bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring Issue Salience in British Elections
Authors: Johns Robert
Published: October 2008

This article is about responses to the “most important issue” question used in numerous election polls and surveys. Following Wlezien’s work, two interpretations of the question can be sketched: (1) personal (the issue most important to the respondent) and (2) contextual (the issue that respondents perceive as topping the national political agenda). Using British Election Study data from 2005, the author shows that issues prominent in that campaign were often cited as most important by respondents who were neither particularly knowledgeable about those issues nor particularly influenced by them when voting. In sum, the contextual interpretation predominates. Hence, whatever else it is, “most important issue” is not an accurate gauge of salience effects in models of vote choice.
Granpa's Call
Authors: Ballard Robert L.
Published: October 2008

When asked by his mother what to do about her dying father, the author finds himself in an aporia. Utilizing a broad range of rhetorical and ethical touch-stones, the author uses autoethnography to explore the phenomenon of communication ethics as it occurs in everyday experience. The essay privileges lived experience as central to what it means to be human. The call of conscience, the life-giving gift of acknowledgment, human struggle, and the use of communication to navigate aporias are all explored. Though his grandfather dies, the author comes to realize that even in death his grandfather is acknowledged as a life and continues to give life. The narrative demonstrates autoethnography's usefulness in understanding phenomenological experiences and the veracity of communication ethics in lived experience.
Using Fiction to Make Meaning in Research With Young People in Rural New Zealand
Authors: Nairn Karen , Panelli Ruth
Published: October 2008

In research with young people about their experiences of rural and urban environments, the authors were struck by how participants in their rural case study used fiction to explain their experiences. The participants' use of fiction lead the authors to an additional rich vein of empirical material and analysis not foreseen at the beginning of the research. The authors outline the young people's use of fiction to frame their understanding of stereotyping and note the benefits of assembling a critical reading of fiction within the project. The authors conclude by revisiting the usefulness of fiction as a frame for young people's meaning making and as a source of empirical material in its own right. At the same time, they highlight the benefits of a qualitative research design that allows space for serendipitous trajectories of the collection and analysis of empirical material to evolve.
Ontological Explorations
Authors: Pace Lesli K.
Published: October 2008

In an effort to investigate the epistemological implications of a stable notion of ontology, and thus concerns about bodily determinism, the author offers narratives that explore how the material body and discursive formations interdependently constitute one's ontology. Each narrative posits that ontology is fluid and that interests in the ontological dynamics of the body cut across multiple and varied experiences. The author examines the ways bodies are constrained and regulated through both discourse and material conditions by examining a sick body, a fat body, a dancing body, and an academic body. Although each narrative begins from a different place, they all explicate the relationships that exist among and between epistemology, ontology, materiality, and discursivity.
Facilitating Better Teamwork: Analyzing the Challenges and Strategies of Classroom-Based Collaboration
Authors: Fredrick Terri A.
Published: October 2008

To help students develop teamwork skills, teachers should be aware of the strategies students already employ to assert authority and manage conflict. Researchers studying engineering students have identified two such approaches: transfer-of-knowledge sequences, in which students emulate teacher and pupil roles; and collaborative sequences, in which students use circular talk to reach consensus. As demonstrated in this article, these strategies are also used by students in professional communication courses. The second half of this article provides specific suggestions for designing team assignments, interacting effectively with student teams, and developing evaluations that value the process of teamwork.
Enacting Airports: Space, Movement and Modes of Ordering
Authors: Knox Hannah , O'Doherty Damian , Vurdubakis Theo , Westrup Chris
Published: October 2008

In the era of an increasingly `light' and `liquid' modernity (Bauman, 2000) airports appear to be privileged and distinctive sites of organization, constitutive of what Castells calls a `space of flows' that is helping to extend and integrate the so-called `network age' of global economy and `glocal' culture. This paper draws on original empirical research at Fulchester International Airport and studies the movement of various subjects and objects (including passengers, bags and aeroplanes) as they are assembled and disassembled by `modes of ordering' to facilitate the flows of exchange and interaction that for Castells binds the physically disjointed positions of social actors in contemporary global organization. Our study explores the ways in which digital information and communications technology creates `spectral' and uncanny phenomena that feeds back into the here-and-now of mundane, organizational reality. We find that an emergent hybridity between the dimensions of the virtual and the real opens up an intensive space that seems to extend the becoming of a `post-human' ontology; but in so doing it also provokes the return of a recalcitrant and unpredictable mass.
An Exploration of the Experience of Mothers Whose Children Sustain Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Their Families
Authors: Clark Alex , Stedmon Jacqui , Margison Steve
Published: October 2008

