or the aggregated dynamic compliance in a given frequency range is taken as the objective function. The relative densities of the elements in the actuator layer and the sensor layer are considered as topological design variables. The optimization problem is then formulated by using an artificial material model with penalization for both mechanical and piezoelectric properties. It is pointed out that the global-level damping property, consisting of the structural damping and the active damping effects, is a nonproportional one. For alleviating the computational burden involved in the frequency response analysis, the dynamic equations are solved with the complex mode superposition in the state space after a model reduction transformation. In this context, the sensitivity analysis scheme is also derived. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated by numerical examples.
Ethiopian Males Account for the Double Acts of Murder and Suicide Committed by Males in Ethiopian Families Postmigration to Israel
Authors: Geiger Brenda
Published: August 2013

This qualitative research turns to 24 male members of the Ethiopian Jewish community living in Israel to probe their feelings and thoughts concerning the changes that have occurred to their traditions and community postmigration, and gain insight into the disproportionate rise in domestic murder and subsequent suicide committed by males in their community. During semistructured interviews conducted in Amharit, the interviewees opposed the dominant discourse that cast murder and suicide as pathologies resulting from Ethiopian males’ failure to assimilate. In a resistant discourse, they revealed the oppression and destruction of a cultural heritage and identity and their struggles to regain their family and community. Paradoxically, these men perceived the Israeli democratic system of law and order as discriminating against men, and as depriving the Ethiopian community of the basic right to choose its own traditions and spiritual leaders ( Kessim and Shmagaleh) who helped resolving marital disputes. Fearing court restraining orders, arrest, and imprisonment in the midst of a cultural and social void, Ethiopian males felt isolated and alienated with no community support. In a last resistant effort to regain their dignity while protesting against the oppression of the Israeli system of law and social order that discriminated against men and a dominant culture that had destroyed their community, Ethiopian males killed their spouse and committed suicide.
The Role of the State on Cross-National Homicide Rates
Authors: Chu Doris C. , Tusalem Rollin F.
Published: August 2013

Although previous research has established important links between economic factors (e.g., economic inequality), social support variables, ethnic fractionalization, and cross-national homicides, one important area remains unexplored. Relatively little is known about how the role of the state affects cross-national homicide rates. Using data from 183 nations, this study examined the effect of the role of the state (political instability, regime type, and use of the death penalty) on homicide rates. The findings indicate that homicide rates are higher in countries that are politically unstable. In addition, anocracies (transitional states that have a mixture of democratic and autocratic features) were found to be correlated with higher homicide rates. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Reading motor intention through mental imagery
Authors: Lewkowicz Daniel , Delevoye-Turrell Yvonne , Bailly David , Andry Pierre , Gaussier Philippe
Published: August 2013

Motor imagery is defined as a dynamic state during which the representation of a given motor act is internally rehearsed without overt motor output. Some evidence in experimental psychology has suggested that imagery ability is crucial for the correct understanding of social intention. The present study was conducted first to confirm that the nature of the motor intention leads to early modulations of movement kinematics. Secondly, we tested whether humans use imagery to read an agent’s intention when observing the very first element of a complex action sequence. Results revealed early variations in movement kinematics between three different social actions and further showed that human agents can use these early deviants to anticipate above chance level the end-result before seeing the second half of the sequence. Response times in the observation task were similar in duration to those measured in the true production task, suggesting the use of motor imagery for trial categorization. Nevertheless, in a third study, the use of an artificial (neural network) classifier demonstrated that classification within the first 500 ms is possible without cognitive imagery processing. Hence, our results suggest that low-level motor indices afford intention reading without need for motor imagery but that human agents may use imaging beyond simulation to create an embodied sense of interactivity.
A Pareto set coordination method for analytical target cascading
Authors: Zhang Xiaoling , Huang Hong-Zhong , Wang Zhonglai , Liu Yu , Li Yanfeng
Published: August 2013

In the general analytical target cascading method, a weighted-sum formulation is commonly employed to coordinate the inconsistency between design points and assigned targets at each level while minimizing the cost. The determination of weighting coefficients is problem dependent. Improper selections of the weighting coefficients may result in incorrect solutions. To avoid using the weighting coefficients, a genetic algorithm optimization method is developed for the hierarchical design problem by using the Pareto set coordination method. The Pareto sets are obtained from the optimal solutions at each level while each subsystem chooses one solution based on the detailed information. Instead of setting point-valued targets and weighting coefficients, Pareto sets are computed and updated at multiple levels until targets are satisfied. Therefore, the genetic algorithm optimizer with Pareto set coordination for analytical target cascading can avoid choosing weighting coefficients. By doing so, the proposed method explores completed feasible solutions at each level and improves the convergence process. The results for the proposed method and the weighted-sum analytical target cascading are compared to illustrate the performance of the proposed method.
Sleep Spindles
Authors: Lüthi Anita
Published: August 2013

Sleep spindles are extensively studied electroencephalographic rhythms that recur periodically during non–rapid eye movement sleep and that are associated with rhythmic discharges of neurons throughout the thalamocortical system. Their occurrence thus constrains many aspects of the communication between thalamus and cortex, ranging from sensory transmission, to cortical plasticity and learning, to development and disease. I review these functional aspects in conjunction with novel findings on the cellular and molecular makeup of spindle-pacemaking circuits. A highlight in the search of roles for sleep spindles is the repeated finding that spindles correlate with memory consolidation in humans and animals. By illustrating that spindles are at the forefront understanding on how the brain might benefit from sleep rhythms, I hope to stimulate further experimentation.
Narratives of migration: Emotions and the interweaving of personal and cultural identity through narrative
Authors: Gómez-Estern Beatriz Macías , de la Mata Benítez Manuel L
Published: August 2013

In this article we examine the role of narratives of migration as sense-giving devices that interweave cultural and personal dimensions in identity construction. The data shown come from a research project in which we comparatively analysed Andalusian (Southern Spain) internal migrants’ and non-migrants’ arguments about their cultural identity displayed in a focus group task. In that study we found that migrants used mainly personal narratives as rhetoric tools. In this article, we focus on the thematic and structural traits of these migrants’ narratives. The analysis illustrates that narratives of migration share some common features. They start with a canonical state, living in the homeland, visualised as a ‘lost paradise’; that is broken by the migration movement. The whole process is emotionally evaluated with a strong affiliation and commitment with the motherland. We finally conclude that narratives comprise a privileged instrument in making sense of life turning-points such as those faced in migration.