This study aims to describe and explore the lived experience of mothers whose children, aged 0—16 years, have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mothers were interviewed between 2 and 10 years following the TBI. The study employed a qualitative method, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), following semi-structured interviews with 10 mothers. Validity measures included independent audit of the analysis. The analysis generated themes of `changes to and loss of the past child', `effects on mother's health', `mother's process of coping and support', `changed roles', `effects on the whole family' and `contact with services'. Discussion of the links between participants' accounts and grief and attachment theories is provided, with a view to informing assessment and rehabilitative practice with children and families. The clinical implications of mothers' descriptions for psychological intervention and service delivery are explored.
Issues in Infant—Parent Psychotherapy for Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder
Authors: Newman Louise , Stevenson Caroline
Published: October 2008

Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and their infants have been largely neglected in the research literature. This is of concern, given that clinical reports indicate that mothers with BPD have difficulties with sensitive and empathic parenting and that their children are at risk of attachment disorganization. There is little available evidence on the use of interventions with this group of parents despite clinical need. This article describes our experiences in the use of an attachment-focused psychotherapy known as Watch Wait and Wonder for improving the interaction between mothers with a BPD diagnosis and their children. A case example is provided to illustrate one mother's response to the therapy and to highlight specific issues in clinical intervention for this group of parents and possible modifications of approach.
CMA – a comprehensive Bioconductor package for supervised classification with high dimensional data
Authors: Slawski M , Daumer M , Boulesteix A-L
Published: October 2008

Background

For the last eight years, microarray-based classification has been a major topic in statistics, bioinformatics and biomedicine research. Traditional methods often yield unsatisfactory results or may even be inapplicable in the so-called "p≫n" setting where the number of predictorspby far exceeds the number of observationsn, hence the term "ill-posed-problem". Careful model selection and evaluation satisfying accepted good-practice standards is a very complex task for statisticians without experience in this area or for scientists with limited statistical background. The multiplicity of available methods for class prediction based on high-dimensional data is an additional practical challenge for inexperienced researchers.

Results

In this article, we introduce a new Bioconductor package called CMA (standing for "Classification forMicroArrays") for automatically performing variable selection, parameter tuning, classifier construction, and unbiased evaluation of the constructed classifiers using a large number of usual methods. Without much time and effort, users are provided with an overview of the unbiased accuracy of most top-performing classifiers. Furthermore, the standardized evaluation framework underlying CMA can also be beneficial in statistical research for comparison purposes, for instance if a new classifier has to be compared to existing approaches.

Conclusion

CMA is a user-friendly comprehensive package for classifier construction and evaluation implementing most usual approaches. It is freely available from the Bioconductor website athttp://bioconductor.org/packages/2.3/bioc/html/CMA.html.
p53 induces distinct epigenetic states at its direct target promoters
Authors: Vrba Lukas , Junk Damian J , Novak Petr , Futscher Bernard W
Published: October 2008

Background

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is a transcription factor that is mutated in many cancers. Regulation of gene expression by binding of wild-type p53 to its target sites is accompanied by changes in epigenetic marks like histone acetylation. We studied DNA binding and epigenetic changes induced by wild-type and mutant p53 in non-malignant hTERT-immortalized human mammary epithelial cells overexpressing either wild-type p53 or one of four p53 mutants (R175H, R249S, R273H and R280K) on a wild-type p53 background.

Results

Using chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to a 13,000 human promoter microarray, we found that wild-type p53 bound 197 promoters on the microarray including known and novel p53 targets. Of these p53 targets only 20% showed a concomitant increase in histone acetylation, which was linked to increased gene expression, while 80% of targets showed no changes in histone acetylation. We did not observe any decreases in histone acetylation in genes directly bound by wild-type p53. DNA binding in samples expressing mutant p53 was reduced over 95% relative to wild-type p53 and very few changes in histone acetylation and no changes in DNA methylation were observed in mutant p53 expressing samples.

Conclusion

We conclude that wild-type p53 induces transcription of target genes by binding to DNA and differential induction of histone acetylation at target promoters. Several new wild-type p53 target genes, including DGKZ, FBXO22 and GDF9, were found. DNA binding of wild-type p53 is highly compromised if mutant p53 is present due to interaction of both p53 forms resulting in no direct effect on epigenetic marks.
Species-specific regulation of PXR/CAR/ER-target genes in the mouse and rat liver elicited by o, p'-DDT
Authors: Kiyosawa Naoki , Kwekel Joshua C , Burgoon Lyle D , Dere Edward , Williams Kurt J , Tashiro Colleen , Chittim Brock , Zacharewski Timothy R
Published: October 2008

Background

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a persistent estrogenic organochlorine pesticide that is a rodent hepatic tumor promoter, with inconclusive carcinogenicity in humans. We have previously reported thato,p'-DDT elicits primarily PXR/CAR-mediated activity, rather than ER-mediated hepatic responses, and suggested that CAR-mediated effects, as opposed to ER-mediated effects, may be more important in tumor promotion in the rat liver. To further characterize species-specific hepatic responses, gene expression analysis, with complementary histopathology and tissue level analyses were investigated in immature, ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice treated with 300 mg/kgo,p'-DDT, and compared to Sprague-Dawley rat data.

Results

Rats and mice exhibited negligible histopathology with rapido,p'-DDT metabolism. Gene expression profiles were also similar, exhibiting PXR/CAR regulation with the characteristic induction ofCyp2b10andCyp3a11. However, PXR-specific target genes such asApoa4orInsig2exhibited more pronounced induction compared to CAR-specific genes in the mouse. In addition, mouseCarmRNA levels decreased, possibly contributing to the preferential activation of mouse PXR. ER-regulated genesCyp17a1andCyp7b1were also induced, suggestingo,p'-DDT also elicits ER-mediated gene expression in the mouse, while ER-mediated effects were negligible in the rat, possibly due to the inhibitory effects of CAR on ER activities. In addition,o,p'-DDT inducedGadd45a,Gadd45bandCdkn1, suggesting DNA damage may be an additional risk factor. Furthermore, elevated blood DHEA-S levels at 12 h after treatment in the mouse may also contribute to the endocrine-related effects ofo,p'-DDT.

Conclusion

Although DDT is known to cause rodent hepatic tumors, the marked species differences in PXR/CAR structure, expression patterns and ligand preference as well as significant species-specific differences in steroidogenesis, especially CYP17A1 expression and activity, confound the extrapolation of these results to humans. Nevertheless, the identification of potential modes of action as well as species-specific responses may assist in the selection and further development of more appropriate models for assessing the toxicity of DDT to humans and wildlife.
A train-the-trainer education and promotion program: chronic fatigue syndrome – a diagnostic and management challenge
Authors: Brimmer Dana J , McCleary K Kimberly , Lupton Teresa A , Faryna Katherine M , Hynes Kevin , Reeves William C
Published: October 2008

Background

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complicated illness for providers and patients. Fewer than 20% of persons with CFS have been diagnosed and treated. For providers, compounding the issue are the challenges in making a diagnosis due to the lack of a biomedical marker.

Methods

The objective of the CFS diagnosis and management curriculum was to instruct core trainers as to the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of CFS. Over a two year period, 79 primary care physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners from diverse regions in the U.S. participated as core trainers in a two day Train-the-Trainer (TTT) workshop. As core trainers, the workshop participants were expected to show increases in knowledge, self-efficacy, and management skills with the primary goal of conducting secondary presentations.

Results

The optimal goal for each core trainer to present secondary training to 50 persons in the health care field was not reached. However, the combined core trainer group successfully reached 2064 primary care providers. Eighty-two percent of core trainers responded "Very good" or "Excellent" in a post-tessurvey of self-efficacy expectation and CFS diagnosis. Data from the Chicago workshops showed significant improvement on the Primary Care Opinion Survey (p < 0.01) and on the Relevance and Responsibility Factors of the CAT survey (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). Dallas workshop data show a significant change from pre- to post-test scores on the CFS Knowledge test (p = 0.001). Qualitative and process evaluation data revealed that target audience and administrative barriers impacted secondary training feasibility.

Conclusion

Data show the workshop was successful in meeting the objectives of increasing CFS knowledge and raising perceived self-efficacy towards making a diagnosis. The CFS TTT program informed an educational provider project by shifting the format for physicians to grand rounds and continuing medical education design while retaining TTT aspects for nurse practitioners and physicians assistants. Evaluations also indicate that secondary trainings may be more readily employed and accepted if administrative barriers are addressed early in the planning phases.
Peptide P5 (residues 628–683), comprising the entire membrane proximal region of HIV-1 gp41 and its calcium-binding site, is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 infection
Authors: Yu Huifeng , Tudor Daniela , Alfsen Annette , Labrosse Beatrice , Clavel François , Bomsel Morgane
Published: October 2008

The membrane proximal region (MPR) of the transmembrane subunit, gp41, of the HIV envelope glycoprotein plays a critical role in HIV-1 infection of CD4+ target cells and CD4-independent mucosal entry. It contains continuous epitopes recognized by neutralizing IgG antibodies 2F5, 4E10 and Z13, and is therefore considered to be a promising target for vaccine design. Moreover, some MPR-derived peptides, such as T20 (enfuvirtide), are in clinical use as HIV-1 inhibitors. We have shown that an extended MPR peptide, P5, harbouring the lectin-like domain of gp41 and a calcium-binding site, is implicated in the interaction of HIV with its mucosal receptor. We now investigate the potential antiviral activities of P5 and other such long MPR-derived peptides. Structural studies of gp41 MPR-derived peptides using circular dichroism showed that the peptides P5 (a.a.628–683), P1 (a.a.648–683), P5L (a.a.613–683) and P7 (a.a.613–746) displayed a well-defined α-helical structure. Peptides P5 inhibited HIV-1 envelope mediated cell-cell fusion and infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by both X4- and R5-tropic HIV-1 strains, whereas peptides P5 mutated in the calcium binding site or P1 lacked antiviral activity, when P5L blocked cell fusion in contrast to P7. Strikingly, P5 inhibited CD4-dependent infection by T20-resistant R5-tropic HIV-1 variants. Cell-cell fusion studies indicated that the anti-HIV-1 activity of P5, unlike T20, could not be abrogated in the presence of the N-terminal leucine zipper domain (LZ). These results suggested that P5 could serve as a potent fusion inhibitor.
Munchausen's syndrome presenting as rectal foreign body insertion: a case report
Authors: Khan Shakeeb A , Davey Christine A , Khan Shamsul A , Trigwell Peter J , Chintapatla Srinivas
Published: October 2008

Background

This case report shows that Munchausen's syndrome can present as rectal foreign body insertion. Although the presentation of rectal foreign bodies has frequently been described in the medical literature, the insertion of foreign bodies into the rectum for reasons other than sexual gratification has rarely been considered.

Case presentation

A 30 year old, unmarried Caucasian male presented with a history of having been sexually assaulted five days earlier in a nearby city by a group of unknown males. He reported that during the assault a glass bottle was forcibly inserted into his rectum and the bottle neck broke. On examination, there was no evidence of external injury to the patient. Further assessment lead to a diagnosis of Munchausen's syndrome. The rationale for this is explained. A description and summary of current knowledge about the condition is also provided, including appropriate treatment approaches.

Conclusion

This case report is important because assumptions regarding the motivation for insertion of foreign bodies into the rectum may lead to the diagnosis of Munchausen's syndrome being missed. This would result in the appropriate course of action, with regard to treatment, not being followed. It is suggested that clinicians consider the specific motivation for the behaviour in all cases of rectal foreign body insertion, including the possibility of factitious disorder such as Munchausen's syndrome, and avoid any assumption that it has been carried out for the purpose of sexual gratification. Early involvement of psychiatrists is recommended. Cases of Munchausen's syndrome presenting as rectal foreign body insertion may be identified and addressed more effectively using the approach described.
Drifting Decision and the Decision to Drift: The Question of Spirit in Marilynne Robinson'sHousekeeping
Authors: Mattessich Stefan
Published: October 2008

This essay builds on previous criticism highlighting the semiotic dimensions of Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping to identify in its metaphors of spirit and spiritual haunting a performative logic of social implication. This logic appears within a metaphysics of subjectivity that the essay draws out in the novel with the help of Derrida's meditations on religion and Nancy's revision of dialectical reason. The “house” of identity, the essay argues, is for Robinson less an enclosure than “a way of going outside” that reveals the negative ground of every determined or external difference. “Keeping” house, then, is figured in leaving it, at a formal level of indistinction between inside and outside. At this level, the novel suggests a model for thinking agency, or decision, predicated on the uncertainty of identification and the need for self-critical reflection on the thetic foreclosure (or forgetting) of the negative ground. Housekeeping is only incidentally about outsiders who escape the conventional world and insiders who do not. In the first instance it concerns the space of unknowing, where we always are, or live, however normative our actions or emphatic our positions (or oppositions) might be. “Drifting Decision” seeks to open up this space in the novel, with an eye to its ethical significance for readers and writers alike.
Somatic Ontology: Comments on Alison Stone'sLuce Irigaray and the Philosophy of Sexual Difference
Authors: Mader Mary Beth
Published: October 2008

This commentary opens with an exposition of Alison Stone's novel reading of Irigaray's philosophy of sexual difference. This reading proposes that Irigaray's philosophy of sexual difference is a realist essentialism that reposes upon a general ontology of natural rhythm whose philosophical source is the nature philosophy of Schelling. Distinguishing between two accounts, a rhythmic account of natural, human sex difference and a relational account of cultivatable human, sexual difference, Stone's book unites these accounts to provide a comprehensive reading of Irigaray's philosophy of sexual difference. This article raises questions about the content of this new reading. The commentary asks whether and to what extent the rhythmic account of sex difference is established independently of a prior nonrhythmic or more conventional, biological notion of sex difference. It questions the classification of rhythmic processes that are purportedly differentiated by sex and offers a note of skepticism about the comparative classifications of reproductive and sexual impulses by sex. Finally, it treats the work's metaphysics of expression and tendency, inspired by Schelling's metaphysics, so as to inquire into its utility. The suggestion is that the value of this metaphysics may be undermined by the epistemological difficulty of distinguishing between a suppressed tendency and an absent one. The conclusion identifies this metaphysics of expression as a serious point of divergence between Stone's thought on sexuality and that of one of her interlocutors in the text, Judith Butler.
Recastings: On Alison Stone'sLuce Irigaray and the Philosophy of Sexual Difference
Authors: Deutscher Penelope
Published: October 2008

Following criticisms of Alison Stone's treatment of Judith Butler on nature and embodiment, this article argues that Stone has reconfigured Butler so as to accommodate Stone's interpretation of Irigaray. The project can be used to draw attention to forms of prior reconfiguration that may occur when differing theoretical frameworks are brought into dialogue with each other. The need for such forms of implicit, prior reconfiguration helps draw attention to the differences and relationships between different frameworks and the only apparently similar terms and concepts embedded in them. In the light of a staged encounter between Butler and Irigaray, Stone widens the conceptual space within Butler's project, into which she drops an alternative, reconfiguring understanding of Butler's work as requiring an absent concept: original, multiple, self-differentiating nature. She argues that the concept has the potential to serve as a useful intervention into the work of Butler and, among others, Schelling. Although this potential is not directly addressed by Stone, the reading serves as an occasion to reflect on a number of interpretative questions concerning not only the tacit work that occurs in one author's reconfiguration of another but also the varied methodologies that may be appropriate to the interpretation of Luce Irigaray's work in particular.
Microinjection moulding: The influence of runner systems on flow behaviour and melt fill of multiple microcavities
Authors: Griffiths C A , Dimov S S , Brousseau E B
Published: October 2008

To increase productivity and thus reduce the unit cost, often micro moulding tools incorporate multiple cavities and the selected runner design and applied pressure are very important for achieving satisfactory moulding results. The main function of the runner system is to facilitate the flow of molten material from the injection nozzle into the mould cavity. Therefore, the microinjection filling process depends on the optimum design of runner systems and this is an important prerequisite for the production of high quality parts. In this context, the paper reports on an experimental study that investigates the flow behaviour of the polymer melts in microcavities with a particular focus on the relationship between the filling of micro parts and the size of the runner system. In particular, the runner size effects on the microinjection moulding process were investigated by focusing the research on only the filling stage of the process. The filling performance of spiral-like micro cavities was studied as a function of runner size in combination with melt temperature, mould temperature, injection speed, and holding pressure time employing the design of the experiment approach. In addition, the results were analysed further with melt flow simulation to identify the effects of the runner size together with flow properties of the polymers, PP and ABS, on the behaviour of the microinjection moulding process.
Effect of the degree of particle melt on mechanical properties in selective laser-sintered Nylon-12 parts
Authors: Majewski C , Zarringhalam H , Hopkinson N
Published: October 2008

Selective laser sintering (SLS®, a trademark of 3D systems Inc.) is a manufacturing process which has emerged from numerous other technologies as the leading process considered viable for rapid manufacturing (RM). SLS of polymers has found use in a wide range of industries ranging from aerospace to medicine. The ability to manufacture easily parts that previously have been difficult or impossible to produce, without tooling, has proved invaluable for many applications. A major area of focus within RM is the requirement to produce parts with more repeatable mechanical properties than can currently be achieved. This research has investigated the use of a novel method of interpreting a differential scanning calorimetry curve to indicate the level of melting within semicrystalline selective laser-sintered parts, or the degree of particle melt (DPM). The DPM has been shown firstly to be affected by the amount of energy input into the process whereby, as the energy input increases, the DPM also increases. Results have also shown that, as the DPM increases, the tensile strength and elongation at break also increase, whilst there is no significant effect on the Young's modulus. These findings will enhance the ability to optimize and predict the properties of the SLS process, an area which is critical when producing end-use parts, particularly when considering demanding applications such as in the aerospace and automotive industries.
Optimal machining parameters in the cutting process of glass fibre using the reliability analysis based on the Taguchi method
Authors: Yang C-L , Sheu S-H , Yu K-T
Published: October 2008

Based on reliability analysis, this paper describes a new approach for optimizing the cutting process using the Taguchi method. This approach uses optimized cutting parameters, such as the cutting speed, the cutting volume, and the cutting load for cutting glass fibres, with the application of the Weibull modulus to the blade wear. The minimum blade wear, using the Taguchi method, was found to be the lowest cutting speed and the medium cutting load. The cutting volume had little effect on blade wear. An analysis of the variance of the blade wear indicated that the cutting speed (49.17 per cent) and load (20.33 per cent) were the most significant parameters in the cutting process of glass fibres. The optimum cutting conditions for the Weibull modulus were found to be as follows: speed, 5.7 m/s; volume, 150 pieces; load, 27 kgf/cm2. Comparing the wear with the Weibull modulus, the most optimal cutting parameter is A1 B3 C3. The experimental results reveal that the Taguchi method provides the optimum parameters for the cutting of glass fibres.
Wedge-shaped track design and contact analysis of overrunning clutches
Authors: Chen L-W , Chen Y-C
Published: October 2008

In this study, both finite element analysis and experimental tests are conducted to explore the effect of the profile of wedge-shaped tracks on the slipping torque for overrunning clutches. The effect of its tolerance on the slipping torque is also discussed. Contact elements are used to model the contacts between rings and rollers in finite element analysis. The friction coefficient used in finite element analysis is estimated from experimental results. The simulation results indicate that the profile of wedge-shaped tracks and its tolerance are important factors in designing slipping torques for overrunning clutches.
Research in hydraulic brake components and operational factors influencing the hysteresis losses
Authors: Tretsiak D V , Kliauzovich S V , Augsburg K , Sendler J , Ivanov V G
Published: October 2008

Up-to-date automotive brake systems place stringent requirements upon the performance, reliability, and active safety. Such advanced systems as antilock braking systems (ABS), the electronic stability programme system, and the anti-slip control system assist a driver in ensuring driving safety under many conditions. The influence of the brake components on active safety systems is mainly determined through the hysteresis loop width. Among other negative outcomes, this parameter limits the possible frequency of cyclic braking during ABS operation.

This paper presents an experimental analysis of the factors influencing the hysteresis pressure losses in a hydraulic brake system. The factors under investigations are the brake pedal stroke velocity, the gaps between the brake pads and the brake disc, and the configuration of the brake system. Experiments were carried out on the brake test equipment at the Automotive Engineering Department, Faculty for Mechanical Engineering, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany.
Procedure to verify the maximum speed of automatic transmission mopeds in periodic motor vehicle inspections
Authors: Calvo J A , Díaz V , Olmeda E , San Román J L , Gauchía A
Published: October 2008

Mopeds are very popular vehicles in Europe for teenagers. They have many advantages as they provide mobility, have a low maintenance cost, and are easy and fun to drive. However, they can be dangerous if their performance is modified in order to obtain higher features that do not comply with the legal established limits. One of the features commonly manipulated on a moped is the maximum speed. However, drive safety is seriously affected. For this reason, an important item to verify on periodic motor vehicle inspection (PMVI) is the maximum speed of the moped. The aim of the present paper is to establish a procedure to check the moped maximum speed during PMVI. A rolling test bench, a test procedure, and a speed limit on this rolling test bench that could be correlated with the test track results have been established from a statistical study with a representative population of automatic transmission mopeds.
Control strategy for a dual-mode electromechanical, infinitely variable transmission for hybrid electric vehicles
Authors: Kim N-D , Kim J-M , Kim H-S
Published: October 2008

An operating strategy is proposed for a dual-mode electromechanical, infinitely variable transmission (EVT) hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). First, network analysis is performed to evaluate the dual-mode EVT efficiency with respect to the speed ratio. It is found from the network analysis that the EVT efficiency decreases when the power circulation occurs along the electric variator and the EVT should be operated in the speed ratio region that provides a relatively high system efficiency, which requires an operating strategy from the viewpoint of the overall powertrain efficiency rather than the internal combustion engine thermal efficiency. In order to develop the operating strategy of the dual-mode EVT, dynamic equations of the HEV powertrain including the EVT are obtained and the motor torque control algorithm is designed using inversion-based control. To evaluate the performance of the operating strategy, an HEV simulator is developed on the basis of the dynamic models of the HEV powertrain using Cruise and MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation results indicate that the operating strategy proposed in this study is able to operate the engine in the desired speed ratio range having a relatively high EVT efficiency, which provides improved fuel economy compared with conventional control. It is expected that the operating strategy based on the transmission efficiency can be used effectively in the design of the dual-mode EVT for HEV application.
Combustion and performance of heavy-duty diesel engines fuelled with dimethyl ether
Authors: Zhang J-J , Huang Z , Wu J-H , Qiao X-Q , Fang J-H
Published: October 2008

This experimental study was conducted with a heavy-duty diesel engine fuelled with dimethyl ether (DME). The combustion and emission characteristics of DME engine were investigated. The results show that the peaks of in-cylinder pressure, heat release rate (HRR), pressure rise rate (PRR), and mean gas temperature of the DME engine are lower than those of diesel engines. For DME engines, with increase in the engine load, the diagram of HRR varies from two peaks to a single peak. With increasing engine speed under the same mean effective pressure, the ignition timing is delayed, and the heat release centroid gradually moves away from the top death centre (TDC). The DME engine with an injector of six holes and a plunger of larger diameter exhibits a good performance owing to a faster diffusion combustion. With increase in fuel delivery advance angle at rated power, the ignition timing advances, and the centroid of the HRR is near the TDC. However, the peak of the HRR is at the same level. The results also show that higher torque and power can be achieved with DME than with diesel fuel operation at full load. At full load, the fuel consumption at low engine speeds with DME is lower than with diesel fuel, and nitrogen oxide emissions of the DME engine decrease markedly. Hydrocarbon emissions reduce while carbon monoxide emission slightly increases. The combustion of the DME engine is free of smoke throughout all the operating points. As DME is an oxygenated fuel, its combustion produces less carbon dioxide than that from diesel combustion. European stationary cycle emission test results show that the emissions from the DME engine are below the limits of the Euro 3 regulations.
Classification and analysis of lateral torque-vectoring differentials using velocity diagrams
Authors: Sawase K , Inoue K
Published: October 2008

This paper describes the classification and analysis of lateral torque-vectoring differentials using velocity diagrams, which are frequently used for the gear-shifting analysis of an automatic transmission. A lateral torque-vectoring differential is composed of the mechanism of torque vectoring from the right wheel to the left wheel, and the similar mechanism of torque vectoring from the left to the right. The analysis shows that, when only the mechanism part of one-way torque vectoring is considered, then the smallest number of the rotational elements composing the one-way torque-vectoring mechanism is four. This is the simplest mechanism. The mechanism is classified into seven kinds of mechanism, namely six clutch-type mechanisms and one brake-type mechanism. The expressions for the clutch torque for torque vectoring, the clutch slip speed, and the energy loss generated by clutch are presented for these mechanisms. As a result, the theoretical value of energy loss is completely the same in these seven kinds of mechanism in the ideal state, in which the transmission efficiency of gears, agitation loss, etc., are assumed to be neglected. Finally, from an actual mechanism design point of view, the best mechanism is evaluated.
An experimental study on flat-wall-impinging spray of microhole nozzles under ultra-high injection pressures
Authors: Zhang W , Nishida K , Gao J , Miura D
Published: October 2008

The objective of the study is to provide information on the spray and mixture formation process of the microhole nozzle ( d=0.08mm) under an ultra-high injection pressure ( Pinj=300MPa). Flat-wall-impinging sprays were focused on and the laser absorption-scattering technique was adopted to obtain qualitative and quantitative information under various conditions. The spray and mixture characteristics of the conventional nozzle and microhole nozzles were compared; the advantages and disadvantages of microhole nozzles under different conditions were also discussed. Spray tip penetration length data were collected and compared with the predicted values using the gas jet theory. The results showed that the combination of the microhole nozzle and ultra-high injection pressure was very effective for obtaining the optimal penetration length, fast vaporization, and a high air entrainment rate.
Effects of long-term storage of filter paper blood samples on neonatal thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxin and 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone measurements
Authors: Lando Valeria S , Batista Marcelo C , Nakamura Izabel T , Mazi Cassia R , Mendonca Berenice B , Brito Vinicius N
Published: October 2008

Objectives

Clinical laboratories store filter paper samples used in neonatal screening for various periods of time after performing hormonal measurements. However, due to lack of data concerning specimen stability, it is unclear for how long these samples should be stored. The objective of this study is to determine the stability and reproducibility of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4) and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) measurements in filter paper blood samples stored for up to 60 months.

Methods

Two hundred and twenty-eight blood samples, drawn between the second and the fourth day of life, were divided into seven distinct groups and kept at 4–8°C for one day or 2, 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60 months after basal hormonal measurements. In each group, TSH, T4 and 17-OHP levels were initially assayed 24–48 hours after collection (basal) and repeated once at the end of storage timing. All the measurements were performed by time-resolved fluorometry (1235 AutoDELFIA, Wallac Oy, Turku, Finland). Repeated and basal levels of each hormone were compared within the same group by Student's paired t-test. Differences were considered significant at P < 0.05.

Results

Compared with basal measurements, TSH and T4 levels declined significantly only when these hormones were re-assayed at 48 or 60 months of sample storage. In contrast, 17-OHP concentrations decreased earlier, starting at 24 months and continuing throughout the remaining period.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that neonatal screening of filter paper samples kept at 4–8°C are reliable for repeating the hormonal measurements when specimens are stored for up to one year, in the case of 17-OHP, or three years, in the case of T4 and TSH.
Ethnic differences in participation in flexible sigmoidoscopy screening in the UK
Authors: Robb Kathryn A , Power Emily , Atkin Wendy , Wardle Jane
Published: October 2008

Objectives

The aim of the study was to examine ethnic differences in participation in colorectal cancer screening by flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS). It assessed both intentions to be screened and actual screening uptake, and considered whether demographic, health and psychosocial factors mediated the ethnic differences. The setting of this study follows a subset of participants from the UK FS Trial.

Methods

A postal questionnaire assessed ethnicity, demographic characteristics, health, attitudes to screening and FS screening intentions. Data on screening intentions were available for 17,333 adults aged 55–64 years (Sample 1). Screening uptake was recorded in a subsample of 4303 respondents who were subsequently randomized to receive an invitation to screening (Sample 2).

Results

Screening intentions in Sample 1 were equally high across all the ethnic groups (>80% [13,724/17,042] reported they were interested). In contrast, attendance (Sample 2) was considerably lower among Asians (54% [43/79]) compared with White (69% [2843/4123]) or Black (80% [33/41]) respondents. Multivariate analysis showed that potential explanatory factors, including socioeconomic deprivation, poor health and fearful and fatalistic attitudes did not account for the lower screening attendance among Asians.

Conclusion

Further research is required to identify explanations for the gap between intentions and behaviour in UK Asians if any future FS screening programme is to be introduced equitably.
Diabetic retinopathy and socioeconomic deprivation in Gloucestershire
Authors: Scanlon P H , Carter S C , Foy C , Husband R F A , Abbas J , Bachmann M O
Published: October 2008

Objectives

To investigate socioeconomic variations in diabetes prevalence, uptake of screening for diabetic retinopathy, and prevalence of diabetic retinopathy.

Methods

The County of Gloucestershire formed the setting of the study. A cross-sectional study of people with diabetes was done on a countywide retinopathy-screening database. Diabetes prevalence with odds ratios, uptake of screening, prevalence of any retinopathy and prevalence of sight-threatening retinopathy at screening were compared for different area deprivation quintiles. Logistic regression was used to adjust for confounding.

Results

With each increasing quintile of deprivation, diabetes prevalence increased (odds ratio 0.84), the probability of having been screened for diabetic retinopathy decreased (odds ratio 1.11), and the prevalence of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy among screened patients increased (odds ratio of 0.98), while the prevalence of non-sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy remained unchanged with each increasing quintile of deprivation.

Conclusion

Sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy was associated with socioeconomic deprivation, but non-sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy was not. Uptake of screening was inversely related to socioeconomic deprivation.
Population characteristics related to colorectal cancer testing in New South Wales, Australia: results from the 45 and Up Study cohort
Authors: Weber Marianne F , Banks Emily , Ward Robyn , Sitas Freddy
Published: October 2008

Objective

To compare the characteristics of people who utilize colorectal cancer screening tests with those who do not.

Setting

Self-reported questionnaire data from 15,900 women and 14,953 men aged 50 or over who had never had colorectal cancer were taken from the 45 and Up Study cohort in Australia in 2006.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of colorectal cancer test behaviour within the last five years by faecal occult blood test (FOBT), or by any test (FOBT, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) was performed.

Results

A total of 36.2% of participants reported colorectal cancer testing and 17.9% reported having a FOBT. Both FOBT and any testing were reduced significantly in groups with the following attributes compared with the remaining population; ages 50–59 and 80+; female; no family history of colorectal cancer; lower education; lower income; not speaking English at home; lack of private health insurance; not being retired; not living with a partner and not having other screening tests. Compared with other participants, test uptake was particularly low among current smokers (relative risk 0.76, 95% CI 0.71–0.80), sedentary participants (0.71, 95% CI 0.66–0.77), those without fruit (0.77, 95% CI 0.71–0.84) or vegetables (0.79, 95% CI 0.69–0.90) in their daily diet and those with a disability (0.91, 95% CI 0.85–0.97). Compared with participants from major cities, outer regional area participants were significantly more likely to report a FOBT (1.31, 95% CI 1.23–1.39) however participants in remote areas were significantly less likely to have had any colorectal cancer test (0.75, 95% CI 0.67–0.85).

Conclusion

Subgroups of the Australian population may require targeted intervention to ensure equity in colorectal cancer screening.
The NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal Fragments of Dentin Matrix Protein 1 (DMP1) Localize Differently in the Compartments of Dentin and Growth Plate of Bone
Authors: Maciejewska Izabela , Cowan Cameron , Svoboda Kathy , Butler William T. , D'Souza Rena , Qin Chunlin
Published: October 2008

Multiple studies have shown that dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is essential for bone and dentin mineralization. After post-translational proteolytic cleavage, DMP1 exists within the extracellular matrix of bone and dentin as an NH2-terminal fragment, a COOH-terminal fragment, and the proteoglycan form of the NH2-terminal fragment (DMP1-PG). To begin to assess the biological function of each fragment, we evaluated the distribution of both fragments in the rat tooth and bone using antibodies specific to the NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal regions of DMP1 and confocal microscopy. In rat first molar organs, the NH2-terminal fragment localized to predentin, whereas the COOH-terminal fragment was mainly restricted to mineralized dentin. In the growth plate of bone, the NH2-terminal fragment appeared in the proliferation and hypertrophic zones, whereas the COOH-terminal fragment occupied the ossification zone. Forster resonance energy transfer analysis showed colocalization of both fragments of DMP1 in odontoblasts and predentin, as well as hypertrophic chondrocytes within the growth plates of bone. The biochemical analysis of bovine teeth showed that predentin is rich in DMP1-PG, whereas mineralized dentin primarily contains the COOH-terminal fragment. We conclude that the differential patterns of expression of NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal fragments of DMP1 reflect their potentially distinct roles in the biomineralization of dentin and bone matrices.